The lack of jobs in the Kenyan employment market has forced many graduates to be crafty to survive the harsh economic items.
While some have found success in entrepreneurship, others have been locked out of their dreams by a lack of business starting capital.
This is the challenge Sammy Njau faced at first, but this was never going to deter him from actualizing his dream of starting a furniture business.
The real estate graduate from the University of Nairobi defied obstacles to establishing Tangerine Furniture in Ngara Nairobi.
His firm offers a variety of furniture, from sofa sets, dining sets, coffee tables, and even curtains. The company has a showroom and its own workshop and manufactures furniture on order.
The idea of starting the business popped up while he was working at another furniture house as a marketer. Even though he lacked the capital to start his business, he knew he would actualize his dream one day and started making baby steps, including brokerage.
Top small manufacturing business ideas with low starting capital
“I was just a marketer in another furniture house with no money of my own. All I had was transport to take me from Thika Road to Ngara, but I had an idea, so I had to start with what I had.” He said.
He would advertise his former employer’s furniture and then earn commissions from any conversions. He marketed online largely, benefiting immensely from referrals accruing from the excellent services he had rendered to his clients.
As a result, he attracted a lot of clients thanks to his business acumen. Njau later started making his own furniture and selling to his clients directly.
With time, his business grew immensely, becoming a popular destination for people looking for elegant, fancy furniture for their living rooms and office spaces.
“To me, making state-of-the-art furniture is my passion. I believe in quality as opposed to quantity – producing masterpieces that satisfy my client.” He added.
Njau credits the success of his business to honesty and passion. According to him, for an entrepreneur to succeed in business, they must be consistent and flexible enough to accommodate new circumstances.
“Those two may sound paradoxical, but entrepreneurship is a war of its kind; you can’t keep applying the same tactics you used to win yesterday. This is because circumstances keep changing,’’ he added.
He also talks about speed and stamina in the execution of business ideas and the need to keep up with the competition.
He advises up-and-coming entrepreneurs to make use of new technology, read books, delegate when necessary, and be persistent, adaptable, and flexible.
