Today we’d like to introduce you to Obianuju “Obee” Nduka.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Obianuju. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
In March 2020, COVID19 forced most of the world into lockdown, prohibiting us from gathering in our everyday public spaces, which eventually led to a temporary ban on attending nail salons. As a result, I could not receive my bi-weekly nail care upkeep, which was a huge problem. I had become a religious customer of my favorite nail spa located right beside my day job. However, even though the world was in chaos, I could not allow my nails to follow suit. I decided that this was a perfect time to practice providing myself with the nail care and treatment I needed. With the help of the women in my family, such as my sisters Adaure and Didi, my mother Oby, and my best friend Josey, I received the proper feedback for improving my skills. Eventually, I was able to master the art of salon-grade, custom, luxury press-on nails, which led to the birth of Lumee Nails.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
In the beginning, I faced a few struggles that could have prevented me from shipping globally. I was at a point where I needed to learn how to ship worldwide, and I was unsure if it would be feasible. Local and international shipping is an ideal goal for many businesses; however, it can be confusing and difficult to achieve without the right capital and resources. So, I took the time to learn about the process of shipping and fulfillment and import duties and taxes. This process was by far the most challenging part of starting my business, but if I wanted to share the light of Lumee Nails with the world, I had to figure it out.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
I wanted Lumee nails to become a staple product for everyone, even after the pandemic. To do so, I began marketing Lumee nails with my Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter followers. Social media marketing drove tons of attraction to my nails and increased my story and in-feed post engagement by 75%. All this attraction led me to start up a business page and trust God in the process. In June, I started planning packaging and sourcing products by reaching out to vendors and manufacturers weekly. Once I received all my products, I began creating content to build momentum before the official launch party and website release. By teaming up with Ebichi Nduka, Josephine Dike, Aaron Lawson, Obiora Anozie, Chinonye Duru, and Bianca Iwunze, we were able to produce the very first Lumee Nails Campaign.
I launched Lumee Nails on October 24th, 2020, and it was a huge success. I made more than I ever expected in sales during the launch and still scaling. I am pleased that I took a leap of faith and followed God and my heart through it all. Thanks to Lumee Nails, we can all experience that luxury custom at-home spa treatment designed to light up your day at a desirable price. We also offer precious Lumee Jewels, which are custom-designed 14k, 18k, and Gold Plated over 925 Sterling Silver jewelry to complement your nail sets. This February, we will be releasing the Lumee Skin Collection, with the famous 24k Gold Lumee Oil for nails, skin, and cuticle treatment, as well as the Lumee 24k Gold Sugar Scrub. I am genuinely excited for what is to come with Lumee Nails, and I thank everyone who has been a part of this journey thus far. It has honestly been a blessing.
What were you like growing up?
Ever since I was a child, I always had a passion and love for the fashion and beauty industry. I grew up on the go, traveling to various places like New Jersey, New York, Atlanta, Lagos, and Abuja. I gained inspiration from the different places that I lived and the people I met. At a very early age, I began designing my own clothes, styling my own hair, and applying makeup like a professional. It was only a matter of time that I would start new projects like customizing and designing my own nails.
I also loved designing and creating DIY projects and sharing them on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. This helped me create story-telling content and eventually increased my social engagements.
Over the years, I gained professional experience from working with companies like H&M, The Broadmoor Resort, and JCPenney’s to name a few. At JCP, I worked as an assistant merchandiser for national men’s team sports, where I bought merchandise and placed orders for the NCAA, NBA, NFL, NHL, and MLB. I also partnered with companies like the International Olympic Committee, Dallas Cowboys, Nike, Champion, Adidas, and Fanatics on seasonal and hot market products.
In February 2020, I was invited by New York Magazine and The Cuts social media editor, Nana Agyemang, to join her behind the scenes during New York Fashion Week. There I captured behind the scenes content while attending exclusive events such as the Fenty Launch Party x Bergdorf Goodman, Bulgari event, Delta x American Express relaunch, Laquan Smith, and Tory Burch Fashion Show. I’ve also modeled for over ten years, collaborating with brands like Cyndi Brown, PrettyLittleThings, Alex Mill, Mejuri, Knix, 316 Collection, Rothys, Amazon fashion, Luvme Hair, and Lumee Nails on various promotions and marketing campaigns.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lumeenails.com/
- Email: LumeeNails@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lumeenails/
https://www.instagram.com/obeeroulette/ - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LumeeNailz/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/LumeeNails
Image Credit:
Photo credits: Nziemaraang Boussougou, Dolapo Awofiranye, Nana Agyemang.
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