The name Dama Wa Mobile Spares is not new to many Kenyans.
Many people know her as one of the most vivacious entrepreneurs in the country, with some speculating that that she controls a large chunk of the mobile phone spare parts business in Kenya.
In 2023, the Communication Authority of Kenya estimated that the total number of mobile phone devices in the country was at least 67.7 million, which translated to a penetration rate of 131.5%.
This means that there are more mobile phones in Kenya than people, a factor that has created numerous jobs in sectors like mobile phone repair.
Dama, whose full name is Damaris Wanjiru, controls a significant chunk of this sector, supplying mobile phone spare parts to many parts of the country. But how did she rise to the top?
In a recent interview with YouTuber Dr. King’ori, Dama Narrated her journey from being a shop attendant to becoming Kenya’s biggest mobile phone spare parts supplier.
Early beginnings
Dama’s journey to success began in 2012 when she was employed as a shop attendant selling mobile phone accessories along Luthuli Avenue, a popular hub for electronic products within the Nairobi CBD. Her salary was a meagre sh 7, 000.
In 2014, she transitioned to another shop on Munyi Road, owned by a Woria (a local term for a person of Somali origin), where her salary increased to KSh 30,000. This marked a turning point in her life.
“In my new workplace, I was running most of the business operations, which helped me to quickly learn the ropes of the business,” she said.
Her hard work and strong work ethic soon paid off, and within two years, her salary more than doubled to sh 80,000. But Dama wasn’t content with just working for someone else.
“My boss gave me the freedom to run everything, and I knew all the operations of the business. That was when I decided that I could run the business on my own.”
With savings and a bank loan, Dama established her first shop, leveraging the connections she had built to source stock.
Six months down the line, she had opened her second branch and it was only a matter of time before she outpaced most of her competitors, firmly establishing herself as a leader in the mobile phone spare parts business in Nairobi.
Secrets to Success
Dama credits her success in the mobile phone spare business to a strong background in the phone industry, which gave her useful insights into the intricacies of the business.
“I ventured into the phone industry in 2009 after completing high school. At that time, I lived in Kirinyaga with my aunt, and while there I got a job selling airtime and charging mobile phones for clients at a fee. So, I have an extensive background in the phone industry,” she said.
With her additional experience as a shop attendant selling mobile phone spare parts in the CBD, she knew exactly where to find clients, how to deal with customers, what spare parts were most in demand, and, most importantly, where to source stock.
In her shop, she stocks spare parts for every kind of phone brand in the market, from phone screens, camera lenses, charging systems, mouthpieces, earpieces, and phone batteries.
However, she says that she does not sell phones or phone accessories, as that is another line of business altogether.
According to her, the secret to running a successful business is ensuring that you stock all the items that a customer asks for.
“I don’t want to be the person who tells a customer, ‘Sorry, we don’t have that product.’ That’s a failure in my eyes,” Dama says with conviction during the interview.
She stated that she ensures that her stores are fully stocked with the latest spare parts. “Whenever a new phone hits the market, I know I’ll be seeing customers asking for spare parts soon. So, I make sure I’m the first to stock them.”
For her, marketing is her main strategy to stay ahead of the competition. This entails having active social media platforms, engaging influencers, hiring billboards, and paying for adverts in local media.
She also tailors her stock depending on where her stores are located.
For instance, in places like northeastern Kenya (Mandera, Moyale, etc.), most of the spare parts she stocks there are for iPhones and other high-end brands like Samsung Z-folds. “You don’t expect to meet a Woria with a mulika mwizi (a feature phone),” she explained.
However, in places like Western Kenya, she targets the low-income market, who often use less expensive phone brands.
Challenges in mobile phone spare parts business
Being a successful businesswoman hasn’t come without its challenges. For starters, Dama is candid about the difficulties of maintaining a personal life while growing her business empire.
According to her, when you’re successful, especially as a woman, people have all kinds of opinions. Men are often intimidated or insecure, which makes relationships difficult.
“That’s why you find that most successful women are single. They are not single because of their fault or because they cannot sustain a marriage. No. It’s because men have a negative mindset that successful women are stubborn and cannot be submissive,” she opined.
She added that it can be hard to grow in business unless you have a supportive partner and that for her, business will always take precedence over relationships.
Achievements of Dama wa Mobile Spares
In her late 30s, Dama has achieved far more than her peers will probably ever achieve – at least business-wise.
In 2024, she won two prestigious awards at the Starbrands Awards, including being honoured as Kenya’s Most Trusted and Reliable Quality Mobile Spare Dealer and the Business Icon of the Year.
Aside from building a home for herself and her parents, Dama says that she has also empowered and started businesses for her siblings, ensuring that they grow together.
Most of her employees are also from her village, staying true to the saying that ‘charity begins at home’.
She is also heavy into philanthropic initiatives, often donating to children’s homes and the less needy in society.
“At the end of the day, you can’t use all the money by yourself,” she said.
