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ERIC KINOTI :The Astute Entrepreneur  

Published

11 years ago

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Eric Kinoti is a young entrepreneur bent on changing the face of Africa. At only 30 years of age, he has already received premier accolades and awards and set tongues in the business world wagging. A former hotel cashier who has made it big, Eric stands as proof that any one, through tenacity and diligence, can weather odds to accomplish incredible exploits. He also demonstrates why small establishments should never be used as a justification for failing to realise one’s achievement. He chats with ESTHER AKELLO on family, his path to success, and mentoring young people to achieve their dreams.

When I landed my interview with Eric Kinoti, the current darling of the entrepreneurship world, the pressure was on. However, I soon realised it was his itinerary that should have intimidated me more. Our interview seems like a scene out of a multitasking public service announcement as he picks calls and answers my questions in between, all the while scheduling meetings without skipping a beat. After going through this for a while, we both realise we will not achieve any results and agree to reschedule the interview for later on in the day. Hectic, is the word that immediately comes to mind.

In a typical day, the 2014 Forbes magazine Top 30 under 30 most promising entrepreneur in Africa nominee sits through about eight serious meetings. His day begins at 3.30 a.m. with prayers and going through e-mails, proposals and implementation strategies. Little wonder then that he emerged from the shadows in 2012 to garner not one, but two nominations in the coveted Nation Media Group’s Business Daily newspaper Top 40 under 40 list of promising entrepreneurs in the country.

“I learnt of the Business Daily Top 40 under 40 nominations while reading the newspaper. I appreciated the acknowledgement, but when Forbes magazine came calling last year, it hit me hard that people really knew who Eric Kinoti is,” says Kinoti.

He was also awarded the OLX Social Media Awards Kenya Most Influential SME Personality 2014.

Kinoti is the brain behind Shade Systems East Africa, Bagbase Kenya, Alma Tents Ltd and Safi Sana Home Services business conglomerate. He credits his success at entrepreneurship to his upbringing. It was the only life he knew and he attributes the entrepreneur bug that bit him to his father.

“My parents had a shop in Mombasa. They never believed in employment. When I was around the age of 10, I started working with my dad in his shop. I would count the money and arrange them in stacks in the various denominations. It was he who instilled in me the desire to be independent,” recounts Kinoti.

He admits that once the bug bit him, he never looked back. He started small businesses to raise cash while in school, selling among other things, salt to his schoolmates.

“High school porridge can be bland. We tolerated it by flavouring it with salt. I saw an opportunity, grabbed it and started selling salt to my classmates by the spoonful. After my O levels, I started delivering bread to my father’s clients and would earn a shilling for every loaf I sold,” says Kinoti.

By the time Eric was starting his business, his work portfolio included working as a wholesale egg seller, porter, hotel housekeeper and hotel cashier. The first signs of a breakthrough in his various efforts came in 2009 while working as a cashier at a local hotel.

“I was working as a wholesale egg seller by day delivering to several institutions such as schools, and a hotel cashier by night. Then a client approached me asking for a delivery. This time not for eggs but tents,” says Kinoti. Kinoti did what very few would think of: delivered on his promise and went ahead to start a multi-million company, Shade Systems East Africa. The company would soon grow into a premier manufacturer of tents, tarpaulins and car park shades, among other protective solutions.

But does that mean there haven’t been times when the business failed to bring in anticipated returns? Kinoti, who describes himself as easy going, God-fearing and hardworking, admits that it was his faith in God and persistence that saw the company weather the storms.

“There have definitely been some down times. We competed for a tender in 2013 and one of the conditions was that we would not get an advance deposit to complete the project. We ended up digging deeper into our pockets by about six million shillings,” says Kinoti.

Shade Systems however would soon get back to its feet to birth his other companies.

“I was a bachelor when I started Shade Systems and did not really look forward to going to my house. I would hire a housekeeper to deal with the chores. After observing my situation, I thought of professionalising the services for people with the same need and opened Safi Sana Home Services,” quips Kinoti.

Bagbase Kenya, which deals with customised canvas bags and related items such as wallets, and Alma Tents Ltd, which hires events related materials such as chairs and décor, followed successively. Alma Tents Ltd is named after his two- year-old daughter, Alma Tamara.

Kinoti admits that while he has been a force to reckon with in the business world, it was not until late last year that he probably became a big deal following his recognition by Forbes magazine. He further catapulted himself into a household name by announcing that he was launching a Kenyan Shark Tank, a programme mirrored around the international hit franchise show Shark Tank that sees little known and struggling entrepreneurs pitch to noted investors with the hope of winning them over as investors. This was inspired by his other passion, mentorship.

“With the recognition from Forbes magazine, I realised that my platforms had shifted and while I had been doing mentorship on a small scale through my social media pages, I decided it was time to upgrade it,” explains Kinoti.

The programme’s pilot episode was shot on December 22, 2014 during the first ever Eric Kinoti Entrepreneur’s Boot Camp held at the Maasai Mara. The event saw 350 people sign up and drew speakers from a slew of successful young entrepreneurs from all over Africa.

Eric, who holds mentorship close to his heart, says his dream would be to open a talent academy in the country.

“I never had a mentor when I started out and it cost me in terms of some of the decisions I made. I want to help other entepreneurs escape the pitfalls that I underwent when I was starting out,” says Kinoti in retrospect.His situation has since changed and credits his business partner as his mentor and father figure. He also cites Royal Media Services owner S.K. Macharia as his inspiration.

“He is among a class of entrepreneurs that have paid a huge price to reach where they are today. He has a rich history,” says Kinoti.

Among those lucky enough to call Kinoti their mentor, is his personal assistant, 24-year-old Martin Mutwiri who opened his own digital company, SEN Pr, seven months ago after Kinoti, who noted his social media skills, advised him to do so and even gave him money to register the company while helping him to source for clients.

“He is more than a boss to me. He is a friend and a brother,” adds Mutwiri.

Kinoti, an ardent reader and traveler, admits that while he does handle ridiculous sums of money, he is yet to become a millionaire and is content with his current life. This is not to say there is less pressure to perform. On the contrary, more so following Alma’s birth. Heightened by his desire to provide the best for his daughter, he agrees that his priorities and his drive have changed.

“I find myself being more time conscious. I try not to work past official office hours. Although Alma is a bit young right now, I hope to do a good job of instilling an appreciation for hard work and independence in her. I do not intend to spoon-feed her,” adds Kinoti.

For now, even as he strategises on expanding his brand to a Pan- African scale, he hopes to move more ‘talkpreneurs’ into entepreneurs.

“One of my favourite authors Shiv Khera in his book, You Can Win, says there is a price to pay for everything. A lot of people are not ready to take the pressure or risks it takes to become successful entrepreneurs and that is why they will never achieve their dreams,” concludes the inspiring entrepreneur.

Published in February 2015

 

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Cover Story

Elizabeth Nzisa: The Firstborn Who Became a Mother Overnight

Published

4 weeks ago

on

March 19, 2026

By

While most teenagers spend their days focused on school, friendships, and dreams for the future, Elizabeth Nzisa, fondly known as Shiku, was forced to grow up much faster than she ever imagined. At only 17 years old, she found herself taking on the role of a mother to her three younger siblings after her family was hit by tragedy not once, but twice.

Her story, shared in an emotional interview, is a powerful reflection of strength, sacrifice and the deep bond between siblings. Elizabeth recalls the moment her life changed completely. Her mother died while giving birth to their youngest sibling, a baby boy. In the middle of that painful loss, their father walked away from the family, leaving Elizabeth alone with a newborn and two other young children to care for.

Mama yetu alipass 2024, Feb. Alipass akipata haka katoto kadogo. Dad naye akatuacha akaenda

 

Becoming a Mother Too Soon

She explains that she had no choice but to step up and become the parent in the house. She raised her youngest brother from the day he was born, and to this day he calls her mum, not knowing she is actually his big sister. That detail alone shows how much responsibility she carried at such a young age. She became the provider, the protector, the caregiver, and the emotional support for her siblings while she was still trying to understand life herself. With little help from relatives, Elizabeth had to find ways to survive, balancing school when she could, doing small jobs and making sure her siblings were fed, safe and loved.

The journey was not easy. She faced financial struggles, emotional exhaustion, and the pressure of trying to stay strong even when she felt overwhelmed. There were moments when she doubted herself and wondered if she was doing enough. Still, her story is not about defeat. It is about endurance. Elizabeth talks about finding strength through faith, support from the people around her, and the determination to keep her family together no matter how hard things became.

Over the years, she made sure her siblings stayed in school, had food on the table, and grew up feeling loved despite everything they had lost. What could have been a completely broken home became a family held together by her sacrifice and commitment.

Many viewers reacted emotionally, saying the story moved them to tears. Some described firstborn daughters as second mothers, while others said her life shows the kind of courage people rarely see but should never forget.

 

Click here to read our March issue 2026

Continue Reading

Cover Story

Elizabeth Nzisa: The Firstborn Who Became a Mother Overnight

Published

4 weeks ago

on

March 19, 2026

By

While most teenagers spend their days focused on school, friendships, and dreams for the future, Elizabeth Nzisa, fondly known as Shiku, was forced to grow up much faster than she ever imagined. At only 17 years old, she found herself taking on the role of a mother to her three younger siblings after her family was hit by tragedy not once, but twice.

Her story, shared in an emotional interview, is a powerful reflection of strength, sacrifice and the deep bond between siblings. Elizabeth recalls the moment her life changed completely. Her mother died while giving birth to their youngest sibling, a baby boy. In the middle of that painful loss, their father walked away from the family, leaving Elizabeth alone with a newborn and two other young children to care for.

Mama yetu alipass 2024, Feb. Alipass akipata haka katoto kadogo. Dad naye akatuacha akaenda

 

Becoming a Mother Too Soon

She explains that she had no choice but to step up and become the parent in the house. She raised her youngest brother from the day he was born, and to this day he calls her mum, not knowing she is actually his big sister. That detail alone shows how much responsibility she carried at such a young age. She became the provider, the protector, the caregiver, and the emotional support for her siblings while she was still trying to understand life herself. With little help from relatives, Elizabeth had to find ways to survive, balancing school when she could, doing small jobs and making sure her siblings were fed, safe and loved.

The journey was not easy. She faced financial struggles, emotional exhaustion, and the pressure of trying to stay strong even when she felt overwhelmed. There were moments when she doubted herself and wondered if she was doing enough. Still, her story is not about defeat. It is about endurance. Elizabeth talks about finding strength through faith, support from the people around her, and the determination to keep her family together no matter how hard things became.

Over the years, she made sure her siblings stayed in school, had food on the table, and grew up feeling loved despite everything they had lost. What could have been a completely broken home became a family held together by her sacrifice and commitment.

Many viewers reacted emotionally, saying the story moved them to tears. Some described firstborn daughters as second mothers, while others said her life shows the kind of courage people rarely see but should never forget.

 

Click here to read our March issue 2026

Continue Reading

Cover Story

Endometriosis and sex: How to make intimacy pain-free

Published

1 month ago

on

March 11, 2026

By

There is no doubt that endometriosis can affect a woman’s way of life. The condition slews a couple of conditions, painful sex being one of them. Penetration pulls and pushes any tissue growth behind the vagina and lower uterus.

Although symptoms may differ from woman to woman, here are some things you can do to lessen your pain and ensure you have some good time:

Take a dose of painkillers

Take an over the counter painkiller that sits well with your body before intercourse and incase pain persists, take another one as prescribed.

Track your cycle and try at certain times of the month

Most women with endometriosis experience excruciating pain during their period and ovulation. Keep track of your cycle so that you can know when you are ovulating. You can use apps like my calendar and flo period tracker to track your periods. This will help you know when best to engage in sexual intercourse.

READ ALSO: Crucial Facts About Endometriosis Everyone Should Know About

Use lube

Vaginal dryness is not something to be ashamed of and if you happen to have it, lube should be your best buddy. Make sure to use any silicon or water based lubricant anytime you feel like your vagina is dry. Ensure the application is of good amount to achieve a wet area.

Explore alternatives

Talk with your partner about things that turn you on and bring you pleasure. Just to mention a few; mutual masturbation, foreplay, kissing and mutual fondling. Sex does not have to mean intercourse.

Try different positions

Experimenting different positions can teach you and your partner which ones hurt and the ones that bring direct pleasure with no or less pain. Positions that are considered better vary from person to person so take the time to explore and learn yourself with your partner.

Find the right rhythm

Finding the right rhythm can help you experience less discomfort during sex. Quick thrusting or deep penetration can aggravate pain. Talk to your partner about that which you do not like and find ways that will satisfy the both of you like exchanging positions so that you can control the speed and rhythm.

Bottom line

Intimacy does not have to be boring, painful or make you hate the condition that you have. Talk openly about your feelings around sex and penetration and what would help to ease your concerns.

Our FREE  e-paper March Issue is here!
As we celebrate our women this month, we bring you the best stories and the most inspiring features to get you going.
Click HERE to read!

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