Suzie Wokabi (34) is the founder and Executive Director SuzieBeauty the Kenya Limited. Although she holds a degree in international relations from the University (USIU) International in San Diego United States, crushed Wokabi the world of the company to pursue a career in the beauty industry. Regina ekiru sat with Suzie Wokabi to talk about his company and build a business in the Kenya.
Suzie WokabiHow did you start to SuzieBeauty Limited?
While in the United States, I worked as a freelance make-up artist with major manufacturers of cosmetics MAC Cosmetics. It is in this passage to MAC that I started to play with the idea of starting my own line of cosmetics. When I returned to the Kenya, in 2007, I started SuzieBeauty Limited, which offers add-on services to a range of clients. Later, I developed my mark SB, abbreviation for SuzieBeauty product line. I realized that most of the products quality available on the market are unaffordable to most Kenyans. I wanted to develop a range of products that offers a quality at an affordable price.
Tell us more about your line of cosmetics
The SB product range consists of a full range of make-up (foundations, powders, receivers, eye shadow, eye liner, mascara, blush, lipstick, lip gloss, lip liner), care products (film forming, cream, cleanser eye, lip of moisture) and brushes of application of the skin. We use the SB product range in all our services during the past year contracts. Our intention was to try on our customers and get their feedback to help us improve the product. Until now, we are confident that the product is good quality based on feedback from our customers.
The beauty in the Kenya market, which is estimated at a value of Ksh.15 billion ($185 million), is flooded with mainly foreign products. My research shows that the development of products to meet our specific needs of the market has the potential to become a large and profitable business. The beauty industry is heavily untapped considering the lengths people go to buy beauty products. There are women who would abandon the purchase of food for their family just to buy a red lipstick. The beauty is one of the industries which are not affected by the recession. Apart from that, the beauty is my number one passion.
Are you ready to hit the market?
A few months, the range of products will be available for sale in selected beauty stores. Products will be at retail for between Ksh.600 (US$ 7.4) and Ksh.2, 500 ($30.8). It is a project of intensive acquisition. I will not go how I spent, but to launch a product line to the Kenya, it would need at least Ksh.20 million dollars ($ 246,000). We have to assemble all the raw materials from abroad and use chemists y for testing and formulation products after which we import ready-made products. It would be very expensive to manufacture of Kenya, since we are not here most of the equipment and essential facilities.
What lessons were learned on entrepreneurship?
I have learned to be patient. It took considerable time to undertake research and develop the range of products. I've learned to never say die. I met people thought I was crazy to imagine a project like this, but the passion that I guard going me. I never stopped believing in my dreams.
What are your plans for the future for the company?
I would like to associate with other investors in the establishment of a cosmetics factory in the Kenya. This would cost about $ 2 million. Such a plant would create jobs for hundreds of young people in the Kenya. Over the next three years, we expand our range of products in other countries in the Africa region of the East and the whole of Africa later. My dream is to turn SuzieBeauty Limited to a name of household for beauty on the continent and abroad. I want to be the MAC of Africa!
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