Former Bank Manager Who Quit To Focus On Selling Clothes Regrets Not Starting Earlier

• Awuor Awuor worked as a relationship manager in a bank, but her inborn love for getting creative with fabric couldn't keep her in the boardrooms
• She reigned after eight years and started selling African fabric, a venture that has since blossomed into a full-blown couture
• Despite the teething problems, Awuor has found her footing in business and regrets not venturing into entrepreneurship earlier

As of 2016, Awuor Awuor Indah was a corporate woman working in high-end offices as a relationship manager in a local bank.

It was a life many of her peers envied, but one she felt was not giving her the most out of life, so she resigned.

Decision was difficult for family

Speaking to TUKO.co.ke, the entrepreneur says it was a bold decision that scared her and the entire family.

They were even more worried that she was leaving such a lucrative job to become an African fabric vendor.

"It was very difficult, given the uncertainty of the future and the fear of not having a constant assured income," she started.

The move also shook the family's cash flow, but she was lucky to have a supportive system at home.

Hubby's support helped

With her eyes set on making things work, she learned to ignore the fear and focused on growing the brand, and Elegance Couture was born.

One of the lessons she's picked along the way is that business needs one to put in the work and the importance of spousal support.

"It is because of the support I received from my husband that has enabled me to be here," she reiterated.

Awuor added that one must also be financially disciplined and have intrinsic motivation, as being one's boss sounds good, but it is not easy.

Awuor's eureka moment

After years of selling fabric, she opened her eyes to a bigger world and branched into designing and tailoring, which she currently does.

The break flung open the floodgates for the entrepreneurial journey that she revels in.

Seven years into the game, Awuor looks back and regrets that she took longer to venture into business.

"Business is quite awesome at the same time, very challenging, but I knew from the onset it wasn't going to be easy," she continued.

Dream came true

With every new year, her portfolio of clients and designs grows, and so does her balance sheet, wiping away all the struggles she's endured in entrepreneurship.

Her daily motivation comes from seeing her business scaling to the heights she only dreamed of in the past.

"Can you imagine studying calculus, trigonometry et al in university, then later putting my first best eight years in banking then to fashion and design?" she muttered.

For her, every outfit that passes through her hands aims to leave an indelible mark on the wearer and those they interact with.

Pamelah Oduor's story

Her story is almost similar to that of Pamelah Oduor, who resigned from the bank manager position in 2015 to concentrate on her passion for cooking.

Many found the decision ridiculous, but she was willing to throw away her career because being a bank manager no longer made sense.

Her decision has since paid off, as she's built herself into a reputable personality who even cooks food for export to Kenyans and other clients in the diaspora.