Kenyan Man Narrates Journey from Cleaner in Nairobi to Thriving Business Owner and Techpreneur
- Antony Wainaina, also known by his artist name Nommadj, rose from working as a cleaner to become a multi-faceted entrepreneur
- Wainaina told TUKO.co.ke that he honed his digital skills using YouTube tutorials and gained hands-on experience working at a cybercafé
- Wainaina has active interests in real estate, media and marketing, and music production
Elijah Ntongai, an editor at TUKO.co.ke, has over four years of financial, business, and technology research and reporting experience, providing insights into Kenyan, African, and global trends.
Antony Wainaina's journey from scrubbing floors in Nairobi to becoming a multi-faceted entrepreneur is one of resilience and reinvention.
Source: UGC
Wainaina, also known as Nommadj, his artist name, made it into tech and music production with little more than YouTube tutorials and a relentless drive.
Who is Antony Wainaina?
Wainaina was born and raised in Kenya and has made an unconventional journey into the world of technology, media, real estate, and music production.
In an exclusive interview with TUKO.co.ke, Wainaina recalled how he got his first job as a cleaner at Diamond Plaza in 2017.
"My first job was in 2017, as a cleaner at Diamond Plaza in Parklands, Nairobi. I quit after three months and started working as a salesman. I sold Airtel and Telcom SIM cards for a few months," Wainaina narrated.
"It wasn’t easy, but it taught me perseverance,” he added.
Wainaina's transition to tech
Wainaina said that in the same year, he pursued a short computer course in Nairobi’s Baba Dogo area, and that is where his curiosity for web development and digital systems took root.
With little more than YouTube tutorials and a relentless drive, he sharpened his skills in WordPress and content management, laying the foundation for what would later become a career in tech.
By 2019, he was working at a cybercaféin Mathare North, where he immersed himself in development and digital tools.
Wainaina said that those years in the cramped cybercafé, surrounded by the endless queries of clients, shaped the developer and strategist he is today.
“That was where I got deep into tech and development as well as many other related things,” he said.
From cybercafeto freelancer
He made another step and began freelancing in web design, SEO, and digital marketing and as a consultant, helping businesses, creators, and individuals establish an online presence.
The self-taught developer ventured into the media industry. He trained and got his journalism certificate at Trace Plus.
He told TUKO.co.ke that he worked for several platforms covering real estate trends, diaspora investment, and African urban development.
Now he was not only a skilled developer and digital strategist but also a content creator and journalist.
Wainaina has widened his reach in the media industry. He told TUKO.co.ke that he is currently studying Music Production at ALX as he eyes a career as a DJ and music producer and looks to grow Nommasana Record Label, a music recording company he co-founded.
Source: UGC
Wainaina in the real estate sector
Wainaina added more skills, such as video editing, to his repertoire. This won him jobs as a consultant for two real estate companies in Nairobi.
He worked with the companies to introduce virtual tours, conduct social campaigns, and develop immersive digital content, areas where his blend of tech skills and storytelling came into full use.
This experience in the real estate industry inspired him to form his own company, as he saw a gap in property information as well as fraud.
Wainaina founded Maploti, a digital real estate platform, in May 2025 to connect property buyers and sellers across the country.
Notably the platform also provides essential information through property guides to buyers and sellers.
“I started Maploti to make property buying safer and more transparent. It helps reduce fraud and makes land ownership easier for everyone by providing essential property education and knowledge of navigating real estate,” he explained.
Wainaina's entrepreneurial practice
Wainaina said that his entrepreneurial portfolio has expanded further as he recently ventured into the insurance and tourism sectors.
When asked about balancing all his ventures, Wainaina said that technology and creating proper working teams is key.
“I build good teams who fully operate virtually, use tech to stay organised, and focus on clear priorities,” he said.
Despite his diversified portfolio, Wainaina holds some reservations. He noted that diversification should be strategic and not random and should come at the right time.
Entrepreneur who started multimillion business with KSh 2900
In other stories Josephine Njoroge, the chief executive officer of Lemarfix Limited, grew her multimillion-shilling cereal business from humble beginnings.
She saved KSh 2,900 from a two-week bakery job and used the money to buy and supply maize to a local company.
Over time, she expanded her portfolio to include rice, beans, and other commodities sourced from Kenya and neighbouring countries.
She employed over 40 people and scaled operations with the support of a KSh 3 million bank loan that turned into KSh 10 million in returns, establishing her as a leading entrepreneur in Thika.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
