I do not beg my husband for money, I make my own – Asiimwe

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In 2019, Maureen Asiimwe decided to quit her job and start her own mobile money business and a boutique. 

“I started with sh4m from my savings, which helped me to buy stock and pay rent for three months,’’ Asiimwe says. In addition, with that, her journey to financial independence began. 

She says she can now comfortably pay her bills and her children’s school fees, even when she is married and their father is present. 

“I don’t like begging my husband for anything because he tells me to wait for months. Instead of sitting there and waiting for him to provide, I rose up and decided to empower myself,’’ she notes. Asiimwe says although being self-employed has some level of stress, it gives one peace of mind.

In addition, one is able to determine how they want to be paid, which is not the case with being employed by someone. The mother of two (an eight-year-old girl and a five-year-old boy), Asiimwe’s typical day starts at about 6:00am, with a trip downtown (Owino market) in Kampala to get stock. 

Owino is not an environment of sophistication or timidity. It is congested, with thieves loitering all over looking for anyone to rob. To get the best stock, one must be strong enough to push and shove and hold on tightly once the bales (ndibota) of second-hand clothes are cut. 

Asiimwe never lets what she has picked go until she gets her stock. This sometimes leaves her with bruises on her hands due to continuous falling onto the clothes where they select them. She also sustains scraped knees because everyone fights to pick the best clothes. 

It is not that the entire bale has good clothes; one must have sharpness of the eye and focus to get good stock. “If you want premium stock from Owino, you have to be strong. If you are not a strong-willed woman, you will not manage, but if you know what you want, you will keep fighting for it,’’ Asiimwe says. After getting what she wants from the market, she orders a bodaboda to deliver it to her boutique in Wandegeya.

“The phone works for me. I ask my contacts if there is new stock so that I do not waste my transport traveling down town. After I have confirmed that new stock is available, I order for Safeboda and hit downtown,’’ she says.

The first step to succeeding at selling clothes and making a profit, Asiimwe says, is to stock eye-catching clothes, which young university girls and corporate women cannot resist.

She spends time surfing the Internet, observing social media handles of various celebrities, noting their fashion and searching for similar styles.

“Whenever I see trending attire either from celebrities or on the Internet, I look for it for my clients,” she says. Sooner than later, they come running after it like bees after nectar. When she had just started out, Asiimwe was widely known as, “Miss Tops”. To her surprise, demand for her services kept growing. 

She took this seriously because her target market was Makerere University students and women from the corporate world around Wandegeya, Lumumba Avenue, and surrounding areas. 

Asiimwe says even though the university was her biggest customer base, the numbers have currently reduced.

“University students used to be our customers and source of money because they like to hang out and look nice. However, ever since the Covid-19 pandemic broke out, the numbers have reduced. That said, my clients are my kings and queens who deserve my time and positive energy,’’ she adds. 

 Tips to successfully run a small business

· Start small and learn how to manage a small profit margin and allow it to grow.

· Avoid taking loans, work hard and save. Use your savings to invest.

· Be hardworking and resilient.

· Intentionally create a loyal customer base by networking and being genuinely friendly. It always saves the day.

Financial discipline is key. You eat your capital, you eat your future.