I have always had a flair for business. Having to bargain and still put smiles on customers’ faces makes me glad
Before my brand Muni kampala was born, I ventured into so many enterprises. I sold baby ‘pull up’ diapers at trade fair Oshodi, Lagos State. I was a wholesale dealer. I remember that my sister-in-law would help me transport my goods from the market to retailers in Ikorodu. Other times, I would have to carry the goods on my head while boarding public transport in order to deliver the goods personally to customers.This I did for almost a year and it was profitable at that time. However something unfortunate happened, which led to the end of my diaper business. I had taken the WASSCE examinations and failed Mathematics; this forced my parents to ask that I quit my business and fully concentrate on my studies as well as acquire a degree. As an obedient child, I did as I was told.
While awaiting the results for my second WASSCE examinations, I began to sell zobo juice, snacks and footwear. As providence would have it, I passed and got admitted into Augustine University. One of the university’s rules was that all students were to live on campus so I had to put my business ventures on hold.
In my second year, a friend introduced me to an online business. Without proper planning on how to run and manage my finances, I started the online business while trying to balance it with my studies. Inevitably, the business crashed. This however, did not deter me from still wanting to run my own business. So I began selling non-branded skin kits on campus. I vividly remember selling about five hundred pieces of foreign skin kits with my tools within a month.
Upon graduation from AUI, I once again was compelled to stop my skin product business! This time not because my business collapsed but as a result of the compulsory one year NYSC programme. I was posted to Abeokuta for my service and behold, that was where MUNI KAMPALA started.
I worked with a company in Abeokuta that sponsored its employees to study digital marketing and other important online courses. So I learned how to use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp and other social media platforms for marketing. This opportunity served as an additional growth to my business brand. I remember coming across a multi-billion entrepreneur on YouTube. She shared some secrets on how she became successful in business and I found myself holding on to those secrets. She outlined them as follows:
•Come up with a unique brand name.
•Always go into a business with the intentions of solving a problem.
•Your product or services must be a solution to your community problem.
•Consider your loss more than your profit.
•Never think about your profits first in starting a business.
•Always make a difference with your brand and upgrade yearly.
With these secrets on how to run a successfulbusiness, I was able to come up with the brand nameMuni Kampala. The word ‘Muni’ originated from my Muslim name ‘Muninat’.The sole aim of my brand is to promote awareness of traditional cotton materials that appear to have been abandoned and replaced with western cotton fabrics or materials.
After coining a brand name, I went ahead to properly acquaint myself with the modalities of the tie-dye business before venturing into it. I learnt the trade from elderly women at Itokun,Abeokuta. The women taught me how to make many types of Kampala and how to know original Adire materials. This treasured knowledge I merged with modern videos from YouTube.
I started my business by buying different fabrics at wholesale price and reselling at retail price. I also bought plain white tops at wholesale price, then designed the plain white tops to the costumers’ preferred tie-dye colors. Initially, there was low demand of goods. So I had to re-strategize and make use of my social media platforms more.I kept updating my business accounts frequently. It was extremely difficult but I eventually knew the right content to put on my social media pages. Now, my sales have improved remarkably.
Recently, we introduced Muni Causal Wears- swimming wears and tote bags. Muni local fabrics can also be used for things like bags, bed-sheet, table covers, throw pillows, jotters, etc. We also have Muni footwears on our online platforms. The business pages on Instagram are @munikampala and @munifootwears.
In my opinion, any individual going into a specific business or trade should bear in mind that they must be ready to make a difference in the market system by solving problems constantly. This is because consumer consideration is what makes your business or service standout. Remember, change is inevitable when running a business.
- Shitta-bey Kehinde (ENG ’19)