Guiding Hands, Growing Dreams: How Mentorship Transforms Small Catering Businesses

In communities across Nigeria, women are rewriting the story of resilience through entrepreneurship. From roadside catering stalls to tailoring shops and trading kiosks, these women are not only sustaining their families but also fueling local economies. Yet behind every successful small business lies a powerful force—mentorship—that can make the difference between stagnation and growth.

One of the guiding hands shaping this transformation is Grace Oladipo, CEO of Triple A’s Place Special Occasions and a mentor-coach with Young Africa. Through the tailored business model for female-led enterprises, implemented in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, Grace is part of a nationwide initiative to empower over 5,000 women entrepreneurs with the skills and confidence to build stronger, sustainable businesses. Grace steps into this gap as a mentor-coach, working closely with women to diagnose business challenges and provide tailored, case-based solutions. For her, mentorship is never one-size-fits-all. It is a hands-on process that focuses on practical business issues while also nurturing resilience, confidence, and leadership.

Among the women Grace mentors is Peace Patrick, a nano entrepreneur with just two years of experience running her catering business. Peace’s passion for cooking is undeniable, and her meals have won the hearts of many in her community. But like countless small business owners, she faced challenges that limited her potential for growth. During mentorship sessions, Grace guided Peace through a critical topic: the importance of business registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). Many entrepreneurs see registration as an unnecessary burden, but Grace explained its transformative benefits, building trust with customers, opening doors to government and private sector opportunities, and positioning businesses for contracts, loans, and partnerships.

For Peace, this advice marked a turning point. Formalizing her catering business wasn’t just an administrative step; it was a mindset shift. It gave her the confidence to see her work not as a small informal hustle, but as a business with the potential to expand, employ others, and stand the test of time. Grace’s mentorship with Peace extended far beyond legal registration. Together, they explored bookkeeping and financial management, strategies for customer service, and ways to use social media for digital marketing. Just as importantly, Grace emphasized life skills, problem-solving, resilience, and leadership that would help Peace thrive in an unpredictable business environment.

The story of Grace and Peace highlights the heart of the YA initiative: creating youth change through human connection. Across Nigeria, mentor-coaches like Grace are working hand in hand with women entrepreneurs, equipping them with practical tools while walking beside them as they grow in confidence. For Peace, each mentorship session represents progress, not just for her catering business, but for her family and community. And with every small business strengthened, the vision of a stronger, more inclusive Nigeria comes closer to reality.