This year marks three years since I embarked on the journey of running my business in Zambia, and looking back, it’s been a mix of learning, growth, and discovery. When I first started, my vision was to build a large, successful business from the very beginning. Driven by this ambition, I often overextended myself, both in marketing efforts and financially. I believed that if I just kept pushing, the business would take off immediately, with support flooding in from all directions.
One of my early realizations was around pricing. I noticed the high margins competitors were charging and decided to offer lower margins to set myself apart. My thought process was simple: by being fairer in pricing, I believed friends, family, and others would support my business over others charging more. Yet, as I soon found out, support didn’t come as expected. In fact, very few friends became customers; it was mainly strangers who showed interest in what I had to offer. And while this reality initially took me by surprise, it taught me an essential lesson: support doesn’t always come from where you expect it, and that’s perfectly fine.
When we dream of starting a business, it’s easy to imagine that everything will fall into place—that customers will arrive quickly, and friends and family will champion your efforts. But the reality is often different. Business success requires resilience, persistence, and learning to adapt when things don’t go as planned.
Over these three years, I’ve experienced both highs and lows. Every challenge taught me something valuable, and despite the ups and downs, I’m glad I took that first step. Of course, there are things I would approach differently if I could go back. But looking at where we stand today—three years in, with steady revenue growth each year—I can also see that I did a few things right. Each year has been a testament to growth, hard work, and learning, and I’m excited to see what the next chapter brings.