Have you called a call centre recently? The most annoying part of all call centre calls is usually the authentication process, where they try to figure out if it is really you on the phone, or it is a fraudster. In my experience, most call centres will ask for my phone number (I always wonder why they haven’t embraced caller ID), my ID number, email…
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Whenever I hold a personal finance planning session and we get to discussing investment strategies, the issue of personality type always comes up. People will say they’re not risk takers, and therefore they prefer investments that are not risky. Others will say that they are risk takers and prefer investments that have high returns and involve a bit of adventure. I must admit I do…
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2017 was not the easiest of years for Safaricom. First, the company got caught in the middle in a post-election political fight which saw a section of the opposition ask their supporters to boycott the company. There was no way whether the supporters did boycott and the effect of this on the company financially, but this was a position no business would want to find…
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As you know, this blog is pro-entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs who are doing great things in the continent are exciting to us and we use every opportunity to support them. This is one such opportunity. Papu Haroon, the founder of Kilifi Moringa is a finalist of the Chivas Venture Challenge. This is a competition by Chivas Regal (the whiskey brand), that aims to reward social entrepreneurs with…
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In April 2016, Chase Bank, a bank that was beloved of many Kenyan entrepreneurs and young people went into receivership after a scandal that threatened that reverberated across the banking sector, affecting many of the mid-tier and smaller Kenyan banks. It was alleged that the directors had misappropriated depositors funds, investing them in private real estate, and giving themselves and their buddies loans that were…
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Earlier this year, Peter Nduati, a homeowner and real estate investor sent this tweet that triggered a subsequent #52WeekChallenge chat. https://twitter.com/PeterNduati/status/958763616324542465?s=19 I acknowledge this need to own real estate. It probably comes from a homing instinct that makes us feel more secure when we own some “soil”. Maybe because we feel that a house is a solid investment, unlike the other investments which are considered…
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Most of us pick a bank based on referrals made by family and friends. This is no doubt a fantastic way to do it because it is based on actual customer experiences, but one has to be careful because your bank has an active role to play in ensuring that you are managing your finances prudently. The question shouldn’t just be “which is the best…
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NIC Bank (which has been my bank for the last 7 years), recently launched their newest innovation, East Africa’s first Video Teller Machine at their branch at The Mall, Westlands. In addition to the VTM, the bank now has also upgraded their NOW SERVE ATMs, which allow customers to deposit cash and cheques instantly into their accounts – unlike with other banks, where the ATM…
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My first Kenyan e-commerce experience was about six or seven years ago. A Facebook friend invited me to Like a business page that proudly called itself, “Lucia’s Mitumba Camera Shop”. In second-hand clothes speak, “Camera” is the first selection traders make right after the clothes bale is opened. It is a bit pricey because the items are usually as good as new. I was fascinated…
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Two months ago, on our way to a meeting, my MD complimented my lip colour and asked for a referral to the shop where I had bought it from. Instead of a physical shop, I quickly sent her an Instagram link. I did not know who owned the shop, had not interacted with them in making the purchase, my only contact was with their motorbike…
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