SIMPLE BEGINNINGS OF AN INTERNATIONAL HAIR BRAND - GOOD HAIR LTD

When Chioma Ikokwu and Kika Osunde started Good Hair Limited in 2009 back in London, few knew about their ambitious business plan not to talk of expecting the hair and beauty company to grow into the international brand that it is today. The beautiful ladies’ success in growing their hair business into the hugely popular brand it is today can be alluded to several factors -  their natural passion for good hair and all things beauty, their educational background in business, marketing and law, and their cosmopolitan outlook earned from their wide travels.

Let’s take a look at the simple beginnings of Good Hair Limited and how Chioma Ikokwu and Kika Osunde have been able to grow it into the huge wave making company that it is today.

INSPIRATION

Kika Osunde has always been a stylish lady who takes extra care with her appearance, and always experimented with the most fabulous hair pieces.Exactly the same can be said of the equally beautiful and stylish Chioma Ikokwu.

Both ladies enjoyed glamming up in the best and most innovative hair pieces and styles in their private lives. Friends, relatives and colleagues complimented their good hair and asked how they could get similar hair products. And Kika Osunde and Chioma Ikokwu usually obliged, helping friends refer and order hair on their behalf.

For a while, this continued until the instinctively business savvy ladies wondered what if they turned the whole hair thing into a business. And guess what they did?

COLLABORATION

That’s right, in 2009 while still undergraduates in the UK, they registered Good Hair Limited and everything went uphill from there. Kika Osunde had met Chioma Ikokwu when she moved to Birmingham to attend university, and decided to go into business together when they found they shared the same passion for good hair.

EARLY DAYS

The wonderful thing for Chioma and Kika is that for them, good hair was already a way of life rather than just an idea for a business. They were already experienced with weaves and wigs due to their constant experimentation with different hairstyles, colors and looks.

So, the Good Hair ladies started from selling to close friends and family. Then, they designed a logo that represented glamour and luxury. Their long term vision of taking Good Hair from just a brand to an overall experience led them to invest in sleek high-end packaging for their products.

Kika Osunde and Chioma Ikokwu’s first marketing efforts for Good Hair Limited were done through word of mouth and social media. Good Hair’s promotion on Facebook was so successful that the brand quickly became an international hit among women interested in high quality and wonderful hair. Kika and Chioma’s Good Hair quickly gained a following of over 130, 000 within 2 years.

SACRIFICE

Every great achievement usually comes with attendant challenges, and Kika and Chioma faced their fair share in the journey of building Good Hair Limited. Their earliest reality was the voracious demand on their time and the huge work load. It was particularly stressful for the good hair girls because it was just two of them in the beginning; engaging clients from all over the world, procuring the hair products and keeping the Facebook page exciting.

Chioma Ikokwu and Kika Osunde eventually realized that defining and maintaining official opening and closing hours was the path to striking a good work life balance.

SELLING POINTS

The proprietors of Good Hair Limited, Kika Osunde and Chioma Ikokwu specialize in providing certain and uncompromising luxury to their customers which keeps them satisfied. Good Hair Limited goes the extra length of travelling to meet their hair donors and manufacturers directly wherever they are in the world. They do this to hand select the best raw virgin hair extensions and also to ensure quality at all levels.

Asides from high quality and long lasting hair extensions, Kika Good Hair and Chioma Good Hair as they’re also known, are specialists in professional coloring and styling services.

AMBITION

Already, Good Hair has loyal clients from Australia to South Africa who they ship hair to, but Kika Osunde and Chioma Ikokwu are not resting on their oars. They are always evolving and expanding without compromising the quality of their products and service delivery.

In light of this, the Good Hair girls recently launched The Good Hair Space Mall in Lekki phase 1, Lagos. It is a one stop complex that comprises a boutique, salon, nail bar, men’s grooming bar, champagne bar and restaurant. The idea is to create one point where beauty and luxury hospitality services can be obtained by man and women.

ADVICE

When asked the most crucial business activity which ensures their continued success, the Good Hair moguls pointed out the need to always monitor the manufacturing process to ensure premium quality products. Also, the need to employ and consistently train staff so that Good Hair Limited always stays ahead of the game.

Chioma Ikokwu and Kika Osunde feel that people should go into business with what they are passionate about so that it would never feel like work to them.

You can check the online store www.goodhairlimited.comor visit the Good Hair boutiques in London or Lagos to shop the best premium hair extensions and wigs.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT KIKA OSUNDE?

It is highly unlikely that there is any Lagosian in the dark about the delectable light-skinned Kika Osunde, but in case you just crawled out from under a rock, don’t worry we’ve got you!

1.       Kika Osunde is a 30 year old British Nigerian who grew up in an “eccentric family of four” (her words!) in London.

2.       Kika moved to Birmingham to attend university and this is where she met her close friend, Chioma Ikokwu, who ended up becoming her business partner.

3.       Kika Osunde is not just a fine face but a classic example of beauty and brains. She has proven this over and again both with her second class upper degree in Business Administration and Marketing and also in her razor sharp business acumen.

4.       Kika Osunde is very much into taking care of and enhancing her looks, and she is very passionate about helping other women do likewise.

5.       In 2009, Kika Osunde teamed up with Chioma Ikokwu and they found the hair and beauty company Good Hair Limited in London.

6.       Good Hair Limited was conceptualized in Chioma and Kika’s dorm room in the University of Birmingham and their very first office was in their kitchen in London.

7.       In the very early days of Good Hair Limited, all of the tasks were divided between just Kika Osunde and her business partner Chioma Ikokwu. Kika was responsible for maintaining their Facebook page among other marketing responsibilities.

8.       Her company Good Hair Limited whose first boutique salon is situated in London soon opened shop in Lagos, Nigeria and also launched an online shop at www.goodhairltd.com.

9.       Kika Osunde’s Good Hair Limited has grown massively from that humble start in the kitchen to a widely recognized international brand with patronage from the likes of Toke Makinwa, Naomi Campbell, Rihanna, Genevieve Nnaji, Kelly Rowland and other celebrities.

10.   Kika Osunde along with her friend and business partner, Chioma Ikokwu recently moved their Lagos operations to the ultra-modern and exquisitely designed Good Hair Space Mall in Lekki phase 1. The mall contains a hair boutique, a lash spa, a nail bar and a restaurant and terrace lounge among other beauty and hospitality services.

11.   Kika Osunde might be most known for good hair products but she also leads in other spheres as well most notably, her top notch sense of style and fashion. She pulls off the latest trends and styles with effortless grace. She is always classily dressed whether in corporate wears, casual dresses, traditional styles or jeans and denim.

12.   She is a style icon with quite a huge social following. Her allure and ever exciting fashion sense has attracted over 50, 000 followers to her Instagram page.

13.   Kika Osunde recently caused a positive ruckus and turned heads at the Arise Fashion Week in Lagos where supermodel Naomi Campbell was also in attendance.

14.   Also, Good Hair Limited which is run by Kika Osunde and Chioma Ikokwu was the official hair partner of Arise Fashion Week.

15.   Kika Osunde is known as Kiks or Keeks by her close friends, and Kika Good Hair by her customers and fans.

There you have it. We promised to bring you up to speed on the wave making beauty entrepreneur Kika Osunde and that’s exactly what we did. If you would like to keep abreast with this conglomeration of beauty and brains’ activities, head over to Instagram and follow her at @kikagoodhair

WHO IS CHIOMA IKOKWU?

For starters, Chioma Ikokwu represents good hair, literally. The light skinned beauty is the beauty entrepreneur who co-founded Good Hair Limited along with her friend Kika Osunde in 2010. Chioma spent her early years in Lagos and later moved overseas to the UK.

Chioma Ikokwu is a prime example of what people mean when they use the phrase ‘beauty and brains’ because the lady is stunningly pretty, and oh so educationally accomplished! Before founding Good Hair Limited, Chioma studied law degree at the University of Birmingham. And after she earned herselfthat first degree, she went out and bagged another one – a Master of Laws in International and Environmental Law, and International Commercial Arbitration from the University of London. Guess what? She did not stop there, Chioma Ikokwu went further and capped her legal studies with a year at the Nigerian Law School. Oh yes, you’re right if you’re thinking what I’m thinking. Chioma Ikokwu of Good Hair Limited does deserve some accolades!

Yes, the boss of Good Hair Limited deserves accolades and some more because she has done what few can manage. Chioma is the ideal well rounded it girl who has many sides to her personality and excels in them all. One may wonder what has motivated a well read and experienced lawyer like Chioma Ikokwu to traverse from a scion in the legal field to successful beauty entrepreneur while maintaining relevance in society circles and shining as a foremost style role model to many ladies.

Chioma’s love to always look good started it all. Growing up, she has always taken special care of her appearance. And as an undergraduate, friends and acquaintances always complimented her looks, style and hair. They even went further to consult her on how to get her lovely hair pieces and style. It was at this point she decided to make a business out of it. So she teamed up with her equally beautiful and stylish friend, Kika Osunde, to found Good Hair Limited in the UK. The collaboration of Chioma Ikokwu’s and Kika Osunde’s shared entrepreneurial skills, passion for good hair and insistence on quality have combined to grow Good Hair Limited into the international luxury hair brand that it is today. Together, Chioma and Kika are a winning team.

However, Chioma Ikokwu isn’t all work and no play. She regularly finds time away from her busy schedule at Good Hair Limited to make the social rounds. Chioma is that enigmatic presence at a party whether as a graceful guest or excellent host, like back in 2017 when her brother Meka got hitched to his heartthrob. Chioma played host to a myriad of Island big girls, including friends and Good Hair Limited customers, who came out in their number to support her.

As much as the name Chioma Ikokwu is synonymous with good hair products, she is also widely acclaimed for her fashion sense. Chioma is always turned out aptly dressed for every occasion in pleasantly jaw dropping ensembles. Whether in figure hugging or flowy gowns, Chioma Ikokwu exudes a classy elegance every single time she steps out.

Testament to the clout of Good Hair Limited’s co-founder is her massive followership on social media. Over forty eight thousand people follow Chioma Ikokwu on Instagram to keep up with her style trends, new hair scoop and her massive strides in the world of entrepreneurship. Ladies and gentlemen, for those who were yet to know this gem of a woman, I present to you, Chioma (with the) Good Hair. visit good hair ltd on https://www.goodhairltd.com

BEAUTY REGIMEN: CHIOMA IKOKWU’S ROUTINE

Anyone who has an eye on the beauty industry must have heard about Chioma Ikokwu, the beautiful and sharp witted co-founder of Good Hair Limited. Chioma Good Hair as she is fondly referred to by her customers and fans has been hugely successful in her venture with friend and business partner, Kika Osunde. Together they have grown their hair and beauty company from the obscurity of their dorm room to the international brand of repute that it is today.

Much has been written about the lovely good hair ladies, celebrating and extolling their unprecedented success in business, their relevance in society and the dynamic duo’s svelte sense of fashion and style.

Today I caught up with the flawless and ever smiling Chioma Ikokwu to take a peek into her world. Chioma Good Hair was gracious enough to grant us courteous audience and of course the questions I rattled off were met with graceful and sincere answers. I could not help but admire her great (not just good) hair, her glowing skin and wonderful makeup.

Being the perpetually curious person that I am, I could not help but ask her a few questions about her beauty regime. Here are the excerpts;

Q: I cannot help noticing how fabulous your hair is. How do you take care of it?

C: (chuckles daintily) Oh thank you so much for the compliment. Right now, I have decided to go natural with my hair even though it is not how I usually keep it. Also, I am not so good at the natural hair thing but I make sure to wash and deep condition my hair every two week.

Also, I get a deep scalp treatment every other month. For my natural hair grooming, I like to use Keracare products. Keracare are kind of like my favourite when it comes to maintaining my natural hair but I sometimes also use Syntonics. So yeah, Keracare and Syntonics it is.

Q: How about you skin, what is the famous Chioma Good Hair’s super-secret skin routine?

C: Hahahahahaha, there is actually no secret. Skin wise, black soap is what I use and it is really good especially for those who have oily skin. Vitamin C serum is also a very good product to have because it repairs, moisturizes and protects your skin. I personally use Obagi Vitamin C serum and any natural black soap.

Q: Tell me about your makeup preferences and techniques.

C: Makeup wise, I prefer Nars products and the Nars concealer is absolutely amazing. I favour the Armani foundation. Even though it is not so popular, it is actually very good and brings a very light finish that is not too thick on the skin. The Inglot AMC Eyeliner Gel is probably the best eyeliner ever created. It is really dark, water resistant, and stays on once applied. You literally cannot wipe it off unless you use an oil based remover.

Q: Do you workout? Because you actually look amazing!

C: (Big laugh) You wouldn't believe it, but I really don’t. To be honest, I’m not very healthy. I do not workout but I do try to drink as much water as I can. I however eat healthy most times, and then I don’t eat healthy sometimes (chuckles again). So I will eat a salad but then I would also have deserts because I unabashedly love ice-cream, Yoghurt, cake, chocolate and all that!

FIVE LESSONS FROM CHIOMA IKOKWU’S AND KIKA OSUNDE’S SUCCESS STORY

If you’ve not been in a hole the past couple of years, then you must have heard about the dynamic duo, Kika Osunde and Chioma Ikokwu. Popularly known as Chioma Good Hair and Kika Good Hair, the beautiful ladies are co-founders and co-CEOs of the wildly successful hair, beauty and lifestyle company, Good Hair Limited.

They started Good Hair Limited in England while undergraduates at the University of Birmingham. From the humble beginnings of the Good Hair brand, Chioma Ikokwu and Kika Osunde have grown their business into a successful international brand. Testament to this is the vast patronage of their hair products among celebrities including Rihanna, Kelly Rowland, Genevieve Nnaji and others.

We took some time to reflect on their journey, and came up with some lessons on how Kika Osunde and Chioma Ikokwu have been able to grow such a massive brand from an operation which started in their dorm rooms. Let’s share our findings;

1.       Make a business out of your passion

Chioma Ikokwu and Kika Osunde had always loved amazingly good hair. They used to buy from other vendors and wear them so beautifully that friends and family would ask where they sourced their hair from. This trend continued till they did some research, found suppliers online who were cheaper, and decided to go into business for themselves.

The truth is that the entrepreneurship journey has its up and downs, it is never all rosy especially during the early years. Being passionate about what you do is one sure way to keep faith and keep pushing even when the going gets tough.

This has been true for Chioma Ikokwu and Kika Osunde because just like any new business, they faced several challenges but their genuine love for and interest in good hair and helping women around the world look beautiful kept them going.

2.       Study the market

Chioma and Kika say that the first thing they did post their decision to go into the hair business was to study the market.

You need to know whether the market is suitable for whatever it is that you’re bringing to the table because an idea might be more appealing in some geographical areas and not so much in other areas. Asides from this, you also need to know your ideal customer – will your product or service be appealing to younger or older people?

This can never be overemphasized because wonderful sounding ideas have occurred to people and they rush to implement only to find out that people are not interested in what they are offering.

3.       Never compromise quality

According to Chioma Ikokwu, one of the things that made her look to the internet to source other suppliers (in the days they were yet to start their business) was the fluctuating quality of weaves and extensions she bought from her then suppliers.

Because of this, they decided never to compromise on quality in their own venture with Good Hair Limited. This single decision has paid off handsomely as one of the factors that keep their customers always coming back is Good Hair’s rock solid guarantee of quality.

The business partners, Chioma Ikokwu and Kika Osunde go as far as travelling across the world to meet their respective hair donors and manufacturers just to ensurethat standards are upheld.

4.       Employ the best staff and continuously train them

When Chioma and Kika started out it was just the two of them, but as business grew they had to employ staff to help in various aspects of their operations. They quickly found out that mediocre staff sometimes sabotaged business relationships that had required a great effort to set up.

This time coming from Kika Osunde, she says that one of the greatest challenges Good Hair faced as a business was sourcing the right staff and training them to acquire the necessary skills for the job. Also, especially in Nigeria where staff retention rate is low, you will have to keep employing and training, to keep up with new developments in the industry and to replace other staff that may leave the organization.

5.       Create work-life balance

In the beginning when it was just Kika Osunde and Chioma Ikokwu, Kika Osunde was in charge of maintaining their Facebook page, which was the main channel for advertising and marketing their business. Things got so hectic and she worked overtime so much that her health suffered till she realized that every business must have opening and closing hours.

The lesson here is that if you overwork and neglect your health, soon, you won’t be strong enough to continue growing your business. So, it is extremely necessary to maintain a healthy work-life balance even as you give your ultimate effort to tasks.

Hopefully as you apply these lessons to your own entrepreneurship journey, you’ll experience success similar to that which Chioma Ikokwu and Kika Osunde enjoy with Good Hair Limited.

Good Hair Limited is on Facebook and Instagram as @goodhairltd or visit www.goodhairltd.com