Business Overview
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the restrictions implemented by the Panamanian government, she saw herself forced to close the physical store and suspend the sales in the store premises. Ana wants to prepare herself to reopen the business and contribute to the growth of her family and the community.
Ana Moreno (Minisuper La Visión) - Canglon, Panamá
Economic Challenge
Ana Moreno’s business was thriving until the Covid-19 pandemic hit her town. She has sold all her inventory via the messaging app Whatsapp during the quarantine and lockdown imposed by the government. She is planning to recover her business as the mobility restrictions are lifted and her business can prosper again. For this, Ana needs to create a business plan and a business model that adapts to the new normality after the pandemic.
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The Business
Ana Moreno is a businesswoman that started her business in 2013, in the roadside community of Canglon (Province of Darien, East Panama).
When Ana established her kiosk, she did it with a loan of $2.000. During the first years, she increased the business revenue of the kiosk by threefold and was growing steadily. Ana started with zero experience or knowledge about the retail industry or grocery business.
She started her business to improve her family conditions and motivated by her entrepreneurial spirit. Ana started her small kiosk a rented location. The highest selling products in the market are snacks, soda, chicken, ice-cream, dry foods, and grains. Her business revenue is very variable. It goes from $50 USD during a good day to around $10 USD on a bad day.
As rent went too high, she could not afford it and had to rethink her strategy. Therefore, she brought all the inventory to her home and decided to build a store in her own front yard, which is located nearby the police station.
Her plans are that once the pandemic crisis is over, she would sell her agriculture stock (valued in around $3.000 USD) and with the revenue, buy the inventory to restock her kiosk.
She would like to learn the right percentages of margins to sell on her store and how to calculate the profit on each product.
Regarding technology: She used Whatsapp to sell all the products during the pandemic and she would like to learn more about digital marketing to use her phone and technology to sell more products on social media. Also, she is thinking on expanding the products portfolio to include phone accessories, computers, cell phones etc.
Ana took a Kiva loan which she considered it was very useful: It was invested in her store, also she bought a plot of land to plant different vegetables. Once this loan is paid off she is thinking to take out another Kiva loan which she would use to restock the kiosk but still needs guidance on the business planning.
In the store, she works with her husband, her daughter and her. Her daughter is 12 years old goes to the local school and helps her mother’s business when off school.
Competitive Advantage
- On a previous Business Brigade, she learnt accounting basics, daily ledger as an accounting tool and inventory management.
- The store is strategically located.
- The kiosk has a strategic location and is right next to the Panamerican Highway (the largest motorable road in the world), which is a high traffic area and can bring a high volume of clients.
- Half of the store’s market is the local community and the other half is people that pass by the Panamerican Highway.
- Her store’s products are always in high demand.
Obstacles
- Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the restrictions imposed by the Panamanian government, she saw herself forced to close the physical store and suspend the sales in the store premises temporarily.
- There are 4 stores in Canglon which induce a high level of competition.
- Lack of access to working capital hinders her business growth.
- The local economy is still affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Business Snapshot
Next Steps
The tasks thatAna Moreno (Minisuper La Visión) has prioritized are:
Page Last Updated:December 18, 2020