This self-starting woman began a trucking operation known as Workmanship Ltd, a freight and transport company in Kenya. As a sensible and practical entrepreneur Monica took her time to build the business she wanted. Not one to rush in unprepared, she considered her options, did thorough market research and carefully planned her steps.
She covered all the business basics by speaking to people already in the industry, learning how trucks operate, discovering what it’s like to be a driver – everything and anything to get a thorough sense of what it would be like to manage a company and all its aspects in the transport trade.
In fact, it took two years before Monica was ready to register her company because she wanted to make sure she could establish a sustainable business venture.
Today, that is exactly what she has done. Monica heads up a successful and competitive business that has grown quickly in recent years. From initially servicing only the Kenyan market Workmanship Ltd has expanded to Southern and Eastern Africa.
Despite managing to develop her business into a profitable position, Monica explains that business is never a ‘breeze’. It is a matter of consistent effort and hard work. Monica says running a business is a constant challenge in order to manage every angle of the venture, but she is passionate about what she does.
Her advice to start up entrepreneurs is to do thorough research. She believes that if you don’t fully understand the business that you are going into then you will not be able to support it. In her own words, Monica says;
Don’t just jump into it, get to understand it. Never invest in a business that you do not understand. Because when the challenges come you will not know how to overcome them when the difficulties come you will not know how to mitigate. So take time, research, understand the business before putting your money in.
Hi i admire monica for venturing ,where not many would want to risk .i beleive she is an inspiration to other women who would want to start a business,but are afraid.the key thing is to carry out a study and learn a few tricks regardig a certain buisness,consult widely and also get to know what kind of licences one is supposed to have.am sure with these and an urge to move forward,one is mostly likely to become a successfull enterprenuer.
trucking business
December 9, 2010
trucking business
WANYAGI NATHAN
December 10, 2010
This is quite an inspiring story. One has a lot to learn from Monicas story
WANYAGI NATHAN
December 10, 2010
a nice and inspiring story
aggrey
December 10, 2010
I was switching channels and i landed on N-TV CHANNEL and i saw the story of monica. it wasgreat a great and beautiful story. not many monicas ! will wish to venture into trucking business even i wish to start the same business despite all the challenges you have to undergo in starting any business. Monica keep it up.
kamau wa wambui
December 13, 2010
i am challenged with that please post your contacts as in (companies)
okeago omari
December 13, 2010
i am inspired by that story.i wonder how i can contact her for futher consultation please help
Joseph
January 10, 2011
This has been my dream business for a long time and I am now ready to roll, thanks for the nice inspiring piece.
fola towoju
January 12, 2011
What a story: this is a high capital business; Monica will have put in alot to get to where she is now. Capital is what is stopping a lot of people from going into entrepreneurship. I only pray that African leaders should help entrepreneurs instead of doing nothing.
Zangora
January 16, 2011
Hi Monica
I am a Ghanaian living in the Netherlands who plans to set up a transport company in Ghana, maybe sometime in 2013. I really admire your courage, determination and business mind. I would like to contact you for advice on how to start a similar business of yours and how to keep it going.
Now that Ghana has oil, I would like to tap into the fuel haulage around other parts of the country. This is a multi-milion dollar business in Ghana.
Please write to me or give me your contact number so I can contact you.
daniel
January 17, 2011
Hi Monica, I am Daniel and I live in the Republic of Ireland. I am thinking of coming back home to start a haulage business in Africa and have two trucks which I already work with in Ireland. I will be so greathfull if you can call me on my mobile or email me and give me your contact detail to call you.
my email address: danielmoses@live.ie
mobile in Ireland: 00353876158145
thanks
Simon Edimu
January 18, 2011
This is a challenging story for many young people to learn from. I admire and respect Monica’s courage to invest in such a multimillion business that many men would not risk trying.
Gerald Oliech
January 24, 2011
Monica,
Real inspiration is rare these days, I am glad that you have come this far in an ever challenging and competitive market.
My Name is Gerald Oliech and I’m in car rentals (Legacy Car Rentals LTD), could you please give me a call on 0729-640-776 or please mail me (jerry@legacycarrentals.com)so i may get some nuggets from you.
Thanks
ELVIS MOONGA
February 7, 2011
Hi Monica, you have inspired me, I’m working on a business plan and your story added the push I needed.
Samuel Asare-Bediako
February 7, 2011
Hi Monica,
Greetings from Ghana. Bold, confident and beautiful. Trekking where men would shiver. Keep it up, maybe one day you may be running an airlines company. I am yet to enter into the transport business. Uve alredy inspired me, but give me more advice in your free time. Thanxs
john
February 25, 2011
Wooh! Great to hear that, its an encouragement to us who are just starting up. In my few years of being employed I have realised the best place to be is to run your own business, where you pump in the whole of yourself.
Cheers Monica
john
February 25, 2011
Great to hear that, great encouragement to some of us who are just beginning our own business.
Cheers Monica
kenneth
April 2, 2011
My number is 0715459549 and I would really like to talk to you. Please call or txt me your number and I can call you. Really motivating!
Daniel
April 3, 2011
I haven’t been a keen follower of Africa Report, but when I saw Monica’s passion in a business she had no skill in I was impressed. I decided to check out this website and I am truly amazed. This will be my favorite site. I believe I can now try out my business idea even if it does not go in line with my profession.
wambui kionga
April 4, 2011
Hi Monica, your story is inspirational and I would really want to work for and learn from you. Give me a chance and I will make you proud, thank you and be Blesed for your hardwork.
Charly Mueke
April 15, 2011
Hi Monica, I am glad to have come across your story because it has really given me empowerment and motivation. Indeed these are some of the things that are never taught in schools! I am a young lad with a determination of venturing to start my own business and am working hard towards achieving that goal. Thank you once more and I hope that you will realize your full potential!
Amos
April 20, 2011
Thanks to Africa Report for putting up an avenue where existing and upcoming business owners can be able to communicate. This is the only way we can create jobs on our continent, which in the long run will contribute to poverty eradication and let everyone make a positive impact to reduce poverty crime and more so wars in Africa. We have a blessed continent let us say NO NO NO to what is happening in Congo and any other country where women and children are suffering cos of war.
To all those in business, dream big, take it when things go wrong and have a positive impact to those around you!
To Africa Report thanks, we would wish to get the contacts for others who are in business like Monica Matiri, thanks all.
This self-starting woman began a trucking operation known as Workmanship Ltd, a freight and transport company in Kenya. As a sensible and practical entrepreneur Monica took her time to build the business she wanted. Not one to rush in unprepared, she considered her options, did thorough market research and carefully planned her steps.
peter kagia
December 4, 2010
Hi i admire monica for venturing ,where not many would want to risk .i beleive she is an inspiration to other women who would want to start a business,but are afraid.the key thing is to carry out a study and learn a few tricks regardig a certain buisness,consult widely and also get to know what kind of licences one is supposed to have.am sure with these and an urge to move forward,one is mostly likely to become a successfull enterprenuer.
trucking business
December 9, 2010
trucking business
WANYAGI NATHAN
December 10, 2010
This is quite an inspiring story. One has a lot to learn from Monicas story
WANYAGI NATHAN
December 10, 2010
a nice and inspiring story
aggrey
December 10, 2010
I was switching channels and i landed on N-TV CHANNEL and i saw the story of monica. it wasgreat a great and beautiful story. not many monicas ! will wish to venture into trucking business even i wish to start the same business despite all the challenges you have to undergo in starting any business. Monica keep it up.
kamau wa wambui
December 13, 2010
i am challenged with that please post your contacts as in (companies)
okeago omari
December 13, 2010
i am inspired by that story.i wonder how i can contact her for futher consultation please help
Joseph
January 10, 2011
This has been my dream business for a long time and I am now ready to roll, thanks for the nice inspiring piece.
fola towoju
January 12, 2011
What a story: this is a high capital business; Monica will have put in alot to get to where she is now. Capital is what is stopping a lot of people from going into entrepreneurship. I only pray that African leaders should help entrepreneurs instead of doing nothing.
Zangora
January 16, 2011
Hi Monica
I am a Ghanaian living in the Netherlands who plans to set up a transport company in Ghana, maybe sometime in 2013. I really admire your courage, determination and business mind. I would like to contact you for advice on how to start a similar business of yours and how to keep it going.
Now that Ghana has oil, I would like to tap into the fuel haulage around other parts of the country. This is a multi-milion dollar business in Ghana.
Please write to me or give me your contact number so I can contact you.
daniel
January 17, 2011
Hi Monica, I am Daniel and I live in the Republic of Ireland. I am thinking of coming back home to start a haulage business in Africa and have two trucks which I already work with in Ireland. I will be so greathfull if you can call me on my mobile or email me and give me your contact detail to call you.
my email address: danielmoses@live.ie
mobile in Ireland: 00353876158145
thanks
Simon Edimu
January 18, 2011
This is a challenging story for many young people to learn from. I admire and respect Monica’s courage to invest in such a multimillion business that many men would not risk trying.
Gerald Oliech
January 24, 2011
Monica,
Real inspiration is rare these days, I am glad that you have come this far in an ever challenging and competitive market.
My Name is Gerald Oliech and I’m in car rentals (Legacy Car Rentals LTD), could you please give me a call on 0729-640-776 or please mail me (jerry@legacycarrentals.com)so i may get some nuggets from you.
Thanks
ELVIS MOONGA
February 7, 2011
Hi Monica, you have inspired me, I’m working on a business plan and your story added the push I needed.
Samuel Asare-Bediako
February 7, 2011
Hi Monica,
Greetings from Ghana. Bold, confident and beautiful. Trekking where men would shiver. Keep it up, maybe one day you may be running an airlines company. I am yet to enter into the transport business. Uve alredy inspired me, but give me more advice in your free time. Thanxs
john
February 25, 2011
Wooh! Great to hear that, its an encouragement to us who are just starting up. In my few years of being employed I have realised the best place to be is to run your own business, where you pump in the whole of yourself.
Cheers Monica
john
February 25, 2011
Great to hear that, great encouragement to some of us who are just beginning our own business.
Cheers Monica
kenneth
April 2, 2011
My number is 0715459549 and I would really like to talk to you. Please call or txt me your number and I can call you. Really motivating!
Daniel
April 3, 2011
I haven’t been a keen follower of Africa Report, but when I saw Monica’s passion in a business she had no skill in I was impressed. I decided to check out this website and I am truly amazed. This will be my favorite site. I believe I can now try out my business idea even if it does not go in line with my profession.
wambui kionga
April 4, 2011
Hi Monica, your story is inspirational and I would really want to work for and learn from you. Give me a chance and I will make you proud, thank you and be Blesed for your hardwork.
Charly Mueke
April 15, 2011
Hi Monica, I am glad to have come across your story because it has really given me empowerment and motivation. Indeed these are some of the things that are never taught in schools! I am a young lad with a determination of venturing to start my own business and am working hard towards achieving that goal. Thank you once more and I hope that you will realize your full potential!
Amos
April 20, 2011
Thanks to Africa Report for putting up an avenue where existing and upcoming business owners can be able to communicate. This is the only way we can create jobs on our continent, which in the long run will contribute to poverty eradication and let everyone make a positive impact to reduce poverty crime and more so wars in Africa. We have a blessed continent let us say NO NO NO to what is happening in Congo and any other country where women and children are suffering cos of war.
To all those in business, dream big, take it when things go wrong and have a positive impact to those around you!
To Africa Report thanks, we would wish to get the contacts for others who are in business like Monica Matiri, thanks all.
Amos
April 20, 2011
How can one get in touch with Monica Matiri?
Caroline Nderitu-Benjamin
October 8, 2011
Monica,
You are a woman on top of your game, you give the women of Africa, a good name
Thanks
Keep the fire burning.
-Caroline, Speaking Coach
Peter Lee
January 17, 2012
Hi, I like your story. Would you kindly give me the physical location of your company. A friend of mine wants to do an internship with you.
Audete
March 12, 2012
Your website is a great source of information.