entrepreneuHER
INSPIRE. ASPIRE APRIL 2018
CHAMPIONS OF SUCCESS MARY MUTHONI SHARES HER VISION FOR WOMEN IN BUSINESS
INSIDE: FASHION FORWARD WITH NAKHULO KHAIMIA
i s s u e
r e l a u cn h EDITOR IN CHIEF DESIGN PHOTOGRAPHER CONTRIBUTORS
WAIRIMU CECILY
DESIGN TEAM
MICHAEL GATHONI
BETTY MULI
LAZY CHEF
PHOTO CREDITS
UNSPLASH.COM
JAIRPH
JOANNA KOSINKA
HAN CHENXU
JAMES COLEMAN
OLE ELETU
IVANNA CAJINA
entrepreneuHER Magazine +254 - 721944371 wairimu.cecily@gmail.com
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EVERY IS A
MOMENT
fresh BEGINNING T.S. Eliot
01
Credits
04
Editors Note
06
Delivery Nightmare
10
Exclusive Interview 1
16
Discount or Not
20
Exclusive Interview 2
28Â
Lazy Chef
e r ' we ! k c a b
Welcome to the relaunch issue of the entrepreneuHER Magazine. We have been gone for 4 years but we're back! In those 4 years, a lot has changed yet one thing remains true - entrepreneurship is here to stay and, female entrepreneurs have continued to be bold, passionate and ambitious. More than ever before, women are not afraid to stand in the spotlight. We are ready to be counted. No shrinking violets here. No one exemplifies this more than our cover feature - Mary Muthoni Muriuki - who is the first ever elected female to the Kenyan Chamber of Commerce. She is a woman of FIRSTS as you will see on page 10
Nakhulo Khaimia - our exclusive interview - is no doubt a rising star headed straight to the top. She sleeps, speaks, eats and drinks fashion. Buckle up as she takes you on her journey on page 20.
Enjoy the ride!
WAIRIMU CECILY EDITOR
50M BUSINESSES USING FACEBOOK
ECOMMERCE SALES WORLD WIDE BY 2021
$4.5T
ECOMMERCE: THE DELIVERY NIGHTMARE
WRITTEN BY WAIRIMU CECILY
IF YOUR ONLINE BUSINESS IS NOT BUILT LIKE AMAZON, ALIBABA OR JUMIA, CHANCES ARE YOU’RE UNDERTAKING THE DELIVERY OF WARES TO YOUR CUSTOMERS YOURSELF, OR USING A FORMAL COURIER SERVICE OR YOU HAVE AN ‘INFORMAL’ ARRANGEMENT WITH A RIDER (BODA BODA)…WHICHEVER THE CASE, BUSINESSES THAT OPERATE ONLINE RELY HEAVILY ON DELIVERY.
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First things first; what constitutes a delivery? Suppose you’re selling pots and pans which a customer is interested in but will only pay once they are satisfied with the product, does it count as delivery if they do not proceed with the purchase? Who bears that cost? Suppose they like the red pans better than the blue, who caters for the return trip?
These questions are easy to answer where a purchase takes place but not so much where a customer doesn’t buy.
Let’s take a look at 4 challenges AKA occupational hazards you're likely to encounter with regard to delivery
time
communication
Delivery is time-consuming especially when
It is amazing just how uncoordinated
you have to do it yourself. There is pressure to
communication can be during a delivery.
turn the 'delivery' into a sale, and in instances
Buyers will give poor directions or
where the cost of delivery is factored into the
underestimate distance, they will switch
price of the good; a nonpurchase might
off their phones or refuse to pick calls or
mean a waste of time.
reply to messages leaving the seller
Another time challenge is a seller is forced to
stranded. This is not only rude but very
wait for the buyer, sometimes for hours.
frustrating. This is an eventuality you
Again, this time is not paid for.
must be ready to face - it comes with the
How can you best utilize delivery time?
territory. Don’t take it personally.
safety
Delivery to offices or homes poses a danger to both the buyer and the seller, especially where the parties are strangers and where the value of goods is high. Incidents have been reported where sellers lose their wares and money to theft by persons purporting to be buyers and one case highlighted recently on Twitter told a harrowing story of a lady seller who almost got raped/killed on a delivery. Take safety precautions like enlisting a trusted friend to accompany you.
unforeseen costs While this has been aforementioned, there is the issue of costing for delivery where the cost of transport is not always immediately determinable. It is peculiar that the cost of transport is influenced by factors like weather and seasons making it difficult to determine delivery costs. Where distance is underestimated, additional cost and time are required to make a sale. There is also the danger of lost or delayed parcels when using a third party. The seller is likely to incur the cost of replacement so as to salvage the buyer-seller relationship. The way we do business has evolved over the last few years and there is much to learn ahead, this being said, there is a need for the online fraternity of businesses to come up with guidelines, maybe standards, of operation that can be understood and accepted across the board. It may not seem currently tenable but hopefully, someday in the future.Â
CHAMPION FOR SUCCESS 10
MARY MUTHONI MURIUKI
NATIONAL DIRECTOR, CHAIRLADY, WIB
KNCCI
'CHAMPIONS FOR SUCCESS' is Mary’s vision for female entrepreneurs in Kenya. An educator by profession, Mary is the powerhouse behind Kenya’s first ever Women in Business Awards. She believes in celebrating hard work, building capacity; promoting and enhancing the economic development of women. When she left employment 7 years ago, she found a gap in the representation of women in matters business. Today, MARY MUTHONI MURIUKI is the first and only Elected Female Director (Women & Gender) at the Kenya National Chambers of Commerce & Industry. She is the Chairlady of Women in Business, a recipient of a national award and the Founding & Executive Director of St- Petroc School. Mary's support system is her husband and children. I caught up with her at the KNCCI offices at Heritan House, Hurlingham for a quick chat.
T E LL U S A LI T T LE A B O U T Y O U R B U S 1 N E S S I have invested heavily in construction and education sector. I am the founding director of St. PETROC PREMIER SCHOOL in Embu. The motivation behind the school was to provide an environment for the wholesome and all-round development of the child. We believe in high quality of care. We are also keen on education and as such we have ranked highly in Academics.
WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO START A SCHOOL I saw a need to develop an all-round learner with a strong CHARACTER and a positive ATTITUDE for EXCELLENCE. St. PETROC achieves this by combining sound intellectual, spiritual, social and moral physical growth grounded on a firm Christian Foundation.
PLEASE SHARE WITH US SOME OF YOUR SUCCESSES IN BUSINESS SO FAR St. PETROC continues to produce allround learners going into high school. My contributions in the public sector have received recognition from the Council of Governors - I am the current award holder of the 2017 Devolution Warrior Award due to my role in promoting women empowerment in the delivery of public service particularly in championing women’s access to Government Procurement Opportunities (AGPO) and Women Enterprise Fund. I am the brainchild behind the firstever Women in Business Awards in Kenya. We have been also able to produce the Women in Business magazine for the female entrepreneur.
DID YOU HAVE ANY FEARS VENTURING INTO BUSINESS?
Yes. There is always a fear when moving from the certainty of employment to self-employment. Moving from a guaranteed income to hustling for an earning will cause anxiety to the best of us.
YOU ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT WOMEN EMPOWERMENT. HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH KNCCI? When I started my own business, I faced a lot of challenges being a woman in business. I checked in with other women and found that they faced the same challenges. Therefore, I started looking into ways to make it easier for any woman to do business and I found my way into KNCCI and started championing for women's access to resources, training, networks and, as they say, the rest is history.
WIB’S MISSION IS TO PROMOTE, ASSIST AND ENHANCE ECONOMIC AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT FOR ALL. HOW HAS THIS EXPERIENCE BEEN? It has been a fight championing for women but little by little we are making strides for the women already in business and for those looking into going into business and especially for the younger generation of entrepreneurs.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF JOINING KNCCI?
The Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry is a membership-based trade support institution. Membership constitutes small, micro enterprises (MSEs), medium and large enterprises so in essence, the only qualification to join is being in business. To join, contact the KNCCI Office or simply fill out our ONLINE FORM.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF JOINING KNCCI? Joining your local chamber provides you with a platform, first and foremost, to establish the credibility of your business and also helps you keep abreast with developments in the marketplace.
Other benefits include:
*Increasing visibility of your business in the community. *Creating networking opportunities with other members. *Gaining a voice in Government. *Making business contacts. *Receiving Chamber newsletters so as to keep up with trends in the business environment. *Acquiring customer referrals from your networks. *Participating in Chamber events and programs. *Accessing a platform for promotion and publicity for your business
WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR WIB?
WIB’s Mission is to promote, assist and enhance economic and business development for all our members at both National and County Chapters so as to stimulate wealth at all levels of governments right from the community level
WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 5 YEARS? My goal right now is to find assignments for growth and take on new challenges over time. Ultimately, I'd like to set up more schools across EAC region and on the leadership front, it is my dream to see women at corporate level through the
mega project we have called WIB MASHINANI
HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO CELEBRATE WOMEN? Women need to be celebrated, That's why we pioneered the Women In Business Awards - to appreciate women for what they have done and what they continue to do. Last year's event was a success. We will be hosting the 2018 awards later in the year.
WHAT IS YOUR SECRET TO SUCCESS? Persistence and Consistency
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO ASPIRING FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS? Follow your interests and passions. Identify a gap or problem and use your gifts to solve the problem/fill the gap.
3 MOST IMPORTANT LESSONS OF BUSINESS *Set goal with timelines *Commitment *Patience- because all good things take time
we are made to persist. that's how we find out who we are Tobias Wolfe
3 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULDN'T OFFER DISCOUNTS & 1 REASON WHY YOU SHOULD Betty Muli We have all heard that question asked while selling: “Discount?” “Na bei ya kuongea?” “Give me a good price” ... and many other iterations of the same. Depending on the need for cash, liking for the client or any other random reason, a small (or large) discount will be offered. While these may seem like small concessions to help close the sale, one needs to fully understand the ripple effects of discounting to one’s business, and the reasons why discounting should or shouldn’t be offered.
+ Offering discounts erodes trust between you and your customers
When a client asks for a discount and it is readily offered, the client will start to mistrust all your listed prices, and he will keep asking for discounts every time you interact. You will also be training your client to question all information that is offered at first glance - including other issues like size, quality, warranty, return policies, and you will end up having longer conversations when selling.
+ Discounts make it hard to automate the selling process Offering discounts makes it harder to automate or delegate your selling process (whether by selling via website or app or having your staff selling on your behalf).
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Once you have trained your client to always pause in the selling process to ask for a discount, it will be next to impossible to have that same client complete the sale on a website. If you have a shop managed by a staff member, your client will only buy when you are present or can authorize a discount, making it that much harder to simplify and scale your business in the long run.
+ Offering discounts affects your profits Offering discounts only affect your profit - not the actual cost of goods. By the time you have your goods available and ready to hand over to the client, you have already paid the cost of the items, transport from supplier to your client, marketing, admin and a host of other costs. When a client asks for a discount, that cost of the discount comes directly from your profits, as you cannot now go back and share that discount cost with your supplier or delivery company. For instance, if you are selling an item for 2,500/- whose total cost is 2,000/-, a 10% discount of 250/- is actually a 50% loss/reduction in profit.
+
THE ONE time it makes sense to offer a discount is when there is a business reason that justifies it. For instance if a client makes a bulk purchase, thereby saving you on further marketing and delivery costs, or if a client prepays for goods that are not yet in stock, thus eliminating the need for marketing and also providing the funds to pay part of the cost of supplying the goods, you can pass on the savings to the client in the form of a discount.
Betty Muli is the founder of Baby Stuff For this and other cash management tips for small & micro business, join us for Cash $ense, an interactive conversation about managing cash flow. Contact - 0722 897 631
stress less, live more
E X C L U S I VE
NAKHULO Nakhulo Khaimia loves fashion. It is evident in her voice when she speaks. It is evident on her Facebook wall where she posts pictures of herself cutting, stitching, fitting or attending a fashion/beauty event. I caught up with Nakhulo at one of the bold and beautiful events she co-runs with two others – the Hairitage Chronicles – for a chat. In my humble opinion, and going by this interview, I posit that Nakhulo Khaimia is on her way to fashion stardom. Watch her…this is a rising star.
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Words by WAIRIMU CECILY
Photos by MICHAEL GATHONI
tell us about yourself I’m Nakhulo KhaimIa , 33 and single. I’m a communication expert working for a MNC, I also run two businesses. One is Nurtured Knotts which is a natural hair events entity bringing together brands dealing with skin, hair, makeup products and service oriented businesses and connecting them with consumers. And the other is TrendyB Fashion House – a business I am very passionate about which is all about clothes, fashion and style.
" I love the outdoors - camping, hiking, cycling etc. it is quite the stress buster"
how long have you been in business? I started business in 2009. I operated a second hand clothes business buying and sourcing clothing items for people from Mutindwa, Gikomba etc because they liked how I dressed. I ran it passionately for two years but found I was running losses because people were taking things on credit. So I decided to stitch clothes for people instead, that way I could manage my cash flow by charging upfront and customizing clothing to the client’s desire and satisfaction. That is how I started TrendyB in March of 2015.
What keeps you going? Apart from being very passionate about fashion, I’m very deliberate about securing my future. TrendyB is something I want to do for life and with the current economic challenges; it’s not only my plan B but something that utilizes my gifts and passion. Like any other business, I face those challenges that make you want to close shop but when I remember my clients I get on with it. I wouldn’t want to disappoint or betray their faith in me.
What's your secret to success? Strategy. I set monthly targets and how I plan to achieve them e.g through events, promos etc. Sometime last year, I set up a Pop-Up Shop at Village Market. I was selling ready- made items as opposed to the personalized clothing I do at the shop. This made me think out of the box- what would people like to wear, what is easily wearable, what will look good on people regardless of one’s style etc. I had to get creative. I also was on the look-out for events which incidentally turned out to be more profitable than waiting for clients to come to me. It really helped me grow. And grow quickly. The last quarter of 2017 when everyone was complaining about bad business, my strategies paid off and I enjoyed very good returns. I have also used social media especially Facebook. I get my customers through referrals and social media. In this day and age, one must leverage the tools of technology to get your brand and create a great impact.
speaking of social media, how do you handle negative feedback? Surprisingly, and pleasantly, I have not experienced hate on Social Media. Maybe my clients are not the kind to troll me. My clients are not petty. They have given me feedback in private and in a mature manner and I have taken it in stride and done better.
At one point or other, someone will trash talk your brand. The trick is to identify whether it is a legitimate claim or malicious ‘hating’. If it is legitimate, do your best to solve the problem. If it is not, do not go head to head with a ‘hater’. It serves no good to yourself or your brand.
tell us about Hairitage Chronicles Hairitage started from a Facebook Group called Nurtured Knotts. We thought to have a natural hair event offline which happened first in Nov of 2015 then we decided to create an even bigger event. We charged an entrance fee for this one but we wanted to differentiate ourselves from other events, so we made it free and encouraged people to put that ‘fee’ towards promoting the vendors. We also incorporated beauty, fashion, and makeup which not only complements natural hair but also keeps in time with changing trends. What you see today grew from those humble beginnings. A lot of hard work goes on behind the scenes to achieve what we have now.
SCENES FROM HAIRITAGE CHRONICLES MARCH 2018
We have grown from meet and greet and selling products to having conversations, brand activations and partnering with influencers. This year we signed up Darling
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How can one leverage social media for business?
Kenya. We want to involve other players in
People get bored easily on Social Media. You
the beauty, hair and skin care space.
must keep engaging them. So, at least two
What have you found to be important ingredients of running a business.
posts daily but also try to have a
For me, it has been passion. Passion keeps you going when the money is not coming in. It is easy to give up when money is dry but if you're passionate, you'll find the strength to
conversation with them as opposed to pushing a salesy pitch. Make the posts fun and entertaining rather than aiming at making a coin.
A celebrity wore your creation recently, how was that for you?
keep going. We call them influencers. In terms of Also, keep your books of accounting no matter how 'jua kali'. You need to know how your business is selling, what months are better than others etc. This helps you become strategic in your planning.
product positioning, influencers can generate great returns like driving traffic to your page. For instance, Joyce Omondi- a local gospel singer and tv presenter wore my Ambiyo Coat and I got new business and a huge following from that.
My background in Communication has also helped a great deal in engaging with customers.
Fall in love with what you do...
It's important though to look for influencers who are relevant to your target market and budget. Hairitage Chronicles and Nurtured Knotts wants to provide a platform to take up and coming influencers to the next level.
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Speak on self promotion. I think a lot of us suffer from the fear of promoting ourselves and our hustles. It's a legitimate fear. Sometimes we worry what people are going to say or think about us but you know what, at the end of the day, we are responsible for the business so there is no escaping discomfort. If you don't self-promote, you risk being forgotten and not doing business. For instance, in Nurtured Knotts, we are 7,000
selling. Begin a conversation, do a product
What is the single most important lesson you have learned so far in business?
promotion and ask for feedback.. .don't just
Patience
sit there, do something, Just Do It.
Patience
people It is a safe space to start putting yourself out there. Find a creative way to talk about what you're doing or what you're
Share with us a most recent success
Patience
Runway in partnership with Couture Africa
It's been a wonderful chat. Tell me, would you do this all over again?
Magazine. I was lucky to be chosen among the
Any day. This is my retirement plan.
Top 10 upcoming designers, under the
I want to do this into my old age. Of course,
umbrella of Fashion Agenda Africa (FAA), to
there is always a fear and anxiety about
showcase my designs. I'm very grateful for the
tomorrow but I'm optimistic.
Just this past weekend, I participated in my first runway show organized by DarlingKenya
opportunity.
PAN FRIED GARLIC CHICKEN by
LAZY CHEF
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CHICKEN - SECTIONED 4 CLOVES OF GARLIC - CRUSHED 2 CHILIES - SPLIT SALT & PEPPER TO TASTE In a large saucepan, add the chicken, crushed garlic, split chilies, salt, and pepper. Add enough water to cover the chicken and bring it to a boil. After about 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked and tender, drain the broth and let it rest. Transfer the cooked chicken to a frying pan. Scoop the fatty layer from the cooled broth and use this to fry the chicken until crisp and golden brown. Serve with your accompaniment of choice or enjoy on its own! Share your quick and easy recipes with our readers. write to wairimu.cecily@gmail.com Subject Line: Lazy Chef
THE BEST VIEW comes after
THE HARDEST
climb to advertise, write for us or feature in the magazine contact Cecily 0721944371 wairimu.cecily@gmail.com