Joan Mbabazi is a 27-year-old woman with a charming and appealing personality. She is a mother to two children and married to a business man who sells green bananas. Before joining Street Business School, Joan was a stay-at-home mother.
In February of this year, Joan joined Street Business School hoping to acquire practical skills. She recalls that to her surprise, she learnt more than what she expected. “I got new ideas!” said Joan. The lessons of getting out of the comfort zone and starting with what you have were impactful for her. She had assumed that she would need close to $1300 to start a business, but was encouraged to learn that acquiring a large sum was not necessary. “We were told to start with the little we have, however small,” said Joan. She immediately withdrew her savings of $53 from the bank and bought shoes that she now sells, making $11 a week.
Joan wasn’t done yet. Previously Joan’s husband owned a hair salon that he closed during the pandemic. He gave the equipment to Joan, and she now uses it to run a unisex hair salon in a rented two-room house. Joan makes $3 a day in profit providing men’s haircuts and $9 in sales a day cutting and styling ladies’ hair.
SBS also teaches women how to identify business opportunities, a lesson that is making a big difference in Joan’s life. She is always looking for market needs and more ways of increasing her sales. Joan discovered the football field across her hair salon could provide additional opportunities. She now sells juice and French fries to the crowd that gathers to watch the games. Joan also sells green bananas, and so far, this business is her biggest earner. Generating $32 each week in profit.
Joan is on fire! She is exploring more business possibilities and planning to hire additional staff to help her run her businesses. Joan is now a proud entrepreneur with two employees and a big smile on her face. “I can now see where am going.”