Closet Conversations Series With Sophia Ekuku – The Woman Building Businesses with Social Media

Women are my personal superheroes—they often juggle roles, responsibilities, and expectations. For modern women like Sophia Ekuku, they’re doing this in front of an audience on social media. I decided to have a conversation with Sophia Ekuku—a social media strategist, founder of Bumble Bee Brands, a social media agency, and co-founder of Omote’s Place, an online clothing store for the everyday woman—for this edition of Closet Conversations to find the secret to thriving in business, being a ‘Boss Babe’, and still making time for your passions. She shared exclusively with Her Green Room about her decision to leave a 9-to-5 job and start her own social media agency, what makes a woman truly beautiful, and her dream country to vacation in.

What do you want people to know when they hear the name Sophia Ekuku?

Sophia Ekuku is an innovative and hardworking young woman who is out to change the world. She’s quite ambitious and wants to impact people’s lives through business.

You went from working for a reputable digital media company to starting Bumble Bee Brands. At what moment in your career did you think, “I have to start my own social media agency,” and why?

Well, I always knew that I really enjoyed working with social media, but I wasn’t quite sure which niche I would end up focusing on. Some of my friends started reaching out to me for advice on social media marketing, and then it occurred to me that becoming a social media strategist for businesses was IT!

Fast-forward to 2020—the lockdown and pandemic had taken a toll on businesses, and I knew this was the moment—now or never. Businesses were struggling, especially those that didn’t know how to leverage social media tools, and this was my field, so I jumped in.

To be honest, it was a scary moment for me. I didn’t know what was waiting on the other side of my decision to start a social media agency, but I knew that if I didn’t go for it, I’d only have regrets. Safe to say, it’s been a successful ride.

You’re the self proclaimed “Jagaban” of social media, which makes you the perfect person to ask for advice. What five social media tools/apps do you think every small business owner should know?

Hehehe, don’t let Tinubu catch us oh! Alright, here are five must-have social media tools:

Social media apps like Instagram and TikTok

Canva to create graphics

CapCut to edit videos

Hypic to edit photos

YouTube to learn new skills

When I heard the name Bumble Bee Brands, it piqued my curiosity. How did you come up with the name for your brand?

Oh, I love this one. I absolutely love Transformers, and my favourite Transformer is Bumblebee. He was the youngest and probably the most overlooked Transformer, but in the end, he saved the day.

I wanted a name that would symbolise vigour, fun, and youth, and Bumble Bee Brands just clicked.

What advice would you give someone with a career interest in social media?

Firstly, you don’t need a university degree. Yes, even a secondary school student can start a career in social media marketing.

All you need is creativity, a willingness to learn and unlearn, an openness to trying new things, and the readiness to always go back to the drawing board to see what’s working and what’s not.

Also, get trained.

 

 

Apart from running a social media agency, you also run an online clothing store, including a thrift shop for women. “Omote”, the name of your online clothing store, means “beautiful woman” in Urhobo. What do you think makes a woman truly beautiful?

Yessss!!! Finally, someone gets it.

A woman’s beauty lies in her ability to accept who she is—flaws and all. The moment you accept who you are, you will realise how truly beautiful the Creator has made you.

You’ve collaborated with amazing brands so far. What is your dream brand to collaborate with at Bumble Bee Brands?

We’ve had the opportunity to work with several brands across different industries, and our dream brand is the brand that gives our team creative freedom.

I understand that some Nigerian business owners have trust issues. We’ve had cases where a brand owner—who isn’t even active on social media—wants to dictate everything that should go on their pages, even when it’s wrong. We often have to patiently explain and keep assuring them that we know our onions.

Then there are brand owners who already understand how social media works and completely trust our judgement.

Because of your line of work, you spend a lot of time on social media. If you could go on an all-expense-paid vacation in any country while taking a one-week social media break, where would you choose?

Hmmm… I’ll go to Seychelles any day, sis!

I came across your post on LinkedIn about people being in a hurry and wanting to be an overnight success. Have there been moments in your career when you put in the work but didn’t achieve corresponding success? How did you handle those silent seasons?

Oh yes! In fact, 2021 welcomed me with one of such moments.

My team and I had worked so hard on a proposal for a huge project that was going to bring in a lot of revenue, and after submitting it, we got a no. I was shattered.

But I had to pick myself up—like I always do—and move on to the next thing. I encourage myself a lot and remind myself that there’s no time to stay on the ground.

If you had the opportunity to meet three famous women, who would they be and why?

Michelle Obama, Onyeka Onwenu, and Genevieve Nnaji.

They remind me of where I’m coming from and where I can be tomorrow.

I have met Onyeka twice, and it was everything I imagined.

How rewarding has your decision been to quit the 9-to-5 life for full-time entrepreneurship?

It is rewarding, I must say. It is also not as glamorous as most people think.

You have to think about salaries, business sustainability, and a lot of other things that you don’t worry about when working a 9-to-5.

What unpleasant moment in your life has taught you the most valuable life lesson?

I had a really tough time in school and was often broke.

This meant I couldn’t afford things like books, reading materials, hangouts with friends, and sometimes even school fees. It was a very tough period, but that was when I started honing my business skills. I literally sold almost anything—from clothes to kerosene to fruits—just to survive. Today, I’m grateful for those moments. I learned to value my work and my strength as an individual.

What’s the most challenging part of being a social media strategist? What makes it worth getting out of bed every day?

Hmm, I’d say funding. If you’re like me—building from the ground up—you literally have to get all your gadgets and tools yourself. It’s tough. But just seeing something you nurture grow—that feeling is bliss. And, of course, getting paid. Very important.

From your social media updates and YouTube videos, it’s apparent you love music. What three songs do you currently have on repeat?

Ohhh yes, I absolutely love music. If I didn’t have to work, I’d be singing! Currently, I’m listening to:

Dua Lipa – Levitating

Jax – Like My Father

Any song by Tems, really!

You seem to always be on the move. How do you balance chasing your dreams and actually enjoying them?

I know when to take a break..I listen to my body and have set time boundaries—no calls at night, no work on Sundays. Body no be firewood!

I hope you enjoyed reading this interview as much as I did putting it together. But more importantly, I hope you feel inspired to keep going—just like Sophia—even in difficult seasons, through unexpected disappointments, and despite setbacks. As a quote I once saw said, “You’re a woman—life may try to bend you, but it can NEVER break you. “Audacity is part of the DNA of every woman, so dream big, keep going, and never quit!

You can check out Sophia’s Social Media Agency and the amazing work they’re doing on their website thebumblebeebrands.com or follow then on social media @bumblebeebrandsng

You can also connect with Sophia on social media

Linkedin: Sophia Mba-Ekuku

Instagram: therealsophiamba