The story of Gladys Njoki Maina, a young woman from Eldoret who found success in the beauty industry, is one of resilience and determination.

Njoki was born and raised in Eldoret, a city in western Kenya known for its agriculture and livestock trade. After graduating high school, Njoki stayed with her family before moving to Nairobi to look for employment opportunities.

She found a job with a monthly salary of Sh. 16,000, which she thought was a silver lining in her pursuit of financial freedom.

However, the amount was too little to support her in Nairobi, so she lived with friends to sustain the income.

Just three months into the job, Njoki was abruptly fired. The CEO faulted her immense passion as a cause for concern in the company.

“My boss thought I was so passionate and I had too much zeal and since we can’t have two bosses in the same company, they let me go,” she stated in an interview with KTN.

With only Sh. 5,000 to her name, Njoki was confused and didn’t know what to do.

She eventually relocated to her family home in Eldoret and engaged in her love for hair and beauty products as a hobby.

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Njoki posted a video online of her journey and the homemade products she used for her hair.

“I posted a video online of my journey and also the homemade products that I use for my hair. A day after I posted, I received multiple phone calls over the product,” she recalled.

She used the Sh. 5,000 to purchase the ingredients needed to make the product and eventually birthed GeenyLove.

As the demand for the product grew, Njoki sought a Sh. 80,000 loan from her mother, which she used to upscale the business.

She tested the product on her friends, who became repeat customers. As the company grew, Njoki conducted in-depth research and did quality control before increasing the product line.

Upon the company’s formation, Njoki acquired the Standardization Mark permit from the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), ensuring that GeenyLove products met the required quality standards.

To date, the company is thriving, and Njoki has managed to settle debts, break even, and make profits.