Business –Furniture business is synonymous with building and construction or, call this, home ownership – as every Kenyan who can afford to own a home requires quality furniture for furnishing..
Not only the home but also businesses be it shops, hotels and bars which all requires furniture to make them complete. Therefore, furniture is nolonger a luxury; it is a basic need nowadays.
This growth in furniture business informed a brilliant business idea for a young but creative business man by the name Chrispen Sechere who started his furniture venture months ago and, today, he is among the most trusted furniture makers and suppliers in Kenya.
“I don’t want to say that I have enough experience in this business but, for few months I have been around, I have learnt a lot including how to come up with good designs, quality products and how to deal with customers.
“With my business motto ‘Quality and Comfort’, I have been able to establish my brand name in this industry within this short period of time,” revealed Sechere who is known by the name Chris in the workshop area along Ngong Road.
Revealing how hard it was to secure his first job due to lack of network and trust from potential clients, Chris shared that he kept on pushing hard his brand as well as work through the market despite lacking enough capital to run a full-blown workshop like the rest of the competitors who have been around for long.
“Though I have relatives who are already in the business and are, it was my decision to follow them around to learn basics in furniture business. I had to keep very close to them so that I can learn one or two things from them,” he added.
Customers were not easy to give him orders in the first three months in business because they doubted his ability and, further, because there are many con artists in the furniture industry who have conned unsuspecting clients their deposits.
This fear made it hard for potential clients whom he got through social media adverts, to make deposits and wait for the finished products to complete.
With time, however, the client base started growing slowly and gradually until today when he has a lot of work at hand with workers under his label.
“I have young men and women who work under my close supervision and I pay them well from the profits I make after delivering finished items to my clients.
“My clients can now make deposits to my business accounts with confidence that their items will be delivered as agreed,” Mr. Chris added.
Chris now boasts of a steady income from this furniture business idea and his plans is to have as many show rooms as possible across the country.
His clients range from middle class Kenyans, wealthy families, foreigners and government officials who have rated high his products.
Urban Biz & Services is the business name he trades under and which makes and supplies high end coffee table, chairs, couches, does furniture repairs, upholstery etc.
In a good month, Chris revealed that he can makes north of sh 450,000 after deducting expenses.
