Thousands of African students attending various institutions of higher learning in Africa are beginning to embrace entrepreneurship. The increasing number of young people streaming into the African fashion industry for example, testify to the increase in entrepreneurial awareness among young people in the continent.
If you are yet to catch the fever or you are yet to decide if you would want to start a small business in school for fears of lack of fund, little to no business knowledge, and school work load, it is important you make the right decision now that you are still an undergraduate.
To help you make an informed choice, there are numerous reasons you may want to consider. We explore 8 of the most important reasons you should start a small business in school in this write-up.
- Marketing in school is pretty cheap
Many African student entrepreneurs featured on our platform agree that Word-of-mouth marketing is the best kind of advertising that money can’t buy but they can afford. It’s at the student price of free and spreads like wildfire if you’ve got something exciting to sell or some fantastic services to render. Get your buddies on board and you can spread the word on campus and beyond. Word of mouth marketing is easier when you have to talk to students like yourself but lot more awkward when you have to face people outside of the school walls.
Related: 10 Profitable Side Hustle Businesses For Full-Time Students
- It’s a safe space to fail
It’s ok to start early, make all the mistakes now and if you fail, you have all the time to start again, learn from your mistakes and get better. It’s not always like that when some people are already dependent on you and there are countless bills on you to sort. School is a safe space to start your entrepreneurial journey, fail and learn how not to fail in your future entrepreneurial endeavors.
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- Life time experience
Even if you start a business in college and it fails, it’s an added advantage. Employers are always looking for employees who are smart and have something ahead of others like an entrepreneurial experience. Starting a business in school makes you responsible early in life. You get to be proactive, creative, and driven. Startup experience while in school can put you on the fast track to leadership opportunities at another company if you decide you want to have the 9 -5 job experience.
Related: Top 10 Low-Cost Business Ideas For African Student Entrepreneurs
- Fresh Ideas
After a few years of work experience, your creativity and drive are almost going to dwindle. But while you are in school and fearlessly creative, you can tap into ideas that come to your head easily and create solutions to problems your colleagues face. This is not the case when you are out of school and faced with the pressures at work and endless expectations from family.
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- Accessible Customers
Student entrepreneurs bank on thousands of students on campus who are potential customers for their businesses. This advantage of a “ready-made” market is only enjoyed by student entrepreneurs. Once you leave school, it’s always a tough struggle getting customers to easily patronize the best of your business ideas, even for free!
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- Co-founders
From a pool of creative students like you on campus, it is less stressful finding at least one who shares your dreams and has passion for your creative business ideas. Working with such a person as your co-founder based on mutual agreement always help you grow your business faster. Co-founding is one of the surest ways of growing your business; two creative minds are better than one. Many successful start-up owned by co-founders found their partners in school where they realized their entrepreneurial drive.
- Free time
Schooling is not a 9-5 every day job. There are lecture free days, days you have fewer lectures, cultural weeks, session and semester breaks. These free time are opportunities to grow your business by giving it necessary attention, learning new skills that will help you better grow your business or even acquiring more customers. Make sure you set achievable business goals at every of your free time.
- Support
Parents, guardians, lecturers, friends and family are more likely to support your business now more than when you graduate from school. The mere fact of you starting young and as a student would motivate people to give you needed moral and financial support. When you leave the four walls of the school, some of such support may no longer be forth coming.
You may also want to read: 3 Things You Should Know Before Starting Business On Campus.
