Maria Nkumba: How Xperia Founder Made Her First Million At 35 And KSh 100 Million In One Year

A few decades ago, Maria Nkumba, the founder and CEO of Xperia Agency, was a humble village girl playing kati with her friends at her home in Murang’a County.

Today, she has managed to build an events management company that generated KSh 100 million in revenue in 2024.

The entrepreneur, who made her first million shillings at the age of 35, said that her journey was anything but easy.

Speaking during a recent interview with Young Millionaire Talks, Nkumba revealed that she first set foot in Nairobi in 2007 when she joined Daystar University.

She was pursuing a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Communication and Public Relations.

Despite her achievements, Nkumba maintained that she came from a humble background.

Her mother was a school principal, while her father was a businessman.

“I literally came from nothing. My dad always believed in me. He was a business person. He passed away in 2022, and looking back, I feel like his spirit has been with me during my journey as an entrepreneur,” she said.

Before establishing her own business, Nkumba spent several years working in the events, communications, and public relations industries.

Her LinkedIn profile says that she has over 16 years of experience in account management, business development, market research, brand communication, and public relations.

She founded Xperia Agency in 2019.

The company deals in corporate events, conferencing, private events, brand strategy, experiential marketing, among other services.

Nkumba said that a lot of people doubted her when she started her business journey, but her mindset kept her going.

“Your mindset is your biggest strategy. Once you shift your mind, there is nothing you can’t achieve in this lifetime,” she said.

Nkumba, who became a mother at 25, said that she would wake up and consciously declare that she would spend each day intentionally and achieve her best, leveraging her experience and capacity.

When she started her business, it was severely impacted by the Cvid 19 pandemic.

“No events were going on, and no social gatherings were permitted,” she explained.

Nkumba said she had to rebuild the business when the events industry began recovering.

“So, I literally started from scratch in 2022, and then I started building myself slowly by slowly,” she said.

It took approximately one and a half years before her business began generating profits.

However, her efforts eventually paid off, with the business generating ksh 100 million in revenue in 2024.

Nkumba also revealed that despite working in the corporate world for several years, she did not make her first million shillings until she was 35.

One of the most important financial lessons she has learned is the need to invest.

“When you make your money, be sure to invest it. As well, you always need to ensure that you have enough money to cover your overhead costs and pay your suppliers and workers on time,” she said.

She explained that maintaining enough money to run daily operations allows businesses to grow without constantly depending on outside financial support.

Nkumba also credited her team for her company’s success.

“I’ve built an amazing team. I love them, and they complement what I do. They’ve been able to learn from me over time, and now I feel that I have the freedom to step back from the business and do other things,” she said.

In 2024, Nkumba was named a Forty Under 40 Africa award winner in the Event Management and Planning category.

She said that she has worked with and under billionaires, and one of the lessons she has learned from the experience is to never lose her identity even as she grows her business.

“You must always have humility. You must always give back. You must always be of service. You must always be kind to the people you interact with, including your team and subordinate staff,” she said.

While she is undoubtedly happy about the amount of money she has made throughout her business, she said that money cannot buy happiness.

“I am always happy with or without the money. I will always smile and be grateful,” she said.