“The idea for KikoRomeo was born when I was working in Garissa and Ijara. I could see that there was a big problem, especially for women as they had no access to cash due to underdevelopment. This is when I started thinking of ways to work with women in rural areas to give them supplementary income,” said Ann.
After setting up the business in 1996, Ann got her starting capital from her parents to the tune of £20,000 (Sh3 million in today’s exchange rate).
“I wish I had taken the money, bought a property and borrowed against it, which is what I would advise other women in business to do if they get a lump sum. This is because business goes up and down, and you need capital at different points, so if you have an asset that you can borrow against. It makes it much easier,” she said.
2. When did you land your first internship and what was the most valuable thing you learned from this experience?
I landed my first internship at Kikoromeo in 2018 and learnt a lot from Ann McCreath, especially practical stuff that they don’t teach in school and she still supports me to date.
3. How is working in fashion different today than from when you started out?
Right now, the international market is open to new talent from Africa and there are so many opportunities like Arise fashion week 30 under 30, which I’ll be participating in. Instagram is slowly turning into an online market too, which is amazing for young brands.