The Temptation of the Kitchen Table
Let’s be honest: when most of us start a business, the first “office” is usually the kitchen table, or worse the bed. You’re typing proposals in between boiling beans, or attending Zoom meetings with chickens crowing in the background.
But here’s the problem: when clients hear, “Let’s meet at my house” suddenly, trust flies out the window. Nobody wants to sign a contract next to your mother’s dishes and family TV.
My Own Humble Beginning
When I started M&J, I didn’t have much. No big boardroom, no air-conditioned office. I was renting a chair and a desk in a small, smelly office. Yes, smelly. The kind of smell where you walk in and wonder if a rat died last week.
But that tiny, humble office gave me something powerful: professionalism. Clients came, sat down, and thought, “This guy is serious. He has an office, not just an idea.”
Guess what? Many of those same clients from that smelly office are still with me today.
Why You Need an Office (Even a Small One)
An office, no matter how small, gives three big advantages:
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Trust: Clients feel safer when they can “locate” you. If you disappear, at least they know where to send zesa to cut your power.
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Value: A physical address adds weight to your brand. It says, “This is real.”
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Professionalism: Nobody takes you seriously if you’re doing board meetings in a kombi.
The African Entrepreneur’s Reality
Of course, we know office rent can be brutal. Landlords charge like they own Dubai. But even if it’s just a shared space, a co-working hub, or a rented desk, it changes how people see your business.
Because here’s the truth: Africans don’t just buy your product. They buy your seriousness.
Start small, yes. But don’t stay hidden. Find a space, no matter how humble, and make it your business home.
Because when you build an address, you’re not just renting walls and a desk you’re building trust, relationships, and long-term clients.
And who knows? One day you’ll look back at that smelly office and laugh, just like I do.
By The Chartered Vendor
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