S01E03 Victorine Sarr Awuah
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The Africa Whisperer, Lee Kasumba, dives into the world of beauty in this third Chess Masters episode. We meet Victorine Sarr Awuah, the Senegalese creator of Lyvv Cosmetics. She never imagined becoming an entrepreneur, but taking the leap with Lyvv has been the most rewarding gamble of her life.
Victorine’s dream job was to work at Apple, and it felt unreal when that dream came true in Paris after graduate school. Starting at an entry-level position, she rose to a senior role in product marketing. After four years, she returned to Dakar as L’Oréal West Africa’s head of marketing and sales, and it was an insightful experience.
Then Victorine had a new dream: Lyvv Cosmetics. However, the decision to become an entrepreneur wasn’t welcomed by her family. Was the hustle and uncertainty of a new business worth the risk of abandoning her enviable corporate career? “My dad thought I was making the biggest mistake of my life,” Victorine shares, but her unrelenting conviction proved her right. Seven years later, her vision to create organic, high-quality makeup has evolved to include skincare. “People call me by my company name,” she muses. “Isn’t that crazy?”
Although Victorine’s story is one where defiant faith meets focused preparation, she also believes her success was made possible by connecting with the right people and opportunities. With a team that now operates from Ghana, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire and France, her resilience in business continues to pay off. “I always wanted to make impact in my community…for me, the main thing in this industry is manufacturing, adding value to whatever you decide to do…I started with makeup, but skincare is actually the beginning…” The future of Lyvv Cosmetics is global, one that offers the world a first-rate African brand while celebrating melanated skin of all shades.
In this inspiring episode, join Lee Kasumba and Victorine Sarr Awuah to discover what happens when you dare to dream anew and give it your all.
Victorine’s dream job was to work at Apple, and it felt unreal when that dream came true in Paris after graduate school. Starting at an entry-level position, she rose to a senior role in product marketing. After four years, she returned to Dakar as L’Oréal West Africa’s head of marketing and sales, and it was an insightful experience.
Then Victorine had a new dream: Lyvv Cosmetics. However, the decision to become an entrepreneur wasn’t welcomed by her family. Was the hustle and uncertainty of a new business worth the risk of abandoning her enviable corporate career? “My dad thought I was making the biggest mistake of my life,” Victorine shares, but her unrelenting conviction proved her right. Seven years later, her vision to create organic, high-quality makeup has evolved to include skincare. “People call me by my company name,” she muses. “Isn’t that crazy?”
Although Victorine’s story is one where defiant faith meets focused preparation, she also believes her success was made possible by connecting with the right people and opportunities. With a team that now operates from Ghana, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire and France, her resilience in business continues to pay off. “I always wanted to make impact in my community…for me, the main thing in this industry is manufacturing, adding value to whatever you decide to do…I started with makeup, but skincare is actually the beginning…” The future of Lyvv Cosmetics is global, one that offers the world a first-rate African brand while celebrating melanated skin of all shades.
In this inspiring episode, join Lee Kasumba and Victorine Sarr Awuah to discover what happens when you dare to dream anew and give it your all.
