Emily Wangui

On Episode 65 of The AfriCAN Do! Podcast, host Leonard Mudachi sits down with Emily Wangui M., Founder and CEO of Furniture Zoo Ltd, on a journey that began with a dream, a Dubai birthday fund and a decision to bet on herself.

Emily, known to her followers as Wakeji Kamore, describes herself as the perfect balance of aggressive and bubbly, and both qualities are stamped on everything she has built. An interior designer at heart, she stumbled onto an interview with a young Nigerian entrepreneur who had built a furniture business from nothing, and something clicked: every dream she had was already someone else's reality, so it could be hers too. She had savings set aside for a birthday trip to Dubai. She chose to build something lasting instead, rallied her friends and family into what she calls her personal loan squad, and Furniture Zoo was born.

From a workshop and showroom on Quarry Road in Mlolongo, Furniture Zoo has grown into a premium custom furniture manufacturer that makes pieces from scratch, custom to each client's style, size, wood grain, staining and finish. The company now works with more than 38 skilled local artisans across joinery, sofa framing, upholstery, welding, lathing and finishing, and has furnished over 184 homes and more than 64 commercial spaces, crafting in excess of 2,800 pieces since inception. Its clients span residential homes, restaurants, hotels, wellness spas and offices, from expatriates who have made Kenya home, to Nairobi residents seeking distinctive pieces, to the resorts and restaurants that rely on Furniture Zoo to set the mood of their establishments.

From the notes for episode 65.