From sweet seller to sole owner and MD
SUCCESS is sweet, but how much sweeter when it comes from selling sweets? 30-yearold, Albertina Ndishishi opens up to Youth Corner about how she emerged from humble beginnings to becoming an influential and successful businesswoman.
“Growing up, I have always been business-minded but having unemployed parents is what pushed me to start selling sweets at the university to make ends meet,” explained Ndishishi, the sole owner and Managing Director of The Virgin Hair Boutique Cc.
In her second year at university, Ndishishi could make over N$300 a day from her sweets business.
“I could buy my clothes, pay my cab fare and I was not burdening my parents with finances,” added the open-minded Ndishishi.
After some time of selling sweets to her peers, Ndishishi left to Europe for studies where she got exposed to many things including business ideas.
She said, “when you are thrown in a different environment, opportunities present themselves to you. I came back home eager to start a hair business and that is when the boutique was born.”
Youth Corner asked her about the secret behind the success of her company.
“Trials and errors pushed me to do better every day.”
Ndishishi who is also an Industrial Psychology and Sociology graduate from the Namibia University of Science and Technology said since she did not study any business-related course, her business went through many trials which also helped her to be more strategic.
She advises young people to be independent and not rely on others for jobs, adding that she has never worked for anyone.
Ndishishi is inspired by resilient and hardworking people and her vision in life is to grow her hair business to greater heights.
The growth of her business has not only changed her life but also brought hope to 15 people who have found employment at her company.
Today, her company has diversified into more than just hair care lines but hair care products and a salon as well.
The Virgin Hair Boutique has been in operation since 2012 and it has branches in Ondangwa, Swakopmund and Windhoek.