After graduation, most students face challenges finding employment, with some resorting to casual jobs.
This is no different for Bed Palace CEO Linet Kinga, who started as a casual labourer. Narrating her journey, Linet revealed she graduated in 2018 with a diploma in food science technology.
Efforts to secure employment in her line of study were, however, futile, forcing her to try menial jobs to survive.
She landed a sales job in a furniture store in Roysambu, creating a foundation for what she is today. Linet revealed at the time, she earned a commission of Sh1,000 for every sofa sold.
“The shop was selling sofas, and my commission was Sh1,000 for every sofa sold, regardless of how much it cost,” she recalled.
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In a bid to earn more money, Linet created an Instagram page where she would sell sofas to clients at a slightly higher price to pocket the extra amount.
For instance, if a sofa was priced at Sh30,000, she would market it online for Sh38,000, raising her earnings.
“My commission would be more than Sh2,500 or less, depending on the location of the client. I did not shortchange my employer at all because my payments were solely based on my hard work,” she says.
“What I used to do was post unique designs which I sourced from the internet, not only the ones from the shop. This was in a bid to draw more customers,” Linet adds.
She would then replicate online designs for her clients, which earned her trust and respect. Through her commissions, Linet managed to save Sh450,000.
She extended her focus to beds and launched a platform by the name Bed Zetu where she would market beds of all designs using images from showrooms in Kawaha Sukari.
After growing a strong customer base, she invested in a physical shop in Roysambu marking the birth of Beds Palace.
“The shop had only four beds. I felt that Beds Zetu was not an appealing brand name, so I researched and came up with Beds Palace and changed the Instagram name in November 2021.”
She noted that the business’s growth wasn’t instant and took time to break even. Her turning point was when she partnered with influencers for marketing.
Linet says her first partnership with Influencer Azziad Nasenya opened more collaborations with other influencers such as Mungai Eve and Official Kinuthia, boosting her sales considering the fair pricing.
“Some clients would not believe that such uniquely designed quality beds were being sold at an affordable rate,”she says.
She attributes her success to fair pricing, managerial skills, and uncompromising quality standards.
“Determination, hard work, and a willing heart to transform a photo inspiration into a masterpiece is the fuel that makes the businesses thrive,” she remarked.
