Today we’d like to introduce you to Felicity Kanu
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I always say I didn’t choose Neen Eyewear—Neen Eyewear chose me!
My sister, Joy Kanu (the real mastermind) started Neen Eyewear in November 2016, fresh out of university and with zero prior business experience. She was working a 9-to-5 as a customer engagement analyst and one day at work, she had a realization: If she wanted financial freedom, she had to create it for herself. And just like that, she went all in—literally. She spent her entire November salary on 25 pairs of glasses from a seller on Instagram, determined to turn her love for sunglasses into a business.
Now, while she was out here making bold moves, she was also still juggling her full-time job. And then there was me! At first, it was just, “Hey, can you help me package these orders?” Then it became, “Can you also help respond to DMs?” Before I knew it, I was knee-deep in logistics, inventory, and customer service—all unpaid, might I add! (I’m still waiting for my first check, by the way.) But honestly, I loved it. I saw her vision, I believed in it, and I wanted to help turn it into something bigger. What started as me “helping out” quickly turned into me becoming a full-fledged co-pilot on this ride, and the rest is history.
Looking back, that leap of faith she took not only launched a brand but also pulled me into an incredible journey of entrepreneurship, teamwork, and learning to run a business with heart. And sunglasses? Still my favorite accessory.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Oh, absolutely not! If building a business was a smooth road, everyone would be doing it. Let’s just say Neen Eyewear has taken us on quite the rollercoaster ride.
In the beginning, we were figuring things out on the go. My sister was taking business courses while juggling everything—marketing, customer service, inventory, and, of course, I was happy to be her unpaid operations manager because I trusted the vision. We couldn’t afford to hire help, so we had to wear all the hats, which was both chaotic and a great learning experience.
And then there was logistics—our ultimate villain. Shipping packages within Nigeria back then was an adventure on its own (and not the fun kind). Delivery delays, missing packages, frustrated customers—you name it, all of which we had to navigate. Fortunately, the business started to gain international recognition and we then had to figure out international shipping.
On the list of our new challenge is breaking into market, which you’d think should be easy seeing as we have international customers, but there are still some intricacies that the business still has to figure out.
So, yeah, the road has been anything but smooth—but hey, I guess that’s what we signed up for! It’s been equal parts learning to pivot, adapt, and keep pushing through it all.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Neen Eyewear?
Neen Eyewear is more than just glasses, it’s an experience. What sets us apart is how we make our customers feel. We don’t just sell eyewear; we curate styles that make people feel good. Whether you’re grabbing a statement pair of sunnies or getting prescription lenses tailored just for you, we make sure you leave feeling like your best, most confident self.
Over the years, the brand has evolved, initially focusing on frames, and later expanding to include a diverse range of sunglasses. Today, Neen Eyewear goes beyond fashion, offering a comprehensive suite of optical services, including prescription lenses and contact lenses, to cater to the varying needs of its customers.
Referencing growth, we’re most proud of how far we’ve come. We started with just 25 frames and a dream, and today, we’ve built a loyal community of over 25,000 eyewear lovers who trust us for quality, style, comfort and vibes. Even as an online brand, we’ve been able to ship to customers in over 20 countries. We’re excited to expand into new markets and keep serving up beautiful eyewear designs.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
If I had to sum up the biggest lesson I’ve learned on this journey, it would be this: You have to bet on yourself—even when the odds don’t look great.
When we started, there were so many reasons to doubt—logistics challenges, learning everything from scratch, and we were bootstrapping this entire business. It would have been easy to treat it like a “we’ll see how it goes” kind of thing. But here’s what I’ve realized: If you don’t take your business seriously, no one else will.
My sister Joy always says, never treat your business like a side hustle—and she’s 100% right. When you approach your business like the main character, that’s when things start to shift. I’ve seen it firsthand. The moment we started showing up differently—talking about Neen Eyewear with confidence, putting in the work like a real company, not just a passion project—people started taking notice. Customers, partners, even competitors. That mindset shift makes all the difference.
So, if there’s one takeaway from this wild entrepreneurial ride, it’s this: Bet on your business. Go all in. Treat it like the big deal it is—because that’s when it actually becomes one.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.neeneyewear.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shop.neen/
- Other: hello@neeneyewear.com
Image Credits
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