Daughter of Nigerian billionaire Femi Otedola, Temi has swiftly transcended her family’s legacy to carve out her own niche as a distinguished luxury lifestyle influencer and a burgeoning actress, with a global influence.

Temi’s journey into the public eye began in December 2014 when she launched JTO Fashion, a blog that became a canvas to portray her personal beauty tips, art, and globetrotting adventures. Her blog quickly evolved into a platform that showcased her impeccable taste and allowed her to connect with a community of young, aspiring fashion enthusiasts.

Her foray into acting marked another chapter in her illustrious career. In 2020, she made her Nollywood debut in the critically acclaimed Citation, directed by Kunle Afolayan. Her portrayal in the movie earned her the Best Actress in a Leading Role at the 2021 Ghana Movie Awards and a nomination for Revelation of the Year at the 2020 Best of Nollywood Awards. Her acting prowess was further showcased in Niyi Akinmolayan’s The Man for the Job, solidifying her status as a rising star in Nigerian cinema. Amidst her rising fame in the entertainment industry, Temi has not strayed from her roots in fashion and beauty. She was recently named the African Digital Brand Ambassador for L’Oréal Paris Makeup in a significant stride that marks her as a global icon. This partnership aligns with her vision of empowering women to celebrate beauty and aspirations. Speaking exclusively with Style, the conversation centres on her online community, favourite digital platform, her work ethics and of course L’Oréal.

Congratulations on becoming L’Oréal Paris’s first African digital ambassador and the first Nigerian face for the brand globally! What does this milestone mean to you personally and professionally?

It’s hard to put into words what this partnership with L’Oréal means to me. I’ve grown up using and loving their makeup products, so it feels surreal that I’m now representing a brand I’m such a big fan of. I’m an even bigger fan of what L’Oréal Paris represents as a company. Their values and ethics regarding women’s empowerment and championing women’s rights are personally important to me, and I’m just honoured to be a vessel for this message across Africa.

How did the partnership with L’Oréal Paris come about? Could you share a bit about the journey that led to this groundbreaking collaboration?

I had no idea at the time, but their team had been following my journey and career for a while, and then on Christmas Eve last year, they reached out to my agent for a meeting, which is when we discovered an immediate connection. I think our brands are very aligned in many ways, including how we view beauty and makeup as something that goes skin-deep and can be a tool for self-confidence feel like this also serves as a reminder for young entrepreneurs and businesswomen to keep going and stay true to who they are because you never know if your dream brand is watching silently.

Let’s talk about your career as a luxury lifestyle influencer. How did you get started, and how do you ensure your content remains authentic while catering to such a diverse audience?

I actually started my career as an influencer by mistake. When I was 17 years old, I was applying to different universities in the UK, and I felt artistically stifled. I had always loved fashion, travel, film, books, music, and any big cultural touchstone, and I felt like there could be a way for me to share my opinions and interests online. That’s when my lifestyle website and blog, jtofashion.com, was born. I continued writing and networking tirelessly throughout university, and by the time I graduated three years later, I was being paid by brands for collaborations on social media. From there, my career continued to evolve, and I would try everything I possibly could, from TV presenting, brand consulting, creative direction, and event hosting; I’ve tried it all! 11 years later, I’m now in a phase of my career where I can focus on my true passions, acting and partnering with brands I love. I think I’ve had longevity in the online space because I’ve always stayed true to my personality and only shared what I genuinely like with my following. I really respect my audience and know they can smell inauthenticity a mile away!

Reflecting on your journey, what is the key to your success in building a strong online presence?

I think the most simple answer to this is my consistency. You know what they say about 10,000 hours. People only see the final product, the Instagram post, the final campaign image, the final movie, etc. What they don’t see is the hundreds of photoshoots you’ve done (some of which have never seen the light of day because they weren’t up to my standard), the thousands of messages I sent to companies that I wanted to work with whilst I was starting my career, or the many hours spent in acting school or working with a singing/acting/dialect coach. I’m also someone who, to this day, insists on going through every single photo after a shoot, whether it’s 10 or 10,000 photos and handpicking each one I post. Another example is when I filmed, edited and posted every single day of my life on TikTok for 100 days without a single break. I need to work more on spreading tasks across my team, but I also pride myself on my attention to detail.

Influencing in Nigeria versus internationally—what are the main differences you’ve encountered?

There are definitely pros and cons for the various markets. I would say that Nigeria is great for appreciating homegrown talent and supporting our local influencers on their various journeys. However, I think we still have a lot of room to grow in terms of how brands approach Influencer Marketing. If you own a company in 2024, you might have more visibility on my Instagram page with millions of followers versus traditional marketing such as radio or newspaper, but some companies are yet to really understand this value.

Would you consider the business of influencing a lucrative one, given the investments required to build a recognisable brand?

I would say it’s lucrative, but only if you are not looking for a quick cash grab. As I mentioned, posting on social media started as a hobby and turned into a business three years after I started posting online, so that’s a long time to wait to turn a profit. You need to be very patient as an influencer; I appreciate that not everyone can do that. From when I was 13, I had a job working every summer vacation, whether that was folding clothes in a shop or bagging dry cleaning at my mother’s business, Garment Care. So, I was able to reinvest my summer earnings into building a website and planning photoshoots. So it can be extremely lucrative when you reach a certain level of this career, but you definitely need to invest in what you are doing to get there, just like any start-up company, and that’s how I viewed my brand.

Among the platforms you use, which one do you find most effective for engaging with your audience and why?

I post on every platform you can think of, including Instagram, X, Facebook, Youtube, and TikTok, but I find TikTok has recently been my favourite for showing the “real Temi.” My TikTok series, “What If I recorded every day of my life forever,” really catapulted me to a wider audience, and for my followers who had been there for many years already, I feel like they were given a more raw insight into my life and personality.

Your fashion sense is widely admired. How would you describe your personal style, and how has it evolved over the years? Also, how do you decide what trends or styles to embrace?

My greatest fashion inspiration is my mother. I always look to her for cool and stylish pieces —it’s been this way ever since I can remember. However, this is slightly contradictory because what makes my mother’s style so unique is that she is 100% herself. She relies on her impeccable taste and has never looked to anyone else to guide her purchases. I take my love for timeless but unique pieces from her and try to stay away from what is currently trending in fashion.

You are constantly moving from one destination to another. What role does travel play in your life and work? Are there any destinations on your bucket list?

I’m so lucky I get to travel constantly for work, and every year, it feels like I spend less and less time at home. So far this year, I’ve been to 12 different countries, including being invited to France by Michael Kors, Senegal by the African Basketball League, and South Africa by L’Oréal (twice!). Next on my bucket list are South Korea and Tanzania.

Coming from a family with a strong entrepreneurial background, how has being a billionaire’s daughter influenced your approach to your work and brand?

My father has been the greatest inspiration for what it means to be an entrepreneur. Watching him through the various stages of his career, I have learned so many lessons that I could write a book. I’ve seen the highs and lows of running a business and what it takes to reach a certain level of success, from the relentless hard work to the sleepless nights at the office. However, I think the most important thing I’ve learned from him is that sometimes successful people are simply those who never give up after constant rejection, gaining everything and then losing everything after they face a crisis almost every day at work – they simply never gave up.

In 2020, you made your acting debut in Kunle Afolayan’s film “Citation.” What drew you to this project, and how was the experience of stepping into the world of acting?

Film and art have always been my true love. People are surprised to learn that my love and knowledge of film go much deeper than that of fashion. So when I met Kunle Afolayan and heard his next movie starred a girl of my age, I knew this was an opportunity I had to take. After auditioning for three months and preparing for a further three months, I was nervous but excited about this next adventure in my career. The experience of filming Citation is one of the dearest of my career because I discovered my true passion in life.

You also starred in The Man for the Job, directed by Niyi Akinmolayan. How was your experience working on this film different from your previous acting role?

Filming “The Man for the Job” was another incredible experience because I was able to understand more about the industry and work with a whole new family of creatives. Every movie filming experience is totally unique; from the location to the crew, you always walk away with new knowledge.

Can we expect to see you on the screen again soon? Are there any upcoming projects or roles you’re particularly excited about?

This is a bit of an exclusive, but I just wrapped my latest movie in April of this year, so you’ll see me on your screens again in the next four months. There’s always something secretly brewing on the film side of things.

How does it feel to come from a family of creatives, with your sister Cuppy being a DJ and Tolani a musician? How do these creative influences impact your own endeavors?

It’s amazing to be in the midst of such a creative family as we all understand what it means to be in the entertainment industry and are able to support each other on our various projects. I’m so lucky to have 2 older sisters who support every endeavour I find myself in, and we all try to be of service to each other.

Looking ahead, where do you envision your personal brand and career in the next five/ten years?

I’ve had a ten year plan since I was 15 years old so I love this question. In the next decade of my career I’m looking forward to working with even more incredible brands like L’Oréal and being proudly Nigerian ambassador for other globally recognised companies. Although I’ll be appearing in and producing many more movies with an emphasis on Pan-African stories, I’ll also be entering new fields including writing, publishing, documentary film making and TV production.

How do you balance your public persona with your private life? Are there aspects of your life you prefer to keep separate from your online presence?

Although I’m 100% myself online, I think it’s also important to have parts of your life that are private to you. For me that’s my home, my relationship, and my friendships. These days, there’s a very fine line between sharing and oversharing and I make sure my personal brand focuses on my interests and creativity, and not my personal life or controversies.

What are some misconceptions people might have about your life and career, and how would you clarify them?

Having been a public figure for the majority of my life, I’ve read countless stories about myself online. In the last few years, I’ve learned that there’s truly no way to change people’s minds or misconceptions about you. In fact, if people don’t like you or how you appear online, there’s almost nothing you can do to change that. So I’m content knowing my own story and knowing that not everyone will know the truth of who I am as long as I know, and God knows, I’m ok with that.

If you could collaborate with any creator, living or deceased, who would it be and why?

This might come as a surprise, but my dream role has always been to be a leading lady in a James Bond film. Hollywood, I’m coming for you next!