How Alexis Oladipo, The Founder Of Gym Bites, Went From Cleaner To Business Owner

Three years ago, UK-based Nigerian Alexis Oladipo, quit her job as a cleaner and created Gym Bites, a food service for people on the go who want to eat healthy.

 

 

At 23, right after graduating from university, Oladipo decided to become a freelance stylist and although she tried her best, her passion was fading and her freelance income wasn’t stable enough – so she took a job as a cleaner at an investment bank.
After struggling with depression, she started her new life when she was introduced to the Prince’s Trust, a charity that helps young people get into jobs, training, or education. With the money she got from the trust, Oladipo was able to create Gym Bites.

 

Speaking with Buzzfeed about what inspired her to create Gym Bites, Oladipo said:

“I wanted to make a product that when people google it, they’ll be like, ‘What? This is a black Nigerian girl from Hackney? Not a white, grey man worth millions of pounds?’
Don’t box yourself in to what black people are ‘expected’ to do. Don’t let this world tell you that you can only do so much.”

Gym Bites come in jars stuffed with wholesome ingredients, like prawns, spinach, broccoli, seeds, and quinoa, flavoured with fresh herbs and spices.
In 2015, buyers from Selfridges stumbled upon her company’s Instagram page and told her they wanted her product in their food hall – and Oladipo has been unstoppable since then.

Source: Konbini