Stib Meets...Vese Aghoghovbia

Meet diversity advocate, Vese Aghoghovbia

We are thrilled to introduce our next Stib Meet’s interviewee - Vese Aghoghovbia, the founder of Philly & Friends, children's book author, diversity advocate, promoter of confidence and self-love and serial entrepreneur.

Passionate about raising confident and wholesome kids through the power of representation, since launching Philly & Friends, Vese has had the opportunity to speak on parenting, raising confident kids and diversity in children's books, toys and education. She has been on BBC radio, Premier Radio and published articles in reputable outlets such as Huffington Post, Absolutely Mama and Mother Mag. She is a Start-up ambassador for Start-Up Loans UK and Small Business Inspirator for Holly & Co.

A Chartered Engineer and ex-city consultant with over 10 years of work experience in customer experience and strategy working for engineering and technology firms, she, along with her three sisters, co-founded a food & drinks start-up, DVees, dedicated to demystifying West African flavours. Vese lives in Epping Forest with her husband and two kids, a fearless three-year-old girl and a determined 21-month-old boy.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

I love singing, and I'm very sure I would have been in a girl band with my three sisters -  if only we could **actually** sing. Haha. And even though we knew very well we didn’t stand a chance - none of us had a good voice - you would always find us singing a ‘special number’ at church or family functions. Sometimes, we had choreography to go with it. Such good memories, I can’t believe how bold and confident we were.

I still wish I could hold a note or two, but I was well aware of my strengths and limitations. I was one of those kids who knew what she wanted to be very early on. I had a strong love for maths and science, and somehow, I had worked out I wanted to be an engineer. At 11, I decided I was going to study Electrical Engineering at Imperial College London, and I spent the next six years of my young life working towards that.

What advice would you give to yourself as a child?

Life is such an exciting journey, with many ups-and-downs. I would relish the now instead of trying to figure it all out. My main advice is, “You don’t become one thing when you grow up, you find yourself through multiple experiences and expressions. So the next time someone asks you what you want to be when you grow up, tell them you want to be a full expression of yourself.”

What was the 'big idea' which inspired you to set up your business?

The big idea is the gift of representation. I want to give children the opportunity to see themselves and others represented in the books they read, toys they play with and the media they consume. I believe you have to be the change you want to see and if you can't find what you are looking for, create it.  

I want young girls and boys to be able to see themselves reflected and represented positively in the world around them. We hope to raise wholesome kids through the power of positive representation. 

This led to me to writing my debut book Who Do I See in the Mirror? which has received a lot of positive feedback. Amongst others, it was selected by HELLO! Magazine as one of the best 15 children's books on diversity. It's a book about a sweet little girl who goes on a journey to discover what makes her truly special. She notices her reflection and falls in love. Along the way, she realises it's what's on the inside that counts. The book led to the launch of Philly & Friends - a children's lifestyle brand that aims to add a drop of colour in the sea of children's books, toys and products. We are so pleased to have won 1st place in the Absolutely Mama 2020 Awards - Best Brand Category, especially being in the company of amazing brands such as Mamas & Papas and Silver Cross. 

What do you say to yourself when you need a confidence boost?

I am a light to the world, like a city set on a hill. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand where it gives light to everyone around it. So don’t hide your light. Let it shine brightly before others, so they may receive the gifts that have been placed in you.

What's your favourite Stib word and why?

My favourite Stib word is 'world changer'. For so long, we believed that to be a world-changer you needed to be a Nelson Mandela or Mother Theresa – I think they are awesome by the way. However, with time, I have discovered that sometimes, the most significant impact happens on small stages. In raising your kids to be loving and kind, you are changing the world. In supporting your local community, you are changing the world, by putting a smile of people's faces, lending a helping hand etc.

We are all world changers if we let ourselves be used for good, particularly in the little things. Remember the saying that goes “little drops of water make a mighty ocean’, the same goes for changing the world.

Find out more about Philly and Friends on the website here: https://www.phillyandfriends.com

And give Vese a follow on Instagram/Twitter/Facebook/Pinterest: @phillynfriends