From watching her father juggle public service with thriving businesses to building a platform that now connects over 5,000 vendors, Mrs Olivia Ojeanor Odiah has turned vision into enterprise. A marketing expert, business coach and founder of the Online Market and Declutter Hub (OMDH), she speaks candidly about financial independence, starting with just ₦50,000, scaling through digital platforms, and why consistency, not capital, is the real game changer for today’s entrepreneurs.
Can we meet you, ma?
I am Mrs Olivia Ojeanor Odiah, a marketing expert, business coach and founder of the Online Market and Declutter Hub (OMDH). I have been a businesswoman for over seven years. I import goods from China. I also sell clothes. I also serve as an intermediary between customers and vendors.
Can you tell us how you started your business, what the inspiration was, and how it has been so far?
Growing up as a child, I have always watched my dad running multiple businesses, even as a top Local Government officer. This helped to build and mould my mindset of trying to own a business, irrespective of what you do, even just as a side hustle.
My quest for being a financially independent woman also further motivated me to venture into business, even though I am married to a financially stable partner. So it has always been in the genes and mindset.
What did you study?
I studied Marketing in my first degree at Delta State University, Asaba Campus, now Dennis Osadebay University. After university, I decided to go for my Master’s degree in Marketing.
After that, I got married. Although my husband wanted me to be a housewife, being a strong-willed person, I knew that this was not the era, especially when you have gone to school. I had to push myself. I wanted to do something.
Although he got me a job just to make me happy, I wanted to do business. I created a platform, Online Market and Declutter Hub (OMH), for business owners and people who wanted to do business from home, based on research from my master’s degree program. I wanted to explore more.
Tell us about the early days of the hub and the risks you took.
When I started OMDH about seven years ago, it was just a platform for online vendors in Asaba and environs. We started from Asaba with about 100 vendors, and now we have over 5000 vendors in Asaba, with others in Benin, Abuja, and Lagos.
In short, OMDH started as an initiative to create practical, accessible spaces for vendors to connect and sell (leveraging WhatsApp/Facebook groups), fueled by my professional background in marketing and business coaching. It quickly evolved from online communities into popular physical trade events in Asaba.
For me, the risk was choosing not to hide. I decided to be confident about the vision, to speak about it unapologetically and to stand by the truth of what I was creating. I was not begging anyone for money, but I was clear about the value of the platform, and I communicated it without fear.
As a marketing expert and business coach, what strategies can help online vendors scale their businesses?
When I started my business, it was with about N50,000, although it was an online business because I wanted to work even from home. Number one would be to start from when you can. Secondly, be committed.
It is not just about starting. Will you be confident? Will you invest your time and energy? Will you create content? Will you be shameless about what you do? If you put yourself in a box, you will remain in that box. So you must decide to step out. Another thing is consistency. If you cannot pass the test of time, it will not work. I have experienced profits and losses. But once you have committed to something, you should be consistent.
Your platform seems focused on women. Do men have a place in OMDH?
We have men as well. But in over 100 per cent of our vendors, only 15 per cent are men. It does not mean men do not have a place. They do not really come out. They prefer to do the “guy’s way” of hustle. The women are more visible because many of them are trying to build something from home. Most of them are housewives or government workers who want a side hustle.
How important is the digital space in business today?
You have to face the truth. If you do not do what others are doing, you will be left behind. As time goes on, new inventions come up, and we try to keep up. The apps I mostly use is Whatsapp with over 15 groups for vendors who use different platforms to market their business. As the world is changing and trends are growing, try to follow the trend.
Also, your business should not be like your competitors’. Try to be more creative. Push your brand beyond your competitors. Pricing is another key issue. You see items priced at ₦30,000 and ₦40,000. Then you see similar items on the same social media at ₦10,000 to ₦20,000 less, and you begin to wonder if those selling that high do not know that customers see those prices and will pick the most affordable.
My advice is to remain stable with your prices. Think carefully about your pricing. Some people just copy others’ prices without a strategy. If your price is fair and stable, and you show up consistently, it will sell. People may not ask now, but they will ask later.
You’ve talked about organising trade fairs. Do you have any upcoming editions in the pipeline?
Yes. This is the third edition. We had the first edition on April 18–19 last year and the second edition on November 29–30. From the past editions, we have been recording massive sales. Vendors sold out and were happy.
In this edition, we went back to our drawing board to see where we can improve. This time, we decided to add an extra day. It is happening from April 3rd to 5th and will now run for three days, Good Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Different vendors will be coming from various places within and outside Asaba, over 100 of them, to sell clothes, hair, food items, among others, and showcase their goods at highly discounted prices. That is why I go out of my way to ensure that my booking tickets are affordable so they can key into it, and it will not affect their price.
We had sponsors from previous editions who will be showing up. There will be gifts, and vendors are going out of their way to satisfy their customers. There will be different competitions, gifts, and a stand for kids.
There will be different vendors at the fair. Some come from the North, some from the South, and some from the East. They come from all over.
With a WhatsApp platform that has thousands of vendors, what systems have you put in place to streamline transactions and prevent issues such as “what I ordered versus what I received” and fraud and scams?
Issues like that are bound to happen, even in big online markets. However, we have verification checks. Once you are a vendor on our online marketing platform, you are expected to be verified to receive a token. Once verified, your name, location, guarantor and business address are documented.
If there is a complaint, the customer can go back directly to the vendor and will be refunded. If the vendor is adamant, we know what to do next. In the community of buyers and sellers, there are good and bad eggs. Before giving money to a stranger, ask first. Even when the vendor is verified, and you are unsure, you can send the money to a trusted party in the group. Once the vendor delivers, their money gets to them.
What is your big vision for OMDH for the next three to five years?
We are experiencing rapid growth. Moving forward, we plan to become more digital and innovative, ensuring greater vendor satisfaction while continuously advancing day by day.
Balancing being a CEO, coaching businesses, handling vendors, and being a mother and wife is not easy. How do you manage it?
One very important thing is not running around unnecessarily. I create time for what matters.
When I get home, I put my phone aside and focus on my children. It is about structure, discipline and knowing when to focus on work and when to focus on family. I do not have a nanny. Moreover, my husband supports me a lot.
I also try to take care of myself. Once I start to feel tired, I let messages wait for a while until I have refreshed myself. When you plan properly, you are not taken by surprise.
Finally, what is your advice to a woman who, like you, is starting a business today with N50000?
Do not give up, especially if you want to be financially independent. Some people are comfortable with begging. I have always been independent. Even to ask my husband for money does not come easily to me. Once you have that inner push, other things will align. Opportunities may not come immediately, but once they do, you will be ready.
Never give up. Challenges will come, but that does not mean you stop. Realistically, the only business N50,000 can start now is tiger nut or Zobo drink, but start small and grow.
Make up your mind and do the work. Tell your friends, your family members, your church members, let people know what you do. Do not be shy about your business. When I wanted to start, I was shy. Some people allow shyness to hold them back. Preach about your work wherever you go.
Build a strong circle. Your circle matters. Surround yourself with good friends and people who encourage and support you. Promote your business boldly. There was a time I had to tell people repeatedly about what I was doing. Consistency in speaking about your work brings recognition. Be prayerful. Put God first. When you involve God, ideas begin coming.
In summary, have the drive, stay consistent, do not be ashamed of your brand, build the right network, and never give up.
