I have been able to create the life I had always wanted to live by the power of Visualization- Mrs. Balogun, CO-Founder So Fresh

 

On this week's episode of the series I started, I am so thrilled to share the interview I had with the very gorgeous co-founder. of SO FRESH, Mrs. Abimbola Balogun, oh my goodness, her awesome personality is so infectious, I couldn't even hide how thrilled I was when I reached out to her, her response and how she responded confirms why so fresh is the best healthy conscious store in Nigeria.

our last episode was about academic excellence, if you missed it,  Read Here.

today's episode is on Entrepreneurship, the story behind the glory, Happy reading

Please tell us a bit about you.

Hi there! My name is Abimbola Balogun, and I am a proud native of Kwara

State, Nigeria. With over a decade of experience as an entrepreneur, I am the Co-

Founder of So Fresh, the leading healthy food chain in Nigeria. Alongside being a

Lawyer and HR practitioner, I am also a consultant and a life coach, with a passion for

Helping people discover, nurture, and maximize their potential to achieve personal

And business success.

Outside of work, I am happily married to my wonderful husband, and together, we are

Raising three incredible children. As a business owner myself, my mission is to help

Other business leaders build great teams for business growth and transformation. I

Am committed to providing top-notch training and coaching to help individuals

Succeed in their entrepreneurial ventures.

Because this interview is to help people understand the power of creating a future they

Desire based on things that they do, I would like you to share your background.

Also share with us, how your parents influenced you in becoming who you are today.

 

Let me share a little bit about my background. I actually started my career as a

Lawyer and practiced for a few years before transitioning into business. It has been an

An incredible journey and I attribute my success to a few key things.

First and foremost, I have always been a firm believer in the power of visualization. By

Constantly imagining what I want and setting clear goals, I’ve been able to create the

Life I want to live.

But beyond that, I have to give credit to my parents for shaping me into the woman I

Am today. Growing up, my mother was my biggest inspiration. She was an

Entrepreneur, a school administrator, and a mother of five – all while still finding time

To be active in her community and church. She truly was a superwoman, and

Watching her manage everything while still building a happy home with my dad had a

Profound impact on me.

I learned so many valuable skills from my parents, from how to run a business to how

To connect with people on a personal level. It was amazing how the things we were

Being exposed to as children can shape us into the adults we become.

Thanks to my upbringing, I’ve been able to excel in my career, be a loving mother

And friend, and pursue my dreams as an entrepreneur. I feel so blessed to have had

Such incredible role models, and I hope to inspire others in the same way.

Tell us how SO fresh started and how it has impacted lives

So Fresh was founded in 2010 with a vision to revolutionize the way Nigerians shop

for fruits and vegetables. When my husband and I moved back to Lagos in 2008 after

 

a brief stay in South Africa, we were surprised to find that there were no organized

markets for fresh produce. We were determined to make a positive impact on society

by promoting healthy eating habits through the consumption of fresh fruits and

vegetables.

Our passion for this cause was rooted in our personal experiences. Growing up, I

personally remember climbing trees to pluck fresh fruits such as mangoes and guava

while my husband also had a great time nurturing and consuming fresh vegetables

from their home garden. We were excited to replicate that experience in Lagos, and

that’s how we started So Fresh in 2010 with just one shop and one staff.

Our goal was to create a healthier community and empower people through healthy

eating. Now, 13 years later, we have grown to 16 locations with over 150 employees.

Our vision is to become the prime destination for a healthy lifestyle in Africa, and our

mission is to inspire people to live fresh and live healthy.

Please share something inspirational to help people know how to start small and build up

Something inspirational right?

Well, I have many things to share, but I believe that whatever your hands find to do,

do it well. Doing something well requires the right attitude, vision, and determination

to achieve your goals.

When we started our business, we began small, but our vision was big. We learnt

through the process and committed ourselves to continuous growth and

improvement. We leveraged networks, mentorship, free training, and courses online

to improve our skills and add value to our customers.

It's essential to bring value to the market, regardless of what you offer. Whether it's

hair making or selling akara, learn the skill, and deploy it with the right attitude.

Consumer behavior and preferences are constantly changing, so you must be up-

to date with industry trends and standards.

Competition is fierce in any industry, and doing things well sets you apart from your

competitors. For instance, in 2015, we reinvented our menu and created a new

offering that has now become the most famous Parfait in Lagos. Today, many

other brands have joined the market to replicate the product but ours still stands out.

Excellence is a key strategy to business success.

Doing your work well also helps you attract the right people, resources, and

investments that will propel your business forward and help you scale and achieve

your dreams. Whatever your hands find to do, do it well, and success will follow.