BOSS OF THE MONTH

Dolapo
Aboderin-Iyiola

Founder, Agbeke Talks  ·  AgbekeArtistry  ·  The Event Hub by Agbeke  ·  Agbeke Visuals

Dolapo Aboderin-Iyiola, known as Agbeke, is a UK-based Afrocentric entrepreneur, storyteller, content creator, and business visionary. From Ibadan to Nottingham to the world stage, she has built multiple brands that celebrate African culture, empower women in business, and create spaces where African creativity and entrepreneurship can thrive globally.

With a background spanning healthcare, fashion, events, content creation, and business consulting, Agbeke brings a unique perspective that is rooted in culture, driven by strategy, and delivered with her signature blend of humour, warmth, and no-filter honesty.

DOLAPO ABODERIN-IYIOLA  ·  @AGBEKETALKS

BUSINESS PLUG OF THE MONTH

MUST READ

BOSS LIFE

CONTENT CREATION CORNER

Let me tell you something. I have seen bios that say “Mum of 3. Lover of God. Just doing my thing.” And then their business link is there. But sis, who are you selling to? What do you sell? How do I contact you? How does this bio make me want to click?

Your bio has ONE job: to make the right person stop scrolling, read it, and take action. Here is how to make it do exactly that.

Remember: your bio is not about you. It is about what you can do for the person reading it. Write it for THEM.

BUSINESS RANT

THIS MONTH’S WAHALA: “THE CUSTOMER THAT WANTED HEAVEN FOR £15”

So I run a small Afro hair salon here in the UK, and on this blessed Tuesday morning, a new client walks in. She says she saw my work on Instagram and just had to book me.

Me: “Aww, thank you sis! What style are you thinking?” Her: “Just something simple o. Not too much. Maybe knotless braids, waist length, with curly ends, and highlights…” I knew I was in trouble when she opened her Pinterest board with 72 screenshots. I told her the price: “It is £120, including the extensions.”

Sis looked me dead in the eye and said: “Ah ah. For ordinary attachment? I thought you people do promo. I was thinking like… £15?” FIFTEEN. POUNDS. The same as a shawarma combo and Pepsi in Lagos.

I smiled. A customer is always right, until they insult your ancestors. I said, “For £15, I can help you pack your natural hair into two puff-puffs and play you Davido’s album while I do it. We’ll call it Premium Afro Chic.” She left. Business tripled that week.

Got a rant? Send your gist to hello@agbeketalks.com and we will feature it anonymously next month!

RANDOM BUSINESS THOUGHT

After packaging wigs, folding ready-to-wear, steaming bridal robes, and arranging handmade bags like museum pieces, there is still a small voice in my head saying: “Why are you not selling black soap, stretch mark removers, and 3-step glow kits yet?”

And I am like, “Me? The same person who has not moisturised her own legs since Monday?”

But then bills come in like uninvited guests. Rent, tax, delivery fees, everything chasing me like I owe the Queen. And suddenly, skincare starts looking like the golden solution.

I even imagined the brand name: Glow and Cruise Skincare Essentials. Tagline: “Glow like the morning sun, even under pressure!” I planned to add a wise African proverb to the label. Something deep like: “Too much oil spoils the wrapper.”

But let us be honest. What if someone uses the cream for 2 days and sends a message saying: “Hello, my face did not turn out like the influencer’s own. I want a refund.” Next thing, regulatory wahala. They will say I mixed shea butter with ambition and forgot compliance!

Let me behave. Let me respect myself and focus on the business I already run, the one that is feeding me. Let me keep showing up, turning stress into content, and content into cash. Because in this business life, the best product you can ever sell is consistency. And unlike skincare, it has no side effects.

MONTHLY MOTIVATION

You will post your beautiful product. Zero likes. Dance on TikTok. 2 views, your auntie in Yorkshire and one random bot. You will fast, pray, shout, and still nothing.

But listen carefully. Consistency is the stubborn senior brother of success. It is stressful, annoying, and painfully slow. But just like money transferred with bad network, the alert will land eventually.

Frustration will whisper: “Maybe this business life is not for me.” But do not quit.

• Someone is watching your zero-like posts quietly. That one service you offered for exposure is building your brand silently.
• Consistency is silent growth. Seeds grow underground before they ever show up.
• One day, a big client will message you out of nowhere.
• A post you nearly did not upload will go viral.
• Your business will blow and you will ask yourself: “Is it me?” Yes. It is YOU.

So dear entrepreneur, keep showing up. Keep selling. Keep posting. Keep dreaming. Because in this life, only consistent people collect premium results. And you, my dear, deserve your own premium harvest.

FASHION TALKS BY AGBEKE

Fashion is not just about what you wear. It is a movement, a story, a cultural symphony that deserves to be worn LOUD and PROUD. Ready to spice up your wardrobe and drip in cultural confidence? Come closer, let us gist!

Street Royalty

The Ankara Power Coat

Wear your culture like armour, queen.

Street Royalty

Adire Kimono Drip

Green on green, African excellence.

AgbekeArtistry RTW

The Signature Kimono

Culture. Craft. Couture.

Day to Night

Ankara Wide Leg Boss

Boardroom energy. Festival soul.

Head Tie Royalty

Crown Your Glory

The gele bow that stops traffic.

Casual Slay

Ankara Street Edit

Casual never looked this intentional.

Accessories Speak

The Matching Set Energy

Details that say everything without words.

Head Tie Royalty

The Ankara Turban

Wrap your head in heritage.

Power Dressing

Ankara Boss Lady

African fabric at the top of the boardroom.

AFRO KNOWLEDGE CORNER

Family Heritage

Couples Regalia

Next Generation

Women of Honour

Modern Royalty

Contemporary Cut

Statement Drape

In Yoruba culture, Aso Oke means “Top Cloth.” It is handwoven, ancestral, and majestic. Not your everyday fabric. This is cloth fit for royalty. Born from tradition. Built to last. Meant to scatter ground at any owambe.

Why is Aso Oke so special? It does not whisper elegance. It announces it. It does not blend in. It commands attention. The moment you walk into a party wearing Aso Oke, everyone knows: “We did not come to joke.”

It is not just colour coordination. It is cultural declaration.

From Palace to Pop Culture: Aso Oke has evolved from bridal trains that turn heads to sneakers, caps, and jackets in streetwear, and on runways from Lagos to London. Still traditional. Still trendy. Forever timeless.

Aso Oke is more than cloth. It is power. It is pride. It is presence. No matter how it is styled, it always says the same thing:

CULTURE SHOCK CORNER

The driver will wait until every seat is occupied, someone is practically sitting on another person’s lap, and even the trunk is carrying passengers. That is when the journey begins. If the bus is not full, you are simply enjoying a free air-conditioning session while waiting.

So imagine my shock the first time I waited for a bus in the UK. The bus arrived. Only three of us were at the stop. We got in. The bus was practically empty, like a newlywed’s refrigerator. I was still settling in, assuming the driver would wait for more passengers.

Then, suddenly, VRRROOOM! The bus pulled off.

Because in Nigeria, even the driver would be persuading strangers: “Please, come onboard. We only need two more to go!” Passengers would even help gather others, calling out destinations like: “Ojota, Ikeja, last seat!”

But here in the UK, if the schedule says the bus leaves at 3:32pm, it will leave at exactly 3:32pm, even if only one person is onboard. Even if the driver himself is the only passenger. Here, time is the conductor.

Now I have learned not to waste a second at bus stops. No fixing makeup. No adjusting my wig. No casually scrolling through Instagram. Because UK buses do not care about your lateness or your appearance. If you are not ready when they arrive, they will politely drive off. No insults. No drama. Just quiet speed.