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Bolatit Ogunzueye, CEO of SBT Fashion Academy, talks to Fatteh Hamid about how he started his fashion brand from his mother’s living room and grew it into a popular brand.
Could you tell us about yourself?
My name is Oganzuay Volatito Arinola, and my family and friends affectionately call me Tito. I am from Ijebu Ode, a beautiful town in Ogun State. I own a fashion design brand called Styled by Tito in the heart of Lagos. We also own a fashion academy called SBT Fashion Academy that trains fashion enthusiasts from beginner to advanced levels.
How was your school trip?
I had my primary education in Lagos, but my parents returned to Ijebu Ode and I completed my secondary education at the Anglican Grammar School for Girls, Ijebu Ode. I went to Moshood Abiola University of Technology, Abeokuta, where I obtained an Ordinary National Diploma in Accountancy, and then moved to Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoyi, where I obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration.
How would you describe your experience as an entrepreneur?
As an entrepreneur who has been running a fashion business for over 7 years and serving customers all over the world, it can be very daunting, challenging, but rewarding. I would say that my daily life, even if planned, has some uncertainties. Currently operating in a market like ours where foreign exchange fluctuations can affect manufacturing, it takes a lot of courage to be an entrepreneur. Overall, it’s a sweet and bitter experience. Some days are better than others, but the good days definitely outweigh the bad.
What about your childhood? What was it like growing up?
I grew up in a close-knit family with parents who were believers in religion and education, so I spent most of my childhood gaining knowledge and attending church services. I started junior high school at the age of 8 and graduated at 14, so all I did was read. So my childhood was pretty boring and not as exciting as the average kid growing up in Nigeria.
Who were your parents and how much did they influence your life journey?
My parents are Mr. and Mrs. Bashir, middle-income earners who lived in Lagos all their lives before moving to Ogun State. They have been a big part of my life since I was a child. Even now, my father is a very kind, gentle, and very generous parent. I received generosity from him while my mother was a disciplinarian and a shaman who taught us nearness to God and helped us in our spiritual lives. When I moved to Lagos and started living on my own, I almost never had sleepovers or stayed up late because I always felt like my mother would show up and slap me on the head. I also pray about everything, just as her mother taught us to do.
You shared on X (formerly Twitter) that you had to quit banking to start a fashion business in your mother’s living room in Ijebu-Ode. Why did you leave banking?
Fashion design is something I’m passionate about, but my mom hated the idea of graduating and becoming a seamstress, so I decided to work in a white-collar job for a while. Please use it at all. I left banking because I wanted to focus on what I was passionate about.
Quitting your banking job for fashion in Nigeria seems ridiculous. What were you thinking at that time?
In fact, it was ridiculous to my manager and everyone else in my life except my boyfriend, who is now my husband, and that was all the encouragement I needed. The one person who believed in that crazy dream of mine held my hand throughout the journey and here we are today.
Why was the living room the perfect place to start a fashion business back then?
I used to live in Ijebu Ode with my family but I didn’t want to settle in Ijebu Ode completely as it might limit my opportunities. I wanted to establish myself in a place like Lagos where I could make a lot of money. Also, when I was working, my salary was not very high, and at the same time I was thinking of moving abroad, but it didn’t work out and I ended up spending a lot of my savings. So I had to stay home and work for a while. If we had set up shop in Ijebu Ode at that time, it would have made the decision to move to Lagos even more difficult, and also because our living room was large and could fit a lot of people. Since I had a job, I decided to start working there before moving to Lagos. I also got a grant from Tecno Mobile which made things even easier. They ran a competition for entrepreneurs and I was selected as one of the top two he won her N1 million grant.
What fears did you have when you made that decision?
One of my biggest fears was the fear of failure. What if things don’t work out the way I had planned in my head? But I had someone who assured me that everything would be fine, and I had a clear vision of what I wanted to do, so I didn’t look back too much. Instead, we continued to grow in the best way possible.
Did your parents approve or disapprove of your decision to quit banking and focus on the fashion business?
As I mentioned earlier, my mother didn’t believe in leaving school and becoming a seamstress, and she wasn’t happy about it at all, but I was her favorite. I decided to trust my decision. On the other hand, I was sure that my father knew what I was doing and he gave me his full support.
The fashion industry is crowded. When you first started, what did you want to do differently at your facility?
There are many fashion designers, but not many great fashion designers can provide the shopping experience that we offer our customers. Considering that we also do business with honest business as our motto. At Styled by Tito, one of the things that has set us apart over the years is the fact that we never compromise on quality and our attention to detail is commendable. Also, Nigerian fashion designers are known to disappoint, so this is a huge deal.
Do you ever regret leaving banking for fashion?
Yes, I regretted my decision for the first two years. There were times when business was so difficult that I wanted to give up and take a 9am to 5pm job.
You said that for the first two years after leaving the bank, you regretted your decision. Was it because you couldn’t be financially responsible, or were there other reasons?
I didn’t completely regret the decision, but it was one I’m glad I made and it paid off. But at that time I moved away from making a fixed amount of money. Where I work, my salary is paid on the 22nd of each month, but if the 22nd falls on a weekend, it could be paid on the 20th. Then there was the 13th month’s salary, bonuses, and occasional tips from clients. So, as I transitioned from there to life running a relatively new business, my customers at the time were my co-workers and a few people who knew I sewed. So, since my customer target was not Ijebu Ode, I didn’t want to build a base there, so for his first three years after being fully established, most of his customers were mainly coming from his Twitter. Builds a customer base on his Twitter.
How challenging was it?
Believe me, it wasn’t easy. At that time, we only had staff, so it was very difficult. I am responsible for customer service and all social media pages. Another challenge at the time was the financial implications for me. The kind of customers I was getting in Ijebu were not the kind of customers I wanted and financially I couldn’t afford to pay what I wanted and I needed the funds to fully establish in Lagos. It was difficult for me because I was trying to collect . In the meantime, I got a grant from his Tecno Mobile and added that to what I had saved and moved out.
When you finally moved to Lagos, how easy was it to settle down?
It wasn’t easy. After moving to Lagos, the biggest challenge I had to face was HR. Getting the right people for the right roles was difficult. The cost of living in Lagos was much higher than where I came from, so it took me over a year or two to find balance.
When was the breakthrough in your business?
That was in 2020. It was a year of lockdown everywhere, but it was the year I made the most money in business. I have worked on nose masks for many major brands. My shop did some of this work while outsourcing it to other tailors. It was a big opportunity, so we were able to move to a bigger store and have been going strong ever since.
What has been the highlight of your career so far?
Over the past four years, I have served over 200 clients from around the world in over 10 countries, and during the same period I have trained over 100 students at Styled by Tito Fashion Academy. We are building our respective businesses.
What is the key decision that reshaped you and your career?
Moving my business from Ijebu Ode, Ogun State to Lagos was a decision that changed everything.
What is the biggest lesson life has taught you?
I will never tell you to die until your bones rot.
It is known that you are married. How was your married life?
wonderful! I am married to the sweetest man in the world. I have to say that juggling being married and building a global, world-class brand is not easy given the other responsibilities I have.
How did you meet your husband? Could you reflect on that experience?
I met my husband on a social media platform (previously called Twitter, now X in 2016). Funny thing is, back then my rule of thumb was not to reply to direct messages, and I tweeted about being single and enjoying it. His friend mentioned him in my tweet, and then he messaged me, and that led to us getting married.
Many young women your age are afraid to get married because they think it will limit a woman’s career advancement. Do you have a different opinion?
Their concerns are very valid, which is why it’s important to make sure the person you marry is in line with your goals and aspirations. The institution of marriage is another institution that takes a lot of effort, energy, and time to build, and unless you marry a man who understands your career trajectory and vision, you’ll suffer from marital competition, egos, etc. Financial problems may arise. Both of you because he has no vision. I have always believed that for a woman with big dreams, the right goal is to have an ambitious partner who will walk with her through marriage. Otherwise, it will be too much of a harrowing journey for you as a woman.
Do you have any children yet?
no i don’t. I would like to enjoy married life for a while before having children.
Have you ever been looked down upon because you’re a woman?
Even with other women, more than once.
We live in a world where there are fewer opportunities for women, and being a woman automatically puts you at a disadvantage, especially as business owners. Even though statistics in Nigeria show that there are more women entrepreneurs than men, there are people who look down on you and think that you are not serious about your business and are just doing it to kill time. There are still people who think that there is only one. Until I find a man who will marry me. When you interact with women, you will probably find women who have this kind of thinking and perspective. But my goal of building a global brand from Nigeria does not allow these reactions and comments to get to me.
what is your drive?
happiness. I grew up watching many adults work jobs regardless, even if it wasn’t what they liked, to do what they wanted to do and to please their families. And I was sure that I didn’t want to live like that. I’ve always wanted to design my own clothes since I was young, and I’m even happier when I can create clothes that bring joy to others.
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