Creating great content is a part of our everyday lives, whether in the print or broadcast media, or in the ever expanding social media space in Africa. One entrepreneur, Kelechi Udoagwu, co-founder of Skrife, is providing a much-needed platform to bring great writers and specialist content creators together with clients who are looking for engaging content for their businesses.
LoA heard about this niche, custom content creation company and wanted to find out more this month.
What does your company do?
Skrife is an online platform that helps entrepreneurs, brands, digital agencies and startups communicate and create quality written content by leveraging on our exclusive community of freelance writers and editors.
"Skrife is an online platform that helps entrepreneurs, brands, digital agencies and startups communicate and create quality written content by leveraging on our exclusive community of freelance writers and editors."
What inspired you to start your company?
The idea for Skrife as it is now all started with a random conversation where I and my cofounder realized that we both, at different times in our lives, had thought of how to turn our writing skills into a larger-than-life business. I met Tolu (my cofounder) at MEST (Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology) and we got into the habit of brainstorming and sharing business concepts with each other. One day, we realized there was an overlap in one of our ideas. Tolu had a client who was finding it difficult to get good freelance writers (like her) on a consistent basis and was always asking for referrals, and I had a lot of freelancer friends who constantly needed jobs. That was the beginning of the idea that is now Skrife.
Why should anyone use your service or product?
People should use Skrife because we are laser-focused on making our clients happy. All our business decisions are client-oriented. When clients request content via the site, if we don’t have enough information and feel like we don’t know the client's personality yet, we schedule a call to get to know them. Only then, do we assign the job to a writer.
We also give our clients two rounds of revision. Meaning that if you receive a submitted job and don’t like it, we will listen to your edits and make them, twice! At no extra cost to you. We are honest and open, and don’t just take on clients because we want their money. There are people who have come talk to us, and we realize that what they need is multimedia content or offline events. We are happy to refer them to other platforms and products that can help them create that.
"My advice to other women looking to start-up is that they should visualize their perfect future everyday. Think it and you will become it."
Tell us a little about your team
We, the cofounders (Kelechi and Tolu) met at (MEST). We bonded over a shared love for writing and freelancing and been friends ever since. We formed Skrife in December 2015 when we got accepted into the S Factory, a spin-off from the Start-Up Chile program. We were one of two African startups accepted and we received $15,000 equity-free funding. I am now the Communications and Recruitment Manager at MEST and I'm truly passionate about getting more girls and women into STEM and tech fields. Tolu is an Entrepreneurial Leadership Faculty member at African Leadership University. We also have a full-time editor-in-chief, Tahirah, and two interns – one for Tech and the other for digital marketing.
Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And, do you come from an entrepreneurial background?
I have always been entrepreneurial. In the university, i worked part-time as a model/actress; and made plans to start up my own business. Right after university, when I heard about Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST), I applied because I knew I wanted to gain more skills and have some support. At MEST, I not only learned skills like programming and business, I also gained soft skills like communications, solution-oriented thinking, empathy, self-development and all these have added to make me the woman I am now. Skrife is just one of my many ideas and I'm excited to get it fully standing on its feet before I start to create new businesses.
"The long-term goal for Skrife is to grow to a point where we can train aspiring African writers and connect them to paid writing jobs all over the world."
What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?
The long-term goal for Skrife is to grow to a point where we can train aspiring African writers and connect them to paid writing jobs all over the world. In the coming years, we plan to evolve into a trusted and diverse writers’ community that not only provides alternate income to writers but also trains, mentors and supports them on their career journey.
What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?
I am so happy when clients appreciate the content we create for them. My goal with every client is to make sure they leave happy and are open to referring other clients.
Being deeply passionate about youth and women empowerment, I also feel satisfied when I hear from young adults who are inspired by my journey and ask for advice as they try to achieve great things too.
What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?
My advice to other women looking to start-up is that they should visualize their perfect future everyday. Think it and you will become it. I believe that when you have a clear picture in your mind of who you want to become, the universe will work with you to make it happen. Many women don't even know what they want to achieve, and it's hard to get something you don't know you want. Aspiring women entrepreneurs should strive to be known for what they do. When people see you being who you want to be, they will begin to know you as that, and you're well on your way to becoming it. Before I ever started Skrife, I was known as a writer. That made it easier for me to launch Skrife. I am already credible. People believe that Skrife works because they know that I work.
Contact or follow Skrife
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | EMAIL kelechi@skrife.com
Why LoA loves it….
At LoA, we understand and appreciate the power of words and those who create them, after all, harnessing great content on all things women’s entrepreneurship in Africa is what we do. So we love hearing about other women entrepreneurs who are taking the need to create great content in Africa as the inspiration for their businesses. Kelechi Udoagwu, co-founder of Skrife in Nigeria, is supporting great writing talent and finding an outlet for that talent by matching it to clients who need creative writing skills for their businesses. Great idea for a business. --- Melanie Hawken, founder and editor-in-chief of Lionesses of Africa