Creative Personality: Oluwakemi of DMCC Boxes

Valentine is upon us, another season of gifting and who better to get chatty with than the Creative Director of ‘DMCC Boxes’, where it is all about gifts and packages. I say she is in a class of her own, and you’ll soon find out why.

Dig in and feel free to re-package your plans for Valentine while you’re at it… I did 🙂

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We’d love to meet you

My name is Oluwakemi Adesona, a graduate of Business Administration & Management from the Federal Polytechnic, Auchi in Edo State. I am a wife, mother, mentor and ‘Mompreneur’ – because I work from Home.

Give a brief introduction of your business endeavor

My business, DMCC BOXES, is simply about packaging. At DMCC BOXES, we specialize in making quality and creative card-boxes for packaging solutions that range from customized, branded boxes to the personalized varieties. We also empower interested minds through our training programs.

Do u see yourself as a creative individual and at what point did this happen?

Yes! Creativity oozes out of my pores, I have dabbled into catering, cake-making, bead-making, dressmaking etc., before I found my mettle/passion in box-making.

What source(s) do you draw your inspiration from?

My inspiration primarily, is from God. I also get inspired by designs I see on the internet, at events etc.

Describe your journey so far – How did you start/ get into what you do now?

Box –making for me is a calling, because I didn’t go to any school to learn it; everything I do is by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The journey so far has been interesting and intriguing.

I didn’t get any formal training in the box-making craft, and still haven’t. I found myself being fascinated with any box that I came across; I developed this knack for carefully taking such boxes apart and trying to recreate them all over by piecing them together. I took all manners of boxes apart, none escaped me – the toothpaste carton, sugar carton, cough syrup carton, name it.

Strangely, I can’t recall how it all began but I know I resigned from my Job in 2007 to face my passion for making boxes squarely.

Did you get discouraged at any point?

Yeah! I did get discouraged several times, because I was frustrated with the pace at which the business was going; frustrated with the lack of creativity on the part of the importers of the materials I used for the boxes.

So what made you stick with it?

I stuck with it because of what the the Yorubas call “abinibi yato si ability” (please interpret it for me). I think it means what you are gifted at is different from what you learn… something like that. LOL.

Where do you plan to take this to?

Hmmmm, I’ve got seriously big plans ooh, I don’t know if I should let the cat out of the bag, yet… Well, all I will say is watch this space, but on a serious note, greater heights, a box manufacturing outfit, creating jobs for thousands of Nigerians.

With my box-making craft, I am gradually changing the mindset of people about how they present/package their products and gifts thus building a culture of boxing up our gifts or products not just wrapping it or bagging it.

What hurdles have you encountered and how are you dealing with them?

I have mentioned a few of the hurdles above…lack of variety in the designs of the cards ( used for building boxes), dearth of human resources or what you might call human capital flight, the very challenging environment entrepreneurs have to operate in etc.

What habits of yours would you say has contributed to your creative output?

Tenacity, a never give up attitude, and a knack for seeing opportunities instead of challenges.

How do you see the level of creativity and innovation in our society?

Growing! More people are looking inwards now to know what it is they have been born to do and the gifting they have been endowed with to accomplish their true purpose.

Do you have mentors in the business or people you look up to?

Unfortunately, no…

How would you encourage aspiring creative business owners?

Hold on, don’t give up, it will eventually pay. Just focus! Because “the world makes way for a man who knows where he is going”

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Oluwakemi will appreciate your comments and questions in the comment box. For consultation and engagements, she may be contacted via:

WhatsApp – 08083615870. Call/sms 08092223439,08051612990, 08034049740.  Email; dmccboxes@gmail.com, website; www.dmccboxes.org ; www.facebook.com/dmccboxes

Creativity oozes out of my pores – Kemi Adesona