By Chisomo Phiri
Starting a business in Malawi is both exciting and challenging and having it grow is even harder for most people.
Research shows that 80 percent of small businesses in Malawi fail within the first five years of operation.
This is a common fact that the rate of failure in small businesses in Malawi is very high and it is for this reason some people get scared to start any kind of business as they are afraid that the business will fail and they will lose money.
However, some people out there are determined to do business and hope to succeed, anyway.
To them, as there are others still doing business,they do not regret starting the journey.Their success is a motivation for everybody to see.
It is clear that people who excel in business poses street knowledge that others who fail may not have.
Relating to the above is a story of David Banda, a 23-year-old young man who has created Linka-Malawi ( linkamalawi.com).
Linkamalawi.com is an online platform that is aimed at bringing small businesses together and fostering strong connections withing the professional community.
The platform links up business owners to their potential customers digitally.
What business owners need to do is to provide Linka-Malawi with their business details and Linka uploads them on their marketing website.
“Then as the team, we market their businesses to what seems to be their potential customers.
“Their online presence will expose them the maximum audience regardless of their size.
“The website not only benifits the business owners, but it also benifts the community as the whole. This is so because an individual will be able to explore different businesses around him/her before choosing the one to work with.
“At the same time, the website will give people links to some services that are on demands such as banking, loans, scholarships and consultants,” said David in an interview.
He said he started his business after attending the Digital Skills and Entrepreneurship Trainings that were delivered by Dzuka Africa Organization under Luntha ndi Chuma Project.
“Their trainings taught me the importance of starting my own business as the youth,” he said.
David said every one is a customer to his business.
Said David: “Whether a start up company looking for new market ventures, whether San established business looking for expansion, or an individual advertising his/skill, professionals and everyone else who is looking for opportunities, Linka-Malawi is for those.”
He said his future plans are to have the same sytem in the physical form.
“We dream to have a big building where we have many offices for start up entrepreneurs. From this building, we will see companies established after the entrepreneur has graduated from his or her hatchling stage. The offices will be cheaper and affordable to everyone who is starting business just like the website is affordable to any business,” said the soft-spoken young man.
On the challenges he meets in his business, David said: “There is no business without challenges.
“A business like this one is not popular in Malawi as a lot of people are not exposed to the world of internet. Many do not understand what the internet can do their business hence they do not understand what benefits will we bring to their business. But we try our best to explain to them with relevance examples on how the internet has boosted a lot of businesses.
“You know,one of the reasons why small scale businesses does not make it in Malawi is due to lack of exposure. They do not have access to the Market that is monopolized by giants industries but we are still going forward and thriving to the success we want.”
He urged his fellow business owners to always look at their businesses as important and the ones that have the bility to change the nation.
“Whether it is a startup or a small enterprise, possibilities are there that they can bring change and drive the economy if properly utilised,’ he urged.
He concluded by calling on people to join him by using his linkamalawi.com platform.
“I call everyone to join me by using our website because doing so they will help to boost Malawian small businesses,” he concluded.
