Challenged by his neighbour, he now runs a shoe business

When Stephen Alibaruho started making leather shoes, it was all out of love. Today, he is the proprietor of Big Leather Goods Limited and a testimony that success truly follows passion.
The principles of running a business were never part of Alibaruho’s craft. All he cared about was making shoes to the best of his abilities. What people did not know was that inside, the shoemaker was challenging himself to match Bata standards.
Alibaruho’s relationship with leather was inspired by Peter Birimbo, his village mate in Kitagwenda, Kamwenge District.
Birimbo and his family wore well-polished shoes to school, work and church. He was one of the few villagers that had a car.
“I admired his family and wondered if I could also make shoes. There was a cobbler in the village whom I requested to teach me how to mend shoes. He gave me the basics,” Alibaruho recollects.
He then shared his dream with his guardians, who were happy to sponsor his education at St Joseph’s Kaningwa Technical School, where he studied a vocational course in shoemaking.
Here, he combined the skills he learnt at school and the practical lessons from the cobbler to start making shoes.
In 1997, almost a year after completing his course, a shoe-making workshop approached him with a job offer.
At Herbert & Brothers, Alibaruho’s did almost everything, from purchases, making shoes to selling them.
It was this job that earned him his first trip out of Kamwenge to Kampala, where he travelled to buy shoe soles. He would also travel to Jinja to purchase leather, which is a raw material for making shoes.
“We bought leather in bundles. One bundle of leather would make upto 50 pairs of shoes. Back then, materials were cheaper. I would buy leather worth Shs1,000 and it was enough to make a pair of shoes. Today, I buy the same quantity of leather at Shs15,000 and it is only enough to make a child’s shoe,” Alibaruho explains.

Changing times
He adds that at the time, they used a manual sewing machine with peddles. The leather was cut using hands unlike today where many shoemaking factories, including his, use automated machines.
The married father of four confesses to having been a dedicated and keen employee because even as much as he put in his all, his ultimate plan was to start his own shoemaking company. “I wanted to become rich. In everything I did, I saved money and invested in buying goats and cows. I was paid Shs500 per pair of shoes.
“The shoes then were sold between Shs8,000 and Shs10,000,” he recollects.
Alibaruho did not have a bank account, so his alternative way of saving was investing in tools for his future company.
He would also buy leather materials, which he kept at his house.
When he eventually left Herbert & Brothers, he came to Kampala, settling in Namuwongo.
The money he saved was enough to pay his Shs70,000 rent, buy cutters and needles.

Flying solo
In 2006, the entrepreneur’s solo journey started. He rented a sewing machine at a monthly cost of Shs30,000 and a scoring machine at Shs70,000.
Alibaruho found a small room at Eagen House, in the Central Business District and this would become his work station to date.
His rent was Shs150,000 per month. “It is more expensive now because space is paid for in square metres. Starting out was not easy. I would leave one of the boys I worked with at the workshop as I worked elsewhere to raise the rent. I had started a business but I was not sure it would work out,” the Big Leather Goods Limited proprietor recalls.
One of his unforeseen challenges was disregard for book keeping and record keeping. It was not until some customers started demanding for receipts, invoices, payment vouchers and delivery notes that he considered the importance of these things.
“I got training on customer care from Uganda Manufacturers Association, where I learnt how to welcome and appreciate customers. At another training, small scale business personnel were taught how to handle records. I realised that with proper book keeping, it is easy to understand the way business is run,” he recalls.
Alibaruho’s network expanded. He also got training from United Nations Industrial Development Organisations on shoe, bag and belt, which helped him expand his business. From the training, the shoemaker was also equipped with tips on how to market his business. He started exhibiting at expos and also engaging customers in door-to-door marketing.
Today, Big Leather Goods Limited makes up to 100 pairs of children’s shoes and 30 pairs of adults’ shoes a month.
“Our business is seasonal. The shoes range from Shs40,000 to Shs150,000.”

Lessons
Alibaruho’s biggest lesson thus far is doing checks and balances of both financial flow of the business as well as products, so as to stay afloat. He employs 10 people.
His advice to people who want to start up businesses?
“Do not start because you have learnt how to make shoes or whatever. It is important to also learn how to do business. Back then people were faithful but not as much today. You need to keep records and follow up on customers,” he advises.
Away from business, Alibaruho is a fan of football and is outgoing, and when he goes out to watch a game, he carries his family along.

Advice

From the horse’s mouth. Do not start because you have learnt how to make shoes or whatever. It is important to also learn how to do business. Back then people were faithful but not as much today. You need to keep records and follow up on customers,.