I was born as the 37th child in a very humble family. I didn’t own a pair of shoes until I was in Senior Two. One day, I came across a torn, discarded pair of leather shoes with a broken sole and I saw an opportunity.
I repaired them using materials I improvised myself, and that’s how I started fixing shoes for my fellow students. That small act became my first business.
Later, I trained as a teacher, but I continued repairing shoes even as I looked for stable employment. Eventually, I got a procurement role, which exposed me to supply chains and gave me the idea to manufacture shoes on a larger scale.
As my business grew, I faced many challenges, from scammers, difficult customers, and operational struggles. My turning point came when I joined the Stanbic Business Incubator Programme implemented by Enterprise Uganda, and later attended the Entrepreneurship Training Workshop (ETW).
Through these trainings, I learned how to expand my network, develop new products, manage staff decisively, identify markets, create a five-year business plan, and keep proper books of accounts for the first time.
I have since won business grants and expanded my operations significantly.
The greatest investment I made in my business was training, it gave me the confidence to expand, compete, and win.