A milestone starts with a single step. No matter how different our steps are, small or big; if you are moving, you will reach your destination. Business is not about dreaming and achieving in a day, but it is more about dreaming and stepping into the reality of your dreams, building them one step at a time. All the great brands we see and like today were not made in a day, it all started small. Many young people aspire to be businessmen but only a few go on and chase their dreams. “We have ideas but lack capital. If I can have USD100, 000 today, nothing would get in my way to achieve my dreams,” says Christian, a young high school graduate and an aspiring entrepreneur. Many of us still have that mindset, but big capital is not what starting a business depends on. If you can be thoughtful enough you can see that you have a lot around you to start with, and as you step up little by little, you will grow a big business. Be proactive. It is all about your mindset. If you can dream it, you can become it. Starting small is all about working on your mindset and knowing that the time is now; the place is where you are and the only person to do it is you. Be resourceful. If you were resourceful enough, you would know that you have more than money around you. Stop complaining and look around you. You have thoughts, people, and space. Genevieve is a high school student, after identifying the need for creative book covers in her school, she started a small business of using old kitenge clothes to cover other students’ notebooks. Apart from this, Genevieve also stitches torn shoes. In this example, we can see that Genevieve didn’t need tons of cash to start her business, she started small and there is no wonder she can grow to be a big business woman in the future. Be a good learner. “When I look back, I remember many things. It was hard at first. In life, you need to work hard,” says Sina Gerard, a prominent businessman in Rwanda. Taking time to learn from great business people can give you the wisdom to know that success isn’t achieved overnight, but it takes time and energy. Sina Gerard said he did not have capital in 1983 when he was 20 years old. “I loved farming because my parents were farmers. I used to farm in the field; and I would go sell my yield on the market, saving the income on the side.” Take time to listen to stories like these, they clarify the point that success starts small. One step at a time, there is no need to rush. Starting small doesn’t mean you are small. It is just a secret of successful people — knowing that big things are just small things put together. In short, big things start small. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
