My Greatest Accomplishment Is Yet To Come- Salamatu Salihu

Salamatu Salihu is the founder and CEO of Amrah Couture, Amrah Facials and Amrah Café. She speaks to TMG about how it all started.

TMG> Tell us about yourself and how you established your company?

Salamatu> I'm from Niger state. My early education was at El-Amin International school, Minna-Niger state after which I attended Nigerian Turkish Nile University, Abuja, (now Nile University of Nigeria), where I studied Petroleum Chemistry. 

I am 21 years old, I was born and brought up in Abuja. Amrah is one of the names my parents call me as I am a princess from a royal family.

I established my company when I was 19, starting with Fashion designing. As a little girl I designed most of the clothes my mother wore which motivated me.

Establishing my company took lots of research, planning and challenges. I started with a capital of 30,000 naira, which I used in making the dresses, kimonos and skirts I designed. I didn't need anything from my parents to begin my business so I used part of my pocket money as capital. With prayers and support from friends and family, especially my mother, I am where I am today.

TMG> Tell us why the interest in the fashion business?

Salamatu> I have had a passion for it since I was a little girl. I started modeling from a tender age, as I grew. After a while, I felt something was missing and decided to leave the modeling agency after discovering what was missing. I was inspired by the designers and promised myself to be better than them. 

TMG> You also produce skin products from natural ingredients and do facial services. What excites you most about that business and what does beauty mean to you? 

Salamatu> I get excited testing my products on my skin after production and hearing satisfactory remarks from my clients makes me happy. I feel happy and motivated whenever I get positive remarks from my clients.
For me, Beauty is about seeing beauty in beauty.

TMG> Would you shed some more light on Armah Café?

Salamatu> At Amrah Cafe, we offer indoor and outdoor catering, family and individual meal preparation.

TMG> As the CEO of Amrah company, how do you cope and how do you manage in the aspect of Marketing, Sales and distribution?

Salamatu> I personally produce my skin products, clothings and food alone. My staff take over after production. I have a manager, distributor and an accountant. I sometimes handle my Instagram accounts but most of the time my manager does. 

TMG> What’s your ideal working environment?

Salamatu> An environment where my businesses flourish and become global. 

TMG> What is more important to you: maintaining clients or growing the business?

Salamatu> Maintaining clients is more important to me.

TMG> Have you ever lost a client and why?

Salamatu> Come to think of it, I have never lost a client. They keep coming for more.

TMG> How many employees report to you and how efficient are they?

Salamatu> Like I said earlier, I have 3 staff and they are very efficient.

When I am alone, work is not as efficient as when I'm with my staff.

TMG> What do you do to stay educated about new trends? 

SalamatuI> I read trend magazines and I keep updated through Instagram and Twitter.

TMG> What are your challenges and how do you intend to handle them?

Salamatu> The challenges in a business are enormous...one of these is getting new clients. Most of the clients are repeat clients and the new ones tend to spend more than a repeat client. So what I do is follow my clients and encourage them to come for more with incentives like special discounts.

TMG> Tell us about an accomplishment that you are most proud of in your career.

SalamatuI> My greatest accomplishment is yet to come In Shaa Allah but I have been able to serve as an inspiration to many lives out there.

I get calls and DMs from different people telling me how I have inspired them to become entrepreneurs.

TMG> Tell us about how you handle your clients?

Salamatu> I try to communicate with my clients, give 100% satisfaction to clients and also study behavioral styles to enable me and my team deal with them rightly.

TMG> Tell us 3 things that you consider to be your strengths?

Salamatu>

1 Prayer

2 Patience

3 Hard work

TMG> What would like to learn or improve upon?

Salamatu> Professional tolerance. I would like to improve upon that. Sometimes these clients can push you to the wall (laughs) it's just impossible to satisfy some people.

TMG> What way can you encourage other youths not to depend on government for job but to be self dependent?

Salamatu> If you have a skill or zeal to do something, don't be shy, step out and do it. It doesn't matter how young you are. 

Dare yourself and you will progress, fall in love with what you do. You will lose friends & lovers and you will find new ones. Just be prepared to work extra hard and put it at the back of your mind that nobody gives you power except Allah. It's in your hands! 

TMG> Do you socialise and when?

Salamatu> I am a very busy person but I create time to hangout with friends, eat out, meet new people and go shopping too mostly during the weekends.