aus dem Postcourier online,
also für den Artikelschreiber ist die Mine schon halb eröffnet
THE saying, ‘think big, start small’, is a testimony to one small businessman in Arawa Town in Central Bougainville.
Yes, he is a small man, but big in his thinking caps when it comes to talking business.
Meet William Paran, owner of Parans Trading. He just opened his third shop in the busiest location of the former Panguna Mining Township of Arawa.
For those former residents of Arawa Town, the store is located at the famous Pikus Market at Section 15.
Twenty-five (25) year-old Willie as he is affectionally known by Siwai and Kieta wantoks is a graduate of Lae’s University of Technology with a degree in Communication for Development.
After graduating in 2006 he joined Highlands Kainantu Ltd (HKL). While still working, Willie opened a trade store at Dantanai, his father’s village, and employed his cousins who are mostly grade eight drop-outs.
Though his pay package was outstanding HKL, this was not his passion and he returned home to pursue his business dreams.
“I saw the opportunity in business, especially since opening my first trade store in the village. However, while the trade store was growing I saw that it lacked a good manager. I had to make that decision and return to manage my own small business.”
Willie resigned from HKL in 2007, bought a chainsaw with some tools and returned home to manage his trade store, which he operates under his family house.
After eight months of operations under his family home, Willie built a new trade store and relocated his old one under his house.
After four years of village operation, Willie moved for greener pastures venturing to Arawa Town – a one hour trip from Dantanai.
“With the expansion and high demand of business opportunity in Arawa, I took up the chance and moved over to Arawa in November 2011.”
He acquired a space in Arawa with a monthly rental fee of K800 and kicked off. While operating the two shops, Willie made some money, saved up and started constructing his new building which he opened on Friday April 5, 2013.
This date will be remembered for Willie and his parents Bernard and Olivia.
It is a big milestone set by the small and up-coming businessman enabling him to own a building, which means there will be no more paying of rental fees.
Parans Trading is a registered business with Investment Promotion Authority (IPA) with three trade stores already in full swing with the fourth one under construction.
The new store at Pikus Market will provide retailing, freezer goods, kaibar and general spare parts ranging from wheelbarrow to heavy duty vehicles.
Willie singled out for his trade stores he racks up more than K30, 000 in a month and during his trips to Rabaul to purchase his cargoes he spends around K60,000 worth of cargoes for his three trade stores.
Willie buys his cargoes at JJS Holding, Tropicana and Tropical, all these wholesales located in Kokopo, East New Britain Province.
According to Willie this is a very expensive exercise and suggested that the wholesales should at least help out with the airfares of the small businessman like himself who spend millions for cargoes to freight to Bougainville.
“Big businesses should arrange business deals with outside wholesalers and establish in Bougainville so we won’t travel to Kokopo to purchase our cargoes. This will really help to cut down on the costings.”
Willie outlined Valued Added Tax (VAT), freight and transport fares as the foundation small business people like himself are charging on their price list.
“I spend around K8000 through VAT, freight and transport which I term as lost expenses.
“Therefore, I believe locals shouldn’t complain about store goods prices as we are trying to recoup the lost expenses.”
Willie plans to venture into the wholesaling business or to specialize in one type of business, giving an example like selling Bridgestone Tyres and Tubes or specializing in Freezer Goods, in the future.
In Bougainville there is no specialization with business people doing everything at once adding that big businesses are all over the place.
The young entrepreneur is already setting his eyes on the bigger pictures aiming the re-opening of the giant copper mine in nearby Panguna and seeing himself as the main distributor supplying the mine.
Willie has his parents to thank for being so supportive in his interest of becoming a businessman, helping him with loans that he repays when he makes money in his trade stores.
Also Willie took the opportunity to thank his building contractors, Pikiina from Siae Village on a job well done.
He has big plans for the mostly local uneducated youths to register them and apply in tenders.
Willie has this advice to tell those small and up and coming business minded people; “management of cash is very important in any business dealings. Business is in your hands, look after your business and your business will look after you, it’s all about management. How you manage yourself and your business”.