The three P’s.

Passion, perseverance, persistence.

Hellen Ohwofasa’s recipe for business success.

And what a success.

From the most difficult of backgrounds – her mother left her at the age of two weeks – to now.

Happily married, proud mother of three and the owner of a successful beauty business.

In fact, you could write a book about her life to date.

Oh, did we forget to mention that Hellen, 34, has also written and published two books?

She said: “I do feel proud at what I’ve achieved.

“Sometimes I ask myself: ‘How did I do that?

“But, apart from the three P’s, I’ve had the most amazing support from my husband, Efe.

“I really couldn’t have done it without him.”

Hellen and Efe on their wedding day in 2009.

Hellen, who was born in Zimbabwe, was brought up by her grandparents and aunties.

They taught her how to fight her battles, use her hands and work hard to fulfil her desires.

But, she said: “Because l grew up without my biological parents l always felt l was an outcast.

“A rejected, unloved child.

“My grandparents and aunties loved me so much but that can’t be compared to motherly love, can it?

“Growing up, I always admired my older sister and my other siblings who lived with my biological mother, wishing l could be loved as much as they were.

“I really respect my grandparents for raising me the way they did.

“They were, and still are, a strong and hardworking couple.”

In 2005 – and at the age of 18 – she emigrated to the UK to live with her biological mother.

From her teens Hellen had developed a passion for the beauty industry but was persuaded by her mother to enrol in college for an access to nursing course.

By day she studied, by night she worked in a care home.

Hellen successfully finished the course but, she said: “l realised this was all wrong.

“I had wasted my year doing something l totally hated.

“l left the nursing path but continued working as a carer in care homes, working long shifts and long hours in a job I hated.”

And then, at the age of 21, she met her future husband, Efe, – they married in 2009 – and her life changed forever.

Hellen said: “He is a professional life coach, a motivational speaker who, with his coaching skills, asked me some thought-provoking questions.

“I can still remember it, as if it was yesterday, when he asked me: ‘What would you really love to do?’

“With a big smile on my face, I said I’ve always liked beauty and would like to start and build a career in the beauty industry.

“Efe encouraged me to make some enquires about studying beauty in the college.

“I ended up enrolling to study beauty at Bournemouth and Poole College that same year.

“A new life and a greater adventure began.”

The studying, though, proved somewhat eventful.

Hellen started the first term 20 weeks pregnant with her first son but chose not to tell her tutor.

But at 24 weeks the evidence was clear to see.

She said: “l was getting bigger and more tired.

“I had no choice than to approach my tutor and tell her.

“She told me how hard things would become as the pregnancy progressed and I could drop out and enrol the following year once the baby was born.

“Of course, I refused!

“She was right, l did struggle. It was hard.

“Simple things became harder and harder like getting out of bed.

“Thank heavens my husband was there to lift me out and enable me to prepare.

“l struggled throughout the course but l found that my husband, and my tutors, supported me all the way and l gave birth to a baby boy.

“To demonstrate how dedicated I was in my chosen career, two weeks after I had my baby, I went back to school to continue my studies in college.

“Bless him, my extremely steady spouse, did his best to help me all through.

“When I was in school, he was at home looking after our little boy, Nathaniel.

“As hard as it was leaving my two-week-old baby at home with my husband so l could finish my course l needed to keep my head up, with assurance, tirelessness and enthusiasm.

“l finished with straight distinctions.”

In 2012, Hellen started her own beauty business, Fantabulous Styles, in Winton.

She said: “It was really, really hard.

“l started it from scratch, with savings and no bank loan.

“I survived two attempts to close me down by bailiffs.

“But I invented a product, overnight cuticle serum, and my fortunes began to change.”

Hellen, who went onto have a second son as well as a daughter, later rebranded the business as 3D Pro Lashes.

Today it employs two staff, albeit furloughed, with a further two ready to join when trading returns to normal.

Meanwhile Hellen has invented, and sells, a range of other products with a new one – Effortless eyeliner pen – due for release this month.

Her two books – ‘Equipped to dominate: Discover God’s kingdom keys to business success’ and ‘Fit for success: The power of an educated mind’ – are both available through Amazon.

Hellen was recently invited back to Bournemouth & Poole College to share her story of starting the business and achieving success as an employer in the beauty industry.

Since graduating from the college, she has offered work-placement opportunities to more than 20 college students and employed up to five students.

“I’d like to give back to the community by doing more training and mentoring with the college as well as continue my personal development and expand my product range,” said Hellen who lives in Bournemouth.

She added: “I also want to do more charitable work, particularly helping young girls who may be struggling at school.

“I may even create my own charity platform to help students.

“l’m also now on a mission to fully establish my lash training academy with the goal of coaching, mentoring and certifying young girls and professionals to start, build and grow a successful career in the lash and beauty industry.”

• 3dprolashes.com