I once heard a story about a family. The Family Poor no be here! They could barely feed. I can’t even remember how the story began because I was more interested in the ending. Sometimes, I to look at my Pay check, and wonder how people survive in this country. How can a family man with little or no income pay his house rent, feed his family and pay the fees of his kids?
I look at families that
live in what we call the Batcher Quarters and I wonder how they manage. Imagine
a family man earning N40,000
every month in a City like Port Harcourt, Lagos, Abuja and even Owerri. With
the rate the Government Schools are failing and dilapidating, private schools
are the only options left. Even the Mushroom-backyard-room and parlour private
schools are increasing their fees. You can barely see a Private School that
collects less than N20,000 as
School Fees. The times get as e be. So, I wonder, how these people survive with
the squad that they are training in their Batcher Quarters.
Back to my story. Things got so bad for this family that they
couldn’t afford their house rent anymore. So, how can they afford the school
fees for their kids and other basic necessities? One day, a concerned friend
took the man’s wife to a church program. During one of the meeting sessions,
one of the Speakers called out the woman, held her hands and said “I see money
in your hands. You will touch money”. This woman was not feeling the vibes as
she knows that she was a poor human being. Then the Preacher went further and
asked her “Can you cook?” The woman replied in the affirmative. But she
wondered what her hands had to do with liberating her family from extreme
poverty and how cooking will put money into her hands.
So, the story had it that she was encouraged by everyone around
her to start. Now, hear me! This was long time ago and it happened in Aba.
So, let’s examine how she started her Food business.
The first thing she did was to conceive an IDEA. Do you have an idea? Or you just want to start a business
because other people in your neighbourhood is doing well in that business.
Anyway, her idea was to start a “MAMA-PUT” Business.
The next thing she did was to raise CAPITAL. She borrowed something like N2,000 from a concerned friend who in this case was an Angel
Investor because it was an interest free loan. Most times, such loans are just
to encourage the person to start something so that there will be no excuse not
to start. You should know that START UP
CAPITAL is not only for RE-CURRENT EXPENDITURES but also for CAPITAL
EXPENDITURES. Now, tell me how N2,000 can buy all the Pots, Stoves, Plates,
etc. that she need to start the Business. Of course, the Money borrowed was
just for buying the food items to cook. Now, listen to me! RAISING CAPITAL IS
NOT JUST ABOUT RAISING CASH. Look around you, there are items in your
possessions that could form as ASSETS to start your business today! You must
not wait until there is Money to buy all your dream equipment. Look at that
Grand Pa’s Sewing Machine beside you. Look at that egusi and pepper grinding
machine that has been in the backyard since you were born. Look at that bicycle
that is wasting at the corner. Look at that Table that has one bad leg and
nobody is using it. Just look at what is around you that could fit into your IDEA. Use it! If it is not your own, go
and meet the owner and tell him or her that Uma said that “the Master would
have use of it”. Be Bold. Try it! Better Days ahead!
The third thing she did was to find a good LOCATION. Location is very important in Business. Where is your
business Location? Is your Business Located where the MARKET of your Business
is? Your Potential Customers is your Market. She went to the popular Ahia Ohuru
(New Market) in Aba and got a location.
The fourth thing she did was to develop a STRATEGY. There was a woman who also runs MAMA-PUT business in the
Location she located. The woman sells her food in the afternoon when the Market
People will take lunch from 1pm till evening. So, she allowed this our new
Business woman to use her stall from Morning till she comes in the afternoon.
So, our woman got what she wanted. Another Strategy was to enter the Market
small. So, she bought few cups of rice and arrange small MAMA PUT for the first
week.
The next thing she did was to STAFF her business. Most times it is not easy for Small Start Ups
to employ someone immediately that start their business. It is because most of
these small businesses are personalized. That is “ONE MAN BUSINESS”. But,
again, look around you. There are Potential Staff everywhere. That your nice
church boy that you like sending on an errand. That neighbor’s child that can
do anything. That pre-NYSC girl that is always at home. There is always someone
you can convert to a staff and most times all they just need is feeding and
transport and an opportunity to learn something new. Just try it! For this
woman, she picked her House-maid and they went into the Market with their
MAMA-PUT.
The sixth thing she did is to CREATE HER OWN NICHE! According to the story, her food was too
tasty. Don’t ask me any more question. The Pastor had told her that she was
DESTINED TO COOK and she never knew this all her life. It is possible that she
knew but did not know how to start. What are you destined to do? Or, what do you
like to do? Before the owner of the stall comes for the Afternoon shift, our
business woman has finished selling her food. What was so special about her
food that the demand grew? Her Niche! Something about her Jollof rice. Don’t
ask me what it is. I was not there.
Can you guess what will likely happen next? In business, when
you know that your Market is selling, you need to consolidate your Customers.
The seventh and eighth thing she did was to BUILD HER CUSTOMER BASE and EXPAND
her business. The few cups of rice she was cooking was no longer enough for her
customers because some people will finish eating their breakfast and still buy
the one they will eat in the afternoon. So, the afternoon MAMA PUT Woman began
to lose her Customers. See wahala! If na you, wetin you go do?
If you realize that the person you are trying to help by
allowing her to use your stall space from morning to 12 noon to sell the same
thing that you sell is now taking your customers who now preferred to eat from
her MAMA PUT in the Morning and buy for their lunch, what will you do?
- Tell her to stop using her space?
- Find out what she is doing to increase her sales and improve yours?
- Fight with her and call her witch and customers snatcher?
- Tell her to start paying rent?
- Swap shift with her and let her sell in the afternoon after you?
- Do something to spoil business for her?
- Be happy for her and continue with your business?
Be sincere, what will you do? Watch out for EVERYDAY PEOPLE next
Monday as we conclude on this story. Meanwhile, drop your answers to the above
question in the comment box below. Predict what the Owner of the Stall did when
her Customer base dropped and win a recharge card of any network.
Honestly,number 2 and 7.I thought you were about to describe how to cook stew.haha
ReplyDeleteHahahahahaha! You have a good heart naaaa! Make stew keee?
ReplyDeleteNo. 2
ReplyDeleteNkiruka, is that what you will do or what you think the woman did?
ReplyDelete