Turning paper into a cash cow

Some time back in 2007, Benjamin Wairegi - then a second year student at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology was terribly broke.

He thought of all possible means to earn some cash before it occurred to him that he could actually earn a living from making cards.

Wairegi and his roommate borrowed Sh1,300 from their friends and took the first step of what would be a thriving business-four years on.

"Graduation time was nearing, in fact, two graduations were taking place that weekend. My roommate and I decided to borrow some cash from friends, buy paper and make graduation cards for sale," recalls Wairegi.

That night, the two young men did not sleep a wink. Together, they made 50 cards overnight and sold each for Sh100.

Offers Wairegi: "We made the Sh1,300 on the first day of the graduation and another Sh1,300 on the second day," Wairegi says.

"We paid back the loan from our friends and even pocketed some profits too."

As a young boy, Wairegi, who describes himself as naturally artistic, was fascinated by drawing, sketching and would keenly watch his artistic uncle make replicas of newspaper cartoons.

But his specification for cards came after a certain lady in campus sold him a really nice hand-made card.

"I bought a hand-made card and got very interested in that art. I wanted to know how I could make something similar just for myself," he says.

After graduating with a Bsc in Mathematics and Computer Science, Wairegi decided to go deeper into the business.

With no capital or equipment, Wairegi approached a local paper dealer with a simple business plan. His idea was to simply make 10,000 cards.

Says Wairegi: "The dealer was impressed by my dreams, but he told me that I was a tad too ambitious," he says.

"He, however, gave me materials worth Sh5,000 even if he did not know me very well."

Wairegi set the ball rolling and a week later, he made 2,000 cards, which gave him Sh60,000. He paid his debt and made even more cards.

Last year, Wairegi teamed up with a business partner — Wilson Wanjohi and together, they formed an outfit, Wawili Creations in August 2010.

"Since I was also doing t-shirt designs, I met Wanjohi as I was selling my t-shirts. Wanjohi, an art lover, was impressed and amazed at what he saw," Wairegi says.

"He asked what else I was doing, and showed him my cards. It was nothing like he had seen before. There and then, we struck a business."

Unique designs

In fact, the two set up a workshop along Thika Road days after their first meeting.

Offers Wairegi: "Before I met Wanjohi, I had not taken this business very keenly. It was after our encounter that we realised the minefield that is the business of art."

Today, Wawili Creations has employed three people who do the production, and another two doing marketing. They make cards for all seasons and occasions — from weddings, thanksgiving, graduations, and birthdays among others.

But probably Wairegi’s greatest strength lies in his creativity and the uniqueness of his work. In a bid to add a different twist to his work, Wairegi decided to Africanise his cards.

"I personally love African concepts and that is why I use African detail in my work to give it a different twist, which my clients have come to appreciate."

Wairegi says his use of African beads, pendants and artwork makes the cards not only eye-catching and unique, but also a favourite among his clientele.

And barely one year later, Wawili Creations has grown to net blue chip companies among his clientele. On their list of clients include KLM, Air France, Safari Park Hotel, Hotel Intercontinental, Kenatco among others.

So how did he get to do business with such clients? "I believe there is no such thing as a self-made person. For you to succeed, you have to align yourself with the right people who will influence your path," he says.

A card by Wawili designs retails anything between Sh100 and Sh1,000, depending on the design, material used and size. While it took a whole night to make only 50 cards, several years ago, today, it takes approximately three hours to make 100 cards of the same design.

According to Wairegi, things get easier and better with the right tools. They use tools such as serrated scissors, paper shapers, punches (for designs), accessories, African beads and pendants from Maasai market, as well as locally available recycled papers.

Beatrice Kivuva, owner of Glamour Card Designs started her own card-making outfit two years ago after years of making hand-made cards for relatives and friends.

"Then, I just loved drawing. I have always done cards for friends and family. I came up with my own creative designs and soon word spread that I could make cards," offers Kivuva.

After graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from United States International University, Kivuva could not secure a job as fast as she had hoped.

Uniformity and perfection

This is when she decided to go into the card making business head on. She borrowed a loan of Sh10,000 from her mother and soon she was in business.

"I did not have a job, and being the ‘hustler’ that I am, I knew I needed to make money. I was fresh from internship, I was energised and very positive," she beams. She has never looked back since then.

Kivuva has so far employed two people who do the marketing, while she does the design and creatives.

"Sometime I do up to five samples for my clients some of who keep changing their minds every time we meet, but in the end, patience always pays," she notes.

The printing is done at a relative’s company, as it is difficult to hand write all cards due to lack of uniformity and perfection.

"I could hand write your card, but it is very difficult to do so especially for many cards - say like 300 cards," she says.

"The hand could get tired and the cards could lack the uniformity and perfection that the clients want. It is therefore better and easier to print the cards."

Kivuva mainly relies on the word of mouth, the Internet, as well as advertising on wedding magazines and on the cards to market her products.

She has also met some clients and marketed her designs by attending wedding expos.

So what are the challenges faced in this business? Both artists agree that the lack of paper is a major hurdle.

Heady pricing

"For instance, its Christmas season and most shops do not have the Red China paper, which is used to make Christmas cards," says Wairegi.

Pricing too has become hard to control. The fluctuating price of paper due to the unstable cost of importation is also a big headache.

Paper prices change every so often, that it is difficult to have a fixed price, let alone pass the cost to the consumer.

Dealing with difficult clients is also an issue, as Kivuva reveals. "There are some really difficult clients who change their preferences every so often.

This is an extra cost incurred since it means I have to spend extra on making several other samples until they are satisfied"