April 2004 Business Takes Off
Hello! Just checking in to say hi. I will have to run soon because I'm being paged by my family to go help set up the TV antenna I put together last night. Oh felt good to put something together! All that logic and problem solving resulting in perfection of metal and plastic. And we now will get two TV channels, not just one! These are very exciting times at my house. Plus, the instructions were in English. hahahaha
I have a meeting next week with an English teacher to plan some activities for his English class. I'm meeting with the inspector of schools to discuss using the computer classrooms over the summer for community-wide IT classes. I'm also going over the plans for a garden project at the local middle school. Also, I am currently working with two local businesses helping with accounting and marketing.
I don�t know if I told you this but it seems that businesses in Senegal can use a big dose of marketing differentiation. Instead of differentiating their business or product, they do what everyone else is doing. They figure, �If it works for them, it will work for me.� Example: if five stores are located on the same block and they all sell the same things, a new business will open right next door and sell� yes, the same products. I have a business I am working with to go beyond this. To sell something different and to set up good, basic accounting systems.
One business already has a decent accounting system. It's really simple, just mark down what you sell, and then add it all up at the end of the day and compare it against the cash. They even have a system for items sold on credit. I'm thinking these guys are ready to expand to broader things, like a computer. I want to try and incorporate Excel spreadsheets for daily cash controls in my computer class. After adjustments of course. So much potential and a great chance set them up to show how to do better business. Oh and when I have more, remind me to tell you about the paper store owner in Thies and his incredible business practices!
That's my update for now.
Much love, Paige
Journal #11
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