Kyle-Amendola
Kyle Amendola
My Jumpstart Training
Monday Yohanna Azi
About Monday Yohanna Azi
Monday Yohanna Azi is the founder of M&Z Intercontinental Laundry and Services, a growing laundry business in Bauchi State, Nigeria. With over ten years of experience, Monday is passionate about delivering high-quality, efficient, and reliable laundry solutions to his community and beyond.
His business is known not only for its dedication to excellence but also for its potential to create employment, mentorship, and empowerment opportunities for local youth and women.
Monday’s vision is to build the best laundry brand in Bauchi State, with multiple branches that uplift lives and contribute positively to the local economy’s development.
Monday Yohanna Azi
Business Goals
Monday’s business is built on hard work, perseverance, community empowerment, and a deep commitment to quality. He believes true success includes uplifting others while achieving personal stability.
M&Z Intercontinental Laundry and Services is rooted in integrity, service, and continuous learning. His goal is to expand into a leading brand known for professionalism, reliability, and modern practices.
He envisions multiple branches across Bauchi State, equipped with up-to-date appliances and well-trained staff. Services include washing, ironing, drying, and professional garment care using specialized techniques. Monday aims to exceed expectations by offering personalized, consistent service to both local and surrounding communities.
Monday Yohanna Azi
Obstacles
Monday began his journey in 2008 as an apprentice at Alajib Laundry and Services in Yan Doka, where he gained expertise in washing, ironing, and shop management. By 2015, he opened his own laundry business, relying on savings from his previous job.
Despite a loyal customer base and strong business structure, Monday’s biggest challenge remains insufficient capital. He has struggled to purchase essential equipment like a washing machine, steam iron, and dryer. Frequent power outages further slow operations without a generator.
These limitations affect service quality and speed, yet Monday remains committed to growing his business with excellence.
Monday Yohanna Azi
Our Partnership
Monday is seeking support from Leadership Initiatives through funding, mentorship, and business guidance to grow his laundry business.
He aims to acquire essential tools like washing machines, a generator, a steam iron, and detergents to improve service quality. With these resources, he can expand operations and employ more youth, offering training and stable income.
Over the next five years, Monday hopes to upgrade his equipment, create jobs, and move into a larger space that can house both his family and business. His ultimate goal is to build the most successful laundry brand in Bauchi State with lasting community impact.
My Jumpstart Proposal Presentation
During the Jumpstart Program, I worked directly with some of the world’s leading developmental experts in order to expand my partner’s business and brand identity.
At the conclusion of this internship, our team pitched the final proposal to Bill Stefan, Leadership Initiatives Board Member and Deputy for Enterprise Management for the Department of Defense. This formal pitch allowed our team to practice our skills and utilize our entrepreneurial toolkit, all while showcasing our efforts to transform the business we partnered with.
At the end of the pitch, we were able to receive feedback on our proposal for our business partner. Over the next year, Monday will utilize our proposal to propel sustainable growth of their business.
My Jumpstart Proposal
Throughout the program, we worked closely with Monday Yohanna Azi to gain a clear understanding of their business goals. Though Monday has leveraged their skills and years of experience to create their business, they face obstacles hindering the expansion of their work.
Guided by their vision, we crafted a proposal detailing the infrastructure and marketing materials that would support the growth of their business. We devised a plan that would allow Monday to optimize their business through a new budget, financial tracking systems, and logo.
This new budget enables Monday to allocate funds toward essential materials and equipment, supporting the optimization of their services. Effective financial tracking will be crucial for managing growing profits and preserving assets, ensuring the business’s long-term growth and stability. Investments in a logo and marketing materials, such as signs and flyers, are also vital for establishing a strong brand identity and expanding the customer base.
Career Exploration
Our team began the business development process by having a one-on-one Zoom call directly with our business partner, Monday Yohanna Azi, and our Nigerian project coordinator to ensure productive collaboration.
After discussing important considerations for our marketing materials including local populations, family situations, and prior experience, we began our exploration of the business industry.
We received briefings on marketing and branding tactics from Carla Brooks and Nikki Hendricks.
Outside of the classroom, we received a personalized tour of the Embassy of Austria where we learned about Austrian culture, US/Austria relations, and international business.
To begin our exploration of the medical field, we learned about patient histories and doctor-patient interactions from Dr. Zainab of the Kidney Center of Kano State, Nigeria.
We also got hands-on training for building plaster casts. After receiving this training, we had the opportunity to build model casts and practice assessing damages and breaks.
At the end of the week, we got to put our medical skills to the test through a demo EMT scene where we used triage and emergency response.
To explore the legal field, we received a briefing on legal advocacy from Professor Sarah Stiles, an experienced educator and leader in advocacy and leadership.
I also got to meet esteemed DC District Judge, Adam Hunter. Judge Hunter taught us about questioning, data analysis, and evidence collection.
I also received a personal tour of the University of Maryland Crime Lab where I learned about forensics science, evidence viability, and how to assess crime scenes.
We got the opportunity to learn about different aspects of the intelligence community from an active government investigator, Kesha Middleton. Ms. Middleton taught us about the role of investigators, how careers in government work, and the process for entering the government and intelligence fields.
Outside of the classroom, we took a tour of the International Spy Museum. Throughout this tour, we learned about intelligence and counterintelligence equipment.
We also got the opportunity to discuss topics related to global affairs and government relations through our meetings with the Austrian Embassy officials, government officials from the NSA and DoD, and through collaborations with representatives of universities including Johns Hopkins University, Georgetown University, American University, and more.