Prudence Onaah is the founder Vaquita Publishing House. She tells KEHINDE AJOSE about her entrepreneurial journey
Tell us about yourself and what you do?
I am a lawyer, creative soul and book lover. I work as a publisher at Vaquita Publishing House Limited, owners of the imprint Vaquita Books.
I founded the company in 2021 as a subsidiary to my first company— Prudent Pens Limited— for administrative ease.
Prudent Pens is a publishing company that has been in operation since 2018. My motivation for venturing into the writing and publishing industry was basically to make it easier for authors, brands and businesses to share their stories.
What educational qualifications do you possess?
I studied Law at the University of Jos, Jos; and from there, I proceeded to the Nigerian Law School, Yenagoa (Bayelsa State) campus.
What strategies do you employ to manage and grow your business effectively?
I use a lot of technological tools to manage my business. We employ a host of technology tools to handle everything from design to content scheduling for our social media pages. I employ traditional and digital advertising models, including social media marketing, content marketing and pay per click advertising. I also collaborate with national and international organisations to get more exposure for our authors and their books.
What is your greatest fear and how do you manage it?
My greatest fear is hiring the wrong people. Attracting top talent to our team is a priority for us. I take on a lot of work, because of the fear of delegating tasks to the wrong people. To manage this situation, we have built a company culture that clarifies the kind of people we want to work with. We have also created a unique onboarding process to not only ensure that we hire the right people, but also to make sure that they are able to assimilate our company’s values and culture, and be as productive as senior members of the team.
How did you get started in the publishing business?
I was a voracious reader as a child. I was fascinated, not just by the books I read but also by the companies that published them. I thought they were doing a great job making it possible for all those good books to be available.
I dreamt of owning a publishing company someday, and even crafted a name for it by the time I was 14. I was also trying to get published, but more than one decade later, I had not accomplished that goal. When I eventually did, I realised that there might be many young writers like me who were having trouble getting their books published, even though they were very good writers. That spurred me to reawaken my dream of having a publishing company.
With new advances in digital technology, what do you think is the future of publishing in Nigeria?
The publishing industry in Nigeria has come a long way, and I see better books being churned out by indigenous authors in the future. I also believe that with brands like ours, which are passionate about the industry, we would be able to close the knowledge gap, and reduce misinformation on a lot of topics.
What advice do you have for young entrepreneurs, who are interested in having a similar business?
You won’t have all the answers at once. You should grow your business by taking consistent goal-driven action. Get the basics right, such as the problem you want to solve with your business, what you are offering, and your ideal audience. Then, start with the resources you have at hand, and constantly invest back into the business.
Most importantly, keep your passion alive; because without it, you won’t be able to go far.
Is your company duly registered?
Yes, it is.
What sets your brand apart from others in the same line of business?
Our publishing process prioritises author-publisher involvement. Even though we can onboard more established writers, we are more accessible to aspiring writers at the lower end of the spectrum, who do not have an already established portfolio. Our selection process is less competitive for aspiring authors than those of other brands. You just need to write a good book and our team of editors, graphic designers and illustrators would go to work to polish it to ensure that it’s a quality book. Similarly, we are deeply involved in marketing our books.
What has been your biggest success in business so far?
Our biggest success has been working with authors from around Africa, and attracting readers from all over the world. Our titles have been read in South Africa, India, Australia, Zambia and the United Arab Emirates, among other places.
However, the biggest sense of accomplishment comes when our clients tell us that we helped them to achieve their dreams.
How do you handle customer complaints?
We swing into immediate action to ensure customer complaints are addressed. We are accessible at all times on social media. We grow our business by addressing the worries of clients.
You are also an author. Tell us about your book, ‘Calling Death’?
The book is about the insurgency in Nigeria, and is a serious nudge for all stakeholders to work towards peace. It narrates the Jos crisis and uses it as a flashlight into uprisings in Nigeria, people living through them, and the enormity of allowing those situations to linger.
What is your typical day like?
My typical day involves guided meditation, journalling, watching movies and reading. I also schedule frequent visits to resorts, as I feel there is no better way for me to reset than to get lost in nature. I’m a big fan of wellness, stress management and productivity.