Leather Sandal Business in Kenya: How Ibrahim Started With Only KSh20K
Leather Sandal Business in Kenya: How Ibrahim Started With Only KSh20K
Building a successful leather sandal business in Kenya doesn't always begin with a large investment or a fully stocked store.
By Kivaya Josiah
Sometimes it starts with spotting a market trend, creating quality products and steadily growing your customer base one sale at a time.
That's exactly how Ibrahim Mwahili built his business in Sichirai, Kakamega. What started with handmade leather sandals has grown into a business that now sells shoes, clothes and perfume refills, serving customers both physically and online.
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What Inspired Ibrahim to Start a Shoe Business?
According to Ibrahim, passion yake ya fashion ndio ilimfanya kushtukia kuna demand ya trendy footwear.
"Kitu ilini-inspire kufanya hii biz ni sababu mambo na fashion, mambo ya urembo na viatu ni vitu zenye zinaenda na msimu. New trends zinakuja, so hata vitu zenye huwa naleta hapa ni zile vitu zenye zinaenda na trends."
Instead ya ku-stock random products, yeye hu-focuses na kuuza products zenye zina match na current fashion trends. Keeping up na changing styles imem’okolea ku-stay relevant kwa hii competitive biz.
Who Were Ibrahim's First Customers?
Kabla ya kufungua base yake in Kakamega, Ibrahim alianza na kuunda leather sandals na kuziuza door to door.
Kuchapa kalesa kutoka customer to another ili mpea opportunity ya introduce products zake na pole pole ku-build trust.
"I used to go door to door before nipate place specific ya kueka biz yangu."
Hizo sales zili-became the foundation ya business ana-runs leo.
How Do Strong Customer Relationships Help Small Businesses Grow?
According to Ibrahim, ku-maintain relationships na customers is just as important kama making the first sale.
Whenever he serves a customer, they exchange contact numbers so they can keep in touch and make it easier for customers to reach him for future orders.
Keeping in touch inam-allow ku-notify customers ile time new designs zimeland na ku-encourage repeat business.
Pia aina believe msee anafaa ku-build relationships na wholesalers instead ya ku-rely on middlemen.
Ibrahim says business owners should visit wholesalers physically and build a direct relationship with them, noting that relying on brokers can sometimes negatively affect the business.
Building those direct relationships um’okolea ku-get better products while ana-avoid unnecessary costs.
How Did Ibrahim Raise the KSh20K to Start His Business?
Unlike many entrepreneurs wenye hu-borrow money, Ibrahim alitumia savings kutoka kwa hustle ingine.
"Capital yangu niliipata in a funny way. Mimi huwa ni social media influencer. So nilikuwa na pesa zenye nime-save from social media influencing."
Ali-invest approximately KSh20,000 kuanza ku-make leather sandals.
Hii doh alitumia ku-buy:
● Leather
● Tyres za the sandal soles
● Glue
● Sewing equipment
● Other production materials
Later, aka-invest another KSh15,000 ku-expand into ready-made footware.
"For the doll shoes, slides hizo nilitumia around 15K."
How Does Ibrahim Manage Money in His Business?
Financial discipline imekuwa one of his biggest priorities.
"Kwa hii biz yangu once nimeshika doh, kitu ya kwanza I usually restock."
Baada ya kubuy new stock, ana-clear his expenses kabla ya ku-save the remaining money.
Ana believes restocking first umem’okolea ku-keep biz yake running consistently bila ku-run out of products.
How Much Does a Shoe Business Earn in Kenya?
According to Ibrahim, weekly earnings ina-depend na customer traffic.
He says that in a good week, he can make around KES 7,000, while in a bad week, his earnings can drop to about KES 4,000 or KES 3,500.
Kama kawa ya retail businesses, income changes ina-depend na demand na customer spending.
What Are The Challenges In The Shoe Business?
Ibrahim amewahi kufika point ya almost ku-give up.
Anaeleza one of the biggest challanges ni customers wenye wanataka kuweka deposit lakini wanachelewa kumalizia balance.
"Unaeza enda kwa msee unamwambia nauza viatu kumbe hiyo siku hakuwa amejipanga kuspend pesa."
Wengine hu-request kuacha deposit.
"Atakwambia hivi viatu zimenifurahisha utanipatia nikuachie deposit... then utamwachia mguu mmoja."
Problem ni kwamba hiyo stock hubaki imeshikiliwa waiting for the customer amalizie payment.
"Unahitaji pesa but imeshikiliwa na deposit situation kama hiyo inaeza kufanya uachane na biz manze."
Anaongeza pia customer flow haikuwagi predictable.
"Flow ya wateja haikuwagi predictable, inakuwaga very unpredictable."
Pia leather sandals hu-dumu sana, meaning customer anaweza kaa muda mrefu before arudi kununua pair ingine.
Lakini despite hiyo yote, anaamini business bado iko na returns nzuri.
He says that the business has a profit margin of more than 70%, and the strong profits are what motivate him to keep running the business.
How Does Ibrahim Handle Low Seasons?
According to Ibrahim, biashara huathiriwa sana na calendar ya Masinde Muliro University.
"Kwa sisi hapa wenye tuko Kakamega wanafunzi wa Masinde Muliro University ndio huwa wana-determine economy ya the whole of this area."
Anasema kutoka May mpaka October, students wakienda long holiday, biashara hupungua. "Hiyo inakuwanga low season mbaya."
Badala ya kungoja customers warudi, yeye hutumia online marketing.
"Hiyo wakati I usually market my business online. I post my designs online of my leather sandals na tunajaribu kupata customers from online."
Hiyo strategy humsaidia kuendelea kupata orders hata wakati foot-ware traffic imepungua.
What Business Mistakes Did Ibrahim Learn From?
Ibrahim amefanya mistakes ambazo zimemfundisha valuable lessons.
Accepting Too Many Deposits
Anasema alipokuwa anauza door to door, alikubali customers wengi waweke deposits.
"Umewekewa deposit kadhaa from different customers inaku-slow, haoni profits instant."
Eventually aliacha hiyo system na akaamua kuuza bidhaa ambazo customer analipia full amount immediately.
"Niliachana na hiyo mambo nikasema nieke place yenye tunaeza uza vitu tu mara moja na na-make pesa yangu full."
Ordering Stock Online Without Verification
Another lesson ilikuja wakati ali-order clothes online.
"Nikawanga naendea vitu physically mimi mwenyewe rather than trusting someone online. So mimi mwenyewe naona vitu before nizichukue."
Kwa consistency, smart sourcing na willingness ya kujifunza kutokana na mistakes, Ibrahim ameweza kujenga biashara yenye inaendelea kumletea income huku aki-inspire wengine kuanza na kile kidogo walicho nacho.
