Ghanaian broadcaster, Bridget Otoo, has recounted the days she had to find shelter in an uncompleted building without access to water or electricity for eight months.
In an interview with The KSM Show, she explained that the building was located in a developing area, prompting her to seize the opportunity to start a cement-selling business.
With guidance from a friend experienced in the industry, she obtained cement bags and learned the ins and outs of the business.
“Before I went to Metro TV I took a break, so I left TV3 in 2017, during that time I didn’t know what to do. So I tried a few things, maybe get some uber but I realised drivers will give you a headache, I might have hypertension and die and leave the car for the driver. And a very good friend of mine at GIJ was selling cement and I told I have moved to a developing area living in an uncompleted building with no water and no light. I said I think this area the cement will sell and she said yes.
Despite facing challenges and financial constraints, Bridget Otoo persisted in her new venture, even working as a salesperson herself due to limited resources.
“So she taught me how to do it, and so I was able to get some few bags of cement with the help of a man and his wife who brought the goods and I started selling. I couldn’t afford to pay 350 Ghana cedis for a sales girl at that time so I will sit in the shop and sell as a sales girl.
She recounted days spent persuading contractors and masons to patronize her business.
While some potential customers were initially skeptical or even hostile, the journalist, eventually earned their trust and saw success in her business.
“The first three weeks I made no sales although people came around to make inquiries. I sat on the ‘abobboya’ that belonged to one of the boys and visited some sites in the area to beg people to buy from me,” she stated.
She revealed that when her efforts started paying off people thought she was using charm to sell her cements.
“We have been doing it for 6 years, eventually when it caught on people thought it was a charm, people were buying, we could sell like almost 2,000 bags in a week.
The first three weeks I made no sales although people came around to make enquiries. I sat on the ‘abobboya’ that belonged to one of the boys and visited some sites in the area to beg people to buy from me.
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