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Canditar Chapanduka, Chronicle Reporter
THE interior design business is a profitable one, ask Blessing Moyo, and he will tell you.
But it is not for everyone — it takes guts and a never quit attitude to make it — and that is what the 28-year-old used as fuel to move from being a truck driver to running his own company.
The Luveve suburb man started fending for himself by driving trucks for a local company, but he knew he had to grow fast. Being an errand boy with a driver’s licence was not enough for him, he soon realised that he couldn’t live life on the edge forever.
Blessing’s ambition to succeed immediately sparked a fire in his heart that would power him on his long, difficult road to success. He was desperate to change his tale and to create a new life for his family.
“I encourage other people who are seated without capital to start their businesses and the ones that are scared to take risks due to the fear of the unknown in the business market that every business is flooded but if you have passion for it, you will squeeze in the industry and work harder to build your name until the company is recognised.
“It is indeed not easy to start your own business but it is a good experience to start by working with others to gain experience before having your own company,” he said.
Blessing can now manage to dish out advice and one would think he had it easy, but that was not the case. Working for a company that did carpentry made the transition easy for him. In his free time, he had to collect wood waste and turn it into shoe racks. He soon made his sale — his client paid him US$60 and from there, he never looked back.
“I kept on researching on the internet too to improve myself on how to deal with numbers when creating a cutting list and in no time the work was just in the tips of my fingers,” said Blessing.
In 2017 he established BM Interiors, a company that specialises in interior design. He employed five people and together they weathered the challenges that come with running a new company.
“Movement was not easy for me because I had to hire transport every time to move materials from place to place which in the end reduced my profit sales. However, in 2018 I had my longest project of kitchen installation which took 15 days at a house in Harrisvale suburb where I was working on the kitchen, pantry and scullery.
“That project opened doors for me as I started getting projects continuously through referrals. Now I can do projects even out of Bulawayo. I go as far as Gweru and Tsholotsho, distance is not a barrier for me to do my job,” said Blessing.
Fascinated with interior design, Blessing became completely obsessed with finding out everything about the interior design business, so he went back to the internet to study.
“I managed to grow my business from carpentry to pump and electrical installation, plastering, wall skimming as well as painting. Moreover, we also do tile and ceiling fittings. I’m so glad that the business is improving each time and I’m excelling very well as I’m getting loyal clients, the future is promising for business growth.
“I managed to purchase an open truck mainly for the business through the profits that I got from the business. The truck assists the growing company by making movements with the materials bearable. It transports the materials to different places where we would be working as well as people’s finished orders to their respective places,” said Blessing.
“Distance is not a barrier for BM Interiors as I’m currently offering services outside Bulawayo in places like Gweru, Tsholotsho and Gwanda among other places through referrals from grateful clients because we don’t please the client by adding beauty in their homes only but we make sure the project is perfectly completed even before given time which impresses the clients. I’m glad that the business is growing very well,” he said.
Blessing has managed to get financial gains that have impressively improved his lifestyle. He said he has managed to help his parents by taking his siblings to one of the best schools in Bulawayo and his nephew to university since he is not married yet.
He has a vision to grow his business and wants to collaborate with big construction companies.
“I want to see every household having their kitchens and bedrooms with my craft. I will also like the Government to financially assist us, new start-ups with capital like they do with farmers and I will also want to contribute to the country by creating employment as currently, I managed to employ more workers that are now 10 for my company that is continuing to grow requiring more manpower,” he said.
–@NomqheleC
Online Reporter