I left teaching for cooking after my noodles went viral – CruisewithJoe

Content creator, Joseph Obasi, aka CruisewithJoe, who has 416,000 followers on Facebook and 194,000 followers on Instagram, tells NAOMI CHIMA about his career and other issues

What is the inspiration behind the creation of your brand, CruisewithJoe?

The CruisewithJoe brand was not something I penned down and ventured into. It was something that popped out of me without my permission (laughs). I was just a food vendor who was creating content to push my brand, and all of a sudden, one of the contents I created for my brand—Joseph’s Pot— went viral.

It was something I did to get people to buy the food I sell. But, it went viral; and I had to create a page for it. Ever since, I have been doing things that are related to that viral video.

How has the brand evolved so far?

I always go with the flow. I don’t try to control the universe. So, when the breakout of CruisewithJoe happened, I went with the flow.

Over time, it has evolved to the point that I am widely recognised as CruisewithJoe, more than I am recognised as a food vendor. As it grew to an extent, I decided to highlight my food brand. And, my food brand is doing better now. I also create adverts for other businesses. I try to do anything I have inside me. As long as I can imagine it, I try to push it out.

How do you maintain authenticity in your content while incorporating your native dialect?

If you had asked me this question when I started, I would have said it was my niche, which people knew me for, so I had to keep doing it. But right now, we are scaling up. Some people who don’t understand the language ask me for subtitles. They say they love my personality, and want to understand what I’m saying. However, I have figured that if I crack my jokes in English, they won’t be as funny as when I am using Igbo language. That is how I figured that my niche is actually stronger than I can control. In everything I do, I always come up with ideas that revolve around the Owerri dialect of Igbo language. Irrespective of what is trending, I try to recreate it in Igbo. And so far, it has brought more people to me. There are a lot of people and businesses that might want to launch a product for Igbo people, and I might be the only platform available for them to do it the way they like. I do not hope to compromise my niche, but should there be a need for me to speak English, I will do that. After all, I am educated.

Which do you prefer between being a food vendor and a content creator?

It won’t be easy for me to choose, but if I had to pick one, I would go with being a food vendor. I have a deeper satisfaction when I cook and people enjoy the food. I feel like I have left a lasting impression on people when I serve them good food. People can watch content from different people, and even get tired. But, you earn people’s trust when you serve them good food. However, there is no way one can serve people food without creating content, because for one to arrange and package food, one is creating content. So, the two of them go hand-in-hand.

What inspired you to become a cook?

It started as a hobby. My grandma, mum and aunties well all involved in the food business. While growing up though, I never liked the food business. I was usually the one who pounded the pepper, crayfish and other things. And, they used to cook with firewood, so I did not like the stress it entailed. But, any time I cooked, I usually received a lot of compliments. That was why I decided to give it a try from time to time. But, as regards venturing into the food business properly, that happened during the COVID-19 pandemic.

I was a teacher until a friend visited, and I made noodles for him. He liked it, and posted a picture of it online. Casually, we said it was like I was due for food business. Because of COVID-19, we were not going to work, so I had time to deliver the meals to people. As we kept on doing it, the orders kept increasing. When it was time for me to go back to my teaching job, I chose to stick with the food business, which was already sustaining me.

Since you started creating content and cooking, how have they helped with promoting local businesses?

Prior to now, we did not have so many people creating content, using the Owerri dialect. There were few persons using the Anambra dialect. But, when I came on the scene, I made Owerri dialect beautiful, and I practically put it on the map. All over the world, people from Owerri can relate with my content, and whenever they hear my voice, they are reminded of where they are from. I also tried my best to create content  about the things going on in towns around us.

As for the food, I have been able to create a lot of new recipes. When I started, we made ‘nkwobi’ (goat leg and head) attractive. In a way, we have brought our local dishes back to the limelight. That is how the culture is benefiting from  what I’m doing. In terms of economic growth, when I started, it was just me. But, I now have about 10 people on my payroll. And, they are all young people like me.

Of course, we pay taxes as well. So, the government is benefiting.

What inspires the kind of content you put out?

Many of the ideas just drop sometimes from conversations I have with friends, or from my experience growing up. I then turn them into jokes to address them. As a matter of fact, the first content I put out got me a ring light from abroad. I felt really happy that people abroad watched my content. It was my first empowerment ever, because I was not even up to three months into content creation.

As a popular figure, especially in the eastern part of the country, what role do you see yourself playing in shaping the future of young entrepreneurs?

I want to have a workshop where I would teach people how to create content, because a lot of people are getting involved in content creation, and it is the in-thing now. But, they need to learn certain things, because if they don’t do it well, they would just be struggling. I also intend to scale up my business in a way that I can accommodate small businesses and vendors to come and sell in my spot, and make money.

Another project I am passionate about is, ‘August Meeting Umuaka’ (For the Gen Z). It is a way of bringing Gen Z mothers, who are not partaking in the women’s August meetings, back to their culture and traditions, by having a cultural gathering that will skillfully show them the beauty of our culture in a way that they would appreciate it.

What are some of the challenges you have faced in balancing your various roles on social media as a content creator and food vendor?

First, one needs to understand that once one gets to the spotlight, it is not everyone that will appreciate or love one. Some people, who might have tried to come to the spotlight and failed, would feel that one has done something they could not do. So, what they do is that they cast stones at one to try to bring one down. But, God will always protect us.

Also, a lot of content creators are running away from the East to Lagos State and Abuja, so I think the governments in the East need to create better avenues for creators who are based in the East.

How do you manage being an entrepreneur and a content creator?

Running a business together with content creation is not easy. Some people come to work with me because they know me as CruisewithJoe, forgetting that business is business. It is not always easy. Also, as a creator based in the East, people tend to price one for less, but will pay people in other places like Lagos five times more. So, we try our best to collaborate (with other creators). There is nothing wrong with staying at home and shining in the East.

What advice do you have for aspiring social media influencers who are looking to make an impact in their local communities?

All I can say is that my restaurant business and my brand as a content creator are not things I planned to do. Those things came up spontaneously. I just put in more efforts to expand them. It means that for me to come out by mistake and go viral,  there was something inside me that had been hidden. I didn’t have to force it on anybody. I see a lot of people who just jump into content creation without being good at it. A good product sells itself.

How do you handle criticism?

I don’t pay attention to them. When I started, I usually felt hurt when I got negative comments. But, over time, I saw that it was actually because of the way I was reacting to them. Now, when I see some negative comments, I just laugh over them. I assume the person is just trying to be funny or ‘savage’.

I just reply to the comments of my fellow creators, who always have positive things to say, and reply to any fan who is also saying something nice, because the idea is to always dish out content for those sets of people to enjoy.

If someone goes too far (cyber bullying), the law will take its course.

How do you ensure you remain grounded and original?

I will continue doing what I am doing already, which is serving as a sort of magnet to bring every lover of Owerri together. I am also open to collaboration and meeting people; as well as opportunities. But, sometimes, I have to create the opportunities myself.

What message would you like to share with your fans?

First, I want to thank them for their love and support. I pray that God will bless them all for loving me. Also, I want them to find their light. They should not be too saturated or obsessed with my content that they begin to see or build a future around it. They might love me so much, but they might not called to do what I do. So, do not ignore your inner voice while you enjoy my content. It’s okay if you do what I am doing. I hope that somehow nature will bring us together and I’ll teach you everything I know. But in the meantime, love me, but also find your light. I’ll be here praying and rooting for you; and I pray we all meet at the top.

How do you deal with stress?

I have not figured out exactly how to unwind. I try as much as I can sometimes to reduce the pressure by training people to edit content for me. I try as much as possible to delegate some duties; and sometimes, I go swimming.

How do you deal with attraction of the opposite sex seeing that you are still single?

Eighty per cent of my followers are actually females; even my staff. However, I try to limit unnecessary communication. But, I am also ripe for marriage. This is the year I told my mother I would get married. So, I am hoping that before the year runs out, I would find my missing rib.