How long would it take to build a one billion shillings business? Closing the one billion shillings mark is no easy task where legitimate business. But achieving this milestone might be underestimated at a time when illegitimacy is the new order of becoming a billionaire in Kenya. So how did Julius Abiero who owns Riley Falcon Security Services do it.
According to a story that was published in the Nation Media Group’s Business Daily by popular writer Jackson Biko, it took Mr. Abiero 32 years. Last year, his business hit an all time milestone when it scored revenues of Sh. 1.4 billion. From the feature, this company is looking to expand its workforce to between 10,000 and 15,000 to cope with growing service demand.
The feature reveals that the company got its first major break when it secure a deal with the Sondu Miriu Hydroelectric power station project. “That one contract alone made it necessary for Riley Falcon to hire another 200 or so guards, thus doubling its workforce overnight. Through this project, the doors of corporate security services started opening. Similarly, the scope of the business expanded and they started shaking hands in boardrooms after signing contracts worth significant amounts,” the story says.
This was followed by a string of top corporate clients who propelled the company to the level it is at today. These clients included United Millers Ltd, Mayfair Group, then Kisumu Motor Works Ltd, the Aga Khan Hospital, Acacia Hotel, The Swan Centre mall, KCB Group, Co-operative Bank and Safaricom.
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Revenue growth and expansion has been sustained by the firm’s ability to maintain these customers whilst searching and attracting more businesses.
Today, the business is managed Mr. Obiero’s son, 33-year-old Simon Obiero.
The story quotes the managing director at Riley Falcon Security Services Tobias Otieno saying;
“A big part of our growth has been necessitated by needs and the evolving world. Initially, we were predominantly guards because the needs then were simple, but over time, as crime evolved we have had to adopt other methods of protection; intruder alarms, access control, CCTVs, 100 German Shepherds, private investigations, back-up response, automated gates and barriers as well as event management”.