Hilina Yitateku is a young entrepreneur, who is able to grow her
business capital tremendously in a very short period. She is a mother of two and has got a diploma
in Machine Operating and advanced diploma in Industrial Engineering. After her graduation, she was employed in one
of the industrial companies and worked there for ten years but she was not
happy. Finally, she resigned. We invited her to share with us her life
experiences, what motivated her to start a business …and her success
factors. We hope you enjoy the read.
After obtaining a diploma in
Machine Operating, I was working for a company for ten years with a monthly
salary of Birr 1,900.00 ($90.5). I continued attending classes for my BA degree
at Addis Ababa University in the department of Engineering. I then heard that
most of the BA graduates who are employed in the same company as I were earning
Birr 1500.00 ($71.4) which was very discouraging for me. Then I decided to stop
attending classes and resigned from the company.
Before I started engaging in
business, I was hoping to take trainings since I didn’t have any knowledge and
skills about starting my own business. My sister, a senior member of one of the
Saving and Credit Cooperatives (SACCOs) of Women In Self Employment advised me
to become a member of a SACCO and take a business skills training. It was in
2007 that I joined ‘Serto Massaya’ SACCO in ‘Akaki-Kaity’ sub-city. This was a
very good opportunity for me.I took the Basic Business Skill (BBS) training for
10 half days. While attending the training, I realized that my previous diploma
and degree classes could not help me to become an entrepreneur. The training was very relevant and it
encouraged me to start my business immediately.
As soon as I completed attending
the BBS training, I took a first cycle loan of Birr 500.00 ($23.8) and started
a mobile maintenance business. Since I was not skilled in the profession; I
hired my cousin to work as a part-timer. But, it was very difficult for him to
run this task as he had a commitment in another business. Due to this problem, I took short term mobile
maintenance training and started the job myself. After a while, I handed over
the business to another person and engaged in printing and stationary business
with my friend. After four years in the business, our partnership discontinued
and I opened my own private printing and stationery firm with the name Hilina Yitateku Printing and Stationery
P.L.C.
Since I applied the knowledge and
skills I got from the training at WISE, it didn’t take much of my time to bring
changes in the business. As my business
grew fast, I requested my husband to resign from his job and start his own
business too. Soon he started his own
steel works. Aside from his business, he
continued attending classes for his BA degree in Civil Engineering and he also
obtained construction license.
Currently, he is running both steel and construction works. While he was
attending classes, I was the one who was supporting him financially. Now, both
of us have become successful in running our businesses.
I work 12 hours per day including
weekends. This helped me to attract more customers and improve my business
capital. I have won many bids, some amounting up to Birr one million ($47,619).
The loan I once took from the SACCOs Union which amounted Birr 300,000
($14,286) that I used for a bid I won was very helpful to transform my
business.I recently, travelled to China and brought 5 modern, digital printing
machines in order to do my business efficiently and effectively. Currently, I
am engaged in cap & T-shirt printing, making flash stamps and producing
different kinds of cards. I have rented two shops for my business and pay Birr
14,000.00 ($667) per month. I also bought a Suzuki Vitara car, employed three
people in my business. My children go to
a private school and they also have private tutors.
My business capital has reached
around a million Birr ($47,620). I still keep my membership at my cooperative
as it is my foundation.
In the future, I am planning to shift
this business to my sister and start engaging in a different business, which I
don’t want to disclose for the time being.
Before
concluding, she told us the factors that helped her to become successful. She
enumerated the following as major ones.
·
My burning passion to engage in business is the
first and foremost contributing factor for my success.
·
I took 12 trainings in Business and other subjects
at WISE. These equipped me with the necessary knowledge and skills at various
levels.
·
The access to financial services from my Cooperative
and Union also helped me to expand my business.
·
I use my time appropriately and effectively. I spend most of my time on things that add
value to my business.
·
I am a visionary and risk taking person. I believe I
have the ability to change problems into opportunities.
·
I usually prioritize tasks with clear plans. This
helps me to be organized and accomplish my goal.
·
To achieve my vision, I sacrifice my leisure time
and other social issues for my work. I believe this has also contributed to my
success tremendously.
·
Last but not least, I am blessed with a very
supportive husband. He shares in every
domestic chore, especially in taking care of the children. This helps me to
focus on my business. He always
encourages and supports me in every direction. If I have work I need to take
care of, he stays with me in the shop until midnight.
Finally, I would
like to thank WISE for giving me this golden opportunity to help me become a
successful business woman.
Women in Self Employment (WISE) is one of the four partner institutes of the African Centers of Excellence (ACE) for Women's Leadership Program run by the Institute of Intenrational Education (IIE), Ethiopia Office
For more on IIE , ACE or WISE please follow the links below.
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