I was over the moon when I graduated from high school. I mean, I just had to be. I had just finished six years of waking up by 4am, getting into necessary fights to get to use the hostel bathroom first, reciting and memorizing formulas on severe hot afternoons, multiple panic attacks when examinations are fast approaching. I had it all. So I decided, I was just going to rest for a year before embarking on yet another mind draining practice of schooling for another length of years. I mean, you won't blame me, would you? A baby girl needed some rest to regain that nice body and complexion that was lost to the femurs of the scorching sun and stress. But I was soon to discover that this very decision was one of the most unwise decisions I had ever taken, and I’ll tell you why.
Let’s rewind a bit, I don’t mean to sound cliché but I have always topped my class, I believed so much that my good grades were going to take me very far in life. I do not think that my thoughts were wrong but I wasn’t a hundred percent right either.
There’s a popular Nigerian saying that has made waves among the youths in recent times; “Dem bin tell us say education na the key to success but e be like say government don change the key” (We were told that education is the key to success but the government has changed the key). This is because in times past, all you had to do to attain success was study a professional course in a reputable university, obtain a degree, seek employment, pass an interview and you’re good to go. Life was really good then. However, that’s not the case anymore. Apparently, the number of graduates has exceeded the available jobs and so this created a lacuna. the implication is that one would have to find a ‘side hustle’ outside bagging a degree.
Back to my story, I stayed one year at home after secondary school doing absolutely nothing and it was such an unwise decision because, I mean, there are a number of things I could have done- learn a skill/trade or even get a vacation job. Instead I stayed at home running errands, adding weight and literally just let time run into the next year. However, looking back now, I learnt a valuable lesson;
“Time is free, but it is priceless. You can’t own it but you can use it. You can’t keep it, but you can spend it. Once you’ve lost it you can never get it back” - Harvey Mackay
Fast forward, the next year I began my admission process and I finally gained admission to study law in the University of Calabar. The euphoria I felt when I checked the site and read the words “You have been offered admission to study Civil law (Legal Studies) for five years” cannot be explained.
One year into my study, I noticed something when I look around me. Left, right and center, students were starting small businesses, learning trades and even skills. I was perplexed and I thought to myself “Aren’t skills and small business for people who do not want to further their education or are not financially buoyant?” “Why would anyone allow such distractions in the university?” “Oh well, I guess business is not for everybody”
I consoled myself with this for as long as I could. Hanging on to this thought did not deter more students from joining the bandwagon. I also realized that it was not about being financially buoyant or wanting to be distracted from school. I say this because of two of my friends who happened to start small businesses too. One of them lives with his parents and he has all his basic needs met while the other is a student who does not joke with her studies and won’t even allow for any distractions. You can imagine the state of confusion I was in after these discoveries.
This is not an article on the importance of learning a skill or having a side hustle (I wouldn’t even consider myself as someone in a better position to write such an article). Remember this is my journey on how I landed as a copywriter. So, lets continue our story.
Two years down the line, an opportunity came from a friend’s elder brother to be the sales representative in Calabar for his new product. You guessed right, I jumped on the opportunity. My job was pretty simple, I was given products at a wholesale price and I was selling at a retail price, my joy knew no bounds. In less than two weeks, I sold two cartons of products and remitted the money. It was like a dream that I had started a business. I no longer saw it as a distraction or something done due to lack of financial buoyancy.
Next, I ordered for more products, I thought to myself, “if I could sell two cartons in less than two weeks that means four cartons in less than four weeks”, quick maths rights? Unfortunately, I was wrong. My previous customers had not exhausted the products they had bought, I tried my best to get new customers but sales took a downturn, I managed to sell one carton after two weeks. What broke the camel’s back was the fact the product had an expiry date. This means I had a limited time to sell off the products. You guessed right again, the products expired and the manufacturer had to write it off as bad debt. How I felt? terrible but again, I learnt a valuable life lesson which is summed up in this quote;
“Anyone who attempts is not a failure”- Sarah Dessen
Now I see every failed attempt as an opportunity to try again in a better way.
The story does not end here, in my next post we’ll discuss on what I was able to make out of my experience.
In the meantime, have you ever made a decision you’ve ever considered as unwise? Have you ever failed at any business venture? What did you learn?
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comment section.
This was beautiful. God bless you. Thanks for sharing 😊
Wow this is really beautiful.
Well I have had some pretty bad experiences as well but I don't exactly count them as failures, because I've learnt from them and it has also helped have open thoughts and ideas towards stuff.