Amaka migrated from Nigeria in 2022 and started her business in Atlantic Canada. She is the founder of African Gift Shop and Nubian Queens of Canada. She shares her story about her entrepreneurial journey and how the challenges and triumphs of starting her business have shaped her worldview and life.
Tell us about yourself.
Well, my full name is Uzochukwuamaka; it means the way of the Lord is beautiful. I am an easygoing person. Some will describe me as an introvert, but I’m a smooth blend of both. I love to laugh and find and appreciate humour in everyday situations. I am a deep thinker, and subconsciously, I have trained my mind to observe and analyse things from a unique and different angle. I call it the otherness perspective. It also helps that I am a writer, and we are trained to think from an exciting and intriguing angle because this helps us create compelling storytelling.
What made you start African Gift Shop (AGS) and Nubian Queens of Canada (NQC)?
I’m African, Nigerian, specifically, and we are a very vibrant people. We embrace life, and we have a zest and passion for living. We also love beauty, and I have been intrigued by African cloth designs’ prints, patterns and aesthetics. Also, the tourism market in Africa comprises various fashion and household items made and designed with these patterns and prints, so it occurred to me that I could bring these items closer to the Western world and provide an opportunity for these unique pieces to become a part of the culture and lifestyle here in Canada. It was this thinking that gave birth to the African Gift Shop. We officially launched in January 2024 and are still on the journey to creating visibility and promoting this brand.
Nubian Queens of Canada, on the other hand, was born from a painful experience I had upon relocating to Canada, and I figured that if there were a platform or a community where women could express themselves and tell their stories without fear of judgement, a lot of women will be comforted and less prone to depression. Also, statistics show that women of colour who migrate from their home countries to countries in Europe and North America face peculiar challenges careerwise and in adapting to the lifestyles and culture of their host country. Some women face excruciating challenges and are alone in the new country as students, not having any relatives or loved ones with them. So Nubian Queens of Canada aims to provide a safe space for women of colour to tell their stories to encourage other women who might be going through similar challenges, ensuring them that they are not alone. Of course, it’s free to tell your stories. We have a segment called Migration Chronicles for women who have migrated to Canada and want to share their stories of adapting to a new life in Canada. There is the international stories segment for people who have migrated to other countries, and there’s also the series, which features a themed series of stories from different women of colour based on business, lifestyle, family, relationships, sisterhood, career and other such themes.
What Challenges did you face starting your business?
The first challenge with AGS was anticipating if the market was ready for my brand. So, New Brunswick, unlike Toronto or other areas in Ontario and the US, is not a multicultural market. It is now that the market is gradually opening due to the influx of the migrant population. This further informed my choice of an eCommerce shop rather than a brick-and-mortar one. Of course, with the online medium comes the potential for increased visibility and exposure and reduced running costs. I had to overcome the market barrier in my mind and embrace the risk of starting in a new market and a new brand category – African-themed Gifts.
It is a journey in progress. It entails having an open mind, learning, unlearning and relearning, and having a sense of limitless possibilities. I am grateful for the process because it has helped expand my mind to the point that it can’t shrink back to what it used to be. It has also allowed me to hone my people management skills (some vendors will stretch this to the limit). Overall it has made me trust my intuition much more and made me more discerning when dealing with people.
What advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs?
JUST START. If you wait for all the conditions to be perfect before you start your business, you will NEVER begin. I started AGS at a time when I was recovering from a traumatic life experience; everything around me said I was not ready, but I took this leap of faith. And even though I was not particularly searching for these things, I found healing and self-acceptance and learned to trust my intuition. I found purpose, and I found drive. For me, it’s just been phenomenal, and I am excited about where this journey is taking me. Aspiring entrepreneurs also need to be spiritual because there are some doors that the best-planned strategies can never open, but only the grace and favour of God can.
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