How Covid-19 pandemic turned into a blessing in disguise for a graduate

Pauline Waithira Njuguna, a Business Information Technology graduate, was doing well in her motorbike spare parts shop in Isiolo town until the Covid-19 pandemic hit the country in 2020.

Several months after the first Covid-19 case was reported in Kenya, her profitable business struggled to stay afloat.

“I used to earn up to Sh30,000 a month but sales drastically dipped making the business unable to sustain itself,” she recalls.

The pandemic saw schools shut down and a curfew imposed to curb the spread of the deadly virus which had far-reaching implications on the economy, exposing millions of small-scale traders to inexplicable suffering.

A reduction in customers saw Pauline spend most of her daytime idle, forcing her to find a hobby to keep herself busy.

“I reached out to a friend who used to bake cakes in October 2020 and she taught me baking and pastry basics in three days. The Sh25,000 I had saved helped me secure an oven,” she says.

The mother of two started by baking cakes for home consumption and within two months, she commercialised the business following pressure from her friends.

“I used to share bites with friends to know how I was faring and in January 2021, one of them gave me an order which I never knew would be my turning point,” Pauline notes, adding that the hassle of redoing the cake twice paid off as the client was impressed with the product.

From that one cake, Pauline started receiving orders across Isiolo County, and within a short time, her products became increasingly popular at local weddings, birthdays, and corporate events, giving birth to Peclets Bakers.

A baking course, the 34-year-old revealed, further improved her skill of putting art into the cakes and carving a niche in traditional designs such as baskets and pots.

Pauline Waithira during a recent event at a popular hotel in Isiolo. (Photo: Pauline Waithira)

“To remain competitive in business, you must be creative and innovative and that is why I invested in more training to come up with unique designs and luscious cakes that clients will be happy with,” Pauline tells The Eastleigh Voice.

Digital platforms

In the wake of the Covid-19 lockdown, she leveraged digital platforms to showcase and sell her products in the neighbouring counties of Marsabit, Samburu, Meru, Laikipia, and Nyeri.

“I used to call every client after the event was over to know if they were impressed and, if not, I had to apologise for letting them down. That is how I got accurate feedback on the areas to improve on. Feedback has helped us improve the quality of our products,” she says.

Her cheapest cake at the time went for Sh1,000, and Pauline says she made over Sh30,000 in a month, which was enough to support her struggling spare parts business and take care of her other needs.

With a shop in Mukuu on Isiolo-Kulamawe-Kambi ya Juu Road in Bulapesa ward, Peclet Bakers’ creativity has earned them a reputation as top bakers in the region and recently rebranded to Peclet Bakers and Events to cover event management.

“We started event planning in January this year and manage various events including private parties, corporate events, seminars, weddings, picnics, baby and bridal showers,” Pauline, who recently pursued a short course in event planning, says.

A view of Pauline Waithira's decor during a recent birthday party. (Photo: Pauline Waithira)

Birthdays are her cheapest events and cost as low as Sh15,000, with the price of other events determined by client specifications. She makes an average of Sh60,000 monthly from events management.

To make the best out of every event, Pauline explains, one must invest heavily in planning, be specific on what one wants to achieve, understand clients’ interests, preferences, and expectations, identify potential risks, and have plans to mitigate them.

“You must also be knowledgeable about current trends and leverage on social media platforms to market and promote your events to reach out to prospective clients,” she says, citing problem-solving, communication, and creativity among the skills that one must possess.

Peclet Bakers and Events has employed eight people, the majority of them being young people.

“We have in the last two years trained 20 youths on baking and they have started their shops across the county which are doing very well,” she notes.

Pauline says she does not regret venturing into business but says that entrepreneurship is not for the faint-hearted.

“Don’t quit a formal job to start a business because there are times it will perform well and when it will struggle and that is part of life,” she says.

She implores young people not to concentrate on formal jobs but also take advantage of the opportunities in the informal sector.