After performing poorly in grade 12, Talah Hashipala, popularly known as Talah Da Costa, thought his world has fallen apart until he turned his cooking skills into a business, which is currently making him flourish as an entrepreneur.
Born in Ohangwena region, Hashipala said even though he has been passionate about cooking, he never thought it was the road he needed to take for success.
“I started by selling marathon chicken and tripe to my close friends and my business started growing that I started taking orders and making deliveries in Windhoek, and that gave birth to Talah’s Cookery,” Ashipala narrated.
The business-minded Hashipala also orders items such as clothes and gadgets from China and sell them in the country, which he said it has become a challenge because of the outbreak of Covid-19 which began in that country.
Describing his journey to where he is right now, Hashipala said: “I have gone through so many challenges after failing grade 12 as everyone was on the lookout for my results and I was dragged and ridiculed on social media for failing.”
Hashipala, who is one of the most popular socialites in the country, stated that backlashes on social media did not discourage him but rather pushed him to even do better.
“I believe failure is the opportunity to begin again and that’s my everyday motto. Even though I have not passed grade 12, my business is doing well and I get so much support from people around Windhoek, which I am grateful for,” he said.
Talah’s Cookery sells mouth-watering food such as chicken, tripe and grilled fish, cooked with secret ingredients that make the customers crave for more.
In a week, Hashipala said he makes a profit of about N$10 000, which he said is a good price for a beginner and he is looking forward to the growth of his business.
He encourages young people not to let naysayers distract them from pursuing their dreams.
Hashipala wishes to have a restaurant in a few months, due to the high demand from his customers. He is also planning to expand his business to other parts of the country.
Even though he enjoys cooking, Hashipala is currently improving his grade 12 results to study education, as he loves teaching.
– ashikololo@nepc.com.na