[Startup Interview]: Samuel Mugweru, Chairperson, E-Preneurs, Kenya

Samuel Mugweru is the Chairperson of E-Preneurs Sacco Limited, a startup that brings online entrepreneurs together and trains them on how they can leverage existing online opportunities.

Would you please introduce your company?

E-Preneurs Sacco Ltd is an officially registered social enterprise or what we commonly refer to as a SACCO in Kenya. We bring existing and interested online entrepreneurs together, train and help them leverage online entrepreneurship. More to it we offer financial solutions by encouraging savings and offer loans to help them grow their online ventures.

What would you say gives your company the competitive edge?

Saccos are formed to help members pursue a common economic agenda. With over 22,000 registered Saccos in Kenya, we are the first and only SACCO in Kenya focusing on online entrepreneurship. We train support, network as well as finance as many as possible willing entrepreneurs on this lucrative and promising form of entrepreneurship which is the trend all over the world. We see a very big opportunity in helping our youths embrace the same and curb perturbing issue of unemployment.

Who are your clients?

 Any Kenyan 18yrs and above interested in profitable modern-day entrepreneurship.

What are the ambitions of the company going forward?

To be a life-changing social entity by advocating, supporting and financing online entrepreneurship thus creating the much-needed jobs in the country. We want to make it possible for Omondi who owns a furniture making shop to be able to advertise and sell his wares online, we want to help Wanjiku the Baker sell her cakes more efficiently online without people calling her a Scam, we want to help Nick advertise, market and deliver that Oppo F9 Consignment he ordered from the manufacturer in China without necessarily having a physical store.

How has the market responded to your services? Why do you think that is so? 

For the 1yr that we have been in business, the market is really warming up for us based on the members who have so far joined us as well as the tons of inquiries and questions we get. Many people are willing to join into the online business and are looking for genuine institutions like e-Preneurs Sacco Ltd to train and hold their hand as they seek to embrace the digital revolution. The cost of starting an online business is quite low compared to the traditional brick and mortar so people are eager to learn and put in practice what we train on.

Nowadays there are many financial service providers or SACCOS coming up. Therefore, it is challenging for consumers to choose the best amongst them. What makes you stand out?

Big names Saccos in Kenya were formed in the 1970’s. Millennial find it hard to see which common vision they have with such Saccos apart from acquiring loans and savings, no common economic agenda to pursue together as members.  Our Sacco is perfectly structured for the millennials. Millennials are digital and so are their businesses. Online entrepreneurship is their ‘gold rush’, it is their ‘prime land’ it is definitely their big thing. This is our strong selling point. We perfectly understand what will catapult millennials forward and we are continuously creating solutions to enhance exponential growth on the same.

We have no doubt that if we had the financial muscles to carry out a robust advertising, marketing and training like mainstream Saccos do, many young people would find us as the Sacco to join today.

Young people are spending most of their time working online. How do you identify the right people to work with and what criteria do you use to decide on who you will work with?

As more and more people embrace online jobs and entrepreneurship the pie keeps getting bigger for each one of us. The right people to join us are the ones who foresee the bigger picture of online marketplace and customer base and are ready to work tirelessly together to make it happen sooner than later. We focus on bringing in members who are ready to work individually and collectively to grow their online businesses big enough, post excellent profits and employ many others down the line.

What are some of the benefits of using your services?

Our services help in nurturing all members with or without prior knowledge of online entrepreneurship. Our training inspires and assists you to embrace online entrepreneurship. At the same time, we help you network with like-minded modern entrepreneurs who you can turn into your worthwhile clients depending on goods or services that you are selling as we have witnessed happening among our members.

In online entrepreneurship, skills and not capital is what dictates the profit you will make. It is even possible to be running an online shop with no inventory (stock). Online entrepreneurship only calls for the very minimum capital and provides maximum returns when the right skills and opportunities are utilized. The training that we offer when put into practice ensures maximum return on investment which keeps the members businesses growing and in return encourage other members to join us.

What is the latest news from your company?

In August we participated in Mama-Care Event- Kiambu County an event organized by Woman rep Kiambu County Hon. Gathoni Muchomba. The event focused on empowering women and the youths by showcasing products manufactured in Kiambu county as well as services. We stood out as an innovative entity helping young people kickstart their entrepreneurship dreams with very minimal capital.

If all goes well by the end of the year we are hopeful we will be able to secure funding to help reach, recruit and train many youths on this noble course.

www.epreneurssacco.co.ke

 

Africa Business Communities is conducting a series of interviews with startup businesses in Africa.

Are you a startup in Africa and interested in an interview? Great! Send an e-mail to bas@africabusinesscommunities.com