The digital space has been a double-edged sword for certain professions. The “disruption” brought by social media in some sectors has seen a complete shift in how organisations are run. Social media came with restructuring, loss of advertising revenue and job losses for some. In the Jua Kali sector however those who have embraced digital media can swear by its positive impact.
Nahashon Nyerere is one such individual who credits his growth to social media use. Nahashon Nyerere who is the director of Thika Kitchens Limited is a mechanical engineer by profession. When he was fired from his job after seven years of service, he decided not to let his learnt experience go to waste. He identified a niche, he settled on the stainless steel space.
With no money to start the business however, he started working from home. He took orders from his clients then he would team up with two handy men and together they would make the product ordered and after payment they would split the profit until the next job. Nyerere however, says every time he got an order, he and his two right hand men who have stayed with him over the years, ensured he made two items and he would look for the market for the extra item, making him a little more money from the sale. This continued for a while and soon he was able to rent out a space where he paid 2000 shillings in rent, the initial space he started with he says is not too far from the current space where Thika kitchen limited now stands.
For a few years he made various items starting with small scale energy saving jikos and like most beginners he struggled with scaling his business.
Nahashon Nyerere crafts
Then an interview with a local TV station could change his fortunes forever.” I learnt the power of media after that interview, because I started receiving orders from far and wide”
Nehemiah Nyerere would also embrace social media to advertise his work. He has since garnered a substantial presence on various social media platforms. https://www.facebook.com/share/18W3gz1KPc/ Nyerere says his walk- in clients are not comparable to the numbers he gets from his social media posts.
Having seen what both traditional media and social media can do to drive orders and sales, he is urging those in the Jua Kali sector to leverage on social media to pivot, crediting his business growth to digital media use.
Nahashon who is a firm believer in the Juakali sector in Kenya, calls on young people not to fear small beginnings, because it is in those small beginnings that one learns the ropes of running a business.
Watch his full story here…
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