Audrey Osiri, who is 24 years old, is a shining example of the true spirit of entrepreneurship among Kenya’s youth.
Her entrepreneurial journey began in 2016, when she was in her second year at Kenyatta University, when she began selling secondhand clothing.
Audrey was motivated to enter the industry by her passion for fashion and her ability to provide for herself and her child.
With the assistance of her mother, who loaned her Sh.5,000, and the earnings from the ‘Chama’ “Merry-Go-Round,” she was able to launch her business.
“I could purchase secondhand blazers from women in Githurai for Sh.100 and sell them to my fellow students for Sh.200.”
Selling secondhand clothing at school was difficult because she had to move from hostel to hostel in search of customers, only to end the day with no customers.
Her determination prevented her from giving up despite the fact that some student could reject her without even listening to or considering what she was selling.
But after graduating in December 2019, Audrey had to leave Nairobi in search of a suitable location to continue her business. Her family resides in the town of Migori, so she chose to relocate there.
Today, Audrey is a different person than the University-cum businesswoman who used to juggle her life between classes and the Githurai market.
Since then, she has expanded her business to include the sale of new women’s handbags, clothing, and shoes, with a throng of customers swarming her shop in the heart of Migori town.
One could confidently purchase a pair of shoes from her flashy boutique for between Sh.500 and Sh.1000, a handbag for between Sh.1000 and Sh.2500, and clothing for between Sh.1000 and Sh.2000, depending on the material.
Getting customers interested in your business is a form of growth, so Audrey allows her customers to reserve her products with a manageable and attractive down payment.
However, business is never a bed of roses and is therefore filled with obstacles. Delayed product payment is one of the obstacles she faces in her business, but she is able to overcome it.
From sourcing her goods in Nairobi and the far-flung towns of Mombasa and Kampala in Uganda, one must have a strong heart to stay afloat in business. She claims that transporting the cargo from the market to her store has been a significant challenge due to the high cost of fare and freight charges, as well as the presence of police and Kenya Revenue Authority officers demanding payment.
Although the mother of one and wife to a loving and supportive husband has been facing rough seas scaling the width and breadth of the business, she admits to making enough money to keep her rapidly expanding shop open.
She also anticipates returning to school to pursue a doctorate in education.
