Meet Wahome, the visionary leader and CEO of Supply Tout Limited.
With a passion for innovation and a drive for excellence, Wahome has propelled Supply Tout to be trailblazer in the branding and merchandising industry. In this captivating blog, we delve into Supply Tout's exhilarating journey. Join us as we uncover Wahome's entrepreneurial adventures, his partnership with Lotus, and Supply Tout's success in the dynamic world of branding and beyond.
Supply Tout is a total solution branding and merchandising company that specializes in providing innovative solutions tailored to the unique needs of businesses across all sectors. At Supply Tout, we streamline and optimize every aspect of the supply chain, from sourcing, procurement and branding to logistics and distribution. We are dedicated to empowering businesses to achieve operational excellence, cost efficiency and competitive advantages through our processes. We pride ourselves on our commitment to innovation, reliability and customer satisfaction, making us the preferred partner for businesses seeking to gain the upper hand in their respective sectors.
We were fortunate to be in the right place at the right time. We started towards the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19, surprisingly, turned out to be a blessing in disguise for us. I was introduced to the business by my uncle. Initially, I started by assisting him, which gradually evolved from a week to a month, and now it's been 3 years. We've expanded our portfolio to include 95 clients.
Being my own boss. While many assume it's easy, I can attest that it's not, but having control over my work schedule allows me to enjoy activities like golf and tackle various challenges that come my way daily, something I wouldn't have the freedom to do as an employee. I find it exhilarating.
We're currently in the process of opening an office in Mombasa, hopefully by the end of the year, and expanding further into the Greater East Africa region. In the next 5 years, we aim to establish a presence in Rwanda, Kigali, and Uganda, Kampala, preferably centered like Nairobi.
Having a mentor has helped me navigate challenges to a point where they don't feel like obstacles but rather opportunities for learning. The biggest challenge facing the company, like many entrepreneurs in Kenya, is chasing overdue payments. Some clients have delayed payments for over a year, turning us into debt collectors. Late payments disrupt cash flow and affect the business significantly.
I got to know about Lotus through the founders and after meeting the team more closely i decided to give it a go.
Lotus stood out to us because of its youthful team, driven by a strong mission and vision.
Over a year and some days later, I appreciate Lotus because it's not your typical strict and rigid bank. Traditional banks are often set in their ways, unlike Lotus, which offers flexibility. The customer support is exceptional, which is crucial for my business. Prompt resolution of issues accelerates our progress. I found Lotus's customer support to be top-tier and beyond.
I also hadn't tried online banking before due to security concerns, but with Lotus, I'm assured of security since it's backed by a CBK regulated bank, Choice Microfinance Bank, coupled with easy access to our funds.
Bulk payments - we have riders and day labourers, so being able to disburse payments at once saves us a lot of time and hassle. Instead of spending 10 minutes in front of M-Pesa or our traditional bank making individual transactions, bulk payments are a game-changer for us.
Absolutely. I find Lotus pretty impressive. They was they have rapidily onboarding of 300 people a year, basically one business institution a day, is remarkable. The more successful Lotus becomes, the better it is for our business.
Credit. As my business scales, we’ll need to take on some loans to increase production and being able to access loans will catapult our operations
Reliable. Convenient. Easy.
Thank you to Wahome for sharing his incredible journey with Supply Tout and Lotus. Until next time!