How I Make It: I sell herbal products

After working with a company that specialised in herbal products for three years, Michael Ndung’u, 27, found himself without a job.

The company, whose headquarters were in Nairobi, had offices in Nakuru town and this was where Ndung’u was first employed as a sales agent.

“I would earn commission based on sales I made. This was how I survived for two years before I was transferred to their manufacturing department where I worked for a year,” he says.

When the company hit some hard times, Michael was among those who were retrenched. Not one to give up, he used some of his savings and bought several herbal products from his former employer.

His experience as a sales agent convinced him he could do better out on his own and that is how his journey to self-sustenance started.

Armed with a transparent plastic bucket stuffed with all manner of herbal products ranging from toothpaste, human use medicine, pesticide to beauty lotions, Michael sets out each day to look for customers.

Until about 8pm each day, he has to do a lot of convincing in order to sell the products.

“Not many have embraced the concept of herbal products and would rather go for conventional ones as there is a lot of misinformation out there,” he says.

His daily take home is between Sh300 to Sh400 and he says this amount meets his financial needs.

“To be a good salesman, you have to be convincing if you want to see your products moving. I love what I do and would not trade it for anything else,” says the man who also holds a certificate in nutrition health.