By Mary Mwendwa
Nairobi, Kenya: When someone hears of women in technology they straight away start thinking of software developers. This is the same line of thought that made Wangechi and co-founder not to apply for the 2018 call for applications.
“When I saw the call for applications I really got discouraged and thought that I was not into software development. Then I saw the call this year again, I quickly convinced myself that there would be no harm if I applied and failed to be selected. After I applied, I was shocked to get the great news that we had been shortlisted for the funding. This was a great turn around for the business. “
Terry Wangeci the founder of Dermijoy Company that manufactures natural skincare products narrates how her journey into skincare started. She is a graduate of Chemistry and Biotechnology from Kenyatta University. “After graduating in 2009 and doing masters thereafter, I ventured into the employment world; started at Kemri, then moved to a pharmaceutical company where I worked as a sales representative. During this time my passion for skincare products was pushing me to quit and start the business.”
“I used to have very dry lips when I was growing up, this leads me to test different skin products that never worked. I then promised myself that one day I will come up with a solution to help people with similar problems,” she says.
Wangechi says when she developed problems with dry lips, she ended up trying different products but would not meet her expectations. “It was very frustrating to get a lip balm that would work for my lips. This made me start researching natural products and promised myself that one day I will manufacture a good product that will help people deal with dry lips.”
Terry Wangeci dropped her employment at the pharmaceutical company to venture into skincare products. This was a well-paying job that only needed to stay in office and do the job. Her passion for natural skincare products, however, would not allow her to sit back, so she pushed hard.
Wangechi then teamed up with Felix Asenyi to start Demijoy natural skincare company. They have researched skincare products and tapped into the market of lip balm, now they are working towards achieving customer joy and satisfaction with naturally made ingredients for skincare products.
They are making lip balm from natural products like shea butter and beeswax to help customers experience the joy of soft and moisturized lips. They decided to work on natural products because they come with no side effects. “ Most people prefer natural products because they are not dangerous to their skin and therefore they do not have to worry about the side effects.”
This project has seen them win a One million seed funding from Standard Chartered and @iBiz Africa, Strathmore University for the 2019 incubator program. Wangechi takes us through the successful journey that has seen them interact and get mentored on business principles.
The one million seed capital has helped them upgrade their company by having the latest manufacturing technology and expand on the customer reach.” Dermijoy Company is taking the lip care industry in Kenya by storm.
“Before, the company used to be a one-woman show, but after we were enrolled in this incubator program we can now allow experts to come in and help us improve on our products. “ adds Wangechi.
Wangechi appreciates the support they have received from @IBiz Africa through Strathmore University.” We have leveraged in technology as a company and we believe in a few years to come we will have ventured into lotion and other skin products. “
“We have learned great lessons like how to scale up the business and paying attention to customer needs, product design and hiring the right people. This is something that we did not have and many businesses out there lack. Customer needs are very critical in any business. The natural product that we are selling to our customers is expected to give them satisfaction.”
Wangechi says that manufacturing is a capital intensive investment therefore the seed funding will promote her to the next level. She is already accredited by the Kenya Bureau of Standards.
Dermijoy lip balm comes in two flavors; Tropical and raspberry. This is the flagship product that they are focusing on. Most of the raw materials like Bee wax, Castor oil, and coconut oil are locally sourced apart from Shea Butter which comes from Uganda. Their company is based at Ruiru with a team of two. One is a salesperson while the other operates machines that make the lip balm.
“Our lip balm retails at 350 Ksh and we sell through online platforms like Jumia and have a great social media presence since this is where we interact with customers. We also have spaces like chemists and other shops that stock the lip balm for quick access to customers. Our customers are both men and women who are looking for natural products to use on their lips,” affirms Wangechi.
Standard Chartered Bank and @iBizAfrica, Strathmore University have partnered to create the Standard Chartered Women in Tech Incubator. A program that supports female-led entrepreneurial teams by providing them with training, mentorship and seed funding. Committed to being digital by design, the bank is proud to be first in partnering with @iBizAfrica, Strathmore University to support female entrepreneurs using technology to grow their businesses. @iBizAfrica is a business incubator under the umbrella of @iLabAfrica, a Centre of Excellence in ICT innovation and Development based at Strathmore University.
