Wesseh Cucu (left) and John Ntaganda at John’s Coffee
Dear Readers,
This is our last blog publication for 2018. I hope this year has been an amazing journey in all of your endeavours; especially in terms of our partnership network and engagement with you our special audience. As new editor of Think Africa; I am indeed humbled, similarly delighted and excited to be a contributor to this unique partnership network of African enthusiasts and Friends of Africa.
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As a collaborative collective of African Diaspora from various spheres and disciplines; Think Africa is resolute in its pursuit for social cohesion and the promotion of cultural diversity in an endeavor and focus to showcase success and progress of the African Diaspora in Finland. This final and conclusive end-of-year blog is entitled “Carpe Diem” with a focus to shed light on opportunities, commitment and courage as we capitalize on our strengths and competences as a Diaspora community.
I am of the opinion that Think Africa has a unique potential to grow into an African Diaspora consortium through specialized capacity building and knowledge transfer. Therefore it is a pivotal endeavor to attempt to tap into the huge talent pool and reservoir of African immigrants in Finland. Our strength and potential for opportunities lie in the versatile quality and enormous quantity of knowledge-based expertise, skills and experience with concomitant ambition to advance and excel as we strive for social inclusion and community engagement through social capital and knowledge transfer. It is against this backdrop that Think Africa solicited an interview and dialogue with Rwandan born Coffee roaster, barista and entrepreneur Mr. John Ntaganda. It is with gratitude and honor that we gladly and proudly showcase his outstanding effort and achievement. Thus, Think Africa profiles the entrepreneurial achievements, evolving success story and business venture of Helsinki-based Rwandan Coffee roaster, barista and entrepreneur Mr. John Ntaganda.
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Below is the full interview conducted with Mr. Ntaganda that follows hereafter:
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Think Africa: Hello John! Thank you very much for your cooperation and willingness to share your entrepreneurial journey, experience, challenges and success story with Think Africa.
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Think Africa: What inspired you to start your own business?
John: One of the reasons that pushed me to become an entrepreneur was the economic and financial crisis of 2008. There were many layoffs in almost every company; big corporations started downsizing and that led to thousands of job losses in 2009. The situation did not look good and the future seemed bleak. Moreover, I always wished that one day, I would be able to use my skills to serve clients in my own setting. I must admit that the impact and effects of economic crisis at the time fueled my efforts and motivation to get started. Many experienced workers started their own businesses and continue to offer their expertise under private label. This circumstance motivated many to pursue entrepreneurship. For example, Nokia alike many other technology companies lost skilled employees. Such situation rapidly resulted into many startups arising at higher rate than ever before. The Finnish government promoted entrepreneurship and encouraged many to start-up and own businesses. I was not laid off, but I did not want to wait to be laid off either. I decided to visit “New Co“ in Helsinki” with my business idea and a business advisor helped me.
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Think Africa: Why a roastery and a cafe? Is it something you had prior experience in?
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John: When I started my journey in the coffee business, I was keen and focused on delivering quality. I did not want to start a café. I currently don’t run a café; in fact, I own a “specialty” coffee shop and there is a stark difference between the two. I started my coffee shop venture using local coffees roasted by local coffee roasters. I wanted to understand Finnish coffee culture; specifically from a premium coffee stand point; so after a few months, I invested in my own roasting machine. I had prior experience from working in five star hotels and restaurants. Such exposure to high quality business establishments has strengthened my coffee brewing techniques. This is prior to my move to Finland.
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My concept is simple! I roast coffee and deliver it to offices and homes. I also sell different brands at the coffee shop in the city centre of Helsinki. The coffee shop is an exhibit and showroom for the Roastery. I meet potential clients at the coffee shop, where I manage to successfully conclude business deals. The coffee shop is a perfect place for people to actually taste different blends of coffee and appreciate our standard and quality. It would be difficult without a street level establishment with exposure to and interaction with clients.
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Think Africa: African immigrants have often found it difficult to successfully run a business in Finland; and in two years time, you are already profitable. What is or has been your strategy?
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John: I don’t think I can really give advice to success. Also, about running a profitable business, I’m not sure, if I should share my thought here. However, I will share my own experience throughout my business journey, thus far. I remember pondering over the questions such as from where and how to get the paperwork sorted? I had not done any research, customer survey or enquiry on how to start a business in Finland.
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I think this should be the first thing anyone going into business must look into. It frees and opens up one’s mind for ideas to flow and you begin to feel comfortable as well as confident moving forward. You are then confronted with other thoughts and ideas such as background, and partners etc. Remember, you can never do it “solo” or alone, because “No Man is an Island”… You need all of these factors checked specifically depending on your type of business idea or the products and services you are offering. Moreover, the location of your business should be of primary importance. These are all crucial issues to consider when venturing into entrepreneurship. When you start running your business; well, then It’s all about consistency to improved services. Therefore, attitude and approach plays a huge role, especially collecting feedback and data to retain customers, et cetera, et cetera…
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Think Africa: What challenges have you faced in running a business such as yours?
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John: One of the biggest challenges is finding the right location for your business as location is a key element. However, the location also depends on the type of your business idea. A business that requires an office space is different from a concept that requires a street level premise with need for sitting space and footwork. The more footwork you need, the more challenging it is to get a business premises. It helps, if you have lived longer in Finland, knowledge of Finnish language is essential and places you in an even better vantage position. Your clients are locals and most of your clients are going to be more comfortable speaking Finnish with you. It adds value to core of your service.
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Think Africa: Any challenges faced particularly due to your immigrant background?
John: I would say the language is the biggest challenge; even though, majority of Finns speak English. Thus, it is to the disadvantage of your business to lack communicable basic knowledge of Finnish and to the benefit of your business by understanding Finnish; the lack of which can seriously affect the success of your business.
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Think Africa: We recently saw that you had an interesting collaboration with the British & Commonwealth Chamber of Commerce (B3CF) and you made a coffee blend for them. Could you tell us a bit about that, and how you got involved in that collaboration, its benefits, etc.?
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John: That’s right! We started a Commonwealth blend few weeks back. This was an idea Mr. Reggie Russan came up with after a couple of visits at my coffee shop. He has known these folks for years and he thought that the blending of coffee from Commonwealth Countries would fit perfectly for a business partnership with the organization he represents.
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I found the opportunity interesting. Since, I understand my coffee and how it behaves when blended I thought Kenya and Rwanda would make a perfect match. I blended and roasted coffee from these two countries and then invited everyone to come over to taste. Reggie and others liked the blend, approved it and so we launched it on the Westerbacka flagship store by giving taste samples to guests for takeaway home. The benefit is that we give coffee lovers a chance to taste a “specialty blend”, freshly roasted straight out of our roastery to offices, homes and unto shelves in our Coffee shop for instant brewing. This is an amazing idea and we actually plan to develop different brands in the future. We started by blending Kenya and Rwanda but we also have plans to feature other Commonwealth countries in the future. There are many Commonwealth member states that produce very good coffee.
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Think Africa: What advice do you have for others?
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My advice for others is to step up and do it. You all have brilliant ideas and talents, but are in hiding with them. The jobs you are doing are the sources of your business ideas, which could put to service as business concepts. Talents and skills make very good business ideas. The main thing is to mean it when you start. Some individuals start and quit in midst and mystery of paperwork challenges. They claim it’s too complicated and a lot of paperwork load and “hullabaloo”. Commitment determines whether you intend to be serious or not. If you don’t want to deal with paperwork, which I believe is the starting point of all business ventures; and if, not then you are headed for more challenges.
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Think Africa: What is the best way to contact you and get in touch in addition to buying your coffee?
John: My online shop: www.johnschoffeeshop.fi
Website: www.johnscoffee.fi
Telephone number: +358451015557
Email: john@johnscoffee.fi
Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/johnscoffeehelsinki/
Instagram: johns_coffeeshop
This for me was an interesting and enlightening experience, conversation and interactive exchange of views with entrepreneur John Ntaganda.
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Think Africa is grateful for the fortunate opportunity to benefit a portion of Mr. Ntaganda`s hectic work schedule for this interview as well as giving permission to share and showcase his business success story for this blog publication.
On behalf of Think Africa, I wholeheartedly wish our readership splendid compliments of the Christmas season as we anticipate 2019.
For this we are grateful and appreciative of every second and minute of time invested for the production of this blog.
Happy New year to all our readers until the next blog post in mid January!
Wesseh, Cucu. Editor-in-Chief, Think Africa ry, wesseh.cucu@thinkafrica.fi
