In the first of a new series, fledgling entrepreneur Jenni Smit takes us through the trials, triumphs and tribulations of starting a new business. This month the seed of an idea emerges from the vestiges of a drunken evening with friends. Will fortune favour the brave?

While visiting my home country of South Africa, I went over to my friend Jono’s house (as you do), for dinner. He cooked up a feast for our party of six, which we ravenously consumed in between hefty gulps of red wine, and a ridiculous conversation inspired by a copy of The Encyclopaedia of Turtles—an inexplicable entry on our hosts’ book shelf.

Later that night—with our moods positively enhanced—my friend Helen and I found ourselves back at her house chatting about the future and what mysteries it holds, until the small hours. Somewhere between 1am and 4am I had an epiphany.

There were no fireworks or thunderbolts, or even falling apples for that matter, but I made the decision to start my own business, pledging to make 2012 my year of living bravely.

A lot of people think that the decision to start your own business is something that happens over a long period of time. This may well be true for many but, in just as many cases; the decision can be made in an instant—as I have so conclusively proved!

Brain cell-ebrate

Admittedly, I had toyed with my particular business idea several years before, but then life got in the way and the idea ended up being added to the list of ‘things to do’. Perhaps it was just waiting for me to be courageous—or daft enough—to make a go of it.

I say ‘daft’ not because I don’t believe in my abilities, but because a) the global economy is not exactly an appealing prospect at the moment and b) I would not class myself as a natural entrepreneur (although I hope I can manufacture the zeal required to be a success).

I read somewhere that, once you find a job you love, you’ll never work again and, you know what, now is exactly the right time for me to prove that the old proverb is true to its word. Sure, the thought of setting up my own business is somewhat scary, but I suspect that going into this with a degree of naivety is likely to prove helpful—like Robert Schuller once so prophetically said : “what would you attempt to do if you knew you couldn’t fail?”

Okay—now that you’ve heard about my moment of inspiration. Who am I, what is this business and what’s it to you? Well, my name is Jen and I am a South African currently living in London, where, in order to pay the bills, I work in the arena of corporate communications.

I fully intend to use these skills in my new career, but it is time for a complete change and I’m very excited. My new venture is still in the embryonic, brainstorming phase but it is essentially an online retail business involving trade between the UK and South Africa—I’ll tell you more as I go. What’s in it for you? Well, this is simply an invitation to join me for what is sure to be an enlightening, hugely rewarding and, occasionally bumpy ride.You’ll get all the milestones—good, bad and ugly.

I’m certain that having an audience will play an important role and may even keep me on track. With a bit of luck and hard graft, I am hoping that before long, my new business will have been born. Whatever happens you’ll be getting an honest account of what it takes to start a business from scratch.

See you next month—here’s hoping I won’t be bankrupt. 

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