Banking is definitely one profession anyone would jump into at any time, any day without a second thought given the opportunity.

In the early 1990’s when banking became prominent in Ghana, many professional including journalists ditched their job to join the sector.

The profession, current challenges with it in the country regardless, comes with glamour, outward sheen of business, first class flights, star hotel stays, elegance, meeting of very important persons ordinarily, one wouldn’t have the chance to meet and the very lucrative pay and bonus it come with ,especially.

However, aside all of these, Josephine Abena Kumi-Afoakwa(Mrs), a banker and a decree holder opted out just to become a hairdresser, a career which until recently was identified with the uneducated and not so good students in our Ghanaian communities.

Speaking to GhanaPlus.com, Abena Kumi-Afoakwa, a former staff of Golden Pride Savings and Loans now the Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of  House of Angels, a beauty, hair and makeup parlor said in spite of everything banking gave her, she wasn’t happy and found love with hair dressing, a hobby and passion she had been with for years.

“With all the glam that came with banking, I wasn’t happy. I felt I was not doing enough. Something was missing. So I started a journey to identify who I was and what I really wanted. I wanted to settle on one thing I love doing, interestingly banking wasn’t one of them”.

“I loved reading, I loved writing, I loved meeting people and closing business deals and I loved fidgeting with hair. You always see me restyling my colleagues hair. Back on campus I was always on my roommate’s hair, fixing weaves, washing her hair, braiding her hair. I was all for hair. You will get me researching on products that are excellent for hair, you will get me visiting various salons to see how they work at a point. I was partially working with a hairdresser in my neighborhood during vacation”.

While fidgeting with hair, little did she know that hair dressing was in fact her true calling.

“So I came to my senses that I’m a hair person when I was with Golden Pride Savings and loans. Everyone was upgrading themselves academically to climb the corporate ladder but I wasn’t interested. I was rather searching for new hair styles, problems with hair and all that has to do with hair”.

Then came the turning point, “One day I just told myself this is it. I’m not a banker,” and that marked the beginning of the hair dressing journey, a journey she had no regret what so ever.

Early Days Prior To Banking

Telling her story, she said after Senior Secondary School, unlike her friends, she had no idea what to do with her life and so opted to follow the footsteps of her father, a finance inclined and eventually saw herself in investment banking after pursuing a degree in banking and finance at the renowned Central University College.

“After secondary school, it wasn’t really clear what I wanted to do but I knew I had to make my parents proud.  My dad is a finance person so I grew up with his influence hoping I will become like him but instead of accounting, I chose banking and finance and ended up a banker,”she said.

“Banking was beautiful. You command so much respect, your classy shoes and suits, you get to meet people, it was all beautiful and I don’t regret being in that”, however, the real deal for her was hair dressing.

Genesis of House of Angels

She narrated the journey to her success story saying she couldn’t even communicate properly to her husband, her decision to quit her well paid banking job for hair dressing.

“My boss was disappointed when I handed him my letter of resignation but my mind was already made up. I didn’t immediately go into hairdressing, rather I enrolled myself in a school to learn how to produce hair products, I opened a shop for the products and added cosmetics as well.  I said why don’t i just turn this shop to a salon. I did but I didn’t have any professional knowledge in the field”.

“When the girl I hired don’t show up for work, I become depressed. So one day I woke up and went to Abrantie College to learn how to do some short courses in hairdressing, but when I was given the course outline for regular students it was love at first sight. My heart smiled, I told myself this is what I wanted to do. Instead of the short course I ended up going for a full course in cosmetology. I put so much into it that I was privileged to be awarded the best stylist in the second trimester.  I was proud of myself and worked even harder to do more. I could do things I couldn’t do before at the shop, my clients were more satisfied and that was a dream come true”.

Achievements

She admit the journey hasn’t been all rosy, however, years down the lane she could proudly say that she is now happy with what she does.

“Now I’m happy. I now understand practical entrepreneurship better and I have much more knowledge in cosmetology so I don’t find myself wanting”.

She currently owns House of Angels Salon and Bridal Home “where I provide all services regarding beauty and cosmetics,” such as manufacturing of hair products and cosmetics, hair and salon services, manufacturing of liquid and bar soaps etc.

She is also into the manufacturing of FDA approved sanitizers (MorningDew sanitizers).

Abena Kumi-Afoakwa is a youth mentor with Ulti-Leaf Foundation, a non-governmental organization focused on youth empowerment and a writer with Ghana Writes Literary Group, a registered literary organization with the vision to encourage the writing and reading of creative African literature.

Through her volunteerism, hundreds of under privilege woman have acquire the needed skills training in liquid and bar soap making, hand sanitizers making as well as body and hair products making for free.

She revealed most of her NGO works does not earn her cash rewards but it’s her way of given back to society and also acquiring necessary skills and knowledge to shape her future and that of her business.

She tells GhanaPlus.com, she would be available for individuals and organizations who desire to learn and train people for the above skills at no cost.

Challenges

The House of Angel CEO recounted her challenges this way;

“It has been very challenging. People look at you and go like did you really quite banking for hair dressing?. I remember a friend’s mum telling me I look so good in suits, I shouldn’t have resigned because I will definitely give up”.

“A friend I was close to back then told me ‘it’s not always about entrepreneurship so I should search for a new job, those words were heartbreaking,” she bemoaned.

Aside having to deal with constant scorn for her new job by friends, financing it was also a challenge.

“Financially I was stuck so I affiliated myself to some youth group to give me a platform to reach out to people struggling like myself but they all took advantage of me being naive and so enthusiastic. I was virtually their driver, it was a total waste of time. Raising money was difficult, I resorted to government institutions but nothing good came out of there as well. I was behind payments for my shop’s rent, I had fees to pay, I had practical items to buy and I had a home to help take care of. At a point I felt I took the wrong decision. I even started applying for jobs’, she narrated.

Any Regret?

Opening up about her regrets as far as her business was concerned, she said she does not have any,however she regret not taking the risk much earlier.

“ I regret not taking so much risk like I’m doing now and I regret giving people the opportunity to look down on me and say a lot of demeaning things to me because of what I chose to do. Given the opportunity I will be bolder and challenge myself more.

Advice to young people

She advised young people who desire to venture into entrepreneurship to be financially prepared before embarking on the journey.

“My little advice is save enough before you decide to fully get into entrepreneurship. I’ve worked with organizations, persuaded government institutions and private individuals to help rescue youth in entrepreneurship but they all failed to help because they are not benefiting directly. Even religious bodies and traditional chiefs didn’t show interest”, she said.

Appreciation

Josephine Abena Kumi-Afoakwa(Mrs) expressed her gratitude to her husband, Mr Kwabena Kumi-Afoakwa,  Chief Executive Officer of Ulti-Leaf Foundation, Mr Akwasi Sarpong and Chief Executive Officer of Abrantie College, Mr King-David Thompson for the diverse contributions towards her entrepreneurship journey.

Source: GhanaPlus.com