Starting the business was harder than Isaura Roberto had expected. Corsets were still unfamiliar to many Namibians, and introducing the product meant more than simply putting it on the shelf.
She spent months creating content, answering customers’ questions, and working with influencers to show people how to wear corsets and why women choose them. Building trust took time, she said.
“There were people who did not know what a corset was or why women wear one. We had to educate the market before we could grow the business,” she said.
Today, Roberto founded ARUASIS, a Windhoek-based fashion brand that specialises in vintage corsets, bralettes, and waist cinchers. The business now serves customers across Namibia and has expanded into other African countries, but it began with one unexpected moment during the Covid-19 pandemic.
While shopping at a mall in 2020, Roberto wore one of her favourite corsets. Throughout the day, more than 10 people stopped her to ask where she had bought it. The repeated question stayed on her mind long after she left the mall.
“I realised there were no corsets in Namibia, or perhaps they were very scarce. That is when I saw an opportunity,” she said. The idea grew into ARUASIS, launched in early 2021 with a mission to help women feel more confident about their bodies. Roberto said she had always wanted to become an entrepreneur.
She grew up in a business-minded family and dreamed of building something that would make a difference in people’s lives.
“I always wanted to create something that would impact lives and our society,” she said.
At the time, she was studying at university while working as a sales representative at Cash Converters Windhoek. She used her savings and her parents’ financial support to raise the money needed to start the business.
Although she believed in the idea, the first few months tested her determination.
Sales were slow, supplier prices kept rising, and many customers still needed to understand the product before buying.
“There were times I wanted to give up,” Roberto admitted.
Instead of walking away, she focused on the women who believed in her brand.
She said customer reviews became her biggest motivation.
“When women told us that ARUASIS had restored their confidence and made them feel good about themselves, it reminded me why I started.”
Five years later, she says the journey has only just begun.
ARUASIS now delivers products across Namibia and to customers in other African countries.
She said her business’s biggest achievement isn’t how much it has expanded, but the difference it has made in women’s lives.
“Our mission is to change the way women feel about their bodies and sizes because their happiness is our greatest satisfaction,” she said.
Roberto starts each morning by responding to customer messages and emails with help from her assistants, then moves on to marketing the business across its social media platforms. She also manages the brand’s daily operations to make sure everything reflects its identity.
Beyond ARUASIS, she also mentors entrepreneurs through Branding Namibia, a training platform she created to help businesses understand branding and marketing.
She has also written a branding and marketing training manual that helps entrepreneurs understand customer behaviour and what influences
buying decisions. Roberto believes branding has played a major role in ARUASIS’s success.
“Branding is not decoration. Branding is differentiation,” she said.
She explained that the business focuses on building customer relationships instead of simply making sales. “We want people to feel seen, heard and valued. If you focus on serving people, they will keep coming back,” she said.
The business currently employs two assistants, creating jobs for young people while supporting local businesses that supply packaging, uniforms, printing, and branding materials.
Like many small businesses, ARUASIS continues to face challenges.
Roberto said rising supplier costs remain one of the biggest pressures on the business, forcing it to adjust prices while trying to remain affordable.
Despite the challenges, she remains optimistic about the future.
“Five years later, I still feel like this is just the beginning. I want to do more and reach more women,” she said.
She added that, looking back on her journey, she believes entrepreneurship has taught her one lesson above all else.
“If you focus on serving instead of only selling, your business will grow. People remember how you make them feel, and that is what keeps them coming back,” she said.
The post Roberto building confidence, one corset at a time appeared first on New Era.