Talking about sex in many African societies is considered taboo
By Bonface Otieno Kanyamwaya
Beverly Munga is an extraordinary entrepreneur. She says when she returned to Kenya in 2013 from Birmingham University armed with a Masters Degree in Law, she wanted to venture into business because getting a job was a headache.
“Things were tough. I had to do something to make ends meet as going back to my parents was not an option,” she says.
It was at this point that she decided to venture into business — not selling clothes, phones or shoes, but sex toys through her company-G-Spot Kenya where she is chief executive.
“I wanted to do something outside the box,” she says.
The bachelorette says when she was starting out, things were tough as people ridiculed her and wondered why she was selling sex toys with a Masters Degree in law.
“When I started I thought ‘oh-my god is it going to sell or am I just doing this for fun to pass the time?”
Three years down the line, her business has grown in leaps and bounds. For instance, in a month, she makes a profit of between Ksh150,000 (US$1,500) to Ksh250,000 (US$2,500).
“Out of a starting capital of Ksh100,000 (US$1,000), within a month, I had made a profit of Ksh300,000,” she says.
Furthermore, she has employed four people to help her deliver the products.
As if this is not enough, her clientele base has grown over the years as she now supplies other countries in East Africa such as Uganda, Tanzania and South Sudan.
She notes that unlike other companies in this business, G-Spot sells pocket friendly products such as vibrators, couples fetish and masturbators, among others, priced from as low as Ksh1,000 (US$10) to Ksh10,000 (US$100).
“We stand for sexual liberation, experimental and mind blowing satisfaction. We encourage sexual awakening as we are the trusted authority in the market in Kenya,” she says.
Munga notes that most of her clients who are mainly married women and single ladies make orders online and she has to to deliver wherever they are.
She says clients who have developed confidence in her usually confess about their husbands who are too consumed in politics or business to perform their conjugal duties properly.
“ For one to successfully survive in this business, you must tailor your operations in such a way that you treat your customers and the whole transaction with total confidentially,” says Munga.
Challenges
One of the challenges Munga faces is marketing.
For instance, she says, she can’t just go on a morning radio talk show and start talking about her business as society believes sex is immoral.
“In Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa, one can sell sex toys on Jumia and OLX. I wish this was the same here in Kenya,” she says.
However, she has recently resorted to use social media and her website to market her products.
Way forward
Munga says she looks forward to establishing a high end sex shop in a nicely location along Valley Arcade or Riverside Drive.
“It will be located in a strategic place where you can be able to see other products that I intend to sell such as bras, panties and heels,” she adds.
Also, she says she is looking forward to expanding her business into other countries such as Rwanda and Burundi.
Finally, she hopes that she will also start selling her products on wholesale in the next few months.
“I have so many clients requesting me to sell my products wholesale, especially in Uganda, so that they can resell,” she says.
