MY FIRST EVER BIG CONTRACT

It was a beautiful weekly service and after service, the student Church fellowship Leaders gathered together for a meeting.

They were organizing a church program for the students in school.

So I was contracted to make 800 Jam donuts for the winner’s chapel campus fellowship.

I was so excited because it was my first ever big job… The highest I had done before then was 80.

Here Are Some Mistakes I Made:

1. My First mistake was I under-billed them… I casually used my head and gave them a very cheap price.

Lesson 1. For whatever business you start, Create a planned revised price list which is reviewed monthly. This is because of factors like changes in market price,

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Government instability, Rise or Fall of Currencies (fx) etc

They wanted to give me some time to come up with a price but I was too excited to think.

It was needed on Sunday evening by 4:00 p.m.

2. So I started on Saturday morning. My second mistake: I gathered together 5 people that had no experience with baking thinking they were going to do a good job. Only one lady was a good baker.

Lesson 2: If you are given a job that is too big for you in terms of infrastructure and experience, Don’t try to do it all on your own. Try OUTSOURCING to a trusted company and DO ONLY WHAT YOU CAN!

If you are going to INVITE people to help, invite people who are experienced in the art. They will surely get the job done.

3. I forgot to eat because of the excitement of the work and gathered them together.

We started at noon. From 12 pm till 9:30 pm… We were only able to do 185 jam donuts. That’s where I knew trouble had started…

By then, they were all grumbling they wanted to go. I released them and then realized I hadn’t eaten the whole day.

So I took a drink and a little bread (I couldn’t finish half of the meal because I was tired and worried.

Getting to bring my equipment and the donuts home was another trouble that I would rather not go into. I hadn’t thought of logistics.

So I  later got to my hostel worn out and continued working till 5:00 a.m… I had made 380 donuts… I had changed to Ring Donuts so it could be faster. ( The Jam was taking forever)

I slept around 5:20 a.m. so I could wake up and continue.

NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE

Suddenly my eyes opened around some minutes past 7 in the morning. I wanted to continue working, but then I realized, I couldn’t move any part of my body (Alas! I was paralyzed from head to toe)

Fear gripped me and I started panicking. Immediately, my unfulfilled life flashed before me, and I boasted to anybody who cared to listen that I was going to be a billionaire Chef.

I tested my tongue and I realized I could still speak but weakly. Also, I was getting weaker and weaker; It was a battle to even keep my eyes open.

so I used my last strength to call out to my roommate sleeping beside me. Surprisingly, probably because of the course I was studying, I knew I was dehydrated.

He got up and I said salt, sugar, and water; I can’t move!!

He was like: I have told you young man to stop all this self-made rubbish ehn; at least, daddy sends money every month. What’s your stress man?!

I was able to stand some minutes after taking the water, sugar, and salt but I was too weak to walk… So I was supported by my roommate to go and tell them that I was not doing it again.

Long story short, I lied that I did 450… They shouted and all… but I didn’t mind… I wasn’t doing it again.

THE GET-AWAY

So I got a cab to get it down for me and immediately I got there, they were like I should wait for them to count it so they could be sure it was the 450 I did when I knew I did 380.

I told them I was going to pay the cab man… Immediately I got to the cab, I jumped inside and told the driver to run as fast as possible… (I cannot come and die).

I wasn’t paid my balance but I didn’t care. I was joyful that I didn’t lose my life doing donuts nobody sent me. However, I learned my lessons afterward and I grew business-wise.

I restructured the business, went for business classes, and became a better Chef and Entrepreneur. I hope you were able to pick something out of my real-life food experience.

Hope you learn from my experience and make better decisions when you get your first big contract.