November Issue
EntrepreneuHER
Inside this issue 3
22 Events: What’s happening in Nairobi
Meet the EntrepreneuHER VIOLET
7
& Take the plunge
EMMANUELA 38
12 Health with Q&A:
Chef Kahonge
Betty MULI 45
20 BUSINESS 101
Thitu Karibu The Healing Ambassador
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What’s Happening VC4Africa GEW MEET UP
innovators and artisans in who reside in the informal settlements in Nairobi
Date: 21 Nov 2013 2013 Time: 6:00 PM
POETRY WORKSHOP
Venue: Mercury Lounge, Waiyaki Way.
Date: 23rd November 2013
Charges: FREE
Time: From 9:30 AM
Africa’s Venture Capital will be celebrating African entrepreneurship as part of the Global Entrepreneurship Week. The event will bring together entrepreneurs, angel investors and VCs from across Africa.
Venue: Apollo Centre, Ring Road Parklands
Nairobi Social Entrepreneurs Happy Hour Date: 18th November 2013
Charges: Kes. 3,000 Hosted by celebrated Poet Caroline Nderitu, join other poets and learn how to develop your unique (writing/poetry) style, Learn about the avenues for exposure and income generation as well as publishing tips and options Village Capital/Growth Hub Venture Forum
Time: From 6:30pm Venue: Under the Radar, Arghwings Kodhek
Date: 6th December 2012
Charges: FREE
Time: 2:30 PM– 8:00 PM
Hosted by One Acre Fund, this event will feature Natasha Nurani and Alex Bezborodov from HoneyCare Africa. Every month features a different organization discussing topical issues.
Venue: Growth Hub, Ring Road.
KUMEKUCHA MENTORSHIP Date: 7th December 2013 Time: 10:00am TO 1:00 pm
Charges: FREE This is the final venture forum to showcase the progress and potential of 14 technology startups selected in September for a 12 week long coaching program from successful entrepreneurs. Two of these 14 start-ups will receive an investment worth $50,000 (Approx. Kes.4.25M)
Venue: Pawa254, AAYMCA, State House Rd Charges: FREE Hosted by AfricaCreative Hub, The event targets underserved and underexposed creatives November Issue
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#AskWaikenda
Kenya Youth Economic Forum Summit
Date: 14th November 2013
Date: 6th to 9th January 2014
Time: 6:00 PM TO 7:45 PM
Time: 7:00 AM– 4:00 PM
Venue: iHUB, Ngong Road
Venue: Karen Christian College, Karen
Charges: FREE
Charges: FREE
Join Machel Waikenda as he engages the tech community in youth empowermenr with special focus on tech businesses and start-ups. Learn about the Government’s procurement directive for businesses owned and ran by youth, women and persons with living with disability.
The church of Free Pentecostal Fellowhip in Kenya (FPFK) invites youth to attend this summit which will bring together representatives of government, private sector, religious groups, entrepreneurs etc to address the challenge of youth economic empowerment.
Writer’s Date
Kenya Mompreneurs Showcase
Date: 2nd Saturday of Every Month
Date: 25th January 2014
Time: From 10:00 am
Time: 12:00 Noon TO 5:00 PM
Venue: Edelvale Training Institute, Donholm
Venue: St. Andrew’s Church, Nairobi
Charges: Kes. 1,000
Charges: FREE
Ismael Akango, a freelance writer and self publisher will share his experience as an online publisher. You will learn how to make money online from writing articles and e-books. You will learn how to write an e-book, self publish, price and promote it online.
Kenya Mompreneur will host the event which will provide women owned businesses to showcase their products and services, shop and look out for great deals on items on sale. There will be a FREE 5 minute mommy makeover and demonstrations by professionals
Events Courtesy of
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From the Editor
F
irst things first. Welcome to the EntrepreneuHER’s maiden issue. Its been a long time coming. Self- employment is a romantic notion. The thought of working from home or from a laptop anywhere anytime is exciting. The idea of working in your ‘jammies’ sipping on your morning coffee is almost errrm...sexy. Yea, that’s what we think until we are in the thick of things. Entrepreneurship takes guts, it is pure blood, sweat and tears. It needs one to be fearless, well, maybe not...when you make the decision to go into business you must also make the decision to embrace FEAR. To feel it, if you must, yet not allow it to paralyze you. Our FOUR female entrepreneurs in this issue have felt fear and done it anyway. Coincidentally, all are mothers. If I may make an assumption here, I’d say motherhood has a way of motivating women into pursuing their dreams and chasing their passions.
“When the student is ready, the teacher appears”
Motherhood and its responsibilities push the most unlikely of us into business. Right there lies the secret...if you want try your hand in business, get pregnant!! Just kidding...maybe not. Hear what TK (pg. 55 ) says of FEAR...False Evidence Appearing Real. I wonder why only days away from the Magazine’s launch, I am suffering mini anxiety attacks and wanting to hide behind a huge rock. It happens to the best of us. Make a commitment today, to not let fear prevent you from pursuing your dreams.
SEE YOU AT THE TOP!!
*Chinese Proverb
Nish November Issue
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Meet the EntrepreneuHERs
Betty MULI
Emmanuella ABOA
Violet LISERO
Thitu KARIBA
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Taking the Plunge November Issue
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“Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of Imagination” OSCAR WILDE, Irish dramatist and novelist
By Correspondent
E
ntrepreneurs desire independence above all else. They want to live on their terms and have reasonable control over how their lives pan out. The flexibility and satisfaction of running one’s own business is unparalleled. Why then are we not engaging, en masse, in self employment? What is holding us back? We look at some major fears that women entrepreneurs face.
FEAR OF STARTING OUT
They are
This is a notorious one. Coupled with entering unfamiliar territory and self doubt, starting out on your own is understandably nerve wrecking but it doesn’t have to be. Women find starting out particularly difficult if it means leaving employment or assuming the role of bread winner.
•
The terror of being overwhelmed
•
The fear of failure, and
•
The fear of not finishing
No one wants to sink savings into a business with no guarantee. No one wants to work ungodly hours, sacrifice time with the family for a business venture that may never take off. When the fear of starting out is more pronounced than the desire to get into business, a person will find themselves procrastinating. Putting off the starting date, avoiding any thoughts or discussions of going into business, postponing appointments with potential lenders etc. Procrastination, the ‘Some Day Syndrome’ is the entrepreneur’s most lethal affliction. In his book, The Now Habit, Neil Fiore examines the three major fears that block action and create procrastination.
If you are like Most entrepreneurs, you suffer from varying extremes of all three fears. Most people will not start until they are certain they will finish. They will not start until they are certain they will succeed. Ridiculous? You bet! The female entrepreneurs in this issue learnt that fear is a passing cloud. It comes and goes. You will never completely be rid of it. Knowing that, what are you waiting for? FEAR OF FAILURE We are socialized to avoid failure at all costs and we have learnt that failure attracts severe punishment, anything from loss of esteem to ridicule to mountains of debt. >>>
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Business is risky, that’s the truth. Women especially are averse to risk because they fear their actions will affect their families. While success is a good thing, a very good thing, there are no guarantees. Some business ventures will crash and burn; some will take off at first flight while some will take some nurturing. The idea is to take that first step. Things will shape up as you move along. There is no absolute guarantee for success. Even once successful businesses have hit a snag along the way. The idea is not to give up when you encounter failure, rather push on. In due course, you will be able to tell the difference between the unmistakable failure of a business venture and tough times. Tough times will be many. The only solution is to not give up.
FEAR OF LOSS This may be a loss of investment or loss of status. Money is tight these days; we want to put every single cent to productive use and considering the current state of the economy, we are apprehensive to use our savings or take out loans. The truth however is we must dare. If we allow fear of loss to take over, we will stagnant for life. Many entrepreneurs attest to the fact that their lifestyle changed drastically the first few months of setting up a new business. Some went without the luxury of coffee dates and new shoes. Sheila Amdany, Cofounder of Radio Simba a local radio station cut up her credit card, cancelled two club memberships and went for two years without buying any new clothes. Such are the sacrifices a daring entrepreneur may have to make. It may also mean selling off some property and cutting out certain social events. These cuts, although temporary, can be painful. Just remember...No pain, No gain. Sometimes you must bear the brunt today to enjoy success in the future. That said, treat yourself every now and then...you deserve it.
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FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN This is another paralyzing monster yet the most absurd if you think about it. No one knows (with precision) what the future holds. We can speculate from watching trends or borrowing from history but we really do not know and there is no opportunity to really know until you are out there doing or at least trying. Action is the antidote of fear. Starting that business might mean you never have to rely on a pay slip ever again. It might mean more time with our family. We have the advantage however of trying until we find that which works. Experience after all is the best teacher. Facing our fears and taking them head on is the only way to overcome them. It is only then that we have a decent chance for growth and progress because doing nothing will get you no where. Take a chance. You will be better for it .
Award winning entrepreneur Natalie MacNeil, founder of She Takes on the World says, matter of factly, ‘…any entre-preneur who tells you they were 100% prepared and knew exactly how to move forward from day one is lying to you’. She adds, ‘if you continue moving forward, you’ll figure it out. I promise’. Fear is part and parcel of life but we cannot allow it to paralyze us and prevent us from achieving our goals. In the words of Susan Jeffery (Pg. ), Feel the fear and Do It Anyway.
Want to write for us? Submit a 700 word article to nish@entrepreneuher.co.ke
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“Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth—that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves, too.” *Johann Wolfgang Goethe
“Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” Martin Luther King Jr
“Only those who will risk going far can possibly find out how far one can go” T.S Eliot
There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth, not going all the way, and not starting. *Buddha November Issue
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“...When you embark for strange places, don’t leave any of yourself safely on shore. Have the nerve to go into unexplored territory” *Alan Alda
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COVER FEATURE
& Betty Muli
Baby Stuff November Issue
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Special Tribute
About a year and a half ago, at a girl’s night out in secluded spot in the wilderness of Isinya, I met this soft spoken all of 5’2’’ POWERHOUSE. As expected, we hardly slept…we talked about everything, laughed, bonded and made merry. A friendship was made that night and solidified. Many months later, the girls I met that night, a lunatic bunch of 9, have continued to be my rock, my sounding board, my truth meter, my shoulder to cry on. They have nurtured my dream and encouraged me through the months to JUST DO IT! When I was not up to it, they held me accountable. This is a special dedication to them. A heartfelt gratitude for not leaving my side. Thank you.
Enter BETTY. I knew, without a doubt that Betty would grace the cover of the first issue. She started a wildly successful business from scratch. After her first business crashed and burned, she moved back home with a 6 month old. She was terrified after having been independent and previously holding plum executive jobs with multinational companies. Not one to give up easily, she sold off some of the stock from her first business and started out. When she’d settled on the business that is now Baby Stuff, she started advertising and receiving orders for products that were still in the high seas. Such is the stuff Betty is made off. The eternal optimist. It is no wonder I have made her my personal coach and therapist. She has told me many times, ‘you have to be a little loony to succeed in business, you must have unshakeable faith even when things look dark and bleak’. I have heeded the advice.
Nish
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Betty Muli is the CEO of Baby Stuff, a 100% online Baby Store. Her inspiration came from the most unlikely of situations. Her son, Tony, suffered a hand injury; pained and frustrated, she went online to look for a solution… She did not just find a solution, she found a business. EntrepreneuHER: Tell us a little about yourself Betty Muli: I am an engineer by training, 3rd born in a family of 8 girls, and have a 3 yr old son. E: How long have you been in business. BM: I have been in business for close to 2 yrs E: Describe your business BM: Baby Stuff is an online business that supplies accessories for baby proofing, baby room décor, and toys. We are exclusively based on Facebook, and our aim is to find and supply those special and unique products that will make mummy and baby’s life that much more convenient and fun. E: What motivated you to start your own business BM: My son Tony. The first item I supplied were door stoppers, because my son November Issue
(then 1 yr old) seriously hurt his finger playing with a door. I went online to find a solution and came across baby proofing items. The idea struck...there must be mothers out there looking for ways to protect their kids from harm and injuries….that’s how Baby Stuff begun. E: Take us through your typical working day. BM: I wake up at 5:00 am. I go through the Facebook page and respond to inquiries that were made through the night, and arrange the day’s deliveries. My son usually wakes up around 6.30 am, I get him and I ready for school and work respectively. At about 7:30am, the delivery guy reports; we do a handover of the deliveries and proceed to drop my son off to school at about 8:00 am I then head for the office. The typical working day will involve keeping the page active, managing the ads, phone enquiries and orders. I also look out for fresh ideas for what to supply. E: Take us through your journey into entrepreneurship. BM: I had always wanted to go into business, but kept postponing, probably due to fear of the unknown. >>>
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Cover Feature
When I got my son in 2010, suddenly, the elements in my life were lined up such that self-employment was the natural next step. I felt an urgent need to leave formal employment to take care of my son. I had some land that I was selling (for another reason) and some of the proceeds would go into capital for the new business. I had plenty of business ideas just from interacting with the new baby. My first business was “Cute & Cuddly� an online store for selling baby clothes, started at the end of 2010. I wound it up a year later after realizing that the fundamentals of the business model were neither right nor sustainable in the long run. I was competing in an overcrowded market place and my wares were not significantly different from the other available products. I took a couple of months off towards the end of 2011 and came up with a million different business plans. Some of the ideas I looked into were supplying the retail baby shops with items, supplying hawkers with merchandise, opening a serviced office space and launching my own brand of condoms. (BM Studded* Melon Flavor. LOL!) As much as they were all good ideas, and probably the right fit for someone else, they did not meet my particular requirements in terms of capital available, skill set, turnaround time and desired profit margin. One day, while my son was playing with my little sisters, he got hurt playing with the door. He was a year old at the time. I had travelled and instructed his nanny to let the cut air out. She covered it with a band-aid instead, and when I got back, the cut was infected, pus and all. We treated it but the experience planted a seed in my head. What if there had been something blocking the door to stop it from closing all the way? How much would a mother be willing to pay so that she did not have to go through what I had gone through? Finally I had found a business. I could raise the capital required, I had the skill set (supply chain experience) and the turnaround time and profit margin were adequate enough to be sustainable in the long run.
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Bedding Set
Door Stoppers
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Baby Hangers
Fridge Magnets
Diaper Bags
Storage Boxes
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It has been a crazy journey. There have been days I’ve had to split 500/- between diapers, fuel, food and airtime. There have also been days when the phone has rung off the hook with orders.
BM: My son keeps me going. Knowing that there is someone dependent on me 100% see to all his needs, and who trusts without question ,that I will provide for him fills me with belief in myself.
E: How much in terms of capital did you start with?
E: Do you belong to any business forums? We would like to invite you to join our business cafĂŠ forum.
BM: The initial capital was 20,000/-. The other resources were my personal car for deliveries and a laptop. I worked from home. After that I have taken several small loans from family and KWFT. E: What challenges have you encountered so far? BM: Capital and cash management are the two greatest challenges. How to get more cash to invest into the business, and when I do have the money, what to pay for first. E: How do you differentiate yourself from the competition? BM: I just concentrate on my business, and my product. If I am the best than I can be, then competition will not matter either way (I will either be sooo far ahead, or I will not be competitive enough). E: Self employment can be tough, what keeps you going? >>> November Issue
BM: Awesome. Count me in I attend the KAWBO* meetings once in a while. I was also in a mentorship program arranged by KAWBO in 2012. It was totally beneficial to meet with someone else on a monthly basis and come up with a life plan. E: How have you leveraged the use of Social Media? BM: My business is built 100% on social media. We advertise exclusively on Facebook and currently have slightly over 41,800 likes on Facebook. The link https://www.facebook.com Baby.Stuff.Kenya
E: If you could do it all over again, would you? BM: If I got a do over, I would do it faster. At first, I would agonize over decisions for so long, and end up losing money in the process. In the sense that everyday that I postponed a purchasing decision, I incurred a life bill (rent, diapers, food) as much as I may not have physically handed over a shilling.
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E: Did you once encounter fear? Fear of starting out, fear of failure and how did you handle it? BM: More than fear, I experienced anger for having got myself into a pickle. I had messed up my finances with Cute & Cuddly. E: What would you say to someone who desires to go into business but feels stuck, scared or unsure how to go about it? BM: Go for it, as soon as you can. The older you get, the more you have to lose if things don’t go as planned. E: What is the secret to your success? BM: Understanding my business and concentrating solely on it not looking at what X and Y are doing.
E: In your view, how important is attitude and a positive mindset in entrepreneurship ?
+ 41,800
BM: It’s a must have. There are no two ways about it.
‘’Likes’’ on Facebook.
Betty Muli, 35 CEO, Baby Stuff Tel. (+254)722 897 631 www.facebook.com/baby.stuff.kenya
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BUSINESS 101 YOUR BUSINESS STARTSTART-UP CHECK LIST So you have decided to go into business, brick and mortar or online none the matter. What NEXT? The EntrepreneuHER thinks this check list will help. 1.Determine if you have a potential business or just a good idea. Not all good ideas make good businesses, you must ultimately, be able to turn a profit. There must also be an element of sustainability in the long run. 1.5 If what you have is indeed a business and not just a good idea, give it a name. 2. Write a business plan or at least a course of action. What is the capital required, what are the activities you will be involved in, how much profit do you foresee, what is your return on investment. This step will help cement your decision in 1 above.
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3. Rally up support and resources. This journey can be lonesome and isolating. You need to keep your motivation infront of you at all times. Look around you and establish what you can use to start you off...a skill, a loan facility, some savings, a mentor, a laptop etc. Once you have identified what you have, look for what you need. You’re clever, you’ll manage. 4. Go on and register your business. You can register a business name or a limited company at Sheria House, Harambee Avenue. If your business is online, you might need a website, or a blog and social media connections. Setting these up is easy. Check out next month’s issue for a detailed step by step approach to setting up a FREE website. 5. Legalize. Get your permits, licenses and PIN from the relevant authorities. EntrepreneuHER 20
6.Prepare your tools of business: Get your letter heads, business cards, diary , rolodex and others ready for business. 7. With your legal documents (used in step 5), open a business account. You may proceed to sign up for other payment services such as a pay-bill number or business MPESA number. Setting up a business account or pay-bill number communicates seriousness. It is just as crucial to have an ‘@yourcompany’ email address. It gives credibility to your business communications. 8. ENGAGE!! Start trading, start charging and fatten that bank account.
This Book is crucial for any entrepreneur. Earn your MBA in 10 Days. Request the ebook; nish@entrepreneuher.co.ke
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Rosemel
Tel: (+245)706 225 346
Jewels
Email:
by
marketing@rosemeljewels.co.ke
VIOLET
Facebook:
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www.facebook.com/rosemeljewels
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EntrepreneuHER 01
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Violet LISERO Owner, EntrepreneuHER:Please tell us a little yourself. Violet: I am a marketer by profession and a mother to a 4 year old girl. I have been working in the marketing field - dealing in branding and brand awareness, advertising on local media as well as on social media etc. I am also a creative designer and have always enjoyed creating things using my hands. I have a passion for arts and crafts and love up-cycling things. I enjoy reading and visiting new places. E:How long have you been in business? VL: I have been in business since January 2012 E: Describe your business VL: Rosemel Jewels is a company that designs and creates high quality authentic handmade jewelry for all occasions. Our business is unique as we work with our clients from design to choice of material, preferred colors to craft jewelry that you desire. We offer advice on what kind of jewelry goes with what type of outfit, tips on care for your jewelry, we adjust pieces according to the clients preferences. On-the-go gift services are also available where we pack and deliver your chosen jewelry to your loved ones. RJ’s vision is to be the store of choice for high quality handmade jewelry in Africa and beyond. RJ is currently undergoing changes as I would like to add a few revenue streams to our products e.g. rug making and storage and gift boxes. November Issue
Rosemel Jewels
We are also working towards starting a crafts school to offer short courses in jewelry making, rug making, and other DIY (Do It Yourself) projects. E: What motivated you to start your business? My motivation was sparked by various things. Firstly, I have always yearned to have something of my own as I don’t envision working for someone for the rest of my life. Secondly, I’d been working for 15+ years and wanted more financial independence. They say money will never be enough but I had a young child whom I wanted to provide with the best life has to offer. Additionally, I wanted to achieve my dreams that paid employment would not obviously assist me achieve – I wanted a home of my own and other nice things in life.
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>>>
Thirdly my mother (God bless her soul) always challenged me to start something of my own, she always told me out of all her children I was the one with ability and guts enough to start and sustain a successful business. In 2004, I took a risk and started a house-tohouse based salon, where I would take orders for people that wanted to have their hair done in the comfort of their homes and send my hairdressers to make their hair. Unfortunately due to the lack of skills on my part I couldn’t sustain the business for long because despite building a clientele I would be stranded each time my hairdressers left for greener pastures. I eventually closed shop and concentrated on paid employment. However I was still very restless and would admire business people that run their own show. Be it the mama mboga on the roadside, or the kiosk owner next to my house and I yearned for that. In 2011 I started playing around with a number of business ideas that I would venture in. I had always wanted to learn how to make jewelry but I had no idea where I would be taught. I asked around and nobody knew anybody. I visited Maasai market and people there were cagey about teaching or directing me on where I could learn the skill . November Issue
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One day as I was browsing through the net, I came across I shop called HobbyCraft in Muthaiga which taught jewelry making. I was so excited and I quickly called them up and signed up for the Saturday classes. I must say it was not a cheap exercise but I was determined to learn and given I had practically looked everywhere, I had no choice but to jump in. I finished the course in June 2011 and embarked on making my first pieces. My family and friends were my guinea pigs as I would make and give pieces for free. After a few months I had perfected the art and got bolder with my creativity. I started getting orders and referrals from my kin and friends. In October 2011 as I was reading the dailies I saw a story of Fridah Owinga who runs a programme called Passion to Profit. This programme is basically tuned to help one identify their passions and help turn them it into a profitable business. I called her up and enrolled in the programme. This was my turning point, I recommend this programme to anyone at crossroads on whether to start a business or not. The programme helps to identify one’s passion through simple techniques – what is it you love doing? What comes naturally and easily to you? And similar thought provoking questions. I went through how to present my product, branding and packing and the financials – how to price my product, how to advertise, how to use social media, websites to push for business. After that I was ready to go and in January 2012 I took the plunge and Rosemel Jewels was born E: Take us through your typical work day. VL: As a woman in full-time formal employment and a mother, finding time to do matters Rosemel Jewels is really challenging. I work from 8 – 5pm. Then go home and have to have quality time with my daughter before embarking on building Rosemel Jewels. It has not been easy. However with a lot of time management I am able to squeeze in time. I normally arrive at the office at 7am and between that time at 8:30am when my official workhours begin, I catch up on paperwork for Rosemel Jewels - I log onto my facebook page and email, jot down the orders that have come through, reply to messages, upload pictures of new designs done, follow up on orders, update my facebook page. November Issue
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Make phone calls etc. I make use of my lunch hour and one hour from 5pm-6pm as I wait for traffic to die down. I normally work on the jewelry after 10pm after dinner and tucking in my daughter and work until about 1am. E: Take us through your journey into entrepreneurship from when you started to where you are now. VL: My journey from January 2012 has been challenging as well as rewarding learning process. It is not easy to start a business while still in paid employment. Making time to work on Rosemel Jewels has been the greatest challenge. There is the delicate balance of giving your due to your employer and making time to work on your business. To ensure that I made time for my business I used my lunch hour 1 -2pm and from 5 – 6pm to work on orders. I would then work on my orders after 10pm as my daughter slept. This was very challenging the first days but as they say whatever you do for 21 days becomes a habit, so a habit it became. The second challenge was sourcing for market. I had a healthy market from family, friends and workmates and referrals from these but I needed much more for the business to grow. I created a facebook page and though it was slow to pick up; I now November Issue
enjoy a considerable stream of orders from the page. At lunch hour I would befriend various people from the companies that worked in my building to introduce my jewelry to their colleagues. I have also participated in a number of shows and exhibitions. This however can be tricky as setting up a table does not guarantee sales. Another challenge I faced was deliveries. Initially I used a courier service but this proved too expensive and that affected the prices of my jewelry. I eventually opted to have a central picking point in CBD at a friend’s shop and have my clients pick up their orders on Saturdays when I would be there personally to hand them over and interact with them. Sourcing of unique beads was and still remains a major challenge. In order to keep ahead of the competition I am always striving to look for unique materials but the limited beads shops in Nairobi make this a very challenging. However the beauty of this is it has pushed me to work with what is available to make something extra ordinary... my creative skills are seriously put to the test.
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E: How much, in terms of capital did you start with? VL: I started my business with Kshs.50,000. I work from the comfort of my home and deliver orders to my clients. My mentor is my passion to profit coach Frida Owinga who keeps tabs on my progress and whenever am stuck I run to her and together we try and find a way around the challenge. She keeps me in check especially when I feel lazy and haven’t created new pieces for one reason or the other. I have the advantage of being able to run my business from my home thus cutting down on rental space. I have a very dear friend who is a creative designer whom I worked with to come up with my logo, tagline, packing and business cards at a minimal fee. I am currently working with the company’s web designer to get my website up and running. I also have dedicated internet connection and a convenient courier service that I can use. E: Self employment can be tough, what keeps you going? VL: I am still in formal employment and Rosemel Jewels is my side business. The benefits are many. First and most important the look of pleasure when I present my clients with their orders is something no amount of money can buy! It’s sure a nice feeling that these two hands of mine can create such beautiful pieces that completely blow my clients mind. I have more money in my purse well that’s a great feeling and the fact that am not entirely dependent on my employer and that should I have to leave this job I have something running is a very comforting feeling. E: How do you differentiate yourself from the competition Rosemel Jewels is different from its competitors in the following ways:We work with a client on their personal preferences to create their own unique pieces unlike competition where the creativity is 100% input from the designer. We offer gifting services where a client can go to our page, pick a desired piece, MPESA us and we wrap and deliver to their loved one on their November Issue
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Behalf. We do pieces for little girls as small as 1 year, we offer mend and repair services for broken jewelry at a fair price and we are in the process of offering jewelry classes to those interested in learning the art. E: Do you belong to any business networking forum? We would like to invite you to join our Business Cafe. VL: Invitation received and accepted. I belong to OWIT, Nairobi Chapter (Organization of Women in International Trade, and BNI – Business Network International. I attend Networking in Heels regularly. E: What would you say to someone who wants to start a business but feels stuck, scared and unsure of what to do? VL: For those desiring to go into business and are unsure how to go about it, I would urge them to do some soul searching and find out what their passion is. We all are passionate about something. Find out what your ‘something’ is. Does it comes naturally to you and you do it well effortlessly? This might require you to go way back to your childhood as some passions that we had have gone to bed so to say and may require you to awaken them. Once you find that passion, start to think of ways to turn it into a profitable business. I would encourage one to enroll in a coaching course on how to start a business off your passion. For me, it was the Passion-to-Profit programme that enabled me to attain skills in writing a business plan, financial knowledge, how to market and brand my product and ultimately how grow my business. E: In your view, how important is having a positive attitude? VL: You need to have a positive attitude and self belief in order to succeed.
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Nothing offers a greater source of inspiration to start a business than personal frustration. Man is typically a hedonist, he wants to reduce pain and increase pleasure so when Female Entrepreneur EMMANUELA ABOA came to Kenya 12 years ago not speaking a word of English, she resolved to fix her problem...she started a business. TRANSOLUTION SERVICES, a languages & interpretation company.
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TRANSOLUTION SERVICES TEL: (+254) 721759367 OR (+254) 732759367 FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/ pages/ TransolutionSerices/178038262253560 TWITER: @transincompany WEBSITE: www.transolutionservices.com
Entrepreneuher: Please tell us a little yourself Emmanuella: Emmanuella is a Mother, a Marketer, Author (of a first book titled Love Games), translator, interpreter, trainer and entrepreneur. I am passionate about business and always looking for ways to spread my wings. E:How long have you been in business? EA: I have been in business for the past 5 years. Transolution Services started as a FrenchEnglish translation service company but has since diversified its services E: Describe your business EA: Transolution Services is the solution for the global investor with interest in different regions of Africa with diverse culture and language. November Issue
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We have been providing conference translation and interpretation services in most International languages for several years and pride ourselves of our native professional bilingual and bicultural staff. Transolution Services also provides self-awareness training and coaching for both individual and corporate. We help individuals understand the behavior expected of them to meet the requirements of different situations and add value to the organization by strengthening their workforce. E: What motivated you to start your business? EA: I have always been passionate about business and I knew that I would one day own a company but I wasn’t sure what exactly it would be. I studied business and somehow this shaped my mentality. I have had great mentors whose advices and mentorship contributed a lot to the person I became. I never thought I would end up in the linguistic service. As much as I am bilingual, translating and interpreting required more training which I did not possess but somehow I found myself translating and interpreting.My first attempt was a disaster, a total shame, I even asked the company to excuse me from my duties. Unfortunat-
“ I have always been passionate about business and knew I would one day have my own” ely then (fortunately now), I kept being called to offer interpretation. It was then that I understood how a demand there was for interpretation. I thought, I could get some training to avoid further embarrassment and that’s how I begun my career in linguistic services. E: Take us through your typical work day. EA: I do not have a typical day because every day is different. I wake up in the morning generally between 4 and 6 am. I wake my daughter up, make breakfast for the family, shower, get ready, pray November Issue
together before I drop my baby off to school and head to the office. Once there, I will check emails, check out the competition and do what they do differently. I always communicate a lot with my friends and family abroad to understand how companies there operate so as to keep up with what is beneficial to my business. I attend meetings but delegate a lot too. I am always working on business development, I also do translation, train and ensure that the few staff I have are happy with their jobs.
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E: Take us through your journey into entrepreneurship from when you started to where you are now EA: I began to pay attention to the opportunity available out there when I came to Kenya 12 years ago, I could not speak a single word of English, I learnt English here and it was irritating then and I saw many people with the same challenge. They would travel here and not be able to communicate. Their desire into venture business in the country would be made difficult by the language barrier. Transolution Services was created to make life easier in two ways, 1) by providing language services to corporate and individuals so as to break the communication barrier and 2) by providing self-awareness training using the Clarity 4D tool. My biggest challenge was and is still competing with people who have been in the business for several years and have quite a stable and loyal clientele. My greatest triumph is when clients come back to me happy about the services we have offered and refer us to other clients. Word of mouth is very importance in business. We strive to be trustworthy because these days, businesses are not and this can have a negative effect on a company’s reputation. E: How much, in terms of capital did you start with? EA: I do not recall the exact amount but it was close to nothing. I decided to use the human resources I had to start my business. I have a great Lawyer friend who because of our longstanding friendship, registered the company free of charge. I took advantage of the free website services (webs.com) which basically enables you to create your own website free of charge. I also took advantage of Facebook and advertised a lot in the free online yellow pages. The only cost I would incur was the cost of marketing materials and internet connection. And even then, I did not spend much on that as I would use a modem broadband. After I had become more stable, I got myself a professional website. Thanks to the Internet, we have quite a great way to start business without spending much but we rarely take advantage of it.
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As much as Business is important as it enables you to provide for your family, family comes first. I have had to decline new business where deadlines were tight and would interfere with homework or playing with my daughter. It is a choice I make gladly. When starting your business you need to get your priorities right.
E: What challenges have you encountered so far? EA: Transolution started as a French- English translation service but diversified over time. Today we provide linguistic services in many international language which can be a quality control nightmare if you do not speak the language in question. Quality control of French interpretations is easy because I speak French and can always double check fore it is released to the client. Languages such as Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese however are hard to control for quality yet QC is very important in my line of work. I like to have my hands in everything that concerns what I do. By God’s grace, I have been able to employ good people and they’ always received great feedback from our clients. Sometimes I’m also faced with the challenge of balancing family and work. My choice is and will always be family. November Issue
E: Did you once encounter fear? EA: I did and still do. I fear failure so I work hard and pray equally hard. God has been amazing to me. When I abide in Him, I find a lot of peace and I know everything will be alright. E: How do you differentiate yourself from the competition? EA: By being innovative and providing excellent services. Transolution Services started as a sole proprietorship but changed to a limited company recently due to the different products and services we will be soon introducing in the market. We are always looking for ways to spread our wings and do things differently. Customer service is a big challenge in Kenya. We try to be different in the way we conduct our business and serve our clients. Customer satisfaction is primordial so we work within
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within the limit requested and if we can’t we simply do not take on the job.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
We differentiate ourselves through price; by reliable, faster services as well as by providing after sales service. E: Self employment can be tough, what keeps you going? EA: Fear of failure and especially failing my daughter. I am by nature a go-getter who unfortunately gives up easily. And every time I think about her and what I want to provide her with, it keeps me going, She is my rock, my strength.
Identify YOUR source of Motivation and make it work for You
E: Do you belong to any business forums? We would like to invite you to join our business café forum. EA: I do not belong to any networking forum but attend quite a number of them. I do learn from them, from the experience of other people and the networks are always useful to my business. Such places allow me to meet and socialize with people who I would not meet under ordinary circumstances so I try to maximize on them when I attend.
List THREE things that you will Commit yourself to from
E: How have you leveraged social media for your benefit
TODAY
EA: Facebook has been great in marketing our services. But the online yellow pages site is even better. E: If you could start all over again, what would you do differently? EA: Nothing. I may have made some mistakes in the past but I needed to make them. November Issue
1…………………………... 2………………………….. 3…………………………...
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They’ve shaped me into who I am today and really, it is part of life. I do however, learn from them as I have no doubt that I will still make more mistakes in the future. For the things I wasn’t able to do – I can still do them today, it is never late to start all over. E:What would you say to someone who wants to start a business but feels stuck, scared and unsure of what to do? EA: Get to know yourself. Know both your strengths and weaknesses. It is important. Business is profitable but not everyone is fit for business. You need to know what you are good at to maximize on your strength and see how you can work with other people to complement what you lack. And if you are not good at business and you still want to venture in it, partner with someone who is already in business and learn in the process. Starting a business isn’t as hard as people make it out to be but it is risky to maintain it. God gave us all gifts, take advantage of yours. You never know how far you will go until you take the risk. So, go for it! E: What is the secret to your success. EA: I put God before everything else. Also perseverance and hard work. E: In your view, how important is having a positive attitude EA: A positive attitude is everything. It is what will determine your success or failure. I have met hardworking people who do their best but their mentality limits them. Just like I have met people who do their best and they achieve more because of their mentality. And even when you speak with them, the words they use, the belief they have and the passion in their eyes make you believe in them too. A positive attitude, I repeat , is everything.
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Quote: “Feel the fear...and do it anyway.” Dr. Susan Jeffers
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HEALTH with Anthony Kahonge
Apple Cider Vinegar has been touted a youth enhancing elixir, in ancient times, ACV was referred to as the FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH.
Healthy Chef Anthony Kahonge is a foodist, self-trained chef and blogger. He is passionate about wholesome health and proper nutrition. He is crazy about exercise, healthy tonics and foods that eliminate body ailments. Find him here‌ http://healthylivingkenya.wordpress.com.
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Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) is one of the healthiest vinegars you can get. Think of is the health benefits we get from apples, now think fermented apple juice, loaded with good bacteria not only great for digestive health but a myriad of other benefits. However, not all ACV is good vinegar; in fact the cider vinegar you will find on the supermarket shelves is not the best in terms of nutrition and taste. Real ACV comes raw, organic, unpasteurized, unfiltered and MUST contain 'the mother'. The mother is the web-like substance floating at the bottom of the vinegar. Locally, you can find Organic ACV at Healthy U stores in major malls like Galleria, Westgate, Greenspan, Tmall, The Sarit, Junction and Hilton Arcade. At Healthy U, you will find two brands; Braggs, which is American and Raw Health from a U.K company. Raw Health is much cheaper retailing at Kes 595 compared to Braggs which goes for anything above Kes 3,000.
Why You Should Pay More For Organic ACV Unlike the supermarket vinegars, organic ACV is loaded with nutrients and is good for many health benefits. Some of those benefits include; ACV for Digestive Health The amount of live enzymes and active good bacteria in ACV is enormous. These good bacteria enhance digestion and is subsequently good for your gut. AVC for Detox Raw Apple Cider Vinegar is one of the best ways to eliminate toxins from your body. It is reported that the unique compounds in ACV combine toxins to themselves and flush the toxins out of the system. AVC for Dental Health Real ACV can be used to reduce the side effects of chlorides and chemical bleaches used in commercial toothpastes. You can make your own fluoride-free toothpaste at home with virgin coconut oil, Himalayan salt, ACV, lemon juice and some mineral water. I have used this for more than 6 months and I could never buy commercial toothpaste again. It has helped me manage a toothache I have been struggling with for years. For Flu/Sore throat/Sinuses The nutrients in ACV work well against any flu/cold or sore-throats, clearing them almost immediately.
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For Weight Loss Frequent use of raw ACV lowers appetite and boosts metabolism hence helping in weight management. For Diabetes Vinegar has been studied and proven to help in insulin sensitivity thus making life better for Type II Diabetes patients. For Skin: Raw ACV has antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties making it very helpful for skin conditions such as acne. For Pregnancy Morning sickness and heartburn Women have been using ACV to relieve morning sickness for thousands of years. Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, was prescribed this panacea for almost every condition and ailment. For Hair ACV is perfect for hair and scalp health because of its acidic environment which cannot sustain life for lice and fleas. For Arthritis Organic ACV has very strong antiinflammatory properties meaning it helps very much in soothing pain in arthritic people unlike the devastating side effects of western medicine
not hot as too much heat will destroy the enzymes. You may also add some pure raw honey and cinnamon boost taste. ACV makes an amazing salad dressing: In a bowl mix one part vinegar and one part oil (olive or any other of your choice), add some finely chopped garlic, onion, Himalayan salt and freshly cracked black pepper for the perfect salad dressing. To this dressing, you may add herbs like Rosemary and Thyme to make a nice marinade for steak, chicken. Add some fresh dill to the salad dressing for a perfect fish marinade. For bakers, ACV can be a great addition or substitute for acid, say for example you are out of lemons, you can use ACV to provide the acid needed to react with the baking powder to provide the lift for the cake/cookie to rise. Foodies can add ACV to their recipes to not only increase flavor but to act as a natural preservative for condiments, jams, preserves, pickles, chutneys and so on. Use ACV in your Kachumbari. Chop some cherry tomatoes, red onions and Dania (Cilantro) into a bowl; throw in some Himalayan salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste add a kiss of raw apple cider vinegar for extra that tanginess. Makes the best kachumbari ever.
How to Use ACV The best way to consume this nutrientrich super food is in form of tonic. Mix two tablespoons of raw organic Apple Cider Vinegar and in a mug of warm water November Issue
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BOOK REVIEW Words by Nish
Fear prevents us from pursuing and achieving our goals, whatever they maybe; be they starting a new business or changing jobs. Fear of rejection, fear of failure, fear of success, fear of change all represents discomfort with things unknown. How boring life would be if everything was known, there would be no new learning, no new discoveries or inventions, no more innovation. It goes without saying then that one of the best ways to learn and discover is by moving from a place of not knowing towards a place of knowing. Easier said than done? Well, of course.
To request your FREE copy of this eBook write to nish@entrepreneuher.co.ke
November Issue
The good news is, fear is not a bad thing. Not only is it a natural (and crucial) emotion, if properly harnessed, it certainly does more good than harm. In her award winning book ‘Feel the Fear and do it anyway’, Dr. Susan Jeffers offers insight into the human psyche and how it interprets fear and shares some bitter-sweet truths on how to handle fear. She argues that there are Three Main levels of Fear... >>> EntrepreneuHER 41
Three Levels of Fear Level ONE fears fall in two categories, those that happen (aging ,dying, falling sick, war, becoming disabled etc) and those that require action such as going back to school, starting a new business, changing jobs, ending or starting a relationship, driving etc. These fears are situation oriented and permeate many areas of our lives. They are also almost inevitable.
Level TWO fears involve the ego and have to do with the inner state of our minds. They include fear of rejection, failure, success, disapproval, hopelessness etc. The more we protect ourselves from these fears, the more we limit ourselves. For instance, so as to avoid rejection, one may fail to appearing for an interview of a job they desire or may fail to submit a proposal for funding for a project they hold dear.
Level THREE fear is the ultimate fear that you can’t handle it. You can’t handle illness, you can’t handle failure, you can’t handle a break up or a loss of employment. This is the fear that paralyzes, induces panic attacks and self sabotage. The TRUTH is that no matter what challenges and difficulties come your way, you CAN HANDLE IT!! November Issue
Fear of things that happen (e.g sickness, death or disability) and Fear that require action e.g driving or changing jobs.
Fear involving the ego e.g. fear of rejection, of disapproval or fear of failure
Fear that you can’t handle it! Fear that you are incapable of managing the challenge that will come your way.
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Against this backdrop, Dr. Jeffers FIVE absolute truths about fear. TRUTH 1: Fear will never go away as long as you continue to grow. As long as you continue to enter waters never before chartered, as long as you push your boundaries and do things you’ve not done before, you will face fear.
TRUTH 2: The only way to get rid of the fear of doing something is to go out and do it. Doing melts away fear. Sounds easy right? Right. So go on, send out that proposal, write & publish that story, sign up for a class you have been putting off. Just do it!!! TRUTH 3: The only way to feel better about yourself is to go out and do it. (Repeat) action brings about confidence. Confidence is good for self esteem. The best way to feel good about yourself is to dare yourself to do that thing that you are fearful of doing.
The truth is that even the toughest of them have been fearful at some point in their lives. Faith, persistence and a lot of elbow grease have seen them through.
TRUTH 5: Pushing through fear is less frightening than living with the underlying fear that comes from a feeling of helplessness. Failure to take risks renders life boring and dreadful, more dreadful than it would have otherwise been had risks been taken. When we find ourselves in situations where we feel incapable, we must remember that we are well able.
We are Powerful. We are Fully Equipped. We must change your language from pain to power…from I can’t to I won’t, from I should to I could, from life is a struggle to life is an adventure. We must give ourselves options and take back power back circumstances. Fear should not stop us from achieving our goals and fulfilling our heart’s desires. Go ahead, feel the fear….and do it anyway.
TRUTH 4: Not only are you going to experience fear whenever you’re on unfamiliar territory, so will everyone else. We watch others soar and admire their fearlessness. November Issue
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6
Ways to destroy
FEAR
1. Focus on your strengths. When you play out on your strengths, gifts and talents, you not only gain confidence, you surprise yourself. Everyone has something to offer even if you do not immediately agree. Push yourself out of your comfort zones and amaze yourself.
4.
Do what you love: It is often said that
if you do what you love, you will love what you do & it will not seem like work.
5.
Consult others: Talk to others who have come before you, ask for advice and guidance. People will surprise you with their willingness to help and support you. Ultimately, apply what you feel is best for you. Listen and learn but do not let others drown your voice. November Issue
2.
Find a mentor: Find someone you
trust and admire to guide you through the process. It will save you a lot of pain and time and even money.
3.
Develop a positive attitude. Quit
with the worrying and take the first step. Develop a healthy positive attitude which will see you through the toughest times. Remember that the universe is on your side.
6.
One step at a time: Do not over-
whelm yourself with everything at once. YOU MUSTN’T DO IT ALL NOW! Yea, you are on a tight budget on a strict timeline but who will benefits from your ill health? Take it easy, a step at a time. Your health is more important than money, if you doubt, engage gear and step on it. See you on the other side.
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The Healing Ambassador Women world over are at risk of gender violence . Women face abuse of the worst kind from battery to sexual harassment and rape to emotional and verbal abuse. This led to the establishment of the 16 Day Activism against Gender Violence which this year, will run from 25th November to 10th December.
To observe this period, the EntrepreneuHER speaks to mother, entrepreneur and victim of sexual abuse Thitu Kariba (TK) who turned her scars into stars. Thitu, the Healing Ambassador, brings relief to victims of abuse . November Issue EntrepreneuHER She wants women to value themselves, know they45are enough and submit to the will of God.
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Who is TK I am Thitu Kariba. I was born in 1981… what does that make me? I have a tendency to forget my age ha ha. I must be 32. TK is your average human being, imperfect, does not know it all, makes mistakes, with a twist of bubbly, fun, happy go lucky, everything is going to be alright and living life happily and joyfully. You call yourself the Healing Ambassador; please tell us a little about that. Where did the name originate from? The name came about when I was trying to find meaning and purpose to my life. I had gone through so much in life, I’d been so broken much that I did not understand what my purpose for being was. The bible says we are called to be Ambassadors of Christ, I know that each one of us, is an expression of God. I came to know and understand that everything I had gone through qualified me to help others through prevention or healing and thus I express a side of God, the healer...thus The Healing Ambassador. When I prayed about my life, God put it this way for me… it is from the venom what we get the antidote and it is because I was in the mess, that I could now be used to give a message of healing. (Isaiah 61) What activities does the Healing ambassador involve herself with The healing Ambassador is not a position, it’s not a job, it’s not work, it’s a state of being. Each day I learn something new and each day I spread that lesson to others through writing and talking and just being me.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheHealingAmbassador
Twitter : @thitu_k
URL: www.thitukariba.com
Email : thitu.kariba@gmail.com November Issue
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Its not like going to a hospital everyday and seeing patients, its being all that I am using every given opportunity to be an instrument of love. It could be on a bus, on the street at a school where I am called to talk or on my page, on my blog where I communicate with any and all who are willing to listen to words of life, wisdom, healing, love and truth. What motivated you to reach out to victims of abuse? I didn’t always sympathize with victims of abuse, I really did not want anything to do with them because I was still hurting from my own abuse and I did not like what they reminded me of. I also did not like the complaining, and the excuse that they used of not living life fully because of the abuse. But one day I was presented with a case of a young lady, a teen who was pregnant for, I think, the 6th time. She was on drugs, she was depressed but I could not reach out to her because her family was in the way. They were in denial of what the girl was facing and thought she was being rebellious. After a while, I asked about her again and found out that she passed away. I was led to ask whether she had just died or killed herself, the person I was speaking to was very shocked and asked how I’d known. They proceeded to tell me that the family had swept her suicide under the carpet, because of their status and November Issue
reputation and made it look like an accident. I then asked if she had siblings and if any of them were presenting signs of unusual behavior, when that was confirmed, I realized that the cycle had already began all over again. And this would continue until they chose to deal with the issues. I felt in a way responsible, because I could have done more but didn’t. From then on I decided never to keep quiet about these things and to speak up, to prevent, to heal and to restore. I don't just deal with victims of abuse, I help parents see beyond what they think is going on, look out for signs and really aim to stop the vicious cycle. It is a lot easier to prevent a thing from ever happening than to try and fix or stop it when it has already began. You speak from a place of centeredness and love, can a victim truly forget and forgive their past? Anything is possible, if you want it. Human beings are created with the gift of forgetting. We are able to heal and move on and that is a gift I thank God for daily. When you look at all what mankind has experienced, or say in Kenya, from being colonized, to riots, to post election violence and most recently the Westgate attacks, you will see we are built with the ability to get up, dust ourselves off and keep walking.
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You may not forget what happened entirely but it will not haunt you daily, in fact you will remember because you choose to and even when you do, you can get to a place where you do not feel a thing about it, because you cannot relate anymore, and that is because you have let go, you are healed. It is a scar, not a wound. When we look at a scar, we see the mark, we remember the incident but we do not feel the pain of it. I am an instrument of love that as you say is my center. I love to love, I love love, and I don't mean being in love but being love and choosing to love. It means loving you even when I don’t like you, loving you even when I can’t stand you, loving you even when you do not love me back. When you realize that everything around you has breath; the stones, trees, people, everything, has the very breath that God breathed into man, then you will realize we are one, we are all connected. You will look at everything and everyone and not see the differences but see that one common factor, God. He created everything and everyone. When you can look at yourself and see the image and likeness of God, then look at another and see the same, you cannot hate them, it would be like hating yourself. Love is seeing yourself in others, seeing God in all things, all people. When you see that, you can forgive and forget, you can let go. What kind of abuse or emotional issues do you see young women today suffering from? Just to be clear, I deal with all genders male and female. Many people think I deal with women only but that’s not the case. Abuse is not a respecter of persons or age for that matter. Having said that, I will speak for both and say, that I witness abuse in various stages, other than sexual there is spiritual abuse, where religion has put so much pressure for one to be a certain way that they are unable to function, that is abuse. Many do not see it that way but it is. We see that some religions require so much of the female gender that is not realistic and right. Women and girls face a lot of social abuse, we look around us and all we see is professional models and graphic designers that allow a picture or poster in a magazine look perfect and I mean perfect which we all know man can not be. There is a great deal of pressure on women to look a certain way. From clothes, hair, fashion, weight even skin color. This is abuse, regardless of what we may think it is abusive. Anything that will tell you, or make you feel less than you are, anything that will require you to change who you are, to go through great lengths to seek acceptance is abusive. November Issue
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What is your advice to them? Just be human and let God be God if God indeed made a mistake making you the way you are, He is God, just as he changed water into wine, he will change you into a size 4 or make you lighter, taller, whatever. But if you wake up everyday and nothing has changed, it’s clear that God did not accidentally pour in chemical X when creating you so calm down. The world will always try to fit you into some kind of box… but as I say, while God made stars men built boxes. Your job is to rise and shine as God designed not bend, starve, bleach, yourself to fit into a box. You are a born again Christian, what is your perspective on dating? It is great. I love dating, its fun and its the best way to ‘collect data’ on the person you are googoo gaagaa about *blush blush. In my case, I dated his family too, what I mean by that is I took time to get to know each one of them and know what I was getting myself into. I want to know your blood type, if you have debts, if you have chest hair, or balding in your family, I want to know if you have a history of alcoholism or depression, I want to know about that crazy aunt or uncle that I should keep away from. Dating is the only way to know that. The Bible says count your costs, woe unto the one who jumps into something without doing some kind of research. If you would not get into business with someone without their background information, November Issue
why would marry someone who you know nothing about? How do you counsel an abuse victim back into the dating scene? Is it not hard for them to trust again? It is in dating that a victim of abuse will even remember at times that they were abused especially if they were young at the time of abuse. The thing is being raped may not happen in the hands of your boyfriend or girlfriend but it affects any and all romantic relationships one has. It was when I was dating that I realized I have some residue issues from the past that I needed to deal with. When single and free, one may think all is well. So it’s in dating that the monsters will rear their head and on that note, I encourage one to stop dating first and take time to heal. Once they are healed, you will not need to encourage them to go out, they are whole, free, and happy and they’ll go for it. Understand the past is the past and that not every man or woman is the same. With sexual abuse, there is a likelihood of someone becoming more active sexually. Again its about, taking a time out, healing , becoming whole again and letting the next step come naturally. Learning how to date is another thing, as I said dating is about collecting data. It does not necessarily mean there is a relationship and so that allows one to build trust. As people date and find out more about the other person they can then decide if they are trust worthy and then get into a relationship. EntrepreneuHER 50
You are also an entrepreneur and publisher of a Harusi magazine. Are you propro-marriage? Haha! that is a weird word “pro marriage”… you make it sound like it’s a choice between leaded and unleaded fuel as though being single is bad for the environment Forgive me, my imagination gets the best of me. Yes I recently started a magazine ‘My harusi which covers marriage from “ I do” to “ever after”. I also have a spiritual living magazine called Harusi. This is for the single folk who are all about an upright way of life. Basically we cover fashion, movies music and all but we keep it clean. I think if I could put it in any way it would be a magazine that if Jesus was among us I would not be ashamed to have him subscribe to. As for Pro Marriage, I would say this we are born single, its not a condition or disease, it’s the way it is. Marriage is a choice, but more so it is purposed by God. There are some who will never get married others who will, others who will get married more than once. God has a plan for each of us, as long as it is His will, I am for it. So I am pro God in that case...His will be done November Issue
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Tell us a little about your business and magazine Well, I have Myharusi which is an online wedding mall. We have created a platform for wedding vendors to post the items they wish to sell at a fee and even brides and grooms to post the items or services that they are looking for. Its just like a mall. We also have blogs on marriage, the big day, tips etc. please log on to see more. www.myahrusi.com. The other is www.thitukariba.com which is my personal blog and site, where I can talk to people each day on life, wisdom, share the love, knowledge etc. I believe I touched on the magazines earlier. Each site has a magazine and all one need to do it log on and click on the cover and read...its FREE. What motivated your line of business? Well the myharusi began as a TV show idea but that proved difficult and expensive so I took it online. My blog, well that was motivated by all the folks out there who wanted me to write for their sites but were not willing to pay. So I figured if I am going to do it for free I might as well do it under my own site and build my own name and brand. From here, I am able to get noticed and get called for talks etc. My businesses were not motivated by the need to make money, but the need to live out my purpose. The thing is if we chase after money we will get it but we will be empty, if we chase after purpose we get everything. Seek first the Kingdom of God right? Many single ladies out there want to get married, what is your advice to them? Well that is not easy to say in general, my question would be why do you want to get married? Your reason for getting married will determine your reason for staying married. Again, is it Gods will? Everything in life has a purpose especially marriage so find out Gods purpose for your being married or staying single. Many want to get married when they have not fulfilled their purpose in being single and that could be what is delaying it. Others have no clue what they are asking for, marriage is not a walk in the park, if you are lonely get a pet, get some friends, if you want to be happy then make yourself happy. Marriage has nothing to do with getting and has everything to do with giving, just like love. Frankly I love being single, because I love my own company, my freedom and that I have the opportunity to take this adventure without having to ask for ‘permission’ . Being single is the place where you can be selfish and not be judged for it. November Issue
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You see, if you have not spend time being selfish then you cannot be selfless. In other words, if you have not had time to love yourself, you cannot love your neighbor or spouse. Lastly let marriage be a thing you want not a thing you need. All your need must be met by God not man or woman, if you are marrying for the need of it, you’re in trouble, marry for the want. You don't need a husband or wife, you want one. That way even in the marriage you do not need them to do or be, you want them to do or be. What challenges have you encountered so far both as the healing Ambassador and as an entrepreneur? Waking up in the morning when you just want to sleep is itself a challenge. Just because it is your purpose or your business doesn’t mean you’ll always be in the mood for it. My challenge is keeping my eye on the ball, remembering why I am doing it so that when it is not working, when it is not what I feel like doing, when I am sick and tired of it, I have a reason to try again. When it is successful, I have a reason to keep at it even after retirement, not because I need to do it, but because I love to, because it is my purpose. Truly that's not a challenge, the challenge is remembering all this when challenges finally arrive. Hehe!
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Did you once encounter fear that people will not understand your concept? Or did you ever fear the risk of ridicule, rejection etc What I encounter is other people’s fear of what they do not understand and their ignorance. That is not a refection of me or who I am but of themselves. All human beings have what is called an ego and the ego loves attention, it loves praise, and it hates offense and can be defensive. When we learn to differentiate our true selves from our ego we will be less concerned about others and their views and opinions, their ‘Yeses’ or their ‘Nos’. I always tell people that I am not normal, I am crazy, weird and all that from the get go so they do not expect more. You may catch me talking to myself now and then, but the truth is we all do. I do it out loud. We all have that voice that tells us, what if they say no, what if you fall or fail… you are not good enough bla bla bla... when that voice gets too loud I speak out louder and basically tell myself to get over myself. There is always a battle between who you truly are and who you mould yourself into based on you thoughts, feeling or those of others. It is important to tell the ego to get over itself. Nothing is ever as serous as our minds make it out to be. I am an open book; I hold a degree in falling down but a Masters in getting back up. I am not afraid to fall, embarrass myself or to admit when I am wrong. I have no shame… sounds wrong but when you have no shame people have nothing to mess your head about. How did you overcome these fears You come to a place where you die to self, you get over yourself you stop thinking so highly of yourself, you stop asking for other people’s permission to be who God created you to be. Life will get you there, basically if you are not living out your true self, you will suffer and when you have had enough, you simply start being real without asking for other people’s opinions about it. Why care what others think when others don’t care when you are suffering for it? Put that time and energy into being effortlessly you. Remember Fear is False Evidence Appearing Real. When you get real, when you seek truth and grab a hold of it, fear will just be that, an appearance, an illusion. It’s not always easy but it is achievable. I have fears that I am still dealing with, for one, I have globophobia so it takes a lot for me to be comfortable around balloons. I still need to figure that one out it seems a little silly for a grown woman to fear balloons but fear usually is silly.
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What other line of business or ministry are you involved with WHOA! when you say it like that it sounds like a mafia organization. I am a human being with various gifts and talents, and with each time of my life I have a purpose to fulfill, everywhere I go, go there is something I need to do, so I would say we have so much that we can involved in. The best way to put it is I am here on assignment; I am here about my Father’s business. Right now that requires the writing of a book which is in the editing stages, with each time and season I will be involved in something else. So I stay open to any and everything. How do you achieve work/life balance being a busy entrepreneur, mom and ‘minister’ There are 24 hours in a day. Some times I split my week and work into days, so I work on different things on different days other times I split my days it into hours. I only write for one hour a day, every day. I choose who I want to be and do. I take Wednesdays off because I work weekends so hump day is my slump day. I don't wake up too early if I sleep late, I don't sleep in if I slept early. It is crucial that we make time for fun and games and silliness although for me that is about every ten minutes. As a parent when you are with your kids, remember they will never be that age again, even tomorrow they will be older, time is passing so go crazy, have fun, be a kid again. I get on the trampoline, water slides and whatever else with my son. If you don’t play with your kids, someone else will and that may not be the best thing. November Issue
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If you could start all over again, what would you do differently? I would never start again, that would be so boring, knowing everything sucks! Life is an adventure, the sweet the sour of it why rewind and start over? Who wants to watch a movie when they know exactly what’s going to happen and even if I changed one or two things it would probably still turn out the same in the end. People who think about starting again, going back are still living in their past, they’re are still wishing and wanting to change something that went wrong, they have not accepted the now, I have so start again?? Not thanks, lets just keep going shall we? This month, we celebrate the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, any advice you would give to battered spouses, rape victims, victims of other forms of abuse? The only activity so to say that can change the world we live in, change the abused and the abuser is the act of love. Most abusers have been abused, it’s a cycle. They are all victims, the ones beating and the ones being beaten. My message is less advice and more of the Word….You are loved, you are loved, no matter what anyone said or did to break you and cause you to break others know that you are loved. You are worthy of love and you can love. I love you, God loves you. Love yourself. You deserve nothing but love. November Issue
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Any advise for entrepreneurs who want to join the industry but are scared, uncertain or unsure of where to start? Get over yourself, by that I mean don't let your ego and fear hold you back. You can start and fail, start and succeed there are a hundreds of things that could go wrong, and they probably will, but there are also hundreds of things that could go right and they probably will too. Don’t look at what can go wrong or right, look at why you have to try, why you need to start. That is the only thing that matters, Purpose. There is not perfect time, you will never have everything in order, it’s like making cotton candy, the more you go, the more it grows. If you don’t do it for fear of failure, not to worry you have already failed by never having tried. Learn from others and ensure that you secure your ideas, with Nondisclosure Agreements, patents etc. Dream away, imagine away, go crazy, be ridiculous and then find people who are willing to support your madness. Just go! Thank you TK, for your input. You are hereby forgiven for your crazy!! Nish.
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