Hey, I'm Tonny Blair Nyauke
Founder of Zuriscale • Fullstack JavaScript Engineer • Self-Taught Developer
How It All Started
Picture this: 2022, I was an electrical engineering student at Moi University doing my industrial attachment. I'm broke, no phone, no money – basically living that authentic broke student life. But instead of wallowing, I had this wild idea: "I'm an engineering student, why can't I just build my own smartphone?"
So I dove deep into research, only to realize I'd need massive capital (reality check! 😅). But that research rabbit hole led me to business YouTube channels, and boom – my entrepreneurship journey began. Sometimes the best discoveries happen when your original plan falls apart.
December 2022 was my turning point. I got my hands on a laptop and started coding with Java Android development. By October 2023, I pivoted to web development with React, then moved to Next.js in May 2024. Eventually, I made the bold decision to drop out of electrical engineering to fully commit to software development. Best decision I ever made – each day coding taught me more than I could have imagined.
The "Aha!" Moment
Around 2023, something clicked. I realized I had accumulated knowledge that many Kenyan business owners didn't have. The question became: how could I package this knowledge into something that actually helps people?
I went through tons of ideas, built different projects, refined concepts, and eventually narrowed down to something specific: software for boutique owners. That's how Zuriscale was born.
With Zuriscale, I help boutique owners turn one-time customers into repeat customers through automated WhatsApp follow-ups, targeted campaigns, and conversion-focused conversations. We don't have paying customers yet, but seeing people get curious, click our links, and join our WhatsApp group? That's pure motivation fuel right there.
What Actually Drives Me
Here's the thing that gets me up every morning: I can literally build something that helps people with the skills I have. That realization is both humbling and incredibly energizing.
I operate with what I call a "maniacal sense of urgency" – if something can be done today, why wait until tomorrow? I'm admittedly a bit of a workaholic, but I balance it out with dry jokes that somehow people find funny 😄
What I'm Building With
When I'm Not Coding
What I'm Up To These Days
🚀 Building Zuriscale
Refining both the software and business model to help boutique owners retain customers and grow their businesses.
💻 Freelance Development
Started freelancing as a fullstack JavaScript engineer this year. Always excited about new projects and challenges.
🎯 Self-Taught Journey
Dropped out of electrical engineering to pursue software development full-time. Learning by building, failing, and building again.
📚 Always Learning
Currently exploring new technologies and business strategies. Love learning new things that can make an impact.