by Monica Kyereme
I MAKE DRESSES, TIES, AND BAGS WITH LOCAL MATERIALS. ALL TYPES OF AFRICAN WEARS (MALE & FEMALE). MY BEST CUSTOMERS ARE AT THE AGES OF 27 TO 60 YEARS THEY ARE BOTH MALE AND FEMALE WITH GOOD INCOME. SOME ARE SELF EMPLOYED AND THE REST ARE GOVERNMENT WORKERS. MAJORITY ARE GRADUATE AND THEIR INTEREST IS IN THE AFRICAN WEAR AND THE BAGS. MY DRESSES I SEW MAKES MY CUSTOMERS LOOK NICE AND HAVE SELF CONFIDENCE WHEN EVER THEY WEAR TO ANY OCCASION OR CHURCH.
Watch Monica’s pitch video below
If given a grant, how would you spend the funds?
- KNITTING MACHINE = $420
- INDUSTRIAL SEWING MACHINE = $335.84
Sales for the prior 3 months:
- March = $132.74 dollars from 18 dresses and 11 bags = $4.58
- April = $141.59 dollars from 20 dresses and 12 bags = $4.42 per unit
- May = $140 dollars from 20 dresses and 10 bags = $4.67 per unit
- June = $164 from 19 dresses and 11 bags = $5.47
Time investment:
- 3 hours 30 minutes per bag
- 3 hours per dress.
When I get industrial machine I will hire the service of other people so the time will be reduced to 2 hours so that I can meet demand of my customers.
Income Statement (Forecast)
How many regular customers do you currently have? 70 regular customers. The most common sales I make are the dresses. My customers typically buy more than one dress at a time. On average, they buy weekly, about 36 time’s a year. I have been in business for 20 years. I have three competitors, but the advantage I have over them is that they do not make bags and neck ties. It is only the sewing of the dresses that they can compete with me.
What price does the customer pay for each of these products? *
- FOR EACH AFRICAN DRESS 6$ TO 9$ ($7.50 average)
- FOR EACH BAG 10$ TO 12$ ($11 average)
How much does it cost you to provide each of these products?*
- FOR DRESSES = CENT LINEN:0.50$/CENT FOR DRESSES 👗 =LINEN 2$ ZIP OR BUTTON 1$ = $2.50 per unit
- FOR BAGS =FOAM:1.50$ CLOTH:2$ ZIP:0.50$ = $4 per unit cost
Unit Margins
Dresses = $7.50 average sales price – $2.50 cost = $5 profit /$2.50 unit cost = 200% margin before labor costs
Bags = $11 average sales price – $4 cost = $7 profit / $4 cost = 175% margin before labor costs
How do your customers pay you? BY CASH AND MOBILE MONEY
How do your current customers know you exist? * THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA
Why did you choose this business?* BECAUSE IT BRINGS INCOME AND I DO IT WITH PASSION
Name your top 3 ways to find new customers* ADVERT ON RADIO ADVERT ON SOCIAL MEDIA SATISFYING MY CUSTOMERS BY GIVING THEM NICE WORK
How many suppliers do you buy from? Do you buy in bulk?* 4 YES I BUY IN BULK
My business has already started, and I have been in business for more than 1 year
My business is my only source of income.
I’ve been a single mother since 2010 with 3 children. The oldest is a boy, the second is a girl, and the last is a girl. The first two have completed senior high school while the last born is in the final year of junior high school.