The Oxygen (Hope) level here is very low and it’s very dark, you ever wonder if the sun would be able to stretch itself to you as you cry for illumination in the loneliest part of man’s existence. It’s so rocky in here, hard to survive the daily tussle of being you, it’s so rocky because of the stones of hatred, jealousy and unconstructed criticism thrown on you by everyone that should have supported and loved you. Why does love have to hurt? As you caress your scars and leak your wounds like a dog so you could heal. Does it really have to get this bad? You ask yourself because the only thing you’ve done wrong is to rightfully dream of beautifying the world with the treasures of your heart, which seems to be in shambles, broken pieces of everything you’ve ever cherished. Could it ever be whole again? If you were to be in the state that Sametta George found herself, Would you ever recover? Turn things around , transform from being the shadows of yourself and start looking like a Billion Box of dollars. How would you find strength at rock bottom?
“ I lost a business I managed for someone from scratch till it reached this far. One day I got a call that someone was taking over and I should turn everything I had over to them.. I cried and couldn’t believe all my efforts going to be waste..At that point i regretted being loyal”
Being a successful Liberian Entrepreneur is nothing more than trying to put a camel through a needles eye. Then to talk of Loyalty, it’s easier to find diamonds in our country than to find someone who would be loyal. Whether in business, Romance, Friendship or whatsoever! Loyalty just seems to be something that’s rare and Sametta is one of those very few souls that still convey this virtue with pride. Her loyalty was rubbed in the mud. She got to that frozen point, where she wished she was cold all her life, so she wouldn’t have gotten used and dumped. She thought the exploitation was going to stop there! Did it? “The same year, I lost a very important person (my relationship). This three years relationship thought me a lot I can never forget… Most times I cried myself to sleep cause the thought of starting over was so scary ”. How nasty could it have been? As loyalty took on the head of Medusa, Sametta would have sworn off love or never to genuinely support anyone again! Anyways, Did she?
“So 2022 December I cut my hair, and it made me feel a lot more better. I still had hope that things would get better but again I am a human.. Was ready to brace 2023 not knowing what it had in store for me”
During the time of old in Africa, A woman shaving off her hair was a symbol of shame and mourning. Was Sametta lying to herself that embracing a new look was the path to a happier life or she was living out her depression as she mourned her broken heart without even knowing it? Actually, A bolder look was an awakening, these days shaving your hair is a celebration of not being placed into a box or an idea of how a woman should look or behave in the society. It uplifts you into the status of a warrior a strong woman , Do you know the tale of the Dahomey Amazons? If you don’t, search it up or try to watch the movie “The woman King”. Sametta was at the edge of a new path and the bald look was a statement to herself, saying she’s ready for the battles ahead.
“So I decided to ask family members for help to start my own business. The ones overseas didn’t see the need to invest in my business but that’s ok.. I couldn’t take a loan cause I wasn’t qualified for a loan yet. So my mom took the loan and gave me $600USD. And I was told to get a place(a shop) and she paid my six months rent and left me to do the rest.. My body dropped. At day I wear a smile and at night I cry myself to bed. Thinking of what society will think about me. Day by day we got the place fixed.. Thanks to my only brother Sampson for helping me out..”
As much as things were picking up gradually for Sametta as an entrepreneur, the memories of her past love life was resting at the shores of her heart, refusing to be washed away by her attempt to forget the man she truly loved. “Things got really bad for me as a single mom. My son was also affected by what I faced. He was broken cause he knew this guy even more than he knew his own father. He saw me cry all the time and will say sorry and cry with me too.” The question here is, Do you think hardworking single mothers get appreciated and loved enough?
I once heard from a wise one that a woman’s education, business or whatsoever thing she does isn’t as important as her romantic life and that’s because a broken heart can destroy her urge to make any other thing in her life function properly. Would you agree? It took so much strength for Sametta to crawl out of the dark abyss of tormenting emotions.
“Started to exercise cause the pressure was just too much. Sent money for goods but couldn’t get it. The anxiety was so high. Started going out with friends so I won’t be that hurt.”
The break of dawn came as February 2, 2023 brought its blessing, Sametta began to make sales as customers got stuck with her. But hey! Sometimes, a good start doesn’t mean bad and irritating incidents wouldn’t occur and it still doesn’t mean because bad things resurfaced is the end of good things showing up once again in our lives. It’s like a roller coaster until you find your balance.
“Things were going slow. I never had items my customers wanted because what I had to invest in my business was so little. I looked around and decided to sell my car cause it was a liability to me. So I sold it and invested in the business since I am still not qualify for the loan. Since I still had access to the old business page cause it was attached to my personal page, so l rebranded the name to SMOG cosmetics..And I also made a new logo..
SMOG COSMETICS. Woooooow! after buying and reselling, I received my first goods. I started to see things happening, realised that patience and hardwork pays.. Started smog cosmetics to feel better again and I started to put the same effort from the previous business to my own business. Through hardwork.. I was able to move to a bigger and better place.. I started to see the growth. God is indeed faithful. Again I received my second batch of goods.. While my goods from America was being delayed, God gave me a vendor from Germany and he is a good guy and knows his job so much..One door closed God open other doors.. When I received this goods my son said “Mama the shop getting pack small small ooo”… Yes baby we are getting”.
Was this the end of turbulent days for Sametta?
“While battling the struggle of retrieving my business and myself, I was taken to court the entire 2023 by my son’s father, that broke me down again and my small money I had, was going directly into paying lawyers and transportation.. Don’t ask me why cause it will be so unbelievable. I still didn’t regret having my son.”
The ghost of her dead relationship with her son’s father came haunting and the perfect decoy to break her down was to use what they both had in common. Sametta survived this too as she became so fond of overcoming troubles, it became a sport she was so good at winning at. The court case would have been a major distraction from the greatness that was ahead of her
“And then our long awaited goods came. See class!! Good thing is; we are now the best cosmetics business in Liberia.Lord! we aren’t there yet but we are trusting the process. When these came; I couldn’t believe we have reached this far.. I will keep reinvesting till | reach to where I want to be.. I want this (SMOG Cosmetics to be Liberia biggest cosmetics company.”
Sametta lost the custody of her beloved son to his dad, but as much as she loves her son so much, she didn’t let it break her as she saw the good side of all that happened as a way of giving her time to become a better mother. It’s not a lie that good things do come to those that wait upon the lord. So let me ask, If you find yourself at rock bottom, would you be a Sametta George or you would give up?
