My friend Success was thoroughly discouraged. Her eyes seemed like a window and through them I could see the worry, anxiety coupled with fear, that she felt. Fear for her future.
We sat together that windy evening at the grove and she painfully told me she had no idea what to do after her service year. She had no interest whatsoever in joining the line with her siblings hoping for employment.
I asked her quietly, almost afraid to yank her out; she seemed far away. What can you do? What’s your special talent? ‘Eat and sleep,’ came her reply. To this I laughed, thinking, surely, she was telling a joke. But I laughed alone and no trace of humor was on my friend’s face. I pinched myself. What can I say to a graduate who has no desire for a white collar job but with no known skill set?
It hasn’t been available for a while now, that dream job every young graduate hopes to find upon graduation. The oil firm with a fat pay, allowances and a posh company car. Even the meager white collar jobs are a hassle to clinch. No one needs to preach the salvation message of financial independency anymore; every graduate is fishing desperately for his/her big escape.
Through series of inquires and research, I came up with a list of four viable business ideas/professions a young graduate can bravely dive into with low capital and succeed.
Social Media Marketing
There was a time social media was considered as a ‘passing fad.’ That time is gone. I saw an interesting tweet sometime ago, paraphrased: ‘People are making money from social media, people are promoting their work, people are educating themselves, people are networking, people are creating opportunities, people are being discovered. Anyone who says using social media is a waste of time simply isn’t using it well.’
That is the absolute tweet summed up in a tweet. There are over 3 billion internet users and over 2 billion of them have active social media accounts. We now have careers such as social media influencers, social media comedians and social media managers. People with loads of followings and engagement on their social media platforms are paid huge sums by companies to advertise their products and services. There’s no need for 30 billion to be in the account for you to embark on your journey to monetize your social media accounts. All you necessarily need is at least an android phone. Which, if you’re reading this post, you already have. Do your research, follow people who have established themselves as leaders in social media and learn. If you have to be on your phone all the damn time the least you can do is make money from it.
Photography
It’s probably a bad thing in our generation; no one wants to be an intern. Everyone wants to jump high and be a boss. Photography is a very profitable profession if you’re willing to learn from the pros. You don’t need a high version of Canon to start your career. If you’re willing to intern with a professional and you show dedication and passion, when you get little jobs of your own, you can lease a camera from your boss. (You guys must have a good working relationship though).
If your head is in the right place, you can start saving for your dream camera. While you’re waiting to boss up your bank account, you’re learning from a pro and gaining valuable experience. By the time your account balance is properly balanced, you’ll be ready in every ramification.
Food Blogging
Nigerians don’t say no to food. We love Owambe. If you love to cook and can cook, why not start a blog? Using your Instagram page, this is achievable. There are plenty food blogs you can learn from online and you’ll be on your way to monetizing your natural skill. Thank God for the gift of YouTube.
Natural Hair Industry
More and more women are going back to their natural hair thanks to the likes of Viola Davis and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. According to the last population census in Nigeria, the population of women in Nigeria is about 70 million. As far as the hair industry is concerned, this means a huge market for hair and hair related products. The average female in Nigeria spends a lot of money on her hair even before getting to high school. If you can start learning now on how to style and take proper care of natural hair, in a matter of months you’ll be a hot cake. Literally.
I, however, think it very crucial to add that success doesn’t come easy, no matter how appealing these ideas may seem. A wise man once said, “Trying to be successful without pouring yourself into your job is like trying to pluck a star out of the sky.”
Photo Credit: Dreamstime
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