The All 4 Inclusion Pod

#11 Award winning, adaptive underwear designer, Funmi Lawal tells her story

June 01, 2022 Scott Whitney Season 1 Episode 11
The All 4 Inclusion Pod
#11 Award winning, adaptive underwear designer, Funmi Lawal tells her story
Show Notes Transcript

Funmi Lawal a business owner with a difference.

After suffering a stroke following the birth of her child, Funmi looked for a way that ladies could keep their privacy, whilst being supported by carers in her wheelchair.

Now abled bodied, she hasn't forgotten how she felt and has pushed on to found Clip Knix, her adaptive underwear range.  Adaptive Clip-on Underwear from Clip-Knix: Making Living Simple

She has faced many challenges on her way and is determined to push on with more designs of her inclusive underwear range.

If you want to stay up to date with everything that's going on with All4Inclusion, why not sign up to our newsletter at the bottom of our home page Home - All 4 Inclusion 



Voiceover for intro and outro by Jennie Eriksen | LinkedIn

Music granted free of charge very kindly by Music: https://www.purple-planet.com . The track is called Hope and Inspire.

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Scott Whitney:

Hello and welcome to the next edition of the All4Inclusion Pod. Today Joining me is Funmi Lawal. Funmi, you're very well travelled. Can you just introduce yourself to the listeners if that's okay?

Funmi Lawal:

Okay, Funmi Lawal founder of Click Knix. I was born in UK and went back to Nigeria at the age of three. I came back at the age of 19. After being graduated, I went to London School of Economics. And I studied MSC analysis design at the London School of Economics. I've been a civil servant for 10 years. I worked in Olga CAD systems in Dubai. And I'm the mother of two.

Scott Whitney:

Excellent, thank you. And and you said you went to Nigeria when when you wish three?

Funmi Lawal:

Yes.

Scott Whitney:

Where in Nigeria were you based?

Funmi Lawal:

I was based in Lagos, my parents lived in Lagos. And then I went to school in one of the best schools in Lagos. I'm not boasting. So I started in universal billary, which was outside Lagos. So it's about three hours away from Lagos. Usually people just want to get out of Lagos and go outside and see the old way. The Wide World.

Scott Whitney:

So is Lagos quite, quite busy, quiet kind of hustle bustle?

Fil Krupa:

Yes, it is. It's still the commercial centre. It used to be the capital when I was young. The Capitol is now Abuja, so Lagos is still bubbling is still very rowdy. Still very noisy. As capital city, yeah.

Scott Whitney:

Yeah. Excellent. And, then you came back across to the UK, you said when you was 19, is that right?

Fil Krupa:

Yes. I graduated at 19. I came back to UK and I started my life in UK. My parents came as well. They came in 1988 and I came 1987, when I was 19.

Scott Whitney:

Okay, so what was your decision behind you moving

Fil Krupa:

Um, I never had a Nigerian passport. Believe it or over? not. I had my first Nigerian passport at the age of 49. Yeah and I've always had a British passport. I thought some I will come on holiday any holiday whatsoever. Come back and stay with my uncle, and then go back. And then eventually when I graduated, I just came back finally. Nigeria is home and here is home as well. I've not been back for 18 years.

Scott Whitney:

But it's good that like you said both are home. So you've kind of got, you know, the culture within you from from both places, I guess.

Funmi Lawal:

Yes.

Scott Whitney:

Excellent. Excellent. So you're the founder of a business called Clip Knix?

Funmi Lawal:

Yes.

Scott Whitney:

So what's the what's the story behind Clip Knix?

Fil Krupa:

Whilst I was living in Dubai, I got pregnant, I fell pregnant. And then at 17 weeks, the my blood pressure was uncontrollable. So as a nurse in the most expensive time, the most expensive hospital in Dubai a nurse came into my room and said, I may lose my job. But I need to tell you something, you need to go back to UK and have the baby because they can't cope in Dubai with the baby. And then that was valuable advice. And I came back to UK at 17 weeks. And the pregnancy. The first pregnancy I had, it was born premature because I had preeclampsia. And the second one I had preeclampsia as well.

Funmi Lawal:

What I didn't realise is that even have less longing consequences. Seven days after the baby. I was lying down in bed, and then I got a banging headache. And that was the last thing I knew. I had a stroke. I knew something. So I didn't know it was a stroke, but I knew something terrible was going to happen because I lost consciousness. So I was taken to hospital. Fast forward. When I started, I couldn't even talk my whole right side was gone. And I couldn't talk I couldn't do I'm I just made noises (Grunts) like that. So when I started recovering, I needed my independence, my privacy, as you can imagine. So, I looked in the markets for something comfortable to make sure that I gained my independence. So eventually, I didn't get anything online. I didn't get anything on Amazon, I didn't get anything everywhere in shops. So, fast forward to 2018 I decided to go for it, I did searches and there was still nothing in the market. So I decided to help people stroke victims elderly, it can indicate the need to bend or stretch, it can be worn sitting down, standing up, lying down, you can wear it lying down. So it's good that way is for the elderly, the frail, pregnant women. post operative recuperation, limited mobility, people in wheelchair people with bad back. They don't need to bend down the constraint upon wear it, they can lie down and wear it.

Scott Whitney:

So what's what makes what's the real difference between sort of Clip Knix and sort of normal underwear for someone in the situation?

Fil Krupa:

The major difference is adaptive, is adaptive underwear and is front fastening, there are two types of fasteners, we're in the process of making another fastener magnets and Velcro for currently, we have a clip Knix clip hook, and buttons. So you can stand up to wear your underwear. On like, although on those down to wear it. It's fancy. If you visit the website, you see that it's fancy, it's cheeky. It's not like normal. If you feel and you're getting panties, or disposable panties, and you can work and feel confident about wearing techniques. So it's very, it's made from cotton. So there is no problem is from made from lace. So you don't have a problem with them sitting down standing up.

Scott Whitney:

And you say about the disposable underwear. Now, unfortunately, I've had to wear those and it's not very, it's not very comfortable. Not very nice, not very dignified either, is it? It's not something you want to be in for a long time at all. So how many different kind of fastening ways? And you've also got the third sort of coming out. So if someone's listening to this, and they want to have a look on on your website, how many sorts of styles would they would they see in and what sort of colours or not what sort of colours how many colours?

Fil Krupa:

That three designs. traditional, classic and standard. The standard is made from cotton. And they it comes into fasteners as well. All of them come with fasteners. The traditional is high waist, and lace lace with cotton. And the classic is just lace. And the standard is cotton with this lace trim. So it's very, I prefer the the lace trims. I've got all three designs. Well, my I'm partial to the cotton on lace trim. Yeah, it makes me look like........ it comes in white, cream and black. It comes in all sizes up to 26. So it's for all shapes and sizes.

Scott Whitney:

How long is the Clip Knix being been around for you - said 2018.

Fil Krupa:

We didn't actually start trading to the public. We the order came in 2019. And like I said, it was very unfortunate that the order was destroyed. And we didn't actually start trading until last April. So it's been around for a year.

Scott Whitney:

Okay. Excellent. Excellent. And do people just go to your website to get them or can they find them elsewhere?

Fil Krupa:

It's on my website. It's on Amazon. It's on Etsy. It's on eBay, it's unfair. If you want to buy worth of 200 pounds worth, it's an anchor store. And it's in America is on intimately. In Australia, it's on average.

Scott Whitney:

So it's you can you can find it in a in a number of places. And I guess what people will do is they'll see it on Amazon, and then potentially then buy their first off Amazon and then find you direct after that on the website, which is, which is a good way of being able to do it. So, so going back to, to your stroke, then if you don't mind, when you how long did it take you to go from? You know, the first symptom until you were sort of back recovered?

Fil Krupa:

About six months to a year because I started working on my feet within six months. For the last thing that came back was my hand. Yeah, I couldn't Yeah, my hand I could turn up to now my handwriting is horrible. I prefer typing anytime. So when when I'm putting on the spot to write something I speak. So, it took a year for recovery.

Scott Whitney:

Yeah, okay. Okay. And, obviously, you said you'd have gone through a lot of the physio yourself when you said, you know, you had to have someone help you with with everything. Was that carers coming in to do that?

Fil Krupa:

Yeah, I had carers. I had my mom, I moved in with my mom. She was looking after the baby. So I could look after myself and concentrate on my recovery. So even when I left my mom's house, my daughter was still with my mom. She stayed there for a year and a half and then she moved in with me.

Scott Whitney:

And did you obviously during the stroke, and when you when you've just moved in with your mum. What was your kind of relationship like with your daughter then? Which is obviously it's, it takes a long time, doesn't it?

Fil Krupa:

Yeah. She actually actually grew up thinking my mom was her mom. She bonded with my mom more than she bonded with me. But anyway, we're fine now. My mom passed away. 2018. No, 2017 that she passed? 2018. So she doesn't have a choice now.

Scott Whitney:

So yeah, so okay, you know, I can imagine it, you know, which I guess you was aware of seeing that, you know, that some of the milestone kind of moments with were crawling and

Fil Krupa:

yes, yes. I was aware of that. Because we were living

Scott Whitney:

Perfect. Yeah. I mean, that's obviously one in the same house. thing, when I was speaking to someone a couple of weeks ago. And they miss some of those milestone moments. And I think that's one of the things you know, you want to make sure that you're around for really, and I guess anyone can miss them. They can someone can be at work or something. But it's different, isn't it? It's completely different. And what was what was what was your mum like in your and your dad, like, sort of support wise with with yourself?

Fil Krupa:

My mum and dad were excellent. The best parents, you can ask for. They stood by me and I miss them so much. Miss the company. I missed. One day I was going to work and I thought, Oh, let me call her and tell her not to disturb me at work. Because I didn't realise she was dead. I thought to myself, Oh, god, she's gone. Like, just just panicked and started crying. She was she was that close to me. And I adore her. Yeah.

Scott Whitney:

So best friend?

Funmi Lawal:

Very, very much so.

Scott Whitney:

Yeah. Okay. And so, how long then was it after the that, you know, I know, we haven't sort of talked timeline when you had the stroke. How long was it after the stroke where you started thinking right, I need to get Clip Knix started.

Fil Krupa:

And it was then after the stroke come, I had end stage kidney failure due to the high blood pressure. So I went on dialysis at the same time. When I was doing dialysis, when I was on dialysis, I couldn't do anything much for myself. Wearing underwear, it was very hard and wearing. I didn't wear bra for the entire time. I was on dialysis one year, nine months. I couldn't be bothered. So I had the intention of doing it. But I didn't have the finances to go ahead with it. Yeah. So I was very fortunate to get refunds of ppi. Yeah, I got a lump sum for refund of PPI. So I just went for it.

Scott Whitney:

Yeah. Excellent. So when you was obviously, was you sort of doing some of the designs and things like that?

Fil Krupa:

I had some. Yeah, I had the idea I reached out. And it's a very simple concept. So they got it. They after signing NDAs, they came up with a physical product.

Scott Whitney:

Yeah. Excellent. Excellent. And you said you got the third fastenings coming out shortly, when one of those likely to be available.

Fil Krupa:

Lead times at the moment is three months. Velcro and magnets.

Scott Whitney:

Yeah. And any,

Fil Krupa:

because frail people can't do the buttons on the hooks. So they're so frail, and they want to be independent. You can't blame them for being wanting to be independent. So we're going for Velcro and just for them,

Scott Whitney:

just so it's that making sure they're accessible to another set of people. Have you got any thoughts or any any sort of desire to to do Clip Knix for men without the lace? Maybe?

Fil Krupa:

That's very funny. There are lots of products for men out there. I was just looking at the Etsy today. Based on my scanning history, they gave me a lot of male things. And it's so funny, so weird and funny. There are loads of things for men out there because women, disabled women and often ignored and put aside. So that's why I did it for women.

Scott Whitney:

Yeah. Yeah. Excellent. Excellent. And yeah, it's like you said again, it's just making sure there is that. That includes inclusivity that accessibility? Yeah. Okay, um, what's what's your what's your, your plans for the future with with clip Knix?

Fil Krupa:

Oh, I'm looking in five years time. I'm hoping to be known for quality. When you hear the name, Clip Knix quality, fashion, sexiness. The fact that you're in wheelchair doesn't mean it shouldn't be sexy. Yeah. So worldwide? Yeah, we'll be known. You know, we're already in Australia. And America, we're thinking about going to Africa, and South America. It's onwards and upwards.

Scott Whitney:

Excellent. Excellent. And what's your what's your biggest challenge been?

Fil Krupa:

Don't even go there is finance? Because you're female. You're black. You're is everything is against you? So getting money from investors? They have the mindset that men produce better. I don't know why they have it. Because some female females are more hard working. I'm Sorry. No, no, no, no. I'll let you get a dig in. It's fine. Oh, I'm multitasking? We can't do that.

Funmi Lawal:

So the finance raising funds, it's the problem. It's a major problem. Yeah, everything else is fine.

Scott Whitney:

Okay. And, and, and what type of what type of person or business would be your, your ideal investor?

Funmi Lawal:

Oh, somebody's interested in health, health, pharmaceutical fashion. They interested in health, they would want to be inclusive. Are they interested in fashion? They will be in touch and excited about inclusiveness. They accept interested in pharmacy, they'll be interested in what the technology of it. Yeah.

Scott Whitney:

And I guess you know, it's not just that I guess it's not just people who if you think about it, as well, it's not just people who once were them, but I guess sort of physios and carriers and people are that would see that massive advantage as well because it helps them keep keep people's dignity and privacy. You know, they don't want to be crossing that line themselves either.

Funmi Lawal:

Yeah, yeah. Yeah. You You, too.

Scott Whitney:

Excellent, excellent. Okay, so we've got Clip Knix covered. Is there any other sort of ranges or things you want to cover on? Are you really looking to just go for that one big market sector?

Funmi Lawal:

Yeah,the market sector is still on top. We people are not getting to know it as fast as I think they should. So we're, we're still sticking by the target market, which is the elderly. People have had oppression in hospitals, care homes, they've not actually embraced it so much. But I'm still having to juggle everything around working in three places.

Scott Whitney:

So people more getting it because of comfort than, you know, kind of how it makes them look and feel.

Funmi Lawal:

Yeah, but that's not the only problem. They don't know about it. If they knew about it, they will buy it, but they don't know it's there. So thank you for the publicity and don't for letting people know it's there. It's for them. It's made for them. You would make meet their needs. It will give them privacy and give them independence. It's empowering your empower women. Yes, it will remain. Yeah.

Scott Whitney:

Yeah, no, definitely. Definitely. And, you know, I know last night I've been in, in a wheelchair for about a year. And, and, you know, comfort is one thing. But you want to you want to be comfortable, but also feeling still feeling good about yourself. Yes. Feeling nice. And I think I think when it comes to, to underwear, I think there's a big difference between men and women when it comes to sort of feeling nice there.

Funmi Lawal:

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I agree.

Scott Whitney:

Excellent. Okay. Okay. So I think kind of covered most of the bits we're sort of looking to do today, but obviously, you've, you've unfortunately suffered a stroke previously. What piece of advice could you give to someone who is in regular contact with someone who's recently had a stroke.

Funmi Lawal:

Um, the only thing my mom and dad did at the time, was just to encourage and keep me on the positive thinking. They were there to help support me just support the person that has had the stroke, the show them you care, show them you understand, show them, you're there for them no matter what. So that was what my parents did. And I appreciate it. They kept me going. Every, when I couldn't, when they couldn't understand what I was saying. They said it was okay. Just try next time. We'll understand you. They just kept encouraging me. So that's the only thing you can do for someone who's had a stroke, encouraging, encouraging, believing in them, that they will get better. And they will get better. Yeah.

Scott Whitney:

Excellent. And And what about for, for businesses? Employers? What would you say when someone's coming back into the workplace from from having a stroke? What would you what would be your message to them?

Funmi Lawal:

Yeah, you can do it there. The fact that they've had a stroke doesn't mean they're not productive. They can be very, very productive. I was listening to meaningful business seminar today, the fact that the most productive workers, disabled workers. And looking at the example of Andrew Marr, he had a stroke and he still could do his job is gone from BBC to LBC. And he's still one of the highest paid people in LBC. So the fact that he has a stroke doesn't make any difference is still him. So employers should be inclusive and they should accommodate the things they need for to make it possible. They should bring it to with us. Yeah.

Scott Whitney:

And that's the thing is reasonable when people talk about reasonable adjustments is it's having that that conversation with the person and, you know, a reasonable adjustment shouldn't necessarily it shouldn't be about what's reasonable, I guess for for them I don't know if I'm saying it the right way should it's not necessarily about what's right for the employer - It's about what's right for the employee.

Funmi Lawal:

Yes, yeah. The other day I was on set. And then I saw a very disabled person, just going using her machine to go around. And without the care in the world. She was zoom come back - Zoom !. She was a script writer So yeah, it was a script. So it doesn't make difference. If you're on a wheelchair, or anything, you still write script, you're just an a human being, like everybody else. Yeah, your disability doesn't define you. It shouldn't define

Scott Whitney:

And I think that's a that's a great note to finish on there. So thank you very much for listening. Join in next week when we have another topic to discuss, but, but that's all for me. And thank you very much Funmi for coming on.

Funmi Lawal:

Thank you so much. Thank you for having me. Thank you. Thank you.