Introduction

From the little girl that wanted to become a Professor to the girl in university running a printing business and now a serial entrepreneur doing millions in sales across two store locations in the jewelry and perfume industry. 

In this edition of Inspiring Entrepreneurs, Aderinsola Malomo sits down with Olaronke Ariyibi-Sodade to hear the details of her entrepreneurial journey and business growth. 

The Idea Machine From The Start: Ronbee. 

Hello Ronbee. How are you doing?

I am fine, thank you.

That’s great. Before we dive into all the amazing things you do, tell us a bit more about Ronbee.

Interesting fact: the name Ronbee is actually an acronym. The ‘Ron’ is from Ronke, the Bee is from “Busy, Energetic Entrepreneur” 

Oh wow. That’s interesting. 

(chuckles) Yes. It came from a friend of mine who says you’re always thinking of one idea or the other. 

I like to call myself a spirit-led person as that shapes everything I do and basically Olaronke Ronbee is a dynamic force, a visionary, resilient person who loves excellence. 

Were you raised in a family of entrepreneurs? 

Yes, in a way. My mum is a business owner. We have a very big supermarket, and I used to come back from school to assist in the store, but I told myself I never wanted to do that. 

I mean, I studied English at the university and actually wanted to become a professor.

Oh. That’s interesting

In 300 level, I got a laptop and a printer because they were doing buy one, get one free, and that was how I started a printing business just to survive and keep myself busy. 

And I’ve always been a business magnet of some sort. People just randomly come to approach me for business. 

For example, back in school, a jewelry vendor reached out to me to help her sell her products and get a cut because they weren’t allowed in the hostels at the time.

Wow. That’s a very unique way to start a business. 

(chuckles) I know right. 

So, why did you start Ronbee Signature? Was it because of your experience with the jewelry vendor? 

Oh. Not really. 

I had a larger vision for the beauty space. I wanted to sell unique, quality pieces, so when I started in 2019, I took an importation class. 

But my first shipment was a disaster. The packaging was terrible, so a lot of the pieces came tarnished or damaged. 

I remember crying so much that I called my dad and considered giving up. 

Then he said something to me: ‘You can’t give up just because something went bad’ 

So, I reminded myself that I was building a brand and a lifestyle and Ronbee Signature was designed to help people look good and carry themselves with confidence. 

That’s inspiring. Shout out to encouraging dads. 

Oh yes!

But mind you something also didn’t work. For example, I wanted to add clothing to services under Ronbee but omo, despite all the research I did on that, it didn’t really work. 

However, the business has grown beyond jewelry now and we now have a thriving perfume line because it goes hand in hand with our core of making people look good, smell good and be confident. 

The Journey of A Jewelry Empire Starts With One Earring. 

Not all businesses start in a store. Just like Ronbee, a lot of businesses started on the go and developed into the beautiful outlets we can see now.

Let’s talk about how the early days were for you.

In the early days in 2019, nothing was really defined, and it was honestly run on vibes. 

I didn't really have an online presence because I was still juggling my 9 -5, but my in-person marketing was strong. 

I used to carry a big bag everyday to work, because the pieces I wanted to sell were inside my bag.

Oh. No cutesy small bags for you then. 

Not at all. 

I remember one day I went to open a business bank account at Zenith in Ikeja. The cashier was complimenting my earrings and I told her I sold them. 

She asked me to bring them to the restroom, so I ran back to my office, got the jewelry, and took it to the restroom. 

Interestingly, her colleagues also came in at the time, and they got pieces, and that's how it became a routine. 

The last week of every month, between 1 pm - 2 pm, I’d go to the restroom in Zenith bank, and the ladies would come in to buy.

It eventually expanded to the men but then we were caught by the head management.

Oh my God. You were caught?  

Yes o. It was a very funny day. 

Because the woman scolded me, but she ended up buying something herself. (chuckles) 

My biggest regret from that time was the fact that I didn’t collect any customer information. I just showed up, sold, and left. So when that era ended, I lost all my customers as well. 

Recently, one of those ladies found me on Instagram and she commented on a post and said "I don't know if you remember, you used to sell to us in Zenith Bank restroom” and it was kinda surreal. 

Ah. The importance of customer data. Good thing you’re active on social media now.  

Yes o.  

Has there been any moment when you realized you were on the right path in this business?

Yes. Covid gave me time to pause and reflect. I remember looking at the products on my bed and asking myself a lot of whys. Why was I even doing this in the first place? Why would people buy my pieces? 

It was a good time to reflect and reevaluate my business and what I was doing. 

So when I answered those questions again, I was sure I was in the right business, doing the right thing. 

Doing Business Is not For The Faint Hearted.

Difficulties are necessary side dishes to running a business in Nigeria. Ronbee shares her experience and how she manages them.

What has surprised you the most about running a business in Nigeria?

Finding the right staff. I never thought it’d be that hard. 

Finding a good store location and keeping up with customer demands.

Logistics was another headache—I even got a bike and hired a rider to help, but he ran off with it. Thankfully, we’ve moved past that phase now.

Interesting. Can you share with us how running a business has stretched you?

(sighs) Business has stretched me in many ways for different reasons. 

For example, one time when I was importing goods via sea, and it took three months, which then affected the selling price because the products were no longer trendy, I became really, really cranky. 

Or is it when walking into my physical store and seeing low sales that  used to get me angry? 

Or is it the heartbreak from staff stealing from you, even after adding monthly allowance and product gifts to their salaries every month?? 

One staff member created a business within my own business. This staff created another business account on Instagram and was selling my own products and pocketing the money. 

It was a friend who saw the business and ordered anonymously that helped me discover it. 

Ahhhhhh.

Yes o. I’ve had to report people to the police or sometimes tuck my kind heart away and just do business as is but to be honest, in all of these, we move. 

Because giving up is not an option. My next question usually is "What should I improve or stop?” 

Looking back at where you started from, how much would you say your business has grown? 

My business has grown so much, and I’m truly grateful to God for that. 

My first importation cost me ₦70,000 and I had to save for 2 months to get that amount. 

Now, I've fulfilled single orders worth over N7.5 million naira. 

Ronbee is also in two locations now: Yaba & Island.

The growth has been incredible. 

The Jewelry Business Is A Unique One. 

Ronbee shares the peculiarities of running a jewelry business. 

It’s hard to prove the quality of jewelry over the internet. How do you handle the low trust in your industry? 

One way was by adjusting pricing. I realized people assumed our jewelry was inferior or would tarnish quickly because it was affordable, so I fixed that. 

Plus, I had purchased a Bumpa theme and paid for other expenses, so my price adjustment was justified.   

I also took time to train my staff on how to properly handle customer concerns and reassure them about the quality we offer.

Then the last thing I did was to continue delivering good service to my existing customers. Happy customers will always refer you to new ones. 

For example, there was a time we switched wedding ring suppliers and we got complaints that the ring in that batch tarnished within two weeks. 

We looked up the records of everyone that bought that set, apologised to them and offered replacement and that secured us some customers that are frankly never leaving the Ronbee brand. 

How do you think Gen Zs differ from Millennials when it comes to jewelry?

The difference between Gen Z and millennials is very clear. 

Gen Zs definitely buy in larger quantities, they love stacking their wrists and necks with multiple jewelry pieces.

Millennials, on the other hand, lean toward quality over quantity. They’ll buy one or two timeless pieces and wear them consistently over a long period.

Gen Zs are also more impatient with orders and they usually order at the last minute. 

Bumpa & Ronbee: A Relationship Made in Business Heaven. 

In the success stories of Bumpa, Ronbee is definitely one of them. 

How Has Bumpa Helped Your Business Growth? 

Bumpa is one of the best things that happened to me after bread, and I love bread a lot. 

The other day, when I was trying to figure out what to restock, it occurred to me that I could check Bumpa for this data, and that was just helpful for me. 

Something else that blew my mind was the day you guys opened up the webapp. 

I saw Total Inventory Value, and it really opened my eyes to how much more we could be making if we had this value of goods in the store. I literally started creating weekly and monthly targets since then. 

My business focus has been on wholesale and now Bumpa even has the MOQ feature. 

Also, the day you guys opened themes was the very day I bought my own. Even though a lot of my sales are physical, I really wanted a nice storefront because it also helps to close sales. 

I don’t have to send each customer 100 pictures of what we have in stock before they purchase. They can find what is available there and either finish the order on the website or in my DM. 

Bumpa covered my sales, inventory, website, social media platform and it has made my life easier even while I fully work a 9 -5. 

Alright. Based on what you know, is there anything you’d have done differently when you started your business?

Yes! I would have completely taken documentation more seriously.

I would have created the process where if we don’t input it on Bumpa, we don’t process the sale. 

I remember a time when I was trying to determine whether most of our sales were coming from WhatsApp or Instagram. 

When I checked Bumpa, I saw that my staff were recording sales but not the channel, so I had to emphasize the importance of properly recording sales on Bumpa. 

So yes, that’s one thing I’d do differently. 

If you were to describe or sell Bumpa to a fellow entrepreneur, what would you say?

I’d say this—running a business isn’t just about buying and selling. It’s about being able to account for everything: your stock, your products, your customers. 

And Bumpa brings all of that together in one place. You don’t need multiple apps for different tasks.

In fact, if you’ve just bought goods and you’re about to start selling, set up on Bumpa first. 

It takes away the stress of figuring out what you have in stock or how to post products. No need to waste time creating Excel sheets or juggling tools.

From RonBee to Other Entrepreneurs.

Here are hard-earned lessons, honest truths, and advice for anyone trying to build something that lasts.

What advice would you give to an entrepreneur that just wants to start selling jewelry? 

First, I try to understand what they plan to stock, then I ask the real questions: Why do you want to start a jewelry business? Is it for the money, or are you trying to build a brand? Because the reason matters.

The jewelry industry moves fast, especially if you're chasing trends. If you don't have a strategy for selling trendy pieces, you’ll end up with regrets and unsold inventory. 

So it’s important to be clear on your "why" and how you plan to stand out. You also need to figure out what kind of jewelry you want to focus on: statement pieces, wedding sets, etc.

Jewelry is also capital-intensive. If you don’t think things through and have a proper plan, you’ll likely run at a loss. That’s my honest advice.

What’s the best business advice you’ve ever received? 

That would be the advice I got last weekend, on sponsored ads.

I had reached out to a friend, frustrated that I was spending so much on ads and not getting results. 

She asked how I was selecting my audience, and after I explained, she told me to do the opposite. Instead of targeting people already interested in jewelry—many of whom turned out to be competitors—she suggested I target people whose lifestyles naturally include buying jewelry.

That advice changed everything. I immediately went to ChatGPT (my absolute best friend) and asked for ad targeting ideas based on lifestyle. 

We came up with a solid list, and I used that to tweak my ad strategy. I started running the new ads this July, and honestly, I’ve already seen a significant shift. I’m finally getting fresh eyes on the business.

What are your big dreams for your business?

For the jewelry side of the brand, my biggest dream is to become the number one destination for all jewelry needs. Whatever look you're trying to achieve, you’ll find it with us. But beyond just jewelry, I want people to find themselves through our brand. 

For the bigger picture, I see Ronbee Signature expanding into multiple locations across the world, spreading the message of looking good and being your most authentic self.

Amazing! Where can People Find Ronbee Signatures? 

You can find us on Instagram or TikTok.

We’re on Instagram as Ronbeesignatureee

To shop from us, you can visit our Bumpa website. 

We’re also located at 1 Edmund Crescent, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria.

Conclusion. 

If Ronbee’s story inspired you to take your business to the next level, Bumpa is here to help you do just that.

Create your store, manage your sales, and reach more customers, with zero stress. Sign up here.

If you’d like to be featured on our Vendor Spotlight series, kindly click here.