While growing up, Godfrey Mwachugu Amon desired to become an engineer. However, his interests changed as he grew older, and in the process, he developed a passion for business and entrepreneurship.
Currently, he is the Chief Operations Officer (COO) and the mastermind behind Patazone Marketplace, an online e-commerce store that he set up in 2018.
He says the increasing demand for online shopping inspired him to set up this platform, which offers a wide range of products across various categories including phones, electronics, home and kitchen appliances and fashion.
Amon holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a Master’s in Business Administration. He also has several certifications in operations management, logistics, and supply chain management.
“As a dedicated and experienced professional with a passion for innovation, technology and entrepreneurship, I have been involved in the e-commerce industry for several years now, and I am committed to driving the growth and success of Patazone,” he begins.
Financial constraints
Amon narrates how life while growing up was challenging, but fulfilling. He reveals that life, as he knew it then, was full of financial constraints, as he was born and raised in a humble background and had to work hard to get to where he is today.
He took that process as a lesson, as he learned the value of hard work, perseverance, and dedication from a young age. He says those values have helped him succeed in his personal and professional life.
He explains that the idea of starting Patazone came from his desire to provide a one-stop shop for customers looking for quality products at affordable prices.
“We noticed a gap in the market, and we decided to fill it by creating an online platform that offers a wide range of products and services. Patazone makes money through product sales, delivery services, and partnerships with other businesses.
Here, customers can also browse through our app, which is available on both Android and iOS, select the products they want, and make a purchase online. We also offer “buy now pay later” services to our customers through our partnerships with select financial institutions,” says Amon.
Despite the storms that business proprietors encounter while running their ventures, he reveals what keeps him going in tough times when the challenges hit. “It is common that there must always be drawbacks along the way, especially on these online platforms where cases of cybersecurity are always high.
“What keeps me going is my passion for the business and my belief in the vision of Patazone. I am driven by the desire to make a difference in the e-commerce industry and provide customers with quality products and services.
Just like any other business, there is also competition from other e-commerce platforms, but we try to stand out.
What sets us apart from the competition is our commitment to providing customers with quality products at affordable prices. We also offer exceptional customer and delivery services,” he says.
The trends keep on changing with modern tech, which transitions within a blink of an eye. As the COO of the business, Amon is of the school of thought that what keeps him updated about the new trends in his line of business is staying up-to-date with the latest trends in the e-commerce industry by attending industry events, reading industry publications, and engaging with industry experts.
He also encourages his team to stay informed about the latest trends and technologies.
“We have a small team of young dedicated professionals who work tirelessly to ensure that our customers are satisfied with our products and services,” he says.
In 2006, Clive Roberts Humby, a British mathematician and entrepreneur in the field of data science and customer-centric business strategies coined the phrase “Data is the new oil”, meaning that data, just like oil, isn’t useful in its raw state. It needs to be refined, processed and turned into something useful; its value lies in its potential.
True to his words, data has become the most valuable item in the tech world and most tech platforms have been accused of selling out their clients’ data without their consent, which is an infringement of their Intellectual Property (IP). This has yielded distrust between many online platforms and their clientele.
However, as Amon says, Patazone has always been stringent on matters that concern their clients’ data privacy.
“We are conscious that privacy of data and also rising numbers of scammers are things that have always raised questions on e-commerce platforms, which has in turn discouraged buyers from trusting online buying.
At Patazone, we take the privacy and security of our customer’s data seriously. We have implemented robust security measures to protect our customers’ data and prevent fraud. We also advise our customers to be vigilant when making online payments and to use secure payment methods,” he says.
In the next half a decade, Amon is optimistic that his Nairobi-based company will have expanded its operations to other countries in Africa and become a leading e-commerce platform in the region and beyond.
“The key business lesson I have learned is the importance of innovation, adaptation, and customer satisfaction. To succeed in the e-commerce industry, you must constantly innovate, adapt to changing market conditions, and prioritise customer satisfaction,” he says.
