• Why I abandoned medicine for make-up business — Ugochukwu

    Why i abandoned medicine for make-up business ugochukwu - nigeria newspapers online
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    Upon completing my diploma programme in Practical Dermatology, the opportunity to be the Nigerian representative of Sleek International (a beauty company) came up. The opportunity also came right after I had decided to go into cosmetic dermatology.

    I have had a lot of help. Social media is not a language my generation speaks, but I got the younger generation to teach me. In today’s world, a business cannot survive without social media.

    Human resource management is one of our most significant challenges, followed by infrastructure. How much can one reasonably charge for a facial when one has to run one’s generator at the current ridiculous price of diesel?

    Make-up is body care, and it is for everyone. For example, is there anyone who should not use a body moisturiser? No! One needs to find a product that works for one’s skin type, and the climate of one’s environment. The same goes for make-up. There is no one formulation for everyone.

    It is not surprising. In the creative arts, men have been using make-up for centuries. What we are currently experiencing is a rise in creative energy on the planet. And, it is an energy that is translating into everyday habits that were not so commonplace in the past.

    Hopefully, with grace. It is not always easy though, but one needs not to take oneself too seriously, so that one’s ego would not be in control. I feel that the biggest problem of humanity has to do with ego.

    That is certainly not true. Using make-up is not more harmful than the regular use of body lotion, powder, hair cream or other beauty products. The way one strives to be intentional about putting the right things in and onto one’s body is the same way one should be intentional about one make-up choices. Problems only arise if one has poor hygiene. Make-up should be carefully and thoroughly removed every night before going to bed.

    For as long as I can remember, I had always wanted to be a doctor. For this reason, I dedicated myself in secondary school to only the subjects I needed to study Medicine. However, halfway through medical school, I asked myself, ‘Why am I doing this’? I love the logical and sequential nature of the medical sciences, but I did not enjoy working as a doctor. It made me realise the importance of trying different things when one is young, so one would know what one’s passion is, and not just stick to a specific path for whatever initial reason.

    It was an interesting period, but the highlight was passing the final exam.

    The most important is building strategic alliances; a sort of trade by barter. I offer value, and the other party also brings something I don’t have to the table. Together, we can go further and grow faster.

    That will probably be thinking the more one piles it (make-up) on one’s face, the better it looks. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

    There are too many of them, but one that stands out was from when I was about nine years old. I got a new pair of shoes that I loved dearly. I particularly remember how much the smell of new leather stuck out to me as I slept with the shoes by my side. Sometimes, I wonder if that sparked my lifelong obsession with leather goods.

    I would take a wide-brim sun hat, the biggest bottle of water I can carry, and, if allowed, my cell phone.

    Sell what you know. As women, we have a significant advantage because we can sample our products and services. Also, you should use what you sell, and know it entirely. If you then like the product, you can sell it.

    I love watching television. I can lose myself for hours in a good show with an engaging storyline. I hate reality TV, though. I watch TV to be told stories; not to see how other ordinary people are living their everyday lives.

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