AN ENTERPRISE BORN OUT OF NECESSITY

Japheth Nyauncho, a graduate takes the less travelled path of entrepreneurship

By Joseph Macharia

Japheth Nyauncho beams with hope and is eternally optimistic. He is easygoing as they come. But beneath his calm facade lies a fierce entrepreneurial acumen that knows hope is not a strategy. Having tasted the bitter cup of unemployment, he boldly ventured into business to improve his lot in life. He is a   real pragmatist  who  will roll his sleeves to make the most out life.

After finishing his high school studies, he joined University of Nairobi in 2014 to pursue a bachelor  of science degree  in environmental conservation and natural resource management. In his second year, he had a lot of free time which he decided to monetize by selling shoes as a side hustle. He got a slot in town where he would display his wares after classes. By the time he was graduating in 2018,  he had mastered  the   basic skills required to run an  enterprise from getting stocks, pricing and dealing with customers.

Once out of university, like any other fresh graduate,  he was optimistic that   he would secure an opening. All along he was operating his side hustle. Looking for a job in this country is a full time job which can be tiresome. It  requires  a  lot  of   resources. From the many applications he made, he got no responses. Coming to terms with reality, Nyauncho made up his mind to continue selling shoes full time. Things were rolling on smoothly until Covid-19 hit, grounding the economy to a standstill.

Business Idea

 The  sales of shoes  drastically  fell. In the midst of a lockdown, no one cared about shoes.  They were no longer a priority. People needed food. It occurred to him that people need to eat no matter what. That is   how he came up with the idea of launching a green grocery store. Though he continued selling shoes online, he started scouting for an ideal location with prospective customers, somewhere near residential  areas. At around the same time,  he got a friend who was already in grocery business to introduce him on the basics like where to source his items.

The friend helped Nyauncho to start. As things started to ease up in late 2020,  he leased a shop in Zimmerman, Nairobi and took a leap of faith. “I started with around  Kshs.7,000  which went to buying trays and making structures. My first stock cost one thousand bob,” he happily shares. “We started small and we have seen growth.”

What he had initially thought as a short term endeavour turned out to be a profitable venture. Shortly after launching the business,  he was blessed with a family. He confesses that ever since, they have earned a living from the business. “Out of the Corona pandemic, this business was born. So far the results are good. Apart from earning our daily bread,  it   has enabled us to start other businesses,” says the father of one. Her wife would later join him in running the shop. Courtesy of his green grocery, he brought a car which he has used in setting up a taxi business. Moreover, he recently established  a dairy shop after noticing a market gap for milk products in the neighbourhood.

Hurdles

Having a young family while at the same time running an enterprise comes with a host of challenges. Key among them is competition. However, Nyauncho views competition as a good thing that keeps  entrepreneurs on  their   toes. “Healthy competition is necessary because it makes one to be more creative in terms of sourcing and pricing. When you have no competitors you tend to slack off,” he notes. “For any business to prosper,  it needs challenges ,” he adds.

Fluctuation of prices coupled with inconsistent supply of items has been a huge obstacle. Often,  he is forced to readjust and buy fewer things than intended which eats into his profit margins.  Additionally,  trying to convince customers that prices have gone up is met with resistance. Recently, the   prices of most imported items like apples have increased markedly.

By its nature, a green grocery needs to be open for business almost every day. Nyauncho observes that if he doesn’t open  the  shop for several days he could  lose daily customers . That is quite   challenging. Repeat purchases from loyal customers are what make a business profitable. “So it requires us to be up to the game on a daily basis,” he adds.

Dealing with perishable goods is another challenge. Tomatoes and ripe bananas go bad easily. As such,  he is required to sometimes price them cheaply  in  order  to  break  even  or   offset a stock that is about   to go bad. At times,  he will sell at a loss to just relieve the stock. Also customers who take goods on credit and fail to pay make operations even difficult.

Secret of selling

When asked what the most important thing in selling is, he replies: “Creating a rapport is key in maintaining good customer relation.  Customers  should feel they are valued and respected. It’s a small gesture but it works wonders.” Nyauncho lives by his creed. At his grocery , he strives to make customers to feel appreciated by listening keenly and giving utmost attention to  them.  “  The  customer is king (or queen),”  he   says.

Final word

“My advice to anyone who has graduated or who is unemployed is that you can start a business with a  very little amount of  money. It’s not about capital it’s about commitment. Just start,”   he counsels from experience.  “I’ll tell you for free it’s not easy in the business world but don’t give up. Be patient and persistent.” His future plan is to expand and open several branches. He looks forward to creating   jobs through  entrepreneurship.

 Beyond work

Typical day: Wakes up 3 am to source for his stock. Gets back at his business at around 8 am sorts out and opens store to serve clients. He winds up   the day at 9 pm in the evening.

Hobbies: Travelling, watching soccer and hiking.

Favourite dish: Ugali with mutton.

Marital status: Happily married with one child.

Dream car: Audi Q7

Philosophy: A little progress every day.

Dream destination: Old Trafford stadium.

Parting shot: “Once you start. Don’t give up. Be optimistic and trust in God.”