When women think of makeup and beauty in Zimbabwe, Makeup by Gamu is among the leading brands that come to mind. The organisation was founded by 32 year old Gamuchirai Manyika, popularly known as Gamu, back in 2008. It is among the pioneers of the professional makeup industry in the country. Gamu has been through a lot of tests and trials to be where she is today.
When women think of makeup and beauty in Zimbabwe, Makeup by Gamu is among the leading brands that come to mind. The organisation was founded by 32 year old Gamuchirai Manyika, popularly known as Gamu, back in 2008. It is among the pioneers of the professional makeup industry in the country. Gamu has been through a lot of tests and trials to be where she is today.
Makeup by Gamu was formed when Zimbabwe was going through a hyperinflationary period. Before starting the company, Gamu worked as an administrator at an advertising agency in Harare. She always had interest in art from a young age and movie makeup particularly fascinated her. Her opportunity was presented when the agency’s makeup artist failed to show up for a job and someone had to urgently fill in the gap. Gamu was requested by her superiors to do makeup on a model in just 30 minutes! They believed she was capable noticing how she presented herself at work. Being a girl who thrives on challenges, she agreed to give it a try using a few personal cosmetics she had carried in her bag. The makeup she did that day was stunning and it was a discovery of an underlying talent within her.
With the worsening economy, her salary had been eroded and was no longer adequate to cover her basic needs. She reveals how one would queue at banks to get trillions of Zimbabwean dollars that could not cover bus fare to work. “A makeup job paid 5 times more than my salary then. It made sense to quit my job and focus on makeup,” she said.
My Business Went From Being Super Busy To Getting 3 Jobs In A Year
Gamu’s transition to entrepreneurship was eased by the networks she had created whilst working at the agency. At first the business had a high demand and it focused on servicing corporate clients only. Hyperinflation permitted businesses huge budgets for marketing and advertising. This was short-lived because in 2009 the Zimbabwean economy adopted the United States dollar forcing reduced business expenditures. As corporates started trimming budgets on services like marketing and advertising, their supporting services such as makeup took a plunge. “My business went from being super busy to getting 3 jobs in a year, particularly around 2010 to 2011” she said.
Gamu Had Assumed The Role Of A Breadwinner After Losing Her Father At 18
“During the dry season, I was not copying at all. I was depressed and I even sold my car to cover for my needs,” she disclosed. At such a tender age, Gamu had assumed the role of a breadwinner after losing her father at 18. She went to work soon after leaving high school throwing away her hopes for further education. What kept her going was her strong spirit that refused to yield to defeat. As she was going through the dry patch, thoughts of giving up gripped her and she contemplated going back to find a formal job. Going back would have been an admission of failure and so her pride would not let her. Looking back, she is grateful that she did not quit in those trying times but kept on pushing and building her name through good relationships with people.
Makeup By Gamu Is Now A Household Name Associated With Local Celebrities Such As Misred, Ruvheneko And KVG
In 2013, when social media was taking a firm root in Zimbabwe, a friend of Gamu suggested that she opens a Facebook page to advertise her services. In the first month of being online, Gamu got her first wedding makeup job. Her popularity grew through referrals and word of mouth. Makeup by Gamu is now a household name associated with local celebrities such as Misred, Ruvheneko and KVG. What separates her art from the competition is how she treats each and every one of her clients as an individual. She insists on doing makeup that resonates with the person within and not just follow trends on the market. Gamu is inspired by how her work transforms the way people feel about themselves. She has received a lot of feedback from clients acknowledging the boost of confidence and re-awakening of a sense of pride within them.
The most satisfying part of her journey is looking back and realising that she contributed to establishing an industry. Makeup was looked down upon and misunderstood but because of trailblazers like her, it has begun to receive recognition. It was unheard of, back in 2008, for a young person to aspire to be a makeup artist yet today it is trending. “We broke a new ground. It was not easy to get this service on the map, define it and get it to be taken seriously,” she said. She strives to be more than just a household name but to create a legacy by giving back to the community.
If Money Is The Main Driver, One Might Be Disheartened.
Gamu urges young people to follow their passion with the understanding that there is no overnight success. She stresses that young people should not be driven by money because the first 2 or 3 years of business might not pay at all. If money is the main driver, one might be disheartened. “You need to wakeup saying you are going to do it regardless of getting paid or not,” she said. Gamu is an avid reader and she encourages young people to read ‘Who Moved my Cheese?’ by Spencer Johnson and ‘Rich Dad Poor Dad’ by Robert Kiyosaki.
