DadaHinc: sights and sounds : [INTERVIEW] - ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN DIASPORA

'' is that i don't see myself as the CEO but rather as a manager/custodian of God's gift'' Deborah

Hi there, can you please introduce yourself?

My name is Deborah Adeoye

Can you give us a bit of your background?

I am from Kogi State, Nigeria. 2nd of four Kids

Your educational background.

A law student at the University of Wolverhampton, Also schooled in Lagos GRA St. Loyola Collage and the completed my secondary school at Regina Pacis girls secondary school, Abuja.

Were you into to any form of activities while in school?

I was in the choir while in secondary school, but overall i was in between awkward, tom boy and a reserved kind of girl so i wasn't into so much school activities. but i was a coded dancer and singer. Lolz

Tell us about your business/or what you do?

I will not necessarily say i am passionate about food, like you know this world people would say they were passionate about music from birth as if the have more right than you who probably just like it. I am not really passionate about food specifically, but i am more passionate about creativity or innovation or probably passion it self but yea I am more creative and handy person, like i was making and sell jewelry back in my junior class . lol

I am the kind of person if i see it and like it, I don't think of how to buy , but i think of how to make my own. haha! yea that's just me and due to tailors wasting my time and making rubbish i had to get into that. And then food i just love creating........ generally i love creativity and find myself doing various forms of art, but i am more straight in the line between food and fashion. even though the are very opposite, but yea! that's me. (Laughs)

You spoke about reading Law, do you plan to practice when you graduate?

The thing about law, people may disagree but anybody can be a lawyer and there is nothing really challenging for me in it because i see challenge in a different way, maybe people see challenges in reading and passing it. but my experience about law is that it is very fixed; you know this is the kind of cases for this case or argument for that, so there is nothing new literally. I know i would get into it but not as a career, because everybody needs a lawyer and apart from that law is something that is transferable. for instance if i am going into business i don't necessarily want to study business and just business i want to study law because i obviously have to hire lawyer, because law is something that can fit anywhere.

Do you get to do all aspect of your creativity/business,or do you get people to handle aspects of your work?

Its hard for me to allow people to help out in what i do, which is one of my weakness as business person, but i have been attending events lately to meet people in my line of business where we share idea and get support. Like in the area of health and safety i need to meet people who already have that, because i cant put a customers life on the line with an inexperienced hands in that regard as it involves my business. So in this stage of the business i don't allow any random person get involved, even though i get assistance at the stage of packaging and delivery but i handle the making solely by myself.

What has been your experience in this line of business thus far?

Food is my Monday to Friday and fashion is my weekends (laughs). Both of them where not meant to be public because these where things i enjoy in my spare time. like i wasn't born talented i hard to learn theses things as i had interest in them. so i have dabbled into several things in the past like i made my clothes as a model in the past and its hard for you to be wearing clothes when you know it could be better, obviously the designer wont call you again if you are hired as a model i you end up correcting their work backstage. Lolz. so yea! modelling is something that i got into because i look like one, so food and fashion i would describe it as one of my guilty pleasures.

Like i tell people the best way to find yourself id to dabbled into several thing as it would help you discover what you really want to do. Which is something i have done in the past and i know my passions lies more on food and fashion. like i think of what to eat after lectures, watch this and trying to make or thinking of what to make for my family members...

You made mention earlier about your business not meant for the public initially, how do you feel now that people can to appreciate what you do?

Well i probably think i am my worse critic, my biggest cheerleader is my worst critic so its kind of hard for a reserved person like me to aspect reviews from people but as i have grown older i have tried to open up to other peoples comment about my work. but what i do to help myself; is that i don't see myself as the CEO but rather as a manager/custodian of God's gift . its not about me being the best at what i do be i am complimenting the art that already exist. The art is the main focus, i just see myself as an instrument being used by God to compliment it.

This philosophy has really helped me through because its hard for me to take credit for what i do, because i love working behind the scene to see great things being achieved.

what is your inspiration for making food in general?

When i started i use to make to make cakes separately from my cocktails, just random stuff i usually do for people. The only thing i used to sell was takeaway packs for students mostly guys who are international students who would ask for favors with cooking and i was like okay! you can buy it instead........ so that's how it started.

So the name popped out of the name deserts as my name is Deborah so just coined out the name: DEEZARTS. so i kind of do all sort of food not specifically confectioneries. And for fashion i am inspired by African prints,old school designs and a everything in general.

What is your outfit called? even though i know you have mentioned it earlier, but just for the records.

My outfit is called Deezart Group. Deborah's art (Laughs)

How long have you been doing this business? even though you see it as your baby not a business. Lolz

Officially it was last year October. That was when i started making takeaway packs fro students.

So where do you see Deezarts in the future?

Well i don't really like talking about things i have not done, because i might just be reporting myself to the devil which might spoil my beautiful plans. (Laughs) i rather get it done and say i did this, because if i say and i don't do it, it would be a worse case for me. But better things for the future, for it to have a clear path and for it to get know beyond the shores of Nigeria as we have so much to offer. like i stopped music because it was a bit too public for me and saturated so i thought to myself what more can i offer...... and Nigeria is a place we have a lot of good things to offer, instead of hearing about the bombings and the negativity which is obviously still there. But yea!i want Deezart to be well known within non-Nigerians.

How can you be reached?

DEEZARTS GROUP (food&foods)

*Certified Caterer

SERVICES
*Creative Catering* *Cakes
- //FOR SMALL EVENTS, GATHERINGS & CELEBRATIONS//

&
*Take-away- //FOR STUDENTS//
-Part-Proceeds go to Charity Work through our 'Red Riding Hood Project'

----ABOUT OUR RED RIDING HOOD PROJECT- At least one day of the year, a day is selected at random to either go to a homeless shelter, an old peoples home, children home/hospital, or just out on the streets to strangers; accompanied by at least one volunteer(sometimes more) to give food/drinks and spend a minute in their company.

CONTACT

Facebook- Deez Arts

Email Address- sparxxsociety@yahoo.co.uk

Thank you for taking out time to grant this interview, we do appreciate.
Interview conducted by Randy Odeh for Dadahinc: sights and sounds.