In a world where the allure of steady employment often overshadows the potential rewards of entrepreneurship, Eunice, affectionately known as Mama Wambo, stands out as a shining example .
Like many other Kenyans, she made a life-changing decision to leave her job, where she was earning a consistent Ksh 30,000 per month, and dive headfirst into the competitive world of business.
Her chosen endeavor? Selling groundnuts in the local community of Makadara in Meru County.
Mama Wambo’s journey into the business world was fraught with challenges.
Initially, she had no experience in the art of making groundnuts.
Undeterred, she turned to her sisters, who were already involved in a similar trade, to learn the essential skills of frying and packing groundnuts.
With a mere Ksh 1,000 in capital, she invested wisely in the purchase of groundnuts, cooking oil, and charcoal, setting the stage for her entrepreneurial journey.
The early days were not without their hardships. Mama Wambo faced the daunting task of establishing a customer base.
“Getting customers depends with how you make your groundnuts… The first day of business was not bad as such although I was cautious about the amount of groundnuts that I made,” she said.
She quickly realized that the key to success lay in the quality of her groundnuts. Word of mouth and the taste of her product became her most effective marketing tools.
As her reputation grew, customers, especially local shop owners, began approaching her for bulk purchases, prompting her to expand into wholesale trading.
Despite her resilience and unwavering determination, Mama Wambo encountered various challenges along the way.
“Customers would ignore me and buy from the next seller who was known by most people or customers would, sometimes, ask to taste my groundnuts first before buying,” she said.
She sells both retail and wholesale, and she serves kids, women and men.
“I started wholesaling when customers would approach me and ask for the groundnuts in bulk. Most of such customers are shop owners,” she added.
Eunice sources her groundnuts from stores within Meru that sell them in wholesale.
The most significant hurdle she faced was the fluctuating prices of essential commodities, particularly cooking oil.
These price variations significantly impacted her profit margins, making her entrepreneurial journey even more demanding.
