Ms Ladidi Hikimat Salifu is one of the young rising Ghanaian entrepreneurs to watch in the next three years.
She is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Didiz Shapers, a leading importing and beauty enhancing start-up in Ghana.
The Journey
Ms Salifu started her business located at the Spintex Road, a suburb of Accra before graduating from the Central University, Ghana with a bachelor degree in Marketing.
Her zeal for entrepreneurship began at early ages, so she decided to set up the business.
Narrating her story to African Eye Report at her shop, Ms Salifu who is in her 20s, explained that the other motivating factors that led her to set up the business were: “The hunger to succeed and the need to be financial independent”.
From a humble beginning, Didiz Shapers is now a household name in Ghana. Currently, it provides quality and durable but affordable Maskateer waist trainers, Ann Chery Fajas, and clothes for the female population in the West African country.
Ms Ladidi Hikimat Salifu standing in front of her business
Stood Against Odds
Ms Salifu stood against all odds to build the fastest growing beauty body enhancement brand in the country with small savings and family support.
With the meteoric rise of the waist trainers and beauty body enhancement industry in the country, most industry watchers say Didiz Shapers is one the companies to watch.
Another customer
Her starting-up story is not different from the hundreds of entrepreneurs profiled by the African Eye Report but her ambition to provide her products to hundreds of people at an affordable price is unique.
In her own words: “If your customers are satisfied with your designs, they talk about you and more people get to know your brand. And, you will be rewarded with more sales”.
The company is succeeding because pretty Ms Salifu continues to serve the needs of the people. Her customers are her most prized assets, thus providing them with quality and prompt products is her topmost priority.
She guided the way and did it with skill, style and high passion and dexterity. She had the right products and at the right time – which translated into high demand on a mass market scale.
A customer of Didiz Shapers proudly displaying products
But all that would have been worthless without her unique brand of commitment, high energy and sheer determination, and the zeal to change the industry she is operating in the country.
As an young indomitable entrepreneur, she never allowed the different headwinds to weigh her down. Ms Salifu rather turned those challenges into golden opportunities.
Advice to the youth
“Whatever you set up to do, do it to the best of your ability, concentrate and think outside the box. Be prayerful and communicate to God what you want”, Ms Salifu advised the youth.
She also advised the youth to take their education very seriously, saying you cannot achieve much in any field without education. It is the catalyst of growth and development.
To young people who want to get money overnight before they start a business, Ms Salifu said: “You don’t need so much money to start a business with”.
Customer of Didiz Shapers
Similarly, she encouraged them to start small, be focused, and do not copy people who are way above you blindly.
To quote an American author and entrepreneur, Brian Koslow: “If you nurture your mind, body and spirit, your time will expand. You will gain a new perspective that will allow you to accomplish much more.”
This quotation best fits well with the humble and affable Ms Salifu whose story can be told in several ways.
Customer
Entrepreneurship is a key driver of global economy. Wealth and a high majority of jobs are created by small businesses started by entrepreneurially-minded individuals like Ms Salifu.
People exposed to entrepreneurship frequently express that they have more opportunity to exercise creative freedoms, higher self esteem, and an overall greater sense of control over their own lives.
As a result, many experienced business people political leaders, economists, and educators believe that fostering a robust entrepreneurial culture will maximize individual and collective economic and social success on a local, national, and global scale.
Credit: African Eye Report