How to Build a Beauty Brand That Lasts: Lessons from 26 Years with BMPro Founder Banke Meshida Lawal

Описание: On this episode of Omon’s Couch, we sit down with the legendary Banke Meshida Lawal; the visionary behind BMPro, one of Africa’s most celebrated beauty brands. From painting faces in her university dorm room to building a makeup line with over 300 products, Banke shares her remarkable 26-year journey of resilience, creativity, and business savvy.

She opens up about starting small without loans, taking bold risks in product development, navigating setbacks like failed lipstick batches, and the emotional support that kept her going. Banke also reflects on the passion that drives her to still do makeup herself after two decades, her role in training a new generation of artists, and the lessons every aspiring entrepreneur can learn from her story.

This is more than a beauty conversation; it’s a masterclass in grit, vision, and building a legacy that inspires!

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CHAPTERS

00:00 - Intro
03:32 - How Banke’s love for makeup began in university
04:24 - Early entrepreneurship: charging for services, selling clothes & shoes
06:46 - Spotting gaps in the beauty industry and launching BMPro products
11:30 - Finding supportive clients and her husband’s quiet but powerful role
12:57 - Risks, savings, and bold product launches (including the iconic “Chai” lipstick)
17:41 - Surviving setbacks: how she turned failed lipstick molds into opportunity
21:15 - Why she still loves doing makeup after 26 years
23:23 - Advice to her younger self and lessons on patience & forgiveness
25:54 - Practical tips for entrepreneurs and creatives
32:16 - Training the next generation of artists and protecting the BMPro signature
35:39 - Evolving into skincare, photography, and more during COVID
40:52 - Balancing artistry with business, technology, and global demand
43:30 - What's next for BMPro?
45:10 - Trivia Time!


ABOUT THE GUEST ✨

Banke Meshida Lawal is a trailblazer in the African beauty industry and the founder of BMPro, a globally recognised makeup brand with over 300 products. With a career spanning more than two decades, Banke has redefined beauty for diverse skin tones and climates while mentoring countless artists across the world. Her story is one of passion, innovation, and resilience.


ABOUT THE SHOW ✨

Omon’s Couch is a platform created with a passion to help young entrepreneurs and professionals reach their full potential in their respective careers and businesses. Our founder, Omon, understands firsthand the struggles that come with pursuing a dream and the need for the right mindset, strategies, and support to achieve success.

On this show, you'll hear several testimonies and success stories of Nigerian entrepreneurs - a wonderful source of motivation for startups and women in business. Each episode takes us through how to overcome some of the challenges of a business owner; especially the challenges of running a business in Nigeria!

If you're a young business owner or aspiring entrepreneur, be sure to subscribe for practical advice on how to scale up your business and solve real business problems.

Visit our website: omonscouch.com


ABOUT THE HOST ✨

Omomene (Omon) Odike is the CEO & Principal Consultant of U-Connect, One of Nigeria’s leading Human Resource Company and Founder of Gr8jobsng, the first of its kind HR Recruitment Platform in Africa. As an Entrepreneur, she is credited with introducing innovative and pro-active solutions in Recruitment and Outsourcing, Training and Development, Verification & Background Checks, Pre-Assessment Testing as well as Quality Management Strategies to clients; positioning the U-Connect brand as a trail blazer in the Human Resource consulting industry.

Her experience spans over 18 years from Legal Practice to HR Consulting and she is very passionate about youth empowerment, employability and employment as well as women in business.


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