Ife Agoro is definitely someone you should know. If you haven’t heard of Diary of a Naija Girl, then allow us to educate you a smidge.
She is the face behind the platform, Diary of a Naija Girl a page where women feel heard, seen, understood and valued and through her dedication it has become a virtual diary.
She is also the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of DANG Lifestyle Ltd, a premium online company that produces home and body care products that offer an unforgettable experience of a lifetime. She oversees the process of creating fragrances, supervising product development, managing the overall operations and resources and leading the development of the company’s short-and-long term strategy.
Everyone (us included) feels like they know Ifedayo Agoro. But if you could describe yourself in a few sentences, in your own words, who would you say you are?
Ife Agoro is a community builder, an entrepreneur, home buddy, an empath, a hard worker and an enjoyment minister.
Awesome! What was the inspiration behind founding Diary Of A Naija Girl — which has now become a mega platform to inspire and empower women?
I just really wanted to share my story, shamelessly. It felt like for a long time now, women had been repressed by shame and fake humility. We were supposed to be one type of way when truly, we’re all shades of personality and amazingness. We make mistakes like everyone else and we aren’t given much grace by the society to have second chances. I hated that and needed to speak up so others could find the courage to speak up too.
What are some of the lessons you’ve learned from creating a community where women are free to be their most authentic selves?
Oh, I have learnt plenty. I have learnt that people who try to put you down are simply afraid to watch your rise. They either are scared you’ll join them at the top or that you’ll be an embodiment of what they could never be. It is fear and even though I’m not justifying the “pull her down” syndrome, understanding it makes me dust if off quicker. So, I tell women, being yourself is something some people could never dare to do, so be prepared to be pulled apart but you’re strong enough to rise above it all.
In the earlier phases of the DANG Brand, you purposely stayed away from the limelight. I mean most people didn’t put a face to the brand until a few years ago. Was that deliberate and why did you do that?
Thinking about it now, I just didn’t care much about showing myself. The story and the purpose were and still is more important to me. Many people think it was an initial strategy, but it wasn’t, I began to enjoy the mystery much later and then made a conscious decision to stay anonymous for as long as I could.
We love how engaged, inclusive and respectful the DANG community is — how did you go about creating such a beautiful and unique community?
You may not have the power to attract who you are sometimes, but you definitely have the power to control the people who stay in your life. When Diary of A Naija Girl started, I put out content that I liked and then made sure that comments that were disrespectful were taken out, reported or we simply warned the person to be respectful, kind and humane with their words. Gradually, trolls got bored and left, leaving us with a very large percentage of amazing, kind and thoughtful women.
Amazing! Let’s talk about DANG Cosmetics and the DANG Lifestyle Brand as a whole — how did you come up with it and why?
Dang! Lifestyle first started off with Candles, which quickly sold out in the first two weeks. I’ve always loved fragrances, so the candle business just came naturally to me. Then one day, we discussed skincare on the platform and I realized that most of us who use expensive skincare don’t get the results we hope for. After tons of research, I realized that these products are rarely made for us with melanin skin, so I decided to invest in board certified formulators to create products for us black women. The DANG community members were our testers, they trusted me so much to give them the best and I’m glad that I didn’t disappoint them. The first skincare product launched Feb. 2021 and since then, we’ve created more products to fit our skin type, weather, and personalities.
We’ve seen you transition from building your online community to building a globally recognized skincare brand. What are some of the most valuable lessons you have learned about leadership, resilience, and navigating the business world?
I understood quickly that you can’t do everything alone. To be a leader, you must delegate because you can’t have the best depiction of a picture when you’re the only one looking at it. Concerning resilience, being a Nigerian, you really do not have a choice. I have learnt to see things through, even though the process is hard and tiring, I’ll sometimes pause when I’m tired or overwhelmed and then continue again. It’s always been worth it though not easy. The business world will sometimes take you on a high and then sometimes drop you without warning. It is a proper rollercoaster and in all of these, I have learnt to never let this affect the service to our customers. We continue to give the best to them while at the backend, we’re riding the wave.
Building a brand and community often comes with its own set of challenges. What were some of the key obstacles you faced along the way, and how did you navigate them?
At the beginning, it was hard to convince many Nigerians that our products were authentic and at per with global standards. I was shocked at how many Nigerians didn’t trust anything that was made by a Nigerian or in Nigeria. It took a lot of convincing for us to get to where we are today. Still, we have more work to do.
You often speak about how you made the transition from being a 9-to-5iver to being an entrepreneur. What advice do you have for the corporate gworlies trying to do something similar?
Make proper plans before you set out. While you work 9-5, you can take some time out of your day daily, to research on the business, network in that space and just generally save towards the time when that business may not make money especially at the beginning.
What do you like the MOST about being CEO, and what do you like the LEAST?
I like the fact that I can decide when to sleep and when to wake up, what to wear to work and where to work from. I like that I can have an idea in my head and bring it to life without asking for permission from anyone, the freedom to strategize and develop is amazing. I don’t like the admin stuff, I try to push that away from my desk as much as possible.
Are there any events, programs or initiatives coming up that you want to share with us?
Yessss, so happy you asked. First, Dang! Lifestyle is opening up our beauty experience center on Akin Adesola in Victoria Island, Lagos. It’s going to be an amazing space for women to come in, out away their phones and just enjoy the calmness of shopping, facial treatments or just chill and listen to the soft keys of the piano. Also, for the first time, 600 women from the DANG Community will be gathering at the Podium, Lekki for a time of learning and fun times. This is happening on the 6th of April. I can’t wait to finally meet my online besties.
Okay Ife, let’s ask some fun questions — why do you like goat meat so much? Ehn! Please tell us!
I have retired from eating goat meat Daily. I’m glad it’s no longer an addiction, I pray it stays that way.
If you were stranded on an island, and could be with TWO people — who would they be and why?
My Boyfriend because he’ll calm my nerves through it all and I can depend on him that if there’s dry land somewhere, he will find it.
The second person would be my sister or my best friend. They’d be no dull moment on the island between 3 of us.
