E4 El Padrino, Su Casa and Exp Lagos - Uzoamaka Umeh

Uzo who is often referred to as the Taco lady, was raised in Los Angeles in the United States, where she picked up her love for food as a kid. This passion led her to become the general manager of Chick fil a and Pieology Pizzeria before deciding relocate to Nigeria in 2017 to pursue her dream of starting a food business. After several deliberations, she decided to launch a mexican restaurant called El padrino with her little twist on it; all ingredients and materials would be sourced locally in Nigeria. El padrino, which is now seen as a lifestyle, has managed to build a loyal fanbase through their popups and well known “taco tuesdays”. Last year, during the pandemic, Uzo launched Su casa which is a software that provides tips on how to make several dishes. Uzo’s ultimate dream is to transform the experience of residents and visitors in Nigerian that’s why the idea of Exp Lagos came natural to her. Exp lagos is a chance to experience a good night life in Nigeria’s largest city, Lagos, while maintaining the originality and the feel of what it takes to be Nigerian. Customers pay a flat fee and they get to drive around in a classic bus known as "danfo" while visiting several areas like bars and clubs in the city. We brought on Uzo to the podcast to share her story on how she got started and what her experience has been so far as an entrepreneur in Nigeria.