The main purpose of the business brigade to Greece was to help out clients who either had or were trying to start a business. Our client’s name was Mamadoo. Mamadoo was originally from Senegal Africa, he migrated to Athens where he started his business. He is a fashion designer and has been making clothes for over 18 years. Yet when it came to his knowledge of how to run a business he knew he lacked some necessary skills, which is why he wanted our help. Going into it I didn’t know what to expect so I went in with no expectations. However my mind was still a little blown. One of Mamadoo’s biggest concerns was that he had no way of tracking his finances. He knew that this was having huge implications, as without knowing how much you are making you don’t know how much you can reinvest in the business. His main goal was to shift his role from actually making the clothes to more of a managerial role where he could control a production team. But employees are expensive so he knows he needs to understand where he stands financially in order to hire some help. I would say the most challenging part of all of this was communication. As Mamadoo barely spoke English we had to communicate through a translator. Not only was this affecting our communication but it’s also challenging to gain a full understanding of where his business currently stands as we had limited time. However, we made do. The biggest eye opener for me was when I finally understood how much he was making. To be respectful lets just say it’s not much. I realized this isn’t only the reality for him but many others like him in Athens and around the world. In the end we made a simple spreadsheet for him to keep track of his expenses and revenue. While it may seem insignificant to us it meant a lot to him. This is the perspective that I gained from the trip. Myself and others tend to take things for granted but once I realized the harsh reality of what many people around the world are living through it made me beyond grateful that I am where I am. Be grateful for even the little things.
