Butler Omucheyi, an alumnus of Kakamega High School, is the CEO of Bay to Bay Freight LLC, a company he has established in Maryland, USA.
He is living the American dream, becoming an inspiration for Kenyan immigrants, as well as those who are aspiring to venture into promising horizons.
In an interview with Chams Media TV, Butler recounted his journey of moving to the United States and pursuing his studies thanks to a sports scholarship.
Furthermore, Butler shares the experience of setting up shop in the US with his thriving trucking business. Everyone knows establishing a business abroad is challenging.
Omucheyi’s story begins with the amazing game of football. He played for Western Stima in Kakamega. He was positioned as a defender.
After secondary education, Butler applied to the University of DC and was accepted. He got his F1 visa and flew out of Kenya. He attended the soccer trials on campus and immediately got into the team.
“I attended trials, the coach liked me, and that was the story’s beginning,” he recalled.
Securing his soccer scholarship was a pivotal milestone that helped him financially. He’d receive stipends and pocket money from the university. This sustained him throughout his four-year college education.
Butler capitalized on the opportunities presented to him, culminating in the completion of his Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and subsequently earning an MBA in the same field.
He joined the corporate field and worked as an accountant. He progressed far in his career, evidently soaring to an accounting manager and controller.
“I worked for some of the biggest companies in the United States. I worked for Lockheed Martin, a defence contractor, for 8 years.”
Butler Omucheyi’s path to success was far from linear. Driven by his dreams, he boldly left his white-collar job and became a sole entrepreneur in 2012.
With a modest beginning, he established the business with a single truck and took on the role of sole employee.
“The rules and policies put in place are strict, however, having worked for the biggest companies while I was an accountant, enabled me to know how to deal with people and manage the business finances with ease,” he explained.
11 years later, Omucheyi has a sound business model. He has 4 semi-trucks, 5 trailers and manages a team of 4 drivers.
Under his astute leadership, the company has experienced remarkable growth and solidified its reputation as a dependable shipping enterprise.
At the core of Butler’s logistics and shipping model lies the transportation of agricultural machinery, particularly tractors imported from Japan.
His operations involve retrieving these shipments from the port of Baltimore, MD and delivering them to various clients across the country.
Additionally, Butler discusses how he has to comply with several laws and taxes to have his business operational.
“The tires, the lights, the brakes, the maintenance has to be on-point. You have to get insurance. We pay highway tax, fuel tax, we have complied with our drivers regarding the alcohol and drugs compliances,” he stated.
He, however, revealed that insurance for his line of work is expensive. Other challenges he faces include a shortage of drivers and maintaining the drivers.
Amidst the hurdles, his compassionate nature shines through his work back in Kakamega, particularly in orphanages. Through financial aid and his latest endeavour, Omucheyi plans to establish computer labs in his hometown area.
He aims to nurture education and improve the lives of the less fortunate in a fast-changing world.
