You can’t miss her shop on the popular Allen Avenue, Ikeja in Lagos. It is called RADEK. If you are one of the regular shoppers who visit the popular Alade Market in Ikeja, then Radeke Kupoluyi’s name will surely not be new to you. Popularly called Radek by her teeming friends, the name stuck with people because it is also her shop’s name. She is a big time clothier who deals majorly in maternity wears. She is very popular in Ikeja and amongst many celebrity women because of her love for friends and every person that comes in contact with her. She is one of the top executives at Alade market who is in charge of what goes on in the market. Let us also mention that she is a crowd puller, a core society woman who drags many celebs to her parties. She is very beautiful and highly industrious. She sits atop over 3 outlets and her brand has remained number 1 for career women who are pregnant but also want to look corporate and sassy.
Have you ever also spotted her at any event, this dazzling woman is very stylish and knows how to combine colors; she dresses well and her choice of jewelry is second to none. Recently, she opened her 4th store inside the new Omolola plaza, new Alade Market, Allen Ikeja and it was attended by many of her friends, customers and shop owners. She is blissfully married to the boss of Flip Tv and E247 Magazine, Biodun Kupoluyi.
City People Society Editor, TAYO FAJORIN OYEDIJI spent an afternoon with this beautiful woman who will turn 50 in the next couple of months and she opened up on her clothing business of 17 years and what has made her relevant over the years.
How have you been able to sustain your business for the past 17 years?
It has been God all the way. The Bible says without God, we can achieve nothing. He has been my strength, fortress, support, and all the glory. Perseverance, patience, integrity and all. So I have learnt to let my rise be gradual and thank God we are where we are today. I thank God for the journey so far.
Any challenges you have faced in this last 17 years or was it all smooth sailing for you?
Smooth you say? No business can be smooth I tell you. There would be moments of ups and downs and that is what the bible even tells us. There is the season for everything, but the ability to surmount all the challenges is the grace that God has given us. Yes, there are challenges. A lot of them. For anybody to survive any business in Nigeria without compromise, you will have to face a lot of challenges. Many times you would want to give up, but once you know what you are doing and you are patient, you have the passion, eventually, the passion will bring in money and you will continue to keep the business, grow the business and it will eventually turn to your career. So when the challenges come, I face them and I move on again.
How were you able to get funding as at the time you started?
I did not really have money when I started this business. I started because I made up my mind to do it. Fashion is something that is like a passion for me. I have always been a fashionable person. My parents are fashionable, especially my dad. Fashion runs in my family. You know I love dressing well, I love looking good all the time. So I studied Hotel and Catering Management from Yaba College of Technology. I worked briefly at Tantalizers. I travelled on holidays. I went to Dubai on vacation and I just thought to myself that why would I go on vacation and not buy anything, it will just be like a waste of trip. So I bought a few clothes, and within 2 weeks, I finished selling and made more profits and just like that. So I thought to myself, if I am collecting salary for a whole month and I can sell for just two weeks and make times 4 of my salary and catering why don’t I just concentrate on this business and at the same time, it is a business that I love, so I just made up my mind and followed my passion. I gave it a trial and I told myself if it works for me I will continue, and if not I will go back to my catering job and thank God since I started I have gotten hooked to it and it has eventually become a career for me.
How exactly did you start your business?
I started from the booth of my Starlet car. All I had doing this clothing business was a Starlet car I bought for #120,000 with my gratuity from Tantalizers. So I started selling from the booth. I go to the offices. I go to friends that work in the bank but I did not give up. Once you find what you are doing as a passion, you will see the green light and the need for you to do it. So since I started, I have never thought to stop, though it has been challenging, but I have never come to the end of the business even when the dollar went up from 160 to 480 to 520, I did not give up. So many times have had to sell what I have; I sold my car, sold my jewelry just to make sure that I have enough capital to do the business but because it is my passion which I turned to a career, it is putting food on my table. Many people who are my customers whom I can’t even recognize outside call me to say Madam Radek, I am your customer. I buy things from you and they are good. Even in shops abroad, people see me and they shout Madam Radek. So what else am I looking for again? It has become a career. The journey has been tough so far, but it has also been good for me all the way. I give God all the glory.
At which shop did you start selling from because everybody got to know Radek in Alade Market?
My first shop was in Ogudu; I was living with my uncle in Ogudu then, so I got a shop along the road but I was not selling. Customers were not really coming in. I had to start putting the goods in my booth again going to sell off the shop. I paid 2 years rent but after one year I had to move out because customers were not coming into the shop. I joined a petty contribution group in Alade. I had friends in Alade then, so we started together and I told them to give me the last number. The first contribution I got from there is what I used to secure a shop in Alade. My first shop was for #120,000 and that was 16 years ago. Since then, I have been in Alade and I have other branches. I have 2 branches on Allen now and I have 2 inside Alade market.
How have you been able to manage the business all these years
It has been the grace of God. I was determined to make it a success and I thank God for where he has brought us. I am a very hard working person and I love what I do so I don’t really see it as stress. It puts money on my table, I get the money, I get the comfort. What I do is, I make sure all my shops are as comfortable as my sitting room. Whatever I want in my house, I put it in my shop so that the comfortablity can be there. It is only bed and mattress you can’t find there, but I have a couch which makes it comfortable for me if I want to rest my body when I am tired. Those times I was having my babies, I had a couch in the shop where I can comfortably take care of my children and take a nap when tired. I make sure I make it as comfortable as I want. There is no stress. I spend lots of money on renovation, decoration and all because I love to do it. Whatever stress comes out from it, you don’t see it as anything, you move on and it keeps the business going and growing.
You are very stylish, how can you describe your style?
As a woman, you are what you wear. That is my philosophy. I always tell people what you are is what you wear. Appearance owns the manner for me. You want to cloth people, you want people to look nice and you are wearing tattered clothes, it does not go together, so because it is my passion, it is what I do every day, I must dress well. It comes to me naturally, I must look good. Even when I am sick, I tend to look. It is an inborn thing. I have to look good. So fashion to me is what you are and I will address you the way I see you, no matter how good, or responsible you are, I will first of all judge you with your appearance personally, that is me. For me, you are what you wear; it is very key to me. Even my staff don’t dress anyhow; we have our rules. If I have a staff that can’t dress well or match colours either for themselves or client then I will tell her to leave because you have to look good. As a woman, the totality of our look goes way beyond just looking fine. First of all, the way we appear or look because before you can take care of your family, husband and children, you must first know how to take care of yourself and that includes appearance. Fashion means a whole lot to me; it is a very deep line of business for me. That is what I found myself doing and that is what I will keep doing.
