As a 19 year-old, you are expected to be dependent on your parents, schooling, living under your parents’ roof and pretty much still collecting all sorts of allowances from you parents.

Of course that’s all 19 year-olds do but not beautiful and clearly enterprising Shelly Usman who has already carved a niche for herself in the business space. Not only as a business owner but as an owner of several businesses.

Shelly Usman, who was born to a Nigerian father and German mother but raised mostly in Zimbabwe left the shadows of her parents to begin life as a music artist and a model. She actually started doing music in 2017 but that dream was short-lived because of the complexities of the Nigerian music industry which had left many budding, aspiring artists disenchanted.

“I started singing in 2017. I have a passion for music , but I had to stop because at that time I did not understand the industry and it also needed a lot of money to venture into as I was doing it alone,” she offered her reason.

For Shelly Usman, not being able to pursue a music career didn’t put paid to her dream of making a success of her life. When music didn’t work the Nigerian-Germain turned her attention to business. And since she started humbly the story has not ended as her coasts enlarged even more.

She narrated : “I started business when I came to Nigeria in 2018. I opened a saloon and boutique in Fola Osibo. Lekki

“After some time, I moved to another location and started a bigger saloon and lounge in Lekki, Emma Abimbola Cole Street called Chillax Lounge. In 2019 I started another business having my own beauty line called Sheuman Beauty

“I also had a beverage company which I started called Chillax Beverages Company where I distributed gourmets and cocktail syrups to restaurants and lounges in Lagos.”

Shelly Usman was born March 24, 1999 in Zimbabwe. She hails from Mbaitolu Ogwa in Imo State. She was raised in Zimbabwe until age 19 when her curiosity about her roots took hold of her. She came to Nigeria and there another chapter opened in her life. The entrepreneurial spirit in her came to the fore.

“I like making money that’s why I started these businesses although I’m young and was prone to making mistakes which I did make and greatly learnt from to make myself a better person today,” she admits.

“I moved to Nigeria to start my life as an adult and to know more about my culture … Zimbabwe is a peaceful country but I would prefer Nigeria because it has so many opportunities. Like they say, it’s a country of ‘greenland, ‘ she added.