On this episode of My Tech Story Africa, we sit down with Maxine Kinyua, founder of Tui Beauty, an AI-powered beauty tech platform offering skin diagnostics and product recommendations. Maxine shares her entrepreneurial journey from a campus-based skincare business to a full-fledged beauty tech startup.Maxine's story begins with her early interest in both tech and business during high school. Although she studied PR and communications in university, her entrepreneurial spirit emerged when she experienced skin issues and discovered counterfeit skincare products in the market. This frustration inspired her to source authentic products, starting an Instagram page that eventually evolved into a successful business called MK Store.The conversation delves into the challenges of transitioning from a traditional retail business to a tech-focused company. Maxine candidly discusses her first-time founder mistakes, including not having proper insurance for imported goods and lacking structured systems and processes. After experiencing a significant setback with a lost shipment, Maxine made the bold decision to pivot entirely to tech.A key insight Maxine shares is that "business mistakes are not business problems; they are founder problems." She explains how a founder's weaknesses and strengths directly impact their business, emphasizing the importance of self-improvement alongside business development.The development of Tui Beauty wasn't without struggles. Maxine reveals the "dark days" of bootstrapping, facing doubts about her vision, and twice delaying product launches until they were truly ready. She highlights how involving customers in product testing and validation was crucial to their eventual success.As the conversation concludes, Maxine offers valuable perspectives on bootstrapping versus seeking investment. She advocates for thoroughly validating ideas before approaching investors and shares her guiding philosophy: "Live life as if everything is rigged in your favor."The episode provides an authentic look at entrepreneurship in Africa's tech ecosystem, highlighting both the challenges and the supportive community that exists for founders. Maxine's journey exemplifies resilience, adaptation, and the transformative potential of tech innovation in traditional industries.To keep up with Maxine's journey, check out her LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxine-kinyuaCheck out https://tuibeauty.com__________________________________________________________________Join Alice as she explores the world of tech and shares impactful stories with guests on My Tech Story Africa!Subscribe to our podcast, drop a like, comment, and hit the notification bell to stay updated with our latest content.Don't forget to spread the word! Sharing is caring! 🌟Follow us on social media:📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mytechstoryafrica💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/my-tech-story-africa♪ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mytechstoryafricaJoin our community: [https://www.mtsafrica.co/join]Interested in being a guest on the podcast? Apply here: https://forms.gle/ffAniezzFHoEvhPY7Interested in partnering with us? Drop us an email: mytechstory.ea@gmail.com 📧