How part-time job ushered me to financial independence

At a tender age of about eight years, Robert Okubo’s family relocated from Kenya to the US. Born to a Kenyan father and mother from Trinidad and Tobago, he had spent his early childhood in Kenya. His parents had met in London during their university days and together decided to move to Kenya, where they started a family.

While to most going abroad would have seemed the golden opportunity every young man would dream of, five years down and Okubo had had enough.

“My mum, three siblings and I left for the US in 1987. I stayed for five years, but I didn’t like it. So, I came back on my own,” shares the entrepreneur.

In order to stabilise, he got a job at a travel company for about a year before deciding to start his own company, Johnny Be Good Safaris in 1998. He left Kenya again for the second time hoping to be back soon, but things took a different turn when he was there.

“My aim in the States was to market Kenya, but that changed when Al-Shabaab hit Paradise Hotels in Kikambala in 2002. The US Government released a travel ban to East Africa. I decided to look for some part time work to take care of my travel expenses and my ticket back. The part time job I got was with a major cleaning company. What fascinated me about the job was the technology used to clean furniture, carpets, car interiors and aircraft and most importantly mattresses. I knew this kind of technology hadn’t been introduced in Kenya then,” shares Okubo.

This was also where he got the idea of his second business, 200 Degrees Cleaning Services, which he started in 2003 in Washington DC. He had saved enough money from his job in the states enough to start this business. Over the years, the company has provided professional, environmentally friendly cleaning products and efficient cleaning services for commercial, industrial and domestic premises and vehicle interior using current technology.

“After being affected by terrorism, I figured the cleaning business would be all-year round and more stable unlike the tour industry. Switching the industry, though was quite something. Tourism (travelling) was a lot of fun — cleaning is hard work, but also getting to meet a lot of wonderful people across the globe,” he shares.

Opportunities and challenges

Starting this new business had challenges of its own including the struggle to get clients every day of the year. He, therefore, realised it also needed a lot of patience.

He shares how his cleaning job has got him to places such as the State House, amazingly. Fumigation services came in handy during Covid-19 pandemic and opened many other doors.

To achieve their objectives, 200 Degrees uses state-of-the-art equipment and machinery in cleaning and allied services within the cleaning service industry. The company has invested in high caliber staff in order to offer competitive and quality services at reasonable rates. The cleaning company has carried out some major assignments including having to clean a 60-foot-high roof tile that was hardly walkable.

“The clients tried to ask how I was going to accomplish it. I didn’t give too much information since some clients will take your idea and go ahead and implement it themselves. So, I asked the client to give me the two dirty roof tiles and I assured him I would clean them. The next day, he was in shock when they saw me rolling in with a 70-foot crane,” he reminisces.

Eco-friendly ventures

For the last three years, 200 Degrees has won the Angi’s List Super Service Awards in the carpet, upholstery and Furniture cleaning and also in Water Damage Restoration Category. This is a widely recognised award in the US.

The Kenyan Branch (launched in 2012) and a subsidiary of the 200 Degrees in the USA has not only provided employment opportunity for over 70 youth, but also through it, Okubo has orchestrated a unique collaboration with Binti Mwangaza, a non-governmental organisation dedicated to youth empowerment in Nanyuki and Nairobi, Kenya. This innovative partnership not only focuses on a livelihood and mentorship programme, but also incorporates Okubo’s other company, employing a joint venture that produces mulch beautification for gardens.

“One of the other services I learnt back in the States was landscaping, maintenance and beautification of flower beds using dressing. For years, I said I would launch this and show people the usefulness of flower bed dressing,” shares the entrepreneur.  

The core objective of this multifaceted collaboration is to empower vulnerable women and young adults by providing them with tools for sustainable financial independence. The inclusion of Okubo’s second venture, specialising in mulch production, adds a layer of environmental consciousness and entrepreneurship to the initiative.

In addition to the skills transfer and mentorship offered through 200 Degrees Cleaning Services, participants will now have the opportunity to engage in eco-friendly business endeavours. The production of mulch not only aligns with environmental sustainability, but also offers individuals a chance to explore entrepreneurial ventures in the gardening and landscaping industry.

Okubo emphasises the importance of diversifying opportunities for empowerment.

“We want to open doors to various avenues of financial stability. By incorporating mulch production into our joint venture, we are not only beautifying gardens, but also nurturing entrepreneurship among our programme participants,” Okubo says in ending.