“I just like to put together beautiful things, especially for women,” says Ada Auala.
It seems like 2022 is off to a great start for the make-up artist, hairstylist and bridal guru, who owns Ada’s Creations and is still celebrating the inauguration of her first studio space.
The bubbly entrepreneur has been working tirelessly for close to 13 years, mastering her craft and perfecting her signature style.
She has dominated in her niche for the longest time, and has gained a reputation for knowing a thing or two about creating stylish weddings and unforgettable moments.
The opening of her studio, Ada’s Creation: Hair and Make-up in Windhoek, has been another leap forward for her, as it was a long-term goal she finally managed to achieve.
The all-round beauty workspace does eyebrow shaping, make-up and hair.
They also train people on how to create content and reels to optimise their social media presence, and organise photo shoots.
Auala has big dreams to pursue more destination weddings, having already provided for brides tying the knot in places like South Africa, Zimbabwe and Europe.
She hopes to connect with wedding vendors in Dubai this year.
She attributes her current achievement to a few principles she has put in place since leaving her full-time job as an IT professional in 2019 to pursue this passion, and then facing a global pandemic that almost had her putting away her make-up kit.
The first and most important thing in her life she says she can point to as a stepping stone to the top is her faith in God.
His presence in her life has kept her steadily pushing forward – even when friends and family thought she was crazy to leave a good job for something they didn’t consider to be profitable, she says.
“There was no income. I was so depressed I even started sending CVs out. I was done. But then in 2020 I decided to just believe in God. I’m very spiritual, so I just had faith,” she says.
It was this faith that led Auala to implement some changes in her life that she says have greatly improved things.
“You need to have a purpose, you need to identify your gift and work hard at it, you need to believe your gift will make room for you to be successful, and you need to write down your goals, dreams and vision,” she says.
She says exercising, reading, planning thoroughly, getting enough rest, having a strong work ethic, investing in your craft, always presenting yourself well, and avoiding social media as much as you can are important elements to add to your routine.
Something that helps Auala chase her goals at lightning speed is her insistence on having zero fears.
She says as an ‘exile child’ born in Angola during the war she jumps at things first and thinks about them later.
That’s why she’s inspired by people who are risk takers and choose to do things differently than others, she says.
This does not mean things have always been smooth sailing for her. There are some things she wishes she knew before diving into the industry.
“Working for yourself – especially at my age – is a very lonely journey. When you’re pushing and running after your career, it’s really lonely. Most friends and family don’t understand the vision, and I miss out on gatherings, because I’m always busy working,” she says.
To make, it one just has to keep pushing, Auala says.
– Anne Hambuda is a poet, writer, social commentator and media personality. Email her at annehambuda@gmail.com for more.
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