When Felista Mwiki started Imanti Consulting in 2020, she noticed that more than half of the women-owned micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) she worked with were not formally registered.
“We realised that 65 per cent of them have not formally registered their businesses. Most of them operate as sole proprietors, and because of this, we have seen that they are not able to scale their businesses,” says Felista.
Imanti Consulting, a company that empowers startups and MSMEs, offers customised solutions, training, and consulting services to assist them in scaling up and thriving.
Felista, who mainly works with women in Uasin Gishu County and parts of the Western region, also realised that they needed financial literacy to help them manage their businesses more effectively. Through Imanti Consulting, she established a community where women with small businesses can be trained, interact, and network. During the training sessions, the women also participate in peer-to-peer learning and mentor each other.
In the past five years, Felista has seen women gain substantial benefits from collaborating with one another.
“There was a woman who was asked to supply 1000 t-shirts, but she was unable to do so because of capacity issues. However, this network enables women to increase their capacity for one another. So when you receive an order for services or goods that you cannot fulfil on your own, because you already have a community you work with, you can pool your resources and deliver the order or supply,” she recalls.
In today’s fast-changing business environment, digitising has become essential for business growth. Not only does it increase efficiency through automation, but it also enhances customer experience and enables business owners to access new markets and customers. But Felista observed that “approximately 50 per cent of women are struggling to access online markets because they lack understanding of what to do. However, we are in the process of training them on how to reach and market their products online.”
As a Safaricom customer, Felista hopes that the techco (technology company) will intervene and assist in empowering women in her network with computer and digital literacy.
Good health is essential as it directly affects one’s productivity and business success. In addition to equipping the businesswomen with the necessary skills and knowledge to help them grow their businesses, Imanti Consulting also educates them on maintaining good health by offering health talks delivered by skilled professionals.
“For you to thrive in your business, it must be a holistic approach. We have partnered with Eldoret Oncology, which provides us with services to address our health issues, including preventive measures such as dietary adjustments for certain diseases, such as cancer or diabetes, among others,” Felista says.
As the company continues to grow, Felista plans to expand this network of women beyond Kenya and utilise some of her international networks across Sub-Saharan Africa and the southern regions of Africa.
