In this week's conversation, we're delving further into two passions–finance and wellness. We use our finances to invest in our wellness, and there are a lot of misconceptions about whether we can have the two, right where we are. Our guest this week, Oreoluwa Okubajo, is passionate that we all can and offers greater insight into how we can start bringing the two together in our lives, in ways that are tailored to us and our needs.
Join me as I speak with the 21-year old Founder/CEO of a wellness brand called Didara Wellness and Nutrition. She is a creative at heart and a Christian.
She goes to Regents University London and studies Liberal Arts with a major in Media and Communications and is going into her final year. Her purpose is to bring liberation to Africa and the people of Africa through utilising the resources God has given us. For her, this looks like tapping into the wellness and nutrition industry and using that to build up a people that are not dependent on westernised ways of living.
Rhieme: Hi Ore, thank you so much for joining us today. Can you please tell us a bit about yourself?
Ore: My name is Ore Okubajo. I'm 20 I'm going to be 21 quite soon actually. I school in Regent's University, London. I studied Liberal Arts with a major in Media and Communications. And I'm a Christian, God is my rock. I am the founder of Didara, which is a wellness brand that is dedicated to pushing organic and wholesome living. I'm also a creative. I'm very, very creative and have been a creative since I could remember.
Rhieme: Thank you for sharing that. Let’s go straight into it. You mentioned that you're the founder of Didara, a wellness brand. What’s the vision and what do you aim to achieve with this company?
Ore: Like I already said, Didara is a wellness house that is focused on using holistic measures to create the lifestyle of optimum health and wellness. It's a guide that teaches people how to live a wholesome life. Our mission is to bring people to the realisation that through nature, God has given us everything we need to be well. My anchor scripture is always Genesis 1:29 – it says “Look! I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food." So I strongly believe that God has given us everything we need, everything within nature and all we have to do is tap into it. This is what Didara is about. Our goal is Africa. I'm very passionate about Africa, the things Africa can do, and how much Africa can impact the world at large. We are committed to highlighting Africa, and we're dedicated to participating in the advancement of its health and wellness industry. Right now, wellness and health are becoming big in Nigeria and it's because we are coming to the realisation that we don't really need westernised culture in the industry. We are completely different people; the West is very different from Africa. Therefore, the things we need, and things we use, sometimes are very different. So it's just finding the things that Africa has to offer and using it to our benefit. It's not just within Africa, but to the rest of the world as well.
Rhieme: Honestly, that's so good! And you’re very clear about your vision. You want to change Africa and that's amazing because a lot of people look down on it and it’s often shown from the wrong perspective. As a continent, there are so many things that need improvement. You know – how come there isn't more focus on our natural resources and how we can develop them? Let's focus on our potential. It's great that brands like yours actually care to do so because a lot of people just look at Africa and see it as a lost cause. You on the other hand are already taking strides and looking for ways to solve that issue, so thank you for saying yes to God in that regard.
Rhieme: Within the wellness space it's mainly thought that it's expensive to maintain a healthy lifestyle. A lot of people get very stressed out when they think about this. As someone that is passionate about wellness, how have you been able to navigate managing your finances with that in mind?
Ore: I mean, when we first started out, people who have been with us from the start of 2019 know I started off with my sister. It wasn't just about wellness; we did a whole bunch of stuff. But one of the things we highlighted was looking at wellness from a very affordable point of view. I grew up in a household where wellness has always been important. My mum is very passionate about making sure we're eating right and taking our vitamins, and she is passionate about wellness. She portrayed it to us in a very affordable way. So every time I spoke to people about wellness, and they'd say it’s too expensive, in my mind I'd think, I don't know wellness to be as expensive as people think it is. It can be expensive, but there's so much you can do before you even start looking at the costly side of it.
In my household it wasn't like that, it was very affordable for us. We had a tree in our backyard that we plucked Moringa from so it can be very affordable. That's why I promote DIY a lot, because you don't necessarily always have to buy these things. I think that's it with wellness and health. People think you have to buy these expensive things, but you can actually make these things yourself. When we first launched, I was 19. I mean, what capital did I really have? I'm still living off my dad so there's only so much I can do. I thought it'd be good for people in my age bracket to look at this and realise it is not as expensive as we think it is. It can be quite expensive, but you can definitely work with something to make it affordable for you. So that's the first thing in navigating finances and wellness–it doesn't always have to be super expensive. It doesn't always have to be thousands of dollars or pounds. It can literally be you in your kitchen mixing up a bunch of things and realising you're creating something that can be very beneficial to you and the people around you. For me personally, when we spoke about this interview, I was thinking about how bad I am with my finances because I’m very free with money. I’m still learning when to save or spend.
Rhieme: What I really picked up on was how wellness does not have to be expensive. You spoke about how you had knowledge and passion in that area, and you thought why not create something that's more affordable and create content for people within our age group? A lot of the time we wait for these solutions to suddenly appear, but you found out that, even if you’re living off your dad, that is perfectly fine. You still tapped into the knowledge you had in that area, and turned it into a service to help others. It actually ties in with the vision of your brand, already using the resources that we have here and turning it into something that will bridge a gap, essentially. So that's really good. You also said that you're not the best with your finances. Honestly, everyone starts from somewhere. Once you have knowledge in the area, you're good to go. Even I'm still learning, I don't have everything figured out. So thank you for being transparent.
Rhieme: You've mentioned that you're still living off your dad. But I know you've hosted events and launched products so how are you able to build up capital? What has the whole process been like?
Ore: I had been saving to do an event, that’s how the capital came. I mean, all the capital still came from my dad, because at the end of the day, he was sponsoring me but I was able to handle some aspects. It's important to highlight how other people can play major roles in your life when it comes to finances. For instance, a good example would be when I launched the soap bars. I had started selling and realised that I made a major error with the finances, and eventually had to stop as I was operating at a loss. I realised there isn't any point starting something, especially when it comes to finances, when you don't have the resources and capacity to do these things. Sometimes people are like teach yourself, but I taught myself and still didn’t understand how to navigate them. You don't have to do it all by yourself. You don't have to figure out everything by yourself. You can reach out to people who know more about finances and seek their help. I think when it comes to finances, we tend to be so uptight and don't want to talk about it that much. We don't want to let everybody in on our business or how our businesses are going in terms of the money and all these things. But you might be harming yourself in that way. Because, like, even if you make money, how do you invest that money that you made in your business? How do you reinvest it into the company? Do you want to invest in something or start something else? I think it's so important that people have financial officers or people who are gifted in areas of finance, because there's only so much you can do. There's only so much you can educate yourself on. And there's so much they can offer.
I think when it comes to businesses and especially start-ups, people believe you have to do everything on your own. But I really don't believe that, because I don't know everything. I didn’t launch the soap bars properly and I was literally looking for people. I told myself that I would not put out anything that has to do with money until I have somebody that can help me out, teach and guide me in this area because the worst thing would be to put in so much effort and money into something and not seeing any profit.
Rhieme: You mentioned how you choose to set aside money to save despite living off your dad. Sometimes people think they can't take this extra step until they're making money of their own. But if with what you have, you're not doing the most now, when you're working it’s probably going to be even harder, not easier.
Ore: When I started schooling in the UK, my mum always encouraged me to save some money. So, I started saving during my A-levels. But then I would use up all my savings even sooner. When Didara came into the picture, I realised I had to take my savings seriously and actually save some money.
Rhieme: Thank you for being honest. I like how you spoke about how you were running at a loss at first and I really respect your decision to take a step back and strategise. Sometimes when we launch something, we ask ourselves, "how can I stop after everything?" But you were honest with yourself and came to the realisation that you weren’t making any profit. You also mentioned that it’s important we realise that we can’t do everything ourselves. Currently with the blog, I don’t run it all by myself, Dunni (@ruaachstudio) covers the graphics and the website. It’s okay that someone else has more knowledge in certain areas than I do, I still have my strengths. Even if you don't know something there's no need to start condemning yourself. I feel like there's a lot of knowledge out there and we have to work with other people.
I really like how you didn’t mention quitting just because your product launch didn’t go as planned. It wasn't that the product itself was not good, it was the planning around it that could've been better. But there's a tendency to quit rather than actively seek out the lesson in the unexpected. We need to be able to reflect on what's happened. It's so easy for you to say, I'm the owner of XYZ, but what you're creating, what change is it bringing? So it’s important to take a step back and spend time reflecting.
Rhieme: You’ve spoken about wellness and finances and I’m wondering, how can one incorporate constant wellness practices while they're handling their finances?
Ore: The first thing I’ll say is it’s not a one size fits all sort of thing. So, what is wellness to me might not be wellness for someone else. I think the first step for everyone is to figure out what wellness means to them. For myself it’s being able to eat right. I think the whole spectrum of wellness is what I encapsulate, but it might not be the same for everyone. Some people might not feel the need to eat healthy and that's okay, but I wouldn’t advise that you not do it [eat unhealthily]. To another, it looks like sitting down and being able to read a book. It’s about finding how to do these things yourself in a way that does not break the bank. You know for a fact that your bank account isn't necessarily looking like how you want it to look, right, and you still want to take care of yourself. You still want to eat healthy and all these things. Look for the cheapest ways to do these. And when I mean cheap, I don't mean that it's not going to be quality. I think a lot of the time we place a lot of emphasis on how much something is and when it's the most expensive thing, we find the most value in it. But I found that in terms of wellness, sometimes that isn't necessarily true. For instance, the bar soap. The ingredients are not expensive at all, but by the time you combine everything, it’s amazing value and quality. All feedback I had from the soap was nothing short of excellent and even to date people still ask. So it's looking for how you can piece together these little things.
I'm currently looking into body oils. If you look on Amazon or some other websites, they have these natural ingredients and you'd be shocked at how cheap they are. I tell you, when you put them all together and create something, you're creating something that is of such good quality. Even when it comes to eating healthy, especially in the UK, people I know people go to farmers markets. I don't know how many people in our circle are even open to the idea of farmers markets, but you will the most natural and organic stuff in farmers markets. It might be a bit more expensive than Sainsbury's and other supermarkets, but when you go there, you get more value for your money because you're buying organic stuff that are beneficial to your body.
Rhieme: That’s good, because at the end of the day, everyone has a different standard. One key thing you mentioned is how the products you used to formulate your soap bar were quite cheap. But put it all together, and you have an amazing product. As you said, the price of something doesn't always tell of its value. Think about it – how do you know there's no pricing strategy involved? It doesn't mean that value cannot be delivered at a low price point. I'm also thinking about looking beyond the surface level. Even what you said about practices – when one applies all these practices consistently, maybe for 15 minutes every day, the person takes all these small practices, and it produces a whole person.
Rhieme: You've been organising events, how have you been consistent with your vision? Especially as someone developing a company? I know people starting off can easily be discouraged by a lack of engagement and all.
If you haven't checked out her platform, check it out, the link will be at the bottom of the article.
Ore: Two things, I think. Number one is always knowing my why. Number two is my passion for it. Like, those two things are really what keep me going. I know what I'm doing and why I'm doing it. I know that it's to glorify God, but I know what He can do for people at the same time. One is to glorify God, which is obviously the most important, but I also know what His dream is for people. Then my passion–I really don't see myself doing anything else. So I'm very much ready to take the long road and be there for as long as I need to be before it blows up, or whatever. And I think another thing is, I think I'm very hard working, I think everyone in my family says you work so hard. I think it's just something God has given me–the ability to always work hard. But I think even that ability to work hard comes out of the passion that I have for what I do. And knowing that I'm not doing it necessarily for the pleasing of people or for Instagram followers or all these other things. This is your race, and you're running it without looking at others or what people are saying about it. I will eventually get to the finish line. I also think it's important to just mention all the people that have supported me, and send very loving messages. I think a lot of people see that Didara has so much potential.
Rhieme: There was so much in that, especially when you spoke about knowing your why and linked it to the impact it will have on someone else. As Christians, we know that God has called us to serve people and equip people to become who He wants them to be. You know, God has emphasised that you need to solve a problem and constantly bear in mind that this is not for you. I think beyond looking at potential, it's about actually stepping out to see how you're able to help this person and how that could be promoting someone's business.
You may be putting out amazing content, and you're not really getting the promotion you believe you deserve, it's still all about staying consistent. Because I tell you, one day, something will suddenly happen. It's important that people do not give up on what they have in their hands because you're not doing it for people's support, you're doing it because there's a problem somewhere you're providing a solution to.
Rhieme: Do you have any last words? What would you say to anyone who doesn't really know where to start? Do you have anything you could share? Or would you just say that we need to?
Ore: I feel like when you don't know where to start, that's often an indicator that you need to go back to God. I'll give a very good example. As I said God had told me Didara wasn’t my sister’s path. What’s so funny is that He originally told me this and I decided to just wait and see when she would leave. Then during the lockdown period last year, I found myself in a very confused state. My relationship with God wasn't as strong as it is now. I didn't get any answers until I went back to Him. I wish sometimes I could leave you know; I could leave the feed and show how Didara looked before and how it is now. People don't know our colours were once blue. God has turned the whole thing around. When people don't know where to start, you just go back to asking what exactly do you want me to do with this? I think people always underestimate how personal your relationship can be with God, and how specific He can be when He speaks with you. In our generation, we want to start off with the most excellent thing. But I can see for myself that if I didn't start, my quality wouldn't be where it is today. If you can't look back from where you started and see the difference in your business a year later, that's a bad thing because nothing's changed. A business only works when it when it evolves. Some things only work with improvement. So, there's only two pieces of advice I'd give people: work hard and ask God to help you. I’ve been running on the grace of God. There's so much that God wants us to do for His Kingdom, there's no need for slacking.
Rhieme: Truly, the only thing worth pursuing is what God has asked you to do. You went back to Him despite everything, and it shows that you know what God's vision is for your life. Going back to Him and aligning yourself is so important. You touched on not aiming for perfection, but just focusing on progression. And that's crucial, because a lot of the time, we don't want to do something first, we compare ourselves to others. I'm sure that person's been building since and is constantly evolving. Even with this blog there are things that have changed–the quality of our graphics is getting better and better. When you start from where you are, you give yourself room to evolve. It’s really making the decision that you want to move forward, right, so there's no point looking at what's behind you. This has been an amazing conversation!
Ore: Thank you for having me. This was fun and went way better than expected.
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