04/08/2025
Do you know why we keep getting nominated for awards?
It’s not because we know the right people.
It’s not because we’re rolling in millions.
It’s not even because we tick all the right boxes.
We keep getting recognized because we’re driven by impact.
At LaBelle Consult Limited, impact isn’t just a buzzword. It’s our engine. Our heart. Our compass.
We’ve given our all; time, money, energy, and even personal comfort, not because we had excess, but because someone needed help, and we had the ability to show up.
Of all our core values, the one that defines us the most is being customer-centric. We don’t just render services. We walk the journey with our clients whether they’re businesses, women, young professionals, or underserved communities. We've run trainings, hosted impactful programs, built strategic partnerships, and empowered hundreds often at a financial loss because people are not numbers to us. They are stories, and stories matter.
A few days ago, I received a message that gave me goosebumps.
LaBelle has been honored with an Africa Leadership for Development and Humanitarian Service Hall of Fame Award (ALDHSHAF). Certificate of Recognition award by the Humanitarian Institute for Peace and Community Development (HIPCOD) for our contributions to humanitarian welfare in Nigeria.
It felt like a quiet nod from the universe: "Keep going. You’re being seen." But behind this certificate is a journey. A bumpy one.
Starting a business in Nigeria is not for the fainthearted. We’ve gone completely broke more times than I can count. We’ve done free work for big brands in the name of building trust. We’ve heard the phrase “let’s see what you can do first” more times than “thank you.” But we kept moving.
Because we knew the value we carried.
And while many told us to “stick to the process,” we dared to follow purpose. Let’s be honest who says you must stick to just one path in business?
Almost every successful business out there has pivoted at some point. Even the banks now do CSR, real estate, and tech.
Once you know your niche, you can solve problems across sectors. Your clients are everywhere, you just have to meet the right need at the right time with the right solution.
That’s what we’ve done.
LaBelle Consult is a multi-sectoral business services company. Through recruitment, training, event coordination, procurement, and community impact programs, we’ve delivered solutions that work. Through our Wompreneur Network Initiative, we’ve trained and equipped hundreds of women to grow sustainable ventures and build capacity. We don’t just talk empowerment, we build structures that create it.
But the road has been far from smooth.
We once lost a commission worth over ₦900 million because we trusted the wrong people. We were sidelined after doing all the groundwork. It hurt. But we learned.
We’ve had our ideas stolen, repeatedly. Concepts we birthed were passed off as someone else’s. Some of the biggest names in the industry have used our decks and left us out.
Still, we press on.
Because you can steal an idea, but you can’t steal impact.
To our team — thank you for staying, sacrificing, and building LaBelle with your bare hands.
To our clients — thank you for giving us a face before we ever had a name.
To every partner who believed in us when we were still unknown — you helped write this story.
And to the Almighty God who gave me this business as a calling — thank You.
We’re not perfect. But we are committed.
We’re not the loudest, but we’re the most intentional.
And yes, we’ve been betrayed, but we’ve also been blessed.
To every entrepreneur out there trying to rise in this economy:
Be patient with your process, but be bold enough to be seen.
Be determined to make impact, but leave a mark with every person you serve.
Partner. Collaborate. Seek mentorship. But trust your own voice.
We dedicate this award to every dreamer still figuring it out.
To the founders still funding their vision out of pocket.
To the teams that haven’t been paid but still show up.
To the stories behind the smiles.
LaBelle isn’t just a company.
It’s a movement.
It’s a mission.
And we’re just getting started.
Let’s grow.
Let’s impact.
Let’s rise.
Vivian Ozoemena
Founder/CEO, LaBelle Consult Ltd
Convener, Wompreneur Network Initiative
