In recent years, new year’s resolutions have become quite unpopular. It is not without reason, research shows that only about 19% of people stick to their new year resolutions. We abandon our resolutions by the end of the first quarter of the year, at best. Unfortunately, this unpopularity has also caused many people to throw out the baby and the bathwater – this year I…
Read MoreAs I write this post, we are 21 days away from the start of the new year. Whether you are for, or strongly against new year resolutions, psychologists make a good case for fresh starts, and the new year is one of “temporal landmarks” that we can use to improve our lives. I also bet that whether you believe in resolutions or not, with the…
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What does it take for a young woman to start her own business in East Africa? That is the question Kali Media founder Paula Rogo answers in this 7-episode series as she navigates launching her own company. Along the way, she talks to some of East Africa’s most exciting young women entrepreneurs and experts hailing from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda. This podcast is like…
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“No wonder Nairobi people do not invest much. There are too many things for you to spend money on” This is my mother’s favorite remark, whenever she visits for an extended time and gets to see the things we spend money on. In this particular instance, I had just paid entry fees for a play park, for her granddaughter to have some fun. I was…
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Last evening, I finally watched Queen Of Katwe, the film that is based on a true story of young Ugandan chess prodigy Phiona Mutesi and her struggles to succeed despite the odds of growing up in a slum in Uganda. As an amateur movie watcher, I am not qualified to review the acting, cinematography or even the story line. People who are great at such things have said…
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In the last month, I have had extended chats with two of my friends. One is a published Kenyan author. He has written a good novel, and a number of children’s books one of which my daughter loved before one of her play mates massacred (Kenyan board books please?). By all measures, he is a successful and active author. He however has a full time…
Read MoreDanson is 71 years old, and since his retirement from a City Council job in 2004, he’s been living well. He is actually living better than he ever did while employed. His monthly income is higher than his salary at retirement, he first drove a car post-retirement; he has two vehicles actually. When we think of life after retirement, we don’t imagine it as an…
Read MoreI am an introvert. The earliest memory I have of getting into trouble about my introversion was may be 20-22 years ago as a young girl in rural Kenya. Visitors would come, and as a well trained child I’d welcome them, serve them tea/fruit, then leave them in the living room by themselves as they waited to see my mom or father. I knew I was…
Read MoreToday’s post is a small business story. Astradental Services is a 5 year old Dental Clinic in Westlands. They have a staff of eight, two operatories (surgery units) and are in the process of acquiring a mobile dental clinic as well. This is a typical young Kenyan business, started small, but with big dreams to change lives. Last week, I asked them how they do…
Read MoreA son of two career parents, Martin Njuguna wonders how he ended up an entrepreneur. In his own words, his parents did not even own a kiosk, they just taught. Inspiration is drawn from different places, and Martin’s clearly came outside of home. Today, he is the force behind Chamasoft, a web-based accounting software for investment clubs, popularly known as Chamas. When I first spoke…
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