Good morning. Samuel Kamau Macharia built his businesses by buying distribution and betting on scale. He started in manufacturing, mastered how capital and control drive dominance, then used local-language media to build a company that became Kenya’s most powerful broadcasting network.
From Madhupaper company experiments to Royal Media’s (Citizen TV, radio) nationwide reach. Every business he started in banking, industry, broadcasting… was anchored on one rule: focus on distribution, and the market will come to you.
Notable businesses founded/co-founded by SK Macharia: Royal Media Services (RMS), Madhupaper International (Rosy tissue), Serenity Media Productions Ltd, Big Five Conservancy Safaris, Bushfire Media Distributors, Harbour Capital Ltd, Royal Travel.
Key Takeaways
Whoever owns distribution owns leverage. Double down on distribution, not just the product or service. When he entered the media, he didn’t start with flashy shows, he built transmitters and bought stations first.
Find the “vernacular” of your market and make it your stronghold.
Macharia realized big-city, English-language media were saturated, so he spoke the language of millions others that were being left out.
Timing is everything. He entered tissue manufacturing when Kenya had no local producer, and later launched Royal Media when he saw that KBC was the only one on airwaves. His success wasn’t just hard work; it was seizing untapped markets.
When you crash, pivot fast. SK Macharia started around 6 companies that failed before he pivoted and poured into Royal Media. His willingness to leap into a completely different industry (media, of all things) shows that smart pivots can lead to even bigger wins because the lessons learnt in the earlier ventures will help you build faster.
Expand your market fast. He built 11 vernacular stations. This wasn’t a nice-to-have , it was a strategy that let him capture audiences that city-based networks ignored. And that built loyalty and trust to the extent that Royal media radio stations have a collective listenership of over 40%.
When you find an opening, go all-in and dominate it. Macharia recognized fragmentation in Kenya’s media (lots of FM’s, new channels) and ran hard to grab share. He didn’t nibble at niche; he took everything, forcing rivals to fight for scraps.
Use the law as a weapon. When the authorities ignored Royal Media Services’ applications, he sued them until court orders forced their hand. In 1995, the court “ordered the Government to issue RMS with frequencies” and when officials balked, he even sought to jail them for contempt.
Founder Highlight
“Success means you have no fear of failure. When you fail, laugh and go try something else.” — SK Macharia.
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