From Mistakes to Growth

Dear You,

The urge to share this story with you, the story of validating my wrong steps in business, burns strong now. It's a tale woven from two years of dedicated learning and hard work, and I believe it holds valuable lessons for everyone.

It all began at a conference earlier this year. Seated near me was a young man, fresh off sharing his journey of starting a printing press. He spoke of near-collapse in early 2022, a consequence of failing to understand what truly worked for him.

With genuine curiosity, I inquired about his missteps. "Marketing," he admitted, his voice laced with honesty. He'd poured resources into high-quality machines and materials, yet sales remained stagnant. No one knew of his exceptional delivery.

My next question led to the key: "How did you turn things around?" His answer sparkled with determination. He'd invested in learning, devouring knowledge about thriving businesses. He even took marketing into his own hands, crafting a simple video showcasing his machines and their magic. Within three weeks, inquiries doubled, setting him on a path of continuous learning and growth.

The simplicity of it all struck me. I returned from the conference with a mission. Calling my team together, I laid out a plan to boost our reach and sales. We recognized a universal truth: despite amazing stories to share, we, too, were shrouded in silence, lost in a noisy world.

Business thrives on providing tangible value to customers. But sustained growth? That demands embracing marketing. And for micro-businesses like ours, starting small is key. Learn with your available resources, then hit the ground running.

That's exactly what I did in Q3. We decided to improve our visibility through marketing, starting with a video sharing our story.

No fancy camera, no tripod. Just my wife holding my phone while I stumbled through 70+ takes. My first attempt? Let's just say "rough draft" doesn't even begin to describe it. Friends and colleagues, bless their hearts, offered "constructive criticism" (read: condemnation) that sent me back for another 50 takes.

But these challenges fueled us. Today, everyone in my team confidently creates marketing videos. Our reach and engagement have skyrocketed 5x, and we're all fired up to track our growth metrics. What began as a test is now a cornerstone of our success.

The lesson? Observe, learn, implement, and embrace feedback. It's the path to validation, growth, and ultimately, achieving your business dreams.

If this story resonated with you, reach out! I'm happy to answer any questions about the challenges we encountered and how we navigated them.

Ubuntu,

Kamaldeen Kehinde

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