It was in 2020 at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic that Claire Angoye thought of adding to her income stream while filling a new gap in the market.
“At that time I was working at an audit firm. We were working remotely and I realised that most of my colleagues had little time to find good quality household items. I started sourcing for them at a fee,” she says of her household business, Nafuu, which operates online and specialises in the importation of premium household goods. “I import and sell household items like carpets and décor
Her strategy was simple. She wanted to run this business as a side hustle. She got an errands person who handled deliveries and inquiries during the day as she focused on her full-time job. “My first business investment was Sh20,000 in June 2020. I used this amount to buy fleece blankets that were wholesaling at Sh1,300 and sold them at Sh2500 each,” says Claire who is in her mid-twenties.
Embracing her entrepreneurial spirit in July 2021 Claire started an Airbnb business named Magnifique Airbnbs.
The Airbnb business is now a chain of fully furnished residences that serves travelers and visitors to Nairobi. She started this business with Sh550,000, which she used to fully furnish a house, rent, and make two months’ deposit. “I was inspired by my sister Susan Were of Nyumba Zetu Airbnbs who was already in this business. I had helped her in marketing and learned the ropes of the business,” she says.
Besides the two businesses, Claire who now works as a senior financial analyst working in a fintech startup, was a full-time employee in an audit firm, besides being a co-director at The JoySil Preparatory School, a mixed-day and boarding primary school that is located along Mumias–Busia Highway.
Starting and running the two new ventures was not without challenges. The first challenge she faced in the household business was identifying quality suppliers. “This was made harder by the fluctuation of the shilling against the dollar. The depreciation of the shilling meant that I had to dig deeper into my pocket to buy and ship in products,” says Claire.
She says that for her household business, breaking even was a matter of the first 10 sales. “The household business has good profit margins. What you need to get right is the source of your products and have returning customers and consistent referrals,” she says.
The Airbnb venture took about six months to break even. She is quick to point out that with the Airbnb business, the time you take to break even will mostly depend on your location and pricing. “The time can be shorter or longer depending on your pricing, location, and client flow,” she says.
She recalls that when she started her Airbnb business, she had a smooth landing as she leveraged her sister’s guidance. “The real challenge came with handling rogue clients. For instance, there was an incident where people had a drinking spree in my residence and broke a couple of appliances. I was fairly new in the business and was quite scared to confront them or ask for compensation. But with time, I have learnt to be super strict on house rules and the crop of guests that come on board,” she says.
Claire says that she would rather have quality clients than shady clients. “I also focus on long-term clients who are willing to commit for a week or month. I have observed that those who stay longer strive to be decent and respectful of the property. I have also brought in a house-rules agreement that clients sign when on-boarding,” she says.
Her household goods business had its fair share of challenges. “I started this business while I was in full-time employment. This made it hard for me to establish a business routine,” she says. Although the business was picking up well, her time and efforts were very limited. “I had to work around that by plugging into various business communities and understanding how fellow business owners were overcoming the type of challenges I was facing,” she says.
She also had to learn how to separate business money from her personal money. “All my money, personal and business, was flowing into one account. Sometimes this could give me the impression that the business was doing well but when I sat down to do the math, I would find that things were not as rosy as they appeared,” she says.
Today, she operates with separate accounts, biashara notebook, and Excel Expenses Tracker for her businesses. “Eating business revenue is real! Please get those till numbers, and open separate accounts for your businesses,” she says.
With her personal finances, she has taken to saving through the money market funds, fixed deposits, SACCOS, and Chamas. “I have learnt to stay frugal and avoid having idle money with me. Previously, I tried saving on my current bank account, then I realised that I was always withdrawing whenever I felt like treating myself,” she says.
Claire shares that a few weeks ago, she had a major business milestone. A high-end client placed an order for 46 duvets worth Sh140,000! “This was a first-time client. I did not know her. She just saw my post in a group which I had made one year ago, and she messaged me and paid before delivery. When I sent my driver and errands person to make the delivery they were surprised that it was a well-known public figure’s residence,” she says.
Being a full-time employee, Claire says that neither employment nor entrepreneurship is superior to the other. “The two are interlocked. They need each other. Try and blend the two depending on your ultimate goals, risk appetite, and purpose,” she says. “If you’re in business, remember that even as an entrepreneur, you are an employee in your own business so if you don’t put in the work, no one else will.”
She adds that it is important for young women to plug into social circles like Small Business Kenya FB Community, 52 Weeks Savings Challenge, Career Women Kenya, Successful Female Entrepreneurs Kenya and others.
“I gather a lot of insights from these communities. I have also learned not to be desperate for money,” she says. “Understand the compounding effect and embrace the multiplier effect. Know which activities compound and multiply your money. And always save a fraction of your profits for reinvestment. Above all enjoy and celebrate the little moments,” Claire advises.
