Former teacher earning a good living from interior décor
Mr Nathan Muteti at his shop in Bomet town where he sells curtains samples of which are in the background of this photo taken on October 7, 2022. He started off with Sh17,000 and has build a stock base of over Sh 2.3 million without a loan.
When Nathan Muteti resigned from his job as a loans officer with a microfinance institution and plunged into the unpredictable world of entrepreneurship, many thought he had made a rash decision that he would regret.
Armed with only Sh17, 000 which was his last paycheck, he opened a curtains and décor business in Bomet town in 2017, operating from a verandah of a timber shop.
Inch by inch, he has built his portfolio and currently moves stock averaging between Sh1.6 million and Sh1.7 million a month, raking in handsome profits in the process. As it is, his stock now stands at an average of Sh2.3 million.
The P1 trained teacher, a graduate of St Mary’s Teachers Training College in Voi, Taita Taveta County, and also a diploma holder in procurement, had longed to go into business even as he worked as a retail shop attendant, petrol pump attendant, a teacher, a freelance salesman and finally a loans officer.
Muteti started Peatkims Decors in 2017 after making a decision to move from his comfort zone and give self-employment a chance. His first sale made him Sh4, 000 profit, encouraging him to put more effort into his marketing skills.
Mr Nathan Muteti at his shop in Bomet town where he sells curtains samples of which are in the background of this photo.
His second order made him even more after a client ordered curtain rails worth Sh150,000, an order that came with a deposit of Sh80,000. He delivered the order within two days to the surprise of the client, who became a major referee.
Muteti, who is based in Bomet town, now has three shops, and has branched out to supply utensils and gas cylinders.
“I learnt how to operate a tailoring machine from a friend and have, over time, perfected the craft,” says the businessman.
He bought his first sewing machine secondhand for Sh5, 500 and later a new one for Sh70, 000.
It is often said that men are colour blind, but Muteti brushes aside this stereotype, saying that in this business, one must understand colour, and he does.
“I grew up around five sisters as the only male and their colour-cordinating skills rubbed off on me. Interior décor involves colour scheming, which I am good at,” he says, adding that he makes daily sales because he does not go for big profit margins, as a result, he moves more volumes.
His business, he offers, has thrived through referrals, thanks to satisfied customers, as well as advertising on social media.
It is the negative effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the global economy that motivated him to diversify his business.
Also read: How to breathe life into your home décor
“Apart from curtains, I started selling comforters, table mats, bedsheets, handbags, nets, water heaters, potted flowers and utensils and gas to make ends meet following a slump in the construction industry. I am happy the business picked up,” Muteti says.
The main challenge the business experiences is theft by employees. To counter this, he has installed CCTV cameras in the shops, a measure that cost him Sh30, 000.
It has come in handy. In one incident, he was able to recover stock worth Sh400,000.
Deploying of the CCTV technology has also helped him remotely manage the business as he takes care of other businesses or while on transit.
Muteti says that he has never taken a loan from any financial institution or individual to grow the business, but always ploughs back the profits to expand the enterprise, besides exercising prudent financial management practices.
From an employee, he has become an employer of four workers and created more indirect work opportunities.
Most of the youths he employs are form four graduates from challenged backgrounds whom he has mentored, with some having moved on to start various business enterprises.
“In business, I have achieved what I would not have in employment, such as constructing a decent house back in Kitui, bought land and commercial plots and a motor vehicle,” says the businessman.
Currently, he is trying his hand at farming with future plans to run a ranch back home in Kitui, a venture that he believes has huge potential.
