By Prudence Minayo
Imports by Kairo is a popular luxury used car dealership based in Nairobi. They sell between four and upto seven cars on a good month. The dealership has a good track record if the reviews on social media platforms are anything to go by. Steering this ship, is 25-year-old Joseph Kairo. A car enthusiast and salesman, he took the risk and set up this business. Today the risk has paid off and he takes pride in what he has been able to achieve.
Here is what WoK has gathered about Joseph Kairo.
History
Joseph attended Kahuho Uhuru High School and sat for his Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations in 2014. Soon after high school, he began looking for a job at car dealerships. This was in 2015 and he was 18 at the time. He was rejected by a number of car dealerships and was on the verge of giving up when he walked to Ocean Cross Autos in Lavington. The owners took a chance on Kairo and for the next two years, he was a salesman at Ocean Cross.
Also Read: Ten Used Cars You Should Avoid Buying Due Bad Transmission As Per Consumer Reports (CR)
Establishing Kairo Imports
In 2017, he quit his job and decided to become a freelance car dealer. He set the company’s page on social media platforms and named it Imports by Kairo. It was a very challenging period. Building trust in people was not easy and on their social media pages, they had very few engagements. At times, all they received was two likes. On top of that, other people failed to pay him the Commission after a successful sale. Nonetheless, he pushed through and they officially opened their business office in 2020, two years after they had been in business.
Being the year that Covid-19 broke out, it was not an easy task. He also took a huge risk by choosing the luxury car market. While their profit margins are great, luxury cars take a bit longer to sell.
Also Read: Modifications On Your Car That Can Make You Lose An Insurance Claim
Today, Imports by Kairo has gained traction and recognition. They command a huge following on Instagram where they post information about cars and engage their audience. They also have a YouTube channel where they also give insights into different cars. Kairo says that his greatest inspiration is God. One of the biggest challenges they face, he says, is government policies. He hopes that in future, the government would work hand in hand with used car dealers and give them the respect they deserve.
The company has strong connections in Singapore where they import their cars. They also source others from Japan.