Princess Udogadi, a graduate of Mass Communication from the Federal Polytechnic Nekede in Imo State, started up her business brand, ‘Reizropa’, eight years ago to avoid the consistent advances from married colleagues and bosses while on a paid job.
By Eberechi Obinagwam
Princess Udogadi, a graduate of Mass Communication from the Federal Polytechnic Nekede in Imo State, started up her business brand, ‘Reizropa’, eight years ago to avoid the consistent advances from married colleagues and bosses while on a paid job.
Discouraged with her experience, Princess was motivated to take charge of her life by learning a skill – fashion designing – after which she set up her own outfit, Reizropa, with just a small sewing machine and a lot of determination in a modest workspace at home, serving close friends and family.
Over time, through referrals and consistency, the brand grew and expanded into a more structured fashion business. Today, she runs an on-demand fashion house that creates trendy, contemporary, bespoke outfits for women using African fabrics.
Entrepreneurship journey
Princess’s decision to settle for business was a result of the unhealthy environment she found herself in while on a paid job. Her dream was to work for a long time before settling for a business, but the unhealthy work environment she found herself made her change course.
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Princess told TheNiche in an interview; “After graduating, I got some paid jobs, countless times. But I couldn’t keep up because the environment wasn’t healthy for me as a young woman. I faced unwanted advances from married colleagues and my bosses. That experience discouraged me, but it also motivated me to take charge of my own life. I’ve always loved doing business. I was never broke in secondary or tertiary institution because I made hair, baked pies, and sold them to make money. So, starting a business felt like a natural path for me.”
Princess, after quitting one of those jobs, stayed at home for some weeks before deciding to enroll as an apprentice at a nearby shop. That was in 2015. “Three weeks into training, I got married. Soon after, I relocated with my husband to another state. I had a private tutor who came to the house to train me, but she stopped two months later when she also got married and relocated.”
She continued: “I had to face my young family, and in just four years, I already had two children. In 2019, while three months pregnant, I went back to Lagos to continue my fashion career training, alongside my two kids. I enrolled in a fashion school, but their services were poor. Still, I didn’t give up. With the little knowledge I gained, plus my determination to keep learning through online classes and constant practice, I was able to develop and refine my craft.” Her inspiration, she said, came from her deep love for fashion and creativity, as well as a strong desire to showcase the beauty of African fabrics in modern, stylish designs.
Capital
Princess faced a huge challenge starting up her brand, hence taking off with personal savings and one sewing machine in her husband’s house in Owerri. Along the way, she reinvested every profit made into the business. “I also built trust with my clients who often paid deposits for their orders, which helped me keep production going”, she recalled.
Penetrating the market
Penetrating the market wasn’t easy for Princess as it took her between two and three years to gain attention and build trust. “At first, people doubted a new brand. But by consistently delivering quality outfits and maintaining strong customer service, I was able to break through,” she said.
Power outage and family life
Princess recalled an unforgettable experience when a major client’s order could not be completed on schedule due to a power outage, coinciding with a time she was heavily pregnant.
Recalling the experience, she said; “One unforgettable experience happened in 2020. I had a major client’s order meant to be delivered to the UK. Unfortunately, there was a power outage, with very few resources, and I was already behind schedule. To make matters worse, I was heavily pregnant and due to give birth.
“I tried to finish the dresses before delivery, but the outage slowed me down. While still working, I went into labour and was rushed to the hospital. Just three days after giving birth, I had to complete the order so I could take my maternity break. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but it taught me resilience and the importance of never giving excuses as a business owner”.
Breakthrough moment
A breakthrough came for Princess in 2020 when she was invited to style a group of women for a corporate event. “The positive feedback and referrals that followed opened doors for more opportunities. That experience gave me the assurance that Reizropa could grow bigger and compete at a higher level.”
Business challenges in Nigeria
For Princess, unstable electricity, high cost of production, difficulty in sourcing quality fabrics, and inconsistent government policies are some of the challenges she faces running her business in Nigeria. She said: “These challenges slow down business growth, but my creativity, adaptability, and consistency have helped me keep pushing forward.”
Japa
The brain behind Reizropa said she chose to remain in Nigeria despite the trend of Japa because she believes Nigeria is full of opportunities, especially in the fashion industry. “Our fashion is vibrant, unique, growing and respected globally. My dream is to build a brand that represents African creativity and creates job opportunities for others. Leaving would have been easier, but staying gives me the chance to contribute to the growth of our fashion ecosystem,” she said.
About Princess
Princess Udogadi was born in Lagos but hails from Owerri in Imo State. She had her Higher National Diploma (HND) in Mass Communication from Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri, in Imo State. She also did some certification programmes in entrepreneurship and digital marketing, which further shaped her fashion journey. Princess had always had a passion for creativity and fashion since childhood, so choosing fashion when she quit her paid job was not a coincidence.
Her outfit, Reizropa, is steadily making its mark by designing bespoke, elegant, and contemporary African-inspired outfits for women. Princess trains people and also has some workers assisting her in her job.
