Gennevieve Awino
Company Name: House of ALOSO
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Operating since: 2019
Website: www.houseofaloso.com
Instagram & Twitter: @houseofaloso
Hello, I am Gennevieve Awino, Founder of House of ALOSO.
I am a design crusader! I am passionate about design thinking and finding solutions. I studied BA in Design at the University of Nairobi (awarded as the best student 2004/2005). For my hobbies, I love cooking, writing fiction, and making handcrafts.
Tell us all about your company. What products do you offer?
ALOSO is a dichotomous Dholuo word meaning "I am making/creating". It also means ‘I am speaking’. This duality fuses a functional creative union between your thoughts, conversations and environment. The designs created and curated here are largely conversational pieces with an unrelenting bias towards customized aesthetics. (Loso - To Make/ Speak). The pieces are named in Dholuo which is my native language (the Dholuo community hail from the shores of Lake Victoria, Kisumu County, Kenya) and I see it as a way of sharing part of my culture with the world.
How did you get the idea or concept for your company?
I have been making stuff for myself from my childhood. My passion for design was driven my my creative ability but was largely influenced by lack of access. The ‘good things’ and the ‘beautiful things’ were out of my reach financially so I found a way to create my own replicas. It is a craft I carried through to my adulthood and used to birth this business.
How have your past personal & professional experiences helped you to run your company?
I love having clarity and perspective. In my experience as a visual journalist, I have found these two elements to be very helpful in project implementation and completion. Thus, I have been able to build my brand image and communication strategically.
What is the biggest obstacle you've had to overcome?
Getting over how ‘good’ my business is. When I was making jewellery as a hobby, my friends loved them always and I imagined that when I started the business, the products would be flying off my hands! I had to overcome and actively look for sales.
What's your definition of success? Do you consider yourself a success?
Success is a broadened sense of identity. It’s always about a goal and when to achieve it; there is always more. Yes, I consider myself successful because when I changed the perspective I had of myself, I was able to believe that I was able and deserved to launch this business.
Have the women around you helped you to rise? How?
Yes, my mother has always believed in me and encouraged me to pursue my dream. I have had the privilege of working with women networks like HerHustle and Commonwealth Business Women Kenya that have propped me up.
What are some of your future plans?
My shop is currently online, I would like to have a standalone shop in a mall.
What advice would you give to a woman starting out in your industry or starting her own company/organization?
Have CLARITY on the goal, CLARITY on the timelines, CLARITY on the delivery (specific responsibilities from the team/partners you will be working with). Most of the time we start without thinking or wait too long to start and lose opportunities.
Describe yourself in ONE word. Aesthete
Complete this sentence: "To be a girl or woman today is..." to be courageous and strategic"