Five years ago, Neville Okoko was an employed Kenyan, pocketing Sh200 a day. He trekked from Mathare estate to his employer’s Harry Kamau Music Production Company where he worked as sales executive. His job involved listening to potential stars, spinning or binning their hits.
He loved the job and while at it, Okoko discovered he had another talent. “I could easily create catchy phrases which musicians and new artistes easily adopted and even used during regular music shows hosted by the boss,” he says. So one day, he printed one of his catchy phrases on T-Shirts and, “I was surprised that everyone wanted one. The same same thing happened at a consecutive show,” he says.
Okoko then quit starting his business, Nevyl’s Collections. But the road wasn’t a smooth one for the Form Four drop-out who couldn’t proceed for futher studies due to lack of fees. “I had no printing machines but all the same, I bought, printed and sold T-shirts at Sh500,” said the 32-year-old.
Two years later, “I moved to my shop which is now well-equipped for the printing job.” But how did he do it? “The moment I established my business, I worked hard to print many T-shirts and caps as my friends helped me sell them,” he said, explaining that, “I use high quality materials for T-shirts which now retail at Sh1000 each”
On a good day, Okoko can sell up to 300 pieces.
Okoko’s life is clearly transformed and he has moved from Mathare to Umoja Innercore. As a matter of fact, Okoko owns two complete printing shops in Nairobi and Kisumu. He is also a proud owner of five cars, courtesy of his company Nevyl’s Collections.
His first car was a BMW, and then he tried a Mitsubishi before buying a Toyota E90. Okoko’s fourth car was a Toyota Ipsum and now he drives a Toyota Mark X. His advice to the youth and any ambitious Kenyan is never lose focus. “Treat your hustle with seriousness, stay focused, never regret about your current situation and always work hard. Also, remember to surround yourself with good friends and you’ll be successful,” he adds.