Salamatu Zayyana, from Malumfashi in Katsina State, is the founder and CEO of DDivas Beauty Care Salon and Spa in Kaduna.
Salamatu is an Accounting graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and also president of the Northern Entrepreneurial Forum (NEF).
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In this interview, she speaks on how she has been driving the beauty care business for seven years along with a brand for organic hair essentials.
What’s the story behind your spa and hair essential business?
It is a passion: I love anything that has to do with body and hair so I go the extreme mile for that.
I have a broad knowledge on hair growth herbs and regimen, and I never really got the perfect products and services from the Nigerian salons I visited.
This is a major challenge to a lot of women so I decided to start my own business to help myself and others.
What projects are you working on?
I am currently working on expanding my business to Abuja, we are working on opening a salon/spa right in Abuja, away from our base in Kaduna.
What challenges does the business face at the moment?
Our major challenge at present is sourcing of hair essential herbs from India.
We are faced with the prevalent change in dollar rate which makes my work hard.
Delivery services on the other hand don’t make my work easy but Alhamdulillah, we are braving all these odds.
What do you do in your free time?
I spend lots of time with family and friends.
I also attend several online classes to boost my knowledge in the beauty business.
Can you tell us more about your hair essentials?
We currently have 12 products that are a mix of Asian herbs that stimulate the scalp, promote healthy hair and enhance rapid hair growth three times faster than normal.
Our hair essentials are all hair types friendly, whether your hair is natural, relaxed or transitioning.
We have products for it all.
You have been quite long in this business. How many persons have you employed?
I can say our staff strength at the moment is around 15 persons and we are working to expand the business and create more jobs.
How do you source funds?
The business has grown overtime to fund itself.
It has been self-sustaining.
What platforms do you use to promote the business?
We do physical marketing along with referrals from our customers, then we employ the social media platforms, especially as we have an Instagram page, @ddivas_hair_essentials.
What are your plans to expand the business?
My plan is to open branches across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria and probably expand to each state of the country too.
What advice do you have for unemployed youths?
I will advise them to start from somewhere.
They should not let the fear of funding stop them and don’t let anyone tell you, you can’t do it, because you can.
It just takes the first few steps to make you reach where you want to be.
Acquire skills, make a lot of surveys and researches for business upgrades and implement them.
