Charles Salem: Transitioning From Early Hustles into Creative Passion

At just 17, Charles Salem, a first-year Physics Education student at the University of Lagos, is already making her mark as a fashion designer. Her entrepreneurial journey began not in studios or fashion schools, but in her teenage hustle: selling ponmo sauce and mobile data after finishing secondary school.

Charles Salem and Her Entrepreneurial Spirit

“I wanted to do something for myself and earn money,” she says. She decided to start her entrepreneurial journey by making ponmo sauce, a Nigerian street snack loved by many. She later expanded into selling mobile data. These early ventures taught her basic business skills and gave her the drive to explore her true passion: fashion design. Fashion designing is more than a business for her; it’s a lifestyle. She tried other ventures, including graphics design. Although they were profitable, they didn’t feel as natural as fashion.

She acknowledges that she’s still a work in progress. She continues learning by utilizing online resources and practicing her craft continually.

Salem’s dream is to grow into a Modest Fashion Brand. However, she appreciates her process. Currently, she makes scrunchies and hair bonnets for students within and beyond the university community.

The Turning Point

She recalls how a gift of 1,000 naira inspired her to create something she could sell. At the end, she made 16 scrunchies from the capital and was excited to see how a small idea could grow. Now, she not only makes scrunchies and hair bonnets, but she also supplies them to resellers who believe in her products. This way, she is able to support herself financially through school.

A key moment in her journey came when she made outfits for a bridal train. Some people doubted her, and she felt nervous, but she pushed through. “I learned to believe in myself and ask God for help,” she says. In the end, her work came out beautifully.

Salem’s Challenges and Vision

Salem has faced challenges. Learning new styles, not having her own sewing machine in the school hostel, and balancing schoolwork with her business can be hard. Mistakes sometimes discourage her, but she keeps improving.

To ensure that her business does not interfere with her studies, she has learnt exactly how to delegate equal time to both her work tasks and her educational tasks.

For now, Salem focuses on scrunchies and hair bonnets while learning more about fashion. She nurtures her dream of launching her own modest fashion line one day.

Her story shows that even small beginnings can grow into something meaningful. She believes that the hardest part of the journey is starting, so students who aspire to be entrepreneurs should just start. With passion, hard work, and belief in yourself, anything is possible. She also recognizes the importance of starting a venture because of passion, not necessarily the profit it may yield. This is because entrepreneurship is not a smooth ride, and without passion, burnout is inevitable.