Born in the Coastal town of Mombasa; Kenya, Stephen Maithya, discovered his passion for lenses and nurtured it into a business venture.
At 23 years old, Stephen is a trained analytical chemist, a conceptual artist, creative director, art and fashion mentor, photography instructor and an award-winning self-taught professional photographer based in Nairobi. He is the founder and managing director at Stevenchy Photography. Let’s find out where passion met business and business turned into revenues.
What is Stevenchy Photography about?
We offer imaging services in fine art and conceptual portraiture, fashion, advertising, destination wedding, and event photography, as well as offer videography services to our wedding clients. We also issue fine art photography work to individual households and businesses as part of their wall decor and for own promotional work respectively.
With our fine artwork, we help businesses boost their clientele influx hence boosting their revenue. Our business hours are between 9am- 6pm on weekdays and Saturday; 12pm-5pm on Sunday. We are located at Ngumba Estate, behind the Garden City Mall.
What pushed you into photography?
Passion motivated me to start Stevenchy Photography. I had always been fascinated by billboard, newspaper and magazine images in my childhood. Every time we traveled as a family, I would always pop my head out to just marvel at billboards. I desired to create images that had that feel and creativity.
In my fourth year in High School, I convinced my parents to buy me a camera. It was a small pocket camera; wasn’t professional, but at least I had to start somewhere. My journey of taking pictures took off.
How much did you invest in Stevenchy Photography when starting out?
Stevenchy Photography was founded in 2013. I initiated my photography business in my second year on campus, beginning with Kes 17,000 of capital financed by my father, then after three months, reinvested a further Kes 90,000 of capital into the business, financed by my mother and savings from my private tutoring business. I used to tutor Physics, Chemistry, and Biology to private high school students.
What are your average monthly revenues from your business?
As of now, Stevenchy Photography makes an average monthly revenue of Kes 90,000- 150,000. We are still growing as an imaging brand.
What drives core values is Stevenchy Photography built on?
Our business is governed creativity, innovation, integrity, discipline, passion, zeal, commitment and self-drive, which have been key aspects in defining our success. For you to become a successful entrepreneur, you have to exercise a very high level of self-discipline, be innovative, be aggressive, be good at networking and social media management and always treat your client as royalty.
What challenges have you encountered running your business and how have you countered them?
I have faced quite a number of challenges as a young entrepreneur; capital is always a challenge for most startups and also growing enterprises. For me, I reinvest into the business a percentage of the revenue. The other challenge I have faced is coming up with an effective team to help me facilitate my businesses’ operations. Fortunately for me, my work speaks for me and for itself, and this has helped me attract competent people to team up with.
What are the major achievements for you as an individual and for your brand?Â
In 2016, I was shortlisted among the top 10 photographers at the Nikon Kenya Photography competition. In 2017, I was featured as an outstanding Nikon Photographer in Africa by Nikon, and given the prestigious title of “Citizen Nikon”. On the same year, I was awarded the Fashion Photographer of the Year (Kenya) by Pwani International Fashion Week & Awards.
In 2018, I have been deemed as a Nikon Star by Nikon Kenya. I have also been awarded the Fashion Photographer of the Year (Kenya) award twice by the esteemed Swahili Fashion Week Kenya Awards and the Kenya Fashion Awards; as well as the Creative Photographer of the Year (Kenya) by the prestigious Kenya Photography Awards.
My work has been featured on various platforms, both locally and internationally, including South Africa’s Contè Magazine, Be Afrika Magazine, Lysa Magazine, Vangarde Afrika Magazine, Africa Means Business, Agility Africa, Eve Woman Kenya, Spreadzone Blog, DailyhypeAfrica, Artnartistproject, Nikon Africa, Nikon Kenya, OMG Voice Kenya, OMG Voice Ghana, Vsco Kenya, Kenyan Creative Week, Daily Nation newspaper, KuTv and Ebru Tv.
I have shot for top corporates and brands in Kenya, including the Kenya Power, M.A.C, Vin Clizz Ltd Still Water, Angaza, the Kenya Fashion Awards and media personality Pinky Ghelani. My work has been featured currently on One Eyeland.com; an international website that features the best work from photographers across the globe and honored among the World’s Best photographers of 2018.
I have made it to this year’s weekly best entry features at the most prestigious and biggest photography awarding platform in the world; the Sony World Photography Awards 2019, which I look forward to being nominated come February next year. I held a photo exhibition titled “fashion meets art” at the Kioko Mwitiki Art Gallery, which was co-hosted by the Kenya Fashion Awards and the gallery. The exhibition ran for two weeks, and received a massive reception.
Where do you see Stevenchy Photography In the next 5 years?
In the next five years, Stevenchy Photography will be selling its services and products to the global market. This might happen even sooner. It’s just a matter of time. IÂ look forward to working with international brands, especially in the fashion and advertising space, as well as serve wedding clients across the globe. It is also my prayer that I shall have established a very prestigious art academy and a competent modeling management agency here in Kenya.
Partying shot?
My advice to young entrepreneurs, especially to those who are starting out: entrepreneurship is a very demanding career; be willing to take risks, be willing to spend money, be willing to sacrifice your time and the things you love the most. Always seek God for intervention. With perseverance and dedication, things will pay off.
