The success story of Eric Muthomi and Stawi foods in Kenya is quite inspiring…
Africans consume up to 40 percent of bananas produced in the world every year.
Like maize, rice and wheat, bananas are one of the most important and widely eaten food staples in East Africa. Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi are among the world’s largest producers and people in these countries eat up to 400 kilograms of bananas every year – the highest consumption rate in the world!
Despite this huge demand and market, many smallholder banana farmers in Kenya do not make enough money from their harvests due to poor storage, wastage and exploitative middlemen.
In just three years, Eric Muthomi, a 27-year old law graduate has built a successful business from solving the banana problem in Meru, his Kenyan hometown.
By thinking of a way to solve these nagging problems, Eric stumbled on an idea that is today a lucrative and successful business.
Many of us spend too much time complaining and whining about the many problems that surround us here in Africa. We are blinded by all the complaining that we often do not see the huge goldmines that lie in solving these problems.
Eric’s story shows that if you take the time to think of creative solutions to existing problems around you, it’s very likely that you will stumble on an interesting business idea.
The lesson here is simple: don’t let problems frustrate you, use them to inspire yourself!
“ I am happy when farmers come up to me and thank me for getting them a market for their product. It is such a satisfying feeling.”
While the goal of starting a business is usually to make money, touching lives and affecting people positively can be a rewarding experience which money cannot buy.
The great thing about using ‘problem-solving’ as the basis for your business idea is that it removes pain, frustration and/or suffering that already exists in people’s lives. In the case of Eric’s business, it allowed thousands of poor rural farmers to remain in business while earning more money from their banana harvests.
His business is creating jobs for Kenyans and will help to earn foreign exchange for his country when he starts exporting his ‘Stawi Natural Banana Flour’ product.
It’s always a ‘win-win’ situation when you have a business idea that can make money and help people at the same time!
Apart from the challenge of getting start up capital for his business, Eric had to scale through the long and tiring licensing requirements and approvals that are compulsory for ‘food processing’ and ‘manufacturing’ companies in Kenya (a similar experience across many African countries).
In addition to all these, he also faced the problem of inadequate and expensive power supply that seriously affects manufacturing businesses in many parts of Africa.
In the face of all these excuses (problems), Eric is now the CEO of a successful business that is changing lives in his country.
If you keep waiting for the ‘perfect time’ to start your business in Africa, that time may never come. You can either keep making excuses or start doing something with what little you already have!