Beneficiaries Spotlight Series Interview with Olubunmi Wisdom Eleweyori

Meet Olubunmi Wisdom Eleweyori, CEO of Glovan Farms. Her company specializes in processing and packaging hygienic, sandless dry fish products, offering ready-to-cook, ready-to-eat options, and even dry fish powder. In this interview, she shares how the Growth4Her Accelerator program has shaped her journey and her vision for Glovan Farms.

Interviewer: Can you please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your business?    

My name is Olubunmi Wisdom Eleweyori, I am the CEO of Glovan Farms. Glovan farm is a forward-thinking Agro processing company that specializes in processing and packaging hygienic, sandless, nutritious dry fish and dry fish products. Part of our products are the ready-to-cook dry fish, ready-to-eat dry fish snack, dry fish powder, stock fish powder, we also intend to go into baby food to enhance the protein level in baby food and we are resident in Abuja.  

Interviewer: What motivated you to join the Growth4Her Accelerator program?  

It was the normal desire for growth, to experience the new because for every entrepreneur, you remain stagnant except you keep driving for new things, innovations, that will help your business. When I saw Growth4Her Accelerator program, I saw it as an opportunity to learn and to enhance all it is that we’re doing, so those were my motivation.  

Interviewer: Were there specific challenges your business was faced with prior to joining the program? How did the Growth4Her Accelerator program help you overcome these challenges you faced in growing your business?  

Basically, before joining Growth4Her program, we assessed ourselves as a company and we asked ourselves, where are we now? We realized we are at a point where we need to increase, expand and get partnerships, so when we set out this year that was what we sought for. I would say before Growth4Her, I was not able to pitch my business or talk about Glovan farm and all we do, I didn’t know the vital areas to concentrate while pitching my business to investors, so Growth4Her brought that out of me. For me, my take home from Growth4her program was learning how to pitch my business in 5 minutes, understanding what investors are interested in knowing about my business. So, I would say after the program I was confident to face investors, I could prepare my pitch and present and even after the program I’ve been able to pitch to an organization, and to a couple of individuals, etc.   

Interviewer: Can you share a memorable moment or experience from the Growth4Her Accelerator program that stood out to you?  

I think my relationship with the mentors, especially during my closed sessions, my mentor Prof Isidore, has always been patient, giving us vital assistance and help, people with issues bring it up to the table and he’s able to advise. So, learning from my mentor’s wealth of experience made me to always look forward to the closed session with the mentor.   

Interviewer: Since completing the Growth4Her Accelerator program, how has your business grown or changed?   

It has grown in the sense that I’ve become more outspoken to pitch my business, I knew from the beginning of this year, what I needed is funding and it has empowered me to meet people, tell them about my business, pitch my business, although I haven’t gotten any funding yet but I’m hopeful something positive will come out.   

Interviewer: What advice would you give to other women entrepreneurs who are considering joining the Growth4Her Accelerator program?  

I will say they should jump at it. I know most entrepreneurs are looking for funding but for an organization like Growth4Her that is not offering funding but offering you practical knowledge to build and manage your business, It’s like a mini-MBA. I know not many are opportuned to have an MBA to help them manage their businesses properly. I had an MBA about two years ago but the knowledge from Growth4Her is a plus for me. So, Growth4Her simply gives you an insight into what you could have learned from an MBA, such as Bookkeeping, Financing, managing your business, your staff, etc. So, I will say it’s a good initiative for entrepreneurs.