HUSTLE MAG MARCH 2020 FINAL

than benefitting from the free lessons,
Simiyu says he also realized that he was
earning more money from the part time
job than what he earned from his full time
job as a gardener and housekeeper.
Seeing an opportunity, he jumped into
it and became a full time horse rider. He
says that learning a new skill is important
because it opens up many doors. They say
that the two hallmarks of entrepreneurs
are the ability to spot opportunities and
the ability to take up those opportunities
to create a profitable business.
For Simiyu, he had already spotted an
opportunity to advance his life. As such,
he couldn’t waste any opportunity to learn
the ropes of the business. From dealing
with customers to handling children,
he soon became a master of this trade.
Unknown to him, this job would be a
stepping stone to success later on.
Before long, lady luck came smiling.
Tony Achesa, the ranch owner, permanently
moved to Australia, leaving the
expansive ranch in the hands of Simiyu
and six other farm hands. The whole team
was given 20% of the business to share
equally amongst themselves.
“Predictably, conflicts erupted along the
way as most of the new directors lacked
business mien,” he says of the aftermath.
When the new directors realized that it
wasn’t easy to run such a business, they
quit, leaving Simiyu in charge of the ranch.
With the management of the whole ranch
squarely resting on his shoulders, Simiyu
learnt the ropes of the business the hard
way. First, he realized that this was a seasonal
business. It didn’t take long before
the low season came calling.
“I had depleted all the savings as I
thought the business could sustain itself
throughout the year. When the savings
dried up, I almost starved. I could barely
feed or groom the horses or the camels.
So many times, while lying on the cold
floor, I contemplated throwing in the
towel.”
However, looking at the big picture,
he says that he had to persevere as the
business was showing signs of recovering
in the long run.
To kickstart the business, he knew he
had to reinvest the little money that he
earned. He first had to adjust his lifestyle.
With a modest lifestyle, his next step
was to set targets. These included repair
of stables, buying more horses, and employing
part time workers.
Months later, his plan gradually paid
off. For the first time in his new business,
As a school drop
out, Simiyu could
have given business
a wide berth, but he
chose to learn the
ropes of business
even with his limited
formal education.
he had the money to buy an additional
horse. Unfortunately, he didn’t have the
funds nor the means to transport the
horse.
“In entrepreneurship, I knew I couldn’t
give up, that is why I rode the horse from
Thika road to Karen. It seems impossible
until it’s done.”
He repeated the fete four times after
he acquired four more horses. Luckily for
him, the camel seller offered to deliver
the animals from Garissa to Nairobi, saving
the youthful entrepreneur the agony
of transporting the huge mammals.
It has taken Simiyu 20 years to painstakingly
built a business. Here are the top
lessons that he says he’s learnt over the
years.
1. Take risks
Simiyu says he took a great risk to soldier
on with the ranch business after his
co directors deserted him. His was a high
risk venture that needed lots of money
to sustain. Even without any money to
his name, he managed to change the fortunes
of the ranch. Today, its a successful
venture that’s a source of livelihood for
more than five staff members.
2. Perseverance is everything
Simiyu had to make personal sacrifices
run the business. In the formative
years, he had to sleep on a thin matress
in one of the stables. He also struggled
to make ends meet. Despite the odds,
he overcame the challenges through
perseverance.
3. You have to be passionate about
what you do
As the old saying goes, “if you love what
you do, you won’t have to work a single
day in your life.” This rings true for Simiyu,
whose business has become a lifestyle
rather than a commercial venture.
Simiyu loves to connect with nature.
Interestingly, even after the business
picked up, he still sleeps in a tent inside
the ranch. Initially, he spent his nights at
the stables, sharing space with the horses.
It takes passion to do this.
4. Treat your staff well and it will treat
your business well
Any business is as good as its staff. Staff
members are the brand ambassadors
of a business. If they’re happy at work,
they’ll spread the joy to the customers.
When this happens, the business thrives.
Looking at Simiyu interact with his staff,
you’ll be forgiven to think that they are
family members. “I treat everyone here
like family. That way, all of us are able to
deliver the best for the business, which in
turn rewards us handsomely,” he says.
5. In business, education is important,
but not the only requirement for success
As a school drop out, Simiyu could
have given business a wide berth, but
he chose to learn the ropes of business
even with his limited formal education.
In the world of entrepreneurship, it’s not
hard to come across successful entrepreneurs
who barely went to school. Simiyu
says that education expands your mind,
enabling you to think big. While it’s an
important aspect of success in business, it
delivers nothing if it’s not combined with
some business mien. To overcome the
education deficit, Simiyu says he’s learnt
to be street smart rather than being ‘book
smart’
“With good leadership skills, you can
get the best skills from professionals
even as you remain in charge of the core
business.”
Having turned around the struggling
business and set it up for success, Simiyu
has set his sights on an expansion drive.
First, he plans to partner with an investor
to construct a big hotel on the ranch. As it
stands, visitors at the ranch have to either
carry their own food and drinks, or make
do with the open grill on site.
HUSTLE EAST AFRICA
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