I knew I woke-up that fateful wednesday with a heavy heart. You might wonder what sort of burden I encountered in my dreamland. After such a stressful Tuesday I still woke up at an odd hour, it's something to ponder about.
Tuesday was a hectic day for me, a day I'll never forget. I resumed office at exactly 6:50am; then I bowed my head on my desk and muttered brief prayer, after which I started sorting the numerous files on my desk as I created new folder for each staff, on the company's newly installed software; almost all the staffs in the organization were due for promotion, as most of them have tendered their certificate of additional degrees, I have to update their degrees too. You can imagine, sorting about thirty-five staffs files.
After that, I logged onto different sites to get information(idea) to tender at the board meeting that same day, each staff was mandated to come up with an idea to share. The company was experiencing low sales which affected the expenses of the fast growing production company and pegged it growth. The idea was to be discussed by 12:noon.
I can't forget how I was delayed at the fast food. I went to get snacks for the meeting, stood for minutes because of the large number of people being attended to at the eatry; I had to wait patiently before the attendant finally attended to my variant demands. Then, I quickly rushed back to the office on bike so I won't be trapped in traffic. I went straight to the boardroom to ensure everything was well, before the meeting commenced.
As if I had not had enough, after the staff meeting, the company's driver conveyed me with the company's car for a meeting with one of the company's big distributor. We returned to the office about 5:30pm not forgetting the traffic encountered on the way, I was frustrated.
I was the Company's secretary, one of my duties each day was to calculate the expenses and income and ensured the company's account was balanced then transfered to the General Manager's Email before I sign out, which should be done from 5:00pm the office close hour, and I close by 6:00pm.
Thirty minutes left for me to close for that day. I was racking my brain on the calculations before the GM called my attention to the errors I made on each staff's folder I created in the morning because I did it hurriedly to meet up to the day's task. He insisted I sorted all the mistakes before I left, I tried hedgeing my bets because of time but to no avail, I had to stay back and redo them.
I have pulled on your heartstrings which you must be wondering when I left the office, seat back and continue reading then you will know where I'm headed.
I left the office exactly five minutes past eight, that means I spent more than 13hours in the office that very day; I was paid the sum of sixty-thousand naira monthly which afforded me good clothes, jewelries, change of hair, transportation, feeding and other expenses such as make up, cream and some dues I must pay as a religious person. I lived with my parents, so house rent was out of my expenses.
I suddenly woke up at about 2am on Wednesday and wondered the type of life I was living, 'endurance' was the right word. I was a graduate with a good certificate, with such a little pay of eleven to thirteen hours of laborious job, it really called for sober reflection.
I layed in my bed as sleep has eluded my eyes by that time then I analysed my life, I asked myself, "what is in your hand", aside my certificate what can I do? Then I remembered I enjoyed cooking, I thoroughly investigated my life, I came in conclusion that nobody has ever rejected the taste or condermed the aroma of any food I ever prepared, sounds funny or nasty to you? Hunmmmm!
Then I realized that one of my gift was cooking. The first step I took was to subject myself to be MENTORED-she own a big restaurant in my location and another MENTOR who was a graduate of economist, he's a guardian and councellor in ENTREPRENEURSHIP. Also, he has lots to his credit professionally and have revived lots of companies economy. I entered business terms with them and paid each of them; I took advices from my two Mentors, they both gave me lots of dos and don'ts in their different fields.
The second step I took was to attend weekends training on catering which I was taught how to make snacks and bake cake, cook varieties of food and the quantity of ingredients needed for each quantity of food. Less than one month I started selling snacks in the office which I prepared after my hectic hours at work and continued early mornings before I left to work, I also took orders to bake cake and got paid handsomely.
Third step, I opened an account which I deposited the gain I made from my sales of snacks and cake. Within one year I was able to save something tangible Which I used to began my business with the help of my Mentors.
I employed two people for a start, baked and packed snacks in the morning and prepared food from afternoon which was sold till the night. To an extent my workers were prudent with the income, so savings continued, while my Mentors helped me to check how things were going pertime in the canteen; I worked and maintained the business too because if I had resigned instantly my expenses will weigh down the income of my business.
I also disciplined myself in my spending and became accountable, I invested my salaries into the business, I bought needed equipments to aid the business.
The next year, I submitted my resignation letter, the General Manager begged me to stay and promised to increase my salary which he never increased for the five years I worked in his organization, I turned down the offer since I have gotten my own business, which will also give me more income, more time to do other things, also happiness and fulfilment. What sounded nasty has become a huge success because customers were really trooping into my canteen than I had envisaged.
We got demands to cook for birthday parties, funeral, naming, and divers occasions. Me and my team (workers) travelled to other states within Nigeria to cook. These made me employed more people and I still made my gains after expenditures. I don't want my staffs to experience lots of stress which I experienced at my former place of work.
From these my lamentation to success story, I believe you have learnt something. You should realize that at every state of discomfort there can be a more comfortable place that if you aim, you can achieve it....
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