The Making of Mahogany: How Sola Oyebade Created One of Africa's Top Modelling Agencies

In this episode of the Third Culture Africans podcast, Sola Oyebade, also known as Mr. Mahogany, shares his remarkable journey from model to founder of Mahogany Productions and Events, one of Africa's largest model agencies.

Sola's early interest in the fashion industry began during his secondary school days, where he organized fashion shows as part of literary and debating societies.

His entrepreneurial resilience and commitment to diversity in the fashion and events industry are truly inspiring. He faced challenges and overcame societal stigmas to establish businesses that showcase diversity, such as the Mahogany Bridal Show and Mahogany Models.

Sola's insights into navigating the fashion industry, empowering models of color, and building successful ventures provide a wealth of knowledge for aspiring entrepreneurs in the fashion and events industry. His determination to make a meaningful impact and contribute to the industry's growth makes this episode a must-listen for anyone seeking guidance in building a diverse and successful fashion business.

Timestamped summary of this episode: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Mr. Mahogany Zeze introduces the guest, Sola Oyebade, also known as Mr. Mahogany. She highlights his achievements as a multi-award-winning founder in production events and the owner of one of the largest model agencies in Africa. 00:02:30 - Early Journey into Modeling Sola shares his journey into the modeling industry, starting from his time in secondary school to funding his university education through modeling. He discusses the challenges of being a male model in the UK and the lack of opportunities for black models at the time. 00:07:05 - Setting Up Mahogany Sola explains the motivation behind setting up the Mahogany bridal shows and model agency, emphasizing the need to represent people of color in the wedding and modeling industries. He discusses the challenges and initial stages of establishing the business. 00:12:15 - Addressing Racism in the Industry Sola addresses the pushback and accusations of racism he faced for promoting black models. He shares his efforts in educating the media and breaking down the lack of representation in top modeling agencies. Sola highlights the success of the Italian Vogue all-black issue. 00:13:43 - Curating Our Own Stories Zeze and Sola discuss the importance of curating and telling their own stories, challenging the traditional media's narrative. They emphasize the need for empowerment and representation within the black community, and the impact of curating 00:14:40 - Telling Our Own Story Sola Oyebade discusses the importance of telling our own stories and doing things for ourselves, particularly in the UK. He emphasizes the need for businesses to be self-financing and the challenges faced in competing with mainstream agencies. 00:18:45 - Citizens Advice Bureau Sola talks about his role as CEO of the East End Citizens Advice Bureau, a charity that provides legal advice and assistance to those who cannot afford it. He highlights the importance of fundraising for each office and the challenges of managing multiple boroughs. 00:19:48 - Building Infrastructure Sola shares his experience of building infrastructure for his events production business, particularly in the African market. He discusses the challenges of gaining trust from mainstream agencies and the need to build capital and business relationships. 00:24:47 - Demystifying Success Sola reflects on the journey of building his business, emphasizing the importance of hard work, persistence, and consistency. He stresses the value of doing what one loves and providing a service that people want, rather than focusing solely on money. 00:28:55 - Working with Young People Sola discusses the impact of the internet on the current generation of young entrepreneurs and the opportunities it presents. He emphasizes the importance of mentorship and knowledge sharing with young people to help them na