Getting out of Your Comfort Zone

The Street Business School is an enterprise training programme that supports those with small businesses grow and those without a business to start one. It provide the skills and knowledge needed and the mentoring for continued support. Ultimately It changes mindsets

“I’m so happy to have taken part in this programme because it has changed me a lot! I remember when we started you, our coaches, emphasised a lot on ‘getting out of our comfort zone’, for me my comfort zone was settling and being satisfied with my life situation, but I was afraid to dream. I used to think that a certain kind of life is for a certain kind of person but now I see things completely differently!

I have so much hope for the future and I am eager and want to do better and to improve. My confidence has increased with taking part in this SBS programme in our community and this year I will set some new life goals.

I had a business before the training, but I was not managing that very well, I would make the income and then spend all the capital and then start again and I was not keeping any records so I did not know how the business was really doing or what the limit on my spending from the business should be. Now I know how to manage my business and have put in place some changes since the training and recently I have started to see the results.

Market research has helped my business a lot because now I research what kind of vegetables are needed here before I go to the big market and that has helped to reduce the losses I used to get through wasting and throwing away vegetables that were rotten before I could sell them. I now know where to go around to get customers and I take my business seriously. Because I was trained in the importance of customer service I talk better with customers now, I smile and use good language. My income has increased from around 10,000Tsh per week to 15,000Tsh per week and I keep on saving which helps me.

I have taken part in some trainings before, but this time was so different. There was more effort on making it practical and the learning activities we do in training have helped to bring it to life and make us understand the topics easily. The close follow up from the coaches is also so important, it helps with making improvements in business and it encourages each of us to move forwards!

Asante Sana!“

- Barika, Daghailoy Cohort