I remember vividly the day I told Michael that I wanted to start my own business. We were sitting outside a small our workshop, and I was complaining about how tired I was of working for Mr. Bello.
Michael looked at me and said,
"James, everybody says they want to start a business, but very few are willing to do the work of actually starting."
That statement pierced me because deep down, I knew he was right. I wanted success, but I had been waiting for the "perfect time," the "big capital," or the "right connections." I thought I needed everything to align before I could start.
But Michael explained something that I have carried with me ever since:
"You don't start a business because you have everything ready. You start because you're ready to use what you already have."
The Myth of Big Capital
One of the biggest excuses I used to give myself was that I didn't have enough money to start. I thought only people with huge savings or rich families could open a store or launch a company.
But Michael reminded me of a truth I had ignored:
Most great businesses in the world today started small.
Howard Schultz, the man who turned Starbucks into a global empire, didn't start with giant coffee shops everywhere. He worked at a small coffee company and had to fight for years to convince investors to back his vision.
Jan Koum, the founder of WhatsApp, grew up so poor in Ukraine that his family relied on food stamps when they moved to America. He couldn't even afford proper office space when building WhatsApp; he coded much of it in a small rented room.
These stories proved that money is not the foundation of business. Ideas, discipline, and execution are.
Michael leaned toward me and said,
"If you can't manage ten thousand naira well, you can't manage ten million. Start where you are, with what you have."
My Second Attempt
At that time, I didn't have much. My salary from Mr. Bello's workshop and my profits from the hotel supplies was barely enough to cover my living expenses. But after our talk, I decided to take a step.
I started small. I noticed customers who bought chairs often asked if we could provide cushions or small wooden stools. Mr. Bello wasn't interested in such "small" requests. But I saw an opportunity.
With part of my savings, I bought materials and made a few stools on the side. To my surprise, they sold quickly. One customer even ordered more for his shop. That was my second taste of running something for myself.
It wasn't a big win, but it gave me confidence: I didn't need millions to begin. I just needed to start.
Principles for Starting a Business From Scratch
Through my experience, Michael's mentorship, and the stories of other entrepreneurs, I discovered some key principles:
1. Start Small, Think Big
Begin with what you can afford, but don't let your vision stay small. Michael often said,
"Your first step may be tiny, but your dream should always be large."
Amazon, for example, started as a simple online bookstore. Jeff Bezos ran it from his garage. Today, it's one of the biggest companies in the world.
2. Focus on Solving Problems
Business is not about showing off what you can do; it's about solving a problem someone has. When I sold stools, it wasn't because I loved making them — it was because customers needed them.
As Richard Branson we mentioned earlier, founder of Virgin Group, once said:
"Business opportunities are like buses; there's always another one coming."
But you only catch them if you're looking out for people's problems.
3. Reinvest, Don't Waste
In the early days, every profit is precious. I learned this lesson the hard way. While Michael reinvested every extra naira he made, I often spent mine on temporary comforts. That's why he was able to open a store long before I could.
The golden rule is simple: Treat your first profits like seeds. Plant them. Don't eat them.
4. Learn Relentlessly
When you're starting from scratch, your greatest asset isn't money, it's knowledge. I began reading business books, listening to entrepreneurs' interviews, and watching how successful companies operated.
Michael told me,
"James, your mind is your first capital. If you don't grow it, no amount of money can save you."
The Struggles Nobody Tells You About
Starting a business from nothing isn't glamorous. You'll face doubts, rejection, and even embarrassment.
I remember once pitching my stool idea to a local store owner. He looked me straight in the eye and said, "This won't sell." I felt crushed. But instead of quitting, I refined my design and pitched again to someone else, and that person bought.
That's when I realised: rejection is part of the journey. Every "no" is a step closer to a "yes."
Elon Musk once said during the early days of Tesla and SpaceX:
"If something is important enough, even if the odds are against you, you should still do it."
Advice for Readers: How to Start From Scratch
If you're reading this and thinking, "I don't have enough to start," let me tell you things you should do.
You may not have the capital for a giant store, but if you have skills, ideas, and opportunities around you.
Here's what I would advise:
Identify a problem in your community. What do people complain about? What do they wish they had?
Start small and cheap. Offer a simple version of the solution. Don't wait until you have it "perfect."
Keep your costs low. Work from your room if you must. Use your hands before you hire people.
Reinvest everything. Even if you make just $100 profit, don't spend it on clothes or outings. Put it back into the business.
Stay consistent. The biggest difference between those who succeed and those who don't is consistency.
Closing Thoughts
Looking back, I'm grateful Michael challenged me that day at the shop. If not for him, I might still be waiting for "the perfect time" to start.
"I learned that starting a business from scratch is not about having all the money. It's about having the courage to begin, the discipline to keep going, and the wisdom to reinvest and grow."
To you, the reader, I say this:
Don't let fear or excuses stop you. Start with what you have, where you are, and keep building. One day, the small step you take today will become the empire you dreamed of.
In the next chapter, I will share how Michael once told me that the real difference between self-employed hustlers and true entrepreneurs is systems. A business without systems depends too much on the owner, while a business with systems can grow, scale, and even run without them.
We'll explore how I struggled in my early days because I was doing everything myself, from taking orders to delivering products, while Michael focused on building repeatable processes.
The lesson for you the reader will be clear: if you want freedom and growth, build structures that can operate even when you're not there. The chapter 12 will include practical advice on delegation, processes, and automation, the foundation of real business growth.