This archive report was first published on 16 July 2020.
Published on July 16, 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic brought the aviation industry to a standstill, grounding all domestic and international flights and leaving thousands of workers, including pilots and flight attendants, jobless.
Kenya Airways, one of the affected airlines, sent its employees on unpaid leave, but for Geraldine Gitau, a pilot working for the airline, the crisis presented an opportunity to advance her perfume business, Scents by Geraldine.
Founded in 2016, Scents by Geraldine has become a successful venture, with Geraldine earning her daily bread from the business.
‘I am lucky to have started this perfumery business a few years ago even though it isn’t really where I want it to be but at least I have a fallback plan,’ Geraldine said in an interview with Nairobi News.
Despite the business being affected by the pandemic, Geraldine was able to earn something and retain her workers by taking a pay cut.
‘My amazing team at Scents By Geraldine agreed to take a pay cut that way I kept their jobs secure. Communication and transparency with them is key,’ Gitau said.
Scents by Geraldine is home to Kenya’s first original designer perfume, and Geraldine’s passion for perfumes has driven the business’s success.
