The Nation Newspaper

Category: Small Business and Entreprenuership

  • My story, by young entrepreneur

    My story, by young entrepreneur

     Sanmi Akindipe started out as a hawker. Now he owns a chain of businesses, DANIEL ESSIET reports.

    When he started business, no one gave him a chance.But today, he is a ‘collosus’ and a pride to the youth.

    For over 10 years, Sanmi Akindipe has been at the heart of investment forecasting and financial advisory business. This culminated in the birth of his firm, Set Group, a finance company which help people to manage wealth.

    He said starting a new business is second nature to him. The completion of one project comes with the thought of kicking off another.

    Akindipe started young – from his school days, he sold gala at Ojota, Lagos, because he “liked selling”.

    “It was fun. I love doing what I was doing then,” the young entrepreneur said.

    But he knew he needed to upgrade himself to join the emerging entrepreneurs who apply scientific methods to businesses.

    He received a degree in Accounting from the University of Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State and a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Lagos.

    After graduation, he started with a share forecasting business.

    Akindipe was among those who applied scientific methods to predict stocks and shares in the capital market in the early 2000.

    Then, he said the economy was recording a boom. Forecasters found a ready market. He built a business around his weekly forecasts—one that included his newsletters, syndicated columns, and a radio programme.The growth was driven by client wins nationwide, notably in Lagos and the Southwest.

    As he analysed stocks, he had a few business ideas in mind. After he made his first N1.5 million during the stock boom, Akindipe ploughed it into real estate.

    He mulled real estate as a potential big opportunity and set up a subsidiary to handle sestates in Lagos and Ogun states.

    One of his estates is in Ikorodu, Lagos.

    He has since extended his tentacles to imports, real estate and agriculture.

    He has also raised capital for all his ventures and given returns to investors.

    Akindipe said the idea for his various ventures stems from his experience of identifying the challenges and opportunities in each sector.

    Most of his entrepreneurial ventures have all been Greenfield ventures. This is obviously not the only way to start a business, but his preference has always been to look at areas where there are no large players.

    His used the strategy to create profit. His strategy is: start with passion and excitement. But more importantly, build a business from an objective. Without that, it would be difficult to make it, he said.

    His second-hand cars business is also thriving, thanks to his passion and a ready market.

    Akindipe has new discovery: getting more Nigerians involved in set up internet radio.

    He said there are a lot of opportunities for Nigerians to make money because people listen to radio at work, on the internet and at home.

    According to him, it is easy to set an internet radio with a little capital. Not up to N20, 000 a month. So, by being on the internet, blogging, my space, and through other public relations techniques, one gets many listeners.

    The way to make money is to have commercials on a radio show and talking about products to thousands of listeners on internet radio. That is where more money comes in for one. One can sell advertising time for a few naira, he said.

    With over a decade in business, he has become more matured, tolerant and patient. He believes there are people who are good at running a business from scratch.

    His belief is that one should have a strong passion for an idea and a conviction that the idea will work, adding that this is what makes him a winning entrepreneur.

    His motivation and drive to go through the teething problems is also key to success.

    Akindipe advises entrepreneurs to monitor their finances and have good relationships with stakeholders, such as banks, insurance companies and other service providers.

  • Group empowers 40

    A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Wazobia Widows Foundation of Nigeria, has donated cash and equipment to 40 widows in Ajegunle-Apapa, Lagos as part of activities marking its 11th anniversary.

    Its President, Pastor Benjamin Igoh, said he felt for the women, many of whom could not fend for themselves after the death of their husbands. He praised those who donated to the group, urging that they continue.

    Four women received N100,000 each. They were Mrs Linda Okpoto, Mrs M. Lawal, Mrs Evelyn Aakra and Mrs Janet Okeke. Others got new refrigerators, grinding machines and drinks , and rice, among others to boost their trade and enjoy the Easter.

    Wife of the Ifelodun Local Development Area (LCDA), Lagos State Alhaja Faliat Ajidagba, commended the group for the gesture. “I congratulate the foundation and wish you many more of this type of gathering. This gathering shows that God is with you (widows). It is only God that will help the widows.” She donated N10,00 and pledged N50,000 on behalf of her husband, Hon Fatai Ajidagba.

    The Secretary, Hair Dressers Association, Ajegunle, Mrs Patricia Funke Zuokeme, who canvassed assistance for widows, promised to train the children of members of the group, who are interested in her occupation, free.

    The guest speaker Rev Macaulay Ejoh said it was better to teach or give materials to beneficiaries who would use them for their good, rather them offering them tokens.

    He added: “The highest honour in life is to empower the less privileged, adding that Jesus, who watched the feet of his disciples, was demonstrating the principle of servant-leadership. Any position God puts you, know it is a responsibility to be a servant,” adding that it should be used to empower and serve others.

    Some members of the group praised Pastor Igoh for his assistance. Mrs Afusatu Kareem, a muslim, said the group not only help her son to gain admission to the University of Benin but also raised a sponsor Micura Services Nigeria for him in the five-year course. Mrs Victoria Edoh said the leader of the group was God sent. “It is easy to empower widows. Igoh knows how to approach people to get assistance,” she said.

    At the event were Majority Leader Ifelodun LCDA Lamidi Kareem, who chaired the ceremony; an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Friday Egbiyon, and Managing Director Global Ventures Limited Rasheed Bola Adekunle and Managing Director Mindset Media Limited Godday Odidi.

  • Women seek sustained GDP

    Some women entrepreneurs have urged the Federal Government to roll out economic policies that will sustain the rebased Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

    The women spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on the economy estimated at N80.3 trillion for last year.

    The Country Director, Centre for International Private Enterprises, Mrs Omowumi Gbadamosi, urged the officials who formulate economic policies to listen to ideas and issues raised by people.

    She said: “Listening to entrepreneurs will enable the government to improve the business climate and also grow the rebased GDP.

    “Our GDP is a result of entrepreneurial activity, but it is only in a healthy market an economy can bring an increased GDP.

    “This is because, a rise in the estimated size of the economy is the only way to a good livelihood for the people.’’

    The centre’s chief said despite the gloomy economy, the GDP showed a great hope for the economy and its people.

    President, NECA’s Network of Women Entrepreneur (NNEW), Mrs Fayo Williams, called on the government to ensure that the new GDP impacted positively on the citizens.

    Mrs Williams said poor business climate, which had led to the closure of many organisations, had affected the quality of life of many people.

    “Although we have a good rebased GDP, the challenges are still there. There is the need to get land for manufacturers to do their businesses.

    “There is the need to improve our infrastructure, create more access roads for business operations and create adequate credit facility for entrepreneurs,’’ she added.

  • ‘Innovation vital to entrepreneurship’

    ‘Innovation vital to entrepreneurship’

    For small business owners, who desire to become successful, embracing innovation remains the key to removing the stumbling block on their way to sustainable growth and productivity. Daniel Essiet reports.

    Vera Akpan, a micro entrepreneur, is off to a good start. Oremicraft, a craft firm she started as a hobby, has evolved into a thriving business focused on export of hand-made bags and accessories.

    Oremicraft, a child of the resourcefulness of Miss Akpan, a Masters’ holder in Public and International Affairs from the University of Lagos, produces handmade craft pieces, such as bags and accessories; wallets, bibs, hair pieces, and belts, among others, from local materials.

    The handmade goods not only enjoy tremendous patronage locally and internationally, her company’s exquisite pieces also competing favourably with designer bags manufactured in any part of the world in terms of quality, design and patronage.

    Miss Akpan told The Nation that the business of handmade bags and other accessories has become lucrative and is the rave of the moment.

    According to her, Nigerians have shown interest in local bags and accessories and are beginning to patronise them instead of foreign-made one. She said as the quality of the local handbags is improving, the patronage also increases. She, however, said the cost of the locally made products varies, depending on some factors, such as the maker’s expertise.

    Also, the value the maker places on her services, her location, the financial status of her client, and her strategy also count for how much a product is sold. Quality is, however, the most important factor. For instance, depending on quality of materials used, a customer could get a high quality handmade bag for N15, 000 or more.

    According to her, the business requires lots of creativity, artistry and energy. Whether artistic or not, she said the skills could be acquired by anyone who is interested in it. But how long the training takes depends on the level of creativity of the trainee.

    Operators said it is cheaper to set up the business. Miss Akpan disclosed that for as little as N20, 000, one could set up a small outfit. This, however, excludes the rent and training. Training varies, depending on the trainer and the trainees. And the basic equipment needed by a trainee include sewing machine (industrial or manual), filing machine and adhesive gum.

    Recalling how she started, Miss Akpan said in 1997, when she was a student of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ), Ogba, Lagos, she was used to knit for pleasure. Thereafter, she did a throw away car pillow for her uncle and was paid N300. It was at that point the idea of making handmade bags and accessories was born.

    She started very small, using the home to try out her first product ideas. Since then, she has never looked back, as subsequent products she churned out were well well-received.

    She said she used her savings to buy her first stock. Now, she is part of an industry worth millions of naira. And it is projected to grow further, spurred by a resurgence in traditional crafts, such as knitting, handmade designing, sewing, paper craft, and pottery.

    According to her, many people want something unique than the high street, yet more affordable than the designer labels.

    Asked if turning a hobby into a business is as easy as the growing range of specialist magazines and e-commerce sites would have people believe, she said: “It is very easy to make lots of lovely stuff-the hard part is selling it and building a name for yourself.”

    To her, Nigeria has many entrepreneurs, with nearly 70 per cent of the workforce self-employed. Unemployment or fear of redundancy is the catalyst for most of the business owners who are desirous of becoming entrepreneurs. She, however, said for most entrepreneurs, a chronic lack of innovation is stifling business growth and competitiveness.

    She, therefore, argued that innovation is the way to move forward. According to her, entrepreneurs are key actors in turning low productivity around to create lasting economic benefit and quality jobs.

    She recommended the establishment of an economic environment that enables entrepreneurs to innovate and compete to increase productivity and enable them to grow into quality employers.

    She, however, noted that despite the tough economic climate, there are customers out there who are looking for the kind of hand-made items she and other aspiring entrepreneurs like her create.

    “You need to make sure you know your customer and whether there’s any direct competition in your area,” she advised, expressing confidence that her brand will do well in the face of competition from international and well known luxury brands.

  • Success story of a Ugandan teenage entrepreneur

    Youth Entrepreneurial Link Investments (YELI), Uganda’s first registered paper bag production firm, started out with just $14 seed capita. Twenty-one-year-old Andrew Mupuya is the brain behind the firm, which has grown into a thriving enterprise with staff strength of 16, producing about 20,000 paper bags a week.

    Mupuya was just 16 when he decided to take on the world by setting up the business. That was in 2008 when his parents lost their jobs and could barely afford his school fees. “I had to meet my basic needs by myself. I decided to face the world alone,” the Ugandan entrepreneur recalled.

    As providence would have it, the government of Uganda came up with a policy that aligned with Mupuya’s goal. The Government of Uganda had attempted to ban plastic bags in a bid to deal with its acute waste management problem and promote environmental conservation. Mupuya, who was still in secondary school, immediately saw this as an opportunity to launch a paper bag production company.

    Hear him: “I conducted a feasibility study and market research around retail shops, kiosks, and supermarkets around Kampala, the Ugandan capital and discovered there is need and potential market for paper bags.”

    To start out his small operation, Mupuya needed a capital of 36,000 Ugandan shillings ($14). He raised the first $11 from selling 70 kilos of used plastic bottles he’d collected over one week. He then borrowed the remaining $3 from his school teacher and embarked on his entrepreneurial journey, producing paper bags on a small scale.

    Since then, the business has grown extensively and today, at 21, Mupuya is the owner of Youth Entrepreneurial Link Investments (YELI), the first registered Ugandan firm to make paper bags. The company’s long list of clients includes restaurants, retail stores, supermarkets, medical centers, as well as multinational companies, such as Samsung.

    YELI has made about 1,000 niche bags for the local stores of the electronics company. “Right now, I have 72 clients,” says Mupuya, adding: “Ninety per cent of our clients always come back.”

    Mupuya’s remarkable achievements and shrewd business skills have been recognised with a number of accolades in recent years. In 2012, for instance, Mupuya was the winner of the $30,000 Anzisha Prize, a major award given to young African entrepreneurial leaders who take the initiative to address critical needs in their communities. “The awards I have won give me courage to push on with my business,” says the young entrepreneur.

    Continuing, he said, “It shows to me how I am doing the right thing and it helps me define the impact I am creating.” Despite Uganda’s attempts to ban plastic bags to deal with its acute waste management problem and promote environmental conservation, they are still used in Kampala and often block drainage systems or collect in heaps on the side of the road. Mupuya, however, believes Ugandans will eventually choose paper over plastic and he even plans to build a recycling operation. “A paper bag is eco-friendly, it can easily decompose,” he says. “But plastic bags take too long, so that is the difference.”

    For now, Mupuya sources his paper from Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. His business is housed in Kasokoso, a slum just outside Kampala’s bustling city center. Here, everything is done by hand and with precision. YELI employees turn out thousands of bags daily, cutting the paper manually and then folding it and gluing it appropriately.

    But this takes time and as the number of customer increase, the team is having difficulties keeping up with orders. Mupuya says one of the biggest challenges for his startup right now is supply and demand. “It needs time to produce the right quality and quantity to all clients, because it’s run manually,” he says, adding, “It’s quite hard to catch up with some clients who are used to cheap plastic bags. My next step is to get a machine because I am only able to supply five per cent of the demands I have.”

    He said his dream is to have a big plant to enable him supply paper bags all over Africa.

    Yet, Mupuya says this is a problem that most clients understand, pushing him to keep thinking big and press ahead with his plans to promote environmental conservation.

    “My vision is to have a cleaner Africa by eradicating use of plastic bags and emphasis on paper recycling,” he said.

     

    •Culled from cnn.com

  • Etisalat sponsors 50 SMEs’ candidates’ training

    Etisalat sponsors 50 SMEs’ candidates’ training

    Etisalat Nigeria has carried out a five-day capacity building training for the successful top 50 candidates of the Etisalat EasyBusiness Millionaire Hunt at the Enterprise Development Centre, Pan-Atlantic University, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    Speaking on the initiative, its Head, Business Market Segment, Mr. Bidemi Ladipo, explained the reason behind the Etisalat EasyBusiness Millionaire Hunt and why the telco is committed to small and medium scale enterprises’ (SMEs) development.

    He said: “The major idea behind the Etisalat EasyBusiness Millionaire Hunt is to inspire  small business owners and help them grow. Etisalat is well aware that even though every business starts small, they have the capacity to become big. Now in its fifth year of operations in Nigeria, Etisalat has grown exponentially in the market.

    “The Nigerian society is rich with individuals blossoming with impressive business innovations, ideas, and initiatives that will add value to the real sector of the economy. This speaks to the remarkable entrepreneurial landscape of the country. Unfortunately, some of these good ideas lack financial capital.”

    Ladipo also said the telco is determined to see that small and growing businesses with viable business ideas get a chance to blossom and that the capacity building sessions will go a long way to educate the successful participants on how to grow successful businesses.

    Deputy Director, Enterprise Development Centre, Pan-Atlantic University, Mrs. Nneka Okekearu, lauded Etisalat for spear-heading an initiative that would “grow the Nigerian market and prepare its citizens for a better economic landscape”.

  • Making a living from laptop repairs

    Making a living from laptop repairs

    The turn of the century has brought about a surge in the demand and ownership of laptops and other information technology gadgets. This has created a need for skilled technicians to fix accompanying problems with these equipment. Some smart Nigerians are smiling to the bank repairing laptops, phones and other electronic gadget. reports Daniel Essiet.

    When Nigeria joined the league of countries with Global System for Mobile telecommunications (GSM) in 2001, one of the advantages was its ability to create employment opportunities for the teeming unemployed population in the country.

    With the GSM revolution has come a revolution in the country’s information technology, (IT) compliance level. From available statistics, three out of every four Nigerians own either a smartphone or a laptop, with which he connects the world. And with the preponderance of these IT gadgets, the need to have competent skillful personnel to fix the problems that usually arises from the equipment soared. Today, not only has the market opened up astronomically for these gadgets, in its stride has also come the need for repairs, necessitating technical competence. Now, young Nigerians are taking to the trade of repairing laptops, mobile phones, personal computers, amongst several other gadgets, and in the process, smiling to the bank.One of such young Nigerians that have keyed into this trend isChima Chikezie, chief executive officer,Queeneth Queeency Business and Services Nigeria, a firm that deals in computerand accessories supplying and installing of miniature IT machines.

    At theLadipo market, in Mushin, Lagos, where Chikezie has his headquarters,on regular basis, laptops and tablets are delivered to him from business associates who imports the gadgets from Europe, Asia, and the United States. On delivery of the consignment, theyare sorted according to their brand either for sale or repair. At this point, technicians get all kinds of repair jobs, ranging from worn-out power supplies to fried disk drives. Some technicians get as much as 10 units of products to repair daily, which are later resold as”tested products.”This explains whyhis office buzzes with huge business activities as technicians tackle a seemingly endless supply of old devices requiring their attention. Though Chikezie refused to disclose the worth of his business now, he revealed that he ventured into the computer repair business with less than N100,000. This has grown so much that he beats his chest, saying that it is offering him “returns that are self-sustaining.”

    For him, his cutting edge is the quality of service he renders since there are several outlets to purchase or fix used laptops and other gadgets.

    “If customers don’t have a good after sales experience, they won’t buy from one again. It’s all about after sales service,” he explained, adding that there will always be plenty of businesses and all the technicians needs to do is to simply adapt and get the requisite competence on the job.

    But as much as there are opportunities inherent in this trade, there appears to be threat to the business. Dealers in this trade are seeking new business models as computers become more replaceable than ever before. This is because many Nigerians are very comfortable with their phones and using them exclusively.

    Others will be happy to settle for occasional tablet use. At least, these people will not be willing to spend as much to repair their computer since they have a good alternative. But gamers will hold onto their PCs for a long time to come.

    For Chikezie, and other small computer business owners, the PC will never be replaced, since other devices are not convenient for power-hungry applications or comfortable typing.

    This believe is further strengthened given the fact that computer repair and sales shops have grown massively, meaning that there is still an opportunity for new entrants so long as they can afford between N200,000 and N300,000 to start a standard sales and repair business.

  • Sugarcane business booms in Kano

    Sugarcane traders in Kano are recording sales boom since the beginning of the season, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

    Some dealers confirmed the development to a NAN correspondent, who visited one of the sugarcane markets at Bachirawa, Ungogo Local Government Area.

    According to the traders, some customers come from the neighbouring states of Jigawa, Kaduna and Bauchi to purchase sugarcane in large quantities.

    Malam Muhammad Sani, the secretary of the sugarcane dealers in the area, said the market, one of the biggest in the state, was providing means of livelihood to hundreds of unemployed youths.

    “Though it is a seasonal business, the business is indeed a profitable venture because I make a living out of it,” Sani said.

    MrAminuBala, a dealer along Katsina Road, said he was selling between 10 and 20 bundles of sugarcane daily and that most of his customers came from within and outside the state.

    Malam Mansur Ali, another dealer in Kumbotso Local Government Area of the state, said between 15 and 20 trucks of sugarcane were offloaded in the market daily.

    According to him, a bundle of sugarcane of 50 pieces costs between N1,200 and N1,300, while a bundle of 35 pieces goes for N900.

    Ali said he made an average of N9,000 from sugarcane sales daily.

    “I was able to pay my children’s school fees and carter for my family from the proceeds of this seasonal venture,” he said

  • Turning counselling into successful business

    Turning counselling into successful business

    Well spoken and groomed in her chosen career, Chioma Isiadinso, a former member of the Admissions Board of Harvard Business  School, United States, is a trained counsellor, with a deep understanding of students’ behavioural traits. She has converted her years of experience on the job to an entrepreneurial venture. Daniel Essiet  tells the story of this amazing Nigerian. 

    The dream of all parents is to get the best education for their children.

    However, for some inexplicable reasons, some students cannot figure out what to do to get admitted to the school of their dream. This problem could stand between them and the education their parents desperately desire to get for them.

    This is the knotty problem Mrs. Chioma Isiadinso, former assistant director of admissions and a member of the Admissions Board at Harvard Business School has taken upon herself to resolve for the teeming number of students from various countries.

    This resulted in the establishment of Expartus® a global admissions consulting and personal branding company that helps applicants gain admission to elite colleges, graduate schools and executive programmes all over the world. with the growing number of Nigerians going abroad for tertiary eductaion, alot of them fall prey to sacmmers posing as agents capable of facilitatingb their admission into elite schools abroad. While some are outrightly swindled, yet some few lucky ones get admitted into mushroom schools abroad, far below their expectations. This is where Isiadinso’s experience comes in handy.

    Her company brings together a unique team of admissions experts to provide clients with insight ful and knowledge of the entire admissions process. Asked why she chose to be an entrepreneur, she said she wanted to be in control of her time.

    “I had just left my post in Harvard Business School’s admissions office to move to New York with my family, and I took a few months off to think about what I wanted to do. I realised that I loved the admissions work, but that I wanted to work for myself, control my time and be the one driving my future.”

    Mrs Isiadinso started the company in 2002, and by the following year, there was a need for expnsion having reached her maximum capacity; this necessitated an expansion.

    “I had reached capacity, and did not want to compromise the quality of service that my clients would receive,” she told The Nation. In 2003, she added a first consultant, who is still with the company to date, followed by two additional people later in the year- there are seven consultants and advisors in the firm.

    “We were very careful and selective in our hiring, to ensure that we brought on people who fit well into our values and were committed to our clients’ success,” Isiadinso explained.

    How was it at the beginning?, Mrs Isiadinso said she started it as a virtual business from day one, so that there were no geographical limitations.

    “We work face to face with clients in Nigeria and mostly over phone and Skype for clients around the world, so it did not require significant upfront investment in the early days,”she said.

    She did not have outside funding. She had been approached a few times by angel investors but turned down funding because it was considered that the time was not right to do so. For her, the consulting process is definitely her biggest revenue stream. Many clients come to us for two or three years, to receive our comprehensive and transformational service.

    The business is thriving but should we decide to expand more aggressively we would consider outside funding from investors.

    When she decided to quit she faced some challenges. “The biggest challenge was putting everything in place to start the business and making sure that I established the right brand in the marketplace and was clear about which part of the market that I was targeting. This business does not require a lot of startup capital- it is more about intellectual capital and experience capital. My work experience with Harvard was helpful in entering the marketplace, as that school has one of the most powerful brands in the industry. So, our biggest challenge was getting the infrastructure in place and creating the exact brand that we wanted., she said.

    She continued: “With any business, she said it was important to make sure she tapped into the right network. We were fortunate to have a very strong network and we became very busy right away. It was a good problem to have, but I was the only one doing the consulting at the time, so there was a capacity issue. Once I reached a certain number of clients, I could not take any more and I realised that I needed to expand, find like-minded people and train them to represent my firm at the same level, if not better, than myself.”

    On where she draws her inspiration from, she said: “My husband gives me the inspiration. He is an entrepreneur and has started three businesses on his own. He is always looking for new ideas and provided me with a lot of support. I was also inspired by stories of my late grandparents, who were serial entrepreneurs in northern Nigeria, and used their businesses to impact a lot of lives. Both of my parents were academics, but hearing the legendary stories of my grandmother, who pioneered wholesale clothing in her area, and spending time with her as a child, was always something that inspired me.”

  • An amazon in stain-removing world

    An amazon in stain-removing world

    Removing stains in household utensils is not easy. It takes more efforts; but the use of a modern detergent makes it easier. An Industrial Chemistry graduate Chioma Odoemenam is capitalising on this to empower herself, reports Daniel Essiet.

    For graduates roaming about the streets in search of unavailable jobs, listening to the story of Chioma Odoemenam, a graduate of Industrial Chemistry is a good lesson in self-employment.

    Long before graduating from the Federal University of Technology,Owerri (FUTO), Odoemenam had resolved to build a manufacturing business.

    Armed with N5, 000, which she saved from her stint at a private firm in 2012, Odoemenam, Chief Executive, Louismoore Enterprises, decided to produce cleaning and stain removing products for homes.

    That humble beginning has metamorphosed into a big business. Entering into the industry, she recalled, was quite challenging, “especially for a woman.”

    With a few chemicals enough to produce 1, 000 litres, she was able to sell half of this and used the balance as samples. Today, the initiative has paid off. Her products are a popular feature in many homes.

    Besides, her firm has moved from being a mono-product company to one with various household products, ranging from household cleaning to laundry items, found even in supermarkets.

    She is planning to own a production facility, packaging and dispatch as well as a shop. Although she may have recouped her investment, for her, developing environmentally friendly products and expanding her business remains her priority.