CORPORATE SCENE
In 2011 , Meshack Alloys was named East Africa ’ s youngest entrepreneur to watch and now sits as Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Sendy . We speak to Meshack about the company ’ s fastpaced evolution .
Let ’ s start by getting to know you , Meshack . Tell us a little bit about your background and what drove you into entrepreneurship .
I started my first job as a Software Engineer at a mobile telecommunications company after losing interest in design & construction at the University of Nairobi - College of Architecture and Engineering , where I enrolled for my undergraduate degree . The entrepreneurial bug made me restless , so after 6 months I quit to start my first business in the software space .
I co-founded MTL Systems and Servtech Systems where we provided mobile and software solutions . I hit my home run when I consulted for Unilever and set up their sales and distribution systems across the African continent . At that point , I exited the business to start Sendy in 2015 .
Thinking about it now , I have always been obsessed with the marketplace and navigating it together with other traders to earn a living . I vividly recall my first business reselling kerosene at the young age of 15 in a small town at the border of Kenya and Tanzania .
Would you tell us about the journey to start Sendy ?
Moving goods affordably and securely has always been a point of frustration for many people and businesses across Africa . There was a significant gap in the market , and we embarked on solving this challenge .
We started by developing a pilot program in 2014 and with my background as a Software Engineer , I actually wrote the initial code . In July of the same year , we entered into an East African technology competition where we won the transport category . In 2015 , we officially launched Sendy .
Sendy provides an integrated solution that simplifies the transport process for businesses so they can focus fully on the products their consumers want . We are rooted in the belief that everyone should be able participate and thrive in Africa ’ s economy . At Sendy we bring together all the moving parts required to deliver goods affordably , safely and securely on time to consumers and retailers across Africa .
That sounds like the ultimate 1-minute elevator pitch . So , you wrote the initial code for Sendy - what was the day-to-day business like in the first year ?
Just like any start-up , we had a resource problem at the beginning and of course had to deal with both internal and external business challenges . We started by developing a rhythm and structure while also executing all aspects of the business ourselves .
Ultimately , this enabled us to gain a
“ It took a lot of convincing for our initial clients to trust us with their valuables which led us to innovate our platform . We made it possible for clients to track transiting goods in real time and introduced third-party insurance giving clients the confidence and assurance they need for their peace of mind ”
much deeper understanding of the everyday root problems our clients and suppliers experienced . We would on-board and manage clients , respond to client queries , handle deliveries , manage the system and accounting records … We had to be jacks of all trades !
It took a lot of convincing for our initial clients to trust us with their valuables which led us to innovate our platform . We made it possible for clients to track transiting goods in real time and introduced thirdparty insurance giving clients the confidence and assurance they need for their peace of mind .
I vividly recall convincing riders that we would help them use their phones to receive delivery requests from people they didn ’ t know , and they couldn ’ t believe it possible . At the time of launching Sendy , smartphones were scarce and USSD was our primary technology for communication with couriers . We later built a hybrid application and purchased smartphones for our fleet ; today owning a smartphone is a basic requirement to use our platform .
You started Sendy in Kenya in 2015 and six 6 years later , the company is operating in eight different countries across Africa and with multiple products . Take us through the six-year journey to date .
We have hit some significant milestones since we started the journey to shape the future of trade in Africa .
In November of 2015 , we became the first investee of Safaricom ’ s Spark Venture Fund which was a valued vote of confidence in a locally developed product . In 2016 , we flagged off our very first delivery truck from Mombasa , Kenya to Arusha in Tanzania . By the end of that same year , we had scaled up serving thousands of businesses in East Africa .
In 2017 , we introduced pick-ups , vans and trucks to our delivery fleet to increase our capacity . In 2018 we focused on supporting merchants in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods ( FMCGs ) industry helping them solve a key business challenge . We then added long haul ( trailers ) deliveries expanding our business further into Uganda and other parts of East Africa in 2019 .
Last year we shifted our focus from purely logistics to trade facilitation , launching a solution that is now enabling retailers to stock their shops through an online application .
This year we have focused on product growth and the expansion of our footprint across East and West Africa .
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