Entrepreneur

About Me

My names are Patricia Wanjiku Kanyora am 27 years old and a Kenyan citizen am a tailor at Free Area shopping centre in Nakuru Kenya. Am a second born in a family of five in Laikipia county a semi-arid area, Kenya where I went through my primary school and high school education and finished in December 2009 after which I joined a local polytechnic and trained as a tailor and clothes designer, I finished my course in April the year 2011 after which I rented a stall in Karaba shopping centre near my home where I practiced as a clothes tailor and designer for one year. In Karaba shopping centre which is rural area the earnings were quite meager, my friend whom we had studied together in polytechnic and who had migrated to the city earlier advised me to abandon the rural area and join her in town that’s the reason why I decided to look for greener pastures in the town Nakuru in the year 2012 where I have done business since January 2012 till now. I had the room I rented divided into two so that I can use the front as my business place this makes me maximize the number of working hours since I can close the front door both at night and very early in the morning carry on with attending to my clients projects.
I started the business to break away the dependence syndrome from my parents which has crippled many youths in my rural area, leading them into drugs, early marriages and premarital pregnancies and also so that I could set a good example to my younger folks which includes my three siblings who are in high school and in primary school and also help them financially whenever they need my help. Secondly I started the business to be able to meet the expenses I previously had difficulties in meeting e.g. Rent and other personal expenses and also helping out my family back at home. I also have acre size small piece of land of where I plant maize and harvest at the end of every year which requires a variety of inputs. Meeting these expenditures and others were the challenges that pushed me towards starting my business.
Business encompasses clients coming to my shop and requesting to be made clothes and from the variety of materials in my shop I take the measurements of their body sizes to enable me make them the exact clothes that fit them. I also make/knit patterns on plain materials to make them more attractive, these are then used as covers on sofa sets and window curtains.
When I started the business my customer base was composed of those directed to me by my friend which was about 5 customers per week taking into account that the fashion business people tend to go those experts they trust that will make them the quality clothes they prefer. Apart from me making clothes for individual clients I have also ventured into making school uniforms for schools around the estate, I approach the schools tell them my offer and it has turned out to be good business since I take lump sum orders through which am also paid in lump sum. I have also decided to approach high schools within this area to ascertain whether am qualified to bid for tenders to supply students’ kits which include uniforms & games kits . I have also fully ready for the festival period the December holidays where many people make clothes in preparation of the festivals; this is also the prime period which most couples perform their wedding functions.
Therefore this makes this period to my business a vital moment where goods and services to be demanded by my customers must be offered in a quality manner to encourage and boost their confidence in me as their supplier and clothes designer.
The business has also helped me settle my expenses mentioned above earlier and also I have been able to support to my parents in paying my siblings school fees.
If I get this loan I want to buy a second hand machine used to make patterns on plain materials as I mentioned earlier those that are used as sofa set covers and curtains since I have been hiring the services of another trader which is expensive and reduces my revenue from those particular trades bearing in mind that its big business in this town bigger than clothes design. Later when I repay my loan am preparing to borrow a bigger amount and venture into buying and selling second hand imported clothes which requires more funding and its big business in the whole country therefore here in our estate.
When I buy the machine i will have all the revenue to myself and will be able to save more and raise more income.

My Business

Am a tailor and clothes designer in Free Area Nakuru Kenya and the objective of starting the business was to overcome the barriers of dependence to achieve self reliance and to be a dominant and renown clothes designer in the region and beyond.
My business: I make custom made clothes and pattern plain materials made to sofa set covers and curtains. My clients are composed of virtually everyone from the young to the old since clothes are a basic necessity for human kind. They appear on my shop/place of business where they identify a particular design and also the material that they prefer their clothes made, I then pick their body measurements and make them the clothes. My target audience extends beyond individual customers to organizations like churches where I make them choir uniforms and schools where I make them student uniforms. Since am talented in art my designs have been far and reaching made my stall to be frequented by many prospective clients.
Demand: there is a big demand for clothes in this area especially during this December festival season where people make clothes in preparation for the celebrations. Then in January there is an equally big demand of school uniforms from schools also individual orders. In November and December period is the prime period when most weddings take place this is a big market that I have already and is will tap orders from resulting to revenue. In addition I also make clothes send them to my mother at home for sale in my rural area this has been instrumental in the contribution to my total income.
Preference: I have been in the industry for three years now and have gained enormous experience since I have worked both in the rural area and most significantly in an urban area where designs originate. The fact that am good in art gives me a good boost in developing competitive designs that make me one of the most preferred tailor in the estate and beyond. In addition I ensure that the customers orders are completed in time, my opening hours usually extend from 0630hrs in the morning to about 2000hrs in the evening thus making me available to my customers for a longer period of time.
Profitability: the business is profitable because I sell a lot and my market is readily available all year round without it being seasonal, the demand is available all year round and the fact that the business has already started there is no possibility of the business failing secondly I have ventured in a business that is currently my field of work therefore I know the preferences of my customers how to fulfill them example I offer varieties of materials for my customers to choose from and my designs are desirable and attractive.
Risks: these include bad debts and buying materials that not many customers would not prefer or choose hem therefore turning out to be dead stock. Others are when I make a dress for a customer and they change their mind about a certain design leading to ill payments.
Costs: my monthly income since the start of this year 2013 has been increasing parallel to the cost, the month of January total income was 200US dollars, and the cost was 90US dollars to Octobers 480 US dollars and the cost being 238US dollars. This increase in revenue has motivated me so much and am looking forward to hitting 550 dollars in the month of December and significantly reduce my cost of doing business especially when I buy the pattern machine.

Loan Proposal

I am intending to use this loan in buying a second hand machine which is used to make patterns or make decorative patterns on plain materials of clothes, after the decorations are made the pieces of clothes are used as sofa set covers, curtains, bed covers, mattress covers among other uses. The customer either chooses the type and colour of the plain cloth to be used from the selection that I have or makes an order, which I then go to the market at Nakuru town or Nairobi city to find so as to satisfy the customers need.This is one of the efficiency and reliability business techniques that I use to win or attract potential customers and retain existing ones. I decided to buy my own machine since I have been hiring the services of another trader which is expensive and reduces my revenue from those particular dealings bearing in mind that its big business in this town bigger than clothes designs. In addition in Free Area Estate there are only two people owning and operating two such machines, this a business gap that I have identified and is willing to exploit fully. So apart from me reducing my own cost by not hiring some other persons services I will in addition offer the same services for hire from other tailors and clothes designers from this neighborhood. A second hand pattern machine costs Kshs15000 so far I have saved Kshs10000 so getting this loan will give me a good boost towards the realization of my goals. I urge the lenders to help me achieve this milestone.Later when I repay my loan am preparing to borrow a bigger amount and venture into buying and selling second hand imported clothes which requires more funding and its big business in the whole country therefore here in our estate.
When I buy the machine i will have all the revenue to myself and will be able to save more and raise more income.

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