By Emmanuel Mwendwa

Few people can dare sell a lucrative business, to invest in a venture one knows little about. But that was the gamble Khalid Njiraini took.

Between 1990 and 1992, he was proprietor of Sahara City restaurant, on Mombasa road, Nairobi, where he made major strides in the city’s showbiz scene.

"During that time the most memorable milestones we achieved was introducing Campus Nights targeting university students. Overnight, numerous entertainment spots picked the concept," says Njiraini.

As the business flourished, Njiraini did not rest on his laurels due to growing competition. To stay ahead of the pack, he introduced yet another riveting concept: Mr and Miss Campus pageant.

"For any business to remain competitive, it is important to constantly infuse new ideas," he says.

For an entrepreneur who is restless and often in search of challenging pursuits, it did not take long before Njiraini cast his sights beyond Nairobi.

"I was approached with an irresistible offer for a potentially lucrative venture in the Kisumu, which I took up," he says.
In 1992, Njiraini plunged into the unknown in Kisumu to operate a new hotel — Club Royale.

Unknown to the entrepreneur, Club Royale was his big break because it augmented his experience in showbiz.

He recalls co-ordinating and organising many entertainment events. These ranged from musical concerts to beauty pageants and arm-wrestling contests.

But in 2000 he decided to diversify his business interests.

Njiraini sold his stake in Club Royale and moved to the Coast. He used his savings to establish Shaka Zulu Investments, a import and export trading firm.

For the self-made entrepreneur, curving a niche in the competitive sector has not been an easy feat.

"It took patience to break even in the sector because of the intense competition from established players," he says.

Counterfeit goods

His observation about the industry is that there many importers, bent on flooding the market with counterfeit goods, at the expense of consumers.

"Counterfeits tend to confound gullible consumers unable to distinguish between genuine and quality products," he says.

Curiously perhaps, Njiraini’s entrepreneurial acumen first came to light while still in high school. "I used to sell music cassettes to matatu operators,"he recalls.

His advice to budding entrepreneurs: "It is crucial to research on the business you want to invest in, then work with a business plan. All it takes is patience, dedication and strategy," he says.

"There are many challenges in business but quality customer service and financial discipline will keep any venture going," he says.