How Kenyan Rose From Mechanic to High-end Garage Owner in US

In the search for greener pastures abroad, some Kenyans encounter different obstacles and, unluckily, some fail in their attempts to chase a better life in a foreign country.

Evanson Kagia, on the other hand, has cemented his place among a rare breed of Kenyans who have continually thrived in the United States, long referred to as the land of big drams and hopes, after relocating from Limuru, Kiambu County.

In a past interview with the Kikuyu Diaspora Media, Kagia detailed his journey from Kenya to working different jobs before setting up a garage.

“When most people get to America, their goal is to study medicine, nursing, and other courses. But when I got here, I got hired to two jobs before I opened this shop,” he stated.

While in Kenya, Kagia worked as a mechanic and was familiar with the field. He stated that friends and family encouraged him to open a shop that has since grown to attract a loyal clientele.

“In Kenya, I used to work as a mechanic in Mombasa. When I came here my friends helped me get started and it is a good job since people also need mechanics in the US,” he explained.

His garage, N & K Auto Repair Shop L.L.C in Birmingham Alabama USA, is described as a family-owned business that offers excellent Automotive Repair Services.

In one of his posts, the mechanic serviced the Sahani food truck also run by another Kenyan in the US. Kagia sells both used and new car tyres among other car parts for all his loyal customers. It is open Monday to Saturday between 8 am and 5 pm.

“I have customers not only from Kenyans in America but China as well. I have customers whose vehicles I have worked on for close to a decade,” he stated.

Kagia explained that despite his garage working in different areas, it specialises in fixing foreign cars. He also revealed that they get cars from motorists to go get damaged cars at fixing them at the garage.

However, one of the challenges Kagia listed as a mechanic was that motorists do not understand that different car parts can fail at different times. “One day you can fix the starter then hear complaints from the mechanic that the car is not working, turns out the battery is damaged,” the mechanic stated.

Kagia encouraged Kenyans working in the Jua Kali sector not to give up on their craft as it pays in the long run.

Key takeaways From Edgar’s success story….

Own your craft and never give up because it eventually pays out in the long run. Understand the risks and rewards of your business. A good question to ask is “What’s the downside?” If you can answer this question, then you know what the worst-case scenario is. This knowledge will allow you to take the kinds of calculated risks that can generate tremendous rewards.

Finally, be creative. Always be looking for ways to improve your business and make it stand out from the competition. Recognize that you don’t know everything and be open to new ideas and different approaches to your business.