The Receipts
Real analytics, not rounded-up numbers.
I build food brands the way I built my own — quietly, publicly, and without asking anyone to believe in something before it's earned.
No ad spend, no growth hacks. Just showing up daily under the yellow umbrella.
My name is Gbemisola Olaobaju. I'm a brand strategist based in Ibadan, and I don't just advise food brands on positioning — I run two of my own as live proof of what I teach.
Before I called myself a strategist, I sold jollof rice from a stall under a yellow umbrella with no name, no signage, and no brand to speak of — on purpose. That decision became Jollof Diaries, and it taught me more about brand-building than any course did.
I also run Misola Cakes & Kitchen, and I work with food and FMCG brands on positioning, content strategy, and the discipline of knowing what not to post.
I sold jollof rice from an unmarked stall under a yellow umbrella in Adekola for 99 straight days — no logo, no name, no promotion. On Day 100, I revealed the brand behind it. This is the experiment that became my proof of concept.
First day at the stall. No signage, no name — just jollof rice under a yellow umbrella in Adekola.
Documented the build publicly across X, TikTok, and Substack — day after day, without breaking the streak.
First catering booking, plus community feeding initiatives run with sponsors — before the brand had a name.
The reveal. Jollof Diaries became a name, backed by 99 days of trust already built.
I wanted people to trust the food before they knew the brand. The name was never the point — the consistency was.— From the Jollof Diaries documentation, X / TikTok / Substack
Written from the full 100-day Jollof Diaries documentation journey. Sponsored in part by Selar.
African Tech Journal sponsored 5 copies of the book on behalf of Selar — recognition from a known creator platform, not just self-published.
"I couldn't sleep without reading your book. If nobody tells you this, today I'm reminding you again — you sabi storytelling and branding too well. Your book answered my questions and gave me a new perspective for my brand."
"It's not an easy task to go round about an idea and execute it — this story flashed me back to my present situation. I remembered when I determined to go back to complete my training."
Every strategy I recommend has been tried on Jollof Diaries or Misola Cakes first — not just researched.
Part of the job is telling a brand what to leave off X — what not to tweet, what trend not to chase.
My whole approach is built around longevity — brands that are still trusted long after the launch buzz fades.
I'm open to full-time food & FMCG brand strategy roles, and to consulting engagements with food brands who want the same discipline I built Jollof Diaries with.
Looking for a food or FMCG brand strategist who's run the playbook on her own brands first.
Get in touch →Brand strategy consulting for food businesses — positioning, content discipline, and community-first growth.
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