Atim Ukoh
Founder Afrolems
@afrolems / Lagos.
Afrolems is an African food blog with a specialization in Nigerian Food. Our main focus is to stylize African food so it can be internationalized. We aim to educate our followers with kitchen tips, Cooking Know-how and interesting recipes from all over Africa and just modifications of recipes from other cultures. We also like to play with foreign recipes as well – (http://www.afrolems.com/about-afrolems/)
Can you pleases introduce yourself and tell us about your background –
My name is Atim Ukoh, I studied digital Enterprise Management in Toronto; MSc. in Social Entrepreneurship and obtained a Certificate in Digital Communications.
My brand “Afrolems Blog” which is the biggest of my brands started in 2008. I still work a 9-5 job as a Manager with a branding and designing agency..
From my background, I picked up certain traits from my mom who works with Nestle as a dietician. I cooked a lot for my family and friends back then, so I started thinking of making money out of cooking while i was in college. I started catering and from there I started blogging. I eventually started posting recipes on my blog and my brand expanded to people in various international communities. When I moved to San Francisco, I was also catering. People recognized me from my food blog and that pattern repeated itself when i moved to Boston as well.
Starting days for business including funding?
I had a little apartment and I cooked and blogged from there. It was the catering aspect that was a bit capital intensive , i made sure the business was set up properly and legally, I did all that because I had to have a well put out system and structure.
When did your ‘aha’ moment come that you thought ‘I can do this’ …
Well I would say I haven’t really had that moment besides the self awareness of what I am doing and creating more contents around food and hospitality. For now I still enjoy my 9-5 and am not really ready to quit yet. I am perfectly fine multi tasking and juggling between my job, blog and catering.
Can you describe your typical work day?
First thing I check the stats on my blog, and then I check up on Google on Nigeria food trends and news. this informs me in the direction to build content around my blog. later in the day I start planning production – setting up and shooting, writing, editing and publishing on my blog.
The times i have jobs, I plan the project. If I have event to cater for, then I take out time to plan ahead of the date. I also consult for restaurant from menu development to restaurant operations
Where do you see your brand in 5 yrs- 10 yrs?
My brand will keep evolving depending on my life stage, but I’d want to go to culinary school and then offer formalized training for people in this space
Can you give us the most challenging experiences you have had?
The consulting aspect, it can be a challenge for your clients to see and understand the direction you want to take their brand especially when they have other consultants advocating for a different strategy. Also interacting with the kitchen staff of clients, it is hard to communicate the WHY, they don’t always get it, the basic knowledge of chefs is missing.
On the blogging side- the bigger challenges have been with the fast growing technology, keeping up with it improving photography, photo editing understanding the right content to push out. Etc
Why do you think most food entrepreneurs fail in their businesses?
There must be a balance of knowledge, I don’t think they understand that. They sometimes focus too much on one aspect of the business while the other side suffers. Not researching enough before they get pulled into the operations and kitchen challenges
How do you treat recipes and intellectual properties?
As a food blogger, we are usually educating and sharing our audience on how to’s and of recipes. This is part of our contents, I have had experience with this guy back in canada who compiled my recipe into a book and was selling it. I reluctantly took legal actions against him.
With the recipes you just have to continuously put your own unique spin on it.
I have even had companies here using images and my content as their own marketing work, it is stealing and in some cases I go after them but it is almost a loosing battle in Nigeria.
What piece of business advice would you give someone starting up?
- Obviously you have to be very open to learning
- Not being afraid to make mistakes and learn not just about the food but the running of the business too
- Try to understand what makes a business work
- Do more research before you get started.
I would recommend that a food blogger should have certain skills set that will help to carry out their work effortlessly. Ideas of photo shoots, editing and good tech know-how would help in cutting down expenses.
What advice would you give your young self?
- Don’t try to do too much at the same time.
- Don’t say yes to every business that comes your way.
- Be more aggressive with your dreams and passion.
- Try to network more in the right direction.
Books and Resource recommendation:
Flavor Bible by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen A. Page;
https://www.amazon.com/Flavor-Bible-Essential-Creativity…/dp/0316118400
I watch and read a lot about Food Catering.
Key Points
- Obviously you have to be very open to learning
- Don’t be afraid to make mistakes and learn not just about the food but the running of the business too
- Try to understand what makes business work
- Do more research before you get started
- Don’t try to do too much at the same time
- Don’t say yes to every business that comes your way
- Be more aggressive with your dreams and passion
- Try to network more in the right direction.
Read more about Afrolems on her blog page (www.afrolems.com)
