Pretty Helen Ifueko Idehen is a household name in Auchi and its environs because of her unique style and creativity. She is many things rolled into one. The entrepreneur is a makeup artist, an event planner, a bead maker, cake baker, among many other crafts. The graduate of Political Science from the Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma talks with Sam Anokam about her passion.
What influenced your becoming an entrepreneur?
I have always have crave for creativity. Sometimes I see some things that are made and I think I can do better in those things or I think I have an idea of something different from what I’m seeing. I just told myself I think I can go into this thing so that I can bring out what I have in mind for people to see.
So you were not influenced by your parents or any other factor?
My mum is an artist, so I naturally took it from her. I didn’t go schooling to learn these things. Maybe it’s just a gift I took from her but my crave for creativity and my love for the arts make me go into it.
When actually did you begin your creative endeavour and how has it been so far?
It dates back to 1998 but officially, I started in 2009 but before then I used to do normal things. It’s been an awesome journey meeting different people everyday, different clients with different tastes, some that you might not even understand but you just have to make what they want happen. It’s been fun and I have learnt a lot. If you see my jobs in 2009 and the ones I’ve been doing now, you will see that I have really improved. It has given me platform to improve on myself, to learn from people and I think I feel better now than I used to be.
What could be the challenges in your line of business?
We have a lot of challenges. Right now, you see a lot of people have lovely ideas and they want lovely things but most times, they don’t have money to pay for these things and you won’t say because you don’t have the money you won’t make it happen for them. The industry is underpaid and it also depends on where you are too. It doesn’t pay so much but for the fact that it is my hobby and I enjoy what I do, I still keep thriving and it’s going on well. Other challenges are sometimes not able to meet up with client’s demand. It’s almost normal for people to have things in mind but they cannot explain what they want; you will have a lot of arguments to do. You will try to assume and sometimes you would beat their imagination and even do something better than they ever imagined.
Do you have other talents that you hope to explore later?
Yes, I have always have crave for carpentry. I have a little idea about it. I want to really go into it. I want to learn, I want to go for the training so that I can really do a lot with it because I have a lot in my mind that I want to create. But I’m not able to because I have not learnt the basics. I intend going for that training.
The kind of job I do, you will always be busy. 24 hours is almost not enough for you to do what you do. The only time you have time for yourself is to intentionally give yourself a break. Just that some clients would not want to know that you need a break. They feel you just have to do their job because they feel no other person will do it the way you do, that is one of the reasons why I have not gone for the training yet.
How lucrative is your kind of business?
It is very lucrative. It is renewable. It is something that lives with us. People are getting married everyday, people love eating cakes, some people just love to have their own wedding gowns, the ones that are customized. They don’t want the one that you go to buy. It’s really fun and nice when you are able to meet those needs. If you look at it on a normal playing field, you will see that these clients when they come, they broaden your horizon, some things that you have not thought of before, they tend to bring it into your mind and from there, you can do a lot of things.
Could you tell us about an intending training which you are involved in abroad?
It is like an entrepreneurship enhancement programme. They want to see youths that have handwork. They want to see youths that are able to do things on their own, their creativity. It is not necessarily about going to school, yes, almost every youth have gone to school but they want people that have learnt something, that can create something. It is almost like a scholarship. They want to see what you do and how you do them. They might want to enhance what you do. They want entries to come in first.
What do you hope to achieve at the end of the day?
I want to have that satisfaction that I am able to put smiles on peoples’ faces just like I have been doing. There are lots of people that really don’t know what they want. They might have an idea but they cannot explain or express themselves. When you bring one or two of your creativity into what they are saying, they will be wowed and say most times, ‘I never knew these things can be like this.’ That is the joy I get from it.
You have workers?
I have some employees and I have trained some people. Sometimes when I have many jobs and they are within the same time, I get to share it out to people that learnt from me.
What is your impression about women being independent, especially young people?
It’s a great feeling graduating from school, jobs are not forth coming, its not easy to get work, when you are able to be your own boss, it’s really a great thing, you tend to believe in yourself more, you tend to have a sense of responsibility, people respect you a lot, that means you carry yourself well. People see beyond the normal housewife thing. They look up to you and come to you for some really serious discussion. They come to you when they need advise because they see you as a role model, as someone that has something to offer. It’s really a great thing to be able to be your own boss and get out of that circle of, ‘once you graduate, you should get married and be under someone who will take care of her.’ When they see that you can take care of yourself and people around you, it’s a beautiful feeling. I think women should believe in themselves because I know they really can and do something for themselves, so society will appreciate them for that.
I just want women to believe in themselves. They should search their hearts to know what they can do. They don’t have to necessarily go into baking or wedding gowns, and all that. We all have our own talents, calling. That thing you love doing, that thing that can give you money. If you search your heart very well, you will be able to pick it and you will excel.
The post 24 Hours Not Enough For My Creativity –Idehen appeared first on Daily Independent, Nigerian Newspaper.