Eva Ngugi was among the Kenyans who lost their jobs when the pandemic hit. Companies were laying off staff in order to stay afloat. She was retrenched after serving 13 years as a sales consultant in the furniture manufacturing industry.
The then jobless Eva had to find a way to survive and starting her own business seemed the most viable alternative.
Here is her story as told by WoK.
Eva Ngugi On Starting the business
Speaking to Business Daily in 2022, Ms Ngugi said that while she was looking for a job, she felt compelled to start a business. For her, staying in an industry where she was knowledgeable seemed an ideal plan.
She officially became the managing director of Deltex General Suppliers in January 2021. The entreprenuer used her savings to start the business and her father offered her an office.
As a beginner in the world of business, she had to do everything herself. Hiring staff was out of the question as it would have been too expensive. This changed as she her business blossomed prompting her to employe several permanent employees.
The entrepreneur was plagued with the fear of failing. Starting a furniture business during the pandemic did not seem smart as it was not an essential product.
She started by focusing on those who were working from home. The businesslady knew most needed a comfortable working environment.
“I came up with affordable at-home office furniture products and monetized on that,” she told Business Daily.
Marketing and running the business effectively
Social media was very instrumental in marketing, especially Facebook. She grew her portfolio, generated new leads and built her clientele steadily. Later, she channeled her operations through her website.
She also reached out to the clients she had worked with as a consultant. Some were hesitant and she had to convince them to rely on her srart-up.
The furniture business is male dominated, hence, she had to prove herself for people to take her seriously.
The businesswoman believes her success is thanks to her marketing and sales skills. Through her previous experience, she knew what customers want.
The Deltex MD also explained that she knows how to calculate markups from cost. She has also managed to run the business effectively by monitoring monthly sales and comparing costs to profits.
