Focus on one thing and then do it well

Justus Kirigua Muriithi is the CEO Pewin Cabs. PHOTO | COURTESY

What you need to know:

  • My biggest success in business this far is the Pewin mobile phone App, which I developed. It is an Uber-like system which shows your location and the location of our nearest cab. It was a hard idea to sell at first but clients have now caught on.
  • I am extremely focused. I pick one thing every day which, if I accomplish, will have an impact on me and those around me. I also think that multi-tasking doesn’t work.

If I could start my journey to entrepreneurship again, I would start sooner. I studied computer Science at the University of Nebraska, in the US. I was employed for close to a decade before deciding to pursue business.

The most fascinating thing about entrepreneurship is that you can always find a way to let your business and your expertise feed off each other. My biggest success in business this far is the Pewin mobile phone App, which I developed. It is an Uber-like system which shows your location and the location of our nearest cab. It was a hard idea to sell at first but clients have now caught on.

Besides growing my business, the end game is growing something that is beyond me, something that will make life better for others. Something that I will be remembered for. 

Five Questions

1. What were you doing at 22? I was a university student thinking that if I studied very hard, then I would get a well-paying job with a pension. And then I grew up and realised that employment shouldn’t be the ultimate goal.

2.            How did you know it was time to quit employment?

I simply needed more out of life.

3.            Which is the biggest mistake you have made in business?

Indecision. I waited too long to take action a few times. This slowed my progress a little. I have lived and learnt. Now when I get a chance, I act.

4.            Who is your mentor?

I look up to people who have the same values as Manu Chandaria. People who have achieved extreme success and yet exhibit extreme humility.

5.            What advice would you give a young person reading this?

Put yourself out there as much as you can. Read and travel a lot. This way, you will realise that all human beings are the same. That we are all working towards the same goals. This understanding will make you a better person. 

My success secrets

1 I am an early bird. I am up by 5am. This gives me a head start.

2 I read one book a week to feed my mind. I prefer business-related books and autobiographies.

3 I am extremely focused. I pick one thing every day which, if I accomplish, will have an impact on me and those around me. I also think that multi-tasking doesn’t work.

4  I seek to put myself in environments that are not too comfortable for me. Stepping out of my comfort zones is how I grow.

5 I am constantly seeking exposure. I ensure that I travel outside Kenya every quarter.

My favourite read is Man’s Search for Meaning, a book by Viktor Frankl. He writes about his experiences in a concentration camp during  World War II.