Making waves in the uncharted waters of ICT

“I worked as a marketer at a multi-national motor vehicle manufacturing company for 10 years before I moved to an IT firm in 2010. Just two months into my new job, I made a sale worth Sh42 million in a day and it got me thinking: Why am I making so much money for someone else? Why can’t I make that money for myself? That very month, I handed in my notice of resignation and started looking for a business partner.

“I wanted to start an ICT business, which I had little knowledge in, but I knew that with my extensive experience in marketing, my well-established personal brand and my far-reaching networks, I could start a successful business, if only I could get someone with the requisite IT knowledge and who had a dream like mine, to partner with. “When I found a partner, I did not let anyone in on my plans, not even my husband. It was my big secret. I only told my husband two months after we had set up the company. While I was fairly certain of my decision to jump ship, I knew that other people might not see things the same way I did, and for good reason; ICT was an entirely new territory for me.

“Other than the immediate shock of coming from a place where all my needs were catered for by my employer to being uncertain about where my next income would come from, my other challenge was capital. I used Sh150, 000 from my savings to pay for three months’ rent for our working space in Westlands in Nairobi, and then set about to work. Having created such an elaborate network at my former job, I had imagined that we would hit the ground running, but that didn’t happen. 

STRAPPED FOR CASH

 While we were getting big orders, we were cash-strapped and couldn’t finance them. So we decided to start really small. Instead of being a supplier of computers, we started supplying the smaller parts and accessories. Six years in, the company has grown to include supply of hardware, a service workshop where individuals and companies get their machines repaired and serviced and our latest baby, a solution section where we provide data storage solutions.

“The most valuable lesson I picked up from employment was humility. When I held a marketing job with the motor vehicle manufacturing company, I noticed how simple the people who made the biggest sales were. The people who bought fleets of buses and lorries were very humble. When I started my company, I adopted this concept. Since we couldn’t afford to employ a team, I did the sales and deliveries myself. Moreover, I didn’t shy away from talking to suppliers so that they could give us goods on credit. The strategy paid off and six years later, Inforparts employs a permanent staff of 15.

“My favourite part of being an entrepreneur is the fact that I get to be in charge of my time. While I definitely have to work harder than I ever did when I was employed, it is very fulfilling to be in charge of my own time. I get to plan for my days off without having to fill leave forms and as a result, I am a more present mother to my three children.

“The most enduring observation I have made over the course of growing my business is that very few women come to interview to join the technical section of the company. I wish there were more women in ICT, and now that I have the means, I am doing something about it. Every year, in partnership with the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), I go out and mentor young men and women. I try to get them to see that employment isn’t the only solution to life’s problems. I also try to demystify ICT to young women. I tell them that it isn’t as difficult as they might think and that it can even be fun. However, I know that male-dominated industries will only attract more women if they are friendly to new mothers. For this reason, through KEPSA, I spearhead a campaign to encourage corporates to set aside private spaces for new mothers to express and store milk or to nurse their babies.”

Gatwiri’s guidelines

• My business has grown because of the relationships I’ve built. That’s my most valuable business secret.
• I surround myself with people who build me. Interestingly, these people are often younger than me.
• I go out of my way to seek the company of people who challenge me. People who make me look at myself differently.
• Anything that comes easily doesn’t last. To be able to manage money you need to learn its value.