I preferred being a journalist, not a lawyer

Q: Did you always want to be a journalist?

A: I studied law and found that in principle I disagreed with most of the laws on evidence. I felt they were skewed and inequitable. So I completed my law degree and an MBA but went into media thereafter.

Julie completed law school and an MBA and she has never studied journalism as we had indicated in print.

You have interviewed prominent people in your career. What is it like?

Prominent people are just people. My greatest interest is to understand what makes people tick, their motivation and value systems... I am blessed to be able to take these conversations to wider audiences through my shows. As such I try to focus on positive and transformational thinking for Africa, an area that is sadly overlooked by most media platforms.

How do you prepare for interviews?

I research the thematic area and the guest. I will usually have a brief chat with the guest just to make them relax. You get a lot more out of an interview when your guest is comfortable and relaxed. I don’t like to create a confrontational environment as they simply close up or revert to scripted answers.

What advice would you offer someone considering a career in journalism?

Know your stuff, work hard, think deep and be unrelenting in your passion for growth and knowledge.

What do women have to do to progress in their careers?

We live in a patriarchal society, so adaptation is important for survival. I think it is important to adapt, but also live true to your value systems. So while recognising most of our cultures are patriarchal we must still ensure that we maintain and uphold all the values that are dear to us.

A number of women in the media have fallen by the way side, what has kept you on track?
There are many women in the industry who are doing incredible things, perhaps in different spaces.

I have many role models to look up to from Muthoni Likimani to Anne Wafula of KBC; from Catherine Kasavuli and Zain Verjee to Farida Karoney, Mercy Oburu and Caroline Mutoko.

Kenyan women in media are doing great things! It's been close to 15 years now in media and it’s been an exciting journey. There have been challenges but I am not one to focus on the negative.

In this industry hard work, passion and knowledge reap rewards in career. However rewards in career come with their own challenges and most importantly with increased responsibility.

For me the journey in media has just started. There is much more to come God-willing.

What drives you?

My love for God, my passion for life, my devotion to family and responsibility to society.  I am who I am because of the grace of God and simple authenticity. I have a passion for what I do and I think it is evident. That passion reflects in the mood and spirit of our audiences and so we are able to connect. It is a blessing and a responsibility and I am thankful for it.

Q: What is it like, sitting there and interviewing prominent people on your shows?

Prominent people are just people. My greatest interest is to understand what makes people tick, their motivations and value systems... I am blessed to be able to take these conversations to wider audiences through my shows.

As such I try to focus on positive and transformational thinking for Africa, an area that is sadly overlooked by most media platforms.

Which book are you reading now?

I don’t carry a book because I read more on my iPad. I store lots of classic books. The works of Oscar Wilde, Arthur Conan Doyle and Mark Twain are like old friends. The Bible is also a must-have. Again, I access it easily on my iPad.

Who is the one person you look up to?

The grace and intelligence of Graca Machel inspires me. The passion and dedication of Wangari Maathai set a great example for me. In terms of faith and family I look to Mary the mother of Jesus, an incredible woman with such strength and grace of spirit.

Tell us about your family?

My father’s family came to Kenya from Kashmir during the turbulent times of the split between India and Pakistan. My father, Farooq Asif Butt, fell in love with my mother Margaret Njeri Kibui and they married in spite of initial pressure from their parents who were concerned about a mixed marriage.

My father joined the Kenya Armed Forces and served this nation with great zeal. My mother was in administration for many years but has started writing and is publishing her second novel soon.

Her first book Days of Affliction is about the struggles of a family in pre-independence Kenya. My parents have been a great blessing in my life, teaching me the importance of faith, tolerance and education.

How did you meet your spouse Anthony Gichuru?

Tony and I met through our circle of friends. He is close friends with the elder brother of my best friend of many years. We met in Nairobi shortly after I completed my studies in the UK.

How was the proposal and the wedding?

It’s interesting that we focus on events rather than the journey of life itself. We ask about proposals and weddings rather than love and marriage. We have been married close to 11 years now and have been together for 15. I thank God for his friendship and love and I’m utterly devoted to my family.

What is this thing that you love most about Tony?

There are so many things I love about my husband; it is hard to settle on just one. I love his intelligence and wit, his strength and resilience, his hard work and determination and most of all his faith in God and focus on family.

What is the most treasured gift you ever received?

I think the greatest gifts are free. The greatest gift I ever received is the gift of children. The greatest gift I ever gave is the gift of children. Tony and I have been blessed with five children.

Figure this, you woke up left with only 10 minutes to an interview with a top guy and you can’t trace your make up kit. What will you do?

That's funny! I would wash my face, pull my hair back and tie it in a ponytail or pigtail and roll with the flow, au naturel. When I am working, I don’t usually bother with it. It feels great to have my face 'free'.

What makes you sad? What makes you smile?

Anything that hurts children affects me deeply. Family, friends and children make me smile and happy. God delights me.

Tell us about the one thing you would give up in your life?

We are told not to be attached to worldly things. I could give up material things, they mean very little.

What’s the saddest moment in your life?

The loss of our son. It was devastating. The grace of the Lord has carried us through.