Have you ever had to let go of something you genuinely loved, not because it wasn't working, but because life was taking you in a different direction?
Well, that's exactly where I find myself. After almost four years of running Amia Body, our perfume business, my partners and I have made the decision to close it.
I know! It's been such an emotional time for me. I've gone back and forth, asking myself whether we're making the right decision. We've had conversations, thought through everything and prayed about it. And while it's still bittersweet, we've finally come to a place of peace with the decision.
You see, Amia Body was a business we loved, one that made money, grew beyond what we initially imagined and introduced us to so many wonderful people.
But sometimes, even good things come to an end.
And as I reflect on this journey, I realize that beyond selling perfumes, Amia Body has taught me some incredibly valuable lessons about entrepreneurship, partnerships, priorities and the different seasons of life.
Before I share those lessons, let me take you back to where it all began.
How Amia Body Started: From a Small Corner to Our Own Store
I remember so vividly visiting my friend Esther at her shop, Bisa Style, at Bala Shopping Centre. During one of our conversations, we decided to start a perfume business together.
We put our money together, ordered our first batch of designer perfumes and body sprays, and started marketing them on my social media pages.
I still remember our first big sale. One of our customers, Priscilla, bought all our body sprays! We were so excited. It was one of those moments when you think, "Oh my goodness, this could actually work!"
Initially, we kept the perfumes at my house, but coordinating deliveries became quite hectic. So Esther gave us a small corner in her clothing store where we could display our products.
Along the way, our other partner, Gloria, who was based in Dubai, helped us introduce more affordable perfume oils. This was particularly meaningful to me because I knew what it felt like to love perfumes but not necessarily have the money to buy expensive designer fragrances.
So being able to offer beautiful fragrances at more affordable prices was something I genuinely appreciated.
After about a year of operating from that small corner, God was faithful, and through your support, we opened our very own Amia Body store, complete with a perfume bar where customers could mix fragrances.
What had started as a side hustle was becoming something much bigger than we'd imagined.
And what a journey it was!
We even had customers ordering perfumes from Rwanda.
These are just some of the things that made this journey so memorable.
But beyond the experiences and beautiful memories, there are important lessons I'd love to share, especially with anyone running a business or considering starting one.
Capital Is Important, but Capital Is Not Enough
I think one of the biggest misconceptions about starting a business is that once you have the money, you're ready.
We often hear people say, "If only I had capital, I would start this business."
And yes, capital is important. You need money to purchase stock, set up operations and meet your business expenses.
But here's something I've learned:
You can have all the capital you need and still struggle to run a business if you don't have the time, energy and mental capacity to manage it.
I experienced this personally.
I remember around June this year feeling incredibly overwhelmed by everything I had going on.
I'm a wife, a mother of three, a content creator, an influencer, and I'm involved in different communities and commitments. There's family, work, fellowship, growing in my spiritual journey and so many other responsibilities that require my attention.
And then, on top of all that, there's a business to run.
At some point, I found myself struggling to juggle everything.
It wasn't necessarily that the business was doing badly. It was that I had so many things competing for my time and attention.
And the truth is, a business needs your presence, especially in its early years.
You need to make decisions, solve problems, follow up on things, support your team and understand what's happening in the business.
Even when you have employees or partners managing different aspects, you still need to be mentally present.
This experience has taught me to look at capital differently.
Before starting a business, don't just ask yourself, "Do I have enough money?"
Also ask:
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Do I have the time to invest in this business?
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Do I have the mental space to manage the responsibilities that come with it?
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What other commitments will compete for my attention?
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Am I in a season where I can realistically give this business what it needs?
Because money alone will not run your business.
And I think this is particularly important for those of us who are trying to build businesses alongside careers, family responsibilities and other commitments.
Sometimes we have the resources to start something, but not necessarily the capacity to sustain it.
And that distinction matters.
Passion Is Important, but You Must Understand the Fundamentals of Business
I love perfumes.
If you follow me on social media, you already know how much I enjoy trying different fragrances and sharing my scent of the day.
But interestingly, my love for perfumes grew even more when we started Amia Body.
Before the business, I loved smelling good, but I wasn't nearly as passionate about fragrances as I eventually became.
Running Amia Body introduced me to different scents, products and customers, and I genuinely enjoyed that part of the journey.
And I think passion is important in business because it helps keep you going, especially on difficult days.
When things aren't working out as expected, when you're tired or when challenges arise, loving what you do can make a real difference.
But here's the thing.
Passion alone is not enough to run a successful business.
You can love a product and still struggle to build a sustainable business around it.
There are so many other things involved: procurement, suppliers, inventory management, logistics, operations, marketing, sales and financial management.
And you need to understand how all these pieces work together.
One thing I'm particularly grateful for is that I had business partners whose strengths complemented mine.
At Amia Body, we divided responsibilities based on what each of us was good at.
Gloria, who was based in Dubai, was particularly good at stock management, logistics and the systems involved in managing inventory.
Esther was excellent at operations and managing the day-to-day running of the business.
And I focused primarily on marketing, creating awareness and bringing in sales.
This arrangement worked well because we weren't all trying to do everything.
For example, stock management and logistics are not necessarily my strongest areas. Having Gloria manage those aspects meant the business could benefit from her expertise.
Likewise, Esther's ability to manage operations was incredibly valuable.
And I could focus on using my strengths in marketing and content creation to attract customers and generate sales.
That experience taught me the importance of recognising both your strengths and your limitations.
You don't have to be good at everything to run a business.
But you do need to understand what the business requires and ensure those responsibilities are being handled competently.
Sometimes that means working with partners who bring different skills to the table.
Other times, it means hiring people who understand the areas where you lack expertise.
And that's one of the beautiful things about business. You can learn, but you can also hire.
So before you start a business simply because you're passionate about something, take time to understand what it actually takes to run that type of business.
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Who will manage the stock?
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Who will handle procurement?
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Who will oversee daily operations?
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Who will market the products?
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Who will manage the finances?
These may not be the exciting parts of entrepreneurship, but they are essential.
Passion can inspire you to start, but understanding the fundamentals is what helps you build something sustainable.
Don't Just Look at Demand. Consider How Often Customers Will Need Your Product.
Demand and supply!
But sometimes, when we're excited about a business idea, we forget to really think through what demand means for that particular business.
We might identify a product that people like and immediately assume it will make a great business.
But there's an important question we need to ask:
How many people need this product, and how often will they need to buy it?
One of the things I loved about the perfume business was the recurring demand.
Perfume is a product people use up. Someone buys a bottle, uses it for a few weeks or months, and eventually needs another one. Sometimes they want to try a new fragrance.
Sometimes they're buying a gift for their husband, wife, friend or family member.
Other times, they simply want to refill a fragrance they already love.
So we would regularly receive messages from customers saying things like:
"My perfume is finished. Can I get another one?"
"Do you have something new?"
"I want to buy something for my husband."
And that was wonderful because it meant customers had reasons to keep coming back.
Now compare that with a business where someone buys your product once and may not need another one for several years.
Both businesses can work, of course, but their demand patterns are very different.
And that affects how you think about sales, customer acquisition, pricing and long-term growth.
It's not enough to have 20 people buy your product today and tell you they love it.
You also need to think about what happens next.
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Will they come back?
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How frequently will they need your product?
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Is the market large enough to sustain the business?
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Can you consistently attract new customers while retaining existing ones?
These are important questions.
One thing Amia Body taught me is that a product with recurring demand can create opportunities for repeat sales and ongoing customer relationships.
And that's something I would encourage anyone starting a business to think about carefully.
Don't just fall in love with your idea.
Take time to understand the market and the actual demand for what you want to sell..
Amia Body Was a Chapter, Not the Entire Story.
One thing I want to make clear is that closing Amia Body doesn't mean I'm done with business.
Not at all! If you know me, you know I'm always thinking about something, working on an idea or exploring an opportunity.
And I genuinely believe that God is leading each of us into new seasons.
For now, our focus is on closing Amia Body well, clearing the remaining stock and completing this chapter properly.
We're having a 50% clearance sale on everything in the store as we work towards closing by December 2026.
So if you've loved our perfumes, please come and stock up!
And yes, I know some of you are wondering where you'll get your fragrances from now.
Trust me, Amia Body has been my perfume plug too! I love being able to buy smaller fragrances, try different scents and change things up without spending a fortune.
So I'm going to miss it just as much as you are.
But beyond the perfumes, I will miss the people, the memories and the experience of building something alongside Esther and Gloria.
I'm grateful for the customers who supported us, the team who worked with us, and everyone who encouraged us along the way.
Amia Body has been a beautiful learning platform.
It has given us new friendships, networks, business experience and opportunities we might never have had if we'd been too afraid to start.
And for that, I am incredibly grateful.
A Final Reflection
As I look back on almost four years of Amia Body, I see a business that started as an idea between friends, grew into something meaningful, served customers, generated income and taught us valuable lessons.
I see evidence of God's faithfulness.
I see a community that showed up for us in ways we could never have imagined.
And I see three women who had the courage to start something, build it and eventually recognize when it was time to move on.
Perhaps that's what this season is teaching me most. That growth doesn't always look like adding more.
Sometimes growth looks like making difficult decisions, acknowledging your limitations and creating room for the next chapter. You can also watch my full YouTube video, where I share more about our Amia Body journey, why we're closing and the lessons I've learned along the way. We are closing our business, Here's why
So here's to Amia Body.
To the customers who loved our perfumes.
To the memories that still make me laugh.
To the lessons that have made me a better entrepreneur.
And to whatever God has planned for the next season.
Thank you for being part of our journey.
With love,
Lisa