Designer draws the curtain on boutique business

By BEATRICE OBWOCHA

When Carol Kung’u first ventured into business, she went into clothes design hoping to make a kill.

She ran the fabrics business for some years, before she realised she was not cut for it.

A trip to Dubai four years ago was an eye-opener for her.

"I wanted a perfect finish for my home and bought beautiful curtains. When my friends came to my house they were impressed," she says.

But little did she know that this would be a launching pad to the business of selling curtains.

"Within no time, I was buying more curtains than clothes and the return was better than what I made at the boutique. I decided to change business," she said.

In 2005 she opened a new shop, Cloud 8 Creations and exclusively dealt with curtains and closed the boutique.

Before opening the curtain shop, she had to do the curtain business at home as the space at the boutique was not enough.

"I learnt from this that you do not have to start big; you can run a business from your house and it will grow. It needs patience," she said.

She advises those starting business not to fear starting small saying "the same way you cannot climb a tree from the top."

With time the business she started with a Sh 200,000 capital grew and she started making curtains not only for people’s home but hotels and offices.

She also introduced a new line of making duvet bedcovers and pillow cases that match curtains for bedrooms and hotel rooms.

In business, she advised, one should not have a fixed mind and should always look out for new areas they can venture in line with the core business.

Kung’u: "You do not have to start big; you can run a business from your house and it will grow until you are able to open a bigger shop." [PHOTO: LUCAS THUO/STANDARD]

With time she learnt tailoring and apart from marketing, she helps her three employees at the shop.

Today, Cloud 8 Creations is the leading curtain maker in Nakuru, Kericho, Molo, and Nyahururu and her business has assets worth more than Sh2 million.

many misconceptions

Apart from good word from customers to others, she said marketing one’s business is equally important. She said whenever there are new hotels coming up, she makes a point of visiting the premises to seek business.

"One may not need the curtains then but in future when they do, they will remember you," she added.

Having no training on interior design and especially curtains, Kung’u had to read widely, check websites to get more knowledge about the right fabric as well as designs.

She was able to start making her own designs as well as know where to get fabric for curtains.

She said many people have misconception about curtains in that they just buy a material and have it stitched ready for fixing. She said the colour, design, fabric and size of the curtains matter.

She said one may have beautiful furniture and other decorations in the house but this may not be noticed if curtains are not well made. She said good curtains are not cheap as the cost depends on the size of the windows, the design, netting fabric and pelmet, which is commonly referred to as curtain box.

earned respect

At the beginning, her customers wanted the design they saw in her house, and at times the same colour.

"But despite bringing them the same, I discovered that they did not come out as beautiful as the ones in my home because the curtains did not match with the colour of their seats," she said.

This aspect, she said, taught her that the customer may always be right but also they need to be advised.

She said after this experienced she started visiting the customer’s home checking the colours of their seats and walls so as to get matching curtains for them.

This earned her respect from them and most of the time new customers relied on her wisdom.

She also advises clients on how to take care of the curtains especially washing them.