She folded her IT company to sell ‘mitumba’

In 2004, Grace Wambere, 34, a mother of two, left for Germany to study for a bachelor’s degree in Information Technology. She started with a year-long pre-university programme that would get her into Johan Wolfgang Frankfurt university for the four-year course.

In 2011, having lived and worked in Germany for seven years, she returned to Kenya. The following year, she founded an IT company, specialising in branding. In 2014, she did the unthinkable – she folded her business and went into the mitumba business to sell second-hand clothes.

Mitumba Chap Chap, deals in second-hand clothes in large and small scale. Her Facebook group, Mitumba Chap Chap, has more than 300,000 members. She has three outlets, one in Nairobi’s CBD, another along Thika Road, and a third in Mombasa.

Looking back, do you ever feel guilt-ridden for turning your back on a career that you put in so much effort to qualify for?

In contrast, I am proud of my decision. Growing up, I admired the fact that my mother, a tailor, was self-employed. When I completed my secondary school education in 2003, I thought that an academic background in IT would be my gateway to self- employment, so I studied IT. However, when I returned home, I realised that it wasn't as easy to breakthrough in the industry as I had imagined. I had quite a number of customers, but with the then market rates, I struggled to pay my bills.

In 2013, I got pregnant with my first child, and in my search for affordable newborn clothes, my friends referred me to Gikomba Market. Friends liked the clothes I had bought so much, they asked me get them some. Those inquiries are what inspired me to start my second-hand clothing business. The first day I went to Gikomba Market to solely shop for clothes to resell, I had only Sh2,000 in my pocket. That’s the amount I kick-started my business with.

That was a bold step to make, a graduate in IT selling second-hand clothes - what did those close to you make of it?

For several months, I didn't disclose to anyone that I had ventured into the business on a full-time basis, I pretended that I still ran my company. When I eventually told my family; my mother encouraged me. My father, however, as well as most of my relatives, were not pleased with my decision. They have since accepted my decision. I have to say that I lost a number of friends in white collar jobs. I think they felt that being a mitumba seller, I no longer belonged to their clique. Worth noting is that the skills and knowledge I acquired in my IT course did not go to waste, they are fundamental in my business, especially when it comes to branding.

You are 34, are you at a point where you feel you have achieved all that you envisioned?

Although my career path took a different turn, I feel I am where I should be. I started at the very bottom, bending for hours to select clothes for resale. Five years down the line, I import bales of clothes from China, Australia, the US, Canada and Netherlands. My business has enabled me to invest in land, enrol my children to a good school and buy myself a car that I admired for years. I still aim to do more though, and that includes creating employment for many more. Currently, I have 11 employees on contract.

The government is keen on stopping importation of second-hand clothes. Should that happen, what would you fall back on?

I consider the intention be ill-advised because many Kenyans depend on this business for their livelihood. To answer your question, a lesson that is always at the forefront of my mind is the need to diversify my sources of income. I have a few fallback plans in place were that to happen. I, for instance, recently ventured into pig farming.

If you were to advise your younger self, what would you tell her?

“I wish you started this business much earlier and refused to allow fear to hold you back.” You see, for three years, I was afraid to buy clothes on a large-scale because most dissuaded me, saying that I would make a loss. We call it ‘kuchomeka’ in this industry. I would implore her to be bold enough to take calculated risks and be careful about whom she seeks advice from.

What is the most important lesson you have learnt about money?

That you have to be very disciplined about how you handle it. For instance, in a business like ours where we make sales frequently, you have to record your sales, expenses and determine your profits before you start spending. Since I am quite a spendthrift, I ensure that I have a number of savings accounts. I also avoid mobile banking and credit cards for these accounts.

What is your advice to readers that may want to venture into this business?

Do not go into it because of the good things you hear about it. To be honest, the mitumba business is entangled with many challenges. This business is akin to gambling - there are times when you will get good stuff, but once in a while, you will be unlucky because you don’t get to pre-inspect your order. Also, conduct good research and get to know your target market. Location of the business plays a key role when determining what to sell and how much to sell it. For instance, if you open a shop near a college, you ought to sell what will be attractive to the students, say canvas shoes, at a reasonable price. With as little as Sh1,000, you can start this business.

How do you unwind after a hard day’s work?

I go dancing or visit a tranquil place like Karura Forest and just relax. Occasionally, I invite friends over to enjoy a barbeque.