Wow! Thank you so much Chriswazo. I don't feel insulted at all. Your words are like bitter pills of truth to me.

You're right about God leading me to my village. If anybody told me five years ago that I would be in Enugu, talk more of Agbani or even my village, I wouldn't have believed it the same way the whole world didn't believe that Donald Trump could become the president-elect of the USA.

I was even surprised yesterday when I was going to the village from Agbani and noticed that caterpillars had dug some gutters beside the road near the ESUT back gate. I had to ask the okada man what was going on.

Me: Do they want to repair this road?

Him: Yes o! They have awarded the contract to build it down to Amurri.

Me: Na lie!

Him: You'll see it with your own eyes.

Truly, I saw that more gutters had been dug even after we passed the ESUT back gate and continued into Amurri. We've been praying for this for so many years. I pray they don't abandon it. If they finish it, then it means God brought me here at the perfect time. That road will definitely transform my village from Amurri to AMURRICA. Lol.

I'll think deeply about your suggestion and pray about it because I suspect that God is speaking to me through you. Thank you once again.

you're welcome bro JohnNgene, am glad you understood my message. For my suggestion, just pray about it like you said, I too will mention you in my prayers. Take good care bro.

Today is the beginning of my second year here in Igboland. I relocated to Enugu on the 30th of December 2015. (I have a picture of myself in the village that day. That's why I know the exact date. I was looking so fresh then thanks to my friend and his wife wey wan kill me with over-feeding when I dey with them for Lagos. Lol)

The business-boom season has come and gone. From my record book, it started on December 1st and ended on December 24th. Within that period, I sold a total of 75 items at an average of four items per day. Wow! I wish sey every month go dey like that. Lol.

I also noticed that I made a good decision switching to girdles, waist-trainers, body-magic, paded pants (bumbum or yansh), nighties, s*e*x toys etc. The demand is high and I'm the only one meeting that demand here in Agbani. I haven't finished selling the tops, gowns, skirts, bumshorts, jackets, jumpsuits and trousers I have though.

I'm still confused on whether to sell this Agbani container before February when the N30,000 rent is due and relocate. Or to give Agbani a second chance now that I have customers. Sighs.

Dear Lord, please give me direction.

JohnNgene:
Today is the beginning of my second year here in Igboland. I relocated to Enugu on the 30th of December 2015. (I have a picture of myself in the village that day. That's why I know the exact date. I was looking so fresh then thanks to my friend and his wife wey wan kill me with over-feeding when I dey with them for Lagos. Lol)

The business-boom season has come and gone. From my record book, it started on December 1st and ended on December 24th. Within that period, I sold a total of 75 items at an average of four items per day. Wow! I wish sey every month go dey like that. Lol.

I also noticed that I made a good decision switching to girdles, waist-trainers, body-magic, paded pants (bumbum or yansh), nighties, s*e*x toys etc. The demand is high and I'm the only one meeting that demand here in Agbani. I haven't finished selling the tops, gowns, skirts, bumshorts, jackets, jumpsuits and trousers I have though.

I'm still confused on whether to sell this Agbani container before February when the N30,000 rent is due. Or to sell it at least N70,000 and relocate. Sighs.

Dear Lord, please give me direction.

You sell s*e*x Toys?

How's the market like? I mean people really walk into your shop to buy them without being shy?

OCTAVO:

You sell s*e*x Toys?

How's the market like? I mean people really walk into your shop to buy them without being shy?

Same thing I wanted to ask. How does the women approach you about it?

2017. Happy new year to all of us. I declare this year my year of akunuba. I declare this year the year of akunuba for ndi-Igbo and all friends of ndi-Igbo. Akunuba means wealth and wealth is richer than money. For me, wealth encompasses money, property, connections, power, health and peace of mind.

In the spirit of akunuba, I've put up a for-sale notice. I aim to sell the container for nothing less than N80,000 (eighty thousand naira). If I don't get a buyer, I'll pay my rent and continue business in my small-but-mighty container. Lol. If I get the N80,000, I'll consider other options.

Octavo and Whirlwind7, when I started this business newly, I used to display the empty pack of the vi*bra*tor in my showcase. I had to stop doing that when I noticed that little children who passed near my shop would keep pointing at it. Plus, the sun was also changing the pack from coloured to black-and-white. Lol. I also used to tell almost all my customers that I sell vi*bra*tors in case they hadn't seen it in my showcase. Many would be interested and ask me to show it to them. At that time, I'd not yet sold it so I'd bring it out, insert the batteries and watch as my customers either screamed with excitement or looked at strangely as it vibrated. Lol. Now, I've devised a better strategy. I hang the pack near the mirror alongside the packs of the vaginal lubricant and arousal gel. Una know sey women love mirror die na. That way, I'm sure that even a blind customer must see it. Lol.

I dey feel you, my brother!
Keep it up. Wish I could actually give you more business tips, but I must confess you are light years ahead of me with your entrepreneurial spirit.
Nevertheless, we all live to learn. You are doing a good job, so don't let the harsh economy dampen your drive. Only the tough survive and thrive.

naijacutee:
I haven't revisited this thread in a long time, and was so glad I did! I think you really have fallen in love with the business process, and you genuinely love trying out new ideas and doing new things. There's nothing wrong with that.

I also think you love writing as well. Incidentally, I'm looking for a writer. If you're interested in a periodic writing gig, please contact me.

Thanks

I'm interested ooh! What can I write for you?

Lolz... Make I calm down first sha.

I followed this thread from page one, and I must confess I've never taken the time to analyze the numbers like chriswazo did, honestly it's not everyday you get to see people like him, uneconomical with the truth, John I suggest you take his advice pretty seriously, I just thought about it now, is it not the same thing you left from in Lagos that you're going back to onitsha for? Since you have land advantage back in the village, you could really focus on agriculture, plant vegetables, and construct a poultry, use the manuring from the poultry for your vegetable garden, and most importantly focus, expand only one inch at a time, 20birds first, then increase to 50, 75 with time and so on, then plan, their feeding till maturity and all that.... I'm also at crossroads now myself, so I don't qualify to give anyone business advice but really take a cue from what he said, it may be the pivot for your next big thing.

John update us on your next move.... It is almost mid February

Happy valentine's day to all of you. Even though Buhari no dey show me love at all. Lol.

The picture below shows my next move. No, I never join APC o! Lol. That's the broom I used to sweep my new shop on Sunday. The shop is beside my former container.

"Former container?" you ask.

Yes, I sold the container N60,000 (sixty thousand naira) on Saturday. I know that amount is N20,000 less than the N80,000 I'd intended to sell it. I had to sell it off in order not to miss the opportunity of grabbing the new shop for N50,000 (fifty thousand naira).

My heart has never been in the Onitsha move. I only started considering that option after a Nairalander called me all the way from China. We spoke for close to an hour. He's a big importer of female wears and suggested that I move to Onitsha to survey the environment and probably join him. He promised to call me when he returned from his business trip to China. But e be like Buhari don put sand-sand for my garri. Lol. Thank you Uncle ***** all the same. I really appreciate your call that day and the words of encouragement from a seasoned businessman like you.

Talking about encouragement, I was really discouraged when someone described me here as extravagant. That word "extravagant" really weighed me down for like two or three days. I kept asking myself,
"John, are you extravagant?"
"Ok, if not, where did all the N300,000 go to?"
"Where's all the money Nairalanders and your sister gave to you?"
"When and how are you going to pay the N300,000?"

The truth is that the moneys were swallowed by good business investments, bad business choices and feeding. It's now that I've realised that the stomach is like a bottomless pit. No matter how stingy or economical you are, you must chop at least once a day na. Whether na 1-0-0, 0-1-0 or 0-0-1 formula. Lol. Now, multiply N200 by 365 days. Now, multiply that figure by two if you're to eat twice daily. I'll leave you to do the maths. Anybody wey fit feed their-self three times a day especially for this Buhari economy na legend, I swear. E no easy. Lol.

That notwithstanding, I must pay my debt, despite the fact that there's no pressure from my friend. Its an obligation for me. I MUST. I only have to learn from my mistakes and take better business decisions this time.

As for relocating permanently to my village to focus on agriculture, I'll do that as soon as I can handle the transport challenge plus establish a solid alternative source of income. So that hunger no go show me pepper before the agriculture starts yielding fruit. I no get money to fly to London to treat stomach-ulcer. Lol.

For now, I'm still in Agbani Enugu.

Don't worry John, God will see you through.
And one day, after this struggle for survival, you'll have a reason to testify.

kudos bro, it not easy but don't feel discouraged, I really understand how things look like, have been there, u might not be where u want to b yet but definitely not where u used to be.

Well I keep stumbling upon this thread time and again. I only have one word for you- " do not dispise the days of little beginning"

Hi John, I have been silently going thru your write ups and I must commend you for your writing skills. I also like your business skills.
I have a suggestion for you n I want you to think deeply, look inwards and find out d giant in u. I think with your looks, intellectual capability, you should consider a service related kind of business. Do you know why? it is less expensive to manage than a business where u have to buy products thereby tying down capital n in cases where you don't sell such products, maybe due to lack of demand, it becomes a loss.
Now, this is what I think, Though I don't know what u studied in school or your area of interest but I think you should learn some skills, something people needs badly e.g practical repairs of phones, camera n laptops. Information Technology has come to stay n people cannot do without repairing phones, tablets, laptops, desktops , cameras etc. I think its a very lucrative business cuz you can also sell phone accessories too n combine other petty businesses to it. Once people know that you r very good, they will always patronize u. I also think u shouldn't have left Lagos cuz there are a lot of opportunities. If you were to be in Lagos, would have referred you to an IT firm where you will learn more advanced computer engineering skilIs. I want you to think of your future as a man. Think, think, think of something sustainable cuz you will soon have a family n its not a joke. Truth is, u need a real sustainable business.
I want u to think about it. Though, its just an advise. Remain blessed.

tbaby4u:
Hi John, I have been silently going thru your write ups and I must commend you for your writing skills. I also like your business skills.
I have a suggestion for you n I want you to think deeply, look inwards and find out d giant in u. I think with your looks, intellectual capability, you should consider a service related kind of business. Do you know why? it is less expensive to manage than a business where u have to buy products thereby tying down capital n in cases where you don't sell such products, maybe due to lack of demand, it becomes a loss.
Now, this is what I think, Though I don't know what u studied in school or your area of interest but I think you should learn some skills, something people needs badly e.g practical repairs of phones, camera n laptops. Information Technology has come to stay n people cannot do without repairing phones, tablets, laptops, desktops , cameras etc. I think its a very lucrative business cuz you can also sell phone accessories too n combine other petty businesses to it. Once people know that you r very good, they will always patronize u. I also think u shouldn't have left Lagos cuz there are a lot of opportunities. If you were to be in Lagos, would have referred you to an IT firm where you will learn more advanced computer engineering skilIs. I want you to think of your future as a man. Think, think, think of something sustainable cuz you will soon have a family n its not a joke. Truth is, u need a real sustainable business.
I want u to think about it. Though, its just an advise. Remain blessed.

This is a 1million dollar advice. Thanks comrade

I came across this thread today and read till the end...your story would end in success...All great entrepreneurs have 'failed' one time or another,its part of the success story...your doggedness would take you place...you've inspired a lot of people..God bless...

Good day everyone. It's been so long. I have so much to say and so much to share but I don't even know where to start from. Lol.

Welcome bk

Welcome back. How has life been treating you?

Thanks Jefy and Honeychild. Even though I never come back yet sha. Lol.

I've been attending the University of Finance and investing in my financial education. I now have a financial mentor here in Agbani who has been supplying me personal-finance and business books. He's a landlord and a millionaire himself though you'd never know by merely looking at his appearance. He has opened my eyes to the palm oil middleman business and I've started saving up money to take part in it next year.

I've also paid my friend N110,000 (one hundred and ten thousand naira) so far. That means I still owe him N190,000 (one hundred and ninety thousand naira) which I plan to pay off month by month before the end of 2018. I no go run away from my debt like Etisalat jor. Lol.

Ehen! That reminds me of the Arab world. My father recently suggested that I relocate there and work in Dubai. I refused. Why I go go there go sign slave-contract? A contract in which my international passport will be seized while I work under God-knows-what conditions for three to four years? No! I'm not done with Igboland yet. I'm determined to make my millions here in this promised land.

I thank God for His blessings. I thank my uncle in America for his support. And I thank you (yes YOU) too for following my story up to this point.

This is probably my second-to-the-last post here. The last will be when I'm finally debt-free. Lol. So I'm also using this opportunity to invite you all to join me on my journey to be a billionaire at 40 here: https://www.nairaland.com/4006110/billionaire-40#59735469

Bobugee:


This is a 1million dollar advice. Thanks comrade

Bros, I followed this thread when you first started it and I must say, you are a GOOD WRITER...

Do you know how to use the laptop to type well? If yes, please hub on Fiverr.com and offer writing service. Some nairalanders I know make $500-$5000 from that site alone. They offer numerous services. There is a way to go about it and I believe you can find loads of tutorials on nairaland here that can guide you. When you have mastered that business well, start teaching others and making money from it.. education is a money spiner... Making as much 400k is very possible.

You can also import laptops, super good laptops and sell... You buy Iphone 6+ for 60-80k and sell it for 140k or even 150k. Please view the business section more often for alternatives.

I personally can not do all these renting of shops to sell stuff... but I understand that one must start from somewhere.

To add to those books, read Rich Dad, Poor Dad and Think and Grow Rich...

You are a good writer...

Nice... Just stumbled upon it again as part of my 'followed threads'. I can't believe it's been years. Still remember when it was created and when it got to fp.

@JohnNgene any update on things so far and how you look back at the whole incidents

jedisco:
Nice... Just stumbled upon it again as part of my 'followed threads'. I can't believe it's been years. Still remember when it was created and when it got to fp.

@JohnNgene any update on things so far and how you look back at the whole incidents

Good morning o! There are so many updates that I don't even know where to start from sef. Lol.

Let me first of all apologize to all of you for my long absence. It wasn't intentional. Make una no vex abeg.

Well, let me do a summary of events.

November 2017:
I started working as a personal fitness-trainer. I went to their house to train them in the mornings from 6:30am to 8am three times weekly. After which I'd return home, freshen up and open my shop for business.

December 2017:
I left that my former shop at the end of the year.

January 2018:
I moved to my cousin's boutique. I noticed he was looking for a salesgirl. So I suggested we partner in the sense that I sell his things and sell mine too in his shop.

February 2018:
I paid my friend another part of his money from the money I was supposed to use to pay my shop-rent plus other savings I'd made.

May 2018:
I became a gym-instructor at a hotel here in Agbani.

July 2018:
I decided to run for political office as an Enugu State House of Assembly member representing Nkanu-West constituency.

September 2018:
I abandoned my political ambition due to lack of finance and harsh political realities.

October 2018:
I released a hiphop song titled Ganfuwa Amurri. And to my greatest surprise the song went viral all over my village. Google my new name GANFUWA if you doubt me. Lol.

November 2018:
I celebrated my 13th birthday. (Okay, you people want me to admit that I'm now 30 abi? No, I'm 13 jor. Lol.)

December 2018:
And the best news of all: I'M NOW DEBT-FREE!!!
I also performed my chart-topping hit twice this month. My Facebook friends' list swelled from about 700 friends to more than 3,000 friends. Seriously, I've become a local celeb in my villa o! Lol. If you come to Amurri now and ask of GANFUWA, they'll point to me.

January 2019:
My cousin sub-rented that his shop to someone else. What that means is that I presently run my business shoplessly via whatsapp.

Mr john sorry GANFUWA.

I came across your fascinating story and thoroughly enjoyed every bit of this. Nwanne I Say well done
However, Are you still into Trading(Online) and farming?? What has been your experience since you began selling online? I downloaded the Amuri hit track, I think you gave good account of yourself. Do you combine your business with your music seamlessly..I don't know if the music is paying for now, it seems to me you could end up in the entertainment industry (music, performance, acting, modelling, promotions etc) as an entertainer in The Arts at least starting from your locality, state, region, country and diaspora community. Never forget your humble beginnings, learn and forge ahead from past mistakes..it is well Nwanne

Northernhome:
Mr john sorry GANFUWA.

I came across your fascinating story and thoroughly enjoyed every bit of this. Nwanne I Say well done
However, Are you still into Trading(Online) and farming?? What has been your experience since you began selling online? I downloaded the Amuri hit track, I think you gave good account of yourself. Do you combine your business with your music seamlessly..I don't know if the music is paying for now, it seems to me you could end up in the entertainment industry (music, performance, acting, modelling, promotions etc) as an entertainer in The Arts at least starting from your locality, state, region, country and diaspora community. Never forget your humble beginnings, learn and forge ahead from past mistakes..it is well Nwanne

I'm used to being called Ganfuwa now o! It has overtaken my real name and even my other nickname (John Rock). Even my mom told me they were calling her Mama Ganfuwa when she came home for Christmas last year. Lol.

I bet you didn't understand my dialect rap in that song abi? You should Google, download and listen to "CHIEFOWO -GANFUWA". That's the latest one I released just last month April. (I did Chiefowo with a bit of my Nkanu dialect and general Igbo so that ndi-Igbo everywhere can understand and enjoy it). Unfortunately, the music business is a very capital-intensive one especially the song promotion and music-video shooting aspect of it. So it's not paying yet, to be honest.

Farming is the most cheated of all my passions o! I haven't farmed in a long while. Chai! I was thinking of starting up a small plantain plantation in my village. Mana okwa ego ji olu o! Lol. I'm still trying to raise adequate funds for it. Although the N10,000 (ten thousand naira) TraderMoni I got from the federal government was a little bit helpful.

As for online business, the advantage is that I'm not paying any shop rent, levies, taxes etc. But the down side is that business is much slower. I'm actually strategizing on the next move to make.

JohnNgene:


Good morning o! There are so many updates that I don't even know where to start from sef. Lol.

Let me first of all apologize to all of you for my long absence. It wasn't intentional. Make una no vex abeg.

Well, let me do a summary of events.

November 2017:
I started working as a personal fitness-trainer. I went to their house to train them in the mornings from 6:30am to 8am three times weekly. After which I'd return home, freshen up and open my shop for business.

December 2017:
I left that my former shop at the end of the year.

January 2018:
I moved to my cousin's boutique. I noticed he was looking for a salesgirl. So I suggested we partner in the sense that I sell his things and sell mine too in his shop.

February 2018:
I paid my friend another part of his money from the money I was supposed to use to pay my shop-rent plus other savings I'd made.

May 2018:
I became a gym-instructor at a hotel here in Agbani.

July 2018:
I decided to run for political office as an Enugu State House of Assembly member representing Nkanu-West constituency.

September 2018:
I abandoned my political ambition due to lack of finance and harsh political realities.

October 2018:
I released a hiphop song titled Ganfuwa Amurri. And to my greatest surprise the song went viral all over my village. Google my new name GANFUWA if you doubt me. Lol.

November 2018:
I celebrated my 13th birthday. (Okay, you people want me to admit that I'm now 30 abi? No, I'm 13 jor. Lol.)

December 2018:
And the best news of all: I'M NOW DEBT-FREE!!!
I also performed my chart-topping hit twice this month. My Facebook friends' list swelled from about 700 friends to more than 3,000 friends. Seriously, I've become a local celeb in my villa o! Lol. If you come to Amurri now and ask of GANFUWA, they'll point to me.

January 2019:
My cousin sub-rented that his shop to someone else. What that means is that I presently run my business shoplessly via whatsapp.

Nice follow through Ganfuwa. Nice jam... Just listened to it on YouTube. You've really got into alot.

Looking back I've got 2 questions for you

1. Do you regret leaving lag or think perhaps you might have done better in Lagos?

2. Do you think that perhaps mastering one (or a few) arts and growing your knowledge base and profit would have been better..

Again like I said looking back

Finally (I know I said two), in my profession, there's something we call reflections (really helpful in career growth and progression) which the questions above are part of. But in summary, what experiences from these events have helped you grow and would you definitely repeat and what things would you skip or do differently if you were to relive the experience.

Sorry for trying to x-ray your private life

jedisco:


Nice follow through Ganfuwa. Nice jam... Just listened to it on YouTube. You've really got into alot.

Looking back I've got 2 questions for you

1. Do you regret leaving lag or think perhaps you might have done better in Lagos?

2. Do you think that perhaps mastering one (or a few) arts and growing your knowledge base and profit would have been better..

Again like I said looking back

Finally (I know I said two), in my profession, there's something we call reflections (really helpful in career growth and progression) which the questions above are part of. But in summary, what experiences from these events have helped you grow and would you definitely repeat and what things would you skip or do differently if you were to relive the experience.

Sorry for trying to x-ray your private life

Hmmm...

Don't be sorry sir. I love your introspective questions and I'll answer them.

1) I don't regret leaving Lagos. Don't get me wrong. I love Lagos. I grew up there, schooled there and even consider myself a Lagosian. Till today, some people think I'm Yoruba because of the way I talk, dress and relate with people. Lol. All that notwithstanding, I had no choice but to leave Lagos. I had no one to live with then at the time and it would've been too expensive for me to start my business as well as secure accommodation there with the money I had back then. And truly, I know my business would've faired much better in Lagos (that's if I didn't have accommodation issues to worry about o! Lol)

2) I would've done far better if I had the financial knowledge I've gained by reading the financial self-help books I began reading from around mid-2017 till now. Those books have really opened my financial eyes.

3) If I had that N300,000 right now in 2019 for instance, I'll split the money into two first, save N150,000 in a fixed deposit account for at least six months while I use the remaining N150,000 to start and run one business. Instead of the way I naively tried to run two businesses simultaneously in 2016. Lol.
However, I would definitely repeat leaving Lagos and relocating to Igboland part. That singular move presented new challenges to my mind and spirit.
I was surprised when one young man (who'd just finished secondary school) approached me at my shop to mentor him in November 2017. I started giving him my financial books (of course at a little cost just as my own financial mentor had done to me. Lol) and he's running his own business here in Agbani now.
If I didn't come here, would I have met that my mentor, this my mentee and all of you good people here on Nairaland? Well, so Chukwu ma. Only God knows.

JohnNgene:


Hmmm...

Don't be sorry sir. I love your introspective questions and I'll answer them.

1) I don't regret leaving Lagos. Don't get me wrong. I love Lagos. I grew up there, schooled there and even consider myself a Lagosian. Till today, some people think I'm Yoruba because of the way I talk, dress and relate with people. Lol. All that notwithstanding, I had no choice but to leave Lagos. I had no one to live with then at the time and it would've been too expensive for me to start my business as well as secure accommodation there with the money I had back then. And truly, I know my business would've faired much better in Lagos (that's if I didn't have accommodation issues to worry about o! Lol)

2) I would've done far better if I had the financial knowledge I've gained by reading the financial self-help books I began reading from around mid-2017 till now. Those books have really opened my financial eyes.

3) If I had that N300,000 right now in 2019 for instance, I'll split the money into two first, save N150,000 in a fixed deposit account for at least six months while I use the remaining N150,000 to start and run one business. Instead of the way I naively tried to run two businesses simultaneously in 2016. Lol.
However, I would definitely repeat leaving Lagos and relocating to Igboland part. That singular move presented new challenges to my mind and spirit.
I was surprised when one young man (who'd just finished secondary school) approached me at my shop to mentor him in November 2017. I started giving him my financial books (of course at a little cost just as my own financial mentor had done to me. Lol) and he's running his own business here in Agbani now.
If I didn't come here, would I have met that my mentor, this my mentee and all of you good people here on Nairaland? Well, so Chukwu ma. Only God knows.

Nice... This gives an overview of everything and may be a nice way to summarize the whole process.

We all learn from our own and other peoples experiences.

I'd be following your other thread about your reflections on those books.