The Jesus Baby Breaking Barriers in The Secular World

My Creator's Story EP 03: The Solutionist– Lade On A Journey

You don't often find individuals who choose to build and carve paths for themselves rather than following generalised patterns. In this deep dive into My Creator's Story, Lade walks us through her faith-inspiring journey where she breaks barriers in the secular world.

Here's My Creator's Story EP 03 with the Solutionist—Lade On A Journey.

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Who is Lade, and what inspired the name “Lade On a Journey”?

LOAJ: Lade is a young woman discovering herself and her way in the world. Not discovering her purpose because I've discovered my purpose in Christ, but discovering the ‘how.’ The purpose is basically what I am doing, and I'm discovering the how.

That's what literally inspired the name “Lade on a Journey.”

Hmm, Interesting. Can you share the story of how you discovered your path to being a creative?

LOAJ: I started my walk in Christ in 2021, when I decided to take it seriously. Although I had given my life to Christ in 2016, I wasn't serious about the things of God until I found a home in RCF, FUNAAB.

So, 2021-2022 were my years of being grounded in Christ. But I decided I was also here to showcase his light doing other things.

During my 22nd birthday in 2023, I asked myself, “What exactly is my purpose?”

I prayed a lot for clarity during that time, and the Holy Spirit told me that purpose is not a destination; you find it on a journey. It was during that period that I created a YouTube channel and named it Lade's Journey because that's how I'm going to find my purpose.

And over time, it refined itself to “Lade on a Journey.”

Oh wow. Were there pivotal moments or people who inspired you to pursue these paths?

LOAJ: As someone who was raised and, as always, worked in the church, I am the kind of person who tries to fix something that isn't right.

In 2018/2019, in Teens Church, I saw that the Instagram page wasn't working right because the person handling it had travelled out of the country.

I decided to handle it because I was looking for a skill. I wanted to be a model, and I had often been on Instagram, looking for modelling agencies. I felt I knew Instagram and could handle that. That decision literally started my journey towards brand strategy, too.

Because of social media management, I got a job as a sales rep with Huawei. Combining that marketing experience with social media birthed the whole Brand Strategy thing.

So yes, that would be a pivotal moment that inspired me.

Now let’s talk about Esplendor Models. What’s the story behind the name and brand?

LOAJ: Esplendor Models, my baby! Haha! I mentioned earlier that I wanted to be a model. I wanted so much to be in front of the camera, whether as a model, an actress, a mass communicator, a TV host, whatever. But for some reason, I have a rectangular body shape. This means that my waist is not as slim as people would think it should be.

Someone with my body type should have a waist size of about 26, 25, or 27. But I had a waist size of 28-29, and so whenever modelling agencies heard my waist size, they would say I was too fat. I wasn't fat. In fact, I was almost painfully thin. I just had a rectangular body shape. And because of that, I decided that if they didn't take me, I would create a modelling agency.

So I saw ‘Lobace Models’, owned by a girl who is one year younger than I am. She was one of the people who inspired me to start.

I said, “If she can do it, I can, too.”

So, instead of trying to join a modelling agency, I created one. But I wanted to create one that stood for modesty. And a modelling agency that would accept people regardless of religious beliefs and stand for inclusivity.

Modesty refined itself into grace, then into splendour. And splendour in Italian was Esplendore. So that was how the name came about.

What challenges did you face starting, and how did you navigate those moments, especially juggling being a student and a social media manager at the time?

LOAJ: At first, I asked a couple of my friends about their thoughts on me starting a modelling agency. And they were like, “Oh! Of course, you can do it. I think you're very good.”

In 2021, during my 200-level first semester, a friend in 300L hosted a fashion show, and I volunteered to be in charge of the models.

Because of how I handled the models, he told me, “I've seen you handle models. I think you can do it.”

I also spoke to a friend of mine in church, whom I really respect. I asked him, “How do I know God is speaking to me about something?” Because I really wanted to be sure it was in God's will.

I wasn't doing all this because of passion. I know this because in 2021, during the 100 Level second semester break, my phone got bad. And yet, during that time, I was researching how to start a YouTube vlog for natural hair care as I had cut my hair during the first-semester break.

But even with all the research, the only thing on my mind was how to start a modelling agency. The idea came to my mind as if it were inspired.

Then, I started in 2022 after the 8-months strike. That strike thwarted all my initial plans to start a modelling agency in FUNAAB, but I didn't stop. I spoke to a photographer. Fortunately, he told me he also wanted to start a modelling agency, but he did not want to do the business part of it. So I told him I would do the business part. And that was how we started.

We called for models. Many students were still at home, so it helped too. Many came without any skills, and that was one of the challenges I faced. I started the agency to help people; I did not think of the money part.

So, I founded the agency with my money while working as an SMM for a TV show. I was doing several things at the time while being the founder of a modelling agency.

Another challenge I faced was not knowing anybody in the industry. I tried to make friends, but the industry is closely knit.

Ask them how you did something, and they'll tell you it's God o. *Chuckles*

I tried to train the models; I paid another model to train them. Some models did not come for the training, and some people did come, but they did not want to put in the work.

I learned. It's been a learning experience, to be honest.

It really is. And what gap do you feel it fills or hopes to fill, even as a ‘Jesus Baby’ that you are, in a secular industry?

LOAJ: I mentioned earlier that we stood for modesty. That is the gap I'm hoping to fill. Because from what I've seen in the modelling industry, people look at models as the standard of beauty; they see what they wear, and they want to wear it. But we want to be the standard of beauty. And we want to show them that we can model modest dressing, no matter your body type.

We're just trying to create a new narrative in the secular industry.

That's so intentional. What is success to you, and how do you define it as regards your creative fields?

LOAJ: Success is impact to me. There are jobs that I have had that I felt very bad about.

For instance, I had a job that literally kept me afloat during my final year. I felt very bad about it, and I still do. The person just wanted me to keep the page active. I wanted to grow the page, but the person said no; she only wanted me to post. And she was paying me!

But it felt weird to me to just post and not see any form of growth. It felt like I wasn't doing anything meaningful.

So, yeah, how much impact I can have on someone's life, vision, or business.

But are specific projects or milestones that stand out as defining moments for you?

LOAJ: Definitely! For Esplendor Models, we started in 2022, and in that same year, we had our first training.

*Burst into laughter*

I have a very big mind, even with my small pocket. Simultaneously, I wanted to do the training in Lagos, Ibadan, and Abeokuta. Abeokuta was a huge success, and that was how we got our first set of models in FUNAAB.

We wanted our second set in Ibadan, but I didn't have a strong footing there. Only about three models were applied in Ibadan, and I had to refund them.

I didn't have any capital at the time except for my salary as a digital marketer.

But yet, it showed me that I could do so much more if I had the knowledge and capital.

I was so proud of myself for pulling that off. I travelled to Lagos to do the Lagos edition and then returned to school, even though that semester was when I had my lowest G.P. throughout FUNAAB. But I worked on my brand, and yeah, it was a project that stood out to me.

Do you believe in burnout? If so, how do you stay creatively inspired despite the challenges?

LOAJ: I believe in burnout. OMG. Because I was burnt out. After the 8-months strike, I resumed school and only focused on church, God, and my brand. I travelled a lot, returned to school, and hardly read for my exams.

I started writing down everything I was doing at the time, and I realised that I was doing 17 different things simultaneously, including volunteering in about 15 different places.

And I was like, “Jesus Christ! This is what I am doing as a 200L student.”

So I started pulling out and telling people what was happening with me. At that moment, I had a lot of emotional issues because people kept coming at me with “You are not reaching out to me” and “You are not talking to me.”

And I'm like, I'm fighting for my life! Did you call me? And you are saying I'm not talking to you. Please leave me alone.

I lost relationships and friendships, but I realised that I needed to rest, pace myself, and not do too much at a time.

So I believe in burnout, but not the generalised kind. Burnout only happens when you're working a lot and not getting the desired results.

That's a good perspective. Which leads me to ask, what’s your take on spirituality?

LOAJ: Spirituality is not religiosity (if there's a word like that). Spirituality is having a deep connection with your creator.

And spirituality is not always good, because you can have bad spirituality. (Chuckles).

The Bible spoke about it. Spirituality is basically being aware of the spiritual aspects of your life, choosing where you want to focus, and working with them. It takes a lot of intentionality because if you are not intentional, you cannot be spiritual.

Going to church is part of it, but it should result from your spirituality and not be the basis of your spirituality.

Back to your creator story. What role does storytelling play in your journey as a creative and an entrepreneur?

LOAJ: Storytelling is a whole lot. Recently, everything I do is storytelling. I tell people where I've come from, what I'm doing, and where I'm going.

If life is a cake, storytelling is the sugar. A cake needs four primary ingredients: butter, flour, eggs, and sugar. Without the sugar, your cake would probably stand but taste bland, and people would not eat it.

So yeah, that's storytelling.

Hmm. I like that. So where do you see yourself in the next 5–10 years?

LOAJ: In the next 5 years, I should have impacted at least 500 lives directly or indirectly. I want to do that by helping, teaching, and giving as much as I have in every aspect of my life. I have started doing that with my community, where I teach people everything I know, have learned, and am learning.

Everyone who has connected with me or has my number has access to the knowledge I have acquired.

I also see myself as a brand strategist working in the corporate space. I want to work with big firms like Coca-Cola and the likes.

I see myself as a speaker, telling my story because I am a success already and even more so in the coming years.

I see myself as a wife, a mother, and a woman of God. Not a pulpit minister, please. But going to church and serving God with all that I have and all that I am.

That's how I see myself in the next 5–10 years.

That's so thoughtful and purposeful. If you could go back and change one thing about your journey, what would it be and why?

LOAJ: I would have been serious with God earlier, 'cause everything that has happened in the direction of what I am doing has happened after I became serious with God.

Before, I had things like being a SMM and Sales rep, but the minute I became serious with God, there was this crazy speed.

In 2023, around September 2024, the speed was crazy. That was when God decided that you had been grounded in me enough; now, I want you to run. And I ran.

Let's talk about something personal. Are you in love/a relationship? One sentence for dating in our generation?

LOAJ: (Burst into laughter) Eii. Yes, I am in love. I am in a relationship.

One sentence about dating in our generation? I don't know about you guys. I don't do dating.

Really?

LOAJ: Because dating as a word has been bastardised. It has become a testing-the-waters thing. “Oh! Let's just date to see if we're compatible. If it works out, we'll get married, and if it doesn't, we'll break up.” That's nonsense.

My mentors in the church would say, “Don't do dating, do courtship. Because in courtship, you know that you have a direction.”

But one sentence, “Date with purpose.”

If your life were a music album, what title would it be now?

LOAJ: Hmm. “The Journey.” *Chuckles hard* Yes, it would be The Journey.

What advice would you give young creatives looking to turn their passion into a career?

LOAJ: A career would come. But if it's your passion, learn. Learn as much as you can. The more you learn, the more you realise there's more to learn and so much you can do.

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Follow Lade on her journey on social media @ladeonajourney as she drives brands through purpose-driven strategies and solutions, while building the modelling agency @explendormodels

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