Here is the story of the man and women behind Big Fish, your favorite fish vendors

GROOMING PEOPLE IS HER BUSINESS

Mukami Mungai

John Wooden an American basketball player and coach nicknamed ‘the wizard of Westwood’ once said “things work out best for those who make the best of how things work out”. This is a quote that best describes Agnes Gathoni the proprietor of Milele salon and barber, a chain of beauty parlors specializing in hair cuts, waxing, braiding, and massage and weaving.

Born in Kiambu, Gathoni’s family relocated to Nyandarua where she grew up playing with her seven sisters and two brothers. Her parents upheld the importance of education and supported her through her studies in Nyandarua Primary School, Mary hill Girls High School and eventually Kenyatta University. Her father wanted her to take a teaching course considering the high esteem teachers were held then. But Gathoni toyed with the idea to study law as she had a behavior of arguing and debating with her siblings. But as fate would have it, she took a course in a business management.

This change of heart would see her use her skills and knowledge to further herself at work. She worked as an intern with the People newspaper in the sales department for a short stint before she got a job as a manager overseeing a cyber café, computer college, and salon and barber shop business. Gathoni developed an interest in the grooming business and used the opportunity to horn her skills in business management and customer service. After one year; she surprised many by quitting the job. She was leaving the safety net of her day job to start her own business. She stayed out of work for one year studying and analyzing the new market trends in the beauty industry.

With little capital she set up her first hair salon in Embakasi with four members of staff. During this time, Gathoni worked very closely with colleges that train people on beauty courses with the idea of absorbing them in her salon for internship.” there were so many people who had gone through college and failed to secure employment because they did not have the expertise required. Thus I felt the need to register them in my salon. Work for a few months, gain experience and then go out and look for jobs”, she said.

She also despised the idea of salon owners poaching workers amongst themselves creating unhealthy relationships and curtailing business. As her business was quickly growing and the demand for her to look for another place to set up business, a person told her of a salon that was been sold in Hurlingham.seeing an opportunity for business, Gathoni bought the salon, renovated it and started operating. The two salons have seen her expand her business to three more locations; Karen, South B Oddysy and South B Gate.

With a workforce of one hundred and fifteen, Gathoni is happy that she is creating employment and improving the livelihood of Kenyans. “It gives me great satisfaction to see that am contributing to the changing lives of a few Kenyans” she quips.

She serves a clientele of adults and children. Some of her clients even fly in from Kampala, Juba and Mombasa.” my business belief is putting the customer first. My clients get good service and even give positive feedback.”

Gathoni, who drives around all her businesses everyday to oversee the operations, says that apart from making sure the customer is satisfied, she has invested in conducting in-house training for her employees to impart additional skills like good customer relatations.”An employee needs to be all rounded. The beauty industry is highly competitive and customers are seeking for services equal to their money. For you to retain such a customer there is need to ensure that the employee is able to talk to him or her properly, show etiquette and offer the best service, “she says.

Gathoni was the first salon owner to introduce the hair replacement service given to ladies who have lost their hair due to sickness or natural causes.”I saw great demand arising from the fact that many of my customers were losing hair and felt ashamed of their looks. So I researched and found ways in which I could replace the lost hair. “She says.

As many who own massage parlors would complain of sexual harassment especially from male clients, Gathoni says that no such case has been reported in her business. “We have a Milele culture amongst all employees.I ensure discipline first and the employees have to dress formally. This will deter such occurrences.” she asserts.

She upholds the values of teamwork, leadership, respect and attributes consistency, self-sacrifice and hard work as recipe for success. As she walks round the office, one can notice the easy and calm way that she interacts with her clients and employees.

She says that high cost of power and insecurity are the major setbacks for her business. The salon is involved in giving back to the community. It has visited different children’s homes and donated foodstuffs and also spent time with the children.

Gathoni a mother of two is a role model for modern day woman. She advices women to dream big, have a vision and study hard. “A woman with education will conquer anything she wants to. Parents should also listen and support the desires of their children, “she adds. Her future dream is to see her business expand internationally. She quotes Thomas Watson, the American industrialist who said’ “to be successful you have to have your heart in your business and your business in your heart.”