Mrs. Olawunmi Ogunshola is a trader who turned a small startup into a thriving business by selling food crops. Her journey is a testament to the power of starting small and dreaming big. In this interview with Oluwatunmise Adebajo, she speaks on her experience in the food crops business and the challenges that it comes with.
Excerpts:
Why did you go into the food crops business?
I am into this business so that I will be able to cater to my family. I don’t want to beg from people before my children and I can eat and I don’t also want my children’s story to be like mine because I was unable to further my education because of lack of funds.
What is your background, education and work experience before going into the business?
I went to primary school and stopped my education at primary 6. I learned the art of trading for three years in Ibadan, Oyo State. It is from an outsider that I gained the experience of what I’m doing today.
What exactly does your business entail?
My business entails buying food stuffs from the local farmers in villages and bringing them to the cities across the world and selling them to retailers.
How long have you been in the business?
I have been in this business since1999 till – that is since 26 years ago.
What is the growth level of this business?
It is a step-by-step thing. The future of this business is very promising and bright. There is reasonable money in the business. And as for people around, they will definitely find something to eat because food will be sold at a very moderate price and it is pocket-friendly.
Is this business owned by you or is it a partnership with other people?
The business is owned by my family; my sister and I run the business.
What benefits do you derive from the business?
The advantage of the business is that I can cater to the needs of my children and their education and still have a reasonable amount of money left.
How did you start this business?
I started it when my mother used to take me to the farm to harvest her crops to sell. I was 12 years old at that time.
Do you make adequate profit from the business?
Yes, I am making moderate profit.
Where do you see this business in the next five years?
I believe this business has a bright future. I am convinced it is a business of an unending time.
When starting this business, who did you seek advice from?
I sought my mother’s advice because she believed that the business is very profitable and could go places, and that people would always like to eat food of good quality that is not processed.
What challenges do you face in this business?
I have faced a lot of challenges. Sometimes, when my trucks are faulty, it costs me a lot of money to fix them, and this affects my profit. There are incidents of robbery, and some other times, when the trucks are broken down on the highway it takes days to find help.
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