Finding niche in Maun’s beauty industry
Mompati Tlhankane | Sunday February 19, 2023 06:00
Arts & Culture caught up with the make-up artist who revealed that she decided to stay in Maun and continue with her business after leaving her day job last year. “Remember home is where dreams get killed. So I strongly believe that we prosper in foreign lands.
The beauty industry in Maun is not that saturated hence the need to keep pushing and introducing new beauty products and services to check how the community will do towards them,” Bathusi indicated.
Bathusi further disclosed that the reason she relocated to Maun initially was to look for a job after completing her Diploma in Travel Management. “The good part was that when I came to Maun in 2019 I got a job and make-up became my side hustle. But when we were cut off temporarily from work because of COVID-19, that is when life became a bit difficult with no salary and no bookings. That became a learning curve for me. In 2021 when the storm calmed, I started saving up for proper beauty equipment enough to get started before I left my job.
I quit my job in April 2022 and since then business has grown immensely compared to when it was a side hustle,” Bathusi reflected. The 30-year-old make-up artist added that she believes the beauty industry is not where it should be but pointed out that very soon people will get used to make-up and the beauty industry as a whole.
She said her biggest clients in Maun are brides, their bridal teams and groups that visit Maun for vacations, and events. Looking back, Bathusi said her love for make-up dates back to 2010 when she completed her BGCSE. “One funny thing is I grew up with a bit of a tomboyish mentality until I completed my BGCSE and realised that I needed to be the girl I am supposed to be. Since then, I learnt a lot about feminine stuff like skincare, make-up, plaiting, and other skills that any girl-child can do,” she recalled.
Bathusi said when she started she did not have any inspiration but loved looking good. “At home, they used to say ke rata bokgarebe. Along the way that is when I realised this can be a good business idea after following a few beauty gurus on social media then, like Maxine,” she said. She also added that in 2013, she enrolled in a tourism course at the Francistown College of Technical and Vocational Education (FCTVE) where her love for make-up grew even more. “It was then that I had plenty of time to practice and try new things on myself every day when I go to classes.
I am a self-taught make-up artist even though I am planning to enroll on a beauty course very soon." Bathusi said like any other business, it has not been an easy journey. She said one challenge she encountered in her line of work is pricing. “In most cases, clients do not want to pay the agreed price, they love negotiating. Already our prices are low because we are trying to build a solid clientele. Clients also do not follow our payment procedures of paying deposits upfront to secure bookings and finish the payment when we are done with our work.
They only want to make verbal bookings that leave us unsafe because they can change last minute. We also lack proper equipment and spaces to work in,” she highlighted. Bathusi said most of the time her work speaks for itself because she is her own brand ambassador. “Every time I go out, I make sure I look the part. I paint my face perfectly for my customers to see and get proof that I will do the same for them if they book with me,” she said.