Patch-up jobs spin an enterprise for young clothes, shoe designer

It is no surprise that at 23, Keith Juma has earned the title of entrepreneur.  Juma — fresh-faced and bubbling with the unmistakeable and uncontainable enthusiasm of a man ready to face the world — discovered his entrepreneurial spirit in primary school where he sold sweets to his classmates.

In high school, he sold tea to his dormitory mates after the night preps. Now, even before he has completed his undergraduate degree, Mr Juma owns Afri Tribal —a venture which makes shoes, and other African-print clothes.

Mr Juma is a final year student at the University of Nairobi’s Lower Kabete Campus. He is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Business and Commerce.

Mr Juma started his business in July 2012. His capital was Sh300. “It’s a low amount of money to start with, I know,” he says.

“I had noted that most jackets women were wearing looked similar. This similarity bothered me. My aunt had an old jacket that she wanted to dispose of. It was still in good condition, but it was dull.”

Mr Juma saw an opportunity to tweak the details of the jacket. “I bought half a metre of kitenge fabric for Sh300. I trimmed the fabric and used it to patchup the jacket elbows, pocket linings, lapels and sleeve cuffs. A tailor from the local market stitched the trimmings to the jacket; he did the work for less than Shs50.”

When he was finished, Mr Juma noted the difference the trimmings had made. “It looked like a new jacket. I resold it to my aunt for Sh500.”

He says of his first sale: “I could not believe it was this easy to make money.”

Deducting the cost of the fabric gave him his first profit of Sh200. Mr Juma used this profit to replicate what he had done —he found used and sometimes old jackets, patched them up with kitenge then resold them for profit.

He also designed jackets and had them tailored at the local market. His customer base and earnings steadily grew.

After two months in the business, the young entrepreneur diversified his portfolio —he started to make and sell shoes. He designed the shoes, bought the materials locally then had a shoemaker assemble them.

“The fabric is from River Road. The leather is from Kariokor market. The suede is bought second-hand from Gikomba market. The shoe sole is from the Kenya Institute of Supplies Management ( KISM),” says Mr Juma.

In December, he partnered with Ledida Fashion Wear for a fashion show.

“Ledida Wanyoike is the stylist and owner of the Fashion House. His models on the runway wore my shoes. This fashion show showcased African wear, which matched my shoe collection.”

The fashion show gave Mr Juma’s young business the much-needed publicity. Since then, he has partnered with other local fashion houses. 

But he says the biggest challenge for his business is delays. “We make only on order. When there is delay in sourcing the materials, there is a big delay in fulfilling customer orders..”

Mr Juma says he does not prepare any books of account. He operates a simple in-and-out cash ledger that has, so far, been adequate for the business.

With the eye to improve the business in the last quarter of the year, Juma says, “I will consider a more robust and computerised accounting system that will help me track orders and monitor sales.”

Financially speaking, “the best performing month had a turnover of Shs20, 000. The least was Sh5, 000.”