What does your company do, and what kind of service do you offer?

My business, Green Thing Kenya, is a locally owned sustainable brand that manufactures non-toxic cleaning products. We also operate a solar-powered stitching station to convert textile waste into eco-friendly products, like reusable makeup removers, dish sponges, and water bottle carriers, helping people move away from single-use plastics. Additionally, we work with women waste pickers to collect and recycle glass into beautiful products for homes and organizations. Currently, we employ 10 full-time staff.

What inspired you to start your business in Kenya? 

I’ve always been interested in storytelling, particularly around Millennium Development Goals and later Sustainable Development Goals. However, I found the language used to communicate these goals was too elitist and inaccessible. I found that even I wasn't getting most of the information that is produced for us to act upon, for us to use it as a base for climate action. I was not getting it. And so, if I'm not getting it, how would my mom then? How would the communities sometimes I work in, how would the people that I tell stories about understand this? So, I started using everyday products, products that also are source of household waste as conversation starters to break down what sustainability is. This approach led what Green Thing is today. 

In what ways has your business contributed to local development and addressed challenges in Kenya?

Our biggest impact has been creating awareness. Green Thing has been advocating for sustainability long before it became trendy, helping people understand its implications for jobs, housing, and daily life. Another significant contribution is job creation particularly dignifying the work of recyclers and waste pickers by providing living wages. This not only helps to clean up the environment but also validates their essential role in sustainability.

What advice would you give to entrepreneurs considering starting a business in Kenya?

Now is the best time to be authentic especially in the sustainability space but also any other business. The second thing I would advise is to design in a human-centered way. I’d also advise designing with people. It can become expensive fast but try as much as you can to design with people, design with your customer it really helps you to skip so many mistakes in between steps. It's like it's called failing forwards you learn fast when you're designing with your customer.

Finish this sentence: “If I could tell every young entrepreneur one thing, it would be…”

You have it in you to make it possible. In 2012, I produced a TV show called Green Thing, but I couldn’t bring it to market due to capital constraints. In 2019, I pivoted to creating a company with products instead. Sometimes, when one thing doesn’t work, it’s a redirection to explore what you can do with the resources available to you. Don’t let limiting beliefs hold you back people will always support and value authenticity and effort.