Emmanuella Madu: Building Slayright.ng For Fellow Students

Some student entrepreneurs discover their business by accident. That is not the case for  Emmanuella Oluwanifemi Madu because entrepreneurship has been a part of the plan from the very beginning.

Long before she became a 300-level Law student at Afe Babalola University, she was already finding ways to sell things. At just eight years old, she bought small rubber bands, turned them into bracelets and necklaces, and sold them at her father’s office. 

Today, Emmanuella runs Slayright.ng, a brand that sells thrifted sweaters and content creation tools. 

Emmanuella’s Business Journey

Slayright.ng is only the latest chapter in Emmanuella’s long entrepreneurial journey.

Over the years, she has sold hair accessories, body care items, customized tote bags, and shoes. While in secondary school, she learned what girls around her wanted and built small businesses around those needs. One of her most successful ventures came after a classmate requested a customized tote bag. She seized the opportunity and eventually sold more than 200 tote bags.

When she transitioned into university, however, some of those businesses became difficult to sustain. Her shoe business struggled because of limited visibility and a challenging market environment. Rather than quit entrepreneurship altogether, she adapted.

Building Slayright.ng 

As a fresher, Emmanuella was unhappy with the jackets she wore. She wanted something more stylish. One day, she came across attractive thrifted sweaters being sold by a woman on her street and bought one for herself. Soon after, a friend asked her to help get one too.

Also there were many female students who wanted fashionable jackets they could wear over revealing outfits while attending classes. Emmanuella realised there was demand, and she decided to build a business around it.

To get started, she took a ₦200,000 loan from her aunt. But instead of treating it as a casual family favour, she approached it like a professional entrepreneur. Drawing from her legal training, she prepared an agreement so both parties would see the money as an investment rather than a gift.

That decision helped her stay disciplined.

She handled the packaging herself and recruited friends to model the sweaters for marketing. Little by little, Slayright.ng began to grow.

The Challenges for Emmanuella

There is no venture without a challenge. Emmanuella is no exception. Like many student entrepreneurs, balancing business, academics, and personal life has not been easy.

Emmanuella describes finding balance as her biggest challenge. While maintaining a first-class CGPA, she also has to manage customers, suppliers, business operations, and her personal wellbeing. “People don’t talk enough about balancing your personal life,” she says.

Capital remains another challenge. She often has ideas she wants to execute but lacks the funds to bring them to life immediately.

To manage these challenges, she relies heavily on planning. She creates daily to-do lists that include tasks for different areas of her life so that one does not suffer because of another. She has also learned the importance of delegation and accepting that she cannot do everything herself.

One lesson that changed her approach to funding was the power of social capital. After speaking at an event about investment, a student approached her and invested ₦100,000 in her business. When she shared the experience online, even more investment opportunities followed.

That experience reinforced the importance of putting yourself out there for her.

The Tradefair That Changed Everything 

The biggest turning point in her entrepreneurial journey came unexpectedly during a trade fair at her university. She had not planned to participate, but a friend who had booked a stand could no longer use it and offered the space to her. She accepted. By the end of the event, she had made more money than ever before.

The experience changed her mindset completely. It showed her what was possible if she committed more fully to her business and continued creating opportunities for people to discover her products.

What Student entrepreneurs can Learn from Emmanuella

Looking back, Emmanuella says her journey has taught her the value of consistency. While she believes she still has room to improve, she can already see the results of consistently showing up for her business over the years.

For students considering entrepreneurship, her message is simple: expect hard work.

Running a business while studying will test your patience. Customers can be difficult. Suppliers can be frustrating. There will be moments when progress feels slow.

However, she believes success comes to those who remain visible, consistent, and resilient.