Veteran Automotive Sales Executive Patrick Riang’a’s journey began at the entrance of a Nairobi building, where he worked as a security guard after completing high school in 2010, earning a monthly salary of Sh3,800.
Today, he is a familiar face on social media, with many Kenyans mistakenly believing he owned Car Soko, a popular local car dealership. Patrick attributes the recognition to effective personal branding.
He has since left Car Soko to join a different car dealership.
Speaking on Radio Generation’s The Power Drive Show on Monday, Patrick said his online visibility is a result of deliberately building his personal brand.
"When you do personal branding, that's what happens," he told the show’s host, Lady Mathai.
Patrick describes himself as a businessman in the motor vehicle industry, but his path to success was shaped by several unexpected turns.
After leaving security work, he took up various jobs before discovering an opportunity in football commentary.
Despite having no formal training, he secured a role at Nation Media Group’s QFM, where he worked as a commentator for about three years.
Although the media job gave him exposure, Patrick felt it was not enough to achieve his ambitions.
"I was getting around Sh40,000 a month, and I asked God, ‘Is this really my destiny?’ A vision came to me that I’m meant for bigger things," he said.
He later ventured into online sales, using Facebook to broker household items. His breakthrough came when a friend asked him to advertise a vehicle online.
Patrick aggressively marketed the car until a dealer noticed his persistence and offered him more vehicles to sell. Within two days, he sold a Toyota Prado J10 and earned a Sh200,000 commission, an amount equal to five months of his media salary.
"I asked myself, Sh200,000, and I was earning Sh40,000. That’s five months’ salary. I said, why didn’t I know car sales existed before this time?" he said.
The deal marked a turning point in his career. He joined Ocean Cross Auto in Lavington, where he gained experience under established dealers and grew his understanding of the industry.
After about 11 years in car sales, Patrick says his success has been built on one key principle; trust.
He says many dealers have lost their businesses after mismanaging clients’ deposits, warning that once trust is broken, both customers and other dealers distance themselves.
"Number one thing as a car dealer, you need to keep the trust that people have bestowed on you. If people don’t trust you, they will not be able to do business with you," he said.
Patrick says every vehicle sale represents a customer’s years of savings and confidence in his reputation.
"People who have had a very successful career in this industry and then misappropriate clients' money end up losing and failing completely," he concluded.
From earning a security guard’s salary to closing high-value vehicle deals, Patrick credits consistency, opportunity and maintaining trust for his transformation.