The design and décor industry is very particular. To succeed, you need to have good designs and quality products for your business to stand out. It is such that has made Jotete Investments a successful brand. With services such as decoration, home design, investment in horticulture and hospitality, the company is creating a style of its own through the curation of both modern and traditional flairs. Joy Murekatete, the company’s founder, says as a business dealing in interior design, fashion and décor in general, they aim at creating unique and affordable pieces, study current trends and ensure to listen to what the client’s taste is. With decoration services, her company normally tends to corporate events where they create modified schemes for any type of occasion like launches, gala dinners, cocktails and more. They also handle weddings, birthdays and more, with different beautiful accessories. Her designs are simple but attractive. Starting out eight years ago, Murekatete operated her new business as a florist, mainly selling flowers, but she has since expanded and now has a walk-in-store with unique and elegant decorative pieces. Her love for design and decoration, plus the idea of being her own boss and creating employment for others, is what pushed the 37-year-old into business. Several years down the road, the now established entrepreneur involved herself in horticulture and hospitality business. “We now grow summer flowers in Rulindo District for local and export purposes. This has created jobs for many, has saved flowers since they are perishable and promoted Made-in-Rwanda as well,” she says. She also incorporated design gardening, with belief that since it’s the exterior of the home that creates the first impression, it’s crafty to create simple but attractive designs that are pleasing to the eye and will make a home stand out. She grows flowers for local and export purposes. Her love for exquisite spaces is seen through the numerous works she has done for both private individuals and companies. “We have since worked and made supplies to the government, hotels, private companies and banks. The market is so far good and interesting,” she says. Challenges As it is with most businesses, Murekatete says she has faced countless challenges, the biggest happening when her company was hit hard by the pandemic. “Being in decoration, we were hit hard with the Covid-19 pandemic. There were no more events, no more exporting of flowers. It was hard,” the businesswoman says. She, however, says she managed to survive and later on decided to expand her business and service a wider market. Murekatete’s business was able to receive financial support from the Young Entrepreneurs Resilience Fund. “I managed to increase exports and increase home decor materials to attract walk-in clients, which has increased sales,” she says. Murekatete enjoys creating beautiful spaces with her designs. Asked how she manages to deal with competition, given the many décor businesses on the market, Murekatete says hers is a multi-serviced one that targets beyond the local market, and that this gives her an advantage. “Being in decoration and horticulture (growing of flowers), I target local and international (exporting flowers) market which is an advantage to me.” She shares that running a successful business calls for unique skills that she says have also served as lessons for her; skills such as valuing her every client—she considers this as key, communication, feedback, following up and networking, are all essential, she adds. Her company also handles corporate events. She advises those who seek to venture into a similar business or any other field, to first of all, love what they do and own their venture. “Own it, love it, work as a team and keep the above,” she says. Some of her future plans include expanding her export of summer flowers and having more branches in Rwanda. You can reach out to Jotete via 0788305280
