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11 Things You Should NEVER Take A Loan To Do

December 16, 2016, 11:14 pm
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Debt man

I was watching news the other day and the story of a young man from Meru, Kenya caught my attention. He had made a post on social media that he was ready to sell one of his kidneys. Reason: The lad had taken a loan from a local bank to lease a tea bush with the hope that the returns from that business would boost his income and enable him live a better life. Problems started following him when at the end of the year, the tea bonus fell way below what he had expected. He found himself between a rock and a hard place. His bank wanted back the entire sum owed of Ksh472,000 but the young farmer could hardly marshal up anything from his coffers. Efforts to raise funds from friends bore no fruits and his aging father could do nothing much about it either. At stake, was […]
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How Employed People Remain Poor Despite Working Full-Time, Saving & Investing

January 11, 2017, 1:17 am
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working poor

It was back in 2007 when a young man whose career was blossoming got wind of a potentially life-changing business idea – investing in shares. Like most people, he had grown up watching TV and reading newspaper articles about the profitability of this kind of business. So when Safaricom (the largest telco in Kenya) floated its IPO, he figured out this was his chance to stand to be counted. He took a Ksh1 Million loan from a local bank at an interest rate of 15% per annum. By that time Safaricom shares were trading at Ksh5 and so he managed to purchase 190,000 shares. Looking into the future, he was almost assured of being a multimillionaire in a span of 5 years because as most of his fellow investors had expected, the share price would shoot to Ksh25 a piece. Shock on him, a few months down the line the […]
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5 Misleading Yet Common Words Of Advice That Are Holding You Back

January 18, 2017, 2:18 am
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Confused guy

All through my entrepreneurship experience here at Kuza Biashara, I have come to realize that when you ask other people’s advice on business, instead of getting more answers, you end up with more questions that can lead you to completely wrong solutions. Whether that advice is being driven down your throat by your Daddy& Mummy pastor or friends who can’t resist dolling out some outdated tidbits, generic advice can do more harm than good if you follow it blindly. The intention may very well be to help you, especially if it comes from people who would want great things to happen to you in the future. But still, an important skill that any person must acquire is to learn how to be discerning when it comes to taking advice. That said, here are some examples of advice that can leave you more confused than ever. 1.Hardwork Always Pays The problem […]
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Why Everyone Seems To Be Doing Better Than You – 5 Good Reasons

January 25, 2017, 4:08 am
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when everyone seems more successful than you are

Back in college, I used to be the most confident guy around. Always attending all lectures and getting top grades. By third-year, I had managed to get myself a part-time job which meant I was above most of my classmates (financially-speaking). And on top of that, I managed to get a full-time job just a few days before sitting for my final exams. I did not “tarmac” and unlike my former classmates, I did not have to knock on endless doors hoping for a miracle. But my wave of success was short-lived, or so it seems, because just a few years down the line, the once broke guys started cruising around town with big 4×4 SUVs. The ladies who I used to ignore suddenly became social media sensations – attracting numerous followers with each photo they posted on Instagram. Suddenly, everyone seemed to be doing better than me. I was […]
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How To Make Your First Million Printing T-Shirts & Promotional Materials This Campaign Season

January 30, 2017, 3:28 am
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Campaign t-shirt printing in Kenya

The campaign season is upon us once again (if you’re from Kenya that is) which means politicians will be spending big money on posters, t-shirts, caps and umbrellas. And beyond the campaign season; companies, governments and institutions always have projects to run and they need….you guessed it…lot’s of promotional materials. So how can you start a business that fulfills this exact need? Is there a lot of money involved? We take a look. How To Get Started You need to invest in a digital heat press machine (you can always upgrade to a more advanced machine as your business grows), a computer and a few sample materials (e.g. sample t-shirts, umbrellas etc). Also, you need to some graphic design skills which you can acquire through local trainings (consider interning at a busy printing shop to learn the best practices of this hustle). Lastly, you need good marketing and networking skills. A […]
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Of Apple Farming In Kenya & How People Are Making Ksh750,000 On 1/4 Acre Plots

February 14, 2017, 4:12 am
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Wambugu apples in Kenya

They say an apple a day keeps a doctor away. But what if you could get into apple business to keep poverty away? Most of the apples that we eat here in Kenya are imported either from Middle East or South Africa. This is because exotic trees require a lot of work and are quite delicate. The fact that apples have to be watered frequently, sprayed with chemicals and still demand lots of attention makes them a less-attractive venture to go for if you are a small mwananchi. But not anymore… The reality on the ground however, is that we have an ever-growing demand for apples yet only a handful of apples are produced locally. What if you could start an apple farm, using locally-bred seedlings that unlike exotic ones require minimal care? Let me give you a short story about Wambugu Apples, a Kenyan innovation that holds great potential […]
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Program To Equip Women With Digital Skills, Internship & Job Opportunities Launched

February 16, 2017, 1:52 am
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Digital literacy for women best pic

Kuza Biashara in association with International Trade Centre (ITC) is conducting a Social Media & Digital Marketing Skills program targeted at young women in Nairobi. The Program focuses on providing the young women specialized theoretical and practical skills related to Social Media & Digital Marketing. The trainees during the training period also be provided with Life Skills, Mentoring sessions and Interview training. Successful training graduates will be connected to the right internship and job opportunities in private/ public sector enterprises. This Program would be conducted at “No Cost to the Trainees” and is a “Free for All” program. Deadline for receiving applications: 22.Feb.17   18:00 hours Duration 45 days (5 days a week) Location Kuza Innovation Centre, General Mathenge Drive, Westlands, Nairobi We are calling for Expression of Interest from young women to apply for this Free Program. Please take the Survey by clicking the link below to help us […]
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Meet Nairobi Woman, Former Guard Building Her Construction Company Block-By-Block

February 17, 2017, 1:12 am
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Mjengo business in Nairobi

When I arrived at the fast-growing Tassia estate, I could not help but take notice of the extremely hot weather that dominates the Embakasi plains. It was a long journey through the busy Mombasa road, veering off at the North Airport road and onwards to the bustling neighbourhood that’s about three blocks away from the Embakasi military barracks. Nonetheless, I was optimistic because I knew the woman I was going to meet, in these very plains, would give me a story of hope. Hope that could re-awaken the sleeping giant that resides in each and every one of us. So I walk through an iron-sheet gate following the directions ‘whatsapped’ to me by Tycrose Keeru. She is hard at work at her latest construction site, a three-storied rental building. “Sorry, I know the sun is quite hot in this side of the capital” says Tycrose as she leaves her team […]
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2 Lifestyle Traps You Must Avoid If You Want To Become Successful In Life

March 1, 2017, 1:21 am
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confused investor

Have you ever paused for a moment and thought to yourself “I must be doing something wrong with my life, how come I don’t have a single profitable investment running under my name despite working diligently for all those years?” Yes, you have the zeal and willingness to invest…but somehow, things seem not to be going your way. May be you even have a job, with a steady monthly salary and you do your best to save something at the end of the month. But still somehow you’ve not been making any meaningful progress. If you are in business, despite toiling and moiling all your life, you still can’t narrate any success stories worthy of a gossip blogger’s attention. It’s a painful reality that most of us prefer to not to talk about. It yields a sense of hopelessness and can easily make you wonder what your purpose in life […]
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How To Start A Small Mabati Factory

March 14, 2017, 4:33 am
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mabati business in kenya

Starting a small mabati factory is a brilliant way to capitalize on Africa’s booming construction industry. Instead of tying up all your wealth in idle plots of land or rental apartments, why not take a different approach and venture into value-addition? This way, you end up meeting consumers’ immediate needs and in so doing you also create employment. And of course there are better financial returns in taking this route. Mabati, or iron sheets in English, are a basic requirement for every construction project. Being a fast moving consumer good, you can hardly go wrong with this venture provided you invest in the right technology combined with creative marketing. There are very few local companies providing quality iron sheets, given that this industry has been dominated by foreign multinationals since time immemorial. Getting Started A mabati factory is typically made up of three things (1)Land (2)Machinery and (3)Labor. Land You […]
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5 Reasons Why “Machopi” (Smart People) Get E-grades In Life, Investments and Business

March 20, 2017, 3:09 am
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smart guys in business

Smart people are a lucky lot. Besides scoring good grades in school, their brains are like libraries. They possess numerous ideas that have the potential to transform not just their pockets but the society at large. But these sharp minds seem to have special challenges when it comes to life, investments and business. Majority of them make good employees…but beyond that, there’s nothing much they do worth writing home about. Past trends have shown that those we consider(ered) as being weak in class end up pulling a gamechanger in life by acing their way through business and investments. It is no wonder the controversial phrase of “C students end up employing A students to work for them” has become so popular of late. How come these “machopis” perform terribly when it comes to investment and life goals? Well, if you are one of them I am sure you will agree […]
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The Kuza Biashara Social Media and Digital Training Program for Women Kicks Off

March 23, 2017, 5:45 am
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Kuza digital training

Nairobi, Kenya – The Kuza Biashara Social Media and Digital Training Program is planned to kick off from Monday 27 th of March 2017. The opportunity attracted over 600 applicants 67 of whom were selected for interviewing. Following the interview phase, 50 were picked to take part in training which will last for 45 days. Speaking during Day 1 of the orientation process, Sri Bharatam who is the Founder and Chief Mentor of Kuza Biashara said “We are in the business of helping people explore their fullest potential.” The training will take place at the Kuza Biashara Innovation Centre in Westlands, Nairobi. The program is an initiative of Kuza Biashara and the International Trade Centre (ITC). About Kuza Biashara Kuza Biashara is a Kenyan award winning innovation that focuses on equipping women, youth and small business owners with necessary, on-demand skills required to learn connect and grow. More Info: Program […]
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I Lost My Entire Business In A Fire Disaster; A Comeback Story

April 7, 2017, 1:00 am
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Business burning down

It  all started  in 2009. After completing my secondary school education, I embarked on a journey to the city in search of a better life. My destination was Mlolongo in the outskirts of Nairobi. As you might be aware, Mlolongo is a fast-growing industrial area and I was lucky enough to secure employment in a tobacco firm. To subsidize my low wages, I decided to be selling basic household items like basins to the neighboring Kitengela and Isinya towns. But despite doing that I was still struggling. Then one day someone approached us in Kicheko slums (where I resided) and informed us of some valuables stashed in a former government officials compound who was on the run after a scandal. The idea was that we go and collect the ornaments at black market and share the loot. We agreed  to go for the mission on a Monday but luckily or […]
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First 10 Days Summary of Kuza Biashara Digital and Social Media Program #SheGoesDigital

April 7, 2017, 6:45 am
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Kuza biashara trainings

The Kuza Biashara Digital and Social Media Program kicked off on high gear on 27 March 2017. The session brought together 50 successful ladies who were chosen from a list of over 600 applicants. The first week of the training mainly focused on basic internet usage skills like creating a Linkedin account and publishing a Linkedin Pulse article. Later the learners were taught how to create a blog using wordpress. From this point they were able to publish their first stories which they then shared on social media platforms. Week two, pedal to the metal, the students were taken through different aspects of search engine optimization. From the basics of keyword research to meta descriptions and web-crawler issues. The training is being facilitated by Paul Hughson, a digital marketing guru from Hyderabad. India. Paul brings onboard 15 years of experience in this field. The program is a brainchild of Kuza […]
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2 Lifestyle Traps You Must Avoid If You Want To Become Successful In Life

March 1, 2017, 1:21 am
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confused investor

Have you ever paused for a moment and thought to yourself “I must be doing something wrong with my life, how come I don’t have a single profitable investment running under my name despite working diligently for all those years?” Yes, you have the zeal and willingness to invest…but somehow, things seem not to be going your way. May be you even have a job, with a steady monthly salary and you do your best to save something at the end of the month. But still somehow you’ve not been making any meaningful progress. If you are in business, despite toiling and moiling all your life, you still can’t narrate any success stories worthy of a gossip blogger’s attention. It’s a painful reality that most of us prefer to not to talk about. It yields a sense of hopelessness and can easily make you wonder what your purpose in life […]
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How to Start a Small Iron Nail (Misumari) Factory

May 4, 2017, 5:16 am
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roofing nails in Kenya

With Africa’s rapid population growth, demand for housing and other infrastructure has increased exponentially. In Kenya, the construction sector contributes to 7 percent of the country’s GDP. Whichever way you look at it, demand for construction products is on the rise and that is why we are talking about nail production as a business you can engage in. What if you could start a small nail production facility so you can be supplying this growing industry with normal nails, roofing nails, U-nails and steel nails? What if you could partner with those producing roofing sheets to explore a wider market? Indeed, the opportunities here are limitless; but first let us show you how to put this together. Getting Started Step 1: Know How Nails Are Made Nails are made from wire, through a special machine that cuts it into the desired shapes and sizes. The machine comprises three main parts […]
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70 Percent of Kuza Digital Trainees Shortlisted For Internships By Leading Companies

May 16, 2017, 11:19 pm
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Digital Media Training in Kenya

Nairobi, Kenya May 16 2017 — The Kuza Biashara, SITA Digital and Social Media training program came to an end on Thursday 11th of May 2017. This is after 45 days of comprehensive training covering various aspects of digital, social media and core skills. 70 percent of the ladies were shortlisted for internships in leading and upcoming companies. Another 10 stand to benefit from an off-shore internship opportunity that will involve travelling to India to acquire hands-on IT, Waste Management and Agri-business skills courtesy of ITC SITA. The remaining number opted to take up entrepreneurship. Over 600 applications were received with 50 of the best being selected to take part in the program. The training which was undertaken at Kuza Biashara Innovation Centre in Nairobi brought together partners from Kuza Biashara, ITC SITA, Iridium Interactive and UKAID. Immense Sacrifice Acknowledging the immense sacrifice the ladies had paid in order to […]
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From Borrowing a Laptop in 2013 to Growing a Multi-Million Container Business in 2017 – How This Young Man Did It

May 19, 2017, 12:04 am
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container fabrication business in Kenya

The first time I heard of this young man was in my local church. Owing to shortage of space in the church compound, the church management had ordered for a fabricated container which would work as an extra storage area and office for the women leader. A story was told of a young man who had found his star out of converting shipping containers into affordable housing. At first the story didn’t impress me so much because it sounded like just any other hustle out there. This was until the NTV N-Soko Property show aired it; and being an avid viewer of the program, I had no choice but to sit down and watch. That is how I met one Moses Ndura (not physically though). A young man with a bushy but neatly trimmed beard in his late twenties. At an age where most of his agemates were still struggling […]
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5 of Your Personal Habits That are Killing Your Small Business

May 26, 2017, 4:47 am
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Bad habits killing your business

Many people don’t like to hear the truth about themselves…especially if this truth showcases weaknesses, shortcomings and downfalls. We all like to hear words like “you are your own boss,” “you are in control of things,” “you are one step closer to personal freedom”. But while being a businessperson comes with many perks, it turns out that sometimes our very own behaviors can end up being a liability to the very businesses we are trying to build. The truth is that your personal habits could actually be the ones causing your business not to grow. Here are 5 notorious personal habits that are quite common in Africa; and ones that could actually be taking a toll from your many years of hard work. 1.Mixing Business With Friendship, Women If you are the kind of person who struggles to maintain boundaries between family, friends and business, then you are likely to […]
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How Did That Fool Overtake Me? Matatu Tout Vs. Bank Employee

June 3, 2017, 5:41 am
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how much do bank tellers earn

How did that fool overtake me? That’s the question that lingers in the minds of most people when they turn 55. They know very well that they studied hard, worked hard and lived a generally organized life. What they really can’t figure out is how that rugged looking, unschooled tout in the street managed to build an economy 100 times better than theirs. How did that D- (Minus) material manage to own acres and acres of real estate? Or how did that mtumba seller manage to build a bungalow while I am still struggling to pay for a mortgaged two bedroom apartment? Well, that’s the sad reality of life. Sometimes those from whom not much is expected are the ones who pull a couple of surprise moves in life. This blog brings this into perspective. It’s a life-journey comparison of two people. One is a matatu tout the other one […]
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