esteemed magazine 4th sept

| 1Esteemed Magazine July -August 2015

Esteemed Magazine July -August 2015 2 |


Of Birth & Rebirth

Business Principles 4

Entrepreneurship vs. Employment 6

Perspectives

• Human Relations 8

• Customer Relations 11

• Public Relations 13

Refreshing the mind 15

Invest Wisely 16

Quiet Time 18

AcknowledgementsManaging Editor Wangari Maina

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As I got down to writing this part of Esteemed, I had just come into the office after a short walk in open shoes. I couldn’t help observing my red painted toe nails especially the

small toe nails which had grown from a speck to something that could actually be painted and be visible. It had taken me years to get them to grow but I had miserably failed at it until thanks to my expected bundle of joy, I could not curl up my feet and unceremoniously pluck the nails out when bored! My small toe nails aptly reminded me of the birth and rebirth of a lot of areas of our lives, dreams we have when growing up or when we get married, or when we are making New Year resolutions and such like life transforming moments.

It also takes good chaos for us to go through rebirth. Good chaos always result in the death of our uncanny and entrenched habits with the coming to life of a brighter future if we agree to change. As the late John Paul Jackson said once, when the formula of life becomes more valuable than faith in GOD or a true relationship with HIM, something needs to happen and more often than not that will be chaos. In retrospect, the chaos are always good and for our benefit.

Esteemed has gone through the process of birth and rebirth courtesy of such. We are glad to present what we envision as East Africa’s Professionals & Entrepreneurs’ business magazine. The holistic approach we have taken is one that will surely leave you and me hungering for more of human relations insights, strong building blocks for customer relationship management, timeless business principles, generational investment ideas and personal moments of reflection.

We ask you to join us in this journey with the sole purpose of embracing Esteem in your life, career, business and relationships therein.

@wangarimaina

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Esteemed™ is a bi-monthly magazine published by Eagle Afric Holdings Ltd. Views expressed in the articles and contributions are not necessarily those of the publisher. All rights reserved. While every reasonable effort has been made and precautions taken to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the content herein, neither the Esteemed™ team, nor its advertisers, nor printers can accept responsibility for any damages or inconvenience that may arise there from. The views expressed within the publication are those of the authors exclusively and not necessarily those of the Esteemed™ owners. Any material sent to us will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and may or may not be acknowledged as receipted. This material will also be subject to scrutiny for unrestricted editing and commentary at the discretion of the Editorial team.

All content, including adverts created by Esteemed™ are Copyright of Eagle Afric Holdings Ltd. and may not be recreated in part or in whole without prior consent of the publishers.

Contents

When the “formula” becomes more valuable than Scripture, faith in God or true relationship with Him, something needs to happen. That something is called chaos. Every time God wants to change what we have formulated—our habits, our thinking, our tradition—chaos is a vehicle He uses to make that change. As a result of our thinking, He allows us to come to a place where chaos ensues, and when chaos has finished its work, a higher order is established. John Paul Jackson


In the month of July Kenya experienced one of the annual global summits dubbed GES2015. The Global Entrepreneurship Summit. The summit which also encompassed an entrepreneurs expo, was further complicated by the presence of the President of the United States of America, Mr. Barrack Obama hosted by the

President of the Republic of Kenya, H.E. Hon. Uhuru Kenyatta.

With the perfect execution, even one who has no experience in the planning, execution and management of such an event would not make the observation that it was an easy task. It took many players – food caterers, tent suppliers, taxi/ cab operators, mobile phone companies, Internet Service Providers, cleaning companies, public address system suppliers, PR companies exhibition stall builders, printers and so many more. After all the work, it would be correct to assume that no cost was spared and so the returns to most, if not all suppliers, were pleasant to the bank account. It would thus be understandable for an employee of any of the companies named above to go to such a site and imagine just how much money his/ her employer would be getting. A quick math, if the employee knew the quotations issued to the clients, would make him/her desire to start their own outfit so that instead of a salary, he would get all that money. After all, if one such project is enough to meet the payroll for the month for the entire team and costs of operation, doesn’t it mean that if he was the one to do the job he would have all that and then some?

Truth be told I have seen such mathematics being done by many employees but listening to them describe it, one can’t help but notice the numerous flaws with their vision. In the following paragraphs, we will explore some of the value systems and considerations that can be seen characterizing the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Events) industry.

So what goes into a successful event/ convention or organized tour?From the initial request or conceptualization in an events management company, there is an evolution process before the bank manager begins to smile at your bank account.

There is:Firming up the idea: If we are dealing with a business expo

Behind the Curtain

Business Principles

the company has to evaluate the viability of such an expo; who will the exhibitors be, where will the expo be held to have the largest number of visitors, should it be a Business to Business or Business to Customer, should you generalize or specialize by industry, has a similar expo been held, what was its success, how will you do it differently, what do you want to achieve, is this a one-time event or do you want it to be periodic?

Participants: Is this an expo for local, regional, international or a blend of all exhibitors? This informs the marketing strategy and event dates, partners such as hotels and airlines so that the team can develop packages that include travel, accommodation and possibly value adds of touring special tourist sites in the vicinity of the event. Participants also influence the who-is-who you will invite from the relevant government and private sector either to officiate or give pointers to where the participants should invest or spend.

Set up: This will entail knowledge and booking of the venue, contacting and securing suppliers for the equipment, furniture and fittings that will be used, getting the necessary permits and endorsements, security, planning layout of the event e.g. registration desk, security office etc. There was an employee who decided to leave his employer within the MICE industry because he was extremely good in design of the exhibition stands and décor design. In fact he was the lead and when he left, he targeted the very clients he had been serving under his employer. Giving them a lesser quote for participation in exhibitions, he soon realized he had bitten more than he could chew as he was forced by circumstances at set up of a very important event to go back to his employer for supply of equipment. It is wise to be smart. A very wise Teacher once said that a soldier does not go to war without first sitting down and counting the cost of the battle.

Sales: The dog work that no one likes but whose results everyone wants! Can you imagine booking a hall for $10,000 and having five exhibitors who each have paid $1,000 and a visitor registration of 200 people yet your budget was for 200 exhibitors with a target of 1,000 visitors per day for 5 days?

How about planning for an East African tour for 100 guests using 4 trucks and you only manage to secure 20 guests and


you had already paid for the 4 trucks in advance? Success of the event will majorly rely on selling the available event space and ensuring payments are done on time.

Operations & Finance: Without a doubt, even if all others succeed and this fails, then the business is in jeopardy. On the simplest of platforms, the question is how much will it cost to make this tour, event, meeting, convention etc a success and how much should people pay and how much do I expect as a profit? There should be an element of cost saving, compare quotes from suppliers without compromising on the quality you want to maintain, prepare a budget, keep overheads low, track the expenses and at the end of the activity, conduct what we call a Return on Investment. There should also be the element of having a reporting structure with the team and also work to mitigate the risks involved in business.

Having interacted with various players in this industry I can only pinpoint values and qualities that have either allowed them success or that have caused them to stay on the reverse gear.

Integrity: it has many definitions but translated into this and any other line of business, the question that it seeks to address is – Can you be trusted? Is your word so good that it can be taken to the bank?

Problem solver: someone who does not get frazzled when there is a problem. They will think on their feet and offer solutions as opposed to saying, “I don’t know” or “someone else is to blame.”

Bounce back attitude: will allow one to accept that things can and will go wrong but when that happens, they have the ability to rise up, learn from the issue and move on.

Resilience: is a great value that allows one to make enough cold calls (both on phone and physically) and not get bogged down with hearing no.

Humility: Is a great character trait that allows one to do much and especially to learn from others. In the MICE industry, things are not static – ever! That dynamism must be embraced and only through humility can one learn what the industry is calling for. It is also in learning that one can know what to introduce as a value add to make their function/ event unique and memorable.

In conclusion, as an employee seeking to venture into the MICE industry, it is easy to look and imagine easy success. But those who have weathered the seasons in there as business owners will tell you, being a player in the MICE industry is not child’s play. It calls for sleepless nights, working when your friends are having fun, making losses but maintaining your name. Like a lot of businesses, it is not a guarantee that every project will give you a tidy profit. BUT with the right skills and attitude, you can make it and be among the many veterans in the industry who are now reaping big time because they stood the tests and trials of the business.

Join us on our blog Marketplace Influencer for more tips for the Esteemed Professional @wangarimaina

For more insights into business principles that will influence your profession, career, or

work, we recommend the book “Body of Work: Finding the Thread That

Ties Your Story Together by Pamela Slim”


Enterpreneurship Vs Employment

So the Global Entrepreneurship Summit #GES2015 comes to an end in Nairobi, Kenya. With all the words said and written. A big question I am posing is this:WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN FOR THE MANY PEOPLE IN EMPLOYMENT?In thinking about this several thoughts occurs to me:

1. There are those employed professionals who have had an undying urge to step out of employment but didn’t have enough motivation to do it. They have been following the on goings in the summit in the same way a hyena hangs around a pack of lions knowing it’s only a matter of time before they make a kill and therein it gets its meal. This group of employees will wake up with a resignation letter in heart and mind and sometimes physically to hand it in to the employer.

2. Then there are those who have been similarly watching the #GES2015 hoping and praying that they could get themselves into the position of entrepreneurship but are held back because they are afraid of failing or afraid of succeeding, or they would really rather enjoy the fruits in the dream rather than roll up their sleeves, and do something about those dreams bearing actual fruit.

3. Then there are those who are pretty content being employed. Steady job, steady paycheck, medical cover, retirement benefits, bonus payments, leave days and many other perks. There is absolutely nothing wrong with those who are here in this category. This group of professionals/ employees offer something that is very rare to get in employees - loyalty. Even entrepreneurs need them if what they are setting up is going to go the distance.

NB: Entrepreneurship is not for everyone and you can still be successful (a term whose meaning changes with every person - what success means for you is not what it means for me) even when employed.

Opportunities are on both sidesOpportunities are on both sides

With the end of the summit I would like to pinpoint a couple of things to consider as ways of benefiting:

1. If you have what it takes, procrastinate no more. Roll up your sleeves and do what needs to get done. Your business idea is good for something or not. You will never know until you work at it; and working at it does not necessarily mean that you quit your job to start it. It may also mean that you research on it, write a business plan, start saving towards it if you really think you can’t start without capital, build networks etc. Just get the car started and give it some motion.

2. Evaluate your current work scenario. Can you be a workpreneuer? A person who creates and works to expand his / her employer’s business? This can be achieved in a variety of ways - increasing your current customer base, expanding your target market, contributing to the overall strategy of the company. Allow me to give an example here. It has been touted that women are the best entrepreneurs because they sow back into their communities and as such more money will be availed to them to do business. If you are a sales manager for a cooking ingredient like meat flavors used in basic vegetables, you would likely identify a local market where items are placed on the ground, you talk to the local government to build stalls which of course are branded with your ingredient and possibly appoint the ladies as sales points for the ingredient. With such an idea guess what you have done: a) increased brand visibility for your organization in the local markets; b) created a new sales channel for your sales teams; c) engaged in corporate social responsibility by improving the cleanliness of the market and hence reduce health risks for the community.

3. Improve your skills. Growth in business comes with a demand on skill set. Knowledge, skills and opportunities are the hallways of growth for any business. Stagnant water is only good for breeding irritations and sources of irritation.


4. If you can’t quit your day job, find effective and efficient employment for your money. There is an old cliché that I hear, “with your money and my brains we can go very far”. Much as it was used to swindle people, I think it’s a very true statement. Find a good investment that will give you some sort of returns. Shares in the stock exchange, be an angel investor / mini-venture capitalist for the right business. Your money and someone else’s brains.

A reality I have come to terms with is this: when you work for your money, you add to it and your energy is consumed. When your money works for you, in the right environment, you multiply it and both of you (your money and you) don’t get tired.

5. Don’t give up on yourself. It’s never too late to make a change in your life. Every minute you are alive is an opportunity to turn things around for the better. As I watched the summit going on including the activity at the JKIA as the POTUS was leaving, I couldn’t help feel a tinge of sadness for myself and

at some level regret. I found myself saying, “ I really wish I was able to move around, I could have participated in this summit because it’s my kind thing; I really miss travelling for business. There is sense of accomplishment I get knowing am going to do business of a certain nature.” As I entertained all these thoughts, a stronger trail of thought overcame me: “ but this is not the end, there are still more opportunities, more summits and more to be accomplished. You just have to determine to walk the path that will lead you to those dreams.”

So I encourage you in the same way. It’s time to stop dreaming and start working. Your current circumstances may have caused you to miss out on unfolding opportunities in the current timeline BUT they won’t last forever. New circumstances, New opportunities, New accomplishments, New dreams.

Whether good or bad, always remember THIS TOO SHALL PASS. No matter what life dishes out to you, it’s not permanent unless you choose for it to stay that way.


If you have what it takes, procrastinate no more. Roll up your sleeves and do what needs to get done. Your business idea is good for something or not. You will never know until you work at it; and working at it does not necessarily mean that you quit your job to start it.

For more insights to help with the push & pull of entrepreneurship vs employment we

recommend the book “Making Ideas Happen: Overcoming the

Obstacles Between Vision and Reality by Scott Belsky”


S ometimes when the sense and feeling of moving from stable employment is overwhelmingly strong, the thought of lack of a steady income, and possible failure deflate you like a balloon and you resign yourself to stick to the job.

It’s not always that the desire to leave the job is driven by a bad work environment, or the scary thought of having to live on a pension and your lifestyle falls short of your dreams. Sometimes, it is the deeply set creative juices seeking release and not having the proper channels in the currently held position. It is this element that we analyze today and see how we can capitalize on it to grow a career and even possibly prepare one to change jobs or get enough courage to start their own enterprise or discover hidden talents and abilities.

Not to be confused with entrepreneurship, intrapreneurship is the practice of building a business or product or service within an already established organization. In entrepreneurship, one does the same but there is no established organization to take on the risks or provide the capital or cushion any failure.

Intrapreneurship can only be successful within organisations whose culture encourages, embraces and celebrates staff driven innovation and continuous improvement activities. Intrapreneurs are risk takers (as long as the environment assures

Human Relations

Intrapreneurshipthem of a safety net incase they fall) and innovators with an element of creativity and proactive decision making.

I would dare say that organizations which embrace intrapreneurs within their structure, have increased chances of increased profits and diversified products/ portfolios which ultimately causes them to outlive and outdo competition.

So what characterizes an intrapreneur?Understanding the organization and its missionA successful intrapreneur has a deep understanding of the organization, its mission and its strategy. In order to enhance or generally change anything, one needs to understand what they are dealing with. You need to understand what mission and strategy is pursued by the company so that you can either make changes or giving it a great competitive advantage in its current strategy and activity. One company in India started as a small vegetable company. Intrapreneurship allowed it to evolve and transform into a software outsourcing company which employs more than 150,000 people with a market capitalisation of about $35 billion. This is an example of intrapreneurship changing the strategy and mission of the organisation. Zappos, have Mr. Tony Hsieh as its intrapreneur and it was expanded from a simple footwear seller to an online shoe company. Currently the company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Amazon.com


In our current African market, intrapreneurship may not initially have as tremendous results but there is something that can be done. Intrapreneurship caused Safaricom to increase its profits by embracing Mpesa (mobile money transfer services), Okoa Jahazi (credit offered for airtime). Intrapreneurship has enabled Equity bank bring in the concept of thin SIM available to its millions of customers with the intention of increasing the money that flows through the bank.

Creative thinkingMany people say creative thinking requires one to think outside the box. In truth, many are now advocating for the box to be thrown away because there is always the temptation of peeping inside the box to see what was previously in there and borrow ideas from it. An intrapreneur must of essence be creative. Thinking of new ways to do things or new products/ service that people may need. Without the concept of money transfer, Kenya would not have conceptualized the ability to pay for parking using their mobile phones without having to look for the dodgy parking attendants. One of the most simplified forms of intrapreneurship I have come across is that of a couple who have been running a fruit and vegetable stand. Through creative thinking they decided extend their structure to have a 1st floor where they set up a café. In the café they use their fruits and vegetables to make fresh juices and they also cook fresh food for their clientele. Their revenue and profit base is thus expanded.

Proactive decision makingIntrapreneurs do not wait for decisions to be made for them. They take the initiative to enable the proper decisions to be made in an organization. Intrapreneurship normally has the face of projects. Projects require a project leader who can make decisions and defend them accordingly. Projects are ideas put into action with visible impact/ results for the larger organisation. Intrapreneurship has newness and brings discomfort for change so many people will tend to be hands off so that they are not pinned down and penalized for wrong decisions and action. If you are going to be an intrapreneur you will have to be decisive and assertive in the project you are intending to handle right from conception to its absorption in the overall company strategy.

AccountabilityAs an intrapreneur, the organisation has entrusted resources to you – financial, structural and human resources. All these could have been used for something else but since the management has trusted you with the innovation, it is imperative to be responsible and accountable for these resources. This means being able to maintain budgets, submit timely reports, and most critical is show expected results. On the human resources front, accountability is more critical as it is not just to the management but also to the team members in the project. They need to know that they are not being used for some personal gain. They need to know that they are going to make a great impact. When something wrong happens, they need to be in the know and when something good happens they need to be recognized for their role in it.

Self MotivationIntrapreneurship will not be welcomed with pomp and colour and most of the time it has gone unrewarded. So if you intend to do it with the hope and expectation for a larger salary,

a corner office, increased perks/ benefits or a promotion, it is best you don’t go down that road. Because of its nature to override bureaucracies and sometimes go against the grain of conventional management, intrapreneurship is usually treated with skepticism until two things happen: the initial investment is recouped and the sustainability of its positive results is proven. That might take years and so only a personal drive/ motivation can keep the intrapreneur going.

LeadershipStrong leadership skills are needed to strengthen the team involved in the innovation and to persuade others to follow and perform within the project. The difference between a manager and a leader as an intrapreneur is that a leader is comfortable to make rapid decisions under uncertainty. Managers more often than not work within established patterns and are not willing to exit from that comfort zone. As an intrapreneur, one has to be able to overcome bureaucracies, use office politics to their advantage and get adequate resources to realize successful projects.

A lot of organisations have come across W. Chan Kim’s and Renée Mauborgne’s concept of Blue Ocean Strategy. Some organisations have even been known to take their senior managers through the associated course with the expectation that it will set them apart from the competition. Yet in many cases, the lessons learnt do not go beyond the first six months of returning to their desks. It is not for lack of understanding but sometimes it is because the senior managers are not exactly intrapreneurial in their personality.

If organizations will succeed in establishing uncontested market spaces and go on to gain the benefits therein before the competition ventures into the same, intrapreneurship must be woven into the culture of the organisation.

This article is in no way exhaustive in demystifying the concept of intrapreneurship and in other editions of Esteemed™ we will delve more into it. For now however, if you are willing to take the risk of being an intrapreneur, we encourage you to explore the numerous resources available online such as IntrapreWHO!? - What is an Intrapreneur?: https://youtu.be/VJhcfmgNI4o and The power of social intrapreneurship: Kate Aitken…: https://youtu.be/ExXuMqCw8gk .


Intrapreneurs do not wait for decisions to be made for them. They take the initiative to enable the proper decisions to be made in an organization.

For more insights to help with the push & pull of entrepreneurship vs employment we

recommend the book “Making Ideas Happen: Overcoming the

Obstacles Between Vision and Reality by Scott Belsky”


I recently engaged two individuals for the services they render. One is a dressmaker and another a carpenter.Given that their skills are necessary, important and that the work of their hands also improve one’s image, these two skills are significantly sought through referral. So the referrals came in quite strongly given that the referees

were well acquainted with the two individuals.

At the briefing for the tailor, the spouse was present and had clearly showed support and respect for the work done previously for other clients. It was a pleasant briefing and I believed that we had made contact with a good dressmaker. My job was well done and I had every intention to give a second and third and fourth and so on job; but I ran out of currency.Shortly after, in one of my companies, there arose a need for making a certain simple outfit in bulk. So I introduced the person in charge of the project to the dressmaker and the agreement was made to make the outfits. A third of the total was paid as deposit, and the balance was to be paid on delivery. This was after the dressmaker confirmed that the outfit was part of her portfolio and would thus be done to perfection and in time for the occasion in which they were to be used.

Time was observed and quality compromised; but to compensate the dressmaker agreed to rectify the outfits after the occasion and accepted only half (½) of the remaining fee. It took another eight months after the occasion before the outfits were delivered and even then it was after many unreturned calls, embarrassment through claims that my company had refused to pay the whole amount (which we paid even without

Customer Relations

Needful but without Capacity

the goods being delivered) and excuses that contradicted each other with every new month.

While still waiting for the outfits to be delivered, I had set aside some cash to refurbish my 7 seater sofa with new fabric. The referee for the carpenter gave a very high rating and showed solid confidence in his work. Infact, he indicated that the young man had been short on work and kept asking if there is any referral he can get. So on my end was a need and on the other end was a hungry craftsman ready to do the job.

So he turned up almost immediately and gave a quotation for the job and I told him to allow me three days then we would start the job. On the second day he sent me a reminder and I thought, “Hmm. How nice and customer oriented.” So on the third day I called him to collect the deposit which would be instrumental in getting the upholstery and set him off for the job. He did warn me that due to price changes, he could possibly ask for more but that he would tell me well in advance. So off he went with a wad of cash and informed me he would be back in the morning with the materials. It was another two days before he started the job and when he was halfway through, he informed me that the cutting and stitching was done badly and I should add him money to go and correct it. He tried to hide that some of the cushions had been damaged in transit and he had planned to put them on the sofa without my knowledge.

A job that had been guaranteed to take 3 days actually took 7 days and even then it was disappointing because I did not get what I had asked for.


With these two incidents I began to wonder how it is that: one, small entrepreneurs seek to be given jobs that they do not have the capacity to handle; and two how they manage to get by with lousy customer service and orientation.

Truth be told, I was satisfied that both jobs were finished not to the quality I would have wanted but at least my money did not disappear. Bottomline, I did get services for my money. Question is if I would give reference to the two craftsmen to a friend or business partner or even want to engage them again.

In this entrepreneurial generation, the grandest failure emanates not from the product or service, but from the customer orientation of those delivering the service or selling the product. Majority of the business people are more interested in securing the deal that has a lot of money and they are willing to cut as many corners as possible to retain maximum profit and not necessarily deliver on their word.

As an entrepreneur, there is need to always remember that without process, your business can get by, without large overheads and a large team, yes it can still stay afloat, but without customers, you cannot start, sustain or grow. Customers are the core of any business in the market place. Great businesses have loyal customers, mediocre businesses have satisfied customers, malnutritioned businesses have customers!

So what kind of diet should you be on to move from malnutritioned to great business?Hold your name above everything else. Mention the word ‘apple’ and you are likely to get one of two responses; “the expensive fruit” or “the expensive gadgets”. Just reading through a lot of material, I have gathered overtime that Apple (the company) revenues and profits thrive through their loyal customers. Once you go apple, there is no turning back and their clientele know that and they are willing to pay the price. I am yet to meet an iPhone, iPad, MacBook or Macintosh desktop user who has something against the brand. Your name as a business is your face. It is what existing customers remember every time, it is what potential customers see for the first time and it is what you are every day. It is imperative that it is good if you are going to grow your client base and ultimately your revenue base.

Maintain a hard-to-leave customer retention policy. The difference between a policy and a program is that a program implies a timed lifespan, it will come to an end. Policy on the other hand suggests that it is part of the core for the existence of the business. Loyal customers do not stay because they have no other option. They stay because you are the best and they would rather be inconvenienced in other areas but have you serve them in that one area. Loyalty is not forced. It is willfully pledged. The place I have seen this exemplified best is in barbershops. Most men are very particular how they are shaved and once they find a barber who applies the razor the way they like, even if they go on a Saturday afternoon and found a queue of 100 , they will be glad to wait or go home and come back the next day just to be shaved by that barber. Now that is

Don’t promise. Don’t compromise. Commit and Over Deliver. If you commit to do a certain job, chances are that the customer expects at minimum, his expectations to be met.

“ Customer Satisfaction is WORTHLESS Customer Loyalty is PRICELESS. How to

make customers love you, keep them coming back and tell everyone the

know by Jeffrey Gitomer”

loyalty because the service rendered cannot be got elsewhere.Have a working feedback system. This is a system that allows you to effectively receive feedback from the clients, follow up on resolution/ actions taken from your end and resolving the issue with the customer. The system should also enable you have frequent communication with your customer e.g. reminding them it is time for an upgrade, or cleaning, or change etc.

Don’t promise. Don’t compromise. Commit and Over Deliver. If you commit to do a certain job, chances are that the customer expects at minimum, his expectations to be met. I give you my car to wash, I expect a clean car. Picking a job that you do not have the capacity for simply points to greed and selfishness. You can’t promise a clean car in one hour if you only have one sprayer and one member of staff and 30 cars waiting in queue to be washed. It is a sad day when a customer says, you didn’t do the job I wanted and the first words that come out of your mouth are “But you are the one who …..” In essence that statement can be interpreted to say, “If you had not brought me your business in the first place, I would not have failed.” It’s shooting yourself in the foot when you begin to blame the customer for what was in your control.

Establish the parameters of engagement. It is true that in this competitive market environment, customers just want delivery of service and if they can’t get it from you they will get it from elsewhere. It is also true that every human being has an affinity for the finer things in life including how they are treated when they are the ones receiving the service or buying the product. If your intention is to give all your clients a high level quality service then it is important for them to know how you will achieve this goal and what is expected of them. When you surpass these parameters, the customers will not even need to be told. They will know it directly.

Special Note: Customer service changes with every generation and businesses must evolve with the customer.



Building yourself as a Brand

Building yourself as a Brand

Continued on page 14

Public Relations

As we take a look at you being a brand, let us evaluate two questions.1. If ten people from the different facets of your life (i.e. professional, social, from the bank, your family, your neighbours etc) were asked to describe you, what one word would they use?

Would those words synchronise?

2. What descriptive word comes to your mind when these brands are mentioned – Coca Cola, Apple, Nike, Fubu, Oscar Awards, Kenya, Hawaii, Equity, Barclays, Woolworths, Mr. Price? Would these descriptive words resonate with many people?

Every person needs to build a reputation around themselves especially so if they are intending to be or already are entrepreneurs/ business owners. Consistency of this reputation will ultimately lead to people associating a particular reputation with that person. For example, in Kenya, Toyota is a brand that is popularly thought to be affordable to maintain because the spare parts are available even in the second had market. This makes the Toyota cars be associated with the middle class. Mercedes Benz on the other hand is considered a luxury vehicle that is expensive to maintain therefore many relegate it to the upper class. The truth of these perceptions is highly debatable but the two companies have endorsed these brands mostly by targeting the two segments. Samsung in the phones market is known to meet the spectrum of users from the bottom of the pyramid to the luxury market. So you can get a Samsung phone worth $50 and you can get one worth $800. At the same time, you will find iPhones concentrating on only a market segment where the prices start from $400 upwards. They have distinguished themselves as a brand of luxury and style.


In this edition of Esteemed, we recognize that we cannot have you esteemed if you are not a brand.

What are you known for in terms of value system and how do you get to the level of being a brand?

Intentional. To be a successful brand, you need to be intentional about building it. You don’t become known for your integrity by fluke. You must engage some action. It starts with being clear in your mind about it. “I want my name to always be clear and devoid of scams and scandals.” With this in mind, you will be careful which deals you enter into or what commitments you make. You will work at being able to say “no” when necessary and “yes” when it is appropriate.

Consistent. I distinctly remember my university days, I used to wear official clothes every day and smart casual on Saturday. In the first month I was teased about it but after a whole semester of official clothes, my colleagues began to appreciate the separate style. Once my boyfriend asked me why I wear official yet I am in college and my answer, “I always want to be ready and prepared in case a potential employer calls me for an interview during the day and I don’t have time to go home.” Consistency forms a sure base for reliability. People appreciate the way you do things and they can rely on you for that. In the same way, you can be consistent in non-material matters – telling the truth, format of reporting, respect, verbal expressions etc. Even in the privacy of your house, consistency lets the children and others know how to live with you.

Unique (Inimitable, limited edition). A brand cannot be duplicated. You cannot be a brand if you are trying to be like someone else. And people can easily tell a fraud or copy. You were created unique and there is no one like you. Why would one want to abandon your unique contribution to this world just to be like someone else who is already making their unique contribution to the society? It is so puzzling when sometimes upcoming musicians and performing artists abandon their unique styles to be similar to legends who have gone ahead of them. Choose to learn from success stories but do not seek to be them. It denies the world your uniqueness and it denies your Maker the opportunity to show Himself in a brand new way to the world.

Genuine. Being unpretentious is one of the most rewarding elements of life I have come to know. That in dealing with people there are no cards under the table; that what you see is what you get. Being genuine allows people to build trust in you therefore working with you is easier. Again, you must work at being genuine. Opportunities to present yourself in a “not-so-true” light will be many but you must choose to remain true to who you are. Masks were invented to hide the actual face and replace it with a fake one. They are removable and disposable and they will always wear out. Lo and behold if your mask was to fall off when you are in life changing situation. Genuineness remains present and allows you to be unfazed in good and bad times, in heat and in cold, in plenty and in lack.

Visible. The greatest teacher to walk the face of the earth did tell us that you do not light a lamp and put it under a table. It is meant to shine forth for men to see and for illumination of the environment. When you build yourself as a brand, you are not doing it for yourself as a self-portrait to be hang on a wall in your house or office. It is meant to be shared with the world. Can you imagine if Nike did not use Tiger Woods or if Coca Cola did not invest so heavily on bill boards and television advertising? They would be having all these nice products and messages that nobody knows about and they would not be able to know the progress they are making. It is in putting yourself out there that any venture you take on will be known as yours. It

For more insights to help build the brand called YOU, we recommend the book “The

Brand Called You 50 by Tom Peters”

is not only the Credit Reference Bureau that can vouch for you. You need social goodwill which is built by people being able to say the same thing about you.

Indispensable. The thing about a brand is that when you don’t have it and you can’t see it, something is definitely missing especially if you have had a taste of it. As a brand, you become indispensable by capitalizing on your skills, talents and abilities. There is a lady I know who made herself so skilled in what she did for her department that when she tried to leave, management had to beg her to stay because even though she had trained others to do the same job (and they were doing it well), they were not doing it the way only she could. Indispensability is an extension of uniqueness and visibility. Try imagine Nairobi City without Uhuru Park and the consolation was Uhuru gardens. Try imagine South Africa without Table Mountains or New York without Wall Street. That is what you need to be.

Build your X factor. You can’t be visible, unique or indispensable if you are or have nothing. Your X factor is what makes you exceptional, that which no one else can do and you do better than anyone else. It is what you can do even in your sleep and even if you were not paid, you could still do it until all of you returns to your maker. You need to maximize your skills, gifts, talents and abilities to grow your X factor . Your weaknesses hold you back in areas that you might otherwise excel but I also find it worth mentioning that your weaknesses open your eyes to strengths that others have and need thereby not making you so reliant on yourself that you shut out the rest of the world.

Understand and Explore your Y factor. Your Y factor is in essence at the core of the entire brand you are building. It is the why part of you and embraces the fundamental questions that each human being has or will encounter at one time or another. Why am I doing what I am doing everyday? Can it justify sitting in traffic everyday for 261 days in a year (cut out the weekends) to go into an office or a college or somewhere where 12 hours are spent for revenue to be earned or a certificate to be pursued? Your Y factor also involves your character, what you hold true and dear to you. It is these that influence how you relate with people, what is important to you and how you work things out in your life i.e. how you operate. Your Y factor can be summed up in three letters – PVP – Purpose, Values, Passions.

Brands are not about themselves. Brands are built to influence the environment.

Special note: To help you understand and set you off towards building your brand as a business and as an individual, we would like to point you in the direction of several resources on YouTube | PwC people share their personal brand advantage: https://youtu.be/yvEvwDPhGA4 | Understand your “whY factor”: https://youtu.be/dsJM3x27epY | Define your “X factor”: https://youtu.be/i-TJQb6EQjs



Refreshing your Mind

Editor’s Choice Book

Across1. Form of something or an account of something differ-ing in certain respects from an earlier form of the same type of thing5. Type of nail with groove at the top6. Descriptive word for small size in terms of width7. Mention on the spur either with or without intention9. Student of a master in a profession11. Character found in some leaders

Down2. Repeat, especially an exam/ test3. Care for with the intent of seeing something grow4. Quantifying word7. Description of8. Plural form of third person9. Type of vegetable10. Slang for ‘it is’

Seek out the words hidden in the puzzle above:Inverse, Curve, Seven, Less, Three, Unit, Polygon, Angle, Power, Cone, Hundred, Slope, Ordinal, Eleven, Null, Mean, Rounded, Solve, Treasury, Euro, Tech, Save, Exchange, Yen.

Escape From Cubicle Nation: From Corporate Prisoner to Thriving Entrepreneur by Pamela SlimThe book is divided into four sections that take you through from when you conceptualize starting your own business to the reality of working for yourself. To paraphrase what Guy Kawasaki says in the Foreward section, this book is one that you should read “with a good head on your shoulders”. Why? Because it is set to help you make a very sober choice of either being a good

employee up to retirement or being the one who dared to step out on his/ her own.RECOMMENDED BLOGSYou weren’t meant to have a boss Paul GrahamMarketplace Influencer Wangari MainaUnreason Forum David Paul Mavia

RECOMMENDED YOUTUBE CHANNELSEvan CarmichaelFixing the Money Thing - Gary KeeseeFightMediocrity



Animation has evolved to not only be a good skill for the entertainment industry, but it also a handy tool for professors, book reviewers, trainers, coaches, mentors, preachers and anybody who needs to deliver information to an audience.

Technology has made animation so easy and user friendly that slow learners have less challenges and visual learners are almost at par with audio learners or readers.

Let’s break it down a little. There are those who understand concepts as they read text books and essays or any prose writing. There are those who would really rather listen to an audio or watch a video with the same content. Then there are those who read pictures. This meanS, the prose/ text is translated to pictures and that is what they understand. Then there are those who learn best by using their physical sense of touch. Take them to a chemistry lab and the Periodic table makes sense. Tell them to cram the chemical formulae from a text book and you have lost them.

The journey to making some extra cash from animation and eventually build a business out of itAnimations are making lovely teaching aids for many, both at school and in the office. A look through YouTube will enable you see this concept at work.

NGOs, civil society and the government have tremendous budgets set aside for capacity building (aka training aka public awareness programs). Through the programs, illiterate people are sensitized towards different matters. Let’s take a common and simple example. Explaining devolution. A concept that would not be known if it wasn’t for a new constitution that advocates for counties to easier govern the masses. Through illustrations, such can easily be explained.

RequirementsYou need to have• The skill of drawing and an eye for design• A computer with the appropriate software• A passion for art and design• Ideas for the animation

Suggested paths for starters• Read a short motivational book and illustrate it as a reviewer• Read a short story book for children and illustrate it as a

reviewer• Recall and improve on the stories told by grandparents and

teacher e.g about the fox and the crane, the hare and the tortoise etc

• Read the Bible and lift a story from it that can be illustrated to pass the message e.g. the story of Noah or Samson

• Take a text book for an MBA class and illustrate a theory that has sub theories in it

If you begin to put up some of your illustrative videos on the internet, you are bound to get someone interested.

Next levelOnce you start to build a following and a portfolio, you can get in touch with program managers, professors in colleges and universities and even the clergy. Identify the weakness in the delivery of their subject matter and offer to help them through their animations.In a society where this is still not popular, I would advocate for this idea while you hold down another job from where you are getting some revenue and do this with consistency at your free time e.g. over the weekends.

Know your target and your audience, then maintain consistency and creativity.On the medium and large scale:• Create illustrations that can go viral on the world wide web.• Start training other passionate individuals, be they students

in primary school or higher levels to do what you are doing.• Build a network of illustrators with unique abilities so as to

attend to different needs• Use illustrations to create product/ service campaigns for

different brands and companies• Use illustrations to consistently review books that are in the

market. Depending on how you place yourself avid readers will make you the first stop before buying a book.

Sources of revenueThis highly depends on the business model you decide to adopt. You can• Offer advertising slots for your videos• Blow up your illustrations to bigger sizes and sell them to

education institutions• Sell the concept to teachers, lecturers, professors, peer

educators and have them retain you for the different assignments they engage in

There are so many other ways that you can build a revenue and subsequently a lifestyle out of this venture.

Special Note: NB: Publishers Disclaimer: The publisher is not engaged in the business of rendering financial, legal or other professional advice. If such advice and or information is required in relation to the investment idea highlighted herein, the services of professionals should be sought. No responsibility for loss occasioned by any person acting or refraining from acting as a result of material in this publication can be accepted.


Invest Wisely

For more insights to help build the brand called YOU, we recommend you look through the creative YouTube

Channel RSA Animate https://youtu.be/u6XAPnuFjJc

Illustrated Talks/ Lectures/ Videos


The market place is a lovely harvest field for anyone who is looking to harvest challenges; that is precisely why many fail to pursue their calling in the market place and also why many fail while pursuing the market place.

Yet there is gold in challenges! A king who was initially a shepherd is quoted as writing a song which starts with the following phrase:“ O God of my righteousness (uprightness, justice, and right standing with You)! You have freed me when I was hemmed in and enlarged me when I was in distress “*1

Everyday in the corporate world, there is something that creates distress, but thankfully, God, if allowed, is ready to enlarge us in that situation.

Think about it. If the circumstances surrounding you and causing distress are the ones expanding then chances are that you will drown in them and be no more. If you are the one expanding and the circumstances are remaining the same, it is like filling a balloon with water. Eventually, the elastic walls will crack and burst! What comes forth is the expanded you.

As the song ends, the King says:

Many say, Oh, that we might see some good! Lift up the light of Your countenance upon us, O Lord.You have put more joy and rejoicing in my heart than [they know] when their wheat and new wine have yielded abundantly. In peace I will both lie down and sleep, for You, Lord, alone make me dwell in safety and confident trust.*2

Basically, there are two types of people in the marketplace

Type 1: MTG – Me Then GodIn this category are those who count on God after they have been overwhelmed by the challenges. They decide to use their strength and conventional wisdom to deal with the situations that are causing distress. They know that God is all powerful and

all knowing, but they trust themselves more than they want to entrust God.It’s like they get to a point where they are telling God, “It’s okay God. I got this one covered.” Until the thing they are dealing with comes way over their head and then they begin to say, “please help; if only I had known, please smile this way a little bit.” And God is faithful. He does help and the situation is resolved and the distress is over

Type 2: GTM – God then meThe GTMs recognize the distress source the moment it appears and at that moment they call on God. They go into their private chambers – sometimes mentally and sometimes physically, and they arm themselves for warring the situation on their knees. They armour*3 themselves: • belt of truth• breastplate of integrity and of moral rectitude and right standing with God,• preparation with firm-footed stability, promptness, and the readiness produced by the good news of peace.• shield of faith• helmet of salvation• sword that the Spirit wields, which is the Word of God.• keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseveranceWith the above preparation, the GTMs then face the distressing environment with the foreknowledge that they are relying on God’s strength and war plan.

At the end of it all, GTMs are known to share the sentiments of the King – “You have put more joy and rejoicing in my heart…. In peace I will both lie down and sleep, for You, Lord, alone make me dwell in safety and confident trust”.

Both MTGs and GTMs go through the distress causing circumstances. But who has an easier time within those circumstances?

Foot notes*1 Psalms 4:1 *2 Psalms 4:6-8 *3 – Ephesians 6:14 – 18

The Beauty of Challenges

Quiet Time

esteemed magazine 4th sept

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