#WCW: Elaine Shobanjo

I’ll be honest, Elaine Shobanjo is my cousin and one of my best friends but that has little to do with her featuring on the Inspire Series Shero’s list. I remember when, almost 7 years ago now, we were trying to come up with the name of her business. I always get a kick out of hearing people say, ‘Shomya did my make up’ because I know the effort, sacrifice and time it took to build that brand.

Many people don’t know this but Elaine actually graduated with a First Class degree in Economics and went on to get a distinction in her Master’s degree, an achievement that is definitely no small feat. She worked as an asset/wealth manager before putting away numbers for makeup brushes. But even in a time when her head was glued in between her economics text books, it was always Elaine who knew which shade of Mac powder to buy.

We have a tendency to celebrate peoples awards and success, and Elaine has many, a British Association of Beauty Therapy & Cosmetology (BABTAC) certified Makeup artist who has bagged various awards, such as, the City People Fashion & Beauty award for “Makeup Artist of the Year 2013, This Day Makeup Artist of the Year”, to mention only a few, after a mere 2 years of opening business in Lagos. But today, we are also choosing to celebrate Elaine’s tenacity, business ethics and determination to stay ahead of the game.

And just in case you don’t want to take our word for it, here’s 5 other reasons why Elaine is our #wcw

1. Make up artist to the stars ….including Ini Edo, Waje, Tonto Dike and many more

2. Award winning MUA

3. Super mummy! (Elaine started her business when she was pregnant. She has spoken openly about her fears during that period and how much she trusted God to see her through)

4. One of the FAV Bridal MUA in Nigeria…..tested and trusted by many brides

5. Had the strength to leave a lucrative career for her passion. On her instagram page elaine is quoted as saying ‘Makeup! My passion, my other baby, my job. Glad I’m able to work without feeling like I’m ‘working’. When I closed the doors to my career in Asset/Wealth Management in 2009 to pursue makeup full time, some thought I was insane, some doubted, some encouraged and believed. I dreamt big and still do. I am thankful but not complacent. Never let your fears stop you from running after your goal…and when you feel you’ve achieved it, dream some more!’  

5. On a personal note, I’ll also add that Elaine is TRULY one of the most genuine friends any one can ever have. She can keep a secret buried for decades LOL…and is SUPER DUPER supportive….oooh…and how can we forget to add how STUNNING she is (both inside and out)

We wish Elaine and Shomya the best in 2015 and beyond …….