Chebet was working as an economist at the World Bank. Yet, she had a gnawing inside that she wanted more impact. So, she did the “unthinkable” and resigned. This was in 2012 when the stirring in her heart became unbearable. In her immediate circle, people stared and talked in hushed tones. With a belief in herself and a powerful stride though, Chebet started her journey. She had dabbled in entrepreneurship while studying Economics and French at university. But this time around she wanted to be a game-changer, create jobs, and tell the African story in the most creative forms of expression. She wanted to showcase Africa to the world. She had the vision to build the best premium luxury lifestyle brand in fashion, travel and cultural storytelling out of Africa.
Chebet needed first to remember her childhood dreams. She remembered how creative she was, and the vow she made to herself that one day she would be famous. One day she would create art that was beautiful and worth noting. She first started designing and making c clothes. For six months, she made African clothes that she sold to her friends. Her first month was slow, and the learning curve steep. It was a manageable start, with minimum capital and workers which kept her overheads low. After six months though the fit was not perfect. One time as she travelled to buy materials, she purchased bags and in one week, all the pieces sold out.
Chebet was excited. She realized that she could make high-end bags and sell them. But she had never made bags before and she did not know how to make them. “Nothing is easy,” Chebet told herself. WazaWazi was born then, with little skill and a silent determination.
WazaWazi is a Kiswahili term meaning ‘open-mindedness’. “I wanted my brand to be all-inclusive and diverse, not leaving anyone out. People need to be open-minded”, she said, urging that it is the only way people get along with life. “When you close your mind up, you close it to the endless possibilities.” And she was not going to do that for her brand. WazaWazi is also a dedication to African Women. It’s a celebration of all the hard work they put into their lives, ‘families, homes and businesses.
Of Friends and Bags
Kittony was her first bag. Chebet named it after her friend Caroline Kittony, who bought the bag even though it was not perfect. Kittony’s confidence in her gave Chebet the ability to try again and do bigger and better.
Her most famous creation was named after Amina Mohamed, a Kenyan lawyer, diplomat, and politician. She currently serves as the Cabinet Secretary for Sports. Why Amina? Because Chebet had struggled with her vision and her dream. She had been worried that she was making a mistake. On more nights than she can count, fear had the best of her. Her friend Amina reminded Chebet constantly that she could do it. That nothing was stopping her from achieving her dreams other than herself. Chebet has always admired Amina. She finds her the most hardworking human being on this planet. Amina is a bag worth its grain of salt. A bag that screams “successful, inspiring, virtuous, and hardworking”. A bag that can be worn to the office. Rumour has it that when you are going for a meeting or a big negotiation, and you carry the Amina, then you’re sure to win. Chebet wanted the world to know that in Africa we are industrious. We do not shy away from hard work. We are geared towards sustainability and growth.
After Amina, it was time to get a proper production workshop. People were curious about Wazawazi and the orders were streaming in. Chebet heard about the Jamhuri Showground in Nairobi, where she could access affordable space to manufacture her bags. Within a few months, she had moved her office and production line to a warehouse there. Then she came up with a second and third creation of bags with different personalities. Her second bag was named Ciru after a friend she met online. Ciru had expressed interest in the Amina bag, and somehow, the two became very good friends. Ciru believed in Chebet and supported her in all the ways that she could. When life seemed to be falling apart, Ciru was there. Ciru depicts a loyal, solid friend.
Chebet’s third creation is the popular Inga, named after her gay friend. Inga is bold, loves people and has never cared about what people say or think about her. Dramatic and flamboyant, Inga always lets ill-intentioned comments slide. She never holds anything to heart. Good-hearted and spirited, Inga is the life of the party. Inga is a bag that says, “We work hard, but we also take time to play, enjoy life and all its pleasures”. Today, besides ladies’ bags and clutches, Wazawazi has expanded its collection. The leather items are all named after friends. They include laptop bags, belts, cardholders, wallets and the popular Mwende backpack.
All About Fame and Dust
For the 36-year-old mother of three, it took her seven years to build her a brand. All along she made the decision, again and again, to keep trying. To keep moving. To keep telling the story of modern-day Africa to the world. And this through her creative, wearable art pieces. In the early days, she sold off her most prized possessions and sought financial assistance from friends. This became unsustainable throughout the years as she faced challenges with raising capital, a story similar to most entrepreneurs in Kenya today. As she rose to fame, Chebet discovered the tricks of the trade: resilience, surrounding yourself with a team that is ready to face the storms that affect small businesses, and a strong and unwavering belief in yourself. She has also found and built a loyal community of long-term customers. They believe in her brand and consistently supports the brand in various capacities.
About regrets, she has many but who does not? And when she is overwhelmed, she takes a minute or two to recharge and try again the next day. When she is not trying to change the world one bag at a time, Chebet is playing with her kids and instilling virtues of honesty and discipline in them. To date, her greatest asset has been her workforce, and she gladly admits that they are the pillars of the company, and without them, she has no production.
As the world fights the covid-19 pandemic, Chebet thrives to ease the anxiety among her staff. They are dealing with stress and uncertainty at the prospect of losing their jobs should the company be unable to keep the lights on. There’s also the threat of exposure to the virus because they must physically show up at work. With her team, Chebet has dedicated her time to planning and organized several classes to help everybody deal with anxiety and evolve.
And her plan for the next seven years? To become a full e-commerce brand that is driven by data insights. “We want to become scientific about all the decisions we make within the business from design to production and sales,” she concludes.
Photos: Wazawazi
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