Zikpressorg: Meet Chike, TailorWeyGoUI

Recognising the wave of innovation, industry and insightfulness among student entrepreneurs on campus, ZHPO’s ZIKPRENEUR column spotlights Zikites with evidence of entrepreneurial prowess. This initiative aims to shed light on their creativity, discuss the pros and cons of doing business as a student, and drive interest among entrepreneur wannabes

In this week’s edition, ZHPO interviews Mr. Chukwunwike Chibuike Charles popularly called Chike and also known as TailorWeyGoUI. He discusses how he started his male-based fashion design business, a brand known as Chike Charles Clothing, and the journey so far. Enjoy…

ZHPO: Can we meet you?

Chike: The official name is Chukwunwike Chibuike Charles but I’ve been called Chike right from birth so the name stuck. I am also known in relation to my business as TailorWeyGoUI. I am a final year student of the department of Sociology.

ZHPO: What business do you engage in?

Chike: I’m a fashion designer and the brand owner of Chike Charles Clothing. I’m into male outfits, native and English wears, trousers and shirts.

ZHPO: When did you start this business?

Chike: I’d say I learnt the trade before I gained admission into UI. I started learning in October 2016 through till the time I gained admission in 2017 and resumed in 2018. So, I started the business in school since I gained admission.

ZHPO: How marketable has the business been?

Chike: I’d say generally it has not been bad. Sometimes it gets to a point where when it get to exam period I have to start rejecting jobs or begging people to hold on until I’m done with exams

ZHPO: Are your clients mostly Zikites and UItes?

Chike: I’d say UItes. I think all my clients are UItes. I get the jobs from where I reside and people tend to recommend me too. It’s been helping.

ZHPO: You’ve been in this business for about five years now. In the next five years how do you see the business?

Chike; I believe it will be better than this. I just feel university of Ibadan is holding me back because I have to balance school with business. You don’t want to go all in.

ZHPO: So, how do you balance running your business with the demands of academics?

Chike: Let’s not lie to ourselves balancing this thing is not easy because the job is a tedious one especially when you are doing it alone. But the thing is as long as you are good at what you do you just have to find ways to balance everything out. I make sure I attend my classes because in University of Ibadan here there’s no way you won’t attend classes. Sometimes there might be impromptu tests. So what I do is there are specific jobs I get so I know what to do for a week. I tend to use the weekend to clear my jobs and then in the week I attend classes and try to sort out my assignments. So, it’s more like a round the clock work whereby you hardly get five hours sleep a day.

ZHPO: What challenges have you faced in the cause of your business?

Chike: My challenge is discipline. You have to be disciplined to get your jobs done, in order to balance things up. There are days I’d feel like I have to relax and there are jobs to be completed, academic demands to attend to. So, I try to make sure I’m ahead. Sometimes people make jokes that Chike you are not working. But the truth is I would have done the major part of the work and it’s easier for me to complete it.

ZHPO: Has funding been a problem?

Chike: I won’t say funding has been a problem. The way I do it is I get part payment when I take a job and before I deliver I collect the balance. That makes up for the financial needs. Also, the economy is not really smiling. It’s eating into the job these days. Situations where we were getting materials for a particular amount now we get them at times two. And then we you make increments on the price you still have to be considerate because it is a student environment.

ZHPO: How do you think your business can be supported for growth?

Chike: that would be in good marketing and social media presence. And that’s something I’ve not really been doing because of the stress. You are your own boss, yet you have to battle with academics, you have to be your social media manager and everything. There are times when I would post my work and after sometime I have not posted anything else. But in the world we live in right now one has to be consistent. You have to put yourself outside. I think that’s what I need to brand myself.

ZHPO: What do you have to say to student entrepreneurs out there

Chike: Consistency is key. Whatever you are doing, whatever skill you are good at now you have to be consistent because the moment you stop doing it you might lose and it might be hard to pick it up again. So, you have to find a way to balance academics with the entrepreneurial skill you have. And again, there will always be ups and downs. It will never go smoothly. That’s one thing I have always told myself. And when there are those down times just say to yourself it’s just one of those days.

View some of Chike’s works below