"With more women founders and CEOS, we are realizing more feminine centric products and services that our male counterparts will never have thought of."
Joy and Amber Orah are the founders of Dubai-based emerging fashion brand ÚCHÈ By Amber. The sisters are Igbos from eastern Nigeria. ÚCHÈ is an Igbo word that translates to “Idea.” Creative Director Amber Orah started ÚCHÈ’s first collection with the release of the Bumbag top / Belt bag top, which is an original never seen idea.
Though the bumbag/ belt bag is popular, wearing it as a top is unheard of, this brilliant piece is both chic and practical. The hope of the brand is to spark creativity in the minds of its audience.
Check out more interviews with entrepreneurs here.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO GET FEATURED?
All interviews are 100% FREE OF CHARGE
Table of Contents
Thank you for agreeing to do this interview with us. Our readers would like to know more about you. Why did you choose this career?
Joy and Amber Orah: Thank you very much for having me, Jerome! Firstly I chose this career because I feel comfortable and confident in it. I had initially studied to be a nurse, then realized I didn’t like blood one bit.
I realized I was in the wrong profession. Thankfully, I am not shy to start all over again, and I did just that, landing my first job as a sales executive in Dubai. I loved it and never looked back. I have spent ten years in Dubai in the business sector, primarily sales, negotiations, and building businesses. After seven years of hard work, I decided it was time to use my skills and experience to build something for myself. With my sister’s amazing talent, we joined forces to build our brand ÚCHE By Amber, a gender-fluid, innovative fashion brand that aims to spark creativity in its audience. My sister Amber Creates and I manage the business side.
Can you share a story that happened to you since you became the leader of your company?
Joy and Amber Orah: The most challenging part of starting any business is starting the business. Then you are worried because you know your business idea is excellent, but will people accept it? Will it be profitable? These are typical questions.
However, I think the moment, atleast for me when that fear/ doubt turns into the realization that our idea is truly unique and is a good investment, is when you see people notice it, ask about your product and or purchase it, the very first person. In our case was the legend himself, STEVE AOKI! My sister, Amber and I were invited to an event Dubai Mall where Steve was launching his brand.
During the his and hellos, he stopped my sister to ask where she got her jacket, (she was wearing our yet to be released oversized jacket), and he said it was really nice, at this time, we were still yet to show any pieces of the brand, website was still under construction, nothing was up at all. but if someone like STEVE AOKI can relate to our unreleased piece, then yes, we are definitely doing things right, there have been many more after that encounter, and I never get tired of that feeling of complete certainty in my vision.
Please share with us an outstanding woman that you have never met, who inspires you? Tell us how she inspired you?
Joy and Amber Orah: No one will be Rihanna for sure! I relate to her, a young girl from Barbados, coming to the great US and succeeding so much she is a billionaire in her thirties. Her story is so inspiring because she could have stuck to music and would have been more than ok, but she took her fame/ platform and built brands that catered to niches that were overlooked in the market. Her make up brand literally had shades for all colors, which was insane, because you would think with how long makeup has been in the market, all skin tones will be represented, same with the lingerie, instead of only advertising skins girls, she went for all sizes and body types, which is why she is the genius that she is, and rightfully a billionaire.
Another lady will be Spanx’s, Sara Blakely. I love her story, especially the part where she gifted all her employees USD 10,000 + first-class tickets to wherever they wanted to go! I think that is so inspiring because the fact is people are the business, you get the best out of people who are appreciated, and I hope I can someday do much more for my team.
People who have helped us achieve success are very important to us. We should be grateful for everything they do for us. Can you share a story about how someone who PERSONALLY helped you succeed?
Joy and Amber Orah: Luckily, several people have helped me under a body called In5 in Dubai. This organization has helped me a lot, from the technicalities of starting a business like trade license, to mentorship , to placements . The most recent was securing a place for ÚCHÈ By Amber at the Expo, which is still going on in Dubai till the 31st of March 2022, and the Dubai Design week in Nov 2021, where we got to have our first exhibition. It is such an amazing opportunity to be under the umbrella of such a program. We owe In5 Dubai so much for the mentorship and assistance they have been providing from the beginning of our business.
Women are more prominent in business than ever, however, there is plenty room for improvement. What can people do on their own, what can society do, and what can the government do? What are your suggestions?
Joy and Amber Orah: This is a great question, and you said it correctly, women are definitely more prominent in business today, and I believe this is because we are inspired by other women who have done and are still doing great things, and we have seen it is possible.
I want to thank Valiant CEO for interviews like this one, as they tell more women entrepreneur stories that motivate more women to venture into the business world. I reside in Dubai, and I can tell you the government of UAE is putting together many initiatives to put women at the forefront of its leadership. In the ongoing Expo being held in Dubai, there is a dedicated women’s pavilion, which highlights brave women all through history, from around the world, this goes from scientists to pilots to entertainers, this shows the govt is using history to encourage and empower women. In 2020 the UAE parliament consisted of 50% female, showing further actionable steps.
In New Zealand, the prime minister is female, the US Vice President is female. I believe we are on the right track to bridge the disparity of women in business. What can be done is parents and societies offer the same opportunities to the female child as the male child. This must be taught in schools and integral in the societal fabric. At the workplace, both males and females must be treated equally, and women’s rights must be protected as much as men’s rights are. Govts must put laws in place to further strengthen unbias and equality in all aspects of society.
There are many reasons why more women should become CEOs, Entrepreneurs, and founders. Some of these reasons may be obvious to you, but I think it is helpful to list them out. So, can you share a few reasons why more women should become business leaders?
Joy and Amber Orah: For a long time in a male-dominated world, we have learned to settle with available products and services. With more women founders and CEOS, we are realizing more feminine centric products and services that our male counterparts will never have thought of. A good example is the lovely Ms Sara Blakely, who went from selling typewriters, a very useful item, to spandex and becoming a billionaire, which shows how much twomen needed this product.
With more women founders and entrepreneurs, there are more fresh pair of eyes. Women are amongst other things more emotionally intelligent, like instincts. I believe more women should be CEO and founders because the world needs services and products that heal, the world needs less robots and more nurture, women bring compassion and sensitization while getting the work done. At the end of the day, all products are services must cater to the males, females, and the genders in between, it only makes sense that all genders must contribute equally.
What are some things people think about being a business leader that isn’t true? Can you give examples?
Joy and Amber Orah: Being a business leader means you are rich. This one I find funny because many entrepreneurs never get rich. They are able to make a living barely. Usually, they have to sustain themselves with another source of income, but they do it for the passion, which brings them fulfillment.
Being a business leader demands respect. I believe one has to earn respect, in actuality, you serve to lead. If that’s the case, respect doesn’t fall from heaven, and one must work hard for it.
Business leaders should not make mistakes. As a business leader, I think most of your career is making mistakes. How you bounce back is what determines if the business survives or not. Many good things come out of mistakes or unpopular opinions. A good example was when Amber created the Bum bag top/ belt bag top, which is a bumbag/ belt bag worn as a top! The initial reaction we got was, this is not a good piece, people will not get it, its too risky, it was a mistake. Still, we produced it anyway and made it the highlight piece of our collection, and it got our brand great recognition for being so innovative, a notable piece for festivals. So yes, Business leaders do make mistakes. We just pray it is a good mistake.
In your opinion, what type of person is likely to be successful as a business leader? What are the specific traits that increase the chance of success? And do you think everyone is cut out to be a business leader? Can you explain what you mean?
Joy and Amber Orah: I do not think everyone is cut out to be a business leader. First, you must enjoy doing business, whether sales, negotiating, planning, building teams, etc. Secondly, you must enjoy being a leader. I can tell you that many people are not comfortable with it.
No job is easy; definitely not a business leader. Managing people and being profitable is not an easy task, but as with everything else, if you enjoy it, it becomes easier. I think the most critical trait of a business leader is perseverance. Learning to turn a no to a yes, no matter how long it takes, this goes in hand with patience. Secondly will be good people skills, being polite, being kind, again patience comes in here, you get the best out of people when they are appreciated. Third I will say stay positive.
What are some things you wish someone had told you before you started your business? Why? (Please share a story or example for each.)
Joy and Amber Orah: So far so good, I have not hit any unforeseen blocks yet, so I can not say at this time something I wish I had been told.
What do you plan on tackling during the year 2022? Share your goals and battles you expect to face.
Joy and Amber Orah: The year 2022, has been out to a great start. I want to work on myself this year be the best I can be, mentally, socially, and business-wise. I will make more time to spend with friends and family, be kinder to those I work with or interact with, and take my business to new heights. Creating that work-life balance can be difficult, but I believe everything must be in moderation. This is a struggle mostly because as a startup, you put all your time into your business.
Another goal I have for this year is to make 50% of all the materials used in our production, organic. We have already started the process and are making that shift as fast as possible. We want to do our part in the fight to sustain our planet, which starts with how we produce. Fashion contributed 18.6 million tonnes of waste in 2020, that is a scary number, ÚCHÈ BY Amber’s aim is to not contribute to this problem. We are already producing limited pieces and endeavor to recycle and upcycle our pieces to reduce wastage.
Thank you so much for your time but before we finish things off, I do have one more question for you. What was the last book you read that had a great impact on you, please tell us how?
Joy and Amber Orah: Funny you ask that the last book I read is called surrounded by idiots, by Thomas Erikson. It tries to explain the different personalities of people, categorizing them into four colors, red, blue, green, and yellow. I think I am green/ yellow.It goes on to offer guidance on how to build a better relationship with the four different personalities, both in business and socially. It was quite an interesting read. It has helped me understand the people I interact with better, which has been extremely helpful
Jerome Knyszewski, VIP Contributor to ValiantCEO and the host of this interview would like to thank Joy and Amber Orah for taking the time to do this interview and share their knowledge and experience with our readers.
If you would like to get in touch with Joy and Amber Orah or their company, you can do it through their – Linkedin Page
Disclaimer: The ValiantCEO Community welcomes voices from many spheres on our open platform. We publish pieces as written by outside contributors with a wide range of opinions, which don’t necessarily reflect our own. Community stories are not commissioned by our editorial team and must meet our guidelines prior to being published.
