Sheer grit. That is what sums 24 year-old Gabriel Modest’s rise from a ‘mutura’ seller to the owner of a jewelry empire in under two years.
But it was never easy and he never in his imagination ever thought it would happen.
His entrepreneurial journey started in 2013 while a student at Kenyatta University where he was studying economics and finance. He dropped out from the course, after studies took a toll on his ‘mutura’ business in South C.
“I used to miss most of the afternoon classes because that was the time I used to run to Burma market to get the meat, so that by 4pm when everyone is leaving their work place they can get mutura in my stand in South C.
“This made me miss a lot of the CATs (Continuous Assessment Tests) hence the total marks couldn’t be added. And the only way out was for me to repeat the whole semester,” Gabriel narrated to Nairobi News.
After deep soul searching, doing business won over pursuing education and he decided to focus on his ‘mutura’ business.
It lasted for for five months and thereafter he decided to change his trade to selling new and second-hand clothes in the same location. The new venture was not as promising.
At around the same time, his brother, who lives in Tanzania and owns a mine, started sending him rough gem stones and tasked him to sell them.
That is when the idea of starting a jewelry company hit him. In late 2014, Mr G collection was born.
He designs and customize the jewelry according to the client’s specifications.
“It was easier for me to start the company because I have a relative who owns a mine in Tanzania, so getting the gem stones is easy.”
-nairobinews.nation.co.ke
