Boss Lady at 17

How Deborah turned one idea to a business

Your thoughts (38)

My name is Deborah and I live in a small town in Enugu. In my town, there are many small businesses. One of such business belongs to Madam Uju, who sells vegetables. She is someone I have come to know very well overtime.

Two years ago, Madam Uju was worried about the future of her business. Her suppliers were going to shut down their business. This meant she also would have to close her business or look for a new supplier fast.

I knew her family depended on her income, so, I decided to help.

I started by asking some business owners about their suppliers. Soon, I had a list of farmers in our area she could source from.

Then, it occurred to me, what if I become a vegetable supplier?

It seemed like a good idea. So, I asked my dad if I could speak to some farmers to ask if they’d be willing to teach me how to grow vegetables.

My dad agreed. He even, gave me a few pointers on how to approach the farmers. He told me to explain to them that I was thinking of growing and selling my own vegetables in order to help Madam Uju as well as my family.

One farmer agreed to teach me. He taught me about using the right soil, correct planting techniques, how to control pests and when to harvest.

After my training, my dad gave me some money to start my first vegetable farm.

At first, I only had a few vegetables to use for our family and sell to friends, but soon my farm began to flourish. This gave me the opportunity to start selling to small businesses, like Madam Uju’s.

Today, I sell to a few small businesses who then sell to the local people in our town, and we’re all benefiting from this new system.

If you have an idea – “Big or Small” – just take that first step in asking someone for help or advice. If you feel too scared or shy, write down your goal, and how you think you can achieve it. Then, face up to your fears, take a deep breath and go for it!

You might not strike gold at first, but don’t give up. I never thought I’d learn so much from a farmer or from Madam Uju, but I’ve learnt that you don’t have to look far to find a great mentor.

Want to read more inspiring stories like this one? Then head to our Springster Facebook page and connect with a community of girls just like you! - https://www.facebook.com/heyspringster

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Your thoughts

Odionmary176

Wow l've always want to make money my self.

Aug. 30, 2022, 3:14 p.m.

Latest Reply
Odionmary176

any business that requires small capital to start with?

At Times I Ave D Mind of Painting new thins but i dont where 2 start 4rm

March 20, 2022, 7:54 p.m.

Ok

March 20, 2022, 7:54 p.m.

Ok

March 20, 2022, 7:54 p.m.

Ok. What is your Facebook username.

March 20, 2022, 7:54 p.m.

Ok

March 20, 2022, 7:54 p.m.

Hi everyone

March 20, 2022, 7:54 p.m.

Greetings all! I'm an SSS 2 student and I want to own a business in university so I can help my parents in the payment of my fees. What should I do, please?? Thank you!

March 20, 2022, 7:54 p.m.

Latest Reply

Hey Rusia! Thanks for the comment. There are so many business options you can try out. The best thing to do is to look out to start a business based on your interest so that it will be easy to sustain. So if you like to cook, you can start a business that involves food/cooking, if you like to read and are good in your studies, you can become a personal tutor and make money from it. If you love fashion, you can start a business in fashion. The list is endless... all you need is to know exactly what it is that you like and have interest. This is the first step to starting a business. We wish you all the best and we hope this helps

Hi everyone am Eunice Ozemoya I would love to be a pharmacist. So I decided on writing article on health drugs from this year.I need you guess help to help me help others to be healthy and balance. I really need you guess to follow on IG,LinkedIn and fiverr @ ozemoyaeunice.

March 20, 2022, 7:54 p.m.

my fellow sisters please this topic just made me cry because I am been treated badly, I have no parents to carter for me, I managed to see myself through school and now I want to learn tailoring. i need money to buy a sewing machine worth about 80,000 naira please I don't have anywhere else to go.. help your fellow sister please because we all are here to help each other in every way we can.. thank you all

March 20, 2022, 7:54 p.m.

Latest Reply

Hey gracey! Thanks for the comment. We are so sorry about what you are going through. When there is life, there is hope. We advise that you get a job or start a business to save money to buy a machine or you start learning how to sew and then save up some money while you perfect your skills to make money to buy a machine. We love your enthusiasm and your will to make it. We hope this helps

it true

March 20, 2022, 7:54 p.m.

Latest Reply

Hi

hi

life is just too hard for me,but I think with money nothing is impossible, have always wish to become a great women in the society but nobody help me financially, had it been there is money I think I can make it with just having my own farm land or opening my shop to sell goods...., though I wish to continue my education but I have financial problem,I think if I can see help I will surely make it?

March 20, 2022, 7:54 p.m.

Latest Reply

Hi kemzy i pray ur dream comes true

Hey kemzy! Thanks for the comment. We are so sorry about how you feel but you need to know that money is not necessarily the key to happiness. We know that it is hard to accept this but you can still be a great woman but not totally by getting money but by doing great things or influencing your society and even starting a business. We believe in you and we hope this helps

I have a skill I've acquired. M a baker n caterer... I just need ways in which I can work...m a student of anatomy too I need to expand like learn a lot so I can be soo independent I have my parents and siblings, they're really supportive though This year I want to be a boss of my own, a CEO and independent I pray God helps me...

March 20, 2022, 7:54 p.m.

Latest Reply

Hey phellysia! Thanks for the comment. You have great skills that are really essential. Keep up the good job and know that we believe in you.

good morning everyone, I'm new here. I'm a 200level student, i knw how to make hair, but not really well, i really want to make money through this, but I feel I'm not good enough bcos I dnt knw how to make many styles, I would have loved to learn but my academics is time consuming, I dnt knw what to do

March 20, 2022, 7:54 p.m.

Latest Reply

Hey favetombra! Thanks for the comment. All you need to do is to start. Start with what you know and then learn more later but just start! You will improve as you go on and we are sure that this will be a decision you will he happy you made. We hope this helps

I figured out that I could make purse, but the bad news is.................. I'm stuck at home.

March 20, 2022, 7:54 p.m.

I can make cupcakes but I don't have capital to start the cake business.

March 20, 2022, 7:54 p.m.

Latest Reply

Hey Vera! Thanks for the comment. You do not need a lot of capital to start. Cupcakes are everyone's favorites. What you need to do is to start with the little you have. With this, you need to work based on trust and then tell people you know that you can make cupcakes for different celebrations. You can also collect an upfront payment which will cover the production cost. These are ways to make money without capital. We hope this helps

Waoh that's nice , I really want to know how to do that too.

I can draw mostly flowers even without looking from a source but I love singing the most which is why I joined my church choir but I really want to go far like Justin biebier

March 20, 2022, 7:54 p.m.

i can read a whole novel in just 1 day

March 20, 2022, 7:54 p.m.

I can read more 10 story book ina day

March 20, 2022, 7:54 p.m.

i want to publish a story book

March 20, 2022, 7:54 p.m.

nice one

March 20, 2022, 7:54 p.m.

I want to start a hair making business in my house but the landlady is also involved in the business, how will I go about it

March 20, 2022, 7:54 p.m.

Latest Reply

Hey seeteeter! Thanks for the comment. theirs is no particular manual on how to have sex with a lady, Just make sure you are matured enough and the girl in question as well. Make sure you both are ready for all that comes with it, it should also be a mutual agreement between both individuals and no one is forcing the other person. we also advice that you speak to a trusted adult about it, We hope this helps.

Hey bosede1! Thanks for the comment. We are so glad that you are willing to start a business. Well done! There are several ways to go about the business without looking like a competition. You should try doing home service. By doing this, you get to make your customer's hair in the comfort of their homes and this can even generate more business for you. Here how; once you make hair and others around like it, they will definitely want you to come back or instantly tell you to make it for them. We are sure this idea will work. All the best. We hope this helps

Nice one

March 20, 2022, 7:53 p.m.

I want to start selling ladies wear but am living in a new site. How am i going to go with it that people will start patronizing me

March 20, 2022, 7:53 p.m.

I lv making beads but I don't have a capital. what should I do Big sis?

March 20, 2022, 7:53 p.m.

Big sis!! Is it right for a girl of age sixteen to hawk goods on d road?

March 20, 2022, 7:53 p.m.