Edgar Otieno’s story is a testament to resilience and the spirit of innovation. Years ago, he made an unconventional choice that turned heads—he walked away from a promising corporate career to sell pencils on the streets of Nairobi.
At the time, Otieno was employed at Barclays Bank (now ABSA) but resigned to pursue a unique opportunity in the hawking industry. While street hawking is often viewed as a last resort for the unemployed or underprivileged, Otieno saw it as a chance to apply his skills in sales in a new, untapped way.
Every day, he would rise early, dress sharply, and head to the streets, presenting himself as a professional rather than a hawker. His polished appearance and expertise in multiple languages became his key assets. He would explain his approach with a simple but powerful philosophy: “In sales, people buy the seller before buying the product.”
Otieno’s professionalism drew attention and, soon enough, he was gaining the trust of his customers, many of whom had initially been curious about why a man with a banking background would leave a secure job to sell pencils. Learning a few key phrases in different Kenyan languages helped him build a rapport with a diverse range of clients, and he quickly established a loyal customer base.
Originally from Busia County, Otieno’s passion for sales started when he moved to Nairobi. He found work with a company selling pencils and cutlery and quickly became the top agent. When the company shut down in 2005, Otieno didn’t let the setback derail his ambition; he went on to start his own business, continuing his work in hawking.
Reflecting on his journey, Otieno has shared how street hawking provided him with more flexibility than he ever had in a corporate setting. This flexibility allowed him to pursue other interests, such as education and farming. With his modest earnings, Otieno enrolled in a diploma course in social work, hoping to enhance his career prospects.
Despite years of turning down multiple job offers, Otieno has found that the income from his hawking business far exceeds what he would make from most conventional jobs. He noted that he had turned down various offers over the years simply because they didn’t offer more than what he could earn in a single day on the streets.
Over the years, Otieno has faced misconceptions about his occupation. Some believe he is an undercover detective, while others have mistaken him for a drug dealer. Despite these judgments, Otieno continues to embrace his role with pride, dressing professionally and selling pencils on the streets of Nairobi. City council officers even nicknamed him “Mwalimu” (meaning teacher in Swahili), a sign of the respect he has garnered in his community.
For the past 15 years, Otieno has become a familiar figure in Nairobi, often seen in his headmaster-like attire, selling a dozen pencils for Ksh 199. His monthly earnings surpass Ksh 30,000, and after paying Ksh 16,000 for rent in Donholm estate, he uses the rest for his personal expenses. Otieno attributes his success to the ongoing demand for pencils and his sharp sales skills.
Though he plans to eventually leave hawking behind, Otieno is looking ahead to new opportunities. His ambitions include becoming a stationer, a social worker, or returning to a corporate sales role. Initially, his friends and family mocked his decision to sell pencils on the streets in 2002, but now, he is approached with job offers that he consistently turns down—many of which offer lower pay than he earns each day.
Otieno’s journey demonstrates that success is not defined by conventional paths but by determination, hard work, and an unwavering belief in one’s abilities.
