“If you talked to people around you would automatically pick up the language – that’s how I learnt Kannada.”
TOOLS
The things he has to sell are arranged neatly in blue plastic trays.
His mobile cart carries all his trays around Yelahanka.
His friendly nature and command over various languages betters your shopping experience.
MATERIALS
He sells ready-made goods bought wholesale from City Market.
His goods include colourful bangles, nail-polish, combs, plastic bowls, games, balls, etc.
CONSUMPTION
His trade requires only monetary consumption.
He spends part of his profits on replenishing his stock of goods.
And a very small amount on the maintenance of his push-cart.
Time and energy is also consumed on his walking around Yelahanka looking for potential customers.
SKILL
His trade skills include deft handling of his goods – especially his bangles.
He has great skill in learning languages and picked up Kannada within a year.
The way he talks to potential customers is one of his most important skills – he is able to not only “communicate” but also “talk” to people, sharing stories and experiences as they wait for their purchased goods to be carefully wrapped in newspaper and given to them.
ECOLOGY
His business provides an income to wholesale businesses in City Market.
His income comes in small amounts from the pockets of women and children attracted by his stock and is spent on his family and his daughter’s education.
He does not keep plastic bags – but wraps purchased goods in old newspaper.
STRATEGY
He personally travels to City Market to buy goods in bulk at wholesale prices.
He buys things he thinks he will sell and his eye for colour is impressive.
This strategy ensures a certain level of quality in the things he has to sell.
People are attracted by the spread of lovely colours on his push-cart.
Even when he stops for a meal – which was when we initially noticed his cart – he stops in strategic places like in front of schools and colleges(Sheshadripuram Public School) where children would be invited by his colourful ware.
He speaks to his customers in their own language.
SPACE
His space is the road. He roams around with his push-cart, travelling down busy roads. Streets near schools and colleges are his favourite haunts.
GEOGRAPHY
He carries out his trade only in the streets of Yelahanka – New Town and Old Town and adjoining areas. He trades on foot and push-cart and hence does not travel very far except when he goes to City Market twice a week.
EARNINGS
He earns enough to feed his family, pay for the education of his daughter as well as use part of his profits to replenish his stock.
PEOPLE
The colourful bindis, bangles and toys attract women and children to his push-cart.
MONEY
He started off with goods worth an approximate amount of 5000 rupees which included credit from the wholesalers.
He worked off his debts over the first two years and now the total worth of goods on his cart is 10,000 rupees.
He circulates a portion of his profits to replenish his stock.
LIVING
Salim comes from a small village in Andhra Pradesh where he worked as a fruit-seller and did not make enough money. He moved here 10 years ago to start his business. He lives with his wife and daughter in Yelahanka Old Town where his daughter Tabasum goes to school. He is the only earning member of his family and earns enough to be able to afford her higher education and says that his profession is a tedious one.
BUYERS
He gets 20-30 customers on a good day and around 10 on a bad day. His customers are mostly locals. He is known for his colourful bangles which come in all sizes.
OUR EXPERIENCE TALKING TO HIM
We talked to him as customers who were new to Bangalore. He very ready to share his story and even gave us a tip on how to learn the local language as fast as he did. His friendly nature and his ability to judge what will sell is probably the reason why his business works.
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