Good day, @Hive family. How are we doing today? It’s been a while here, and I’ve genuinely missed the buzz of this community. Welcome back to my blog.
It’s been about a week since I last showed up here. The days have been hectic and draining, because my natural drink business had its first official outdoor event as a vendor.
The experience was great, even though the outcome fell below my expectations. Still, it gave me a glimpse of what the future could look like for my brand. For years, I had dreamed of moments like this: seeing my drinks displayed at an event, meeting new customers, and being part of something bigger. Now, it has finally happened. That in itself was fulfilling.
Let me provide some context for the event. The event we attended was an annual fitness gathering that has reportedly hosted over 3,000 people in past editions. Naturally, the other vendors and I had high expectations, especially after paying the vendor fees.
However, this year’s turnout was barely half of previous years. From what I observed, the economic hardship and insecurity in the country played a huge role. People now think twice before attending crowded events, especially in light of recent attacks in nearby areas. Even I had my own fears, but business is business, so I showed up.
Sales Reality
My major product, Tigernut Xclusive, didn’t perform well. Out of 76 bottles of 50cl priced at ₦1,000 each, we sold only 15. Considering its short shelf life and high production cost, that was a huge loss.
Interestingly, the product I underestimated turned out to be the star, lol, Zobo Xclusive. Even though zobo is a standard drink, most versions aren't properly made. Many people were surprised by the taste of mine; some even said they wouldn’t have recognised it if not for its bright, striking colour.
My Ginger Xclusive did fairly well, too. It’s not a common product, but those who tried it absolutely loved it.
Lessons Learned
Never ignore your intuition.
While making the zobo and ginger drinks, something told me to package extra bottles, in case people might want to buy and take them home. That intuition paid off.
But when preparing the tigernut drink, the same intuition warned me to reduce the quantity. I ignored it out of excitement, and the thought that so many loved it due to its benefits, especially for the men, and that mistake cost me.
Lesson learned: never to ignore my intuition, as it's a valuable business tool too.Don’t rely solely on past data.
I focused so much on previous attendance figures that I didn’t consider this year’s circumstances. Unlike past editions held at the open-state stadium, this one was indoors. Security fears and current economic conditions were factors I completely overlooked.
Ask the right questions.
I should have asked the organisers for the number of registered participants ahead of time. That would have helped me gauge how much to produce.Market dominance doesn’t mean guaranteed sales.
No other vendor sold drinks similar to mine, so I assumed I had the upper hand. But customers have preferences, even when you’re the only one selling a particular product.
Build relationships early.
Other vendors had attended previous editions and already had returning customers. It was my first time, so I had to earn people’s trust from scratch.Sampling works.
Offering small cups for people to taste, along with complimentary sealed groundnuts, really helped attract customers. And thanks to @temmylade, who was at the event with me to help and support, thank you, sis.
In the end, even though I didn’t make the profit I expected, I didn’t lose entirely. I made connections, introduced my brand to new people, and planted seeds that may grow into sales long before the 2026 edition of the event.
Thank you for stopping by. I missed being here. Have a great day, cheers.
Every experience teaches us something. It's great to see the analysis you share, because as well as learning yourself, it can surely help others to do so too. Your drinks look delicious, if I had the chance to try them, I wouldn't hesitate!
You are very right, unn, thank you, it's heartwarming
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