Many people are embracing the health and fitness culture due to an increased awareness about the benefits of leading a healthy lifestyle. Social media platforms have also attributed to this trend, as more people continue to share their journey towards achieving optimal health. We interviewed Bunmi George, the founder of ShredderGang – a health and wellness consultancy; and she shared her journey into entrepreneurship:
Tell us about yourself and the inspiration behind ShredderGang
My Name is Bunmi Oladipo- George, a graduate of Clinical Psychology from the University of Toronto. My love for all things fitness was borne out of my own history of obesity, I was able to win the battle against obesity so I decided to help individuals do the same.
What opportunities did you see when you moved back to Nigeria?
I saw Nigeria as an uncultivated forest, with a huge gap in the health and fitness industry. I decided to take the plunge into weight loss consultancy; bringing my expertise, knowledge and value.
At what point did you decide to venture into entrepreneurship?
I like to say that entrepreneurship happened to me. I have always helped people achieve their weight loss goals, and I woke up one day and decided to start charging a fee for my services. Entrepreneurship isn’t something I originally set out to do, it somehow landed on my laps but I’m glad I accidentally ventured into it.
How do you balance running ShredderGang as a wife and a mom?
In the beginning, it was challenging to balance work with my family. However, it has also been a learning experience to understand how to delegate some responsibilities if I was going to do well in all areas. I don’t take my work hours for granted anymore. Before I had my baby, I had the luxury of working late but I am now a lot stricter with my work schedule. To be honest, I believe becoming a mum has put more structure in running ShredderGang.
What role does your husband play in supporting your business?
I am proud to have a very supportive partner who helps to drive my business operations and has contributed to the growth of ShredderGang. I like to tell him that he is the brain box and I am only the figure head. He comes up with most of our innovative ideas and ensures that I am never content with where I am. My husband pushes me to be the best version of myself.
What challenges do you face regularly as young entrepreneur and how you manage them?
In Nigeria, people may question your expertise as a result of your age. When older prospective clients learn that I am only 27, they sometimes begin to doubt my credibility. I have to constantly remind clients that my age has nothing to do with my knowledge and level of expertise.
How have you harnessed social media in creating brand awareness for ShredderGang?
We have been able to use our social media platforms to create brilliant content for our followers, and this has increased awareness of the ShredderGang brand. Our followers also share our posts with their own audiences on different social media platforms.
How have you increased your clientele base overtime?
Social Media is one of our biggest marketing tools as it has given us access to over 100,000 people at a go. Word of mouth advertising has also played a key role in the growth of our clientele base.
Can you comment on the health and fitness craze in Africa today?
It is exciting to see more and more people getting involved in fitness. It shows that we are taking charge of our health, compared to the older generation and it can only get better.
What mantra do you live by that motivates you as an entrepreneur?
“I never lose. I either win or learn” – Nelson Mandela
Can you offer any advice to budding entrepreneurs?
Aim to achieve excellence, but reject perfection. Perfection is an unrealistic expectation, as we are bound to make mistakes on our journey as entrepreneurs. The aim for excellence is laudable, but if translated to perfection, it becomes self-defeating and unproductive.
