Diana Kalekye Musembi is the founder of Schon Kenya Tours and Safaris. Kalekye started the company after saving tips while working as a supervisor at Club Tribeka.
Education and family background
She grew up in Tala as a second born in a family of three children who were all girls. The successful woman lost her dad when she was in class four and life took different turn.
Diana attended Tala Township Primary School and later joined high school at Matungulu Girls in Machakos. After high school, she joined Kenya Wildlife Service Training Institute in Nakuru to do a diploma in Tourism and Hospitality Management.
She pursued a degree of the same course at Moi University Nairobi campus.
Working at Tribeka Club
Her life changed when she met the general manager of the now defunct Club Tribeka, Dorene Sakala who gave her an opportunity to work as a supervisor at the club.
The salary was around Ksh10,000 per month. Despite the low salary, she received customer tips which she saved and used to open her company.
Challenges
Immediately after graduation Musembi got a job at a tour company as a reservations agent and sales person and two year later she lost it.
She loved her job passionately and valued it. After losing the job, Diana became depressed and started going to clubs like her age mates drinking and partying. The Schon Kenya Tours and Safaris founder, lost her mother in 2017.
At that time her sister in high school needed school fees, she had to pay the workers at home and also cater for her own expenses.
The company was doing well until the pandemic hit and they had to cut salaries. Diana gets discouraged at times but she gets over them by praying and talking to her driver guys who are older than them.
Career growth
The CEO met a guy called Robert who helped her open the company’s website at a deposit of ksh.15,000. Kalekye looked for a lawyer to help in registering the company and getting a certificate. The first client she ever got was a German.
She hired a car and a driver for the Safari. The businessman became serious with the company after her mother passed on.
The Schon Kenya Tours and Safaris company
The name Schon Kenya means beautiful Kenya. The company employs a few reservationists and official drivers, while other drivers are sourced from outside.
They have affordable packages from less than Sh5,000 for Nairobi National Park with their vehicles being equiped with sockets, cushions, recliner seats, a fridge and pop roofs.
The ex-Tribeka club supervisor said that business is hard but you have to be patient and positive. In a past interview with Lynn Ngugi on Tuko talks, she advised Kenyans not to be embarrassed with their businesses as what was meant to be yours will always be yours.
