03/10/2025
Growing up, I knew my mother as a businesswoman. Even now, she still runs a small business—no matter how little. Many times, my siblings and I would ask her to stop and take a rest. But her answer was always the same:
“I can’t stop doing business. I love money. I love to see money in my hand, no matter how little it is.”
That always made me curious. One day, I asked her directly: “Mom, why are you so passionate about business? You’re not even educated, yet you know so much about it. How did it all begin?”
Her answer left a deep mark on me. She said: “I started business without capital.”
At first, I couldn’t believe it. How can someone start a business without money? But she explained further.
When she was newly married and raising children, my father struggled to provide for the family alone. Things were tough. So, one day, she went to the market and spoke to traders selling food items. They trusted her and gave her goods on credit. She took those items, divided them into smaller portions, and sold them right at the entrance of the market.
By the end of the day, she had made some money. She paid back the traders and kept the profit. With that profit, she bought food for us to eat. That simple act became the foundation of her entrepreneurial journey.
To this day, I cannot forget that story.
Working in the financial sector for many years—as a client support officer and later as a manager—I’ve seen the same truth my mother lived out: starting and growing a business is not always about having capital. Too often, people have opportunities but let doubt hold them back.
The reality is this: you don’t always need millions to begin. What you need most is courage, creativity, and the willingness to start small.
As a foundation advisor, I meet people who want to start businesses but complain of challenges, especially capital. My advice is simple—take it one step at a time. Start with what you have, grow gradually, and reinvest your profits.
And to the women who think they must wait for someone to hand them huge amounts of money before starting—don’t wait. Start small, just like my mother did. She proved that determination and consistency can create something out of nothing.
The question is not always “Do I have enough money to start?” but rather “Do I have the courage to begin?”
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This page is to empower women financially. It's a space where women can learn, grow in businesses.
