At the Talberg Forum last month, Jordan Kassalow gave a presentation on “What Works in Microfranchise” based on VisionSpring’s experience selling reading glasses to create jobs. The audience? A group of entrepreneurs organizing to sell low-cost solar-powered lights to the developing world (the event was put together by D.light Design). This kind of sharing is inspiring: the lessons of microfranchise can be applied among a wide range of ventures, and we’re seeing that practitioners across the board are eager to learn.

As it happens, John Keane of SolarAid recently visited VisionSpring India to see our Vision Entrepreneurs in action. Take a minute to read what parts of the VisionSpring approach he plans to carry forward.

I spent today in the district of Mahbubnagar visiting VisionSpring’s Vision Entrepreneurs as they tested the eyes of local villagers to see if they suffer from presbyopia (blurry close up vision that becomes more and more common after the age of 35), and offered glasses for sale to those who needed them. During my visit I met up with VisionSpring’s District Coordinator Sudhir Kumar and Vision Spring Entrepreneurs Mr. and Mrs. Neeli who explained that since joining vision spring, they had virtually tripled their previous income, selling over 150 glasses. Inspiring stuff!

Even from my short visit, it was clear that the people living in the village were not used to having a health service available ‘on their doorstep.’ I also saw many parallels between the work of Vision Spring and SolarAid. Like Vision Spring, SolarAid is working with entrepreneurs in rural areas. The difference, of course, is the product. SolarAid trains entrepreneurs to set up microsolar businesses which offer people viable, solar powered energy alternatives to kerosene, candles and disposable batteries.

While there are many challenges when trying to reach people living in often remote rural areas, I was impressed by the professional approach VisionSpring takes. All of its entrepreneurs are provided with the tools and resources they need, such as branded T shirts, receipt books and identity cards, in order to look credible, professional and give their customers the confidence that the warranty they offer on the glasses they sell will be honored. From our own work at SolarAid we have also seen the importance of providing entrepreneurs with these tools to give them a strong platform for making their business a success. After all, starting a new business in any context is never easy. But I feel that the microfranchise approach Vision Spring have adopted really is a strong one and I’ll be taking what I’ve learned back to SolarAid’s programmes in Africa.

I left Mahbubnagar wishing the entrepreneurs the very best of luck for the future and with the knowledge that VisionSpring will give them continued support and training to help them on their way. Of course I couldn’t leave without buying a pair of sunglasses – which I can honestly say look far better quality than the pair I bought in a market in Delhi just weeks before which have already broken! In fact, I’m wearing them right now!

Trackback URI | Comments RSS