Starting up a business after high school was a really big challenge for me especially since I'd have to adapt to a whole new schedule and get used to not going to school and not having to wear my old high school uniform. When I started I did not have a clear plan on what I was supposed to be doing or what I needed to put together. The things that I learned in school were not enough to prepare me for the real world end of owning a business.
Luckily I was able to put everything together with the help of my family my nan and my savings luckily my parents taught me at a young age how important it was to smartly save rather than spend money on temporal goods I would grow out of overtime.
The whole idea of my business originated from my grandma's business. When she was making herbal teas out of organic resources on the island. There is lemongrass tea, soursop tea, hibiscus tea, and even kava tea. We initially wanted to set up a little tea room with pastries and sweets like a high tea place. But then the idea of also adding in Kava surfaced and we thought of turning it into something a little bit different since here in Tonga usually most men would gather and Drink Kava in groups and they would all pitch in to get some Kava and sing and share it in a Kumete. The idea was that we can serve local Kava in the comfort of a more social setting for people throughout the day as well as make different types of kava drinks since there has never been an actual Kava bar here in Tonga but it has been done overseas.
A month in I had come to the realization that what we were trying to target was to fill in the gap between street vendors and high-class restaurants. That was how the business was set apart from other food-related businesses in the area and the idea to add in local homemade dishes also came in. Because we wanted to create something affordable for the community not only that but something tasty and filling. So in our menu, we would put in our signature Topai and Keke Vai, Our Supo Sipi/Pulu/Moa/KapaPulu, and many more. The goal was to make it easier for locals to get good Tongan food without having to put in their sweat to make it at home after a long day of work.
Of course, it wasn't all smooth and perfect and there were a lot of times when I wanted to just close up shop and just study instead of doing both even when I knew I was capable of doing anything if I set my mind to it. I met a lot of different people customers employees and such and every situation was unique and different and something I had to put my mind and elbow grease into because they do not teach you how to do it all in high school.
I was trying to be very independent going at it by myself but then, later on, realized that I couldn't do it alone and it's good to hire and work with people because not only do you get better exposure but they also get good exposure too. Especially since the business was something different and new to the community. And opening a bar is not easy. I was trying to figure out my drinks and I didn't even know how to cook properly let alone under 10 minutes. What I did best was customer service at least in my opinion. All that mattered to me at the time a month in was that my customers were satisfied and they felt comfortable and welcomed when they came into my little Tea and Kava Bar. Not only that but one of my biggest priorities was making sure that the people who signed up to work for me were comfortable, eating properly, getting their wages on time, etc. Their health and well-being were one of my biggest priorities.
Even if my Nana had to come and eat breakfast for free almost every week 😂😂 that was OK because she was a big help In pushing and influencing me to experience what business life is all about and whether it is what I want and what I'm passionate for. 😊
I will tell you what I'm not passionate about and that is having to wake up early six days a week for 8 to 10 hours 🤣🤣🤣 oh and also finding help because finding help here in Tonga if I'm being honest is one of the most difficult tasks a business owner is given. And I do not mean just any type of help I mean like good reliable trustworthy hard-working people. People who aren't afraid to get their hands dirty and do some actual work.
We noticed today that The world we live in our filled with this great obsession to work a desk job or a job at a well-known restaurant without starting from the bottom. Cleaning a toilet is looked down upon 😂😂😂 even if they use the toilet too 😂🙈 Some people go out looking for job vacancies that offer them a really good status but in reality, it could be a pretty shitty workplace but that's “okay” because it's up there.
Let's put this into example, I had gone out scouting for workers. Yes, it wasn't the other way around even though I had put up ads. And the very few that did come to check out what my business had to offer let's just say it was a surprise for them. They would come from jobs where they had to work very long hours and only get paid every Fortnite like $400. But for me when the Kava Bar was set up we offered to pay them $200 every Friday if they work a seven-hour shift six days a week and they were even offered a choice to have a half-day or go shopping on Saturdays. Or pick a day out of the week to stay from work. They can even work overtime and get paid by the hour extra. So if you're good at figuring out the math of the situation you will realize that I am offering more than what they would usually get at a high-top-tier workplace.
At their previous jobs they would not be allowed to eat properly they would have to either stand or sit on buckets whereas with me they were able to eat whatever they wanted to eat that was in the fridge and sit properly at the table to have their meal. They would be allowed to have their suggestions and their input when it came to our menus because the atmosphere we were looking to create was one where I grow and they grow too. But I guess that wasn't satisfying for them because they would quit in under a month and go look for other jobs. And don't get me wrong my little business didn't require any big workload. We did not have 1000 people to cater for within the week but we did have loyal customers and every once in a while there would be a group that comes in to have food and enjoy. All the employees had to do was make sure that the food was tasty and the place was kept clean at a high standard of hygiene.
There were so many ordeals that I had encountered throughout this time and I'm glad I had encountered them because not only has it widened my knowledge and skillset in operating a business but it also has enriched my growth as a person.
Iʻll sign this entry off here,
ʻOfa atu,
Tiani.