Personal shoppers attest to seeing an interesting shift in the spending habits of the ultra-wealthy. The Covid-19 lockdowns meant an unexpected rise in their business. 



With retail most affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, both companies and consumers have had to revisit their shopping philosophies. And this also applied to Africa’s vast contingent of luxury personal shoppers and high net-worth individuals, who would otherwise travel abroad for their Louis Vuittons and Valentinos. The retail therapy continues online for those with deep pockets and greater choices in a world of evolving e-commerce.



For the retail entrepreneurs, this has meant consistently reinventing the wheel – and this time, they seem to be laughing all the way to the bank.



Take 31-year-old United-Kingdom-born Nigerian Lisa Omeleh, the founder of Classles, a company that has grown from being a personal shopping service, specifically offering discounted luxury goods for its members, to a social media-based personal shopping brand, with over 300 annual clients.



A typical day for Omeleh pre-Covid would involve attending luxury fashion events such as London Fashion Week and having private meetings with the head honchos of high-end brands on behalf of her clients. These days, she spends most of her time tapping into her enormous network of luxury resellers and shopping assistants from some of the world’s most premium brands like Cartier, Tiffany and Hermès, to source the best products for her affluent customers.



“The most expensive items will typically be jewelry and Hermès Birkin bags or Kelly bags. If I am sourcing Hermès bags, I usually do a 10% to 20% commission on top of the bags. The bags range from $10,000 to $11,000 (resale price) and then if you are talking different types of skins such as crocodile or alligator, it can go upwards of $30,000. Jewelry can go from $14,000,” says Omeleh.



Her clients, she says, are the daughters of presidents, wives of governors as well as high net-worth individuals. Omeleh has seen her business grow, but Covid-19 ushered in a new era, one in which her clients rely on her expertise to keep up-to-date with fashion trends on the other side of the Atlantic.



<div class="wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="683" height="1024" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/lisa-683x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-50712 size-full" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/lisa-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/lisa-200x300.jpg 200w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/lisa-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/lisa-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/lisa-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/lisa-scaled.jpg 1707w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px" /></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-style-large is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">“I have made much more money and doubled my income in the pandemic than any other time because I assume people are bored and are shopping or are looking for something to do.” <cite>– Lisa Omeleh</cite></blockquote>
</div></div>



“A lot of people see fashion as frivolous but it is a necessity for a lot of people. I have made much more money and doubled my income in the pandemic than any other time because I assume people are bored and shopping or looking for something to do. Or they are hoping that by purchasing expensive items, they have something to look forward to when the lockdown is over. Also, a lot of my relationships with sales assistants on the shop [floor] is bearing fruit and they are sending me stuff so I can push out to my clients because they still need to make their sales even though the shops are closed,” says Omeleh, who has seen an average spending of between $15,000 to $20,000 per client since the pandemic hit last year.



It has been a good run for Omeleh, who graduated from the University of Greenwich in the UK with a journalism and public relations degree, but stumbled on a career in fashion.



“I felt I was always good at building strong relationships with clients and I made a lot of contacts with people abroad and on the ground here in the UK as well, so I transferred the skills to my business. It got to a point where I was making more money than my nine-to-five and I haven’t looked back since,” says the astute entrepreneur.



With Covid-19, Cassandra Okoroafor, of Bespoke Luxury Shopper Limited, also noticed a similar spike in her personal shopping business.



“When the pandemic started in March, I only made $11,000 and then, by May 2020, it was crazy and I had an influx of new clients,” she says.



Her journey into the glamorous world of luxury personal shopping began in 2016 when she was doing her master’s program in London. At the time, she was looking for a way to earn extra cash and stumbled on the idea of personal shopping. After creating a business plan, Okoroafor decided her niche would be primarily focused on helping unconventional ultra-wealthy clients who do not have time to shop on account of their busy schedules.



Similar to Omeleh, Okoroafor’s business utilizes social media to attract clients through glitzy images of products and by selling an aspirational lifestyle.



<div class="wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Cassandra-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-50710 size-full" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Cassandra-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Cassandra-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Cassandra-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Cassandra-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Cassandra-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-style-large is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">“The middle-class clients compensated for the sales when my wealthy clients cut back. Sales went up by 31% in 2020 compared to 2019.”<cite>– Cassandra Okoroafor</cite></blockquote>
</div></div>



“The business moved me away from the traditional view of depending on men to survive and taught me that I can work and buy everything by myself. The biggest challenge was getting clients to trust me. You are asking people to spend over $9,000 for items and coming from Nigeria, with the stigma of scams, it affects people’s willingness to trust you. Even now, I leave my name as ‘Cassy’ because if I use my surname, some clients may start thinking I am from Nigeria and all the negative stereotypes that come with it,” says Okoroafor.



To overcome this stigma, she and Omeleh rely heavily on referrals from other clients. At the start of the pandemic, Okoroafor noticed an interesting shift in spending habits among her 200-strong clientele spread across Nigeria, Ghana, the UAE and South Africa.



“I have the ultra-wealthy clients and the normal middle-class clients. I noticed my wealthy clients cut back on spending on luxury items during the pandemic and they were more into wellbeing products and more comfort clothes to wear at home. But then, my middle-class clients started spending a lot of money on luxury bags and shoes and I think it had a lot to do with staying at home and doing nothing. I was calling it ‘boredom shopping’, they didn’t have anything to do and they spent more money at home trying to pass the time.”



By December 2020, her wealthy clients returned mainly because they had to buy gifts for family and corporate clients during the Christmas period.



“So, it was good for me because the middle-class clients compensated for the sales when my wealthy clients cut back. Sales went up by 31% in 2020 compared to 2019,” says Okoroafor.



To make profit on commissions requires an uncanny ability to handle a number of costs as well as uncertainties in the supply chain. Firstly, you have the issue of sourcing and logistics to contend with.



“Sourcing and logistics are the hardest part because when you are doing high-priced items and so many of them at a time, you have sleepless nights because you are trying to sort out shipping. Shipping to Nigeria is not as straight-forward and can be very expensive. For example, if you lose an item, there isn’t much insurance on that product. I only had a shipper lose one item before and that was a lot of headache,” recalls Omeleh.



Then, you have the issue of fluctuating currencies to deal with.



“Another problem is exchange rates and trying to convert the naira to pounds. So, you need to figure out how to incorporate that into the business in order to make a profit. For the first year, I didn’t make that much money,” says Okoroafor.



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignleft size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Abisola-Ola-Saheed.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-50709" width="346" height="433" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Abisola-Ola-Saheed.jpg 512w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Abisola-Ola-Saheed-240x300.jpg 240w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 346px) 100vw, 346px" /><figcaption>Abisola Ola Saheed</figcaption></figure></div>



Her clients spend more on jewelry than any other item. The growth in her business has led to Okoroafor diversifying her portfolio to accommodate more demands.



“Firstly, I have VIP Sourcing, where I have to source rare items like Hermès bags. For example, in 2020, I sourced a three-toned croc Hermès bag and it was shocking to source that during a pandemic. I even sourced a bike from BMW once and it is the highest service I offer clients. Then, I offer services like buying home décor and clothing. I charge a personal shopping commission on items, which is 10%. Then I create pieces for clients and charge a fee for styling them as well,” she says.&nbsp;



The personal shopping industry attracts professionals from all backgrounds. Take the case of lawyer-turned-CEO of Hays Personal Shopper Limited, Abisola Ola-Saheed.



She started out in this space in 2015 initially for its flexible working hours as she started a family. Today, it is turning over more than her legal job and after making a career switch as a full-time personal shopper, Ola-Saheed is also reaping the unexpected rewards of the lockdown.



“2019 was my biggest year followed by 2020. The pandemic has not affected me in anyway because people are still shopping. My clients are saying if they die, no one will enjoy their money so, they would rather shop and enjoy themselves now than save. In 2020 alone, I had over 200 clients,” says Ola-Saheed.



Her secret is giving her clients as much attention as they require in order to close a sale.



“We shop for high net-worth clients and we source hard-to-get pieces. You are being trusted with a lot of money so with the amount of money coming into your hands, you need to give them 24/7 attention.” &nbsp;



By all accounts, it seems the trend, especially with wealthy African consumers, is geared towards stress-free, bespoke shopping. Brands are also increasingly leaning on personal shoppers and their loyal client base to help them retail hard-to-sell products during the lockdown and as a result, for now, it appears the market remains favorable for enterprising Africans in the diaspora willing to go the extra mile – and the last mile – to meet the insatiable shopping demands of their clients back home.

African American woman opening packages of shoes on sofa

The Luxe Factor: A Boom In Business For Personal Shoppers

Tanzanian-born Aakash Phulwani is using dance to change the perspectives the world has about African culture.



Every time you enter an AfroDesi workshop, run by entrepreneur Aakash Phulwani, people from diverse backgrounds are learning both contemporary African and Bollywood dance styles using custom-made mixes of songs from both sides. When it was first started by Phulwani and his two friends in New York, it grew in popularity and is now also a platform for Africa-based dancers.



Raised in Tanzania, when Phulwani first went to university in the United States, it seemed like no one really knew much about Africa. There wasn’t much happening on campus to promote African culture either. He wanted to change that perspective somehow and used dance, which he is very passionate about, as a means to do so. People from different backgrounds started joining the dance troupe he founded.



He knew there was more potential for his art. When he graduated, he teamed up with his friends, who had Bollywood dance backgrounds, to create a fusion of both Indian and African styles and offered classes to those keen. That’s when AfroDesi was born.



“After our first video went out, a lot of people in New York saw it and really liked it… after that, with every class, we just kept getting more and more attention… people really appreciated that. So, it was just something really fresh no one else had ever done,” says Phulwani.



<div class="wp-block-image is-style-default"><figure class="alignright size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Pic-by-Divya-Jethwani-675x1024.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-49564" width="345" height="523" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Pic-by-Divya-Jethwani-675x1024.jpeg 675w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Pic-by-Divya-Jethwani-198x300.jpeg 198w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Pic-by-Divya-Jethwani-768x1165.jpeg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Pic-by-Divya-Jethwani-1013x1536.jpeg 1013w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Pic-by-Divya-Jethwani-300x455.jpeg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Pic-by-Divya-Jethwani-600x910.jpeg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Pic-by-Divya-Jethwani.jpeg 1028w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 345px) 100vw, 345px" /><figcaption>Photo by Divya Jethwani</figcaption></figure></div>



But he quickly realized AfroDesi was mostly only attracting a South Asian crowd. There was the fear of appropriation and not being able to maintain the authenticity of the movement. Being able to attract and gain acceptance from an African crowd is a daily endeavor for the group, which they also translate on social media.



“We try to bring many different cultures to the same space… to try bridge that gap.”



The new genre is attempting to dispel the myths about Africa, and helping bring two dance communities together, gathering thousands of followers on social media along the way. Phulwani has conducted workshops across the US, and also in Dubai, Kenya and Tanzania, and has just moved to London, where he plans to expand the brand.



He acknowledges his privileges though, as a professional working in consulting, and whose full-time job is not dance.



AfroDesi wants to help artists from Africa have access to the platform.



For example, when in Tanzania recently, Phulwani helped out a group called The Rabbit Dancing Crew. “So the hardest part is for them to even make it like financially… we want to help them… promote them as much as we can… any proceedings that I got last year for my workshops, I made sure I give it to the team.”



He wants to help local creatives find bookings and travel across the globe to share their talent. “We tell students in our class that we are not Afro professional dance teachers… we are just inspired by so many creatives back in Africa.”



By Inaara Gangji

Pic by Divyanka Gupta

Taking African Dance To The World

It is perfectly possible to be in Mauritius and not see a spot of sea.
As a business traveler, if you are staying in any one of the upscale business hotels in the central business district of Ebene, where most men in sharp suits ponder the fate of the island as a gateway to Africa, the white sandy beaches and rhythmic Sega dances in the charming fishing villages are but a distant laidback dream.
This is an economy working overtime, with a new ambitious government and a population weaning off idyllic vistas of just the surf, sand and sea, and wanting much, much more – quicker.
“This country got rich too soon,” says Sattar Hajee Abdoula, CEO and Head of Taxation and Advisory Services at Grant Thornton in Mauritius. “So everyone is aspiring to be rich.”
We are driving back in Abdoula’s white Mercedes convertible after a sumptuous three-course dinner in the plush, green, valley-facing home of one of Mauritius’ most-successful senior bankers.
“The mind-set has totally changed in the country,” says Abdoula matter-of-factly, pulling into the driveway of the classy Hennessy Park Hotel in Ebene Cybercity where a room can cost up to $220 a night.
It’s Friday night, and the hotel’s parking lot is packed to the rafters. The swanky customers and swarthy bouncers are all headed to the swish Backstage Lounge Bar in the hotel’s ground floor that has at its entrance an arty installation of a collage of inverted guitars, and once you walk in, meandering hallways that lead to live music and the bar, where hordes of young men in leather jackets and women in lacy tank tops writhe in unison on the dance floor.
Somewhere in the distance, away from the island’s commercial heart, the high tide and the moon, resembling a nail in the sky, succumb to nature’s chorus, as the fierce waves lash on to the shores of this green island in the Indian Ocean.
The land once home to the dodo is a biodiversity hotspot. You hear inspiring stories of people moving to organic farming and the growing prevalence of permaculture; even tales of the pink pigeon that has been heroically saved from extinction. Everywhere you look, swaying sugarcane plantations, and the sweet smell of money.
There is a profusion of green on land and blue in the ocean: and both economies are being revamped by the country’s scientist-president, Ameenah Gurib-Fakim.
The natural resources of Mauritius were a big draw card for CIDP, which runs a sophisticated facility here for high-performance research and clinical trials, sourcing active ingredients for pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies around the world.
“Mauritius is the hotspot for diversity, with a multi-ethnic population we can access for trials,” says Claire Blazy-Jauzac, Group Managing Director of CIDP.
The island is a rich repository of fauna and flora known for several indigenous species – and not just the extinct dodo. Its farming practises are rated among the best in Africa.
“Africa is lanes and streets and cities behind Mauritius when it comes to agricultural practices,” says MD Ramesh, President and Regional Head South and East Africa for Olam, Africa’s leading agri-business.
“Mauritius has a great talent for agriculture and is far better than most of Africa.”
Durban-based Ramesh says he is seriously considering moving to Mauritius when he retires and is actively seeking a Mauritius passport.
Visitors to Mauritius’ gleaming new airport terminals will see the first signs of a country prospering from tourism dollars. For those seeking retirement, the climate – both political and weather – is conducive, says Ramesh.
To most, the tax haven is a haven for more reasons than one, including the comfortable lifestyle it offers, access to amenities and most importantly, the fresh seafood. The juicy prawn curry and rice in any of the eateries in the village of Moka, called the heart of the island, is worth arriving in the country for.
You also can’t miss the bounties of the land. Robert Gordon-Gentil converted a sugarcane field into a thriving restaurant business 15 years ago. Chez Tante Athalie at Pamplemousses in Grand Baie serves authentic Creole cuisine on weekdays for lunch. In its front yard are hulking trees Gordon-Gentil planted with his own hands when they first started; he sources all his ingredients for the restaurant from this garden. Here, he also displays his collection of vintage cars. The foreigners and diners love the assortment of cars and cuisine. Occasionally, Gordon-Gentil also drives his old cars to town, making sure they don’t stutter to a stop on the way.
Surprisingly for a small island-nation of 1.3 million people, peak-time traffic on the arterial roads, especially in Port Louis, is a nightmare. It’s best to set aside enough time to traverse between different parts of the island that the locals categorize simply as East, West, South and North. Also watch out for stray dogs that are rampant and a serious problem in Mauritius.
Getting around is expensive.
“Mauritius presents a real business case for Uber,” says 26-year-old freelance photographer Keshawve Jeewon, who runs his company GrandMoments, offering photography and videography services by the picturesque mountains of Flacq district.
He drives his dad’s old Ford pick-up truck when scouring the island for work, but owns an Audi A4 sedan for his social sojourns.
“An Uber-like service should be started as soon as possible. Someone will get rich very soon,” says Jeewon, almost as if he had been toying with the idea himself.
In the distance, as we drive past verdant Verdun, he symbolically points to Mauritius’ second-highest mountain named Pieter Both, characterized by a rocky formation at the top resembling a human head, in thought.
It’s in contemplative mode looking for new horizons of opportunity, like young Jeewon, and the country itself.

DCIM100MEDIADJI_0095.JPG

The Sweet Smell Of Money, Sans The Sea

Time and again, we read of celebrities who have made and lost huge fortunes. Behind the veil of celebrity, are ordinary people that make mistakes with money just like everyone else; however their mistakes can appear to be more pronounced, as they cannot be easily reversed. Here are some important celebrity money lessons for us all.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-4040" src="/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Twocoms-Shutterstock.com_-194x300.jpg" alt="" width="194" height="300" />
<h4>Overspending</h4>
Celebrities are under enormous pressure to keep up appearances and often live a lifestyle far beyond their means. But spending excessively over a period of time without corresponding inflows can have dire consequences. Celebrity is almost synonymous with luxury; it is a lifestyle that is associated with visible success, not financial stability. Building wealth is not about how much you make, but how much you keep.
<h4>Poor investment choices</h4>
Seeking professional advice is always recommended, as advisors have a plethora of information with which to make informed decisions. However, not all financial advisors are honest or appreciate the fiduciary duty that comes with money management. Many celebrities delegate total responsibility to “advisors” who may end up mismanaging their money, defrauding them or making some poor investment choices. It is important to do thorough due diligence before engaging any professional.
If you pay little attention to your investments and do not understand what you are getting into, you become very vulnerable. Even though you might not have the time or expertise to manage your own finances, you ought to have a basic understanding of what you are investing in as well as the implications of doing so.
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<h4>Not paying taxes</h4>
Tax laws can be confusing and are constantly revised. Whether you are the ordinary worker or a celebrity, tax obligations cannot be ignored or they will come back to haunt you. Many celebrities have fallen foul of tax laws as they have not kept abreast of this important aspect of their financial lives. Remember that you are obliged to pay tax and if you fail to do so, the law will eventually catch up with you.
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<h4>Not having a prenuptial agreement</h4>
The pressures of celebrity, in the full glare of the media and the public, can put tremendous strain on relationships. If you bring substantial assets to a partnership, particularly where this might be a second or third marriage, it is worth considering a prenuptial agreement to protect assets before getting married. It may not be romantic, and it might not feel right to keep assets and properties separate, but it can save a couple from drawn out agony during a divorce.
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<h4>Not reviewing an estate plan</h4>
An estate plan should be updated to address any major life event, such as the birth of a child or grandchild, a marriage, or a divorce. If one fails to do this, beneficiaries that you planned to bequeath assets to might end up being left out of a will or trust.
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<h4>Not having adequate insurance</h4>
A serious illness or disability can obliterate one’s finances, especially if you have a career in sports or the entertainment industry. People tend to overlook the financial implications of a serious illness and ignore the need for insurance until a major mishap occurs; it is only then that the impact of inadequate insurance coverage or emergency savings is glaring. No matter how meticulous you are with your finances, failure to purchase adequate insurance can impair your financial future and put you in a desperate situation in an instant.
You may not be a celebrity but there are countless lessons to learn from their lifestyle. Plan for what could be an uncertain future by diversifying earning streams, investing and protecting the large sums of money earned today for tomorrow to avoid the road from riches to rags.
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For more personal finance tips, follow Money Matters With Nimi on Twitter: @MMWITHNIMI and Facebook: MoneyMattersWithNimi

Tag: Lifestyle

FORBES AFRICA SOCIAL MEDIA

The Luxe Factor: A Boom In Business For Personal Shoppers

Taking African Dance To The World

The Sweet Smell Of Money, Sans The Sea

Lessons To Learn From The Rich And Famous