We can all agree some of the most successful people in the country or within the societies we live in have intriguing or rather, inspiring rags to riches stories.
In this segment, Nairobileo.co.ke takes a look at the entrepreneurial journey of Mathew Gathua, owner of Valentine Cake House. He began his career as a dishwasher in a Mombasa Hotel.
Gathua defied his past to own one of the most reputable and renowned bakeries in Kenya with 21 outlets nationwide.
He revealed that despite owning a multi-million business, he only has one certificate, for fire management.
"I started as a kitchen hand, people do not understand how I have never had training; the only training I have had is on fire training, which happened when Mombasa Municipal Council came to train us on how to handle fire. That is the only certificate I have.
"When I went into washing dishes, it so happened that the dishwashing and pastry area were close, so, anytime I would finish washing dishes I would rush to help chefs in the kitchen," he explained.
Gathua was determined in his work, and in his free time, he would help out in the pastries section and learn how to bake. With a number of the staff being elderly his help was very much welcome and after some time he was promoted from a dishwasher to a baker.
He had a passion for baking and more often than not, he would come to work early, learn about pastry and then embark on his duties.
It took Gathua 13 years from a dishwasher to a training chef, chef de parties and finally to a pastry chef.
His rise to the top was full of challenges and at the time, he earned peanuts.
"My first salary was Ksh. 895, then it was increased to Ksh. 1105, while my rent was Ksh. 300, you have bus fare and food to cater for when off duty because we used to eat at the hotel whenever we were on duty.
"I bought an oven with my last salary, I used to bake in my house and go to saloons. Ladies stay there for 2-3 hours and they used to buy my Ksh. 10 cupcakes," he stated.
In 1997, he opened his shop in Bombolulu and launched Valentine Cake House. He would make deliveries using a bicycle.
In 2007, he opened Valentine School of Cake and has since trained over 12,000 youth in pastry.
Gathua advises the youth to not rely on their education alone and instead look to acquire unique skills that will earn them a living in the event they fail to get a job.
He also urges youth not to rush into settling down before they are stable enough to care for a family.
"Youths get a job at 21 they want to get married at 24, at 25 they have domestic issues, they get demoralized and turn to alcohol by the time they are 30 they have lived a whole life.
"28-30 is the time and by the time your 60 your child is 30, so do not be in a rush to get family life, when you are bogged down with family life at 23 your goal and focus will be divided," he noted.
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