Bizna Kenya CEO Tonnie Mello urges governments to back small businesses to scale jobs and wealth

Small businesses have the potential to create jobs and build wealth across Kenya, but many remain trapped in survival mode because they lack the support needed to grow, Bizna Kenya Chief Executive Officer Tonnie Mello has said.

Speaking during a Radio Generation interview on Friday, Mello called on both the national and county governments to put in place measures that help entrepreneurs access markets, financing, infrastructure and business support services, arguing that these are the foundations required for enterprises to move beyond subsistence operations.

According to Mello, many business owners start ventures primarily to meet their immediate needs and are unable to expand because they lack the resources and environment needed to scale.

"For most people getting into business, it's basically survival first. Once they can meet their basic needs, then they can begin thinking about scaling, acquiring new skills, and even expanding beyond their locality. What is needed are interventions that make this possible."

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Mello, who founded Bizna Kenya in 2014, said the platform was established to tackle two key challenges facing the country: limited employment opportunities and the need to create more wealth through enterprise.

"There are not enough jobs, and there is enormous demand for products and services that create wealth. Bizna Kenya was created to help small businesses access markets and also access the support they need to grow because it takes an entire ecosystem to make even a small business work."

He said the growth of small enterprises depends on a broader support structure and not solely on the efforts of individual business owners.

Drawing from his family's honey business in Kitui, Mello said many producers are unable to take advantage of major commercial opportunities because they cannot consistently supply large quantities demanded by buyers.

"People come all the way to Kitui asking for 100 tonnes of honey every week, but the capacity simply isn't there. It is not just about money. It is about funding, knowledge, equipment, and organisation. Most beekeepers have only one hive, so consolidating enough honey for an industrial-scale supply becomes extremely difficult."

He noted that helping businesses grow requires deliberate investment in systems and infrastructure that allow producers to increase output and meet market demand.

"It is an ecosystem, not a one-man show. Enablement is what makes scaling possible. Without intervention from government and investment into infrastructure, businesses cannot reach industrial scale."

Mello also faulted governments for focusing more on collecting revenue from entrepreneurs than supporting them to expand, saying business owners should be viewed as investors who contribute to economic growth and job creation.

"They only see entrepreneurs as places to collect money every day. Instead of seeing them as investors and enablers, they sometimes treat them like a nuisance. When it comes to infrastructure and investment, they are usually the last people to be considered."

He further advocated for stronger measures to protect local industries, arguing that such policies would help domestic producers compete with imported products and encourage local manufacturing.

"The best way to grow industries such as honey is to protect them. If imported honey attracts higher taxes, local producers gain an advantage. Every country that seeks to grow local businesses uses protection as a tool."

Mello expressed concern over the growing presence of imported synthetic honey in the market and said greater investment in Kenya's beekeeping sector could position local producers to benefit from rising global demand for authentic honey products.

"If government invested seriously in the industry, honey could become one of Kenya's greatest resources instead of watching supermarket shelves filled with imported products while local producers struggle to scale."

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