My name is Brian Mwenda, and I’m 31 years old. I live and work in Embu Town, Kenya. Like many young people, I had a dream — to be my own boss and run a business that would help me grow and support my family.
For three years, I worked hard as a boda boda (motorbike taxi) rider and saved every coin I could. In March this year, I finally managed to open my own small electronics shop.
I was very excited. I imagined many customers walking in to buy things like phone accessories, radios, chargers, and earphones.
I wanted to make the shop attractive, so I painted it bright yellow, bought good stock, and paid my rent in advance. I believed everything was ready for a great start.
But things didn’t go as I expected.
For the first two months, business was very slow. Most days, I would sit in the shop from morning to evening and only sell one or two items. Some days, no one even entered the shop.
I started feeling discouraged and even questioned if I had made the right decision. I saw that the shop next to mine always had customers, while mine stayed quiet.
I tried many things to attract customers:
I reduced prices,
I gave out free earphones with purchases,
I printed posters and placed them around town.
But still, nothing changed. I felt like giving up.
One evening, I sat down and decided to do something different. I looked carefully at what the shop next to me was doing. I realized a few things:
The owner talked to people passing by and invited them inside.
He had a small speaker playing music, which attracted attention.
He had an active WhatsApp group where he shared offers and updates with customers.
I decided to learn from him instead of just watching.
The next day, I:
Started greeting and talking to people walking past my shop.
Played soft music to create a welcoming vibe.
Created a WhatsApp group for my shop and started sharing photos of my products and daily offers.
I also asked my friends and loyal customers to refer others. I offered a small discount to anyone who brought in a new customer.
Slowly, things began to change. People started coming in. Some said they liked the music, others said they saw my posters or got a message from a friend.
After about three more weeks, I was making steady sales every day. The shop that once felt empty and quiet now had life and movement.
Running a business is not just about opening the doors and waiting for customers. You need to:
Be friendly and approachable.
Market your shop online and offline.
Listen to your customers and give them what they want.
Be patient and always ready to learn from others.
Now, my electronics shop is growing, and I am planning to add more items like smartwatches and Bluetooth speakers.
To anyone who is struggling in business: Don’t give up. Try new things. Learn from others. Stay focused. The beginning may be hard, but with time and effort, things can get better.
