Behind the dough: From sold-out pizzas to startup realities, Kehinde Smith shares the raw realities of launching @forno.ng in Lagos

When Kehinde Smith and her twin sister Taiwo launched @forno.ng, their new artisanal pizzeria in Lagos, they weren’t expecting to sell out of pizza dough two days in a row in their very first week. But that’s exactly what happened. And while most businesses might highlight the success and stop there, Kehinde chose a different path—she shared the whole story, mess and all.

In a refreshingly honest Instagram story, Kehinde peeled back the curtain on what it really means to start and scale a hospitality brand in Nigeria. Spoiler: it’s not all picture-perfect pizzas and ribbon-cutting ceremonies.

She wrote:

Selling out of pizza dough wasn’t on our bingo card, but here we are. Human, growing, grateful, and most importantly, blessed

Building a brand, not just a business

Kehinde Smith is best known for co-founding My Extensionz, a premium hair brand that earned her acclaim in both Nigeria and the diaspora. Now, through The Smith Sisters Group—a dynamic portfolio of businesses run by Kehinde and Taiwo—she’s turning her sights to food and hospitality.

@forno.ng is a wood-fired pizza concept rooted in authenticity, warmth, and quality, designed to elevate casual dining in Lagos. But it’s also a business that’s navigating the unpredictable terrain of Nigerian entrepreneurship in real time, with Kehinde admitting:

The truth is… doing business in Nigeria is hard. Like, really hard. But not impossible

From logistics hiccups and customer complaints to staff training and internal systems, Kehinde didn’t shy away from the imperfections. She detailed issues like late orders, kitchen errors, and the inevitable growing pains of scaling up.

A call for constructive feedback

One of the most powerful moments in her story was an appeal to customers and supporters: Speak up.

If you really love and support us, then you would complain when you’re not happy. Don’t leave quietly. Don’t rant in the car. Tell our management

This open-door approach to feedback is embedded in the company culture at @forno.ng. Kehinde and Taiwo have implemented systems that make it hard for team members to ignore customer dissatisfaction—and they’re encouraging people to use their voices constructively.

From 15 to 300: Growing with purpose

What began as a small, tight-knit team of 15 has ballooned to over 300 staff across the Smith Sisters Group’s ventures. While Kehinde acknowledges she and Taiwo can’t be everywhere at once, they’re confident in the people representing them on the ground—people who, as she put it, “do their absolute best to show up, hold it down, and represent our vision.”

In just a week, Forno has managed to bring joy to hundreds and stir conversation among Lagos’s food lovers. But the brand is also setting a new bar for transparency in entrepreneurship.

A generation of storytelling entrepreneurs

Kehinde closed her post with a message of gratitude, embracing the beauty of modern entrepreneurship: the ability to be vulnerable and still be seen, supported, and celebrated.

I feel so lucky to be in a generation where we get to share our thoughts, stories, struggles, and messy moments—and still be seen and supported through it all

It’s a reminder that behind every Instagram-worthy launch lies a flurry of unseen challenges, learning curves, and real human effort. And it’s in that messiness that some of the most authentic stories—and successful brands—are born.

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Numeris Media is an official Media Partner to Connected Banking Summit & Innovation Excellence Awards 2025 – Southern Africa

(May 21, 2025 | Johannesburg, South Africa)