Young graduate well suited for success away from formal jobs

Alicia Wanjiku Chege, now 24, could not bear the thought of being formally employed.

She ventured into business rather than seek a job.
On completing a diploma course in purchasing and supplies management at the Kenya Institute of Management, she started her journey as an entrepreneur.

She would sell imported bedding and fancy bags to her lecturers and friends while she was an intern at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.

“I did this for a year — since 2012. I just chose to be self-employed,” says Ms Chege.

“Meanwhile, I sold my goods alongside my older sister Leah Chege.”

She says her sister was a big inspiration, as she completed her internship, her sister resigned from her white collar job to concentrate fully on business.

“I was surprised and confused by her move at first.

I thought it was weird to quit her job while I was just beginning my job search mission,” she says. She was 23 at the time.

“On second thought, I decided not to look for a formal job.

As my sister imported clothes from China, I also ordered my bale. I, however, specialised in bedding and bags.

“The first amount of money I got from my first sale was Sh10,000.

It was rewarding to have money when my peers were still job seeking,” says Ms Chege,

“I promised myself I would concentrate on my business so that I would gain more.”

By last July, Ms Chege had fully made up her mind to be her own employer, she set aside Sh5,000, prayed and believed that her hard work would take her places.

Without a shop to sell her wares, she braced for tough times ahead. Her sister still assisted her to import goods.

“I didn’t want to be like other unemployed youth who were seeking greener pastures elsewhere; I had tried to seek help from the Youth Enterprise Development Fund but there are several targets I had to meet to get the funds.”

With her unbeatable spirit, she promised herself never to give up.

Her Sh5,000 capital grew within a few months to Sh50,000.

She was, however, troubled by the fact that she had no shop where customers would buy her wares from.

“I invested in a computer that would help me be very active, selling goods online.

I got a City Council business licence at Sh5,500 and rented a shop at Sh10,000 monthly.”

She also marketed her wares on Facebook, OLX, Twitter and other online sites.

Ms Chege currently boasts of stock worth Sh100,000.

She majors in selling custom made bedding like duvet covers, bed sheets, which she spices up with homemade matching mosquito nets.

Initially, she had fears that her business would fail considering the fact that many other businesses deal in bedding.

She said she built up her confidence by beating her competitors through scouting for top notch designs from Dubai and China and lowering her price a little to attract customers.

In a good month, she makes about Sh100,000 profit.

“I will never seek formal employment, I want to own a big company one day that specialises in bedding and clothing.

She says she needs about Sh5 million to import her ware in containers, hence becoming a wholesaler.

To do that, Ms Chege is prepared to start scouting for government loans.

“I urge youth who have a head for business to go ahead, fear has always stood between us and success,” she says.