“It began as a keen attraction to the arts, colour and decoration of houses and other architectural structures,” says the 29-year-old Rodgers Ndoli Amadala of his beginnings. “I trained in Building and Civil Engineering at the Kenya Polytechnic and after graduating with a diploma in 2007, I discovered finding a job was not going to be easy,” says the owner of Mycur Enterprises, a company dealing in construction and interior design. His turned to his first love, art, as the initial occupation. The following year he had a collection from which he personally handed a portrait to Kofi Annan at the Hotel Intercontinental.
Rodgers was later employed by a company specializing in flooring and interior design. He worked there for six months before leaving for another construction company. “It was at this time that I began seriously evaluating my capabilities,” he says. “I was given the position of a site manager for a construction project worth Ksh 13.1 million,” he says. One look at the bill of quantities got the wheels of business turning in his head. The total expenses for completing the project could not go beyond Ksh 4 million, he discovered, meaning the contractor made a cool Ksh 9 million.
Moreover, his management abilities got a boost. “I earned Ksh 22,000 as salary working from dawn to dusk but when I managed to build the entire structure from scratch, and connected well with workers and suppliers, I realized I could be able to venture out on my own.” He quit employment at the completion of the project which lasted three months. Setting out on his own wasn’t easy either, as he soon discovered. Lacking substantial savings to bank on, his only assets were his technical skills, a handful of experience and confidence.
“I managed to convince a client to handle the interior design and finishing of his office complex in Upperhill,” he says about one of his opening tasks. “It was a project worth Ksh 14 million and at first I was not that confident. I had to call my former colleagues and ask them about a thing or two,” he admits. His next major assignment took him to Nyari Estate where he was tasked with designing the interior works of a high-end maisonette. That too turned out well and he even got chain client references in his favour.
The National Construction Authority registered his company, Mycur Enterprises, under the Class V rating. This means he is licensed to undertake construction projects valued at between Ksh 50m to 300 million. It sounds like a lot of money in capital investments and would scare any start up entrepreneur but Rodgers of knows better. This technically means his company can undertake such projects provided they have the capacity to lease the equipment and source funding to match the magnitude of the project.
“I’ve never gone to ask for a job or contract,” he enthuses “my work assignments have been based purely on references.” Rodgers cannot recall any jobs he undertook that were not as a result of one client recommending him to the next. He also says he maintains a policy of always picking his phone calls.
But being too trusting has taught him a few lessons. “It has taught me that whenever I embark on a task, I should always get the contract written down,” he says. “Other upcoming entrepreneurs should always be wary of ‘gentleman’s contracts’ because when things go wrong the liability and losses often lay on the side of the entrepreneur,” he discloses. “My next milestone is focusing on corporate clients,” he says “that way things will move away from personal risks and become more official.”
Rodgers’ company deals majorly in tiling, ceiling, plumbing, wood finishes as well as cabling and installation of security systems. “I also plan to venture into cabro-paved roads,” he says “most of these are service roads and I’m confident I can comfortably handle them,” says the young businessman who reads lots of Dr. Myles Monroe’s literature.
His current business location is along Muindi Mbingu Street and he feels he can do better. “I keep thinking on multiplying what I have,” he says “finding the best deals and broadening my scope. However, my confidence increases when clients recognize my work. I get the feeling that there are still good people out there who recognize a job well done.” To other budding entrepreneurs he says: “The impossible is possible; potential is what you have not done, it requires tapping. And the first person who defeats you is you.”
SOURCE; careerpointkenya.co.ke
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