Chris Makau: 13 years on, entrepreneur in Kenya Still Smiling, Still Believing

Interview with Chris Makau: Still Smiling, Still Believing

I first met Chris Makau back in 2013, when I interviewed him for my blog after his involvement with TEDxKibera in Nairobi’s Kibera community. Thirteen years later, we reconnected to talk about his life, his new business, and his hopes for the future.  I interviewed him for my blog as per here and online here.

Starting Again: “Unemployed and Still Smiling”

Richard: Please introduce yourself and your businesses.

Chris: My name is Chris Makau, I’m 35 years old, a father of two, unemployed, and still smiling, believing in a better tomorrow. I recently started a car and motorbike washing business in Kenya.

A Business Born Out of Survival

Richard: Where did you get the idea for this business from?

Chris: The business idea was born out of survival and my employment status. I have three kids who need my support. I needed something I could build with my own hands and energy, not just wait for a job that might never come.

Lessons from a Lost Logistics Business

Richard: You’ve been involved in other businesses in the past, like logistics. Tell us more about that story and what lessons you learned—what went right and wrong.

Chris: My last logistics business was taken over by my initial partner, who had the money to invest in the idea. The business was to provide courier services around Nairobi. We needed a motorbike and a box for carrying parcels. That’s how the business started, but eventually it turned into a sourcing company and I became an employee in what was originally my own idea. After three months, I was terminated.

The big lessons for me were clear: find people who can invest in the business while you action the idea, know your value, and stick to the plan. If you don’t know your value, it’s easy to lose control of what you’ve created.

Building a New Business with Broken Tools

Richard: What have been and are the main challenges to your current business?

Chris: The good news is that my business has started, which is a plus. But I’ve encountered new challenges. The washing machine we use for the bike-wash side of the business is spoiled, and it needs a lot of money to be fixed. “Cheap is expensive,” as they say.

Weather is also a challenge. When it’s raining, there’s almost no cash flow. It’s difficult, but difficult is good because it forces me to think of possible solutions and not just give up.

The Numbers: Low Volume, High Determination

Richard: Can you share a bit about the finances? Your major costs, and do you have a sense of what would be a good daily, weekly, or monthly income?

Chris: Right now we are doing two to three motorbikes a day, totaling about 250 a day. That’s low, and one of the reasons is the washing machine not functioning properly. Once the machine is sorted, I’m confident sales will increase.

Our major costs at the moment are water and electricity. With a working machine and better marketing, I believe we can build a stable daily income that can support my family and allow the business to grow.

Getting the Word Out from the Ground Up

Richard: Moving onto marketing, how do you get the word out so that people who might be interested get to know about your services?

Chris: For now, marketing is very basic. We rely on word of mouth and referrals from our small group of existing customers. It’s simple, but it works to some extent.

We plan to add signage, posters, and brochures to reach more people. Once we have proper tools and a stable operation, we can be more confident promoting ourselves widely.

Tapping Nearby B&Bs and New Revenue Streams

Richard: You mentioned offering services to nearby B&Bs like carpet cleaning. Do you think this can become a good revenue source?

Chris: Yes, I do. There are B&Bs nearby that can offer us carpet cleaning work. If we do good advertising and marketing, this can be a strong extra revenue stream. It’s not just about washing bikes; it’s about using the skills and equipment we have to provide more services that people need.

Starting a Business in Kenya: Simple, But Not Cheap

Richard: How easy is it, from a formal point of view, to start a business in Kenya? Are there many bureaucratic burdens or issues with registering?

Chris: Registration of a business in Kenya is simple and direct, as long as you have the required legal documents, like a PDF of your ID and access to the government portal, and you can pay the fee. The process itself is not the problem.

The big challenge is the cost. For a start-up, the fee for a limited company—between 10,000 and 30,000 Kenyan shillings—is a lot of money. When you are struggling just to pay for food and basic needs, that kind of fee is a big barrier.

The Long Shadow of TED and TEDx

Richard: When I interviewed you 13 years ago, you had recently appeared in a TED Talk. Looking back at that time in your life, was it something that impacted you? If so, in what way?

Chris: Thirteen years ago, when we did the interview and I had done the TEDx talk, one of the biggest impacts was our interview itself. It created a connection between me and you that lasted until today.

I had a lot of expectations when I did the TED talk. My dream was to attend one of the main TED events, and I still believe one day I will, and I will share my story with the world so people can understand Kibera’s story. That dream is still alive.

What Chris Would Do If Things Went Right

Richard: If things were going well and you got a bit of money together, what are the first things you'd do with it?

Chris: If things go well and I start earning, the first thing is to be more present in my children’s lives financially. I want to be a father who can provide for them, not just in words but in real support.

I also want to mentor more entrepreneurs by creating a program for children in schools, to mentor them and show them that they can build something even if they start with very little. I know what it’s like to grow up with limited options, and I want to help change that for the next generation.

How People Can Help

Richard: If someone listening to this, reading this, wanted to help you, what would be ways that they could?

Chris: Anyone listening to this, kindly consider investing in my business idea. Support me to get a new machine and all the necessary tools to make the business work properly. If you reach out to Richard or to me, I will share my business proposal and we can discuss more.

By investing in me, you’re not just helping one person. You’re investing in future entrepreneurs in Kenya and giving me a real chance to be a father to my children.

Getting in Touch

Richard: How can people get in touch with you if they want to ask more questions or want to list their events on your site or support you?

Chris: If people want to know more or ask questions, they can get in touch with me via WhatsApp on +254 726 089 305, and also through you, Richard. I’m open to conversations, advice, and partnership, not just money.

A Personal Story of Loss and Hope -Opportunities Around Kibera for Those with Capital

Richard: What sort of opportunities do you see around for people with access to capital? For example 5,000, 10,000, 15,000 or 25,000 euros or dollars?

Chris: With such amounts of money, there are many opportunities here. For example, second-hand kids’ clothes from 1 to 13 years old, car washes, provision of spare parts for motorbikes, courier services, and many more.

The opportunities are here; what is often missing is the capital, the equipment, and the trust to back people like me who are ready to work hard but don’t have savings or collateral.

A Final Word from Chris

Chris’s story is one of resilience: from a promising TEDx appearance and a lost logistics venture, to starting again with a struggling bike-wash and cleaning business, while carrying the pain of being separated from his children.

He is still smiling. He still believes in a better tomorrow—not just for himself, but for his kids, for young entrepreneurs in his community, and for Kibera.

If you’d like to reach out to Chris, discuss his business proposal, or explore ways to support him, you can contact him via WhatsApp on +254 726 089 305, or through me. Richard Lucas