Meet Banke Akinsola of Excada

Today we’d like to introduce you to Banke Akinsola.

Banke, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
A successful career is a result of determination, resilience, and belief in one’s God-given talent. I am still on my road to success, but I would say the journey so far has been interesting. I discovered my love for design and creativity from a very young age. My mum used to do customized designs on fabrics and I spent a lot of time watching her and trying my hands at some of her work.

Fast forward to 2005, I became a Mary Kay consultant and that re-ignited my passion for creating and designing. I focused on creating gift baskets for men and women with my own personal touch. So in 2016, I decided to start my own company Excada. I felt the need to create unique gifts that I could design and add my touch of sophistication. I didn’t want another gift company; I wanted a be-spoke gifting boutique that catered to individuals, corporations/businesses and helped to fill in the gaps of their gifting needs.

Having my own company gave me the freedom to express my creativity with the suggestive input of my clients. Each of my creation is well thought out, unique and tells the intended story from the giver to the recipient. I always put my stamp on each creation to make my clients know that I was thinking of them when I designed it. Besides working with my hands and creating unique memorable gifts, I also love to sing, bake, read, travel and spend quality time with my family.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The road has been interesting alright. As you would expect with every new business, you have the initial struggle for identity, i.e. to make your mark in your industry. I, however, won’t consider the gifting industry a saturated market, because I believe there is a need out there that can be met by a whole lot of us. There is still room for expansion and acquisition of market share.

One of the interesting things that I have had to overcome is the challenge of finding the right types of gift creations that I love to make the most (i.e. my favorite) and then finding the right demand for them. I find that creating what I love and selling a lot of it makes an awesome recipe for success…

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Excada – what should we know?
Excada (aka Excadagifting) is a gifting boutique. We operate as an online boutique but allow local pickups. We specialize in creating unique gifts and packages for all hallmark holidays, weddings, special events and for corporate/business/individual clients. We make gift packages, gift boxes, do gift wraps, gift concierge, and gift packaging designs. Our creative designs range from simple/basic designs to fully accessorized gift designs to fit the occasion.

Excada is known for sophistication. You can view a variety of gifts and designs and can be assured that ours will stand out because of the extra touch that we add. Our core competency is using our creations to help tell the story of the giver to the recipient. We help our clients fill in the gaps of their gifting needs.

I am most proud of the Excada team for their unrelenting effort to offer personalized customer service to all our clients. Excellent communication and on-time delivery is part and parcel of our offerings. We also continue to look for ways to make our creations environmentally friendly.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
My family has been a strong supporter of my business. They have been my critics, offered valuable advice and rolled up their sleeves to help get the job done on countless occasions. I am truly grateful to have each and everyone of them.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.excadagifting.com
• Phone: 678-802-9262
• Email: contact@excadagifting.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/excadagifting
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/excadagifting
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/excadagifting

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