Today we’d like to introduce you to CJ Okwo.
CJ, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
House of Mami Wata was launched in 2015 when I was eight months pregnant with my first child. I just had a deep sense of defiance with respect to the idea of going back to the corporate world as a mom and having to pump breast milk in a converted closet turned nursing station or the thought of having to keep explaining to my boss and teammates that my child was sick again and I would have to leave early or come in late. I just rationalized that there HAD to be a way for me to be present for my child and be fulfilled professionally.
For me, entrepreneurship seemed to be the risk I needed to take to find my lifestyle solution.
I was born in Nigeria and started House of Mami Wata initially as a company specializing in African Print baby clothing, accessories, and home decor. I thought that I’d sew a few prototypes (I learned to sew from a class I found on Groupon) and then based on initial sales/ market preferences I’d contract a manufacturer and have my goods mass-produced….. and naively I thought I could get this all done while my newborn napped (insert hysterical laughing emoji here).
Needless to say, I never made it beyond stitching together a few bibs and pillowcases before I realized that I absolutely had no time as a new mom. I LOVED the African print fabrics I planned to use and looking at them brought me so much joy but I barely had enough time to take a shower every couple of days and I just knew I needed to change course. I’d sold things online before and decided to give it a shot. Fast forward almost four years later and I’ve diversified product offerings and moved into surface design so that I can create proprietary African Print designs and manufacture them in a wider range of fabrics.
Has it been a smooth road?
It wasn’t smooth from the beginning! I changed course almost one month after initially launching the business, from producing finished goods to selling fabric. I’ve spent and sadly wasted a lot of money as I learned about building a dependable supplier network, import and customs, shipping, fabric quality, etc.
I’ve purchased massive quantities of fabric that I could not sell because it was defective or just not appealing to my market. I’ve had many slow times where I almost quit and I’ve experienced almost every kind of problem one can experience with the United States Postal Service, at least 50 times each!!
We’d love to hear more about your business.
House of Mami Wata is a distinguished retailer of African Print fabrics, carrying everything from traditional ankara to specialty African print upholstery and stretch materials.
We specialize in bold, vibrant prints and ship daily. Whether you are looking for gorgeous fabric for everyday wear or a special occasion, House of Mami Wata should always be your go-to for high-quality African fabric.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Atlanta is the perfect city for a business like House of Mami Wata – it has a very diverse population, it’s relatively young, with a growing economy and has lots of culture from its civil rights roots to it being the city where the majority of the cultural phenomenon, Black Panther, was filmed.
Atlanta pulses with entrepreneurship, entertainment, fashion, and art – I’ve lived everywhere from LA to NY and it simply cannot be beaten!
Contact Info:
- Website: Houseofmamiwata.etsy.com
- Email: info@houseofmamiwata.com
- Instagram: @houseofmamiwata
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/houseofmamiwata/
- Other: www.houseofmamiwata.com
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