Find Your People: Lessons from the MESH Biz Class Week 2 🌍🔍

This is the follow-up to the article, "Find Your Zone: Lessons from MESH Biz Class Week 1." 🙌

MESHers, imagine this: You’re swiping through a dating app and spot someone who looks like your dream match.

You send a message—“Hey, I love hiking. What about you?”—only for them to reply, “I’m actually into Netflix marathons and avoiding sunlight.” Awkward, right?

That’s what it’s like running a business without knowing your customers. You’re pitching hiking boots to people who want cozy blankets.

Here’s the deal: Kuanza biz bila kujua audience yako ni kama kuenda pool party na scarf and mittens— it just doesn’t fit!

Your customers aren’t a mystery to solve; they’re the GPS for your hustle.

Watakuambia kile wanataka, how much wanadai kulipa, na why they’d choose you over mtu mwingine—if uko ready kusikiliza.

Week 2 ya MESH Biz Class ilikuwa about breaking down that tricky customer code. Sahau the guesswork.

This is about rolling up your sleeves, getting into the details, and kujua biz yako ina-serve nani.

Ukielewa customers wako, hautakuwa unauza tu—utakuwa una-solve shida zao. And when you solve problems, utakafunga fiti!

MESHers, assume you’re trying to sell a product to someone, but haujui their vibe, their struggles, or what makes them tick.

Ni kama DJ-ing at a wedding and dropping a drill-beat just as the couple’s parents hit the dance floor—zero connection.

You’re trying to start a business, lakini hujui customers wako ni nani.

That’s like cooking pilau bila kitunguu—you might end up with something, but trust me, it won’t hit.

James, on the other hand, was no amateur chef. Jamaa alitaka kuingia food biz, lakini akajua kuingia blindly ni kama kuchemsha ugali na maji kidogo—you’ll burn out before the job is done.

Instead of guessing, James decided to do the smart thing—kuuliza wasee wenye wangefaidika na biz yake directly.

His friends and family working in offices and retail jobs became his target group. Na akaingia na strategy fiti ya lunch.

• “Ukiwa job, lunch yako huonekana aje?”

• “Unafeel aje about food options una-get? Kuna kitu inakubamba ama haibambi?”

• “Daily unatumia doh ngapi kwa food, na unafeel hiyo ni fair ama ni too much?”

Through these chill convos, James alirealize wasee wa maofisi wanateseka vibaya kupata lunch yenye ni fresh, affordable, na easy kupata.

That’s when the lightbulb iliwaka: “Hii ndio spot yangu!” Akaform plan safi—deliver fresh, pocket-friendly lunches direct kwa desks zao bila stress.

That’s how uta-turn shida za watu into your money-making hustle. Simple, clean, and straight to the bag! 💰 💰

He used these tips to nail it:

Don’t Wing It—Talk to Real People: Your customers hold the answers to your success. 1️⃣ 1️⃣ Usianze ku-solve problem blindly bila kuuliza wasee wako kwa ground.

2️⃣ Ask Questions That Matter: Keep it chill but targeted. Saa zingine, swali simple kama, “What do you love or hate about your current options?” inaweza kukupeleka mbali kuliko survey ya 10 pages.

3️⃣ Find the Gaps: Patterns don’t lie. Kama kila mtu anakwambia the same frustrations, hapo ndio unapata golden ticket ya mboka yenye itabamba.

Lesson hapa ni simple: Customer research inakufungua macho. It shows you not what you think customers need but what they’re actually looking for. Na ukichanuka, trust me, utakuwa halfway to winning.

Customer research ni process ya kujua:

• Pain Points: Wateja wako wana-struggle na nini?

• Budget: Wako ready kutumia how much? Wako strict na price ama wanapenda premium?

• Competition: Wako na options gani right now, na kwanini waku-choose?

Hii life si ya kubahatisha, na hakuna kudandia shortcuts hapa. Kama hujui vile game inachezwa, uko tu hapo trial-and-error like unacheza chess bila plan.

Chukua time yako, soma game, then uweke moves zako fiti. Hapo ndio utacheki venye winning huchongwa, manze! 🔥💯

(But, like the rest of us, they’re still learning and working to refine and perfect their operations – TUNAJENGANA, NA KILA MESHer AKO NA BUILDING STONE YA KU-HELP)

@Joanne anauza beadwork na household items unique zile zinaeza kuja na artistic beadwork, na FB ndio base yake ya hustle. She started na FB strategy poa—aka-search groups za beadwork.

Then, akajoin na akaanza ku-interact. FB Ads pia zimemsaidia kufikia customers wako local na international.

Her pro tip? Si lazima uwe na duka kubwa; hata corner shelf inatosha. “It gives your biz that professional vibe when customers ask, ‘Where’s your shop?”

Insight: Socials zako ni kama soko ya Gikomba—ukiingia focused na strategy safi, utapata customers wa kila aina. Engage, tumia Ads, na usichoke ku-build connections.

@Neil Shem (Neil Shem Designs), ni design guru anaplay game yake safi… MESHers, cheki design zake kwa hii site yetu ya kujengana…Uta-nice!

Nway, Neil, alienza ku-focus on understanding what each customer wants, and made sure products zake zina-align na preferences zao.

Na hapa ndio ana-set boundaries, Mesh Fam. Neil alisema, “Serious clients hu-ask serious questions, wanataka kujua location yako, na wako willing kulipa deposit.”

Kama client haskii hiyo form, Neil anajua huyo si mteja wake.

Insight: Set standards for your biz. Customers wako serious wataku-respect ukiwa na terms clear kama:

“Hii deposit lazima ilipwe kabla ya delivery.” Na si lazima kila mtu aku-like—focus on wale wako serious.

@Mary (Animation Guru and inspiring hustler), alitupatia so much marketing info hadi I think we need a complete article to try and fit in everything.

That said, kama uli-attend the first class on, “Find Your Zone,” unajua Mary has the tips you need.

Alitutolea analogy safi: “Farmers prep shamba zao before the rainy season ianze.” Hii ni lesson ya patience na consistency.

Mary alisema social media ads and all other marketing channels huchukua time ku-bear fruit.

So, kama una market online, lazima u-post consistently na u-plan biz yako kama long-term hustle.

Pia, Mary alisema ni idea lit kukuwa na site yako in addition to FB, Instagram, LinkedIn, na zingine.

“Your socials should lead people to your site. Think of it as the main house, na socials ni gate.”

By the way, MESHers, you need to research LinkedIn mcheki vile inaweza help hustles zako.

Insight: Hustle yako ni kama shamba—prep vizuri ndio sales zianze kunyesha.

Stay patient, be consistent, na build system yenye inafanya customers wako warudi tena coz you made impact poa.

@Musau ni OG wa door-to-door marketing, and that’s how he got his first customers.

Sasa ame-grow into online platforms like FB, Instagram, na Jiji. Happy clients wanamletea referrals frequently, which is what wengi wetu wanataka.

Musau ana maneno machache lakini point safi: “The product/service ni yako, but the money is theirs.

Lazima exchange ifanyike in a smart way.” He sets standard ya kulipa deposit before delivery ifike kwa mteja.

Most importantly, deposit ikifika, customer anaget mali yake haraka, na hii ni possible through honesty na integrity ile ana-place kwa operations zake.

Insight: Biz ni focus. Set standards and stick to them. Build trust na customers wako by being real, honest, and reliable. Never compromise your boundaries for wasee wasio serious.

@Felix and Brian Amwayirely heavily on referrals. Felix anasema satisfied clients ni key ya growth yake and finding his people.

Meanwhile, Brian upatia first-time clients free samples, making many of them loyal customers for life.

Insight: Referrals ni kama form ya loyalty bonus. Weka clients wako happy, na wata-market biz yako for free. Ka-ching! 💸

If uko still stuck kwa process, hizi summarized steps zitakujenga:

• Start small. Engage watu wa karibu—marafiki, family, colleagues. They’re your first “ground.”

Examples:
• “Ni nini inakusumbua kwa [problem unataka ku-solve]?”

• “Budget yako ni gani kwa solution kama hii?”

• “Kuna option gani unatumia saa hii na inakufanyia nini?”

• Look for common frustrations na gaps zenye hazijajazwa na market sasa.

• Maintain profile yako ikiwa sharp, deliver your word, na ujenge a solid rep kama mtu dependable.

• Consistency ni kitu fiti, fam. So, kuwa honest, talk straight, na usi-ghost deadlines zako uki-get order.

• Stay zen, watu wangu. Handle issues zako like a G, and own your mess-ups when they happen.

• Serve quality that slaps, exceed expectations, and keep your word, no cap.

• Endelea kujijenga na kujengana, stay grounded, na usi-allow ufala kwa biz—set boundaries.

After this, the next step ni kutokea Week 3 ya MESH Biz Class, tuchapiane kama true MESH fam…ama aje? Tukafunge pamoja🚀

Grab a piece of paper. Chora hizi circles tatu:

1. Who are your customers?

2. What do they need?

3. How do you solve their problem better than anyone else?

Fill them in, alafu share findings zako na community using #MESHBizClass. Hii si mambo ya kujibamba pekee—you’ll find people who’ll help you refine ideas zako.

MESHers, hustle bila customers ni kama kuimba karaoke na mic imezimwa—ukifanya effort, but hakuna ana-feel.

Talk to people, listen to their struggles, na give them solutions za ukweli. Wasee wa ground ndio watafanya biz yako i-fly.

So, uko ready kuacha guessing game na kuingia knowing game? Your people are out there. Twende kazi! 💪

TUJENGANE! Hiyo boomerang effect ya kujengana iko hivi: when you support wenzako, wanakurudishia iyo energy.

Inarudi kwako, tena stronger! Teamwork makes the dream work, bro/siz! Keep it real, na MESHers wengi watakushikilia.