Success is every one’s dream and this young entrepreneur is harvesting because of his passion, courage and optimism, he has started enjoying the fruits of his sweat and sleepless nights he spends. Igihe.com reporter Diana Mutimura talked to a local entrepreneur, Patrick Muyobocye the proprietor of APABENA Bakery.
Igihe.com: Tell us about your back ground?
Muyobocye: Am called Patrick Muyobocye I was born in 1984 and I’m proud to be the last born in the family of 9 children. I still have a mother but my father past away when I was in my form 4 at Kayonza modern.
Igihe.com: How did you start bread business?
I started in 2008 with frw3 million only, after working at my uncle’s bakery; Top Bread Bakery and got the practical experience from there, decided to make my own bakery.
Igihe.com: Is this your first business? If not, what was your first business, and what happened to it?
Yes it is my first business and like I said at first I was an employee at my uncle’s bakery where I developed the courage to opening my own bakery.
Igihe.com: Had you been exposed to business before ?
Muyobocye: Yes I believe it was my passion to be self employed and it is a family heritage because my father too had bakery, my uncle and myself.
Igihe.com: How many employees have you hired?
Muyoboke: I started with 12 employees because the business was still small but after one year, because of hardworking and determination they have increased to 25 and all work full time. They, however, work in shifts where 15 work during day and 10 work during the night. I even have about 5 part timers.
Igihe.com: What is an average workday like for you?
Muyobocye: I wake up as early as 3:am to go and supervise the workers until day-break when the cars start supplying breads, and cakes around town and I have to wait for them to come back to count the money.
Igihe.com: What have you gained from the business ever since you started?
Muyobocye:I have acquired many things since I started this business. I have bought three vehicles which supply my goods and bought a house I live in and have acquired plots of land among other other things.
Igihe.com: What has been the performance of business in the past few years?
Muyobocye: It has really changed because if I look at what I have achieved in this business, I observe a very great change although I meet with many challenges.
Igihe.com: Describe the level of sales in the last few years?
Muyobocye: Pretty good and am not complaining because the business is doing much better.
Igihe.com: What are the most crucial things you have done to grow your business?
Muyobocye: I wake up in the middle of the night every day to go and work with my employees. Sometimes I supply the bread to all my customers to know where it goes wrong and take not of their comments for consideration in my business.
Igihe.com: What plans do you have now to expand your business?
Muyobocye: I bought a piece of land in Gisozi where I want to start building my own premises for the bakery and stop renting and I’m planning to expand so that I can be supplying all the districts of Rwanda.
Igihe.com: Who are the people that have been most important to your business success?
Muyobocye: My uncle that enabled me to work at his bakery from which I attained the experience helping in my business today. There are also friends who always give me constructive ideas and these micro finance banks which accept to give loans.
Igihe.com: What are your business challenges and how do you deal with them?
Problems are everywhere, but in my business I always face price changes on the market, high revenue charged by the government even if I try to be humble and continue to struggle.
Igihe.com: Do you have a business plan and if so, when was it last updated?
Everything has to have a plan before you start the foundation. Therefore, I didn’t just wake up to establish the business. I first made the plan for it and every after one-year I revise my plan to check if I am still on the right path I want my bakery to be.
Igihe.com: What’s the worst business advice you’ve ever received?
I don’t think I have received one because I’m always kin to whom I’m going to for the advice and always pray to God for assistance.
Igihe.com: What advice would you offer to young entrepreneurs starting out today and those who fear the risks of business?
Muyobocye: My fellow youth who are planning to start their own businesses should first plan for what they are going to do so that they know the capital needed in the business because all businesses are the same though they do not need the same capital.
They should be creative and not copy in order to avoid duplication of services. In business, risks are always there and if you fear to risk, you cannot develop.
Igihe.com : If you were to start another business, what would it be?
Muyobocye:Things do change in business but if I am to change the business I would channel to selling imported cars.
Igihe.com: Do you believe business can make the world a better place?
Muyobocye:Yeah! (Smiles emphasizes)In fact people should accept that business plays a great role in changing this world and I think that’s why political leadership is a challenge is less developed countries like in African countries.
Igihe.com: How does your business help the community?
My bakery helps orphans who lost their parents during 1994 Tutsi genocide and those whose parents died of AIDS. They have orphans’ association called APABENA where I always give them 50,000 Frw per month and I buy for them school equipments whenever they go back to school.
Igihe.com: Thanks a lot for this interview and valuable spent.
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