Are You Solving A Problem — Why Entrepreneurs Should Know That Having A Good Idea Isn’t Good Enough

All these inputs eventually prompted me in 2010 to create a solution and find a way to make money from it.

Like most people, thinking takes up a huge part of my time. I have varies interest so I enjoy spending time on my own, imagining, contemplating, analyzing and conceptualizing different subjects. Growing up, my grandmother often said that I always seem to be ‘in a dream world’. When I discovered my talent for drawing at a very young age, this enabled my gift of imagination to bloom. The ability to read was also a key factor in developing my visualization skills. I could read a passage and create these wonderful worlds in my head. And when I slept I would have the most vivid and colourful dreams.

What does this have to do with entrepreneurship?

For me, EVERYTHING!

First of all, reading helps you develop your other receptive skills. LISTENING. I know this is one of the most important skills to have when it comes to being an entrepreneur.

Why? Because once you listen and pay attention to what people around you are complaining about, you may just be able to find and create a business solution. Problems that people are willing to exchange money for.

In my case, my desire to solve a problem in the fashion industry, especially streetwear, was sparked by a problem I had. Early in 2008, I wanted an Ama Kip Kip t-shirt, which was only available in Johannesburg. Being in Cape Town ( this is months before the iconic brand Head Honcho launched ), I could not find a shop that stocked the brand. Amakipkip tees cost about R180.00 ( probably R300.00 in today's money). The brand was strong and had a huge following, which I witnessed at the Jay Z / Rihanna concert in 2006 in Johannesburg.

Around April 2008, I eventually got one, and wore it, especially at my DJ gigs, repeatedly, more and more people kept asking me where they could buy their tees. It didn’t click that maybe I should buy some then try to sell them locally. My entrepreneur mindset wasn’t developed enough at that point to see it as an opportunity.

I could have solved a problem and made money from it.

Which was, that there was a desire for a product in the market that was in a different location, with at least 20 people who were willing to spend money on. The seeds of the idea, that would become ZAXL Online in 2010, had been planted.

Between April 2008 and December 2010, thanks to being in the club/nightlife/events arena, I was exposed to many entrepreneurs in Cape Town, who had started their own brands.

I kept hearing the same stories about how they couldn’t get their brands into local boutiques to access more people who could become customers.

It was way too expensive to have your own store.

Clearly, distribution was a…PROBLEM!

All these inputs eventually prompted me in 2010 to create a solution and find a way to make money from it. I started thinking about what the alternatives would for brands to reach customers.

The answer was, renting stall space at pop up markets.

So two years later in on the 3rd of February 2012, I launched my first pop stall at You Me & Everyone We Know market with stock I got on consignment from Shelflife and Sushi & Beer. I had seen Anthony from 2BOP sell at this market before, so this showed me that I could at least try my concept.

I sold five items, broke even and went home a happy man.

I didn’t even have a business plan.

Later in 2012, I launched my first online store using Shopify. It was not a success as it was too early in the South African market to work.

As I progressed and began using social media to engage with people. Many people I connected with aspired to start their own brands and needed information, ( with some brand owners not willing to share where and who made their products ).

This led me to stop distributing other peoples products and produce products for other brands from 2014, after registering a company with two of my mates, David and Hadley in late 2013.

This was a lot more profitable and viable.

And this only happened because we listened and paid attention to a real problem.

Jermaine M. Charles

Founder - @fanbaseafrica @manifestza.

Director - StartupGrind x Google Port Elizabeth.

Mission - To END unemployment in the Eastern Cape in South Africa.