Sabina Brenda is a young entrepreneur who has ventured into a sector that may do not even consider.
Brenda runs a funeral parlour, End to End Executive Funeral Services which she started after the death of her mother years ago.
Speaking to Amakove Wala – Wanderlusts Diaries founder – Brenda says the thought to start the funeral parlous that provides coffins and organizes funerals for the bereaved families was inspired by her mother’s death.
“When my mother died, I had a difficult time planning her send off. It was a hectic task planning and grieving at the same time,” she recalls.
She recounts that there was a lot of negativity when she started her new business to a point and her late father dissuaded her at first but later understood her after four months and gave her a blessing.
Since 2019, the business has been running and each day is a learning day.
“We have been in operation from 2019. We have cried with families, we have celebrated lives, we have blessed some with free caskets and we have given back to the community.
“When you have such a business, one should be ready for all sorts of comments. Some people ask me how I pray, others if I rejoice in death, how I couldn’t think of other business ideas other than caskets. How I make profits in death. What they don’t know however, is the smiles I give to grieving families. The number of thank you and God bless you I get. It is tough,” Brenda says.
Her busiest days are between Thursday and Saturday.
End to End Executive Funeral Services has readymade coffins which clients order online and are delivered by courier services company Wells Fargo to any part of the country.
Clients select the caskets they want and provide the destination.
Brenda organizes funerals based on the budget a client has and acknowledges that though she is in business, the passing on of a loved one is always tough.
“We offer both simple, affordable quality funeral services and more sophisticated packages according to your budget and needs,” she remarks imploring that they offer counselling services as well.
She says that it was not easy to start the business with start up capitol being the hardest thing but she managed to get it from one of her chamas.
End to End Executive Funeral Services is in Siaya, Busia, Kisumu and Huruma on Nairobi. She has employed a manager, sales person and four carpenters who designs the coffins.
Her lowest moment was when a customer slapped her after a hearse he had been waiting for delayed.
“We have had an issue with landlords as some don’t want such businesses in their premises. Like in Bondo we have never gotten a house to date,” she speaks of her challenges in business.