Isaya ́s Dreamers – What the world needs

There has already been a lot of talk about the book “Isaya’s Eyes”. Also about what should be done with the donations: Women should be brought into their strength to enable themselves to have a better life. To this end, I have been touring South Africa since January 2024 and am getting an impression of how and where I can best start.

Today: The case of ZIPHO or – IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MINDSET

Zipho lives in the township of Mbekweni near Paarl in South Africa. We got to know each other through the contact of an acquaintance. Zipho is a very energetic young woman. She is unemployed, very active and, in my opinion, has what it takes to become an entrepreneur. She is smart, committed, has bite and clear ideas about what she wants to do. A market, contacts, a plan. I like that!

She guides me privately through her township, shows me projects, helplessness and introduces me to people who have pushed something forward with a lot of courage and will. None of them are successful; it’s just enough to survive.

What strikes me more and more in the conversations is that there is no lack of will, nor of ability. There is a lack of entrepreneurial thinking! Everyone, including Zipho, is convinced: It will run “… IF WE HAVE AN INVESTOR!”. And I know from my own experience: Guys, that’s wrong!

If you have nothing but a good idea, NO ONE will give you money. If you wait for the Savior from the outside, you can forget about it. Then you will never get out of your misery. You need to come up with a way to MAKE MONEY INSTANTLY! You need a money mindset.

Zipho would like to rent out catering tableware for weddings, wedding ceremonies, baptisms, in short for family celebrations in the township. She knows it’s needed, and people are spending money on it. She knows the people – it could work.

She wants me to give her the money for it. And she is terribly disappointed when I say no.

I explain to her that it’s part of entrepreneurship to come up with something when things get tight. My suggestion is: Go for pre-order, get a 25% deposit, and as soon as you have enough pre-orders AND the money from the prepayment, buy the first set. Then you don’t need a warehouse at first, you don’t have any costs, but Fedback, how well the idea is received. You educate people to be reliable, you don’t have to chase your money – and you can start today.

She vehemently rejects this. Tries gain and again. But I’m adamant: I’ll give you ideas and my know-how, but no money. Take it or leave it.

We delve into her resistance and the problems she sees. I manage to direct her attention to what she is good at and what will be her guarantee of success: she knows people, she is “one of them”. Therefore, she understands, EVERYONE would rather borrow the things from her than from the white wholesaler in Paarl. Even if it costs a bit more.

Her gaze wanders into the void, her eyes glaze over. And I know what that means: she’s flipped the switch in her head and is starting to think entrepreneurially. Her thoughts no longer revolve around: “I am the victim, I need pity and you have to give me money”. They migrate to: “What do I have to do to make money?”

And suddenly, the ideas are bubbling up: she has an aunt who has been selling dishes to the township for years. There, she will borrow the things for the time being and not even buy anything herself. The aunt has good purchasing conditions, she will get better prices than Zipho. The two could team up. Zipho takes care of sales and logistics, while his aunt takes care of the calculation and purchasing. The aunt is known as a serious businesswoman. It becomes a family business.

Now we talk business! The aunt is called and summoned to the next restaurant for a meeting. She comes, listens and smiles at the idea of the new family business. Yes, she likes that. She’s on board and she’s going to teach Zipho everything she needs to know.

Then the two women sit down in their aunt’s Mini (she has a car and therefore knows how to make money) and shower off. Zipho euphoric, the aunt quite the entrepreneur.

I am left with the task of paying the bill 🙂

A week later, I get a euphoric message from Zipho: They have taken up my idea and have already started selling.

No thanks, nothing else. Ok, we all still have a lot to learn, and I understood: I have to start with the skills. Not with expensive training. That’s how I am most of value. All three projects that I was presented with in the township could be converted into a clever business idea in two or three simple steps. It’s all down to the mindset.

PS: The money (21 euros) for the restaurant visit is paid from the donation pool of “Isaya’s Eyes”. In this case, my know-how was given for free.

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#makeithappen #goforyourdreams  #wiedubekommstwasduwillst #theartofgettingwhatyoureallywant #isayasdreamers #coaching

This post is also available in: German