Faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains, they say. When I started my hair care line, I had nothing but faith as small as a mustard seed and even that felt frail. There were no resources, no experience, no support system, all I had was confidence and a dream I could barely bring out. Today, while I am still on the journey, I look back and wow at how far faith, discipline and determination have carried me.
After university, life felt vague. I was fresh out of school, applying for internships, and juggling the uncertainty of “what next in my life?” The idea of starting a hair care line seemed delusional and laughable at the time. I had no capital, no background in business, and no social media marketing experience. All I had was my love for natural hair and a little voice inside of me that wouldn’t let me give up on the idea.
I began in March 2023, in those early days, doubt was my constant companion and fear was my best friend. I often wondered if I was being unrealistic or if I was asking to be too much. Without a stable capital or a network, everything seemed impossible. But I clung to the belief that if I took one small step, somehow the next step would reveal itself and then I can take another step one day at a time. So, I decided to start, even if it meant starting small, doing it afraid and stumbling along the way.
With no formal training, I became my own teacher. I dug the internet, devoured blogs, watched countless YouTube videos, I read books, I listened to podcasts and studied ingredients and formulations late into the night. Every new skill I learned was a small victory, how to mix the right oils, how to source for quality ingredients, the mathematics of formulation, how to package products, and eventually how to create and market content for social media.
My first products were far from perfect, I still laugh whenever I remember them, but I was proud of them. The shampoo, conditioner and hair growth oil were so personal to me, I was so proud of my creation that I decided to be the consumer - well, I wasn’t so confident to sell them. I used some on my hair and gave some to my mother, sibling and neighbors.
When I began selling, I remember nervously pitching to my first customer, praying they would see the value in what I was offering. Those early sales were very few, sold less than ten bottles of hair growth oil, five jars of leave-in conditioner and five bottles of shampoos, but they amazingly fueled my determination.
Failures became my greatest teachers. I learned what not to do through trial and error, whether it was taking a wrong step in marketing, product misadventures, or poor time management. I remember a time when I wanted to make pure avocado oil, the extraction process messed with me and I ended up with something far from the oil, even my first shampoo almost destroyed my own hair, I learned on the job to apply other techniques to make the best one. Each failure was painful but necessary, shaping me into a more resilient entrepreneur.
The first time I sold out during a sales campaign, I cried. It wasn’t just about the money, it was about validation. All the late nights, all the moments of self-doubt, all the whispered prayers had led to this.I was so happy that I wanted to scream to the whole wide world “I did it.” Another amazing thing was when people started reaching out to me for consultations. Me, the little girl who once felt clueless, was now guiding others on their natural hair journeys. I now hold classes, write regimens, give products recommendations and hair care routine guide. I even have a book on my hair care journey!
Coaching young women and gentlemen to embrace their natural beauty and care for their hair became one of the most rewarding parts of my business. Perhaps my idea of trying so many other brands’ products on my hair during the early days of my hair care career wasn’t so bad.
Through it all, faith has been my anchor. There were days when the challenges felt insurmountable, I’d cry bitterly, I’d keep learning and journaling while I cry, I’d lose money, I’d stay awake all night, changing brand locations too didn’t make it easier but I held onto the belief that my efforts were not in vain. Faith gave me the courage to invest in myself courageously, even when the odds were against me.
Now, in my second business year, I’m not yet where I want to be. There are still mountains to climb and dreams to chase. But I am incredibly grateful for how far I’ve come. From a clueless graduate with nothing but a dream, I’ve grown into a confident entrepreneur. I’ve learned to celebrate progress, every small win, and to trust the process.
My journey is proof that you don’t need perfect conditions to start. I learnt more on the job than I accumulated before I kickstarted. All I had was faith and the determination to keep moving forward, the discipline and consistency, even when the road is unclear.
Faith truly moves mountains. It moved mine, and I know it can move yours too. Mountains were made to be moved, right?
Picture attached is mine.
Thank you for reading my story.