How This Woman is Using Makeup to Change the World
By Stephanie Saltzman
(Photo: Courtesy of Pops Concepts)
When is makeup more than just makeup? When it brings economic opportunity and empowerment to women who need it. After noticing a deficiency of opportunities for cosmetics and beauty businesses in Nigeria, her native country, beauty junkie and entrepreneur Omolola Faleye (that’s her above) founded Pops Concepts, a firm headquartered in Lagos that aims to support makeup businesses by providing networking opportunities, investment, and advice. And it’s kind of a big deal. I spoke to Faleye to find out more.
Can you tell me a little about your background and what inspired you to start Pops Concepts? “A graduate [with a degree in] accounting from the University of Abuja, my career as an entrepreneur began when I resigned from a five-year employment as Project Management in an IT/ICT company and became the brand representative for an international makeup brand in Nigeria, Sleek. I started Pops Concepts after identifying the absence of beauty platforms and events for makeup and beauty companies to showcase themselves. This inspired me to start Pops Concepts, which is responsible for creating innovative beauty events in the Nigeria cosmetics space.”
How do you hope Pops Concepts will revolutionize the makeup business in Nigeria? “By using global best practices, specialized skills, and up-to-the minute information, our team of professionals wants to create the leading makeup- and beauty-industry brands in Nigeria and use multiple channels to positively touch lives.”
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How has the landscape of the beauty industry in Nigeria changed since you founded Pops Concepts in 2011? “We have seen incredible growth in the industry since the emergence of Pops Concepts brands, especially [through] the MakeUp Fair Series, the MakeUp and Beauty Connect Series, and, recently, the Beauty Press Series. These various [events] have helped in increasing awareness of the professionals that exist in the industry, improving brand circulation, building clientele database, and providing opportunities for networking and learning.”
How do you think makeup can help empower women? “Makeup is empowering women in Nigeria to become entrepreneurs and to enable them to realize their aspirations. As beauty representatives, women sell multiple beauty brands as a part-time or full-time business, thereby creating job opportunities for themselves. The representatives are also offered training, finance, marketing support, and other skills necessary to grow their business.”
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