How To Start a Small Business In Kenya

When it comes to starting a business, first, one needs to have a business idea in mind. Well, the mind could be clogged with numerous viable ideas but of course they need to be weighed and broken down until a few viable ideas are reached. Then that is the time to note down one by one their suitability depending on factors like availability of required capital, location, accessibility and more.

That said, this time I want to talk about a small photocopy business. The reason why I chose this type of business is because it is easy to start; it doesn't require huge capital. From my experience, what one needs to do is to ascertain that there is the skill to be used i.e. at least one should have an idea of how to use a photocopy machine. Therefore one should  have education concerning the operation of those machines.

The next step is to ascertain that there is enough capital to purchase a photocopier machine. Then after that, look for a strategic position where to operate the business.Seeking a strategic site will boost the accessibility of the business hence fast growth of the same. When the right place is located, acquire all necessary equipments for example electric appliances like sockets, table, paper cutter, scissors, stapler and pins, ream papers and more. Remember also to make the room organized to enable accommodation of customers and ease of operation in the room.

Before the official day of opening your new photocopy business, ensure that you have acquired the relevant business permit (licence).

When all these are done, please work hard and keep your customers' satisfaction high at all times and you will experience good business like no other.

That's my take. Should anyone have a suggestion or comment, please I welcome them.

DREAMWEAVER CS5

The web design software, Dreamweaver CS5 has cool features that have already enlightened my mood. I have designed my first web page using it and its really inspiring every time I look at it. The program also has within it HTML, CSS, Javascript and so many other features needed for at least a web designer.

 In addition, Dreamweaver CS5 is user friendly and easy to learn and use. With the layouts to choose from, it doesn't take long time to come up with a web page. It has several views like Design view, Split, Code and live view. It took me less time to enter the contents and preview my edited page.
For web designers both web design newbies and experts, I think it's good especially if one does not bother to heck around with so many codes. That's it.

WEB DESIGN

Web Design has been in my mind for a long time now. The notion tickled me after I realized I had a liking for it.

I stumble, almost every time, over different websites on the net providing tutorials for web design. I follow them through and with practice, I find that they are good. I know that learning through this process could be hectic but that’s my way. I love this way because I get to find different ways and forms of designing web pages. This way also gives me an opportunity to communicate with fellow designers for one word or two. The online free tutorials are, I believe, the right and best ways of providing information to people who need it.

I am not yet perfect in web design but I believe that where I am in it is significant. What is so important about it is just taking a bold step and realizing what you want. Purposing is the best way too despite the setbacks that could be involved. I like T. Harv’s way of thinking when he said in his book (Secrets of the Millionaire Mind) that “Rich people focus on opportunities. Poor people focus on obstacles”. I use the “focus on opportunities, not obstacles” excerpt. This motivates me to do the learning.

Javascript has been my focus of late and what I have gotten so far about it is that javascript is for functionality, HTML for content while CSS is for layout.

Learning is a continuous process therefore there is no hurry yet. Any recommendation you have?

THE DAY I GOT LOST

Getting lost is not one of my favourite activities. Let me tell you why.

Starting!

The day was appeasing when I opened my eyes as the sun brightly shone on the blue Sub-Saharan sky. I remember, it was exactly 8:15am on the beautiful Friday morning. The sun’s rays through my bedroom’s window imbued the room. I just fought the lingering dream of horror which after I awoke, I couldn’t figure out what it was about. But all I know is that I escaped narrowly what I was to succumb to in the dream. That never bothered me so much because I immediately, after a sudden sit-up, heard my self spat out a scornful word, “damn” and moved my hand behind my neck and rubbed it gently as if to feel if I my neck was still contact.  I looked around the room and then reached out for the curtain to confirm if what shone through it was sun-light or something else. Luckily it was sun’s. I pushed the bed-cover away and stepped out of the bed then went straight to the sink to wash my face. “Damn”, I said again after I opened the tap water. It is not my usual self to utter such words but it seemed that the dream speckled the whole aura and that gave me bad prescience of the day. Actually the water was freezing cold and, mark you, I was still warm from bed. So I closed the tap and headed to where the towel was and wrapped my hands on it to absorb the drops.

Encounter with a beauty

The rest is history until when I set out for the long-planned journey to a town which I had never went before. For a moment – no, you are right, am being dishonest; it was more than a moment – I met this beautiful lady on the road. Words immediately abandoned me when she smiled impeccably and said a simple, “hi”. I didn’t make a reply suddenly, but only forced a smile which hurt my dry lips. The moment was more than sentimental and  my legs almost lost support of my whole body. But luckily, as I’ve said, my smile saved me a whole lot. Later, I mimicked a sort of scared, “hi, my name is Rono”. She stretched her hand to me which I gripped with my two hands and shook vehemently as I said several words of joy which I don’t quite remember fully. But I remember her telling me repeatedly, “it’s okay, it’s okay”. That’s when I stopped whatever I was saying and released her hand. On looking up her face, I saw that she was kind of gazing on me inscrutably. Quickly I averted my eyes from her and said “I am sorry”. She said, “oh no no no, don’t worry. Is everything alright?”. “Everything is perfect” I said reluctantly, feeling distracted. It took us some few minutes of introduction and each one of us went his or her own way. I told her, “It’s my pleasure meeting you”. Then she said, “The pleasure is mine”. Then we exchanged good-byes and I continued with my journey while she did with hers too. I was contented after meeting someone of such kind especially in the morning.

Dreadful short snap

I trod for about half an hour before reaching the main road. The sun was already up and starting to scorch but I subsisted, thanks to my adaptation. I sat under a cold and peaceful cypress shed which ceded an involuntary slumber. The siesta took me about fifteen minutes making me late by forty five minutes of my estimated time. I was awakened by a throbbing thunder of lightning. I winked east and west to determine if a vehicle was coming before I crossed the road. There was none. I ran very fast to the other side of the road and waited there for barely three minutes when a taxi appeared on a corner coming speeding as if being chased by all devils. I waved my hand, our usual sign of passenger to stop and board a taxi. It stopped on reaching where I was, I went in and sat. The short distance seemed long because of the constant and irreverent tout. It took me not long before I alighted and paid for the service.

In town busy getting lost!

Immediately I alighted, the right direction went aloof from me. I was in the middle of nowhere, according to me. I never thought that the town had such tall buildings aligned together forming streets. Coming back to my senses, I realized that my compass had left me already, even before I made the first step towards anywhere. I made a quick calculation to head straight to a hawker seated next to her goods. She appeared as if she hated what she was doing but had to do it because life would not give her a chance to stop it. Life is hard in a city where everything is expensive and you have to struggle to subsist. I sheathed a fifty shillings note and gave her in exchange of a mango costing aching fifteen shillings. She gave me thirty five shillings balance. As she did that, I asked her, “Excuse me ma’am, where can I catch a bus to Honolulu?”. She said nothing but only pointed on the direction I should go. I uttered no other word but followed her hand’s direction. On reaching there, I doubted and then warded off to a different direction, not knowing that I was getting lost because I found all the streets looking the same. On trying to come back to where I started, I started a new journey to a different street altogether!

It was until when I read a sign board displaying the words, “Big Five Park”, then wondered if I was dreaming or what! Then I decided to agree that I was lost and immediately recoiled towards the direction I came from.

Out of nowhere, I bumped into the location I started. That’s when I thanked God soliloquyly with words exuding profusely out of my good mouth. I heard a guy calling out for those heading to Honolulu and without second thoughts, I rushed there and stepped in the car and calmed. I was the last person needed to fill the quorum. We set off and within twenty minutes, I was able to reach the destination. I went to the shop I was supposed to, then completed my shopping.

Another issue began when coming back to town. I didn’t know where to board a vehicle going to town. I hustled around looking for a similar location to where I was alighting earlier, but in vain.  The time was against me thus moving so fast. It was almost five in the evening when I had completely lost direction even the shop where I had just shopped at. Luckily, I believe he was, a varsity student holding his file containing a few books  noticed me wearing a  tired and frown face stooping forward and backward confused on which direction to take next and as if showing someone where to go and not. I was completely and loudly talking as if to convince myself to take a route. “Hey”, he called out from behind me. “You seem lost. I am Fred, how may I help you”. “Yeah, in fact I am”. I retorted. “Actually I want to go to town but not sure where to start”, I added. Then he said, “Follow me, I’ll show you where”. I did as he ordered hoping for the better. And indeed it was better. He took me to where the vehicles carrying passengers to town were. I thanked him and without wasting time, I got in one. Within no minute, I was in town.

Back home

Racing after time, I looked for a vehicle to take me home. I found one and that’s when I started journey back home. I alighted where I had taken my first repose. I was no longer tired; in fact I was like my energy battery was recharged. This was because I was lucky to have come back. I trekked the usual half an hour distance until I was at home, only that it was already dark and my superstitious and fearful nature disturbed me through the dark bushes on the sides of the road.

On reaching my house, I opened the door and took a long and relaxing sigh.

The moral story behind this is that; never go to a location you have never been to without knowing the specific areas or anybody to contact in case you get lost. Get prepared and assemble all the required aspects.

FIRST BLOG POST

I am the happiest person on earth to have made a step to rekindle my innermost bowels gear up for blogging especially in Blogger. I have always aspired to have my blog so that I ingratiate a necessary and important bout with a span number of people beyond my curtain of reach.

I just hope that all bloggers out there are welcoming the new group who in one way or another make discerning efforts to overcome the unpalatable forms of life and join the blogging arena for change. I welcome them too so that together we create a comfortable virtual atmosphere fit for communicating and learning through blogging. 

As for me, I am more than delighted to have followed a road towards online presence as I also expect more benefits of it all.