Akosua’s Journey: How a Nurse Built a Thriving Skincare Business Without Quitting Her Job

Akosua loved being a nurse. She had worked at a busy hospital in Cape Coast for years, dedicating long hours to caring for patients. But despite her passion for the job, the financial strain was real. Her salary barely covered rent, transportation, and family responsibilities.

She often heard colleagues talk about side hustles—some sold clothes, others did catering on weekends. Akosua wanted to start something too, but she had no idea what.

Then, one evening, after a long shift, she noticed how dull and dry her skin looked in the mirror. That’s when she remembered something from her childhood. Her grandmother used to mix shea butter, coconut oil, and hibiscus leaves for glowing skin.

What if she brought that same tradition to others?

With GHS 500, Akosua bought raw shea butter from Tamale, essential oils, and simple packaging materials. At night, after work, she experimented in her small kitchen, adjusting formulas until she got it just right. She gave samples to friends, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive.

“This feels amazing! You should sell this,” one friend encouraged her.

Excited, Akosua created an Instagram page and started posting:

✅ Before-and-after results

✅ Videos of her mixing products

✅ Simple skincare tips

At first, sales trickled in slowly. Then, a popular beauty influencer shared her page, and things took off.

Within weeks, Akosua was receiving dozens of orders every week. During the day, she was at the hospital, focused on her patients. At night, she prepared products, responded to messages, and coordinated deliveries.

It wasn’t easy—some nights, she slept only a few hours. But she was determined. Instead of rushing to quit her job, she made a clear plan:

✔ Set working hours for her side hustle so it didn’t interfere with nursing

✔ Hired a delivery rider to handle orders efficiently

✔ Reinvested her earnings to improve packaging and branding

Her discipline paid off. Within a year, her business was making as much as her nursing salary, and she didn’t have to work extra shifts anymore.

Despite her business success, Akosua never quit nursing. She loved her job and saw it as part of her purpose. Instead of choosing between her career and her business, she found a way to do both—creating a sustainable business that didn’t require her to leave her profession.

With time, she hired an assistant to manage production and an online customer service team to handle orders. This allowed her to focus on nursing while her business continued to grow.

Lessons from Akosua’s Journey

Akosua’s story proves that you don’t have to quit your job to build a successful business. Instead, you can:

✔ Start small and grow gradually

✔ Use social media to attract customers

✔ Find ways to manage both career and business efficiently

Her side hustle not only gave her financial stability but also the ability to support her family and invest in her future—all while continuing the job she loved.

Final Thoughts: Success Doesn’t Have to Be Either-Or

Many believe they must choose between a job and entrepreneurship, but Akosua’s story shows that you can succeed in both—with the right balance and discipline.

So, what’s stopping you from starting your side hustle today?

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