Homemade business changes lives

Clodine Manyozo

Conventional employment is not the only way that makes one become wealthy.

Not everyone was born to be employed, others prefer to take the entrepreneurship route.

The best entrepreneurs are those who produce things people cannot live without.

When some are running construction businesses, shops and transport businesses, others are making lotions, perfumes, and roll-ons at their own homes as a way of trying to make money.

Coming up with a business idea can make one work at their own pace and with the people they feel comfortable working with.

As a way of getting some extra money, there is the emerging of home-made petroleum jelly, perfumes and roll-ons in Chitungwiza and other places not yet identified.

Bonifasia Nyamaropa a teacher started her own products with the band name “Phasia”, which she said it came from the last part of her name.

She revealed: “My products are called ‘Phasia’ and I got the brand name from the last part of my first name.”

She pointed out the need for multiple streams of income.

“Getting money at the end of the month from your workplace is not a bad idea but then you need to have something that can give you income on a daily basis if not a week or less,” Nyamaropa said.

When one starts their own business it does not take such a struggle for marketing, it all depends with one’s networks.

“I realised there are some basics that people want and due to the economic challenges they cannot afford them. It was a great chance for me to make the products as the products are cheaper.

“I do not have to advertise that much because my customers spread the news through word of mouth,” she said.

According to Nyamaropa, capital determines the kind of business that one can start with.

“When you get a business idea the first thing you must think of is your capital because it determines the type of business you can start on,” Nyamaropa said.

Her children are also learning the ropes.

“I also take the business as a way of teaching my children to be alert and know how to do their own businesses which can make their lives better in a way,” Nyamaropa reported.

Due to the different rates in demand for the products, Nyamayaro does not really know how many products they make per week.

“I cannot say we have constant numbers for the products we make weekly, it all depends with the demand,” she revealed.

One can get business ideas from different people around you and it also matters with your networking.

“I heard about making these products from a church mate who introduced them as a way to empower female entrepreneurs. I attended  the lesson on making and packaging of the products as well,” said Nyamaropa.

When one decides on a business they always have different reasons of starting one and for Nyamaropa she had quite a number of reasons.

She said, “I had basically three reasons for starting this business, the first being that of making profit because I could not rely on my salary.

“During the process I got satisfied because I had started something from scratch with my own hands and the ability to do it made me continue with satisfaction.

“The other reason was that my products would help a lot of people so I wanted to help them with the products and started teaching some ladies how to make the products as well,” she advised.

If you have the ability to do more on businesses then why limit yourself on doing so.

“I started enjoying making the products then a new lesson came up which was on drinks and nothing could hold me back.  I went on and attended the lessons,” Nyamaropa explained.

An entrepreneur does not do things that can benefit the clients only but instead one can gain as well.

She said: “Ever since I started producing these products I do not buy perfumes, petroleum jelly, roll-on or drinks because I can make my own.”

One can end up enjoying their businesses and it will slowly turn to a hobby.

Before one ventures into any business, doing something that one enjoys is the best way to keep the business alive.

Nyamaropa said: “This has given me the opportunity to spend time with my family, while we make the products together and has become our family hobby.”

Business must be handled with a lot of care and full attention is needed lest  one becomes broke without realising it.

“When I started making drinks my boys would have them anytime and I realised that I had to be strict on that so as not to go downhill.”

“They would also spray the perfumes before I taught them on ways to manage the resources better.” she said.