When Business Pushes You Against The Wall. A Lesson in Leadership and Entrepreneurship.

We had taken a hit with the first lockdown of 2019. We had ran through our savings. We were literally living hand-to-mouth as a company. Every sale mattered because all the cash had a particular purpose to fulfill.

To make things worse, our most prime and busiest location in the heart of Ntinda was also our most disastrous one. There was no parking whatsoever for our clients; the landlord was a major headache; the building constantly had issues which we were forced to take care of because the landlord refused to take charge. The ceiling was leaking; the sewage system was ancient and had continuous backflows; our water reserves were constantly emptied at night — we later found out that some tenants on the same building fetched water and emptied our tank at night — yet the rent was out of this world! Worse, the road directly in front of the building was being fixed and any hope for creating parking space was obliterated. There was only provision for a walkway with the new road designs. Our clients complained a lot and the numbers started reflecting their complaints. The revenue was declining.

It was definitely time to leave the space. The problem however, was that we were relocating to Kyanja, a suburb in Ntinda. Kyanja was more of a residential area. It was a business bet, a study of how we’d perform in residential areas. It was new untested territory. Leaving a prime tested location for one without any data to it was scary.

I knew that by closing Ntinda (let’s call it Ntinda 1), I was going to lose out on very much needed revenue. Yet I had to close it because it was not only draining the company but me as well. It was even more disturbing knowing that I carried on my back the livelihood of bout 35 individuals with families. Having these people take another hit on their income was something I absolutely dreaded and did not want to happen.

I had looked for space around Ntinda for months and had not found any readily available. I had even paid for space in buildings that were soon to be completed only to have my money sent back to me! Twice! I was desperate. I had tried everything. I was against the wall. But I had to leave.

My dear team in Ntinda had offered to carry on the business at that location — even with the disastrous conditions — but I knew that they’d be setting themselves up for trouble so I chose not to let that happen.

We prepared to leave. We sent through our notice to leave. It was written, signed, stamped and handed over. It was done.

That night, I drove home together with my sister and business partner, Terry. I was in such a somber mood. When I parked my car at home, I unloaded my heart to her; all my worries. My business was my only source of revenue and I too was scared of the closure. That evening, I cried. I cried because I felt defeated and powerless. I felt hopeless. Terry suggested that we pray. My prayer that evening was, “I surrender God. You know what we need. You know we need Ntinda. I have done my best and I have been defeated. Please open a door. But let it all be according to Your Will, not mine.”

On February 27th 2021, the very next day, I went to our Kyanja location to oversee the final works in preparation for our opening. On February 27th, I prayed with the small team I had on site and then I broke the news to them. They were devastated to learn that Ntinda 1 was going to be fully closed and that we had no other option. We had a moment of silence that morning. When we spoke again, Susan Nanyonga (one of my teammates) mentioned that there was a location in Ntinda that National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) had vacated recently and it seemed to still be empty. She, Susan, also had the number of the Manager of the location. The Manager happened to be a very good client of ours. Of course I called the Manager who gave me the number of the landlord. I offered to pay one year’s rent and BOOM! Livara’s new location in Ntinda (Ntinda 2) was birthed! Did I mention that the rent was a small fraction of what we were previously paying?! April 15th, Livara’s HQ opened in Ntinda and it has been a happy story since.

So, what’s the moral of my story? As leaders/entrepreneurs, there are times when we are pushed in corners that might seem impossible to get out of. Here are a few lessons I learnt through this experience:

2. Involve your team. It was only after discussing my decision and breaking down the reasons as to why we had to close permanently that a solution came from within. My team provided the solution. The people you lead will most certainly lead you out of trouble and lead you to greatness.

3. Be friendly with your customers. Building good relationships with your customers goes a long way. It is said that the customer is key — it is no cliché! That is a reality. I have so many stories to share about life changing experiences spurred by my dear Livara customers! I can’t wait to share them.

4. Pray and pray earnestly! Honestly, this should have been my first resort. When I knew that there was nothing humanly possible within my control, I let go and let God lead the way. This not only got me an awesome location but also an incredible cut in rent costs! This was a miracle and they do happen!

5. Lastly, use data to drive your decisions. I knew for sure that Ntinda was a good business location however I also knew that Ntinda 1 was bad business. There is no way I was going to let my team go through with carrying on bad business. My profit/loss sheet told me that Ntinda 1 was terrible business and my projection sheet told me that Ntinda 2 was beautiful business. Even when praying, I had to add that point of Ntinda in my mix so that God opens the way for me in that particular area. Hahaha…..that’s a no brainer! I did not have to explain that to God!

Livara, is Uganda’s (soon to be Africa’s) biggest natural and organic haircare and skincare company making the best natural and organic cosmetic products on the market. In addition to making the most amazing products, we have salons through which our customers experience the love of our products. Yes, our HQ, the Livara House, is in Ntinda. We have several other locations in Kyanja, Kansanga, Bugologi, Mbarara and Mutaasa-Kafeero in downtown Kampala. You can also get your favorite Livara pproducts off Amazon to wherever you are anywhere in the world!

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