Good day guys, pls I urgently need this advice, I'll try to be brief.

I'm a 30yrs old graduate doing all kinds of hustling to survive. After waiting endlessly on a white-collar job without any in sight I decided to take a private school teaching job.

This is my 3rd year in d school now, and my salary has been increased from 25k to 40k but I noticed I can still do more to bring more money through other means.

I decided to open a laundry business due to d fact that we don't have many laundry stores here cos this is just a town not that big but I think I can nurture d business and capitalize on d fact that laundry business is not common.

WHAT I HAVE DONE SO FAR.

I decided to start d laundry business from home without stopping my teaching job, so I've been doing this for 8months now. I borrowed 100k at d time I started and I used to money to purchase a generator for ironing purposes, and I decided to be doing the washing manually cos no money for a washing machine at that time.

8 months later I've gotten a washing machine and gotten up to 3 irons.

MY PLAN
My wish right now is to secure a shop and continue d business on a full scale, and I still don't have a plan to leave my teaching job. I plan to employ a young lady to act as secretary to be in charge of picking, sorting clothes and washing clothes with a washing machine cos I've got a washing machine now. So that I'll be in charge of ironing when I return home from my teaching job.

MY FEAR
The fear on my mind is d failure of this business, I've invested all my life savings in it and I'm scared of entering d business I'm full scale.

Pls, I will entertain any advice that can help, and those that have been in this position b4 should pls help out.

Baba abeg enter business jhoor!!!

Ahmback:
Baba abeg enter business jhoor!!!

� Tanx

Baba enter the business, try and meet and discuss with people that has a laundry shop like u too, from the discussion u can get to know how they have been sustaining the business, after seeing your gain from the business try and invest the gain in another thing, in case the laundry no longer works you can see something to fall on. More also as a teacher work on having a school too even if it's day care you'll start from. But then this is my own view sha, u can still wait for others opinion sha. All in all don't think it will be easy o, it's not going to be easy

Teaching job! Eweeeh!! I wonder how teachers in nigeria cope, like.

There was this friend of mine teaching then, this guy sandal chopped geh hole
OP, do everything in your power not to lose that growing business of yours. For you to be able to get a washing machine from an infant business speaks volume, it's yielding. I have no advice for you. You know what you want.

bercarray:
Baba enter the business, try and meet and discuss with people that has a laundry shop like u too, from the discussion u can get to know how they have been sustaining the business, after seeing your gain from the business try and invest the gain in another thing, in case the laundry no longer works you can see something to fall on. More also as a teacher work on having a school too even if it's day care you'll start from. But then this is my own view sha, u can still wait for others opinion sha. All in all don't think it will be easy o, it's not going to be easy

Tanx

Cerebellum:
Teaching job! Eweeeh!! I wonder how teachers in nigeria cope, like.

There was this friend of mine teaching then, this guy sandal chopped geh hole
OP, do everything in your power not to lose that growing business of yours. For you to be able to get a washing machine from an infant business speaks volume, it's yielding. I have no advice for you. You know what you want.

Tanx

You say it's not a very big town, how much patronage do you get from customers? How has the experience been so far? Will you be able to withstand the pressure that comes with running it on a full-scale? There will always be competitors, at some point you'll need to do certain upgrades just to stay relevant, moving one/two step(s) ahead of others. May God bless your hustle and may your efforts never be in vain.

I understand your fear, that uncertainty. I actually think you're doing well in the business, even just as it is small scale. My advice is that you watch how others run their laundry business in that vicinity, I'm sure you'll learn one or two things that will help, it will give you an idea of how to run yours. Also, in securing a shop, it is always advisable to consider a good location. Wishing you the best in all your endeavours.

1F30M4:
You say it's not a very big town, how much patronage do you get from customers? How has the experience been so far? Will you be able to withstand the pressure that comes with running it on a full-scale? There will always be competitors, at some point you'll need to do certain upgrades just to stay relevant, moving one/two step(s) ahead of others. May God bless your hustle and may your efforts never be in vain.

I understand your fear, that uncertainty. I actually think you're doing well in the business, even just as it is small scale. My advice is that you watch how others run their laundry business in that vicinity, I'm sure you'll learn one or two things that will help, it will give you an idea of how to run yours. Also, in securing a shop, it is always advisable to consider a good location. Wishing you the best in all your endeavours.

I started at home to build a customer base, I can categorically say I'm getting known every day and customers are increasing hence my decision to have a shop. With my little find out, d only person running laundry buianess is on a small scale like mine.

I met a guy who has been intond business in d town b4 but closed down, when I asked him he said, he couldn't cope again due to d high debt of d people. But d difference btw d guy and I is that he's a native of d town, he knows most of his customers being an indegene so they felt relaxed to owe him. But in my own case, I'm a total stranger don't town through I've been there for 2 yrs so they can't owe me.

I have no proceed from d business yet cos as I'm making d money I'm putting it back to d business.

Start the business, there's nothing to be afraid of. Elon musk spent over $40bn to acquire Twitter, that's a huge risk. If you're not willing to take risks in this life then be prepared to remain stagnated for the rest of your life.

To the lundary business, I wouldn't advise you to hire anyone yet since you're just starting and intending to use your house for the time being pending when you'll be buoyant enough to rent a shop.

My reasons are.

1. Salary. Since it's a new business, patronage might not be as you'd anticipated for the first few months, which might lead to you owing her salary, and owing someone who worked a whole month for you in this harsh economy is satanic.

2. Distraction. You say it's a female you want to employ, who would be working from your house...that's a very bad business decision cos one thing might lead to another and she might end up on your bed, and once that happens, she'll never take your business serious. You'll start spending the little money you don't have on her upkeep which would eventually crumble the business.


My Advice. Do it yourself, you have a washing machine, once you come back from your teaching job, start washing the clothes then in the night you can iron and package them. So that the little money coming in can remain in your pocket.

Good luck.

Benard5050:



I started at home to build a customer base, I can categorically say I'm getting known every day and customers are increasing hence my decision to have a shop. With my little find out, d only person running laundry buianess is on a small scale like mine.

I met a guy who has been intond business in d town b4 but closed down, when I asked him he said, he couldn't cope again due to d high debt of d people. But d difference btw d guy and I is that he's a native of d town, he knows most of his customers being an indegene so they felt relaxed to owe him. But in my own case, I'm a total stranger don't town through I've been there for 2 yrs so they can't owe me.

I have no proceed from d business yet cos as I'm making d money I'm putting it back to d business.

Your last paragraph is making me a bit skeptical about you getting a shop now, I'll tell you why in my next paragraph. Hmmm your 2nd paragraph, enjoying the services and no intention of paying for it, that is crazy.

I feel you shouldn't get a shop now because the expenses go choke, shop rent, utilities, setting things up & all that plus you still have to settle bills in the house you live in. The commenter above me touched on something very important, you have to be able to pay your employee, the business may start to crumble if he/she is being owed salaries, that can give you a bad reputation.

When you start running it full-scale, many things will change. The main reason for venturing into this line of business is to have another source of income to complement your salary from the teaching job. Small scale as it is now, not much is expected of you and then you can put all your proceeds back into the business. Going full-scale, you can't just put all your proceeds back into the business, you'll need to save a fraction of it for monthly/yearly rent, landlord no go wan hear abeg abeg no market. Unlike when you were doing everything at home, you'll settle the bills for both shop & house now, you will pay employee, upgrades sef go dey, more pressure & expectations, our economy sef and inflation choke. It's good your customer base is growing by the day, I pray they understand that you'll need to add a little something to their bills to enable you pay your own bills.

With this long epistle of mine, I hope I have been able to convince and not confuse you that you should not go full-scale yet, you can put that on hold for now. Keep running it as you have, I'm sure things will fall in place in due time. If you have one or two people maybe relatives orr friends that can help with the picking, sorting and sometimes washing of clothes while you're at the teaching job, it will make things much easier and then you only have to wash whatever is left, iron and package all of them when you get back.

CrazyMan:
Start the business, there's nothing to be afraid of. Elon musk spent over $40bn to acquire Twitter, that's a huge risk. If you're not willing to take risks in this life then be prepared to remain stagnated for the rest of your life.

To the lundary business, I wouldn't advise you to hire anyone yet since you're just starting and intending to use your house for the time being pending when you'll be buoyant enough to rent a shop.

My reasons are.

1. Salary. Since it's a new business, patronage might not be as you'd anticipated for the first few months, which might lead to you owing her salary, and owing someone who worked a whole month for you in this harsh economy is satanic.

2. Distraction. You say it's a female you want to employ, who would be working from your house...that's a very bad business decision cos one thing might lead to another and she might end up on your bed, and once that happens, she'll never take your business serious. You'll start spending the little money you don't have on her upkeep which would eventually crumble the business.


My Advice. Do it yourself, you have a washing machine, once you come back from your teaching job, start washing the clothes then in the night you can iron and package them. So that the little money coming in can remain in your pocket.

Good luck.

Tanx

1F30M4:



Your last paragraph is making me a bit skeptical about you getting a shop now, I'll tell you why in my next paragraph. Hmmm your 2nd paragraph, enjoying the services and no intention of paying for it, that is crazy.

I feel you shouldn't get a shop now because the expenses go choke, shop rent, utilities, setting things up & all that plus you still have to settle bills in the house you live in. The commenter above me touched on something very important, you have to be able to pay your employee, the business may start to crumble if he/she is being owed salaries, that can give you a bad reputation.

When you start running it full-scale, many things will change. The main reason for venturing into this line of business is to have another source of income to complement your salary from the teaching job. Small scale as it is now, not much is expected of you and then you can put all your proceeds back into the business. Going full-scale, you can't just put all your proceeds back into the business, you'll need to save a fraction of it for monthly/yearly rent, landlord no go wan hear abeg abeg no market. Unlike when you were doing everything at home, you'll settle the bills for both shop & house now, you will pay employee, upgrades sef go dey, more pressure & expectations, our economy sef and inflation choke. It's good your customer base is growing by the day, I pray they understand that you'll need to add a little something to their bills to enable you pay your own bills.

With this long epistle of mine, I hope I have been able to convince and not confuse you that you should not go full-scale yet, you can put that on hold for now. Keep running it as you have, I'm sure things will fall in place in due time. If you have one or two people maybe relatives orr friends that can help with the picking, sorting and sometimes washing of clothes while you're at the teaching job, it will make things much easier and then you only have to wash whatever is left, iron and package all of them when you get back.

Gracias

Does the job of a secretary include WASHING of clothes? Just say you need an extra hand, not a secretary. Make sure they get paid appropriately