Some party lovers might not be acquainted with the face behind one of Kigali’s most famous night spots, KGL fast food restaurant and bar. Opened in 2013, the popular hangout is a standard spot for Kigali’s corporate class. 

Price Muhoza speaks to The New Times. YouTube/The New Times

Women Today’s Doreen Umutesi talked to 25-year-old Price Muhoza, the face behind KGL about her journey as a young female entrepreneur.

What inspired you to venture into business?

When I moved back here after school, my plans were to actually get a job. I returned home three years ago after pursuing masters in applied communications from the University of Coventry and Bachelors in Public Relations from Midrand Graduate Institute, South Africa. But I come from a business minded family with a system of starting up business ventures. So I looked around for what was lacking. I had a few savings from living abroad, I had good business plans and I talked to my father who agreed to sponsor half of it.

I realised one can never go wrong with food because everyone needs to eat at some point. All I needed to do was have something different to present and I thought about the fast food joint and tried to combine it with a bar. It’s been okay! There have been good and bad days like any other business.

How have you been dealing with the restrictions on noise pollution?

That’s a question I’m asked pretty much nowadays (laughs). It’s been challenging and it has pushed me to create new things and find ways to make things work other than lamenting and depending on only music. I have become creative.

When did you realise you wanted to become an entrepreneur?

Every time I was on holiday, I would work with my mother, she is also a business woman, and I would also work with my father. Before going to pursue my masters, I worked closely with my dad for nine months. So working closely with him makes you question why you should be employed. I was inspired on how nice it would be to be in control of the things in your life. Yes you can get an 8am-5pm job but the routine is boring. I’m a person who gets bored quickly. I always want to explore and do things differently just to keep my mind active.

What previous work experience did you have before starting this business?

I can’t necessary call it proper employment. When I was at university I did small jobs. I worked in restaurants, did some bit of sales while in the United Kingdom and a bit of that experience inspired me into starting KGL. Working in the restaurants gave me a bit of insight into how the fast foods operate there.

Who is your role model?

My father Victor Nduwumwami is my role model. He is a businessman. He always has business ideas. Each time I sit with him, we talk for hours about different business ventures. As the first born with four other siblings, there is a lot of pressure to live up to what your siblings should look up to. But I try.

What is your greatest achievement to date?

KGL has been my greatest achievement. To be able to have it run successfully for the last two years is something I’m happy about. Of course I was scared when it first opened its doors in December 2013, but you need to take risks in life. I wouldn’t have been able to sleep if I just thought about starting the business and not tried it. It’s better to try it and fail, but at least I tried.

What has been your biggest challenge as a woman entrepreneur?

Being a woman and at my age, it’s a challenge of its own. Maintaining the business and dealing with people that I had not been dealing with for a while was hard. I hadn’t been home in Rwanda for almost seven years. So when I moved back, I had to learn new things, how business works.

So far it’s getting better, people are getting used to the idea of me having such a business.

Before everyone was saying, why is she going into the bar business, she is young, what is she thinking? But so far it has taught them to respect me and what I have done.

What advice would you give to the young women out there who would want to run businesses of their own?

My simple advice is ‘If you want it bad enough, you can actually achieve. If you really want it, work hard at it. It may take every bone in your system but still go ahead with it because the rewards in the end are very promising.

What do you attribute your success to?

I attribute my success to having patience, it’s very crucial in the business world. The good support system from family, friends and people you work with get you through the difficulties you face.

What have you learnt from this journey?

I have learnt that life is not easy. The society we live in, you have to work hard to be accepted for whom you are and what you’re doing in life. You have to prove to them that you’re worth being where you’re at the point in time. Age is sometimes just a number. I’m 25 and the amount of experience I have, I can now handle any kind of business.

If you were to do things differently about your business, what would it be?

Nothing much really, I’m currently working on opening up a second business hoping it will be open by summer. It will have a different concept but it will still be a fast food. It will be more of a sports pub with side activities for children. My hope is to make this a franchise in East Africa; I’m first conquering Kigali (laughs).

How would you describe your leadership style? How many employees do you have?

I have 20 permanent employees and most of them; I started with from day one.The good thing is they know what’s expected of them.

Regarding my leadership style, I allocate responsibilities but I’m also at the top of everything.

People know their responsibilities and all I need is a report at the end of every day. I have actually learnt a lot. I didn’t know how to handle people at the leadership level. It’s a good experience.

What is your hiring tip?

I always go with my gut. The way one walks in, the way they sit down and how they talk to me, in the first five minutes I know that I will hire the person.

How do you distinguish yourself from your competitors?

Having lived abroad for some time, I’m trying to offer something I have borrowed from the different places I have been to, especially in the fast food area. Although it’s not yet as fast as I wish it would be, I can say we are getting there. There are continuous trainings for the workers here because they are recruited without any mentality of fast food business. They are trained in making fast food recipes before hand and delivery services.

How do you deal with failure?

I try not to accept failure. I really try my level best not to fail (laughs). I make it my mission to succeed in whatever I do.

As a child what did you want to become? Are you living your childhood dream?

I wanted to become a lawyer but when I went to university for my bachelor’s degree and I looked at the modules for the public relations course, it was stuff that I was interested in and saw myself actually enjoying the course. I’m really passionate about communications, so I ended up public relations thinking I would do another degree in law probably.

Are you married or dating?

(She laughs). I’m not married or dating.

What do you have to say about the perception that established single women frighten men?

That should not be any kind of perception. The mentality of "she is this or is that” is not fair and no one should think like that. Ifyou like someone go ahead and approach them, you never know they will blow your mind away.

doreen.umutesi@newtimes.co.rw