Building an Income Through Solar Sales: Micah Meshack's Story From Eldoret

Team MESH

5 min read

12 hours ago

Field sales is becoming a popular way for many Kenyans to earn an income without needing startup capital.

By Kivaya Josiah

If you're wondering how to become a sales agent in Kenya, what it takes to succeed in field sales, or whether selling solar products is worth it, Micah's story offers practical lessons.

As a Solar Panda field sales agent in Eldoret, Micah Meshack built a steady income through consistency, strong communication skills and a willingness to learn.

Prefer watching instead? Check the full 3-part series here.

What Inspired Him to Become a Solar Panda Sales Agent?

According to Micah, ku-join the sales industry haikuwa kitu alikuwa ame-plan from the beginning.

"Hii idea nilipata kwa ma friends. Kuna beste yangu nilimwona akifanya sales. Nilikuwaga naona anauza stuff anapata doh na hiyo time sikuwa na job."

Kucheck beste yake akiunda doh hii design alim-motivate ku-give sales a try.

Anadaisha beste yake alimfunza a few basics kabla ya ku-join hii janta.

"Akanifunza moja mbili pia mimi nikaiingia nikaanza kuuza nikaona mambo inaenda. So nikajipata niko ndani."

Leo hii, yeye ana-work kama a field sales agent na Solar Panda, akiuza solar-powered Tv’s, lights, torches na other electronic products in Eldoret.

Who Was His First Customer?

Kama wasee wengi wenye wana start out in biz, first customer wake alikuwa msee already anamjua.

"First customer wangu alikuwa beste yangu. Nilileta product nikamwonesha nikamwongelesha kuihusu akaipenda then akaibuy."

Hio first sale ilimpea confidence ya kuendea.

"Juu niliona nimepata doh, nikasema ah, let me do it once again."

What Skills Do You Need to Succeed in Field Sales?

Micah anadaisha, success kwa sales ina-depends more na personality than qualifications.

Ana believe msee ako interested na hii gig anafaa kuwa:

● Outgoing

● Hardworking

● Social

● Confident time anabonga na customers

"Number one unafaa ukuwe msee uko outgoing, unafaa kuwa msee uko na bidii alafu pia unafaa ukuwe msee uko social."

Ana-explain ku-convince customers ni one of the most important skills juu wasee udaisha mwanzo kuelewa the product before wa-decide ku-buy.

When Did He Realize Sales Could Become a Full-Time Career?

Turning point yake ali-came after kuunda the biggest commissions ashawahi earn.

"Kuna time nilimake sales nikapata doh ingine sijawahi pata. Nikashika doh ingine nikasema ah, nikiwa serious naeza earn more."

Adding;

"Nakumbuka nilimake around 45K nikasema weh, kama naeza make hii doh hivi na sasa nikijituma nianze kwenda field daily? Since that time sijawahi stop."

From hio moment, aliji-committee ku-work kila siku.

"Nikaanza kujituma kabisa. Nikaanza kwenda field daily daily na sijawahi acha."

What Advice Does He Have for Anyone Interested in Sales?

Micah ana-believe msee yoyote anaeza-succeed kwa field sales regardless of financial situation.

"Hii job sio ngumu ni wewe ujitume tu. By the way haitaji any capital kuanza."

Advice yake ni simple.

"Wewe bora tu ukuwe umejituma, ukuwe na hiyo bidii alafu utoke na usiwahi acha."

How Does He Manage the Money He Earns?

Micah ako na very simple strategy, ku-save ina-come before anything else.

"Kitu ya kwanza mi hufikiria kuhusu ku-save, kitu ya pili mambo na family expenses, kulipa bills hizo ndio vitu hukuja kwa akili ya kwanza."

Once savings na bills ziko sorted, anakuwa comfortably ku-spend the rest.

"Alafu doh inabaki kujibamba pia lazima."

Anadaisha hii habit uokolea ku-prepare for months ile time sales zime-slow down.

How Does He Survive Low Seasons?

Like many biz, solar sales ukuwa na both busy and slow periods.

"Kwa hii biz kuna seasons. Kuna low seasons, kuna high seasons. Mostly zile seasons zenye wasee ubuy sana ni ile time hapo end month, na mwezi ikianza. Sometimes mid-month ama between May na August hapo sales zinakuwa very low."

Juu ya hii riba, Micah hu-save ile time biz iko fiti.

"Hiyo time nakuwaga nisha-save doh kiasi. Najua kuna time hakutakuwa na sales. At least hiyo time siezi struggle."

What Are the Biggest Challenges of Being a Field Sales Agent?

Kawaida ya biz, kuna time everything inaeza-seems ku’go wrong.

Sa ingine anakosa doh ya transport za deliveries, saa ingine ana-spend days bila ku-close a single sale.

"Unaenda field day one, week one, week two hakuna sales so unafeel like ah! Ku-surrender tu."

Bad weather pia kuna vile;

"Sometimes unaamka unaona mvua imeanza kama saa hii tano asubuhi. Unafeel like nitaingiaje kwa hiyo mvua na nitapata aje sales."

Pia anadaisha some customers already ukuwa na negative attitudes towards wasee wa sales.

"Kuna wateja wengine tayari wako na negative attitude towards kitu unauza so inabidi uwa-convince kabisa ndio wa-buy."

Even then, yeye hu-pushe ku-go out.

Inabidi tu umetoka, unatia tu bidii."

What Keeps Him Motivated?

Time yoyote aki feel ku-give up, ana-think kuhusu family yake.

"Kitu inani-keep going first of all niko na a young family. Nikiangalia wife, mtoi wangu, hapo nasema hawa nataka wakuwe na life poa."

Pia anajua hakuna msee ata take care of his responsibilities.

"Hakuna msee atanilipia bills. I have to make sure nimetafuta doh nime-make it so like nisi-struggle kwa life."

Hii responsibility inam-motivate ku- wake up kila morning na head kwa field.

What Money Mistake Did He Learn From?

Aki-look back, Micah anadaisha one of his biggest mistakes ilikuwa ku-spend almost everything he earned.

"Kuna mistake moja nili-make wakati nilikuwa naanza, sikuwa na knowledge ya ku-save. Nikipata doh hivi by the time nafika kwa nyumba nishatumia almost half. After a week's time nikama ishaisha yote."

Saa hizi, yeye hu-manage doh yake vi-differently.

"After sometime nika-learn, anytime na-make sales na make sure nimeeka kila mahali, kila place iko sorted so si end up kuwa bankrupt in a day or a week."

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