19/08/2026
I Took Four Packs to the Streets, But Came Back With Something Bigger
After returning from work, I could have gone home to rest.
But I remembered something I am learning about building a business:
You cannot expect people to know your product if you are not willing to introduce it to them.
So I picked up four neatly packaged packs of my popcorn and went around my neighbourhood.
My first stop was a small store located at the corner of a woman's house. It was almost like a hidden shop on her street, and most of her customers were people living nearby.
After exchanging pleasantries, I brought out the popcorn and introduced it to her.
She looked at it carefully and asked, "What is this?"
I smiled and told her it was popcorn.
She looked surprised.
"I've never seen popcorn like this before. I only know the white one."
I explained that it was caramel popcorn and that the colour came from the caramel.
Then I asked her to taste it.
She put a little in her mouth, chewed slowly, nodded her head and said:
"This one tastes really good."
That simple statement made me happy.
But what she said next taught me something even more important.
She told me that most of her customers were children. Many of them usually came with just ₦100 to buy something.
So she advised me to make a ₦100 pack for her.
But she didn't ask me to bring a whole carton.
She said, "Start with half a dozen. Let me see how it will sell."
I gave her my phone number, and I left.
My next stop was a wholesale store on another street.
I introduced myself and brought out the popcorn.
Something interesting happened.
The woman looked at my face carefully. She recognized me but couldn't remember where she knew me from.
Then I reminded her that we once worshipped in the same church.
Immediately, the conversation became easier.
She tasted the popcorn, liked it and quickly asked for my phone number.
I visited another wholesale seller, introduced the product, and again, she collected my number.
That day, I walked around with only four packs.
But I came back with something much bigger than four sales.
I came back with contacts, feedback, potential customers, and a better understanding of the market.
I also learned that sometimes your first customers may not come from big supermarkets or expensive shops.
They may be right around the corner.
And sometimes, the person you think is just running a small hidden shop may actually help you understand exactly what the people in that neighbourhood want.
This journey is teaching me one thing:
Don't sit down and wait for customers to discover your business. Go out and discover your customers.
Now I want to ask you:
If you had only ₦100 to spend on a snack, what would make you choose a new popcorn brand instead of the regular snacks you already know?
And to the shop owners reading this:
Would you be willing to test a new local snack brand with just six packs before deciding whether to stock more?
I genuinely want to hear your opinion. Your answer could help shape the next step of BADGER CRUNCH.