AN ENTREPRENEURIAL ENVY

This week’s Hive Naija prompt made me remember my childhood days. Growing up, I have always liked the idea of making and styling hair. My mother is naturally gifted when it comes to making hair, so I guess I got my talent from her. When I was younger, although I wasn’t as skilled as I am today, I used to make hair for my friends and neighbors and got money in return. Sometimes, the tip was huge and other times it was just little. But the money wasn’t why I kept on making hair for people. I saw it as my business. Many times, I would imagine myself in a big salon making hair for rich and big customers.

For me, making hair is not only a business, it is my hobby. It is something I love and enjoy doing. It is also something that has helped me many times. A few months ago, a friend came to me and said she wanted her hair do. I told her the amount I would need to get the necessary things, and surprisingly, she gave me the money instantly. That same evening, I went to the market and got attachments. I fixed the appointment for the weekend. Making the hair took hours, but I was more fulfilled when I saw that it turned out well. Making hair as a student is one of the things that put food on my table. The money I get can sometimes be small, but at least it is something.

Many times, people have come to me and say, “this hair styling business is not for me.” While some people say they find it difficult to relate with customers who complain a lot, others say they find it difficult to sit or stand in a particular position while making hair. I find this surprising, because for me, I don’t find these things difficult at all. However, there are some business I admire, but I can never imagine myself doing. Just as people tell me “hair styling is not for me,” there are so many businesses that are not for me. For this week’s Hive Naija prompt, the community aks us an interesting question; what business do you admire from afar but you do not see yourself doing?

For me, what business I admire but might not be able to do is clothing business. I admire those who sell clothes, whether online on offline, but looking at the business, it takes a lot of time, effort, consistency and connection. If you want to sell clothes online, you have to learn how to buy in bulk from organizations in other countries. I know of a person who buys her goods from china. She told me she took classes on how to do these things. You also have to build a strong connection with customers. Of course, there is no business where you won’t need to build a good relationship with your customers, but in my country, there are so many people that are into this business, and if you don’t build trust with your customers, they’ll find other places to buy their products.

I have the potentials to succeed in whatever I put my mind to, but there are just some business that I think are not for me. I don’t know what the future holds, but I guess if I see myself in the clothing industry, I’ll have to get used to it.