By: Oscar Sibanda
I believe that most of us have business dreams which we want to do but too many reasons and excuses which mainly it’s because of a lack of self-esteem. You don’t believe in yourself enough to start something because either your spouse tells you that you are useless or probably not giving you the moral support you deem necessary to begin. Doing a business is a revelation on its own, the little idea you have is enough to get you started.
No one will give you approval because starting a business should not be a “mob psychology” decision based otherwise you won’t be consistent in it. Just because your neighbor is doing broiler chickens, selling bales, etc doesn’t mean you should do the same. If you copy then that means you may be jealous, desperate to fit in, and for all the wrong reasons going forward, this is why you won’t experience growth.
One of the most challenges people face is pulling the trigger and taking action, you read books, you go to church seeking validation, you go to sports bars to discuss useless things that won’t contribute to your pension or take care of your wife when she gets sick. You are shackled by your parent’s sin this is why when you are growing up the only thing you wish to become is what you think your society will approve of or sees it way above them which is totally wrong.
You do a business to solve a problem for yourself whether it’s money related or the solution you have is convenient enough that you can also assist other people which determines the market share of the solution. Doing a business because of passion is rare therefore it should start with work ethics and values to produce viable results.
Some of you may want to do a business but you feel it’s crowded already which is not a problem at all. You shouldn’t be afraid of competition but learn to strive from being the number last. In Ndebele there is a saying that “Indla muvua yinkosi” meaning the last one on the queue for food gets so much which is true when viewed from a positive perspective. The only way to notice a gap is by letting the other fisherman cast their own net to catch the fish in which that little knowledge of identifying where the net has not been cast is your strength and starting point.
Once you start the business fully learn the processes involved. Your business is a true reflection of who you are in your heart and mind. The misconception people have is being your own boss is being free from control, having free time, waking up any time, paying yourself this big fat salary to meet your wants and desires, commanding and being listened to, etc (all the wrong reasons).
Being your own boss comes with the courage to solve problems efficiently and effectively, the customers and clients hold you accountable for every action you do, you have to give yourself to learn through the process and not bypass or have any shortcuts. How do you expect to compete with Irvines or Big brother when you don’t even know how to rear chickens yourself? Being your own boss means less expectation of anyone, less reliance or dependence, and more accountability. The current stock you have and book balances are reflecting the self-esteem and belief you have in your business.
Avoid employing in your business the first year so that you learn all the processes through the mistakes you will make, markets are self-correcting in which when you make mistakes or have problems you get to learn as you understand your market. Rushing to have employees and fancy offices is not business because there are no incomes generated through that. An employee is part of an asset in the company or business to increase revenue, not hero worship you.
Be the first employee for your business because business systems and processes are only understood when you know the ins and outs of the business which you can teach and give to employees for use. Business fundamentals once understood and established, it’s easy to program and prepare for success as you would be knowing the market trends, and skills to strengthen.
The chaos comes when you want to do everything at once, be successful enough with one product, and have a clear concept of it so as to invest in the next problem-solving skill, compounding your problem-solving skills will help you develop predictable cashflow revenues and be financially backed up or having enough capital without borrowing loans or having debt. There’s no shortcut or need to rush for the CEO’s seat so as to take selfies in a fancy office that bleeds your wallet. In focusing on one product will enable you to stream operational costs (labour, utility costs, etc.) Overtime is done by the first employee of the business so as to have comprehensive information about one business.
Key steps to business success growth.
1) Have daily goals
2) Feedback as to what was accomplished and challenges to the daily goals set.
3)Resolutions on the challenges you had in accomplishing the goals you had set for the day.
Automatically this system will set new habits and a procedure to follow.
Effective Time Management
Time is money same applies to business. A lot of time is spent on irrelevant efforts, for example, you are doing poultry for example broilers and you wait for customers to buy full chickens yet you had a problem of mortality, instead, learn and study the chicken’s structure and be able to postmortem yourself so that you are not only selling the chickens but a service provider and expert to other growers who have the same challenges this will give you what we call competitive edge and knowledge as to how you can turn such a loss as a substantive income to hold loss as you can do chicken cuts provided you know the hazards. Knowledge is for free on the internet you don’t need to be going around gossiping or watching TV as though you can derive a revenue model.
The same applies to someone waiting for customers when you are selling/vending to industry workers instead you can improve your relationships with their authorities so that you are the next supplier of PPEs to them or you are going to grow your business to venture into their canteen, these are only examples meant to highlight the potential for growth with any industry you are operating in.
Improve your comfort zone through applying wisdom and intellectual capacity, there’s nothing that is intimidating with any big business, you can also achieve the same results only if you apply yourself.
Mr Oscar Sibanda., CEO and M.D Sure Farming Pvt (Ltd) and Neon Brands Holdings Pvt (Ltd)
0718239191
