The cue card
Describe a person you know who runs their own business.
You should say:
- who this person is
- what kind of business it is
- how this person started the business
and explain why you think this person has been successful.
You have one minute to make notes, then speak for one to two minutes.
Band 8–9 sample answer
Written by Abroadway as a model of natural, high-band speaking (not an official IELTS sample).
The person who comes to mind is Farzana, the elder sister of one of my university friends. She's in her early thirties and lives in Mohammadpur in Dhaka, and I've got to know her quite well because I've helped out at her stall at a couple of craft fairs. Her business sells nakshi kantha, the traditional embroidered quilts made in rural Bengal, along with smaller things like cushion covers, wall hangings and tote bags with the same kind of stitching. Almost everything is sold online, through a Facebook page and her own website, and she delivers all over Bangladesh and now occasionally abroad, mostly to Bangladeshi families in the UK and the Middle East.
The way she started is quite inspiring. She used to work in the HR department of a garment factory, but she lost her job during the pandemic. Her family originally comes from Jamalpur, which has a strong tradition of kantha embroidery, and she knew several women in her village who were extremely skilled but earned very little, because middlemen bought their work for next to nothing. So, with about twenty thousand taka of savings, she commissioned a handful of pieces, photographed them on her balcony and posted them online.
The first batch sold out in less than a week, and the business grew steadily from there. Today around thirty women stitch for her. I'd put her success down to a few things. First, she's absolutely uncompromising about quality, and she won't sell a piece if the stitching is even slightly uneven.
Second, she tells the story behind each item, so customers feel they're buying something meaningful rather than merely decorative. But above all, she pays the artisans fairly and on time, so they're loyal to her, and that kind of trust is something competitors can't easily copy.
Useful phrases from this answer
- helped out at
- gave some informal help at
- for next to nothing
- for a very small amount of money
- sold out
- every item was bought
- uncompromising about quality
- refusing to accept anything less than high quality
- letting you down
- failing to do what you were relying on them to do
- the market is already saturated
- there are already too many sellers of the same thing
- push a fragile business over the edge
- cause a weak business to finally fail
- make a real difference
- have an important positive effect
Part 3 follow-up questions and answers
What personal qualities does someone need to start a business?
Above all, I'd say resilience, because almost every new business goes through setbacks, whether it's a supplier letting you down or months with hardly any sales. People who give up at the first problem rarely succeed. Entrepreneurs also need a certain tolerance for risk, since there's no guaranteed salary at the end of the month. Beyond that, good communication skills are vital, because you have to persuade customers, investors and employees to believe in your idea. Finally, I think self-discipline is often overlooked. When you work for yourself, nobody tells you when to start or what to prioritise, so you need to be able to organise your own time very strictly.
Is it better to work for yourself or for a large company?
It really depends on the person and on their stage of life. Working for yourself offers freedom, the chance to build something meaningful and, potentially, much higher earnings. However, it also means irregular income, long hours and carrying all the responsibility when things go wrong. A large company, on the other hand, usually provides a stable salary, benefits and structured training, which can be invaluable for a young graduate who is still learning how the working world operates. Personally, I think many people benefit from doing both: gaining experience and contacts in a big organisation first, and then setting up on their own once they understand an industry from the inside.
Why do many small businesses fail in their first few years?
There are usually several factors working together. One of the most common is running out of cash; owners often underestimate how long it will take before the business becomes profitable, so they can't cover rent and wages in the meantime. Another reason is poor planning. Some people start a business based on enthusiasm rather than research, and they discover too late that there isn't enough demand, or that the market is already saturated. In a city like Dhaka, competition can be intense, and a new cafe or clothing shop may struggle against established brands. External shocks, such as sudden price rises or political unrest, can also push a fragile business over the edge.
What effect have online shops had on small local businesses?
The effect has been mixed. For traditional local shops, especially those selling electronics, clothes or books, online competition has clearly been damaging, because customers can compare prices instantly and often find cheaper deals with home delivery. Some shops in neighbourhood markets have lost a lot of regular customers as a result. On the other hand, the internet has also opened up enormous opportunities for small businesses that are willing to adapt. In Bangladesh, for instance, a huge number of home-based businesses now sell food, clothes and handicrafts through social media, reaching customers they could never have reached from a physical shop. So I'd say online shopping has punished businesses that stood still and rewarded those that adapted.
How can governments encourage more young people to become entrepreneurs?
I think the most effective step would be to make finance easier to access. Many young people have good ideas but no collateral, so banks are reluctant to lend to them; government-backed low-interest loans or small grants for start-ups could make a real difference. Reducing bureaucracy would help too, since registering a company or getting a trade licence can be slow and confusing. Education also has a role. If schools and universities taught practical business skills, like basic accounting and marketing, more students might see entrepreneurship as a realistic option rather than a gamble. Finally, governments could change attitudes by celebrating young entrepreneurs, so that failure is seen as experience rather than disgrace.
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