Kill the Lie: Why Zero Capital Startup Is Absolute BS in Nigeria

Today on the podcast, well, the episode is going to be very brief because I'm going to be looking at this issue of 0 Capital Startup ideas. Again, I'm going to be looking at this whole idea of can you really start a business without putting any money down? And the reason why was because I made a podcast episode not too long ago, maybe 3 or 4 episodes back. And one of the core ideas in that podcast episode was that if you know to who, if you don't really have money, you can start your business by either entering into joint venture partnerships or what else. pre-orders, you can use pre-orders to get into business.

And the pre-order essentially is when you collect money for the product. Well, usually products where you collect money for the products, you don't have the product in inventory, but you collect enough of a down payment or a deposit that you use to fulfill the order. So in other words, what you do is you collect money for the product. Now the deposit, you use it to buy the product and then deliver it to the customer and then you know, the balance is your profits.

You know that kind of thing. Or sometimes, you know, people collect money in full. So that was the idea behind the podcast, that if you don't have a lot of money, then that is how you can finance your business. Oh, by the way, I'm making today's podcast recording out and about. It's a very early morning in Abuja and so I'm at the neighborhood mall. I just came to buy a car. And so people opening up their shops, you know, that that sort of thing.

So where was I? So if this is the sort of thing that you like, you know, ruminations on business, thinking about how to move your business forward, then you are in the right place. My name is Tavishma Ayede, I'm the host of the podcast. And so please subscribe so you can get all this juicy goodness every single day. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube, Apple or any player of your choice. And if you'd love to connect with me, you can call, send me a text message via WhatsApp message on 08064662140.

Again, there'll be some noise in the background because like I said, I'm at the neighborhood shop. You know how to buy a Cara, everybody's opening up their shops. So where was I? So the reason why I'm making today's podcast episode there is just looking at this whole idea again. Is it possible to start a business when you don't have money? You don't have shishi, you have 0 money. Yes. So the reason why I'm revisiting this is this.

I got a comment on the podcast episode from Josh Mark, and Josh Mark said that this sounds like one of those zero capital startup ideas, you know, kind of podcasts. And OK, well, First off, the Spotify has taken away the commenting feature. That's from our own end. That's the people who produce the podcast. So for those of you who are still trying to leave comments on Spotify, I really can't see the comments. The most I see is the first two or three lines and I can't see the rest.

So I don't have a context to what it is that you're trying to say. So for Josh, Mark, I'm really sorry, but I could only see the first two or three lines where you said this sounds like a zero capital start up idea. I couldn't see the rest of the of the context of the podcast. So I leave my phone number at the beginning and at the end of every single episode. So please, you know, you can send comments to me over on WhatsApp so I can know exactly what it is that you're thinking.

So if there's a question, I can address it. If there's something that needs clarification, I can get to it. If there's something that you disagree with, then we can have a fruitful conversation because you know, the way Spotify is actually, they know. They know rate US again, you know, we African podcasters. So the commenting feature was turned off. You guys are leaving comments and I really, really love it. And I thank you guys for leaving the comments.

But honestly, honest, honestly, I can't see the comments. I can only see one or two lines. Seriously. So OK, maybe what you can do, Josh Mark and any other person who's trying to leave comments is you know what, just write the comment on Spotify, you know, do copy and paste. So just copy. Then go to WhatsApp, send me WhatsApp message. I just left this comment for you on your podcast, but just paste it there. Then we can begin the yarn and you know, then we'll have a fruitful conversation.

So now Josh Mark said that podcast episode that I recorded, it sounded like one of those Euro capital startup ideas. Well, The thing is, I'm not sure what the guy they say, I mean like humorous kind of way or the guy is saying that, you know, I'm crossing over to the dark side. So that's why I'm making today's podcast episode. You know, in that podcast episode, I said one thing and I tried to say it strongly, although I think I said at the end of the episode, and I want to repeat it again, please,

please, please and please all the zero startup capital idea, whatever, whatever, whatever is absolute beers. There is no business that if you want to start that you know how to drop at least one cobble or at least have to do one thing. You know, capital and starting a business can never be money or sweat. You know, people say sweat equity as per I didn't drop cobble, but at least I also smoke. So there's no amount of business, there's no kind of business that you would do anyway.

In fact, let me double down. There's no business that you do that you won't drop at least one cobble or you won't hustle small. So I think that all these ideas are dangerous and they settle false expectations in people. And that's why people, you know, you meet somebody, generally they try one idea February, they try another idea March, you know, then before the end of the year they go back into paid employment and they say entrepreneurship sucks.

Entrepreneurship doesn't work. We are setting up wrong expectations in people that they are. It's possible for them to start a business and you drop 1 cobble, but then you'll be successful. How or do you start a business and then you won't break a sweat once, but then you succeed. How so? I'm not in favor of all those sorts of things. I just want to make it very, very clear just in case anybody saw Judge Marks comment and assume that me, you know, I

don't begin to peddle these kind of ideas that you know, here's the top five ideas for passive income that you don't have to drop 1 naira to start. So excuse me. So that that is not possible at all. So no matter the business that you do, you will have to spend at least one couple. And if you have dropped one couple, it is something. So there's no such thing as 0 naira ways to start the business. You actually did drop something bought you dropped or small.

And so I let me move from first. I'm blocking somebody shop 1 moment. OK, sorry about that. I'm back. Because, you know, I was making the recording in the car and I was blocking somebody's shop. So I said limit shift because you know how these people can be. Now it's all there if you know, they buy a big move front. So, so even if it's One Cup or you have to drop now excuse me, coincidentally, I had spoken about the same thing on the radio show because some people had called in and were discussing these sorts of things.

That's on my radio show, that's the business booster show on Rio Maria 91.3 FM, Abuja. So we're discussing these kind of things, we're discussing pre-orders. Then one lady sent a message to give testimony that this pre-order thing is true and that it works because when I was on the radio show, I was trying to address how some people say pre-order is 419. Now, how can you collect money from somebody Meanwhile you don't have inventory in shop.

To be perfectly honest, I understand because the first time I heard of pre-orders, me too, I said I just seen that scam. That's what me I thought, but it took a while and I realized that, look, so long as you're doing certain things ethically, it's OK. And so she sent in her own testimony that look, this thing works. This thing is true. And she said that's how she has been financing her business. What she does is she takes posts, she takes links, she takes pictures from other people who have inventory and then she puts it up on her own social media, puts it up on her own Instagram, her own WhatsApp,

whatever. And then people writing to say how far, how much she now negotiates and then collects the money. Then she now goes to the other people where she took the original links from. And then she pays them and collects the product and then ships it off to the other people. And that's how she's been running her business. So that is sort of like the pre-order thing going on. So that's what that Lady was doing on excuse me doing on WhatsApp and on Instagram.

Then there also is another guy based in Abuja, His name is the business name is Saki Motor that is the king of cars and he's a car dealer and on his Instagram page, just check you know Saki Motor that is SARKIN their motor MOTA. So you know, that's just another way of saying motor or car. So if you go to Saki Motors Instagram handle, look for the episode where he said today, the Instagram post where he said today I'm taking off my glasses.

That's because the guy was wearing sunglasses. You know, like, how about you? I used to wear glass all the time. So it's that that same kind of thing. So he said today I'm taking off my glasses. And then when he took off his glasses, he actually went into a personal reveal about how he started the business. And he spoke about how in the beginning when he was starting the car game, you know, motoring no gets as in single car, he didn't have no inventory.

So what he was doing was he was joining lots of car groups and then he was collecting details of cars and then sharing those cars as if it was his own. Eventually somebody would say, oh boy, Alfana, I like these men, how much they will negotiate. He will now go back to the original Benz person and then, you know, sort everything and then collect something in the middle. So in a way that is also this pre-order thing. You're trying to get into business.

You know, you want to sell cars, single car, single motor, you know, get boy, you are connected to people who have plenty of cars. You set up your storefront, whether your shop or whatever, or your Instagram handle or your website in such a way that you can collect orders and then you're fulfilling it on the back end or you're connecting people and then taking a cut. So this is sort of like the idea behind, you know, pre-orders and starting a business when you know who anything she she, you know, get, but you think you can access the market.

So these are the kinds of ideas that we're exploring. Then Josh Mark said this sounds like a zero capital startup idea. I'm just going to assume that, you know, the guy was being humorous because that's one thing I appreciate about those of you who listen to the podcast, you know, you guys writing and you guys have a nice sense of humor and you know, with Josie and you know, it's all good. But for those of you who saw that comment, you know I don't want you guys to be misled because like I said, even if you spend 1 cobble, it was not a zero capital idea.

Now unless you wear for a little bit, I've given you 2 examples now the psychic mortar. And then there's the other lady who's doing her thing on WhatsApp and then on Instagram. Now the first lady, what's up on Instagram who bought credit for her and data, is she not the one? At least she will buy credit 1/5 for her phone. At least she will buy MTN data. You know, maybe the 2K at least 2K will give you like how many gig it will give you a monthly something, you know.

So in her own case, that one 5 + 2 five, that's 4K. So in her own case 4K, she had to drop 4K. Now can you see why I say there's no such thing as zero capital startup idea? Because once we can trace somebody, drop money, no matter how small, we're not at 0. So now 4K is not a whole lot. And that's one of the reasons why, you know, I say some of the things that I saw on the podcast and on the on the radio show that look, really we don't have to be millionaires to start some things.

Sometimes we can start with a small, small change. There's somebody who called in the tiger nut business lady. She started with 3000 tiger nuts to make the juice that was her startup capital of 3000. Then at the time she called in the radio show revenue that she was making monthly now 100K what she started with 3000. Therefore like the guy who does plantain chips in Abuja, he and his wife, they started 2017 nineteen K that's her husband and wife were able to raise 19

K. They started planting chips then. Now monthly revenues over 1,000,000. So there is no such thing as zero capital start up idea, but I just like to let people know that you know anyhow, anyhow, sure we can rough it. We go over like we can enter small, we can shook head somehow, somehow, somehow. So for this lady now he wants a lady credit plus data at least 4K you start that is not zero capital. And then of course, plenty of sweat involved because you could recall people once in a while she'll have to go to a place,

maybe physically I want to pick up the goods herself, you know, to cut down on cost of delivery or something. You know, I don't know, excuse me. But you can see that in this case, even though she's doing pre-order, it is not a zero capital idea because you have to buy credit and you have to buy data before she hooks up the whole thing. And then once in a while she will have to physically go to a location and collect the delivery herself.

So there's no zero capital and then when it comes to sweat equity, she has broken a sweat, she has done something. Then back to circuit motor, same thing. In the beginning, he would have had to buy credit because you'll be calling the car dealers. So boy, how far you get Mercedes, which year, year 2025 model, next class? I want no Nigerian wagon on that phone call. It takes money, so he would have bought credit. Then he would also bought data to updating Instagram and everything like that.

Then once in a while he will also be driving to people's excuse me, people's car location, because sometimes somebody will send you a photo and you'll like hi, this photo, not too not too tap, not too sweet as you can use to sell, because that's also something psyche motor does very well. The videos that he does of his cars very, very correct and his own mobile phone footage. So that's why I tell you people that you are thinking big, big camera this, that, that that like my friend, just start these modern tools, these modern phones, wonderful.

And then the apps that we have on our phones wonderful, just start. So his videos are really, really good. So I'm sure in the early days people would have sent him photos or videos and hope like, no, I don't like this. You have to drive down there to the location and then make the video your own self. Now when you're doing all these I'm sorry excuse me, I have a cold, it's been a long weekend. The in laws are around and you know what celebrating.

So I know how these things can be. You know you celebrate and you know sometimes your immunity breakdown. Excuse me. So where was I? So in this case, now you can see that there's no matter of 0 capital because you buy money for coal. So 1 moment, OK, sorry about that. I'm back. I doesn't want to keep doing film, film inside your ear, you know, there's no professional. And then my other colleagues mother podcast as if they hear this podcast and they hear me doing fuel, fuel, fuel, fuel,

fuel. They report me. In the association meeting you will say one of us is recording podcasts and the guy is not using best practice. The guy is using sloppy audio. So where was I I heard so psyche motor, you buy credit, you buy data, you will get TFAIR. So you can see that there's no trusting as a zero capital startup idea. None. You'll at least spend one couple. And if I can find one couple immediately start with 0.

But however, just know, do not be paralyzed. Do not think I need to become a millionaire before I start. For those of us who are in the SME space, there's a way that you can shall raise a few coins and just shook head and then begin and then gain traction. And right now Cycle Motor is a respected auto dealer in Abuja. The fact the way he's going, maybe in another 10 years he might be respected auto dealer in northern Nigeria or in Nigeria as a whole, you know,

but he had to start from somewhere. In the beginning, he didn't have car. Right now go to his parking lot. Even Tesla they have there even Teslas, the what do you call it? That one that looks like a tank now, not Tesla that looks like a tank. Go there. They have it. The one the Tesla that is shaped like a like a Porsche. I'd be like a Ferrari go there they have it. BMW is there, Mercedes-Benz is there, Honda is there, Hyundai is there, diesel car is there,

fuel car is there, electric vehicle is there. But the guy started somewhere. So when I make this kind of episode, I'm just trying to inspire some people. You don't need to hold millions before you begin. But I will never join the bandwagon of those people who say zero capital startup idea. It's a false expectation. And I said it in that episode. I'm saying here again, anybody you see who's telling you 0 capital startup idea, passive business something something money while you sleep, don't listen to that person.

Don't Or if you listen to that person, just put some context behind it that you know what, there's no such thing as passive business. There's no such thing as your step 0 startup capital, but the person just using these flashy headlines for all of us who watch. So just have that back of your mind, you know, then watch. But the spirit of it is commendable that you don't have to hold millions before you begin. You don't have to be a done with it before you start your business.

And so that's it. And that is all. Remember, if you'd love to connect, you can call send me a text message or a WhatsApp message on 08064662140. And if you like this kind of content, then keep listening. Scroll down in whatever feed you're in. If you're in Stitcher, keep scrolling. If you're on YouTube, keep scrolling. You're in Apple iTunes, keep scrolling. You're in Pod Bean, podcaster, pod, player, pod, whatever. Keep scrolling.

There's over 1200 resources there in your feed. Now as at today's date, if you're listening in, you know, 2046 or something, yeah, there would have been more episodes at our stage, probably don't enter like, you know, 4000 episodes or something. But for now, in 2025, it's just 1002. So she keeps rolling. Keep listening. You like something, Note it down. You note it down. Apply it. You get results. Send your boy a message.

Let me know. I listened to this episode. I tried this thing. This thing worked. I liked the testimony. Or send me a message. I listened to your episode. I tried this thing. This thing didn't work. Oh boy. All the things you're saying is rubbish. Let me know and let's have a conversation. Or I tried this thing. I was making progress. Then I entered. Busy here and then I hang here. Let's have a conversation. That's the reason why I give my phone number at the beginning and at the end of every episode.

I'd love to hear from you guys. But remember, just like I told Josh, Mark, I'm telling you guys, Spotify, they not rate US again. We know African content creators. So they've removed the commenting feature from my own end. So all those comments you're dropping, honestly, I don't see it. Everything comes up in my notification. I will only see the first two or three lines if I see the two or three lines. And I tried to reply.

That feature has been turned off. I can't reply. So if you're listening on Spotify, drop the comment. Sorry, not on Spotify. On YouTube, drop the comment there. Yeah, YouTube. Yeah, I can respond. Sharp, sharp. They will send me notifications. So, so, so and so just commented on your podcast. I go there and I respond. Excuse me, or send me a message on Spotify. So that's it. And that's all. I'll see you guys some other time.