Nassejje quit her job at 27 to start property management firm

Tahia Nassejje is jolly and full of positive vibes. And this is easily read from her face as she steps out of a navy blue Mark X as she arrives for the interview.
Born in Luwafu village, in Makindye Division, Kampala, to Abdul Masikangabo Muyingo and Sharifa Namatovu Muyingo, the 29-year-old is the owner of Betasky Property Management and a director at Krem Events.
Nassejje says she is a product of passion, hard work and is determined to make things work out in life.
“I was a property manager, expected on my desk at 7:30am and only departed after the boss exited office. I was super stressed from Monday to Monday. While I worked, I realised that I could do on my own what I was employed to do,” she says of her previous job.
“I shared my idea with two close male friends who encouraged me. I took a decision to quit after I told my parents about it. My dad believes in entrepreneurship while my mum believes in a desk job. My dad backed me up and bought me the first laptop, but I didn’t have office space. All this happened at the end of 2017. I used to work from home.”
Nassejje says despite loving what she did, at her previous job she would go out in the field to look for clients under the scorching sun, but was later paid peanuts.
“This pushed me to start my own venture. I was naïve about the whole process of paperwork. However, I was given a hand to start on the ambitious journey,” Nassejje says.
“My first task was managing my dad’s rentals. I demanded rent arrears from the tenants and delivered on a particular date. As per the contract, my initial payment was 10 per cent. This fuelled me to further the business since it was going as planned.”
At Betasky, Nassejje manages clients’ properties, works on title transfers, surveys and markets properties for sale.
Like any business, she says, real estate has challenges and is crowded with brokers who are not professional and thus spoil it for those who are trying to do honest work.
“Many don’t understand paperwork; they don’t care about what is legal or not. All they want is their cut,” she says, adding that, “another challenge is that real estate isn’t protected against unscrupulous dealers. There is no clear voice or rules and regulations governing this sector because anyone can get into the business and get away with it.”
Nassejje loves to keep things organised by documenting and filing all her paperwork, be it bills or costs of maintenance.
“I also keep in touch with my landlords by sending them emails and updates on anything so that they approve the quotations for any services like painting, or even slashing the compound.”
Nassejje says at the beginning there were people who doubted she would make it.
“I even had second thoughts and thought of looking for another job. However, I rowed my boat amidst strange storms. Therefore, believe in what you want and go after it, even in the face of so much negativity. If you fail, accept that as a lesson. If you win, well and good. Keep pushing on,” she advises fellow youth, adding that her biggest achievement so far is having inner peace.
Advice
“I even had second thoughts and thought of looking for another job. However, I rowed my boat amidst strange storms. Therefore, believe in what you want and go after it, even in the face of so much negativity. If you fail, accept that as a lesson,”
Tahia Nassejje