Startup Story
Diana Mbabaali Miiro is the managing director of KeyScapes Limited, a pioneering company in Uganda specializing in landscaping, potted plants artistries and gardening supplies. She is an ardent gardener with a mission to encourage Ugandans to live a healthy natural lifestyle, growing their own food organically in the small spaces of their backyards as CSR (Community Social Responsibility) under the Backyard Gardeners Uganda, a forum she founded on social media platforms. Diana previously worked in the Information Technology & Change department with Barclays Bank, now ABSA Bank, as Head, Service Management before joining the world of entrepreneurship when she discovered that she could make a living from her passion. She is a Vital Voices Fellow, Vital Voices Leadership Journey, a female future program graduate and an Academy for Women Entrepreneurs Mentor.
LoA spoke to the passion driven Diana Mbabaali Miiro about her entrepreneurial journey and her vision for the future of her business.
What does your company do?
KeyScapes Limited was incorporated in 2016 with a vision to create enhanced indoor and outdoor green spaces. Our core business activities are the supply and maintenance of indoor and outdoor plants, and landscape design to provide beautiful and sustainable spaces in the environment. We are the main plant maintenance contractor to many prestigious government institutions, banks, hotels, offices, and residential properties. All of our plants are put through a health and safety assurance test, prior to delivery to our customers. Our design philosophy is to provide a healthy, comfortable, beautiful and sustainable environment. Our work is inspired by unique customer-driven designs that are not only beautiful but also efficient. We give priority to the use of natural resources, owing to their ingrained depth and enduring qualities. We are a company totally dedicated to environmental ethos, and shall ensure the continuation of a safe, clean and healthy ecosystem. We also have solid business processes that are geared towards a greener environment.
“Our design philosophy is to provide a healthy, comfortable, beautiful and sustainable environment.”
“Our work is inspired by unique customer-driven designs that are not only beautiful but also efficient.”
What inspired you to start your company?
I realized I could have more than what I already had and chose to go for it and exhale.
Why should anyone use your service or product?
KeyScapes creates green spaces in residences and mainly corporate offices which greatly improves the human mental health and improves productivity levels which translates into a high return on investment.
Tell us a little about your team
Our management team comprises of three leaders, one administrator, thirteen full time staff and on-call contract staff. The leadership team has one in charge of the operations, finance and the third marketing and PR, together the leadership team has over 60 years of cross industry experience across different segments.
Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And do you come from an entrepreneurial background?
I do come from an entrepreneurial background. At the start of my career out of school in 1998 I opted to join the banking industry mainly because I wanted to wear heels, yes, heels, look posh and talk a lot of banking. In 2011, I went for an attachment with Barclays Bank Kenya, now ABSA. I realized almost all my colleagues then had side hustles that brought in a good side income on top of the salary. This side hustle business needed to be given a shot, which I did, only that it got to my head when I realized I could not be here and there. At least one thing suffers, so I quit formal employment and started the journey of self-employment in 2015. One and half years into this new world of self-employment, I hit rock bottom, actually I went past rock bottom and that's a story for another day. But I picked myself up gradually and sometime in 2017, with mentorship from Vital Voices, I changed the business strategy, introduced new product lines, and I have only looked forward since.
“We are a company totally dedicated to environmental ethos, and shall ensure the continuation of a safe, clean and healthy ecosystem. We also have solid business processes that are geared towards a greener environment.”
What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?
We currently import into the country most of our soft furnishings, i.e. exotic plants, pots, plants, lights, etc. KeyScapes is aiming to produce some of these locally with a focus on a green economy that promotes eco-tourism for the country. People will travel from afar to visit our collections picked from all over the world.
What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?
Managing my time and having money work for me.
What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?
Just go for it even when the road gets bumpy, pick yourself up and go for it and while at it, celebrate yourself for every milestone.
Contact or follow KeyScapes Limited
WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | EMAIL diana.mbabaali@gmail.com
Why LoA loves it…
The world needs to think and work in a more environmentally friendlier way, and that requires a more conscious approach to creating green spaces both at home and at work that contribute to better human mental health and productivity. This is where entrepreneurs like Diana Mbabaali Miiro, founder of KeyScapes Limited, comes to the table with a natural, green approach to making our external and internal spaces more eco-centric. Her ethos and her approach to encouraging greener design thinking is to be applauded. — Melanie Hawken, founder & ceo, Lionesses of Africa