Are you a kitchen table entrepreneur looking for opportunities in the niche markets? Have you looked at your background and experience and found what you would like to do?
First, some context why kitchen table entrepreneurs are growing in ever increasing numbers. The reality is that everyone is wanting to take more out of your pocket. The tax man cometh. Failed institutions are bleeding – and who ultimately pays for that? Manufacturers put up prices at will. This one and that one wants your money. Institutions are not creating jobs at the rate that they did in the past.
On Saturday afternoon I came across a small butcher run by women. They’ve been operating the butchery from the same premises for the past 10 years. It’s not in an up market centre but are rather in a rundown one but the rentals are lower.
The owner and one of the other senior staff have a long family history in the meat trade and livestock farming. They have spent many years learning the trade in other retail butcheries and on farms. The shelves are loaded with speciality items such as Parmesan cheese chicken breasts and marinated sosaties. Their boerewors is made for a discerning clientele.
Yes, but you might say, you can get meat in supermarkets. For someone looking for something special for a Saturday evening braai, a matured steak or something for a Sunday roast, this butchery offers some delightful cuts of meat.
There still are opportunities in markets for small business owners. All you need to do is listen and observe and you will find gaps in the market that the super big retailers, manufacturers and service organisations don’t find profitable to fill.
But smaller entrepreneurs can operate with lower overheads and make a good living for themselves. It’s not just Internet businesses such as coaching English and teaching art that are flourishing but all sorts of niche businesses because of the institutionalised scarcity of opportunities. They have to make a plan and go find opportunities.
Hats off to small niche entrepreneurs and other similar personalities that provide quality and outstanding service to their customers. Where everyone is going big and not succeeding in quality and customer service a reverse trend is occurring. Small, niche entrepreneurs are springing up all over the place, finding customer demand for their products and services and beating the odds.
