My name is Caroline Wanjiru, and I am the founder of Treca Hardware and Electricals, located along Dagoretti Road on your way to Kamangu. I started this business in 2014 with a vision to supply quality building materials to meet the growing demand for construction supplies in my community. At Treca Hardware, we provide everything from sand, ballast, stones, and cement to paints, plumbing materials, and equipment for ‘fundis’ (construction workers).

What I love most about my business is the fulfillment I get from being part of my customers’ journey as they build their homes and projects. Seeing a customer happy when their project is completed gives me great satisfaction. Over the years, I’ve built a loyal customer base and established a reputation for reliability and quality.

However, one of the biggest hurdles I face is dealing with customers who request materials on credit but delay payments. By the time they finish their projects, they still owe me money, which affects my cash flow. Another challenge is funding. Occasionally, customers place large orders worth hundreds of thousands of shillings, but my limited capital makes it hard to meet these demands promptly.

Attending the Jiinue Growth Program has been a wonderful experience for me. Before the training, I rarely kept proper business records. Sales, expenses, and cash flow were not tracked consistently, which made it difficult to plan or analyze my business performance. Through Jiinue, I learned the importance of record keeping, which is now going to help me track my finances better. I’ve also gained insights into cash flow management, which has opened my eyes to ways of maintaining financial discipline and ensuring the sustainability of my business.

With these new skills, I feel more confident in addressing my business challenges. I plan to keep proper records of sales and expenses to understand my cash flow and identify areas for improvement. Additionally, I am hopeful that with support from the Jiinue Growth Program, I can secure funding to expand my business operations, stock more materials, and upgrade my storage facilities.

My dream is to see Treca Hardware and Electricals grow into one of the leading hardware stores in the region, empowering more construction works and contractors by providing affordable and high-quality materials. I am grateful to KEPSA for this training, which has equipped me with the tools I need to take my business to the next level.

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