Joy Wanja is among young Kenyans in the US who have succeeded not only professionally but also businesswise.
Wanja is the owner of Joyful Days Academy, a daycare business in Houston, Texas. Narrating her journey on Cham’s Media’s Daring Abroad program, Wanja revealed her stay in the US began in 2001 when she was only 3.
Her parents had moved to the western nation to further their studies before finally deciding to settle there. As such, Wanja grew up in the US and attended schools there.
Her dream to venture into entrepreneurship led her to focus on business-related courses to hone her skills. She studied finance for her undergraduate degree at Purdue University and later at Indiana University’s Kelly School of Business for her graduate studies.
After completing school, she delved into the career of management consulting, climbing the ranks to become the vice president of the Northern Trust Bank at the age of 25.
Wanja revealed that it was while still in employment when the idea of venturing into daycare business sparked.
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“I wanted to run my own business, but I didn’t know which business to buy. I finally decided to buy a daycare business because they are consistently profitable. Unlike other businesses, daycares rarely fluctuate up and down with the economy or with the different seasons of the year,” she said.
Seeing it as a good deal, she invested all her savings into buying Joyful Days Academy, which now employs about 20 people.
The daycare cares for children from six months to 12 years old, offering all-day care, meals, and snacks. During the school year, a curriculum is in place for younger children, focusing on math and reading in the morning, with fun activities in the afternoon.
To remain competitive, she offers excellent customer service, putting customers’ needs first. She also offers discounts and ensures that the children are treated well and have nothing to complain about.
“One unhappy customer can cost you 100 customers, while one happy customer can bring you 10 customers,” she said.
For young people who want to venture into business but feel they lack the funds, Wanja advises them to focus on building a high credit score, which will enable them to secure a bank loan.
“Anyone can succeed in any industry provided they put in the effort to learn what they need to learn,” Wanja remarked.
