The closest Michael Otieno Okumu, 38, planned to get to a BMW was owning one. He wasn’t particularly impressed by BMW’s legendary engineering or its status as a luxury vehicle—he simply loved the shark nose of the E-series BMWs.
“I used to see ‘rings’ on these vehicles’ nose cuts and admire them,” says Michael at his garage in Nairobi.
Growing up, he dreamed of becoming a pilot or an aviation technician, fascinated by planes landing and taking off. Living near airports fuelled this passion, but his career took a different turn when he was admitted to the Kenya Institute of Highways and Building Technology (KIHBT) to study mechanical engineering.
“My technician dreams just didn’t take off,” he jokes.
His childhood fascination with BMWs, however, grew into a deeper passion beyond mere ownership.
“I like to think I live my dreams through what I do now. I am not flying planes, nor am I tending to their mechanical needs, but when it comes to my other childhood dream of owning a car with those rings I used to see, I am right on track. I don’t just own them; I understand them, their engineering, and how to maintain them,” says the founder of Verminah Auto, a BMW-specialist garage in Nairobi’s Kileleshwa.
Finding his niche
His journey into luxury car maintenance began in 2007.
“While at KIHBT, I would pass by a BMW dealership in Nairobi’s Industrial Area and see the cars I had admired as a child. I saw it as a sign and knew that after college, I wanted to work with BMWs.”
Verminah Auto Care Chief Technician Michael Okumu at his garage in Kileleshwa, Nairobi on February 11, 2025.
Photo credit: Lucy wanjiru | Nation Media Group
Michael interned at the dealership, gaining hands-on experience. Later, a relative who owned a Mercedes-specialised garage offered him an opportunity. There, he noticed that BMWs didn’t have a dedicated technician.
“Clients with BMWs were often turned away. When I asked why, I was told the vehicles were too complex and required specialised knowledge. That intrigued me.”
Determined to bridge this gap, he began applying his general automotive knowledge while studying BMW-specific materials. Over the next three years, he deepened his expertise. In 2010, he took a bold step and registered Verminah Auto.
“This decision was inspired by the market gap. There were fewer than a handful of qualified BMW technicians in the city, and I dare say, the country. Our strategy was to elevate customer experience and liberalise our services—this became our main selling point.”
Setting up Verminah Auto Care
Michael launched his garage in Westlands with five employees. He was meticulous about recruitment.
“As a businessman, I recognise that client satisfaction stems from quality service, which in turn comes from excellent workmanship. Getting the recruitment stage right doesn’t guarantee success, but it improves your chances.”
Overcoming early challenges
Running a luxury car garage wasn’t easy, especially as a newcomer.
“Our vehicle of focus is a luxury brand. Earning the trust of owners was difficult.”
However, his good relationship with the dealership where he had interned paid off.
“We exchange knowledge often, and whenever they had more clients than they could handle, they’d refer them to me. This helped me build a client base that kept returning and referring others.”
Today, Verminah Auto has a workforce of 30 across technical and administrative departments and attends to around 20 BMWs at a time, across all series.
Incorporating technology
Early on, Michael realised BMW maintenance required more than just mechanical expertise. Understanding their advanced technology was crucial.
“When they say technology is the future, that applies to us technicians too. We have bought all the necessary software from the manufacturer to help us work better. Our diagnostics are computerised for accuracy—I avoid guesswork in my work. Precision and understanding are key, and technology enables that.”
In 2019, he took another step towards efficiency by investing in an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system.
Verminah Auto Care Chief Technician Michael Okumu at his garage in Kileleshwa, Nairobi on February 11, 2025.
Photo credit: Lucy wanjiru | Nation Media Group
“Many clients would call me with stalled vehicles, and I’d often find that something as simple as overdue servicing was the issue. To solve this, we acquired software that assigns job cards to all clients we serve. It keeps records of each car’s history and automatically reminds clients when their service is due.”
This system enhances root-cause analysis, ensuring a more efficient and accurate service process.
“When you don’t know the root of a problem, the solution becomes expensive—not just in terms of money but also in terms of time and the agony of a stalled car,” he says.
Beyond Nairobi
Even though Verminah Auto operates from Kileleshwa, Michael’s expertise has taken him beyond Kenya.
“I have been flown into Rwanda, Zambia, South Sudan, and many other countries to attend to vehicles,” he says.
Many of his weekends are spent travelling for similar assignments.
Scaling up
Michael envisions expanding Verminah Auto into a larger, technology-driven facility that serves the entire region.
“That requires capital. We are exploring sustainable scalability options.”
Lessons for entrepreneurs
Having started his business in his 20s and carved a niche in a highly specialised market, what advice does he have for aspiring entrepreneurs?
“The first thing is to master your craft. Learn as much as you can. The internet today is a valuable resource—use it to expand your knowledge.”
He also emphasises the importance of taking risks. “As basic as it sounds, if you don’t try, you won’t know what you are capable of.” His final piece of advice?
