Funmilayo Odeniyi
Creative Director
My name is Funmi, I am a fashion designer and the Creative Director of Michnat Fashion. Before venturing into business, I am first a wife, a mother, a Chartered Accountant and a MBA holder in Finance Management with over a decade experience in the financial industry.
I am a multi skilled, highly resilient, creative, and hard working woman with a natural flair for fashion and creativity. I am also an advocate of women excelling in their chosen line of business, very passionate about success and I have a strong desire to try new things.
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What are you most proud of professionally? And who or why?
The decision to start my own business. The name of my business is MichNat Fashion. We are into making clothes, sales and supply of African prints and accessories. I started my fashion business in January 2020 out of the desire to bridge the growing demand for trendy, modern and creative designs made with African prints. The increasing population of immigrants coupled with the attractive higher institutions that bring in foreigners has helped within the province. This has always been my desire and life-long ambition. It is something I have been passionate about since I was a teenager.
What’s your vision for Atlantic Canada in 10 years? What’s our biggest opportunity now?
My vision in 10 yrs is to see 1 in every 10 Atlantic Canadians wearing our designs. The gradual increase in population through the Atlantic Immigration program and also the embracing of diversity by the people of Nova Scotia.
What was your greatest stage of growth? What made it a shift for you?
Getting our business online - our website, on Shopify and Etsy. It opened endless doors of opportunities for prospective customers to place their orders and also relate with us directly. This was indeed a great business shift for us.
What’s your favourite or most read book or podcast? Now or at each of your greatest stages of growth?
The book "Who moved my Cheese" has been my all time favorite. The impact the book had on me is that the only constant thing in life is change, this eventually influenced my decision to transition from being an employee towards becoming an entrepreneur. It has also helped in shaping and forming the pillars of my business and guiding philosophy. This book is very relevant at each stage of our business life-cycle as it best describes change and knowing when to implement it. In business, you must understand the dynamics and trends and you must not give up learning.
What’s your deepest learning from this past year? How did/will you apply it?
My deepest learning is having a better understanding and appreciation of human resources. Human resources are the greatest resources. I have started applying this in our business by embracing and employing the use of specialists in different fields to assist with making the business competitive, relevant and most importantly profitable.
Who’s inspired you, directly or indirectly? How have they inspired you?
My mother has been a great influence in my life. She taught me to be bold, be independent, fight for my dreams and what I believe in, be useful to myself and the community.
What would you have done differently?
I would have taken fashion designing as a serious profession from the beginning and even taken it as my course of study. This would have given me an early start and adequately prepare me for the challenges inherent in the industry
What are the principles you live by?
Do unto others as you want them to do unto you. Integrity, determination.
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Fashion Designer, Hair Stylist, Entrepreneur