EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT MMM IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING TO PARTICIPATE

MMM is short for Mavrodi Modial Moneybox. The combination of names of the founder.

The poverty in Nigeria is overwhelming and people are living in penury, waiting on God to come and change their predicaments. The Government is not doing anything spectacular to help the citizenry. This MMM came at a time the pain was much and people can appreciate whoever designed this scheme. It has helped thousands of people in Nigeria and is still doing that. I am a witness. Nobody knows if this MMM is going to go extinct, but for now, it is still waxing strong and people are cashing out money on daily basis.

I have been getting sms from MMM for long now and I always delete them just as I do to other sms that I get asking me to register at a phantom website. I never believed such a good, sincere platform can come around to assist people in a world where poverty reign supreme.

I kept hearing that people are making money from MMM and I never believed until my close friend used one of my bank accounts, one of my phone numbers and my email address to register, but provided help with his money and after sometime, he asked for help and the money was paid into my account with interest and N7000 bonus (20 dollars) as a first timer. I was marveled and decided to participate. This my friend has given so many helps and have received helps in same manner. And now I give help on weekly basis and receive help on weekly basis.

                            

MMM is not a bank, MMM does not collect your money, MMM is not an online business, HYIP, investment or MLM program. MMM is a community where people help each other. MMM gives you a technical platform which helps millions of participants worldwide to connect those who NEED help to those who are ready to PROVIDE help, for FREE. All transferred funds to another participant are your help given by your own good will to another one which you will get back with interest when you request for help too. You will not be liable to request for help until you have helped somebody. That somebody too had helped somebody before requesting for help which you gave.

If you didn’t understand that, this is a simple illustration of what I mean. For example you gave someone N20,000 and you get back the N20,000 with 30% interest. That is it.

MMM is the Community where people trust and help each other. That’s why it uses a principle — “only one account for one person”. Only a person of legal age is allowed to participate in MMM. Each participant has to have own unique bank account. In the MMM Community you are allowed to add several bank accounts to your personal office. However, note that these bank accounts have to be registered in the name of only one person — you. That is, the accounts must have the same name and surname. In that case, if you add to your office accounts that are registered in the names of different people, you are automatically recognized by the system as a dishonest participant and will be blocked. You have the right to request assistance to be sent to any specified Bank yours. Yet it is prohibited to share the same bank account and with other people!

To participate click here http://nigeria-mmm.net/?i=merezpyo@gmail.com

MMM is a global mutual aid community. MMM is social financial donation exchange network. MMM is a million n million community of people who have agreed to willingly extend financial helping hands to each other via donation.

MMM is not a bank, an investment opportunity, a business but simply a community of people helping each other financially MMM has no central pocket were money is been deposited.. Transactions are done by the people in the community ie. Me and you. We just have a technical program that regulates what we do n what we can't do.

The technical system controls how much we can ask as help or withdraw and how much we can provide as help or deposit.

HOW DOES IT WORK

You know about the popular word 'Contribution' where people contribute money to one person and there's a book where everyone's name is written. When it gets to your turn; everybody's money is given to you.

In MMM, we make pledges to donate our money to members who need the money. We do so by logging into our MMM account (Personal office) to make the pledge. We join the queue of people who made pledges after making the pledge. When the money we pledged is due we are requested to pay it into someone’s account. The details of the person will be given to us on MMM. When we pay in the money, the recipient will then confirm the payment and notify MMM that we have actually made the payment and then we will be liable to ask for help too and get paid but with interest. To get help, simply go to your dashboard on your MMM account and click “GET HELP”.  The system connects you with the person in the queue for providing help.

We ONLY make pledges. We don't gather our pledges to give to one person. In MMM there is no central account (No bank account where all our pledges are paid into). Members transfer money directly to each other.

Note that on you get bonus of 20 dollars on registration.

THE THREE PARTS OF MMM

1. Provide help

2. Get help

3. Technical basic program

A provider of help is someone who has pledged to give financial help in d community. He or she can also be a receiver of help, when he or she has extended a financial helping hand to someone in d community

A receiver of help is a member or participant who has already intended a helping hand or provided help. Thus is qualified to receive help from the community.

So basically MMM hasn't any central account where all money deposits or donations go into.

To participate click here http://nigeria-mmm.net/?i=merezpyo@gmail.com

HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN MMM

Like I said earlier MMM is donation exchange network. If we had previous knowledge of mutual aid society, we understand mutual aid society is a community where we give financial help and receive financial help back. The more financial help you give, the more financial help u get in return. It’s like giving your money out, and receiving it back later or much later when u need it with interest.

GIVING HELP

I donate 1000 naira, after 30 days you would be qualified to 1300 naira as financial help from another participant in community,

5000 naira qualifies you to recieve 6500 naira

10000 naira, qualifies you to recive 13000 naira.

So basically, the percentage grows by 1 % daily or 30 % month.

When you make a donation request (giving help to someone), your request is registered and placed in a queue, while your money still remains wit u.

In exchange d system will register your request with its virtual currency called mavros. This mavros is already growing at 1 percent per day. While your request is in queue and your money still with you.

Note that MMM gives a specific time from the time you are notified to give help after which your account will be blocked if you fail to pay into someone’s account. The time to give help is usually 2 to 3 days.

GETTING HELP

You can request to get help and the money will be paid to u within 48 hrs by someone. When you receive the alert, you notify MMM that you actually received the help. In that way you are making the person who paid into your account to be liable for help also. To confirm the person you have to click on “confirm fund reception” which appears on your dashboard.

Where does 30% come from? There is no interest rate in MMM. In MMM after you donated money, you can be rewarded with mavro (interest). It is an index of your tribute to the development of the Community. This index grows 30% a month. It is just a technical issue. Programmers can adjust this growth rate of mavro at any moment. The amount of mavro and its growth rate can be decreased, increased, stopped, cancelled. The amount of mavro and its growth rate can be adjusted at any moment to balance PH (Providing Help) and GH (Getting Help). That's why MMM can't collapse due to weak inflow of donations. If the inflow of donations will decrease, the amount of mavro will be adjusted, but the most important thing is that the process of donation exchange will not stop. It makes MMM stronger than the financial organizations. Financial organizations have obligations, if they do not meet them, they will go bankrupt. MMM is very flexible. Together we change the world

To Start participating, follow this link and register with your email address and phone number.   http://nigeria-mmm.net/?i=merezpyo@gmail.com

For more info dial 08096217917.

POPCORN

Introduction

Almost everyone love popcorn. It is a fun-food that is enjoyable to eat and easy to prepare. Popcorn is a great way to get into the food business with minimal financial requirement, little wonder then that it has become a sizzling business in Nigeria today. Popcorn business is one business people don’t know much about.

Popping corn kernels requires heat to drive a phase change in the small amount of water (i.e., moisture) that normally resides in a kernel. As the water quickly transforms from a liquid to a gas state, the volume it occupies increases by a factor of 1700 – thus providing the explosive force for popping. It is important that the heat is transferred quickly, avoiding pervaporation which allows water to escape without creating the explosive force. The latent moisture in a kernel is therefore critical; kernels should be stored properly to keep their moisture content stable. Only a few knows about the profitability of this business and are happy to keep it away from people. This article will expose to you how you will get started in simple easy steps.

There are two kinds of machine that pops the corn, the manual and the electronic machines. The manual is sold around N35,000 and the electronic around N150,000. The manual makes use of cooking gas. Ingredients are baking milk, sugar and butter and of course the corn. The profit potential is quite good and if you take it to the next level you will make even more sales and have more money.

Equipment

Space/Shop: Popcorn business doesn’t require much space. You can attach yourself with another shop owner and pay little amount or even nothing. You can attach yourself anywhere like parks, around higher institutions, markets, at a corner in the street.

Popcorn Machine: This is the popcorn maker. There are different sizes of the popcorn machine. Since you are just starting, I suggest you go for the small or moderate size. You won’t be told when to need the bigger machines. There are ones that produce salt and sugar popcorns at the same time. Could be around N70,000. It is moderate in size and processes faster and neat popcorns. However this operates on electricity. If your area doesn’t have regular power you can go for the one that uses both gas and electricity. There are also good ones that operate on gas only. All you have to do is check your pocket and know the one you can get; there is always room for improvement. The regular popcorn maker costs about N20,000 or thereabout. Approach the sellers and negotiate the price.

Bags of corn: Corn is the major raw material in the production of popcorn. You can get a bag for a start. You will know you are supposed to increase your supplies.

Groundnut oil: Choosing the correct oil will be your biggest decision. Oil affects the taste and the nutritional value of the popcorn. Peanut oil is readily available in Nigeria but there are bad ones however. I suggest you should get the sealed peanut oil since this guarantees a good measure of safety. There are so many bad oils in the market. Remember that whatever people eat is indirectly connected to health so you should be conscious of the oil you use.

Sugar, butter and salt: Popcorn is made with sugar, butter and salt. You should know the proportion of the components needed to make great tasting popcorn. I suggest you should get the skill of mixing your popcorn properly. This is where great taste is hinged.

Branded paper bags: For your packaging, I suggest you use branded paper bags, it is eco-friendly and a good way to stay ahead of competitors in this business. Have your business name printed on the bags. But if you can’t go through that, it is not illegal to use the regular packs we see around. When your business begins to grow you can improve.

Materials

Popcorn kernels

Heat transfer medium

Oil (traditional)

Air (hot air popper)

Popcorn kernels

Premium kernels are essential for quality popcorn. Desirable kernel characteristics:

§  Relatively large and plump

§  White or yellow in color

§  Ideal moisture content (13-14%)

§  Proper packaging to ensure moisture stability

§  High popped to un-popped volume expansion ratio

Heat transfer medium: A key factor impacting how a kernel pops is how heat is transferred to the kernel. Oil is the traditional medium; it has several advantages over air and microwaves. Provides even and continuous contact with the kernel and heating equipment – thus maximizing heat transfer. It adds flavor to the popped corn.

Seasonings: Although dry popped corn has taste, its taste can be enhanced with simple seasonings. Real butter provides the best taste and does not contain trans-fat that is associated with margarine. A small amount of salt magnifies the corn and butter flavors. Sugar, caramel, cheese and other flavorings are common but are too dominate and can interfere with the taste of the corn.

Equipment

Popping equipment desirable characteristics:

Ability to transfer heat to heat transfer medium quickly and evenly

Avoid burning

Allow steam to escape

Holding equipment desirable characteristics:

Cool slowly and evenly

Allow moisture to escape

Allow for transferring and mixing

The traditional covered pot: Although simple, the traditional covered pot may be the best choice for making quality homemade popcorn. The pot interior should be made of good quality stainless steel and have a smooth finish on the inside. No pitting or visible corrosion, free of char and scorch stains (impacts heat transfer). Aluminum core and exterior desirable (provides even heating). The pot height should be close to 4 inches or more to allow steam to escape and counts for expected volume expansion if a single layer of kernels is used.

Storage containers: Paper bag is preferable for cooling. It is a low heat material and prevents condensation during cooling. It also absorbs and wicks moisture, keeping popcorn dry and fluffy. Large volume allows for easy bulk cooling and mixing. Paper bag is also disposable and recyclable.

Techniques

Technique is critical for consistent high quality, high yielding popcorn. There are four techniques in popcorn production:

§  Preheating

§  Popping

§  Cooling

§  Seasoning

§  Serving and storage

Preheating: The water inside the kernel need to reach 100°C so that steam can be created and cause the pressure to build and to provide the explosive “pop.” The temperature inside the kernel is related to exterior kernel temperature, which is related to oil temperature, which is related to pot temperature which is related to stove temperature, which is the heat source. The stove, pot and oil should be individually preheated to allow for optimal thermal equilibrium and temperature gradients. Indicating kernels are used to verify when the oil has reached popping temperature of approximately 210 to 230°C.

Popping: For maximum batch yield without compromising other factors, pop as many kernels as it takes to form a single layer in the pot. I suggest you use a big pot that will accommodate a reasonable layer. Mixing is critical during both heating and popping of the kernels and also makes sure kernels are evenly coated with hot oil as this minimizes temperature variations in the pot. Mixing also moves displaced, non-popped kernels to the bottom of the pot so they can return to the oil for popping.

Opening the lid during popping allows steam to escape to keep popped kernels dry, light and fluffy. When the popping rate declines, remove the pot from the heat source, not when the popping has stopped. Popping popcorn kernels absorb heat from the oil, pot and stove, once in decline, the temperature of the pot and oil begins to rise significantly and can cause oil to smoke, burn and scorch, imparting a bad taste to your popcorn.

Cooling: Cooling is a critical yet often unmanaged step in popcorn production. Fresh, hot popcorn needs to cool in a controlled fashion that gets rid of unwanted condensation. Paper is ideal surface as it absorbs moisture and has low heat capacity. Glass, porcelain or metal are not recommended because they retain moisture which condenses on the popped corn and this makes it less crispy and crunchy. Corn does not remain fresh too long during storage.

Seasoning: Seasoning is a personal preference, but most popcorn enthusiasts celebrate popcorn with simple butter and salt. The oil used provides flavor, so use only minimal amounts of real butter and salt or sugar. Slowly drizzle butter evenly over the popcorn, mixing frequently. Be sure to coat the popcorn evenly and lightly. Don’t soak or drench the popcorn after butter seasoning, carefully add salt and (or) sugar to taste. Salt will stick to popcorn. Dispense slowly over wide area, mixing frequently.

Packaging and storage: Popcorn is best enjoyed when fresh; hence it should not be popped when it is not going to be eaten in twelve hours as it loses its crispiness before long. It is best to package your popcorn in a paper bag. You can produce the paper bags yourself as you will also learn how to produce paper bags in this book. Your popcorn can come in N50.00 packages or in bigger packs as you desire. Be sure popcorn is also at room temperature before sealing container; this will minimize moisture and extend storage time.

Final note

This business has enriched many youths especially those who would have otherwise sat at home after secondary school. People look away from this business because it is construed not to yield much profit but that’s unfortunate. Popcorn business doesn’t require extensive space to operate. The portability of the popcorn making machine allows for the business to be established in the smallest of spaces and on the spur of the moment. People of all ages enjoy the wonderful taste of popcorn at any event or roadside.

STARTING A CAR-WASH BUSINESS IN NIGERIA

This is a business that is gaining popularity by the day. I know of a friend, Bennett who grew up with an uncle of his in Enugu who saw him through school. He washed his uncle's car every other morning before he leaves for work. The uncle never wanted to know if there was water, all he wanted was his car to be neat as he leaves in the morning. Bennett was always meeting up on the demand. After school he worked for two years and just didn’t like the idea of confining his whole being and time to a job that didn’t give him much while taking all of his time. The money wasn’t much but it attended to most of his needs and the side needs of his immediate family. But it wasn’t something to rely on as he was looking to be married soon. He put himself to serious thought. I want you to remark this: humans have clues here and there to be successful but they hardly notice these clues. Most people I know who are doing well in one vocation or the other today came from poor or average homes, and it was the activities they did while growing up that inspired their businesses today. This my friend thought about car-wash business. It didn’t require much at least in the area he lived to start it. It’s a suburb of the city with average earners and handful of what we can call rich people. But there were cars in the neigbouhoood. He rented a small space with a ridiculous amount, bought a N4500 plastic drum, and filled it with water, bought two buckets and detergents. That was how he started. He put a signpost, told a few people whom he knew that had cars about the business. He initially worked on weekends by himself, but when people began to call him often and he wasn’t  always available because he was still with the firm he work with, he talked to a hood boy who he knew was idle and the hood boy brought a friend to man the shop every day and he joined them on weekends. He paid the boys according to the number of cars washed per day.

Mind you he started with what many people wouldn’t want to start with in such business. After two months he was thinking of getting a big reservoir thank and professional car washing equipment. He quitted his job and now has the leading car wash in the city with a nice environment for people to relax. He has employed about five people, planning to open another car wash somewhere, has his time to do other things and happy. It’s good to start small, trade your shame.

How to open a carwash business

Apart from the example I gave above about Bennett, there are people who could have enough capital to start it big in car-wash business. These are the people that can go all the way to invest in it without a moment’s thought. Opening a car wash business can be fun, interesting, and profitable business for somebody with business interest and perseverance. With the right location, good marketing, and top-notch service, you can draw in numerous customers who need their cars washed quickly, efficiently, and at a good price. However, opening a car wash business also requires a significant investment, good planning, and attention to detail in order to make your business profitable.

Investigate the competition in your area. In order for your business to be competitive, you need to thoroughly research the other car-washes in your area. If you have already chosen a location for your car wash, scope out all the competition within a few miles. What services do they offer? What are their prices? How do they market their business? How often are customers using the services? Take notes as you investigate the car washes. You can go back and review them as you make plans for your car wash. Also pay attention to the other businesses around the car washes. If a car wash has a high volume of customers, what are some of the factors that are contributing to this? Is it located in a busy shopping center or right off the highway?

Draw up a detailed business plan. A business plan will help you get financing to start your car wash and think through the details of your business. Make your plan as detailed as possible. The business plan should include an introduction, market analysis, company description, organization and management, marketing and sales strategies, product/service, equity investment and funding request, financial information. The introduction should include your Executive Summary, table of contents, and a cover page. Your market analysis demonstrates your knowledge of the car wash industry and the results of any market research and analysis that you have done. Who are your customers and what are their purchasing habits? What are the risks, strengths, and weaknesses involved with opening a car wash? What is your projected revenue based on the current market and future market trends? Your company description should include information about your car wash business and why you think it will be successful.

The organization and management section should detail the structure of your company, the board of directors, and the qualifications of your management team. The marketing and sales portion should clearly outline your marketing strategy. How will you get customers? What avenues will you use to reach them? What is your overall sales strategy?

The product or service section outlines exactly what you will be selling. How does your car wash business fill a void in the market? Why would people want to use your car wash as opposed to other car washes? The equity and funding section details exactly how much money you will need to start your business and what financial resources you already have to invest in the business.

The financial information is the most important part of your business plan and should be reviewed by an accountant or financial planner. Include your personal financial information, any existing businesses you have, a list of debts, projected income for five years, and certification that your information was reviewed by a third party financial adviser.

Find the investment capital to open a car wash. You can finance your new car wash through bank financing, a loan from family and friends, or through private investors. You will also need to have some cash of your own saved up to secure financing from others. The best way to do this is by presenting your business plan to your potential investor and shows how your idea can be a viable business. However, you can start with the little you have in a scale it can carry you. You can start up with a low price to attract customers.

Choose the location for your car wash business. Having the right location can make or break your business. A successful location should be near a shopping center, in a high traffic, residential area, be easily and visible accessible from the road, allow for expansions and business growth, and have enough space for cars to line up. Your sign is visible to drivers for at least 40 seconds. Ideally, traffic should travel past at no more than forty miles per hour so drivers have time to see your signage and make that split-second decision to have their cars washed. Choose a place large enough to accommodate the at least 6 to 10 cars or less. One or half plot of Land is okay.

A bore hole with submersible or any steady source of water supply but a low starter can start with reservoir tank.

Register your business with the Corporate Affairs Commission in your state. It is necessary to respect the law so you can do your business with ease.

Buy equipment. You will typically need to buy a washing system like reservoir tank, pressure washer, cleaning solutions, wax, spot free rinses, pressure machine or steaming machine, dryers, blowers, vacuums, brushes, towels, original hose and pipes compressors, pumps, and a water system e.g. boilers, water heater, water filtration, customers’ stand, where to sit watch T.V while their wash their cars are washed etc.

Market your business. Use a multifaceted approach to advertise your business that includes flyers, posters, and an online presence. The signage for your car wash should be colorful with clear messaging. Make sure that people can easily see it from the road. A popular way to get new customers is by distributing coupons or discounts for car washes. Also, develop relationships with other small businesses located near your car wash. Social media is an important aspect of marketing these days. Set up a website and establish a presence on Twitter and Facebook. Make sure any of the paper items that you have include links to your website and social media accounts. Use your website to share information about taking care of your car and other relevant tips.

Final note

Car-wash business is a very profitable business in Nigeria, considering the dusty and muddy nature of our environment. Cars get dirty even if they are just parked. Since people need to clean their cars regularly you are always sure of a steady market.

KEROSENE BUSINESS

Kerosene also known as dual purpose kerosene (DPK) probably has the highest market demand per liter profit of the three commonly used petroleum products. The other two are petrol also known as PMS (premium motor spirit), diesel also known as AGO (automotive gas oil). It is used in cooking and in other household domestic purposes.

Kerosene is a commodity that is used every day. In fact, people cook every day and 70% of these use kerosene. The people who use kerosene are predominantly average and the poor population. Most of them usually go a distance to get it. One can start this business with 50 liters containers in the neighbourhood. It has been selling every other place. Yours won’t be a failure if you start it today. One problem people have is to make the first step, shame and fund. Our Nigerian people don’t like to start small. But this kind of business doesn’t require much capital and can be done even in any unrented space. By the time you do it for a month you will know what you have been missing. Your stock would have doubled by half. Before you know it, you begin to dream to get a reservoir tank. It’s that lucrative and the product is readily accessible.

People most times know where to get things they use, but if you take it to them, they will still appreciate it. So it is left for you.

Kerosene storage and sales business is one of the easiest and cheapest oil and gas business you can invest in. Kerosene business is a very lucrative business but it is as well volatile. You have to constantly watch the market. Profit can be from N30 to N40 per liter, sometimes you get it from the depot at N130, but on retail it would be about N150 to N250.In a normal situation where there is no scarcity, you can make between N10 to N35 per liter on kerosene. Kerosene business is therefore highly lucrative if done properly.

Start-up

The quantity you are starting off with will depend on your start-up capital. If you are starting with below 10, 000 liters of kerosene, the law excludes you from obligation to obtain a license to venture into the kerosene storage and sales business because it is regarded as a small scale business. Basically to start a kerosene business, some people decide to build storage tanks, this is necessary if you have enough capital. Depending on the size of the tank, it could be between N150, 000 to N200, 000 liters. If you don’t have enough capital as the case may be, you could get drums of 200 liters. They cost about N3, 000 to N4, 500 depending on where you are buying them from. Starting with 1, 000 liters, you need just five drums. In this case you only need to get buckets and measuring cans.

Also, you need to know someone or a petrol station that has constant supply of kerosene. A trader in oil and gas that can supply you regularly and you are in business. You can store up to 10, 000 liters in your residential house.

Profitability

Kerosene is a product that is demanded on daily basis. You can’t lose in kerosene business. You would have observed that the selling price of kerosene varies from time to time and place to place. The forces of demand and supply determine the price of kerosene and the profit potential. The profit potential is usually estimated per liter. Today, kerosene profits range from N10 to N35 per liter or even more depending on availability.

Let’s assume you bought 1, 000 at N140 per liter (price is subject to change reflecting the oil prices at the current time); N140 x 1, 000 liters = N140, 000 plus N5 per liter transport cost on 1, 000 liters which is N5, 000 making a total of N145, 000. This depends on the distance though. You can add N20 on each liter, though depending on the area you are situated. In all, you would have made a profit of N20, 000. Depending on your location, you can sell 1, 000 liters in a day. The profit margin for kerosene is quite mouth-watering. Sometimes, you get more; sometimes, less.

Even though most middle and upper-middle class Nigerians prefer cooking with gas, the need for kerosene cannot be completely eliminated. This is because a number of low-income earners in Nigeria surpass the middle and upper-middle class and for this category of people, cooking with kerosene is much more affordable. A lot of middle class citizens still use kerosene for cooking alongside gas. So, if you are thinking of going into kerosene retail business, demand is certainly not a problem.

Requirements

Some of the things that you would need to start your kerosene business include-:

Certification

You cannot just start kerosene business without proper registration and licensing. You need to register your business with the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC). Upon registration, you would receive a certificate which would permit you to buy your kerosene in wholesale directly from the NNPC. This makes it possible for you to have access to products cheaply. However, this process takes time and of course, would cost you money.

But if you want the easy way out, you can become an indirect marketer. As an indirect marketer, you would source for your products from registered marketers. Although you would get products at a more expensive rate compared to buying directly from the depot.

Location

You need a strategic location, a residential area with movement of people. In most places, people transport to get the product. Look around in your city and see areas that don’t have such products around. It might not be necessarily where you live. You could find a good area a few kilometers from where you live. Some kerosene marketers own filling stations which they use in selling kerosene alongside other petroleum products but if you cannot afford to build yourself a station, you can just set up a depot in a safe place. I have even seen people set up kerosene mini-depots in front of their homes. However, you must take issues of safety very seriously if you decide to go with this option.

Dispensing Pump

Dispensing pump is necessary for someone who has enough capital. To make it easy for you to sell your product, you should get an automatic dispensing pump. You can easily get them from dealers in major Nigerian cities. However, if you still don’t know where to get one, you can try to ask from people who are already into the business; they can easily point you in the direction where they got theirs. An automatic dispensing pump would make your job really easy as you would be able to easily measure your products and charge your customers correctly. If you are going to start with drums you don’t need dispensers.

Petroleum Tanker

This is only necessary for people who are starting kerosene business on a large scale. If you have registered with PPMC and DPR and want to be buying your products directly from the depot even start supplying other kerosene sub-dealers, you would need a petroleum tanker to move your products around easily.

Generator set

This is also for people who are using the dispenser and selling from a big tank. Generator would be needed to power the dispenser.

The amount you need to start a kerosene business would depend on the scale you wish to operate. With about N200, 000 or less, you can set up a small-scale kerosene business in your neighborhood or somewhere close. But if you want to operate this business on a large scale, you should be ready to spend at least 1 million naira.

Final note

Nigeria and other countries where kerosene is in huge demand lack stable electric power supply. And this explains why most people depend heavily on kerosene for cooking and other domestic purposes. Nigeria has a large population, comprising majorly of low income earners who buy kerosene because they simply cannot afford costlier energy sources. So, the market for kerosene in Nigeria and many other countries in Africa is very large.

DRY-CLEANING/LAUNDRY BUSINESS

Nigeria is growing every day. People are getting busier to attend to their simple but immediate needs. I have a neighbor who tips my Landlord’s teenage son to wash his clothes every other three days. He was doing this often and at a time my landlord threatened to eject the guy for turning his son to his houseboy (he never knew the boy was being paid though). My neighbor had to stop. But the boy observed that the tenants in that estate are predominantly young families, some unmarried but busy/working bachelors and spinsters. He began to go close to them asking if he could do their laundry. These tenants were relieved and the boy himself started giving this service with the little they pay him. Today this boy has established a good laundry business with employees and has many branches. He is studying too o! Have you seen how my neighbor opened his eyes just because he tipped him to wash his clothes?

This is the attitude of someone who will succeed. Sometimes it doesn’t matter the vocation we choose. What matters is our attitude towards it and how much belief we have in it. Now look around your neigbourhood and see what you can offer there.

Whatever the size of your laundry, the initial investment can be relatively small. Everyone needs clean clothes and linens; they are a basic to life. When you bring laundry services to the community, you are enhancing quality of life and at the same time increasing your profit potential.

This business is becoming competitive; you need to differentiate yourself from the crowd. Make sure you get a good location, know the number of laundries in the area, know how your would-be competitors are doing and then find a way to be enticingly different.

If you want to outsmart your competitors, you must adapt to doing things differently. The priority is to satisfy your customers and keep them.  

Steps on starting a laundry business

Take an inventory into the laundry industry: Look around in your city for such business and see if they are there. You can observe how they operate and if possible know their lifeline, knowing their weak point because this is where you are going to be different. This tour will help you with some information and to write your business plan. Also try to evaluate your prospective customers. Busy people should be your target and I believe they are found in every city, so naturally, that is taken care of.

Business plan: You will be seeing this business plan writing first in every business you see in this book. The importance of business plan cannot be overemphasized.

In your business plan, list the services you provide. Make sure you add something your competitors don’t offer. Special delivery, special packaging with your business name and contacts on it, picking up items to be laundered from customer’s homes. Brainstorm on how to get your customers pleased. That’s the way to go.

In the plan, write out your long term expectations, things you would love to improve on, when you are likely to have a branch, materials that are needed for the take-off etc.

Your business plan is a road-map and gives you a vivid idea of what you are going into. It should therefore capture every area of the business. This is not something someone will do for you, you have to sit and put your brain to work. You want good income and something call your own, so you are going to put it over. Tell yourself you are not going to try, tell yourself you are going to do it.

Location: Don’t be in a hurry to pick any available space you see. Chose a place that is populated and accessible to your prospective customers. It should be easily located without any hassles. It shouldn’t necessarily be in the heart of a city. Every city has somewhat a suburb where you can get a good shop at a moderate rate where you can have a physical presence and operate from. Most of the average earners live at the fringes of the towns. Sometimes people operate from their homes, reach out to the people in the neighbourhood and then spread out to the entire suburb if you can’t afford a place, but this will make you put much hard work in advertising and you might have to include home delivery and pick up.  

Equipments: There are many laundry equipments available in the market out there but you can start with the normal house equipments, remember you are just starting and there is room for improvement buckets. If you can afford a mechanized laundry, that’s alright. But if you can’t then you are good to go with the normal laundry equipments you have at home (reservoir tanks, big bowls, the one we call baff here in Nigeria, lines for drying the clothes) etc. They can serve for a start.

Here are some of the equipments you will need:

Reservoir tank or any other reliable source of water

Buckets, big bowls

Any generator that can power pressing irons

Reasonable amount of detergents (mild and strong) and soaps

Laundry carts (or lines) for drying

25 liters industrial starch

2 industrial irons

Packaging (paper bags are eco-friendly). You will also learn how to make paper bags in this book.

Wood shelves

Table

Receipts

Note: If you have huge capital then you can include industrial washing machines and other logistics. However you can start minimally with simple items.

You will also need laundry liquids and powders (stain removers, detergents, destainers, sours and softeners) etc. Some laundry chemicals contain some corrosive components. This is where you should make good research to know which ones would be good for you. You also note that there are laundry chemicals for different types of fabrics. Wools, denims, cottons, linens, etc should have chemicals suitable for them. Have you ever wondered why some clothes have some tags like rayon, linen or polyester on them? We wear these clothes everyday but most of us don’t know what they mean. A good fabric would be worthless in no time if you don’t know how to maintain it.

I will write about how to care for some of the fabric types under this topic. As a general rule, remember to check the tag on the fabric before you start to wash. You should keep yourself acquainted with the fabric symbols to know which is which. Though some African clothes don’t come with tags, you should use your discretion to know how to handle them.

Register your business: Choose a business name of your choice, go to the relevant government agency (Corporate Affairs Commission), it is in every city, pay the fee and get your business legal. It takes about 2 weeks to a month to be cleared. A name with “enterprise” should do. The name you choose should reflect your concept and pass a message. Sit down and think out a good name. It must not be a reflection of your biological names. Put creativity in it. That’s the first thing people notice.

Open your business: When you have put all of the above in place, you are ready to start operation. I suggest you do the services by yourself initially, when the business begins to pick up (surely it will) then you can find other hands. This will also help you feel the pulse and master every area of the business. You can’t open a business and then leave it in the hands of people who didn’t initiate it. You have to take every responsibility.

Advertise! Advertise! Advertise!: Now that your business is ready, you have to reach out to people, be seen and heard. Print fliers, business cards, go online and have a presence. I suggest you have a Facebook page, it is free. Ask your friends and family to help and share your presence online. It’s a good way to push your business. I am a witness.

Innovation: Don’t drift along in business. Always find a way to improve and be different. If you open your business, sit there and relax probably because you have customers, you will be dazed when new innovative people comes, overtake or run you over.  It happens always. There are people you are probably going to run over now. So keep the dream and enthusiasm alive. Before you know it, you would see another branch would be necessary. That’s the way to go.

Types of fabrics and how to clean them

Acrylic: Acrylic fabrics have been around for a long time. This fabric feels more like a wool or cashmere. It can be very warm which is why it is used to make sweaters, winter, socks and other winter garments. It is best to warm-wash with fabric softener. Acrylic materials can be ironed if need be, but you have to use the low heat settings.

Cashmere: Cashmere is in the wool family of textiles since it comes from goats. Cashmere is actually a type of hair. When it comes to cleaning and maintaining fabric using very mild soap or detergent is best. Dint iron or machine-dry, and don’t wring the fabric out. Just lay it on a surface as it loses its shape when hung.

Cotton: Cotton is the standard bearer of clothing materials and the fabric of our lives. It is made from the fiber found in a certain family of seedpods. Cotton is understandably the most popular fabric in the world. It is cheap, durable and easy to manufacture.

Cotton is very simple to clean. It can be washed in a machine, tossed in the dryer and ironed very well. However, the colours choose water temperatures. For instance, white can be washed in hot water but coloured cottons should be washed in cold water.

Denim: Denims are the everyday jeans we wear. They are actually made from cotton; they were just woven into hard materials using a type of weave called twill. They are tougher than cotton; you absolutely should not wash jeans in washer. Denims are seriously dyed and the dyes come off almost always. So it doesn’t need harsh treatment. Water itself will wash away the denim’s colour over time, and soap will only hasten the process. Try soaking the denim in cold water and vinegar instead of washing. Add one cup of vinegar to a bucket of water enough to soak the denim and leave for an hour. Hand and lay to dry. This technique locks the dyes colour, keeping your jeans fresh and your furniture clean. Hang your jeans outside but away from direct sunlight.

Suede/leather: Suede and leather are highly vulnerable to dirt and dehydration. There are four things that can cause leather to deteriorate: chemical damage from oils and compounds in the environment, oxidation, chafing and abrasion. Leather should be cleaned with mild soap and warm water. As for suede, you can wash with wool detergent and scrub with a suede brush.

Linen: Linen is a fiber derived from the flax plant. It keeps the wearer cool in hot weather and like cotton, it is washing-machine-friendly. It is best to be washed with chlorine-free bleach in warm water and letting it dry on a cloth line. If you want to dry on your drier instead, be sure to dry it on medium heat.

Nylon: Nylon is a synthetic (plastic-based) fabric and it is made from one of the most commonly used polymers in the world. As with other synthetic materials, nylon is rugged and easy to clean. It is machine-washable, moisture resistant and can be cleaned in warm or cold weather. You should use low heat setting in drying to prevent wrinkling.

Polyester: Like nylon, polyester is a synthetic fabric made from plastic. The only difference is the type of polymer used to spin it into thread. Polyester is less durable than nylon but still strong. You clean polyester more or less the same way you clean nylon, although a warm wash is ideal. Low heat is advised in ironing.

Rayon: This is a synthetic fabric too. It is actually made from wood pulp, same stuff used to make paper. However, rayon is not as durable as other chemical-based fabrics, heat and laundry will make it shrink and lose colour.

If you want to clean rayon fabric, you are either going to have to get it dry-cleaned or wash it in cold water and let it air-dry.

Silk: Silk is one of the most luxurious fabrics in existence and for good reason. Few materials can match the soft, plush fiber that comes from the silkworm. It is delicate however, and that’s why it should be dry-cleaned. You can also hand-wash with warm water and mild detergent. Some silk garments can even be cleaned using washing machine’s delicate cycle.

Spandex: This is the super-stretchy synthetic fabric used in sports. It is pretty sensitive to heat. It is better to hand-wash in cold water and avoid ironing.

Wool: Wool is a natural fabric. Sheared off of sheep, wool makes for great warm clothing like sweaters, caps and coats. And like other items, wool is machine-washable. Some washing machine may even have wool setting, just make sure you keep it out of the drier.

Final note

Laundry business is very lucrative in Nigeria no matter the scale you are launching from. The most important thing is to stay true to the course and improve on the services and approach.