GYLA GHANA STARTER STORY: October Entrepreneur of the Month

My name is Portia Dumba from the GYLA Ghana Chapter. I grew up in a polygamous home with my mother being the first among three wives. I have eight (8) siblings with four (4) being my direct brothers. Being born into a polygamous home came with its own challenges. Things became worse after my father lost his Job. And as a result, my mother had to work extra harder to take care of all the nine children in the absence of my stepmother. She taught us how to trade even at a younger age and that was when I uncovered my entrepreneurial skills.  I used to prepare toffees and cakes to sell at school. Unfortunately, by the age of 14, life took a turn on us. I lost both parents before I could complete Junior High School. I had no option but to move to Wa (Upper West Region) and stay with my uncle in order to proceed to Senior High School. My uncle and my elder brother were supportive. But I still had some needs as a young girl.

I had the opportunity to be supported by CAMFED throughout my stay in Senior High School. After Senior High School, I benefited from entrepreneurship training which CAMFED organized. Through this program, I learnt how to prepare liquid soap, shower gel, pomade etc. Coupled with some side jobs, I started making and selling liquid soap which enabled me to save money to further my education. I gained admission to the training college in 2017. With the support from my uncle and the little I had saved from my soap-making business, I was able to complete college successfully. As a young entrepreneur, I felt the need to expand and own a business to support others. As a result, I sorted for opportunities to attend entrepreneurship conferences, webinars, and training to abreast myself with the necessary skills and knowledge needed to run a business.

In January 2020, I attended the Swiss Re Start-Up academy which was implemented by Junior Achievement Ghana in partnership with Aiducation International. The program marked the beginning of my entrepreneurial journey. Not only did I learn a lot about how to start and manage my business, but it also gave me the opportunity to pitch my idea for the first time. The startup program gave me the opportunity to build a strong community of people who have had a positive influence on my entrepreneurship journey to date.

I am the founder of Pordu Care Enterprise, a registered business which produces and supply organic Shea butter and Shea butter pomade. I am currently looking for connections and investors to support the activities of the business. As a result of my experience and the things I have been through, I look for opportunities to impact other people's lives, especially young girls by organizing skills training sessions, campaigns, donations, and health talks and also serve as a mentor to others.

What business did you start?
Initially, I was into the production of liquid soap. But currently and officially, I am into the production of Shea butter.

How did you come up with your business idea?
I ran a survey as part of a start-up program organized by Ghana Tech Lab. The survey was centred on Agri-business. In the survey, I realized that the market size for Shea butter is very large but the returns of local Shea butter producers were very low. This was as a result of being unable to access the market due to poor packaging of the Shea butter.

After realizing the situation, I saw the need to help bridge the gap between local Shea butter producers and the demanding market. This gave me the idea of asking and doing more research on Shea butter to be able to assist these women get access to the market and also create more employment opportunities for others.  The passion to create impact and support these women "gingered" me to start the Shea butter business.

Samples pictures of the products

Take us through the process of designing, prototyping, and manufacturing your MVP.
After identifying the packaging as the main problem, I did research on the various packaging materials that are suitable for Shea butter. I tried packaging some of the butter in a decent packaging material and gave it to some people to use and give me feedback. The feedback I got after some time was positive and encouraging. After the feedback, I realized there were two separate users of Shea butter. Some use it for cooking whiles others use it for cosmetic purposes. This implies that the butter should be presented differently to suit the need of all users. The shea butter was packaged in a very simple packaging material some too were packaged in an attractive container.

The two separate users of the butter gave feedback as to how the butter should be presented to suit their needs. The cosmetic users in particular made it clear that they didn't like the scent of the organic butter, others also said the butter wasn't softer enough to rub in their hands. These feedbacks were recorded as review and worked upon. During our next production, the Shea butter for the cosmetic users was taken through refined processes; it was whipped and a fragrance was introduced. Samples were given out to some customers and they became interested in that version of the product.

After later research and consultation, it became necessary we introduce some natural essential oils to the pomade due to its usage (body and hair). Our focus was carrot oil, coconut oil, olive oil and neem oil. We introduced these oils to the pomade and gave them out to some customers to try out. The feedback that came out was excellent. Many came out with testimonies about how the product was having a good effect on their skin and their love for the fragrance used.

We designed a label which spelt out the ingredients, usage and other relevant information of the Shea pomade. This made the packaging more attractive. Reviews from customers and other consultants gave us confidence that the products were ready for the market.

What has helped you to attract and retain customers since you launched your business?
Advertisement and consistency have helped us to attract and retain customers. We send samples of our products to almost all the events we partake in; such as school programs, seminars, workshops and other gatherings. We sometimes do giveaways to those at the various programs to try out our products.

With consistency, we ensure to keep our customers connected and in line with frequent checkups and reviews on our products. We have also collaborated with other delivery agents to help in the smooth delivery of our product when needed.

How is your business doing today and where do you see your business in the next five years?
Currently, the business is moving on well and still growing. We appreciate the fact that we are able to supply to the few customers we have and that we keep receiving positive feedback on our products.

We hope to expand, satisfy and reach more customers. In the next 5 years, we are hoping to have a grand opening of a factory which will be used to process shea nuts into butter and refine some into shea pomade and other Shea products. By then, we hope to create employment opportunities for many young people and to help push the shea butter business to the next level by exporting to other countries.

What platform/tools do you use for your business?
We do advertisements on our WhatsApp and Facebook platforms to announce our presence and also reach more customers. Some customers also recommend and refer us to new users. Families and friends also assist in announcing our presence.

What lessons have you learnt along your entrepreneurial journey that you have found to be particularly helpful or advantageous?
I have learnt that no matter your accomplishments or whatever you do as an entrepreneur, there's still more to learn from strangers, customers and most importantly other experienced entrepreneurs. You should be open-minded as an entrepreneur and seek help and support when the need be.

I have learnt that you don't have to be scared of the risk involved in starting whatever idea you have. Look beyond the risk and see the opportunities involved in starting and how impactful it will be to yourself and others.

Who is your favourite entrepreneur and why?
Ruth Wewura Guribie is my favourite entrepreneur. She has a passion in promoting and adding value to Shea butter. She strongly believes that “when women engage in economic endeavours, the overall well-being of communities improve". Aside from producing organic skin products with Shea butter, she also has the vision of improving the quality of life of those around her. She is not only looking at making profits but also creating employment opportunities for local women and making impacts. This and many other reasons make her my favourite entrepreneur.

What advice do you have for other entrepreneurs who want to get started or are just starting out?
There is risk in everything. Not taking a risk is also a risk. There are many opportunities out there, many problems to be solved and to take advantage of as an entrepreneur. You don't need all the funds and resources at once to begin. Just like a journey, you always have to start from somewhere and with time whatever you planted at the beginning will grow into something big and beautiful.

Many a time, the results might not be as expected, especially at the beginning. You will have many reasons to quit at some point but don't. With consistency, hard work and determination, everything will make sense. Most importantly commit all you do to the hands of the Almighty God and you will never walk alone.

Written by Portia Dumba, AiduTalent from Ghana