Violet Amoabeng is the founder of a unique skincare brand in Ghana. She started her business Skin Gourmet with only $45, but her determination and hard work helped her build a successful company.

When Violet first had the idea for her skincare brand, she was working as a teacher and didn’t have much experience in business. But she was passionate about creating natural and sustainable skincare products, and she was determined to turn her idea into a reality.

“If you cannot eat what you are putting on your skin, then why put it on your face?” Violet said. “It made more sense because what I wanted to create was something you could either choose to eat or wear, either way it is good for you.”

But starting a business wasn’t easy, especially when she didn’t have much support from her family. “My dad would not give me the money to do any business because he believed that if you don’t do business the hard way, you will not be able to survive when you hit hard times and no one will help you,” Violet said.

Despite the challenges she faced, Violet remained persistent and found creative solutions to help her business grow. She asked family members to help her source ingredients, and she would manufacture, package, and label her products herself. Every Saturday, she would go to the market to sell her skincare products.

“I started to really focus on Ghana because even the idea of eating your skincare (ingredients) is something I realized Ghanaians used a long time ago but we have lost (that tradition),” Violet said. “When I go to source my ingredients, these are products that the local communities eat on a daily basis and it’s been done for a long time. Preservatives are not needed because these communities have not had electricity for a long time so they had a way to preserve the products and keep it (to) the highest qualities.”

As her business grew, Violet faced many obstacles along the way. But she remained determined to succeed, and she was inspired by her father’s belief that struggle is necessary for success. “My dad also started his company with almost nothing and he knew he had to struggle,” Violet said. “In my dad’s mind, it is important to struggle because it is the struggle that makes you strong and innovative.”

Through her hard work and determination, Violet was able to build a successful skincare brand that is now known for its natural and sustainable products. She is an inspiration to others who are pursuing their own entrepreneurial dreams, and her story shows that with hard work and perseverance, anything is possible.

“The entrepreneurial journey has been crazy hard,” Violet said. “It will crash you and it breaks you and stretches you but you enjoy it. When you see an obstacle and it’s hard but every time you find a way over it and that is what makes it incredible. With every stage you overcome, you become a little bit greater.”