The fashion world is her oyster
Olivia Kanyemba-Usiku (right) and her team of dedicated fashion designers and seamstresses.
The entrepreneur, mother and wife is a proud businesswoman who has achieved all she has today through hard work and perseverance.“Like most businessmen and businesswomen, I have been in business as far as I can remember. Since primary school days, I always had something to sell to other students. Secondary school was no different. I added photography and dressmaking to my list of services, and I started generating an income then. I started doing business formally in 2004 when I opened my company called ONK Properties, a real estate agency, which specialized in the sale and purchase of properties as well as rental management of properties. That was when I reinvested my money into Temptations,” Olivia stated.
She is the first-born of eight children and she hails from Ohadiwa in the Ongenga Constituency in the Ohangwena Region. After college, she worked as a teacher at Eengedjo Secondary School after which she left for the US to attend the University of District of Columbia then transferred to Strayer University where she obtained her degree in Business Administration. “I felt the main reason for opening Temptations was because I felt the need to fill the gap in the market. Namibians like to dress smart, and deserve to have as many options as they require, which I provide. Additionally I enjoy the idea of designing clothes. It is more of a hobby than a job honestly” she said and smiled.Temptations provides mostly tailor-made clothes. Customers can chose the design and the material. Temptations then do the measurements, sewing the clothing to the costumers satisfaction.
“This is important for people who prefer unique made-to-measure clothes. It meets the needs of those who can’t find their regular sizes in regular shops, or the specific size and designs they require. We also supply various types of wedding attires,” she explains.
When asked about challenges, she replied, “There are many. Self-financing, finding right suppliers, finding right employees, still struggling with the timely and safe transportation of consignments. You find many times some goods have been stolen on the way. Long hours, and going without salary in the beginning but it all turned out better than I imagined at the end of it all.”
She advised the youth to always put over 100%, 7 days a week, in whatever they do. Whether it is in studies or simple chores and said, “We live once, so they should take life seriously. Time will not wait for anybody.”
“Always aim to improve your life. Don’t be satisfied with a job simply done. Do your best. Work harder. Always be prepared and flexible for new opportunities. Don’t let new opportunities pass you by because you are not ready. That is what most lucky people do. They are always prepared and flexible when the opportunity knocks, they are flexible enough to stand up and ready to grab it. Of course there are people who are born lucky, but for most of us, we have to work hard to make our luck. Work, work, work. The world does not owe you anything, you have to work for whatever you want,” she concluded.
