#20 - Thank you

Listen to the first few seconds of Ihe ne me by 2baba and Gratitude by Anendlessocean as you read this.

Hey friends!

How’re you doing? I’ve missed writing to you here. I’ve been on a 3-month sabbatical and figured I’d use the time to recalibrate across different areas of my life, including this newsletter. During that time, I started playing tennis, explored (and paused) learning how to crochet, and almost finished watching Law & Order: SVU

The break has been helpful. I’m in a better headspace and I’m very excited for all the things that the future holds. And the best part? we crossed a thousand followers on Instagram. All of this has put me in a pretty reflective mood.

The Journey

I’ve been doing this for almost 4 years, yet it still feels surreal on most days. It all started with a simple desire to share what I saw and believed others should see too. My then-partner suggested creating a newsletter (and became my first subscriber). That step turned into launching an Instagram account, which eventually evolved into The Directory.

I’m not going to sugarcoat it—this journey hasn’t been all smooth sailing. Consistently showing up for what started as a hobby demands time, money, and effort; it’s not always fun. But here I am, and I’m just getting started.

My mission has remained the same: to spotlight as many Nigerian brands as possible. I genuinely believe these brands are exceptional and deserve recognition on a larger scale.

This purpose is what keeps me going, even on days when creating a blog post or sharing an outfit feels daunting. As an introvert, putting myself out there is no small feat, but sharing these moments with the world has been worth it.

Looking Ahead

This past year brought me a lot of clarity, especially during moments when I found myself questioning, “Why can’t I do things like this person?” I realized that at my core, I’m all about community and connection.

What I need from you

The launch of The Directory was just the first step, but it’s still a work in progress. I have plenty of ideas for v1.1. To bring this vision to life, I’d love to implement a review and rating system for The Directory, built with your feedback.

I want to know how you’re engaging with brands and how those brands are engaging with you. Have you had issues with sizing or delivery timelines? Your experiences matter to me.

To make this vision a reality, I’d love to introduce a review and rating system for The Directory, built on your feedback. If this sounds like something you’d like to contribute to, please fill out the form here or send me an email—I’m always up for a chat.

Let’s Celebrate

I also came here to share some exciting news: a giveaway! Our newsletter family is as OG as it gets, so you deserve to hear it first. Reaching 1,000 followers is a huge milestone, and it’s all thanks to our incredible community.

To show our gratitude, we’re organizing a giveaway in collaboration with friends at 21 Wool Street, LAN, Linen Vanille, Ezigbo Leda, Rhoe, and Unrefyned Studio. These are brands I hold in high esteem, own pieces from or have collaborated with at different points.

How to Enter

It’s straightforward:

1. Follow us and all collaborating brands on Instagram.

2. Follow us on TikTok.

3. Subscribe to our newsletter (bonus points for already being here!).

4. Repost the giveaway post to your stories for an extra entry.

Giveaway Details:

• Start Date: Tuesday, 19th November 2024

• End Date: Sunday, 1st December 2024

• Winner Announcement: The three winners will be announced on Tuesday, 3rd December 2024

• Open to: Residents of Nigeria only

Good luck, and thank you for being such an integral part of our journey!

Always

Oluwaseeto