SEE THE AWESOME BUSINESS QUALITIES OF AN OLD MARKET WOMAN WHICH SOME CERTIFIED ENTREPRENEURS DON'T HAVE.

 

The Awesome Business Qualities of an Old Market Woman a Certified Entrepreneur Doesn’t Have

Introduction

When you think of a certified entrepreneur, you might picture a suit-clad individual with a business plan, a startup pitch deck, an MBA, and a strong LinkedIn presence. These are the modern emblems of entrepreneurship — polished, well-funded, and educated.

But what if we told you that some of the most awe-inspiring business lessons don’t come from boardrooms or business schools, but from the dusty stalls of old local markets? The seasoned old market woman — often overlooked and under-celebrated — holds within her the essence of practical business mastery. She doesn’t carry a certificate, but she carries generational wisdom, survival instincts, customer intuition, and unmatched hustle.

In this article, we will explore the awesome business qualities of an old market woman that even many certified entrepreneurs lack — qualities that make her not just a trader, but a real-world entrepreneur in her own right.

1. Emotional Intelligence on the Street Level

An old market woman can look at a customer's face and tell whether they have money, whether they're serious, or just pricing. She can read body language, facial expressions, and even silence. This level of emotional intelligence isn’t taught in any MBA class — it’s learned through years of human interaction.

Unlike certified entrepreneurs who often rely on data analytics or AI tools to understand customer behavior, the market woman does it in real-time, with no spreadsheets — just her eyes, ears, and instincts.

2. Master of Negotiation

Every certified entrepreneur learns negotiation skills — through books, seminars, or simulations. But the old market woman lives it every single day. From sunrise to sunset, she bargains with hundreds of customers, wholesalers, and even touts.

She knows when to reduce the price slightly to close a sale, when to stand her ground, and when to throw in a small gift (“jara”) to retain a customer. This hands-on, high-frequency experience makes her a negotiating machine, far superior in real-world bargaining than most classroom-taught entrepreneurs.

3. Customer Retention Without CRM Software

Certified entrepreneurs often rely on CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software to remember their clients, automate follow-ups, or record transactions. The market woman has no CRM — yet she remembers names, preferences, debts, and even the family stories of her customers.

She builds trust not with automated emails, but with genuine relationships. Her customer service is based on community, not policy. That loyalty she earns is so deep that her customers will bypass supermarkets to buy from her instead.

4. Unshakable Resilience

When there’s rain, economic hardship, or political unrest, the certified entrepreneur might shut their office, postpone operations, or apply for a business grant.

The market woman? She shows up. Every day.

No business insurance, no paid leave, no investors. Just pure resilience. She knows that if she doesn’t show up, her family doesn’t eat. That level of grit is often unmatched by many certified entrepreneurs.

5. Risk Management Without Models

Business schools teach risk analysis using SWOT, PESTEL, and other frameworks. Market women assess risk with raw wisdom and gut feeling. When they decide to try a new product, change suppliers, or invest in more stock, they are risking hard-earned money — not borrowed venture capital.

They don’t forecast using Excel sheets. They use community chatter, seasonal trends, and market movement. It may look unscientific, but it’s deeply intuitive and highly accurate.

6. Inventory Management in Her Head

Certified entrepreneurs often need software like QuickBooks, Zoho Inventory, or SAP to manage inventory. The market woman? She knows her entire stock by heart.

She can tell what’s left, what’s moving, what’s spoiling, and what needs restocking — without writing a single thing down. Her mind is a running inventory system with zero downtime.

7. Zero Advertising, Maximum Word-of-Mouth

Where a certified entrepreneur might need social media campaigns, Google Ads, and branding consultants to promote their business, the market woman relies on pure word-of-mouth marketing.

Her happy customers are her biggest influencers. Her voice, smile, attitude, and daily presence in the same spot is all the branding she needs. She builds a human brand — real, authentic, and trusted.

8. Pricing Strategies That Work

Many certified entrepreneurs struggle with pricing. They either underprice or overprice due to incorrect market analysis.

But the market woman knows the exact price point that balances her profit and customer satisfaction. She knows when to raise the price due to scarcity, and when to lower it to stay competitive.

She understands the local economic temperature — not from news or blogs, but from daily interactions with her community.

9. Adaptability and Trend Response

Certified entrepreneurs spend weeks analyzing market shifts. But the market woman reacts within hours. If she sees demand for a certain item increase (e.g., school sandals before resumption), she stocks it immediately.

She may not know the term “pivoting” — but she does it naturally. She might go from selling tomatoes to groundnut oil during scarcity, or from vegetables to secondhand clothes during market days.

10. Strong Financial Discipline

Many certified entrepreneurs struggle with financial discipline. They get grants, loans, and investor money — and still run at a loss.

The market woman often works with little or no capital, reinvesting every single naira she earns. She has a powerful ability to delay gratification, build organically, and maintain daily profit without external funding.

11. Community Influence and Social Capital

While certified entrepreneurs might focus on online engagement metrics, the market woman builds real-world influence. Her stall may be small, but her voice in the community is loud.

She knows people. She connects families. She mediates disputes. She can gather 50 women for a cause within hours. That social capital is a powerful asset many certified entrepreneurs can’t buy.

12. Mentorship by Example

The market woman doesn’t host webinars or write business books, but she mentors her children, apprentices, and younger traders by example. They watch her every day — how she buys, sells, relates, and survives.

These apprentices go on to build their own stalls, start businesses, or even migrate into tech and fintech — but always remember the foundation they got from her live mentorship.

13. Zero Entitlement, Full Responsibility

Many certified entrepreneurs expect investors, banks, or the government to support them when things go wrong.

The old market woman never expects help. She blames no one. She carries her business like her child — with total responsibility. If her goods are stolen, spoiled, or rained on, she takes the loss, adjusts, and keeps going.

14. Generational Knowledge Transfer

An old market woman carries the knowledge of generations. From her mother, grandmother, and even ancestors, she inherits trading wisdom, cultural intelligence, and negotiation secrets. These traditions are passed through word of mouth — not written syllabuses.

This deep-rooted knowledge gives her a business advantage in specific cultural contexts that certified entrepreneurs can't learn from Google or Harvard.

15. Maturity and Long-Term Vision

Certified entrepreneurs often chase quick wins — viral growth, sudden traction, or fast exits. But the old market woman plays the long game.

She’s been at the same spot for 15, 20, or 30 years. Her success is not measured in sudden millions, but in daily bread, school fees paid, and houses built from humble beginnings.

That vision — to build slowly but surely — is a principle many modern entrepreneurs desperately need to learn.

Conclusion: The True Definition of an Entrepreneur

Who is an entrepreneur?

According to many textbooks, it's someone who starts a business, takes on financial risk, and aims to make a profit.

By that definition, the old market woman is more than qualified.

She may not have the certificates, pitch decks, or digital footprints — but she has all the qualities that matter: grit, negotiation, customer service, adaptability, integrity, and relentless hard work.

While certified entrepreneurs often pursue scaling, funding, and formal success, the old market woman represents sustainability, impact, and legacy.

If both worlds could meet — the academic knowledge of the certified entrepreneur, and the streetwise genius of the market woman — we would produce a new generation of super entrepreneurs.

So next time you walk past that old woman at the market, don’t just see a trader — see a masterclass in entrepreneurship.

                                               NWASIR AGUWA BUSINESS BLOG