Connect Who or what is your inspiration in business?

My greatest inspiration in business is my father, who owned a bakery while I was growing up in Nigeria. Watching his dedication and work ethic inspired me to start my first small cake business at the age of ten. That early experience taught me the value of entrepreneurship, resilience, and identifying opportunities. Today, his encouragement continues to motivate me to build a business that creates opportunities and supports multicultural communities.

How do you stay motivated?

I stay motivated when customers walk in smiling, saying, “This feels like home.” Knowing they feel confident, beautiful, and able to find what they need inspires me to do more. I’m also driven by supporting hardworking, underserved workers especially women and newcomers helping them gain opportunities and grow alongside my business.

What would you do with the $25,000?

If awarded the $25,000 grant, IYALODE African Wholesale Market would invest approximately $8,000 in a meat display freezer, $3,000 in staff training, and the remaining $14,000 to expand inventory of multicultural food, beauty, and hair products. This funding will create jobs for women and newcomers, increase access to culturally relevant products, and serve over 46,000 multicultural customers across Atlantic Canada.