This archive report was first published on 6 August 2020.
It was 2009 when Anne, then a bank manager, decided to leave her job to pursue her entrepreneurial dreams. Having risen through the ranks since 1991, she had achieved great success, but felt it was time for a change.
Anne wanted to spend more time with her family and start her own business. She and her husband were already running a hardware shop in Sultan Hamud, but she wanted to venture into construction as well. A chance meeting with a woman in the construction business sparked her interest in this field.
With her management skills and a new qualification as a contractor from the Kenya Institute of Highways and Building Technology, Anne registered Ansy Construction Limited and started taking on smaller jobs to gain experience. She recalls the day she received her first big order worth Sh. 4 million, which she needed at least half of to start with.
Despite the challenges, Anne was able to secure a loan of Sh. 1.3 million from a friend's friend, who trusted her word that she would pay her back in two weeks. This trust from suppliers helped her build her business, even when she had little capital.
However, Anne faced another challenge - corruption and shortcuts in the industry. She chose to maintain her integrity and operate above board, which has not driven her out of business.
Four years after her resignation, Anne finally opened a hardware shop at the City Stadium roundabout in Nairobi. She has also handled road projects in Makueni, Kitui, and Marakwet, and plans to open more hardware shops and employ over 100 people in the future.
