The first thing that comes to mind when Kenyans hear the name Tedd Josiah is the legendary producer that discovered and nurtured some of the best musicians the country has ever had.
Tedd is widely known and respected for playing a critical role in the development of the Kenyan music industry.
However, in addition to being a music enthusiast, he is also an entrepreneur and the brains behind the trendy JokaJok trendy leather bags.
In this article, we review Tedd Josiah’s journey, outlining how he transitioned from music to developing his JokaJok business enterprise.
Who is Tedd Josiah?
He is a 53-year-old music producer and entrepreneur. Tedd is blessed with one kid (Jameela). As a music producer, he produced over 100 songs and is credited with spotting and nurturing several top musicians that include; Gidi Gidi and Maji Maji, Wyre, Nazizi, Nameless, and Suzanna Owiyo among others.
Among the many songs he produced is ‘Atoti’ by Gidi Gidi and Maji Maji which was a massive tune in the early 2000s and Nameless Mega Rider which took the country by storm.
Establishing JokaJok
After being in the music industry for three decades, Tedd in 2016 decided to explore other potential business ventures with the help of his late wife Regina Katar.
Tedd divulged that Regina who was a fashion enthusiast is the one who came up with the idea of designing African-themed shirts and leather jackets.
File image of Tedd Josiah showcasing a JokaJok bag. [Image Source: Tedd Josiah Twitter]
It is this idea that gave birth to JokaJok leather studio which is housed at Tedd’s home in Runda, Nairobi.
The name JokaJok is a combination of initials drawn from his name, that of his late wife and their daughter.
Like every other business, JokaJok started on a low scale - it had one employee (an artisan) and a stitching machine.
It has, however, grown to be one of the country’s top leather shops attracting clients locally and from abroad.
Pricing of Bags
The trendy JokaJok leather bags range from Sh12,500 to Sh30,000 per bag. According to Tedd, the cost is fair as leather and other products required in production are expensive.
“Leather is expensive to work with, it is a luxurious product because processing and creating hides is an expensive venture. But also you purchase it per square foot and whatever the size of the hide is, is what you buy, it’s never cut into little pieces,” he was quoted by Business Daily.
Some of the high-profile clients who’ve acquired his bags include Chief Justice Martha Koome and former Trade Cabinet Secretary Betty Maina.
Interestingly, Tedd only uses his social media pages as the main marketing avenue and holds in high regard clients who’ve believed in his product.
He says the business is growing and is hopeful that the investment made in the company will pay off in terms of profits.
