Faith, Purpose, and Entrepreneurship: The Esther Akodu Story

One thing I have learnt lately is to never stop seeking God’s Face in the midst of even the toughest situation. He’ll always come through.

Via David Oletu (DCM)

I learnt to sell my skills and market what I do if I want people to give me their money. (laughs)

So, I had to constantly build my skills and improve myself to be valuable, because value will always attract.

It is my dream to gain influence largely in my industry and to stand out in what I do, which inspired the hunger to keep building.

I understand that growth is in phases, and success is never achieved overnight. 

And I understand the need to consistently grow,

and it is my mantra to never stop building and to be 1% better each day.

Faith, Purpose, and Entrepreneurship: The Esther Akodu Story

Join us as we sit down with the incredible Esther Akodu, a trailblazing young entrepreneur,

and passionate educator, who is redefining the intersection of faith, creativity, and innovation.

With a heart for empowering others and a relentless drive to succeed,

Esther’s journey is a powerful testament to the impact that can be made when purpose, passion, and perseverance come together.

From her humble beginnings in fashion design to becoming a sought-after Canva coach, digital marketing expert,

and convener of the esteemed Accelerate Students Conference,

Esther’s path is a remarkable demonstration of how intentionality,

resilience, and trust in a higher purpose can propel individuals towards achieving their dreams.

In this inspiring and insightful interview, Esther shares her personal story of triumphs and challenges,

the valuable lessons she’s learnt along the way,

and her expert advice for young Christian women who are eager to build their own personal and professional brands.

Get ready to be inspired, motivated, and empowered by Esther’s remarkable journey,

and discover how you too can unlock your full potential and make a lasting impact in the world.

DCM: Can we meet you? 

Esther: My name is Esther Akodu. I am a lover of God, a graphic designer, and a digital marketer.

With creative graphical content, I have helped brands increase their visibility and grow their business. 

Over the years, I have also helped brands run ad campaigns and provide optimised social media services to help businesses grow their online presence.

I am currently a Canva coach at ‘Hertechtrail Academy,’ where women in Africa are being taught tech skills.

In 2022, I became a first-class graduate of the University of Nigeria, NSUKKA, where I studied business education.

My goal is to empower other great minds too with my skills by sharing my knowledge and teaching them to become great designers too. 

Over the years, I have trained over 15,000 people across 10 countries on creating Canva designs.

I am the convener of the Accelerate Students Conference, a conference aimed at equipping undergraduates to become fully equipped as students. 

I am a trailblazing advocate for growth and believe in living a purposeful life.

Faith, Purpose, and Entrepreneurship: The Esther Akodu Story

DCM: Your intentionality speaks volumes! What sparked your entrepreneurial journey, and what motivates you to continue growing your brand? 

Esther: I’d say I had always been an entrepreneur, even when I didn’t want to be one. 

I had learnt fashion design right after my junior secondary school,

and even though I never really liked anything business, I found myself in the entrepreneurial field early in life. 

I tried to run away from it initially because I’d rather have a white-collar job, but graphic design brought me back to it again. 

Being an undergraduate in school with not much financial support, I knew I had to sit up and leverage what I had to get a source of income for myself.

I learnt to sell my skills and market what I do if I want people to give me their money. (laughs)

So, I had to constantly build my skills and improve myself to be valuable, because value will always attract.

It is my dream to gain influence largely in my industry and to stand out in what I do, which inspired the hunger to keep building.

I understand that growth is in phases, and success is never achieved overnight. 

And I understand the need to consistently grow, and it is my mantra to never stop building and to be 1% better each day.

DCM: How do you integrate your values and beliefs into your brand identity?

Esther: Well, I think my values and beliefs can’t be separated from my brand identity because they encapsulate a totality of who I am. 

Luckily, I had gotten to be grounded in my faith and build values like:

timeliness, integrity, consistency, and dedication as a part of me,and I let it reflect constantly in all I do and say.

So, even on my WhatsApp status, I boldly share my belief with everyone, because it is a part of my identity and who I am. 

I make it loud always, and I stand by it because, in the end, nothing about who I am can stand outside these.

DCM: What sets your business apart from others in your industry?

Esther: The god factor and the desire to give excellence always.

DCM: How do you balance faith with the demands of entrepreneurship?

Esther: So, right after I graduated from the university and I decided to delve fully into what I do now, I had some trouble balancing both. 

I struggled a lot and always made excuses, which I tried to justify, thinking God would understand. (laughs)

But then, it dawned on me one day that everything else that I’m chasing after can in a minute be taken away,

because eventually, all is vanity. 

I then realised that God alone is my source, not my efforts or any hard work I’m putting in or the connections I needed. 

Like the Bible says, “What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?”

I knew right then that I needed to set my priorities right. 

God first, and everything else follows. 

After all, all that I ever need and desire can only be found in Christ, so why shouldn’t I stay with him?

From then on, I chose to put God first and put my prayer and study time first each day before anything else. 

I knew everything else would prosper when I got this right.

Faith, Purpose, and Entrepreneurship: The Esther Akodu Story

DCM: Can you share a testimony of how God has provided for your business or guided you through difficult situations?

Esther: A lot of times, provision and help came as I obeyed certain instructions I received in the place of prayer. 

One time when I needed my monthly income increased by 100%, I got the lead to sow a seed to someone I knew who was at that level I was praying for.

And, although I hadn’t thought that it would happen so quickly, I got even more than I had prayed for that same month.

Also, I love to give; this has always helped to open some doors that I know normally wouldn’t have opened.

One thing I have learnt lately is to never stop seeking God’s face in the midst of even the toughest situation. He’ll always come through.

Just as I’m saying this today, I just scaled through a very tight situation that earlier this morning I didn’t even have any idea on how to resolve. 

I can’t go into details about this, but I prayed and I got God’s leading on what to do, and it helped me solve the issue and gave me peace.

DCM: Glory to God!

Can you share a challenging experience that taught you a valuable lesson about yourself or your business?

Esther: In the past few months, I’ve had to joggle so much, and it got really overwhelming. 

I began to realise that I was getting on the edge regarding almost everything, even in my interactions with people. 

I was pressured by a lot I was trying to take up at once, and it was taking its toll on me, even my business. 

What this taught me was the lack of structure I had and also thinking I was a superwoman. (laughts) I’m not. 

So, I began to create structures that work for me to create a balance. 

For instance, I had to stay off WhatsApp partially on weekends and make sure to put off work on weekends to get some rest.

This has helped me feel more energised and happier, rather than the grumpy old self I was fast becoming. 

I also have had to let go of some of the tasks I was handling,

so I now set priorities on what I needed to focus on, while I had to put some on hold.

The goal is for me to live a happy life, even on my journey to success.

Faith, Purpose, and Entrepreneurship: The Esther Akodu Story

DCM: How do you prioritise self-care and make time for activities that nourish your mind, body, and soul?

Esther: To be honest, I’m still ‘a work in progress’ with this.

I had a major burnout some months ago, which jolted me back to give proper self-care to myself, especially in terms of getting adequate rest. 

But I make sure to feed my mind every single day,

first with the word of God; making sure to listen to Christian messages.

Those who know me know that I feed on edifying messages a lot. 

I also make sure to listen to audiobooks daily

and spend another 30 minutes every morning to read a hard copy book to start my day.

This helps me grow my mind and soul.

I’m definitely working on the self-care to be better, though. (laughs)

DCM: Would you love to celebrate some mentors, friends, family, or role models who have helped you on your entrepreneurial journey?

Esther: Absolutely! 

My journey would have been a lot more bumpy without the support of my family, as well as my friends. 

Three friends who have always been there to hear me rant about my entrepreneurial struggles, prayed with me,

and offered their support are Olukayode Blessing, Omolara Ayodele, and Oluwadamilola Adepoju. 

You should get yourselves good friends like these gifts I have.

Two women who have kept inspiring me in the past few years has been Mrs. Ibukun Awosika and Mrs. Folorunsho Alakija. 

These women are giants across nations and still love God, as well as put Him at the forefront of all their endeavours. 

I also get so inspired by how Aunty Funke Akindele has built a solid name for herself whilst managing so many things.

This tells me there’s so much work to be done. 

If these people can do it, then I can too.

I can’t help but mention those who have also been a model to me in the design industry: Mr. Akpobome Ejiro, Mr. Michael Yusuf, and Mr. Olasunkanmi Lateef. 

I run to them whenever the need arises, and I have been blessed with how they show up to help always.

DCM: What advice would you give to young Christian women who want to build their own personal and business brand?

Esther: Let God be the foundation of all that you do. 

God first, and everything else will come your way. 

There’s so much more than you can do; if you dream it and believe it, you can become it.

Also Read: What Is My Value? – Diademng (thediademng.org)

Faith, Purpose, and Entrepreneurship: The Esther Akodu Story

More From Esther Akodu: https://www.instagram.com/theestherakodu?igsh=MXNleTVseDJvb3JvMw==