My Story

Who am I?

This might be one of the trickiest questions ever! I mean, we are all constantly evolving, right? But let me kick things off with what has always been true about me.

I'm Thelma, born and raised in Nigeria. My dad picked my name, and it has stuck with me through all my adventures. Fun fact about me: I am an introvert who somehow never gets bored (I guess my imagination has me covered).

Even as a quiet child, there was always this entrepreneurial spark hiding inside me. Back in primary school (shoutout to “Inter-House Sports” days!), my elder sister and I would walk up to little shops, offer to sell their products, basically acting as the sales assistant. We did not get paid—probably didn’t even think to ask—but we enjoyed it surprisingly.

 

How did Mathel begin?

Mathel's story began back home in Nigeria. Picture this: I had just graduated from the university and was deep in job hunting, but nothing was working out. My amazing mom, who is also a business owner, stepped in with her legendary support. She went to a warehouse, bought my very first batch of products, and said, “Here you go—these are yours to sell.” And just like that, Mathel Belle was born!

It started as a brand for bags and accessories in Nigeria, but over time, it transformed. Now, Mathel focuses on affordable waterproof and hypoallergenic gold-plated jewelry that are perfect for everyday wear with an eye on expanding into other fabulous products soon.

 

How I got the name?

Here’s the fun part—people always assume Mathel is just my name, Thelma, flipped around. I mean, fair guess, but there is more to it!

I remember spending days hunting for a name. Then I stumbled upon “Mathel.” It is super rare and unique, and I was thrilled to find out it means “Perfect.” To spice it up even more, I decided to add “Belle,” which is French for “Beautiful.” Perfect + Beautiful? That is Mathel for you.

But hey, I’ll admit it—maybe I did subconsciously rearrange the letters in my name. Who knows? Let’s just say it’s part of the mystery!