Campus Confessions: My mitumba business made me unpopular in school, but it made me a good businesswoman

I've always dreamed of being a businesswoman. When I started university, my primary goal was to focus on getting my degree.

However, in my second year I decided to move off campus to enjoy more independence.

Living off-campus brought with it a host of new responsibilities that required me to find a way to support myself financially.

I initially considered making and selling bracelets, but the process was too time-consuming and disrupted my studies. So I switched to selling clothes to my fellow students.

I used my pocket money savings to buy a small stock of clothes to start with. Without a physical shop, I went door to door in student hostels, offering my items directly. 

It wasn't easy. Many times I knocked on doors only to be ignored. One memorable experience happened on a rainy day when I was determined to make sales despite the drizzle.

As I knocked on a door, the light rain turned into a heavy downpour. With nowhere to hide, I was completely soaked before I found shelter. It was a humbling and challenging experience, but it strengthened my resolve to carry on no matter what the circumstances.

On other days, students would try on several outfits but decide not to buy anything. It was discouraging at times, but I refused to let it stop me.

Through persistence, I managed to earn up to Sh1,500 from my sales, which helped me to cover some of my expenses and reduce my dependence on my parents.

This taught me an invaluable lesson: patience is key in business. If I had given up, I would have remained financially dependent throughout university.

Today, I am still in business part-time, selling clothes. The skills and lessons I learned during my early days at university continue to guide me, proving that persistence and adaptability can turn even the smallest ventures into meaningful opportunities.

As told by Beatrice Kamau.