Work, Work, Work...secret to success

I once had a volunteer teaching job at a girls’ secondary school in Narok. I didn’t think that this job would thrust me into entrepreneurship.

It was here that I realised there was a gap in the market for affordable, re-usable sanitary pads. Every month, girls would skip classes for days because they couldn’t afford pads. I started my company with the ultimate goal of fixing this.

So far, I can say that I am succeeding in my quest. My ultimate goal is to build an African conglomerate invested in different sectors of the economy, creating thousands of jobs and playing a key role in pushing Africa to the next level economically.

I have a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Nairobi and ACCA-UK qualification from Strathmore University. 

Five questions

1. What is the most interesting or best part of being an entrepreneur? 

This has to be the fact that no day is the same as the last. This gives me something to look forward to daily. Every morning is a promise of a different challenge, which makes life a fun ride.

2. If you were to repeat your journey to entrepreneurship, what would you do differently?

I would not change a thing. Where I am today is the sum total of all the decisions that I have made along the way, both good and bad. There is no specific way to become a successful entrepreneur. Entrepreneurship has no template, so you just brace yourself and enjoy the ride as you learn as much as possible. 

3. Any hidden talents?

I can rap. (laughs)

4. Who do you look up to?

I don’t think that you can have just one mentor. There are different people that I look up to in different areas of my life. I have business mentors who advise me on how to run my business, and personal life mentors who guide me on issues pertaining to relationships and spirituality. I believe that mentorship is utterly important.

5. What is the biggest misconception that people have about running a business?

The biggest misconception out there is that entrepreneurship is easy. The truth is that it is made up of many sleepless nights, hard work and an incessant will to want to reach where you are going. 

My favourite read is Outliers by Malcom Gladwell. The author looks into what translates to high level success. 

my success secrets

1. First, I do not believe that there is just one secret you can apply to succeed in business.

2. I believe in putting in many of hours. Doing the dirty work.

3. Every successful businessman will tell you that they have failed at one point or another. To attain success, you have to persist through the failures.

4.  You have to always be prepared, success comes when opportunity meets preparedness.

5.  Business success calls for the ability to sniff out gaps in the market.