A happy milk boy aspiring to be an entrepreneur

[Fadil]

I'm in my late teens and work as a door-to-door milk salesman for my father. We have a dairy farm, and I help him every day for no profit, working almost six hours a day. I recently graduated from high school, and my life is extremely hectic. My father lost his job abroad due to some issues and started this dairy farm as a new venture. However, the farm is high-risk and yields very little profit. He built the farm in the center of our neighborhood, so not a week goes by without a complaint. If any of our laborers leave, it becomes even more problematic. He can't invest more in this venture because he's already buried under a mountain of debt.

I have to leave school immediately to get home and sell milk. I don't see my friends, I don't hang out with them, and we never go on vacations—not even to the nearby beach. Every day is a workday for me; I don't have the typical 5-2, but rather a 7-0 schedule unless there's a hospital case or a close relative's function. I can count the days I've taken off from work.

Throughout this journey, my mental health has suffered greatly. I've even had suicidal thoughts because I feel like I missed out on my teenage years. I had to maintain my academics alongside all of this.

While my friends post pictures of gatherings on Instagram, I'm just sitting at home, watching. My temper has increased, and I've become an angry person, often complaining to my father and family about everything.

When people ask me what my father would do if I left home to join college, I have no answer. I don't know what he would do. My father and family now say I need to go to college, that it's the only way we'll escape this difficult situation. But I still don't know what he will do if he forces me to join a college.

One of our customers once asked me, "How will you get a woman? When they ask what you do, you'll have to say you're a milkboy."

My family is seriously suffering from illness, and half of our paycheck goes to medical bills. Most days, there are arguments about money, so I don't ask my father for money unnecessarily because I don't want to hear another lecture.

Despite the negative aspects, I've learned a lot from this process. I was a sad and depressed guy, but I learned to find happiness. I learned to communicate with people and have lots of stories just from asking questions like "how," "when," and "why." I see many kids every day, which makes me happy and energetic. I started to productively manage my day and develop stoicism in everyday life. Even though I don't go on vacations or hang out with friends, I'm still happy.

I'm still in this repeated schedule, and inshallah, I hope everything will change.

 

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[KiwiEC]

Welcome on the forum!

If you sell milk already, it means you have some skills for sales and customer relationship. How could you use these skills for your own profit?

 

[David Fitz]

I'm in my late teens and work as a door-to-door milk salesman for my father. We have a dairy farm, and I help him every day for no profit, working almost six hours a day. I recently graduated from high school, and my life is extremely hectic. My father lost his job abroad due to some issues and started this dairy farm as a new venture. However, the farm is high-risk and yields very little profit. He built the farm in the center of our neighborhood, so not a week goes by without a complaint. If any of our laborers leave, it becomes even more problematic. He can't invest more in this venture because he's already buried under a mountain of debt.

I have to leave school immediately to get home and sell milk. I don't see my friends, I don't hang out with them, and we never go on vacations—not even to the nearby beach. Every day is a workday for me; I don't have the typical 5-2, but rather a 7-0 schedule unless there's a hospital case or a close relative's function. I can count the days I've taken off from work.

Throughout this journey, my mental health has suffered greatly. I've even had suicidal thoughts because I feel like I missed out on my teenage years. I had to maintain my academics alongside all of this.

While my friends post pictures of gatherings on Instagram, I'm just sitting at home, watching. My temper has increased, and I've become an angry person, often complaining to my father and family about everything.

When people ask me what my father would do if I left home to join college, I have no answer. I don't know what he would do. My father and family now say I need to go to college, that it's the only way we'll escape this difficult situation. But I still don't know what he will do if he forces me to join a college.

One of our customers once asked me, "How will you get a woman? When they ask what you do, you'll have to say you're a milkboy."

My family is seriously suffering from illness, and half of our paycheck goes to medical bills. Most days, there are arguments about money, so I don't ask my father for money unnecessarily because I don't want to hear another lecture.

Despite the negative aspects, I've learned a lot from this process. I was a sad and depressed guy, but I learned to find happiness. I learned to communicate with people and have lots of stories just from asking questions like "how," "when," and "why." I see many kids every day, which makes me happy and energetic. I started to productively manage my day and develop stoicism in everyday life. Even though I don't go on vacations or hang out with friends, I'm still happy.

I'm still in this repeated schedule, and inshallah, I hope everything will change.

My dad was a milkman. That is one tough job. I think it's where I learned about work ethic when I used to get up very early mornings with him as a kid.

You may not realise it but you're picking up a skill of how to work hard, show up on time, perseverance and even selling. Maybe you can use those skills to start something?

 

[Fadil]

My dad was a milkman. That is one tough job. I think it's where I learned about work ethic when I used to get up very early mornings with him as a kid.

You may not realise it but you're picking up a skill of how to work hard, show up on time, perseverance and even selling. Maybe you can use those skills to start something?

Yeah, that's a hectic schedule, especially now during the rainy season. Thanks, David, for sharing your journey.

I'm thinking about starting something, but I feel like I have no clarity on what to do or where to start.

 

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[Fadil]

My dad was a milkman. That is one tough job. I think it's where I learned about work ethic when I used to get up very early mornings with him as a kid.

You may not realise it but you're picking up a skill of how to work hard, show up on time, perseverance and even selling. Maybe you can use those skills to start something?

Welcome on the forum!

If you sell milk already, it means you have some skills for sales and customer relationship. How could you use these skills for your own profit?

Welcome on the forum!

If you sell milk already, it means you have some skills for sales and customer relationship. How could you use these skills for your own profit?

That’s I’m thinking what to work on so I can help my family.

 

[RightyTighty]

Since you’re already contacting people, is there some value-added item you could sell at the same time? If you could find a complementary product that is more valuable and less of a commodity than milk perhaps you could slowly grow a fastlane business.

 

[Fadil]

Since you’re already contacting people, is there some value-added item you could sell at the same time? If you could find a complementary product that is more valuable and less of a commodity than milk perhaps you could slowly grow a fastlane business.

Honestly, I don't get any money from this. It all goes to my father, and I don't ask him for any. I shared an idea with my father to sell something other than milk, like byproducts such as curd and buttermilk, but he still refuses due to financial concerns.

 

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[RightyTighty]

First, I salute your work ethic and family loyalty. Sounds like you have developed a set of values that will serve you well. But at some point you’re going to have to start pushing back on the way your family is mandating how you live your life. TODAY is a good time. This doesn’t mean you love them less - in fact, it means you love them more. You can’t help improve their quality of life unless you take the reins enough to start making changes. So stop asking for permission to make some small changes. Find something non-perishable to offer along with milk - another food product - maybe chocolate or malt milk flavoring - or a physical product like colorful kid’s drinking straws. You can start doing this with pocket change. Go slowly and don’t do anything that would disrupt your normal duties or adversely affect your father’s business. Keep plowing the profits back into more products to sell and talk to your customers to learn what they want and need. You can provide value while developing a more flexible business that can eventually eclipse and replace the grind you’re stuck in.

 

[Fadil]

First, I salute your work ethic and family loyalty. Sounds like you have developed a set of values that will serve you well. But at some point you’re going to have to start pushing back on the way your family is mandating how you live your life. TODAY is a good time. This doesn’t mean you love them less - in fact, it means you love them more. You can’t help improve their quality of life unless you take the reins enough to start making changes. So stop asking for permission to make some small changes. Find something non-perishable to offer along with milk - another food product - maybe chocolate or malt milk flavoring - or a physical product like colorful kid’s drinking straws. You can start doing this with pocket change. Go slowly and don’t do anything that would disrupt your normal duties or adversely affect your father’s business. Keep plowing the profits back into more products to sell and talk to your customers to learn what they want and need. You can provide value while developing a more flexible business that can eventually eclipse and replace the grind you’re stuck in.

I hadn't even considered offering non-perishable products before. You've really shed some light on my path. I need to work on that. Thank you for sharing.

 

[Devilery]

While I don't support the dairy industry, I know life is different in some parts of the world.

Why don't you offer more products than milk? Milk can be turned into so many things - butter, cheeses, etc.

Don't the same people who buy milk, also buy butter and cheese? They probably do, but from someone else, but as they already trust you for their milk, they would probably buy butter and cheese from you too. That's a way how to get extra money from each person that's already buying from you.

 

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[Fadil]

While I don't support the dairy industry, I know life is different in some parts of the world.

Why don't you offer more products than milk? Milk can be turned into so many things - butter, cheeses, etc.

Don't the same people who buy milk, also buy butter and cheese? They probably do, but from someone else, but as they already trust you for their milk, they would probably buy butter and cheese from you too. That's a way how to get extra money from each person that's already buying from you.

That’s the thing I’m trying to execute but when I share this idea to my father he refuses becouse of some excuses like we need to buy new fridge that’s a lot of money.

 

[Devilery]

That’s the thing I’m trying to execute but when I share this idea to my father he refuses becouse of some excuses like we need to buy new fridge that’s a lot of money.

I see and I imagine it's not an easy thing to convince him about, is there anyone in your local area who maybe already has the fridge and would be willing to partner with you?

 

[Fadil]

I see and I imagine it's not an easy thing to convince him about, is there anyone in your local area who maybe already has the fridge and would be willing to partner with you?

Yes everyone have fridge but partnering especially in my local area is another risk

 

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