For those who need cleaning detergents in their homes, hotels, hospital and offices, help is at hand from entrepreneur Madalitso Malinga (MM), founder of Sharp Chemicals Limited in Malawi. Improving lives through cleaning environment is his passion and prompted him to launch his business offering a wide range of cleaning products in Blantyre.
Malawi Voice (MV) speaks to the enterprising Madalitso Malinga about his vision for his business and what drives him to keep growing and thriving.
MV: What does your company do?
MM: We are a manufacturing company of a wide range of cleaning detergents from dishwash to floor cleaners, handwash, sanitizer, car wash, toilet cleaners. The biggest inspiration for me to start my company was wanting to offer solutions to people I came across.
MV:Where is your company located?
MM: We are located in AOK house, 300 meters from St Columba Church off Kapeni Road.
MV:What inspired you to start your company?
MM:The freedom. The sense of purpose. The giving back. The extra income. The biggest inspiration for me to start my company was wanting to offer solutions to people I came across. I talked to friends, neighbours, colleagues, even walk-in customers, while I was still at Polytechnic doing my Bachelors of Science Technical Education. But while at school I realized I dont like the idea of someone dictating my day. I realized all I had to do was to establish the business I had in mind when I was young. I studied the gap in the cleaning detergents , and when posing questions to many people the answers were the same: people these days are too busy, too tired, and too stressed out to clean their own homes unless if they find cleaning detergents that will make their job easier.
MV: Why should anyone use your product?
MM: Passion, Reliability, Flexibility. We stand by the promises we make with our products. At Sharp Chemical Limited our business branding is simply unique and captivating – the moment you see it you know we are ‘cleanerprenuers’ at heart.”
MV: Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And do you come from an entrepreneurial background?
MM:I believe I come from an entrepreneurial background but in a different manner in the way that many view entrepreneurship these days. At my home where I grew up with my mother and father , they used to sell cleaning detergents on a small scale business and this inspired me alot.
MV: What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?
MM:My future plans are to employ dozens of amazing staff , and service hundreds of incredible customers throughout the country because currently we have an office and shop in Blantyre . Getting into retail is part of my future plan. At least if we can open shops in Lilongwe and Mzuzu because as of now we send our materials there using courier services.
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I also plan to not solely focus on cleaning detergents but offer training to the naive and have cleaning materials that are established at Sharp Chemical Limited , such as cleaning cloths (Micro Fibres), unique mops and waffle towels.I feel confident knowing that people everywhere always want a clean, sparkling home and I am one who can offer that.”
MV: What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?
Knowing that no matter where I move to or decide to live, I can still carry my cleaning skill with me and start my business as it doesn’t demand much but just my instinct, passion and skill. I feel confident knowing that people everywhere always want a clean, sparkling home and I am one who can offer that. The economy is very shaky these days but pressing hard with establishing my brand and not wanting to give up on it, even if I didn’t get clients for months. The factual statement remains : No matter what the economy is doing, people will always need high- quality cleaning services.
MV: What’s the biggest piece of advice you can give to other youths looking to start-up?
MM: You don’t need to know everything before you start your desired business… just enough to move forward today. I call it “the tiny steps” approach: Take one step, and see the result. Then take the next step. Then the next step. Pretty soon, those steps add up and turn into real momentum… and the “big questions” don’t seem so overwhelming after all.
