Pauline Mureithi — transcript

They Were About to Close. One Piece of Advice Changed Everything. Pauline Mureithi, Serenity Agrovet

This transcript is generated automatically by YouTube and has not been checked by a person. It misspells names and mishears words, particularly around Kenyan English and company names, so read it as a guide to the conversation rather than a quotable record. Each timestamp opens the video at that moment.

0:05 Greetings, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to episode 43 of the African Do uh podcast, where we tell stories of excellent Africans executing excellently. And today we're very privileged to have with us Pauline Muredi of Serenity Aggravate Stores. Pauline, welcome to the African Do podcast.
Thank you.
Yeah. Yeah. So, Pauline, we have had a few episodes where we have delved into the world of Agri, but this is the first time that we're talking about it from a supply perspective as opposed to a production perspective.
So, maybe um as we get into it, you can tell us a bit about pollen. Yeah. So, how do you find yourself in this space? You know, is it is it you don't hear of a young girl in school or young girls in school when you talk to them saying that they want to run an agrovet store? So maybe we can dig deep and find out where that starts from. So who's Pauline and what's your background?

1:06
Um so Pauline is a vet.
A vet surgeon. Yes. By training.
I studied veterinary medicine. However, I now prefer to call myself a business person.
Okay?
Because I love the business side of things.
So, um while I was training, I always imagined I would become a lecturer.
I think
or rather, yeah, I still think so.
I think I am called to teach.
Um so, as I was studying, I wanted to become a lecturer. However, I always knew that I would do business.
Yeah.
Um, in high school, I read Rich Dad, Poor Dad.
Okay.
And that sparked the interest in business for me.
Okay.
So, uh, fast forward to uni, I study. I even do a master's
in in in in veterary surgery.

2:06
So, my masters was in vet anatomy.
Okay.
And cell biology.
Okay. However, it was hard to come by a teaching job
simply because at that time um universities were not hiring.
Okay.
For permanent and pensionable positions. Yes.
It was mostly part-time.
Yes.
And there were all these
uh crazy stories about how people had worked and not been paid for 3 years, four years.
So I decided that I am not joining that bandwagon.
Okay. So as I was doing my masters, I was also looking for jobs. Uh these were also hard to come by. Uh however, my husband was running a business an aggravate which is what I'm running now.
Uh so in 2018, our employee at that time had to leave. So I stepped in to to relieve her and that is how I joined the business.

3:05
Wow. So it was not some elaborate plan about entrepreneurship. It's more circumstantial.
Yes, it was circumstantial. I was hoping to
to do business as a side hustle.
Get a job but have a business on the side. Okay.
As luck would have it, I didn't get a job. In fact, at that time when I joined the business, I had just interviewed for a position with an insurance company. They were looking for a vet. And then 2 weeks into me being actively involved in the business,
yeah,
I got a regret letter.
Okay.
And I realized that now that was going to be my life. I decided I'll run with the business. Uh the interesting thing that happened at that time is that uh our business was in a very rural area. So was and it was like there was no tarmac road. It was all dusty and all. So I was wondering uh did I go to school that much to come and run a shop in the village

4:08
and I kept wondering so what can I do? What will I do? I felt desperate for a moment but then in those two weeks I had also realized that we were essentially sitting on a gold mine. There were so many things
that we could improve in the business and do better.
Okay. Uh at that time the business was not fairing very well. In fact we were contemplating shutting shutting it down. So if I got a job would have shut down the business but every day after work I kept telling my husband oh I did this better today and
and what exactly maybe if you dig dig into those specific issues. What are these things that you are seeing in that business that made you see what was then a fledgling business, but you then began to see sparks of potential and saying, "Okay, there's something here that probably if we tweak here and tweak there." What are those things that you were seeing that made you say, "Okay, there's there's something here worth

5:09 pursuing."
So, the first thing that I noticed was our stock out rate.
We were selling a lot of Hakuna. M
customer comes in they ask for a product
we do not have that
so I wondered and we would send them to neighboring shops and they would get the product so I wondered why are we saying hakuna you know that's a sale that's a missed sale so we improved our stock
we increased our product offering so we had alternatives if a customer is asking for a product let's say um uh poultry vaccine If we do not have the product from this company, we have an alternative.
And with that now we we reduced that selling hakuna and then we also like improved on our customer service. Okay.
We improved like the times when we were open we opened earlier. I noticed that um in that area people live and come to work in town Nairobi near it's nearby. So in the evening when they were going back home is when they wanted to shop.

6:20
And at that time I think we were closing at 5:00 p.m.
5:30.
Um but now I noticed that my competitors, the other aggravate shops would stay open till later. So I asked myself, what are we missing? And then because we were implementing these things, sales kept going up. So while I was running the shop alone, I realized I need an extra hand. And the first thing we did when we hired that uh our first employee, so after joining, I joined the business and 6 months later we hired our first employee. So what I had them do is close a bit later than me.
So I would open early, they would close late.
Later. Yeah.
Yes. and our numbers kept growing.
So if I dare say you're an extremely well educated Kenyan. Yeah.

7:20
In the sense that you're you're a vet by training
with a degree in veterary surgery and then you you you complement that with a masters.
Yeah.
Are you seeing any relationship between what you're doing and what you studied?
Yes.
Is it an advantage?
Yes. What what are you seeing as that advantage?
Um the fact that I am a trained veterinarian
was an added advantage for the business. Um I am saying was because I felt the impact at that time because when our clients came and I could like uh tell what their problem was and solved their issue and also uh going to the farms visiting the farmers treating their animals that made me bond with the community. So they bought into me. So they'd come and

8:15
um find me and then I would solve their issue
probably their sick animals.
That gave me a sense. I didn't live in the area.
So that gave me a sense of community because it's being a rural area. It's like where everybody knows everybody.
So you make a mistake uh they tell someone else and you lose customers. But if you also do good for them,
they also now spread fast.
Yes. Very fast.
Yeah.
So the fact that I was a trained vet became a marketing point for me. Yeah. People say
yes. So and also the fact that at that time I was I was going to the field that that really helped.
Okay. And going to you don't do that anymore.
Now I don't but I have uh also another trained person in the business who does that.

9:18
Okay. Okay. And so do you see um a potential for your business
to complement on those two sides because they are very complimentary to each other. you being a vet. I mean, if I was uh in Agri and I'm I'm going to a supply store and I I I get
a vibe that there's a trained vet in the store, I think that I would pick that store, too. Is that something that would be developed into a what what what do we call it? Um a signature uh um for serenity aggravate stores going into the future.
Yes. Um when when you're running an aggroate you need licensing
and one of the licenses is a practice license by the Kenya Veterinary Board.
Okay.
So having a professional in the business
is essentially a must.

10:13
Okay.
Yes. So it makes it makes you credible.
Okay.
Yes. And that's that has worked well for our business. Now let's let's delve a bit into the in the world of supply for Agri because as a supplier in Agri just like retailers in the in the general market you're probably best placed to
to pulse the the state of um agriculture and vet in the country. Yeah. Because you're the one selling the consumables to us. So first question is what's your take on on our agriculture in our Kenyan agricultural opportunity? Are we fulfilling our potential? Are we on the way there? That's the the second question. And that's the first question. The second question is what gaps and opportunities do you see

11:05
that we are probably not um either not servicing at the moment and could service better if we choose to invest time in them.
Um Kenya is big on a the agricultural agenda pushing the agenda. However, um I think we are in terms of markets, I think there's still a problem because for example in our industry
there's a lot of poultry farming happening
you know broilers layers
and the demand the demand for the products is there uh I would attribute that to the growing population.
Yes. However, every now and then you hear about like eggs coming from our neighboring countries
and so there's a glut in the market and now our farmers have nowhere to take their products. Um so that's that's a big challenge that I have found but in terms of um where the the sector is going I think we are doing well it we we would do better if more professionals are involved.

12:19
Yes. And I think at the policy level yes
is where we have a problem
and maybe not the policy but the implementation
of
yes of the
so the policy is rob is is robust but it's poorly implemented
poorly implemented because why would uh milk come as powder milk from our neighbors while our farmers are pouring milk.
Yes. uh why would eggs come from our neighbors while our farmers are selling um are making losses with the eggs that they have already produced.
So I think there's a big challenge and it's up to us to like um
talk about it.
Yes.
And for the people who have the opportunity to influence Yes.
the policy makers to to get their boots on the ground and get the work going. You you brought up the issue of eggs for example and eggs I think is a great example because I I think the average Kenyan is unaware of how much of what they consume is imported.

13:26
Yeah.
And because of that I say ignorance is bliss. Um and the consumer just wants to serve eggs for breakfast to their kids.
They don't really care. You know when you crack the egg you can't tell it's an egg from Uganda or an egg from Kenya. It's just an egg, right?
Mhm.
And I I I I'm I'm raising this because of the issue of cost.
Mhm.
The end consumer is doesn't really care where the egg um comes from. And I come from a hospitality background.
And I like to say that most hospitality businesses are reluctant importers.
Mhm.
You don't want to import.
Yeah. But uh you end up importing because you can land a product here cheaper than you can buy it from a local supplier.

14:16
Yes.
So this seems to be what you're speaking to. Yeah. And and that cost of production is driven by the products that you sell in an aggroet setup. So where is that? What is driving that cost imbalance that makes our Kenyan products more expensive or farm inputs or vet inputs more expensive than maybe what our neighbors
um I think I'd still uh pin it down to the policies. Go back to policies.
Yes. and taxes that increase the input uh the cost of inputs cuz when a farmer is selling their product they have to factor in uh the cost of the inputs the work that they have put into producing whichever product
take the eggs for example
so I think there's a lot that can be done to bring that down those costs

15:16
yes
where policy is concerned
you know the the cost of raw material.
Yes,
we also import a lot of raw material from those neighboring countries. So for them, they're getting those uh raw materials at a cheaper cost than we are.
Okay.
While in Kenya, we have the land.
We could do our own production, but who is supporting that?
Okay.
Yes.
Okay. Okay.
Now, let's speak a bit about uh the business itself. Mhm.
Um I was reading a newspaper article on you and your business and I saw there that um
um
something that has become a recurring topic on this podcast. Yeah.
Uh capital.
Yeah. Or access to it. Yeah. You're a well-trained Kenyan. Yeah. You have a business. It's it's a business that's serving a very genuine need in the market. Yeah.

16:12
Yet raising capital to fulfill your ambitions. Yeah. uh still remains a bit of a challenge. Let's speak a bit about that in the sense of what the vision that you have
uh for Serenity Agrovet stores and how the journey of capitalizing that vision has been for you.
Okay.
Yes. So as I told you, one of the issues that we had when I started managing the business was uh stockouts.
And why are we stocking out
capital?
Because we don't have money to restock.
Yeah. So that is when I first came across the challenges in funding.
I um I tried uh getting a loan from a circle. I was
in the circle. So I had been saving in the circle but when I went to get a loan I really had a challenge because first of all it was going to cost me upfront like for paperwork

17:18
and then I had this [clears throat] insurance. I had never taken a loan before. So, it was the first time.
But what really um challenged me was the fact that while applying for the loan, I was going to pay way more money uh in terms of the cost of processing the loan and the interest
than I had ever earned divid as a dividend
from the same circle.
Yes. And um notwithstanding that money is what I had saved. I didn't even need guaranters. It was my own money. So I was like um something is not adding up.
So what I did at that time is rather than cover that cost, I decided to withdraw my funds.
And that was also a challenge. Took another 3 months before I could get the money. However, when now I got the money, um that challenge now became a blessing in disguise because now I was not paying any

18:16
any.
It was your savings. Yes.
So I was not paying back the loan and um when I invested it in into the business, I kept now reinvesting the earnings.
Yes.
So that was how I funded the business at first.
But as we grew, we we needed more money.
So I I I started approaching banks. At first it was not easy because um like the first time I went to the bank where I bank I got a very long list
of requirements
and I there were so many you know it was I was wondering do I now work or do I start looking for these requirements for the banks.
Do you work or do you become an app for loans?
An applier of loans. So I found the process a bit bureaucratic. However, with time I I I had to adjust, you know, it's it's what they were doing.

19:15
So did you end up taking the loan from the bank?
At that time I did not.
Mhm.
Yes.
Um so I I I at that time I was looking to buy a vehicle. So I put to I had put together a little bit of savings. So what I decided is I will get a vehicle that is worth what I had instead of the vehicle that I had aspired to buy for the business at that time.
So it was challenging at first but then with time uh I think the banks have become more customer friendly like uh they even send people to you to assess your business and help you with that application process. M
uh but for me the biggest breakthrough uh in terms of funding
came when I learned about GBF.
I learned about GBF.
And who are GBF?

20:10
Uh GBF is grassroots business fund.
Yeah.
They offer funding formemes.
Okay.
Yes.
And how did you discover them?
I discovered them when I attended a factory visit and there there was a banner for Ju. It's their program that they run.
Okay.
And we were also told about it in that factory visit. So I became interested
and um I was linked with them by CAPSA and then uh within a short period of getting to know them. I think it was within two or 3 weeks.
Yes.
They had done their due diligence.
We had done the application process and I got the funds.
Okay. The best thing that I loved about them is the interest rate.
Okay.
It's it's lower than what is offered on the market.

21:04
Okay.
And I'm big on interest because my business is a volumes business. Yes.
The profit margins are very thin.
Yes. They razor thin.
So if you get a loan that is high interest, you overwhelm the business. True.
And I was afraid of that.
So I got the first loan. I felt its impact in my business and I went for a second one. Okay. And I was done paying that. Okay.
Yeah. So right now with their solution the funding for the business is a bit easier for me.
Okay.
Yeah. And the other thing I loved about uh their products is that they offer you training.
Okay.
Pre- lending and post lending training.
Yeah. that has really helped my business because they put you uh they connect you to professionals. Uh people who train you the best.

21:58
Give us an example.
Uh for example,
one one train one line of training.
Uhhuh. So in my when I took the current loan, no that was the previous loan,
they gave me a training opportunity and they connected me to a mentor who sat down with me to to like do a diagnosis of the challenges in my business. And the one thing we realized is that we didn't really have a vision. We were selling but that's it. So she challenged me to come up with a vision for the business
and even a five-year plan.
Yes.
Which we have recently done. We did a strategic plan and for me was a game changer.
It helped me. Um I had always struggled. Uh the business grew and then we plateaued at some point

22:55
and that's where I learned the value of continuous training. Yes.
And then it did well again. And then we plateaued. And at this now second plateau is where GBF's training came in handy because uh my mentor sparked me to like think broader for the business. So we came up with a plan. We are planning to have more branches. Uh the plan for now is to do a branch every year. Mhm.
And um the other thing we planned to do is to do backwards integration and at that time we were only retailing. So the backwards integration got us to now do wholesale. So we are now wholesaling.
Okay.
Yes. Mostly animal feeds.
Okay.
Yes. Okay.
So um the you had asked me about access to finance or funding the business.

23:54
That is how we have funded the business this far.
Okay.
So now that you you you've benefited and I would I dare say that you've benefited a bit more than financially.
Yes. Yes.
Because you've also benefited intellectually. You've learned new things about your business and you now have better clarity on it and where it's going.
[clears throat]
What what's the dream for Serenity?
Um
where do you see it going or where could it go now that you have been unshackled with this burden of where to access capital from?
What do you see you can do with it and what can it become?
Yeah. So the the goal for Serenity is to become a market leader. Um my goal is to be top 10% in the industry

24:43
and this we can achieve by like uh coming up uh our brand serenity we want to grow it to the level where if a farmer is looking for solutions whether agro or vet solutions they think serenity
and not only in Kenya we want to go into the region
so that is our goal for now and that is what we are working towards. So even with the branches um this will even support our wholesale business take the products closer to the farmers who need them.
Yeah.
Yes.
Okay. Now allow me to we have spoken about the farmers in the front and how you've connected with them.
We've spoken about serenity the business is from a supply perspective. Mhm.
Let's speak to the back because you're a retailer in essence. You're a retailer who's supplying farmers.

25:39
So, let's talk about your products and your product sourcing. You have a diversity of products. Some of them are veterary, some of them are agro,
but let's speak about that ecosystem and what your experience in it has been,
where our medicines coming from. Mhm.
Um I know there's a big there's a big conversation ongoing in our market about um
uh organic and and where our different veterary medicines and agricultural inputs are coming from and what impact they have in the environment. Be good to hear your overview
of that whole space and what it looks like for a business like yours.
Okay. So when essentially when we started out we were just a vet pharmacy.
So we were mostly dealing with veterary pharmaceuticals. But as the business grew and as we were listening to our customers, we realized that we could uh venture into the feeds. So feeds were our second product

26:49
and uh there are many players in the market very many.
So it depends on the quality that you're looking to get and for us we chose to go with uh the highest quality. At that time uh we were selling fugo pebe um yeah most it was mostly fug and pebe. So in terms of very high quality products and we were satisfied with that because when we gave these solutions to our clients like if they're looking for feeds and we give them fugo pbee they would come back with good uh
positive feedback. Yeah. Yeah. Because the the production increases uh input output uh good quality input high production.
Yes. So, but um that also as as we grew the business and one of the things we were big on is listening to our clients, we also realized that there was a market that was looking for quality, yes, but uh the cost the cost of the product. So we we also had to look at um uh feeds that were probably not that high quality but meet the nutritional needs

28:11
of the animals
and at a pocket friendly price for the customers. Uh most of these products are manufactured locally.
Uh in even PMA they manufacture locally. However, they have products that they import and these are the ones that uh speak to the production and even the the local millers and all they are also importing um those products I'm forgetting the name but they are like amino acids
minerals those are all imported and they are repackaged but now they are added to the to the feeds.
Yes. Is there an opportunity there for local production of those items?
I believe there is. But as with many other products in Kenya, it's cheaper
to import
because of the landed of course.

29:08
Yes.
Cost
than to produce.
Okay.
Locally.
Yes.
Yes. So for us um we've majored on sourcing for quality. you know even if like the products that are not um very very highly priced are they of good quality okay
and that's for us so we we come in to ensure to assure the farmer that what they are getting is good quality is hygienic uh h very well prepared in terms of hygiene so that we are not also now creating a problem for the farmer because if you sell contaminated products,
you they will come back with the complaints.
Okay.
Yes.
Okay.
Yeah. You know, Pauline, you may not be aware of this, but I think you you you you are you're going around about your business in your own way, but I think you're curating a different narrative,

30:09
you know, uh whether it's intentional or not, I I see that you are
in the sense that um
we grow up in a Kenya where we're kind of taught like you, you know, you said you had asked aspirations of being uh you had aspirations of being a lecturer.
A lecturer. Yeah. So you studying veterary medicine, you maybe wanted to practice but what you saw yourself doing is eventually going to lecture. Yes.
But you now go and you find this way not in I would say accidentally. Yeah. Because it was more like we said at the beginning circumstantial. [clears throat] But in doing so I believe you're telling a different story. And that story is for all the graduates we have coming out. What if it was deliberate? What if it was I can be a vet and I don't really have to practice

31:04
but I can find somewhere
within this large ecosystem around vet. You know maybe someone will come and find a cheaper way of producing those amino acids that you talk about.
Yes.
Maybe there's an opportunity for someone to come and produce the other additives that are available. So I just thought that's a good comment for you to to take with you.
Very true.
But Serenity, like you say, has ambitions to scale.
Yes.
Scale in a retail environment is the kindred friend of systems.
Yeah.
Um and I don't know if you've discovered this, but you soon will. Yeah. That in order to scale, you'll need a robust backend system that allows you to scale. Mhm.
So, what has your experience thus far been with systems and are you cognizant of this uh where you're heading and what are you doing about it?

31:56
Yes.
Yes,
I agree with you. Uh systems are everything
and what I've learned is that um if I'm going to scale, I need the systems.
So, I am in the foundational level
of laying down systems.
Okay. Um uh at the moment the only um system that we are using is uh an ERP.
Yes.
A a point of sale
for now.
But we are looking for systems to manage
uh every function of our business.
Okay. Because we also want to to have a consistent okay ours is retail
but we are we are big on the service
you know why would a customer come to my shop
and not the next shop there are very very many aggravates
so even as I'm looking to expand and uh have many retail outlets I have to ask myself why us

33:01
yes
so now what I've realized is that we have to have something that is consistent, something that is repeatable.
And that's very hard to achieve if you don't have your own product.
If if what you're selling is essentially like ours in retail is somebody else's product. Yes.
But it is passing through your business. Yes.
So what we are now working with is we are working with professionals. I have a business coach who is helping me with the process.
Okay.
And she connects me with uh the people I need
nice
for you know things like HR.
Okay.
Um sourcing my products.
Okay. For in the part of sourcing uh I have developed myself in that area. So I'm able to look at a product and see

33:58
does this serve my customer? Does this serve the needs of my customer? So I don't have an issue in that area. But I also need a system because the business cannot grow if it depends on me. Okay.
I need to be able to train people who can see what I am seeing. Yes.
For me to be able to say this is a good product for the business. Yeah. So we are at the foundational level of that
and we we are learning on the job because
uh as I told you I never got employed. Yes. So I have grown the business from being a one-man show to now having uh employees. Yes.
And to now thinking of even having more stores.
Okay.
So these systems will come in handy. For now um we have survived. Okay.

34:46
But for us to thrive we need to lay down those systems.
So is that is that why h you have set your ambitions at a store a year?
Yes. to allow you to to adapt and to grow into the system.
Yes.
And not push growth that is more aggressive than that.
Yes. And to actually test the system.
Yes.
Yes.
Okay.
Okay. Have you found um um something that we rarely speak about in our entrepreneurial journey, but something that I personally have found to be very useful
is the the power of the lessons that come from the failings. Mhm.
Yeah. Do you have any such experiences in your journey? [laughter]
A lot of them.
Yes. Any that you'd care to share with us?
Well, I think the first hard lesson that business taught me is to not rely on people, not rely not to put my trust in people.

35:51
Mhm. Um, I'd say if there's anything that has grown my faith in God,
it is running the business.
Yes.
Because there are so many challenges and if you are the business owner,
Yeah.
most of the challenges end up at your desk.
So, HR,
customers, suppliers,
uh, when trouble starts, it gets to you.
Yes. [clears throat] So I learned to anchor myself in the word of God. Yes.
And to really know that I have a place that I can run to. And also
other than my faith in God, there's also the people who are around me like my family, my friends, people I can share with
whatever is going on. M
so I learned that um if I don't have that backing you know if I don't have that power behind me it is very easy to fail because uh for example when uh customers are complaining as I told you when we started the the our market was limited

37:06
right now the area has grown so it's more cosmopolitan we not depending on the same people all the time
if you have first part or you have a problem with one client then it spreads to many others uh and also there is the effect it has on you on your energy to actually go on with the business so the challenges have been many
but with those challenges have come now growth
okay
for example as I told you uh I started now anchoring myself on the word of God and then I realized as I was studying my Bible that there's a lot of business teaching in the Bible.
Okay.
Uh in the book of Proverb, it says um unequal weights and unequal measures. God hates them both. Weights and measures. You're using them in business.

38:00
Yes. So if God is that interested in the business, um I need to also find out
what he is saying about it. And like that particular verse had a an effect on me where I decided this unequal weights and measures I'm going to transfer them into how I treat people. So for me there's no big customer,
there's no small customer. There's no customer who you know like the way when you go to some places you feel like uh you were not celebrated while you saw somebody being celebrated. I decided there there was not going to be any of that.
Yeah. [clears throat]
Every customer is important. It doesn't it doesn't matter how much they're buying. It doesn't matter their age
cuz even children are sent to the shop. M

38:55
um so that word had that impact and when I practiced it um I've seen I've heard good things
okay
about my business
okay
yes
okay I'm always um one of my lessons in in doing this podcast
has been to um yesterday we were recording a different episode that was speaking about an abundance mentality Mhm.
While we are brought up with a very scarcity mentality thinking,
but the more we record the podcast, even just hearing the diversity of the opportunity in your space of aggrovate Yeah.
um speaks to I think what is possible.
Yeah.
Now, um here's an interesting question for you. If we were to take off the constraints, pack the bus of the constraints, access to capital, systems, people and all the other business h business challenges that we all face in our entrepreneurial journey.

40:02
Mhm.
And allow you to put on your dreamer heart. Yeah.
Mhm.
What does serenity look like in 10 years?
Um ah that's a good question. Uh, serenity the way I envision it to be is a large tree.
Mhm.
Where many find shelter.
Mhm.
Um, so of course if it is the tree, it will benefit a large ecosystem. Yes. you know, people find shed,
people find um rests,
people find sustenance,
so for me, I always um find it funny that I went into business because I couldn't find a job.
But now I'm creating employment.
So I want to do better in that. I have a very ambitious goal
of employing at least a thousand people.
Wow.
Yes. Um I know it's ambitious but they say aim for the sun and you will reach the moon.

41:14
Yeah. Yeah.
Yes. So if we can do that um we can reach more farmers.
My business the way I look at it in terms of the retail outlets they will not be in the towns. you know there are enough aggroets in the town. So we'll we'll be going machinani
where the farming is actually happening
so that if a farmer gets to the farm and realize um they forgot animal feed for the calf they bought for
the the big uh animals they can call serenity and and they have their product in good time and a good quality product. So that is the vision I have mostly to create employment. Okay.
And also to just be a farmer success partner.
That's a that's a that's a worthy vision. I think I think it's a worthy vision to have

42:10
and it'll be good to to watch and see uh how that comes to pass that how that comes how that comes alive.
Great. So maybe as we are now uh drawing towards the tail end of of the of the podcast uh we can also seek to understand this sector particularly your area of expertise which is vet.
Mhm.
Yeah. Um so at the moment you're a singular store. Yes. With growth ambitions which are coming. Yeah.
Um but um veterary services are diverse.
Mhm. you know, so you're dealing with multiple animals.
Yeah.
And multiple and those animals then break down into multiple breeds, you know, not all animals. Of course, we have imported breeds in Kenya. We have local breeds. We have different we have crosses between the two.

43:04
So, uh, in my layman's understanding that seems quite complex from an aggravate perspective.
So, what do you stock? You know, are you are you talking if I was to take I I I have a a secret love affair with small ruminants, goats and sheep, harboring ambitions of having a goat and sheep farm in the future.
But then if you are my stockists or my my aggro,
how do you stock what I need?
Because what I need changes from animal to animal and so on. how it would be curious to to to it would be interesting to find out how that is handled from your side as a professional.
Yes. Um so as I told you we have very many products and we can classify them broadly.
Mhm.
Uh for example we have animal health products.

44:02
Under animal health products we have different other categories. Uh there is uh vaccines, veterinary vaccines. There is um veterinary medicines like antibiotics. Um things like antoxidials, coxidial stats, we have minerals. Uh we have like the feed additives you were talking about. So the products are very many. We have um things like hygiene products. Uh somebody was asking me what they do
to control the diseases on their farms. Yes.
And we have those products to maintain hygiene in the in the farm. We also have animal feeds. animal feeds um in that broad category we cater to know what you're saying the different animals
and the the feeds are available
but I think it also depends on location but for example if I am a horse farmer I know where to get

45:12
uh horse feed for my animals so
uh I told you we listen to our customers so in whichever Whatever location we are like the way we are where we are stationed right now. We listen what what are farmers keeping like in our area uh poultry is big and we in poultry we have broilers, we have layers, we have ki chicken. So we cater to those different animals.
Uh we have pigs, we have cows, we have your sheep and goats. So we have animal feed for each of those animals. Um and then we have uh things like um fertilizers that that is more of a grow. Uh you asked me about
yes
the veterary side. So vetinary is mostly feeds, animal health products and a bit of equipment. Um the the commonly used ones like um feeders and drinkers.

46:20
We even have um uh egg trays.
Yes.
For for you to pack your eggs.
Okay.
Yeah. So we have
a diverse number of products to cater for the different different needs.
Yes. And we there's also small animals. So you spoke mostly of large animals but we have dog feed and cat food.
Okay.
Yeah. Dog food. Cat food
which is more that that
it depends like I was saying it depends on the area. For us poultry is is where
is where your focus is? So is it correct to say that in your in your current store based on its current location
you have a very strong poultry bias?
Is that a fair comment? um
or on the vet side bias. Yeah. No, not not bias. Sorry.
In the in sense of the customer you're serving, you're serving a lot of poultry related customers.

47:17
And do you see that as being
um as you continue to grow, you have said that you want to get close to the farmer. M. So do you see that being an a feature of serenity in the sense that if you go to a space that is
more leaning towards goats and sheep, you will then have a bias of leaning towards that. Is that is that a business proposition that
is on your mind at the moment?
Yes, that is exactly our model. we have to do our own research
and also listen to the customers and hear what are the needs
in that area.
Okay.
Yes.
So historically Kenya Kenya has um I think Kenya is going through a resurgence in the sense that we are redefining who we are even agriculturally in the sense that we were kind of

48:12
put into a box and I think that box was largely colonial. Yeah. M
and that box defined what we can do where
but we're now changing I think that narrative you know and there were areas I I I
I struggled with the definition of which we learned all through our school of areas called semiarid
you know I don't think there's yeah it is a definition maybe geographically
but it should not be a definition agriculturally in the sense that if you can get
uh uh water.
Mhm.
To those areas that we call semiarried, they can be very viable commercially.
Yeah.
Yes.
Taking that into consideration in your space.
Mhm.
Do you see yourself benefiting from this going into the future in the sense that all these new emerging areas becoming more productive in an agricultural perspective? Do you see that being of benefit to your sector? Now, not speaking specifically to serenity

49:20
but speaking more as a player in the industry that is emerging and growing. Do you see that being a factor?
Uh, it is a factor. When when I was uh when I was studying veterinary medicine,
there were regions called Assals.
Yes.
Arid and semi
arid lands. Yeah. Yeah. And these are the areas where you find the pastoralists.
Yes. Um the the rainfall nowadays it has increased a bit. However, it is highly unpredictable. So Kenya is moving more from rainfed agriculture to farming using um sourced water. M
but the interesting thing is that even in those very arid areas there's water underground
so now there is no limitation and I think that's the beauty of our education as much as we were brought up in a limited way

50:24
still it opens up it opens us up to see the opportunities so that if more of us who are uh who have the education of which Kenya is a highly educated population. If we venture into agriculture, we are going to use make good use of those spaces. And as I was telling you, most of our raw material comes from outside.
Yes.
But what if we make use of all that land that is available that is not being utilized simply because there's no rain? What if we dig bore holes
and use water to irrigate crops that can then be used as raw material even for um feed manufacturing? So the cost of our production will go down lower. Yes. And then that also means that there are job opportunities in those areas that will be created. So I think what it takes is the expertise and the goodwill and also the funding because as much as we have all these grand ideas

51:35
if the funding is not available then
implementation is a problem.
Wow.
Yeah.
So wow Pauline thank you very much first of all for educating us
in in in this area of agrovet. This is a um news for me and it's been a very educative session but also to to see the opportunity that exist and in the way you're choosing to unlock it. I think that's a very interesting thing.
I think I'll now give you an opportunity to to speak to the audience and tell them where they can find serenity aggravate.
Um if you have any social media handles or anywhere where uh the the people can find you. uh be they potential customers or people who just have an interest in your business.
I welcome you to to tell the public about them.

52:25
All right. Yeah.
So, thank you first of all for having me.
You're welcome.
It's a pleasure.
Uh so, Serenity Aggravate Stores. At the moment, we are in Georgia Farm Shopping Center. However, we shall be coming to a place near you. We are we have a plan of opening stores as I have spoken about. It may not uh be uh soon but we are reachable on phone. Uh can I share my phone number? Please do. Please do.
Yes, you can reach me on 0738 202928.
So we are also doing distribution of animal feeds. Currently we have uh Fugo, Pembbe and Sigma in stock and we shall bring it to you at a friendly price. Uh also for now I'll give a disclaimer. Uh because of our capacity we are only in uh Kiamu County, Georgia um Kiamu. Uh so that's where we are for now but we are looking to get to more uh clients more of you uh in the near future. Um so thank you feel welcome. We

53:45 shall soon we are launching a website so you shall find us online and all and on social media but for now we are a call away.
Excellent.
Thank you.
Excellent. Ladies and gentlemen, that was episode 43 of the African Do podcast featuring Pauline Murray of Serenity Agrovate Stores. A fabulous story of a Kenyan executing in the agricultural and aggravate supply chain and an excellent African executing excellently. Thank you very much for joining us on this episode. You can find us on our YouTube channel, The African Do Podcast. And we look forward to seeing you in our next episode.
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