Inversk - Issue 006

ISSUE 006

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Step by Step Guide On How To Be a StartUp CEO

RISING Above Kibera

How I Made It From Africa’s largest Slum Johnson Mwakazi Kenya, Ksh: 250 | USD 2.5

From The Editor New Year, New Opportunities and Endless Possibilities For Everyone I’d like to officially welcome you to Inversk Magazine,

Inversk 2

Editor-In-Chief Kimani Patrick Chief Content Officer Maureen Kahihu

this is my first letter in our magazine since its inception in

Finance Officer Doreen Mwihaki

May 2016.

Our commitment is

Chief Events Officer Patrick K. Lumumba

to provide our constant growing community of

Inversk Magazine

management executives, startup founders and entre-

Kimani Patrick, Editor In Chief

preneurs with the best actionable strategies that they

Editor Okiya Molaa

can use to build a magnificent life and business.

We are determined and working to deliver content you can use for your life and business and result to making the world a better place.

This is one of our best magazine Issues we have

Communication Officer Lynn Wamalwa Advertising Manager Daniel Maithya

published so far and it is also our first in 2017!

Our special focus on this Edition is on starting out, setting new goals and building on our long term ones.

The strategies shared have inspired us at Inversk and we are using them to accelerate our growth this year.

This leaves me with no doubt that they will be of great benefit to you.

Let us share the passion of entrepreneurship with the word because believe this is not something that we can be able to do alone.

As Inversk, we are committed to revolutionize and redefine entrepreneurship not only in Kenya, in Africa but around the world and this can be done collaboratively. There is more we can achieve together when we unite. Join us on this journey and let us make the world a better place!

Follow Us On Facebook: Fb.com/Inverskmag Twitter: Twitter.com/Inverskmag Instagram: Instagram.com/Inverskmag

Sales Executive Mary Muthoni Staff Writers Samantha Nyobia, Rosemary Wanjiru, Rumona Apiyo & Maria Makau.

Founded in 2016 26th January 2017 - Issue 006 P.O Box 28085, 00200 Nairobi Email: support@inversk.co.ke Cell: 0726– 245915

www.inversk.co.ke 2

Inversk

Contents

3

Feature Story

Startup Strategies

Rising Above Kibera: How Johnson Mwakazi Made It To The Top From Africa’s Biggest Slum Pg 4

Step By Step Guide On How To Be A Startup CEO Pg. 16

Business

Inversk Finance

The Easiest Way To Turn Your Talent Into a Viable Business Pg. 8 How Start-ups Can Use Social Media For Productivity Pg. 10 How To Start And Build A

Successful Business.

It’s a New Year, Organise Yourself Financially Pg. 21

Inversk Entrepreneurs Fredrick Wanjira: The Down To Earth Legend Pg. 24

Pg. 13

Young Entrepreneur June Syowia: Striving All The Way To The Top

Inversk Career Job Hunting in a Digital World Pg. 27

Pg. 12

Productivity

Goal Setting How To Set Goals And Achieve Them Pg. 30

Customer Service

The Advantages of Effective Email Management Pg. 32

Product Design

Excellence Customer Service Will Help Your Startup Pg. 34

Design Is Everything Pg. 36

Decision Making Get Help In Making That Decision Pg. 38 3

4

Success Story

Johnson Mwakazi

Inversk Career

Issue 006 | January/February 2017, Inversk Magazine4|04

5

Success Story If background could dictate your future then that of Johnson Mwakazi could have been the worst. The joys of life of having a decent upbringing are a tale for his childhood; nevertheless, his adulthood is a total success.

How Did Our Legend Start?

M

wakazi attributes his success to his starting point, Kibera. It all started when he said a poem in the presence of the director general of world

health organization.

“Coming from the largest slums in Africa made

me have a clear cut of my responsibilities. All of us have starting points, and that should move us to have a clear mindset of what we want in life.”

The stars were rightly placed for him. “He called me to perform the poem again in Switzerland Geneva, I have shared a table with the richest man in the world”, he says. That was his starting point and he has never looked backed ever since. Sooner than later he got a job at hot 96 FM where he mainly did voice over.

“One day the producer said that they had heard enough of me on the radio and that I should try the TV. I applied for a job at citizen television without any tertiary academic qualification and I got the job. I had no godfathers or knew anyone who knew someone else in order to get my job.”

Q

Who/What Has

Exposure, it plays an important role in making us achieve our dreams or even meet our mentors in life. My mentor, who I also describe as my spiritual father, Rev Tom Otieno is one good man who helped me get into the spotlight. I first met him when my mother took me to All Saints’ Cathedral church.

You do not have to meet your mentors face to face for you to be inspired. Technology has really made it easier for us to know our mentors. If your mentor is Chris Kirubi, get on YouTube and

Influenced

search for his talks. Listen to them; if the first three lines do not

You This Far?

loves him and sees him as a great person, it does not necessarily

“

appeal to you then he is not your mentor. Just because everyone mean that he will be appealing to you.

Do not be mentored by someone who wants to destroy others, be mentored by people who will inspire your integrity. Mentorship starts from the brain and not anywhere else.

”

Issue 006 | January/February 2017, Inversk Magazine|055

6

Success Story

The Journey To The Top While he is a household name in the media,

Being concise comes with a clear mind on

Mwakazi says it was not easy for him to make

what you want to achieve. For instance if you

it to the top. Immediately he got a job with

want to go to the gym, what do you hope to

Citizen Television, he had to work as hard to

achieve after three months? Having such

compete with people who were well versed

questions enables you to have a time slot that

and well learned in the field of journalism. He

will ensure you do not under do it and

had to enroll at Daystar University.

despite the circumstances surrounding you,

However, this was not a walk in the park for

you need to do what you had planned to do.”

him. He would work during the day and be in

“It’s not a walk in the park or bread and

class in the evening. When I asked how he was

butter affair; to be able to realize your

able to overcome the challenge he simply rec-

dreams and live in the full splendor of your

ommended a book for me to read. Readers

purpose. The process of making your dreams

are leaders, as much as this may sound like a

come into reality means that you are aware of

cliché it’s the truth of the matter. His main

the hard and tough choices you will have to

mantra is always, if you spend 10,000hours in

make. There will be disappointments, lots of

something that you love, you become an ex-

failures and more so a lot of pain. These

pert at it.

rough times, subsequently, come and pass.

“Having a talent without fully focusing on it is a total waste of time. You must be consistent in what you do, you should be concise.

Smooth seas never brought tough sailors. The moment you have that at the back of your mind, you are good to go.”

Issue 006 | January/February 2017, Inversk Magazine6|06

7

Success Story You need to work with what you have, if it doesn’t work move to the next resource. If plan

Advice to Young

A does not work there is a plan B and there is no way you will move to plan B if you haven’t

Business Leaders

worked on plan A. Resilience is the key to every business startup. Surround yourself with people whose brain works harmoniously with yours not people who compete with you. This will help

you develop ideas strongly. It is important that one goes for a meet in places that allow you to think.”

Leadership starts with you; the leader within

association with your team to make your busi-

you is waiting to be unleashed. As a leader,

ness a success. Gone are the days when we

you need to be able to follow your instruc-

would need a director in companies, we do not

tions. Follow your time tables, have your

require directing skills, rather we want manage-

targets, have governing structures in short

rial skills. It is very important that we have the

you should understand yourself quite well

necessary skills that will make your team have

because it is the only way possible to for

a desire to perform.

you to realize your full potentiality and attain self-actualization

Have a round table kind of relationship with your team, let them bring whatever they have

Have a round table kind of relationship with

on the table, this will enhance better team work

your team, let them bring whatever they have

hence soaring to greater heights. As a leader

on the table, this will enhance a better team

you mainly need a healthy association with

work hence soaring to greater heights”, he

your team to make your business a success.”

further elaborates.

“As a leader you mainly need a healthy

Winding Up

At no point should anyone allow their business to be affected with their personal life more so family misunderstanding. The idea of waiting

until things get right before we start strategizing on how to move forward is really sickening. For instance, if one has debts, there is no need to wait until the bills start escalating before thinking on how to pay them. What if the last minute plans backfire on you? What would be your next step? It is in this context that you need to prepare yourself before waiting for life to sort you. Most startup businesses disappear from the vicinity because of such careless mistakes.

Prepared by Kimani Patrick and Rumona Apiyo

Issue 006 | January/February 2017, Inversk Magazine|077

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BUSINESS

Starting Out The Easiest Way To Turn Your Talent Into a Viable Business ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

What’s your talent?

How are you going to build it into a successful business?

W

hen you talk about talent, I am 100% sure the first thing that pops in your mind is singing, dancing, drawing etc.

It’s very hard to find people thinking that talent is everywhere, from the tech world, people who are very active on social media, computer buffs, someone who has amazing people skills; you will find talent everywhere you look.

Many individuals may already have a talent that can be leveraged into pioneering a new business. Perhaps, you are known for making the best cupcakes in town, or maybe all your neighbors knock on your door when they need help fixing their appliances and sound systems.

You may have a hobby at which you excel. By turning your talent into a business, not only do you get to be your own boss, but you invite others to benefit from your passion and eventually will hopefully be able to provide new jobs in your community as your venture grows.

For example, did you know that the founder of Instagram has no formal engineering training, but rather was a marketer who taught himself to program and code at night? Kevin Systrom was passionate about photography and wanted to create a new, social -media-oriented way for people to exchange photos with friends and family. He taught himself programming so that he could share his passion for photography with others.

Issue 006 | January/February 2017, Inversk Magazine8|08

BUSINESS

// Starting Out

Another example of an entrepreneur who has learnt a new skill in order to create a successful business is Shawn O'Connor founder of Stratus Prep. He explains in Forbes magazine that his own experience offered another example of honing one’s skills and putting them to use in launching a business.

After obtaining his JD/MBA from Harvard, he had opportunities to work at leading financial institutions and global law firms, but his true passion lay not in the corporate world, but in education and mentoring. “I relished my time at Harvard and founded Stratus Prep as a means of helping other students win acceptance into the schools of their dreams. The psychological payoff was unparalleled. I utilized my teaching, testtaking, and admissions counseling skills and experience and eventually attracted countless qualified experts to my team to establish Stratus Prep as leading boutique test prep and admissions counseling firm,” he cites. He has leveraged his love for counseling to serve on the boards of and advise numerous successful startups. And these are just among many people who have succeeded in using their talents.

Unlike ‘traditional’ businesses whose real assets might be the factories they own and the goods they produce, a startup’s real wealth is the talent it attracts and produces.

As seen with so many one-time startups that have become household names over the years. Armed with vision, belief, and skills, they made it possible for a small business with not much cash reserves to take on giants with billion-dollar valuations.

That makes it virtually essential in fact, perhaps the most important focus point of any startup.

As you can see, businesses are most successful when they stem from a talent, even if you have to adjust it slightly to meet consumer desires, and then do it. Even if your passion does not seem profitable at first glance, such as enjoying browsing through your friends’ photographs.

First, take time and know your talent, see how you can make it grow either by attending conferences, exhibitions, expositions, workshops, soft skills training, just take time to learn how to grow your talent. Then look around in your community and try to see where there is a gap that you can fill using your talent (people buy or pay for

9

Businesses are most successful when they stem from a talent goods or services for things that they value), do your research well. Then you can start small and learn to grow, have a vision and mission.

Also yearn to grow through exploring and learning new things don’t be tied down to one idea, the world is evolving so evolve with it. Settle for understanding and commitment to the vision.

You now have the few steps to start your own business and begin revolutionizing not only your economic future but also that of your community and the nation! While many Kenyans would love to own a business, they are often dissuaded because they do not believe that their passion will reap sufficient profit to sustain them financially.

While it is critically important to plan your finances carefully before launching a new business, do not be discouraged, many entrepreneurs have been in the very same position, and they have found a solution in developing a new talent to complement their passion for the freedom and opportunity that comes with entrepreneurship. So go on, be encouraged to use your imagination and make your talent as attractive as can be!

Issue 006 | January/February 2017, Inversk Magazine|099

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SOCIAL MEDIA & BUSINESS How Start-ups Can Use Social Media For Productivity

BY GATHONI KINUTHIA

will strategize.

The team needs the perfect blend of messages, images and videos for social media use in order to market the business effectively.

Building anticipation and sending clear messages is important for start-ups to consider.

T

he new Chief Content Officer at Inversk gave me a call a couple of weeks ago. We talked about the new direction the magazine was taking and how she needed me to take things just a notch higher on this column. I agreed because the dawn of the New Year was fast approaching and its newness enticed all to take a healthy stab at success.

In thinking about success and how start-ups can use social media productively several case studies come to mind.

There were social media campaigns that had been planned and executed with finesse by scores of creative honchos on massive budgets. Start-ups with leaner staff (and budgets!) and can achieve just as much with strategic planning. And as with all good plans, an end in sight will work better for results.

The core team can be quite small depending on the business. Chances are that not all of them know the strategic working of social media. The details of when to post and what time will get most engagement are topics the social media team will have to read and learn about.

Enthusiasm will be key for the team to collaborate, generate new ideas, spot technology trends to use and even creative talent to hire.

The end-in-sight for start-ups is when the social media campaign they have been working on is viewed by the public. It could be a one hour Twitter chat or a Facebook ‘live’ streaming with guests. For this to be successful and draw in an interested crowd then the core social media team

Today, the convenience of being able to shed away trappings that come with traditional media has seen social media use grow.

As a small business you will have to think about how your target market is hearing about your product. This way you determine your message and pander to your loyal base of consumers or clients.

Say you have an animal feeds outlet that targets small scale farmers, finding out where they get information is half the marketing done as opposed to mass broadcast on social media with no targeted messaging.

Tech savvy start-ups are seizing the opportunity to curve a niche in mobile technology and build a base there. In your animal feeds outlet you could partner with locally available farming apps to aid your message along.

This is because you already have access to your base of

10|10 Issue 006 | January/February 2017, Inversk Magazine

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Social Media clients or consumers and with a glimpse on their phones they will decide if to scroll on or pause. Simple tactics like narrowing your target market to specific areas and age groups in your social media ads will start giving you defined results as well.In targeting your buyers, start-ups have to assess where to find people who will buy from them. They are in the ‘comment’ sections of your competitors’ social media pages which I found amusing until I saw it recur severally. People who ‘like’ ‘subscribe’ or ‘share’ your posts and updates are fair game as well.

A quick private message acknowledging them breaks the ice and indicates that there is an open channel of communication.

Engaging your followers ought to be another strategy to implement. Conversation ensures you get almost instant feedback from your audience. Set aside time to actively answer questions and if you’re growing you will need to be hands -on. This will guide you when you develop a ‘Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)’ list for your website that you can direct people to.

partner’ and your inbox has 238764 unread messages then you’re certainly not doing it right.

With social media comes responsibility to maintain decorum at all times. Companies have faced the wrath of disgruntled Internet users both justified and unjustified and the response has either saved or tarnished their image. So even as the core team sits to talk about tackling social media, discussing crisis communication tactics is crucial.

In the event that online debates become heated, it is important for the team managing these accounts to be professional and objective despite personal convictions.

Social media app creators are now making it easier to measure returns. The success of a social media campaign can be quantified in how many engagements translated into purchases which is a priority for any business.

It could also measure the people who interacted with the message you shared. The preference of the audience also shows what kind of content they are responding to. In this data an improved game plan is made for other cam-

Have a look at what the trailblazers in your industry are doing. What makes them unique? Check out viral videos related to businesses and study aspects that made them appealing. With this in mind, craft fresh social media campaigns that emphasize the core values of your company. If you are the ‘listening, caring

paigns.

Productivity also has elements of good time management. Tools to schedule posts and updates so that not all energy is spent on creating a vibrant feed can be implemented for ease. Email: gathonimkinuthia@gmail.com

11 Issue 006 | January/February 2017, Inversk Magazine|11

12

Young Entrepreneur

By Samantha Nyobia

June Syowia: Striving All the Way To the Top

S

he is an elegant young

June is also a student of Eco-

This is because they are

woman who made it to the

nomics at the University of

in control and are ideally

top forty under forty wom-

Nairobi, Kenya’s premier insti-

responsible

en 2015 when she was just 20.

tution of higher learning.

food in their employees

She is the CEO of Beiless Group,

The studentpreneur who turns 22 in less than 20 days states that aggressiveness, persistence and innovativeness as the top three skills that has helped her to be a successful entrepreneur. Moreover, she works hard. June’s typical day consists of sixteen hours of work. She draws her motivation from the desire to change herself, clients, community, Kenya’s economy and Africa at large.

a digital marketing company.

“There is no particular pattern to becoming successful. All one needs is to be passionate about what you are doing, aggressive enough to go out there and make it successful and persistent enough to get over the many negatives,” says June.

According to her, running a successful business entails five things: a great working team, adequate knowledge in one’s craft, creating relevant networks with people, reducing operation costs and giving quality output. She describes her entrepreneurial life as intriguing and thinks entrepreneurs have an advantage over people that work for others.

for

putting

table Entrepreneurship has not been a bed of roses for her as she has made a few mistakes.

For

instance,

she once took a contract that is not in the Beiless scope of work and ended up

subcontracting.

She

therefore thinks it necessary to have an assessment of what you are about to do beforehand.

June’s most satisfying moments are any time her data and results are over and above her customer expectations. She sees Beiless Group being a leading marketer in Africa in the next few years.

Her advice to college students who aspire to be entrepreneurs is that they should get out of their comfort zone because the secret lies in effort and ambition- no sympathy is given to anyone for being young.

Samantha Nyobia is a staff writer at Inversk Magazine.

12|12 Issue 006 | January/February 2017, Inversk Magazine

BUSINESS

How to Start and Build a Successful Business

13

A run

successful ness

busi-

doesn’t

just

come by. How you

your

business

will

determine very much in whether or not you will achieve your goals.

Building

a

successful

business depends highly on your investment in the right

team,

on

your

passion, investing in the right tools of work and employees, forgetting,

and the

not

freedom

granted your employees in developing their personal brand.

1

INVEST IN THE RIGHT TEAM

You cannot build an empire on your own and you definitely cannot do all work on your own. You will need the right team from the beginning. As I have said before, dedicate time to finding the right hire. Invest enough time in the hiring process to get a focused, innovative and goal oriented team. So create a network and build the best team you can find. A multitalented and skilled team is more likely to be productive.

13 Issue 006 | January/February 2017, Inversk Magazine|13

BUSINESS

2

14

4

EMPLOYEE FREEDOM

INVEST IN THE RIGHT TOOLS

A skilled team is likely to be more produc-

Every industry is different. For you and your

tive if they are left to exercise freedom in

employees to achieve the maximum potential

developing personal brands. This of course

for your business, you will need to provide

has to be allowed within the constraints of

everyone with the appropriate tools. You will

company policy and the intended goal.

need to have the right technological tools

Allow your employees flexibility in innova-

appropriate for each member of the team. The

tion of products and in their skills and ser-

marketing team require different tools than

vices.

the finance or human resource team.

Trust that you hired the right skilled team

5

and allow them to work their magic.

Ensure that you do not compromise the core values upon which you build your business and definitely not your purpose and vision.

FOCUS ON YOUR PASSION AND PURPOSE

Despite what you may think, your business will be a reflection of you. If you build it out of love, passion and purpose, it will reflect some-

3

TAKE INTO ACCOUNT EACH STEP

thing beautiful, well developed through skill

You can start and grow a business in a

vices for your customers, then you will have

day. Building a successful business, like building successful relationships is a process. It takes time and you have to invest time, money, and great effort. You need a plan from the start. A step-bystep plan that will ensure you do not

and care. You build based on passion and a purpose to provide the best products and serachieved a great deal in providing a prized enterprise to your customers.

6

BUILD A FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT

sprint through or hop from place to

Build an environment for your employees

place to without ensuring proper devel-

to enable a free and friendly working en-

opment of each stage. “Build a system

vironment. Create a place of value that

for the long-haul focusing on small-

employees find easier to work at. And a

connected steps.”

place that customers enjoy not only the

7

TAKE CARE OF YOUR PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL HEALTH

products but the services rendered that they keep coming back. Work towards developing a meaningful environment for your employees and customers.

Ensure that above everything you have balance in your life. If you are happy and healthy then everything else is likely to fall in place. So exercise and eat healthy. Ensure the health and satisfaction of your family.

This way, you won’t have to sacrifice your family, spiritual, physical or mental health for the sake of building your business. You need satisfaction in all areas of your life to ensure maximum growth.

14|14 Issue 006 | January/February 2017, Inversk Magazine

Feature

15

Genuine Properties Limited: The Benchmark Real Estate Solutions Provider in Africa Genuine Properties is a real estate firm that

Environmental

Impact

Assessment–

The

sells properties in and around Nairobi. The

Company has been registered by the National

company is almost three years old now hav-

Environmental Management Authority (NEMA)

ing been founded in 2014.

to carry out project environmental impact as-

It is headed by two directors, Paul Muhami, The CEO and Veronica Gikunju, the Human resource and finance director. parcels

of land and homes. They also provide property investment consultancy services as well as property management to its customers.

Genuine properties have vast experience with property so-

lutions under one roof. Their team of professionals will ensures that all client needs are met, allowing clients to focus on their core business.

licensed by National Construction

Authority

(NCA) to supervise construction projects to ensure properties are delivered on time, within budget and to the highest quality standards.

Investment Services- This involves advising clients on the general property investment market, analyzing various options based on viability and recommending the best investment opportunities. This also involves recommending particular Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs).

Genuine Properties brags of having partnered

Their services include: Development Services- This includes finding suitable sites for development of schools, hospitals, residential and commercial development. This includes appraisal studies, handling negotiations for acquisition and obtaining statutory planning approvals. They also handle land consents, approvals for transfer, lease extensions, charges, change of user, subdivision etc.

Management Services- They supervise properties on behalf of their valued clients. This involves rent collections, tenant selections, repairs and maintenance.

Brokerage- Genuine Properties brings property buyers and sellers together and facilitates sale/purchase agreements. The company also deal with a team of reliable surveyors and lawyers to ensure professionalism in everything that they do.

ity of the projects it undertakes.

Project Management- The Company has been

Genuine Properties sells plots, large

customers. They can offer all

sessment to ensure compliance and sustainabil-

with experienced contractors, surveyors and lawyers to ensure end to end service delivery.

Moreover, their customers are

assured

of

prompt and efficient service from them as they keep their promises and work to meet agreed timelines.

Their focus in 2017 is partnering with customers to develop affordable housing starting with Thika town. The houses they target shall be the ones between the ranges of three to six million KSH. Genuine Properties shall see to it that it gaps the deficit of about 200,000 homes to the middle income earners.

Genuine Properties Ltd Offices are Located at 3rd Floor, Uniafric House, Koinange Street. Nairobi, Kenya.

Email: paul@genuineproperties.co.ke +254722-236933, 0722-591617, 0733-936677 http://www.genuineproperties.co.ke

15 Issue 006 | January/February 2017, Inversk Magazine|15

16

Startup CEO Guide

Step By Step Guide Information Sourced From An Article By Ryan Allis

How To Be A Startup

CEO

at StartUp Guide

A

s a CEO, your job is to build a product customers love; recruit a team; find funding from customers, partners, or investors; and guide the overall

prioritization of work. The three most important components of the Start-up CEO’s role are: 

Creating a product that solves customer needs.



Making sure your users and customers have an extremely positive emotional experience with your product.

One of the CEO’s most



important roles is to



Recruiting a great team to build your product.

You’re also in charge of incorporating, finding a

communicate the

place to work, creating the foundations of your cul-

vision of the

ture, hiring your first employees, setting up a bank

organization

account, creating a web site, finding early stage funding, and taking out the trash. You’re basically the Chief Everything Officer at this early stage.

16|16 Issue 006 | January/February 2017, Inversk Magazine

17

Before You Have Employees:

Incorporating

 Determining the Initial Equity Split

The most important benefits of incorpora-

When you first start your business you’ll need to

tion are:

determine who gets what percentage of the com-

1. You are taken more seriously by pro-

pany. The initial levels of ownership are deter-

spects, vendors, potential employees,

mined when you file your incorporation paper-

and potential investors.

work. If there is no one else involved then you’ll

2.

You are able to open a business bank

simply own all the outstanding shares and 100%

account and begin to build credit for

of the corporation.

your business.

If there are other individuals involved then you’ll need to negotiate what is a fair percentage for them to receive and for you to receive. There are

3. You are able to protect yourself from some personal liability.

4. You pay less tax.

some key factors to take into consideration

Keeping Costs Extremely

when deciding who should get what at the for-

Low

mation of a company. These factors include: 1) What role in the organization will each person have once the business is incorporated?

2) How much time will each person be putting in going forward?

Keep your costs down, as low as possible, until your monthly revenue grows and enables you to increase your expenses. And do contract consulting work on the side if needed to have money to live on.

3) How much money is each person putting in at the start of the company?

Understanding the Role of the Entrepreneur

4) How much business and entrepreneurship experience does each person have?

5) Will one party be contributing any existing intellectual property to the new corporation?

If there are multiple parties involved, it’s important to vest ownership over a period of years to make sure they don’t walk away with the full amount if they quit after six months.

It is the entrepreneur’s role to bring together the people and resources necessary to build your product and company.

An entrepreneur takes initiative and has a bias toward action, has the ability to take feedback, has a high tolerance for stress and is very determined. An entrepreneur also has decisiveness, courage, and the

If you’re partnering with an experienced entre-

ability to deal with failure. An entrepre-

preneur or engineer who has had multiple suc-

neur is often someone who is quite crea-

cesses and lots of contacts and who will be put-

tive, has the ability to learn quickly, and

ting in hundreds of thousands of dollars of their

perseveres through nearly anything. An

own money and working full-time on the venture

entrepreneur can delay gratification and

together with you, expect to have to give up a lot

has a drive to achieve and the abilities to

more than if you’re partnering with a first time

plan, build a team, inspire and lead, and

entrepreneur or engineer with little business

prioritize.

experience who will only be working on the venture 20 hours per week.

17 Issue 006 | January/February 2017, Inversk Magazine|17

18

Startup CEO Guide Filtering Out the “Talkers” from the “Doers”

The “I Just Need KES 250,000 to Get Started” Complaint M

There are millions of people with great business ideas, but only a select few, perhaps 2-3%, can take their idea and execute by turning them into something that people will pay for, over and over.

This difficult process filters out talkers from doers. Most people are talkers. Investors know that investing in someone who has figured out how to create something from nothing (creating a solution to a need that people will pay to have solved) provides a much higher chance of generating a return than investing in someone who just has an idea

Creating Something from Nothing

ost people do

(in exchange for equity and

The act of “creating something

not start busi-

deferred salary).

from nothing” is the magic that

nesses because

they tell themselves that they don’t have enough



service that you can sell.

money.



Instead of planning to raise



and development.

SH10,000 from your own



Incorporate.



Figure out how to convince people to work for you for next to nothing

Use the revenue you are product improvements

ting started, plan to raise

and:

Start selling.

entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial engineers have. This is bringing together the resources of land, labor, capital, and entrepreneurial ability to create something of value

making to finance future and sell it to the marketplace.

KES 250,000 and then get-

savings and close friends

Create a product or



Once you get to KES

Being a CEO with 1-5 Employees

15,000 per month in

Once you have employees, you

sales, then go look for

transition from being the Chief

seed funding to improve

Everything Officer to the Chief

your product scale up

Energy Officer. It’s no longer your

your model if needed.

job to do everything. Now, you get

18|18 Issue 006 | January/February 2017, Inversk Magazine

19

Startup CEO Guide things done based on the quality of the team

Turning Your Job Into a Business

around you and your ability to clearly

Hiring your first team members is the first

communicate and guide the team towards a shared outcome.

step in the process of removing yourself from the day to day operations so you can

The most important things to know about

work on the business instead of in the busi-

management are this:

ness.





Only hire people who can do their job

During this phase, do all you can to enable

better than you could.

the company to survive. You should be in

Hire people who have a positive attitude, have a strong work-ethic, and can

charge of product development or sales, or both.

Setting Up Office Space

communicate effectively. 





Hire people who are motivated

Once you have a few employees, it may be

intrinsically by the mission the company

time to find some space for people to work.

is focused on achieving

You can probably keep working out of your

Communicate clearly where the team is

house or garage until your team numbers

going.

around five people, but once you get there it

Set up an objective system in advance to track performance to pre-set communicated goals.





may be time to sign a lease.

Setting Up An Accounting System Make sure you hire a bookkeeper to keep

Trust people to do their job. Don’t

track of and categorize your revenues and

micromanage.

expenses (and if you can’t afford one, learn

Let go of people quickly if they aren’t

how to do it yourself). Have them send you a

performing and hitting their goals.

Your first few hires will absolutely be critical in the long term success of your business.

monthly income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement. Put every shilling you make back into people, product, technology, sales, and marketing.

Cash is King

The Importance of Making the First Hire

At this point in your business’s early exist-

As soon as you can afford to, hire your first

figure is the amount of cash you have in the

employee, even if you have to use every

bank, with the second most important figure

single dollar of net profit you have to do it.

being the amount of outstanding checks you

Hiring this person will enable you to focus

have.

on growing the business well beyond its

Your job is to do everything necessary to

current level.

keep the bank balance above zero. With two

ence, cash is king. The most important

19 Issue 006 | January/February 2017, Inversk Magazine|19

20

Startup CEO Guide to five employees, you don’t need to worry yet

about

communication

or

Putting in Place Real Time

processes,

especially if you’re all working within a few feet of each other. Just survive and get a product to market that you can sell over and over and constantly improve. Put every shilling you make back into people, product, technology, sales, and marketing.

Building an Advisory Board Surrounding yourself with individuals much

Dashboards At the very least, you should have a dashboard that is displayed on a flat screen TV somewhere in your office that shows basic information like how many customers you have, your monthly sales, and how many new customers you added that month.

Being a CEO With 6-25 Employees

more experienced than yourself, who have

Now, it’s time to:

already achieved what you want to achieve is

Put in place some basic systems and tools to

critical to your ability to quickly learn what

automate your operations and prepare for

you need to learn in order to succeed in

growth.

building your business.

Figure out your customer unit economics so

Holding Your First Board Meeting There are certain things you have to do in order to make sure your status as a corpora-

you can determine whether it makes sense to raise outside capital to scale your customer acquisition.

And as your revenue growth allows hire a

tion is protected.

The most important thing is to make sure you have a separate bank account for your business and to make sure you don’t run personal expenses through the business bank account.

per-

son to own marketing, customer service, sales, product development, in-house accounting and an administrative assistant.

Winding Up There are many aspects to starting and building

The second thing you need to do is to hold a

a startup and being a CEO. One of the CEO’s

meeting of your Board of Directors at least

most important roles is to communicate the vi-

annually and take and capture minutes from

sion of the organization. This becomes even

the meeting.

more important as the organization grows. If

In the beginning, you or you and your busi-

you have a vision but don’t communicate it, you

ness partner may be the only Board Member

might as well not have a vision.

(s). That is okay. You can add other board

Other aspects include creating a clear commu-

members later after you raise funding.

nication strategy that all employees know about

While your company is small, set up your

and creating a performance review process.

system of dashboards now so that you can

You can request the full 30 pages guide by sending

manage the business effectively as you grow.

an email to support@inversk.co.ke

20|20 Issue 006 | January/February 2017, Inversk Magazine

21

It is a new year, get organized financially

By Henry Ozianyi

You have no choice as to when bacteria will

Budget

decide to strike you or your ageing mum. An

quarterly

accident comes on or from the way to happy.

and

review

your

plans

Nature’s fury has a way of visiting when we

You should already be having your 2017 budg-

least expect and to restoring our lives after

et, somewhere, be it in a book or paper or sys-

these catastrophic acts require us to spend

tem, it should have already started guiding you

cash, the elusive shilling.

on where your money is coming from and what

Emergencies are normal. After a few years on this planet, you start realizing that finance has cycles. There is a time when you have a relatively good amount of stash and sooner than later, you are struggling big time to pay your fees or even matatu fare to work, forget having lunch. You realize that Christmas is not a celebration time but a spending time that ushers in a very difficult long month called njaanuary.

Wisdom dictates that we must get thorough-

you are spending it on.

If you don’t have, it is not late, create one tonight.

Once a quarter, review this budget and determine where you require rebalancing or rationalizing and determine what actions you need to take in order to improve your financial stability.

Track your finances and the associated paper work

ly organized in order to comfortably ride

Although the world is moving digital, most gov-

these dragons of uncertainty, or rather, iron

ernments still expect to see manual backups for

out the financial bumps before they turn fa-

transactions while inspecting tax returns. As a

tal. To succeed, all that is required is the will

taxpayer, you have to comply; you can whine as

and a little discipline; broadly, the concepts

to why we have a digital president and deputy

below should help you manage better.

but an analogue government, once you are tired

21 Issue 006 | January/February 2017, Inversk Magazine|21

Inversk Finance

Personal Finance

22

complaining, keep those receipts, contracts and payrolls, the government only understands the manual language for now.

You can keep scans of your manual receipts online, indexed for ease of retrieval for yourself and your business in order to avoid spending hours on end going through manual papers when answering to queries from your stakeholders.

Every quarter, clean the files and determine which records require to be kept longer and which ones should be discarded.

Classifying your expenses and incomes into distinct groups helps you easily discern patterns and movements in a group and helps you specifically target that group for correction. Some expense clusters include groceries, school fees, insurance, loan repayments, while incomes could be employment, business, investment, royalty incomes etc.

While filing, whether electronic or manual, these groups should be maintained to ensure that documentation re-

of your finances and avoiding penalties

lated to each group is in the right place.

and interest due to late payment.

For efficient record management, keep three folders, for

Date your money once a

pending bills, paid bills and other financial records and

week.

file these away once monthly. Once a bill is paid, move it from the pending bills folder to the paid bills folder.

Old school is only fashionable in music In our current times, rushing to the bank to transfer money into your savings account or pay a bill is old school. Indeed, all financial processes, be it earning, saving, spending or banking are now automatable by banks and Techie companies. You can apply for a loan online, spend the whole of it without setting your foot in a

We only date important things in our lives, a girl or a boy will receive your time because they merit. Your money is equally important, set time a side in your schedule to keep up with your chums once a week.

During the date, update your records as to what you have earned and paid and analyze what is pend-

banking hall. Embrace mobile and internet banking to

ing.

make your life easy and live in the new school.

Set aside one of these dates each

Create a monthly bill list

month to be the time you pay your

Missing to pay a bill can result in serious business or

or Mpesa or online banking refer-

personal interruption, especially if it is a critical raw ma-

ence on the invoice and filing the

terial like power, water or courier services. A monthly

bill away neatly. Be innovative on

check list should help you know what has been paid and

how you record these details on

what is pending, which is critical in the smooth running

your online files.

bills, ensuring to write the cheque

22|22 Issue 006 | January/February 2017, Inversk Magazine

BUSINESS

Personal Finance

23

Have a financial buddy

Winding Up

Twice annually, have a chat with a

Being organized at your work, school or home creates impressions of neatness and space, hence your finance burdens will feel a lot easier when meticulously arranged. The ultimate aim of financial organization is not just keeping neat budgets and records, but managing your money so that you can meet your life expenses with minimal stress. The ultimate aim is financial freedom.

financial partner and discuss how you are doing with your money.

This will help you bounce ideas on someone else and also have this external person look at your process and offer free advice on how to improve.

Henry Ozianyi is passionate about all kinds of liberties; mental, financial, spiritual, sexual etc; a world full of prejudice due to lack or misuse of these things is a captive world.

Email: Ozianyi@hotmal.com 23 Issue 006 | January/February 2017, Inversk Magazine|23

BUSINESS

Grace Njoki // Starting Out

24

The Down To Earth Legend

By Agnes Opondo 24|04 Issue 006 | January/February 2017, Inversk Magazine

25

Inversk Entrepreneur He is undoubtedly one of the best in music game others. in Kenya right now. If you haven’t heard any Despite the huge success of some his songs he has produced then you must be living tracks, he still felt like something was under a rock. When I met Fredrick Wanjira amiss. Employment was limiting his Wangombe AKA Dillie, I must admit that his growth. It was great to work at the studio humble and laid back attitude surprised me. I because it gave him exposure and the right mean, after being the mind behind certified hits contacts. His dream, however, was to attain and club bangers like Dumbala, Leo Ni Leo, independence through self-employment as Ankula Huu, Bahasha Ya Ocampo, and Wedding well as create employment in the business Day among others you would expect him to walk he loved—Music, and therefore made the and talk like he is God’s special package to tough call, he quit his job. According to humanity but to my surprise he was so down to him, this was a huge risk as he faced nuearth.

merous challenges. For starters, he had no

The day he agreed to have this interview with me, location to set up his studio so he used his I was over the moon, no seriously, this was an op- bedroom. Yes, the guy set up a temporary portunity to get to know a legendary beats master studio where he recorded some of the in the making. My plan was to interview him from greatest hits. Want an example, Dumbala.

Can you imagine that this hit by Jay A and

the comfort of his studio.

Like many other beats makers, Dillie’s dream was to be a singer, rapper and song writer. Someone once said that most if not all track producers are ‘failed’ singers. But me thinks it’s not a fail if you get to do music and shine from it, right? All this changed when he landed an internship at a re-

Sage was recorded from his bedroom? This challenge became a thing of the past when he was able to set up his own studio well….. Outside his bunk room. Another challenge was lack of financial knowledge to run his business.

cording studio. He had gone there to take his Dillie studied IT in college and he had very demo but ended up as intern who did production little knowledge on how to turn his passion to profit. So he had to learn how to make

and other errands.

His first earning was five thousand shillings which

sense out the numbers in his hustle.

was like an allowance that interns got. And being His laid back attitude during the interview in that position, he had to work really hard so as managed to arouse my curiosity and upon to accord recognition and even be considered for inquiry whether it benefits his business, “I let my music speak for itself” he replied permanent employment.

He hit his fortune when he produced the club banger Leo Ni Leo for one of Kenya’s very best dancehall artists – Redsun. This hit put him on the limelight and made him a hit maker to watch out for. His light continued to shine and he got to work with some of the biggest artists in Kenya

and clearly it does. This beats master also added that his hustle and personal life are always parallel as the flashlights of show biz can be blinding. Humility is key, and is what he strives for in order to be focused on his career and personal goals.

like Wyre the Love Child, Calvo Mistari, Jay A, His main aim when he receives a job from an artist is to make the artist’s idea catchy Sanaipei Tande, MOG, Sage, Octopizzo among

25 Issue 006 | January/February 2017, Inversk Magazine|25

26

Inversk Entrepreneur without losing the emotion that song is designed to portray. Internationally he looks up to Timbaland, Pharell Williams and Dr. Dre as they produce hip-hop and RnB which are genres that appeal to him. Locally he admires Blinky Bill from Just A Band who he has had an honor to work with.

Winding Up Dillie advices upcoming artists, “Keep the

through. He also plans to learn more on world

passion, Have the right skill and contacts

class audio recording and editing software.

and know how to run the business.” He also

To stay on top of your game you have to be

added that having chemistry with the

art-

ists he has worked with played a big role in the success of his tracks. This means that it is important to involve the artist’s creativity as they are creatives just like the track producer.

knowledge thirsty. Upcoming and established acts are also in his ensuing projects so watch out for more awesome music. A mix tape made from the hits he made in his bedroom studio is also on the way among many other big plans. The last question I asked him was if

The future for this young Nyeri man is really

he had any favorite from the songs that he

bright as he is now perfecting his art by

has produced. Well this was not an easy ques-

taking online music classes to enhance his

tion, it’s like asking a mother which one of her

piano skills. This is an instrument that he

babies is her favorite yet she loves them all.

believes he can best use to express himself

But Dillie had to answer this one, yes he had to “So Alive by Sage and Octopizzo” he answered. Come to think of it, it’s also my favorite Dillie track ………. Hmmmh! Wait I think it is ‘Dumbala’ or maybe it’s just ‘On Me’ by Jay A and Amina. Ok fine, I love them all.

Keep the passion, Have the right skill and contacts and know how to run the business Agnes Opondo is a former Staff Writer at Inversk Magazine

26|26 Issue 006 | January/February 2017, Inversk Magazine

27

Inversk Career

Job Hunting in a Digital World

yourself. Include relevant keywords, – words future employers might use to search for

It’s not enough to dress up for an

someone like you – including

interview these days. To really stand out, you

any certifications, professional

have to dress up your online presence too.

BY GABRIEL GITHINJI

organizations and descriptions of technical expertise. An event planner, for instance, might use keywords shows,"

With today’s web of networks, connecting has never

such

as

"trade

"conferences"

and

" n o n p r o f i t . "

been quicker or easier. We’ve cut through the hype to find the essentials of job hunting in a digital world.

• "Recommendations are important,”. Request them, not

Professional

networking

sites

• "If you don’t have a LinkedIn profile in today’s job

just from superiors, but from colleagues

and

subordinates.

touch,

Learn about the importance of

• View LinkedIn as an online resume, Start with what’s

social media sites like Facebook

on your current resume and build your profile from

and Twitter when it comes to

there. "The information there should portray the im-

j o b

age

market,"

• Add a personal touch to your

• A photo is a must, , but make sure it’s professional,

profile, such as a word or two

even if it’s casual. "You don’t necessarily want to have

about your small hometown.

a picture of yourself holding a fish that you caught,"

“You never know what people

• Have a strong tagline (the title that shows directly

are looking for,”

under your name) and summary in order to position

• Join groups relevant to

market,

you

you’re

want

really

to

out

have

in

of

the

h u n t i n g .

27 Issue 006 | January/February 2017, Inversk Magazine|27

28

Inversk Career your field to stay up to date on news in your in-

•Follow people you’re interested in

dustry and to keep on top of any job postings.

meeting. "Getting to know people within

• Connect with people you know – but be selective. “I believe, personally, that it should be

the sector that you want to work in will really help you,"

people that you actually know or that you have some kind of a connection with,” Be careful of

• Give before expecting to receive. Re-

who you add as a connection on networking

ply to messages, answer calls for help

sites and when you add them. Your current boss

and retweet interesting posts.

might be suspicious if her counterpart at a competing organization suddenly shows up on your profile. Remember that LinkedIn profiles can be seen by anyone, even if you're not connected.

• On all social media sites, including LinkedIn, brand yourself as an expert by sharing links that reflect your professional and personal interests – and

Social media sites

that reflect well on you.

• Treat your social media accounts as extensions of your personal brand. They might be fun, but they still contribute to your online image. Think about everything you post online from the point of view of a potential employer or recruiter looking you up. Will it turn

• Avoid the temptation to use online tools to update all of your social media accounts at once with the same message. It might save time, but it can look like you don’t want to put in the effort.

them off, or get them more interested in meeting

• Ensure the user names you choose are professional or fun, never embar-

you?

rassing. The current trend is simply us-

• "Don’t have things on your Facebook

ing your first and last name.

page that you would not want a potential employer to see,. Think Facebook is private? It

• Use online tools and participate in

might be, but only if you’re 100 per cent sure

communities that resonate personally

you have the privacy settings right and trust all

and professionally. Photographers and

of your friends.

design professionals will love Instagram and Pinterest for sharing and saving im-

• If people in your industry are on Twitter,

ages; technical types will appreciate the

you should be too. Think of it as a virtual water

culture and tools on Google+; and knit-

cooler: Be there often, but not too often (lest

ters will wonder how they ever did with-

people think you never do any actual work).

out Ravelry.

Have conversations, not monologues. Most of all engage in interesting topics and be up to date...

28|28 Issue 006 | January/February 2017, Inversk Magazine

29

Inversk Career Other digital media

without a very good understanding of that organization,"

• Enjoy writing and have something to say? Start a blog related to your intended

• Step back and judge your email address: Is

career. "Having your voice out there helps

it professional? "Imagine a HR Manager re-

you build your own brand."

ceives a CV and the email address is something like partygirl@email.com, That will re-

• Update your blog or personal website of-

flect on your overall impression.

ten. "It’s important that it’s active, that it’s current, that it’s relevant and that it portrays

• Consider every touch point as a chance for

the branding and image you want to

potential employers to learn about how won-

have in the market,"

derful you are – and orient them with what you do. Your voice mail greeting, your writ-

• Be careful with online comments: People

ing style and your email signature are all as

can find your name on any blog or website

important as the jacket you wear to your in-

with a quick search. To be safe, use only

terview. "Managing technology effectively

your first name unless you’re saying some-

today is really about personal branding,

thing you intend to be public.

"Everything you show from a public stand-

• Use technology to research jobs and pre-

point should maintain the professional.

pare for interviews, too. "Today there’s no

Email: info@gabrielgithinji.com

excuse for somebody to arrive at a company

29 Issue 006 | January/February 2017, Inversk Magazine|29

30

Goals

Goal Setting And How To Achieve Them

By Leonard Mudhangu

It is an amazing thing when you set goals, they give you a sense of direction. They give you a meaning of your life purpose. Most people are successful today because they took time to set goals. They have goals written down somewhere. These goals give them a reason to go to bed late and wake up early.

This differentiates them from unsuccessful people. The greatest question you might have is what are goals exactly? Let me quickly define that question for you.

Napoleon Hill, the greatest American philosopher who wrote the book "Think and Grow Rich" said that a goal is a dream with a deadline. What a great definition. In other words he was saying if you do not put a deadline to your dream then it becomes a mere wish and not a goal. Every goal is characterized by a deadline. Put a deadline on your dream it becomes a goal.

Getting a clear understanding of what goals are is the first step. How to set those goals is the most important part. Setting goals is very simple as long as one is willing and determined to fulfill them. Put down a list of everything you want to achieve and review them on an everyday basis. This is simply setting your goals daily by rewriting your top most goals every day, this could be in the morning when you wake up or when you are about to go to bed. You will amazingly achieve your goals if you do so because it goes deep down into the subconscious mind.

SMART GOALS The goals you choose to set in this life must be SMART. 1. SPECIFIC Every goal should be defined. What specifically is it that which you want to achieve maybe in your lifetime.

2. MEASURABLE. Every goal should be measurable, the goal owner should ensure that he has a plan or mechanism in place for measuring his goals.

3. ACHIEVABLE Every goal should be achievable. Do not set for yourself goals that are not attainable you will be setting a trap for yourself and you will never want to set goals again in your life if you fail to achieve them.

4. REALISTIC Set goals that are not complicated. They are easy to understand and even easy to explain to other individuals.

5. TIME BOUND Every goal should be time specified. The period in which you want to the goal is the most important thing. When do you expect to achieve the goal? This gives you the energy to move fast towards achieving your goals. Set a deadline for your goals.

Setting goals is very easy if you just follow the steps l mentioned above. Go on, set your own goals l believe in you .I know that there is a potential of greatness in you. There is none like you. You are so amazing and unique, You can achieve whatever you want, till next time God bless you.

Email: chifambamudhangu@gmail.com

30|30 Issue 006 | January/February 2017, Inversk Magazine

31

Global Vision Local Win

March 30th 2017 @KICC Its All About Empowering

you to Build a Magnificent Business.

More information to be provided. Email: events@inversk.co.ke

31

32

PRODUCTIVITY

Advantages Of A More Efficient Email Management

Emails are essential in corporate communication.

We’ve are used to opening our mailbox at the office first time in the morning to check whether we’ve received any urgent email over the weekend or on our way back home.

Checking your emails every hour and making sure that you are on top of every single electronic message you receive can get against your efforts to successfully manage our time and perform the tasks you are supposed to do. That said, efficient email management can help you be in better control of our time and improve our focus on what is really important.

Managing Your Inbox Being in charge of a large team, being responsible of a department or working on different projects at the same time can mean having a full inbox every morning that doesn’t seem to empty any time during the day.

Replying to emails, following-up on previous communications, forwarding messages, sharing documents, files and reports with colleagues and superiors, copying colleagues into emails, and so on do not contribute to efficient email management.

Efficient email

management also allows you to spend less time reviewing emails and more time working on their tasks assigned

32|32 Issue 006 | January/February 2017, Inversk Magazine

33

Email Management Attachments can get lost or the most updated version of them is never sent, not everyone is included in conversations as needed and long chains of emails are easily created.

Creating folders and tasks and flagging important emails is usually not enough. Smart email sharing software is an innovative tool that managers rely on and that has proven to be helpful for those willing to manage their mailbox efficiently. It allows to save time in copying and forwarding emails, prevents information for getting lost in inboxes and makes relevant email conversations available to coworkers in shared channels.

But whichever method you choose to manage your inbox, let’s see what the advantages of efficient email management are.

Increased Productivity One of the major advantages of efficient email management is an increased productivity. To begin with, spam is significantly reduced and teams have instant access to important documents and communications without having to dig deep in their mailboxes. This contributes to a faster completion of projects of course and to a better understanding of tasks, responsibilities and duties.

Relevant conversations can be accessed at any time and all or part of them can be shared with certain individuals in only a few clicks.

environment.

Decreased Cost Of Litigation Efficient email management allows employees, manager and IT responsible to save important emails, files and documents for years on end without having to worry about occupying precious mailbox storage space.

In case of litigation or if your company is asked to provide proof of email communication held with a client many years ago, your legal department will be pleased to know that you have it available.

Decreased Cost of Compliance Since corporate scandals have triggered a new wave of legislations aimed at increasing transparency of business practices, a good email management system can decrease the cost of compliance by simplifying and streamlining the entire process.

Decreased Exposure to Security Threats Viruses delivered via email can expose important company threats and the financial losses from even a single such breach can be staggering. Sending emails with important attachments, forwarding emails, replying to them can end up exposing the company’s mailboxes to viruses and identity thefts. A professional email management system can contribute to reducing the number of emails being forwarded while making sure that the right people are on board important communications.

Efficient email management also allows employees to spend less time reviewing emails and more time working on their tasks assigned.

Many managers also express that having established an efficient email management policy in their companies have contributed to fight against the depressive Mondaymorning-mood that many of their employees experienced when they arrived at the office after the weekend and discovered hundreds of emails awaiting for them in their computers.

An increased productivity also means that employees have more time to participate in corporate projects, bring up new ideas and contribute to a better corporate 33 Issue 006 | January/February 2017, Inversk Magazine|11

34

Growth Strategies

EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE Will Help Your StartUp

To Grow

EXCELLENT CUSTOMER

CUSTOMER SERVICE MAY LOOK LIKE AN EASY JOB BUT IT’S ONE PIVOTAL POINT THAT A COMPANY NEEDS TO STRENGTHEN TO REALIZE ITS FUTURE GROWTH. THIS IS A DEPARTMENT OF SERVICE AND WITH SERVICE ONE HAS TO BE VERY CAREFUL.

By Emmanuel Mamadi

SERVICE ENTAILS KNOWING HOW THE PRODUCT OR SERVICE IS FAIRING WITH THE CLIENT

34|34 Issue 006 | January/February 2017, Inversk Magazine

35

Growth Strategies The phrase ‘the customer is always right’ turn to be a cliché and if it will not live with you may die out of depression. Every start up needs a strong customer service since the image of the company is at stake when it comes to this. The customer care need to have all the details pertaining to the company and provide a cordial service to the people interested in knowing more about the company.

It is a brand that has stood out on its own for a long time and it is still among the leading techs company in the world through its inventions and creativity. If it’s about service make sure you give out the best because you never know whom you are presenting the company to.

The company may be good but with poor customer service it is bound to go down soon.

Remember this is a competitive world and if you cannot provide better services your colleague in the same market will. You might find yourself reaping losses even before you start operating as a real company.

Nothing pleases clients than following up on them and finding out how they are faring on.

This will show the company’s level of commitment and concern to the clients.

Excellent customer service entails knowing how the product or service is fairing with the client. This will also help in the analysis of the product and service produced by the company. Most clients take this gesture a good step and tend to refer you to other potential investors in your company.

Any feedback from the client should never be taken lightly however discouraging. This can help seal the holes in the company or sink it. So acting on them positively is the way to go. Through follow ups, the companyclient relationship is founded and later on connection is built.

After sale services The company you are operating may be a startup but the clients always want to see what makes your company unique. After sales services are the services offered to the clients besides the normal service offered by the company. It may be giving out gift hampers or offering to deliver the product to the client at his/her requested place. This will boost your client and believe you me the client will be retained to your company.

Why do you think when going to super market however small the item is they have to wrap it to you in a paper bag? It is not your right to be given that paper bag but for the reasons of retaining you and retaining you to be a loyal client they offer this after sale services.

Be unique Excellent customer service does not necessarily mean doing the same things the way others are doing. Creativity calls for uniqueness in your service which will please the client and have a reason of choosing you over the other company with same product or service.

When you are unique in your customer service the possibility of having many people try your product or company is very high. For instance the Apple Company is tech’s company on its own its not using Android or Windows.

Follow ups

Connection not only from your client but also from friends, associates and business partners of your clients. The connections will determine the growth of your startup company so the task will be to retain your client for the growth and development of the company.

In a nut shell, excellent customer service not only entails smiling and speaking that good English to a client, it requires more than just a normal service. Especially to a startup, this may determine the future of your company.

When it comes to service I always say it is crucial and critical because there are many things people look when wanting requiring a service. Body language, etiquette, ability to communicate and many more nonverbal cues are a determinant of that multi-billion business you are about to sell. When choosing who to market and provide customer service as a startup, choose wisely because the person can either destroy you or make you.

Email: mamadiemmanuel@gmail.com 35 Issue 006 | January/February 2017, Inversk Magazine|35

36

Product Design

Design Is Everything Companies like Apple are making design impossible for startups to ignore.

By Lynn Wamalwa

S

tartups like GitHub, Airbnb, Square, and Fitbit have design at the core of their business, and they're doing phenomenal work. But what is ‘design’ actually? Is it a logo? A word press theme?

It’s so much more than that. It’s a state of mind. It’s an approach to a 36|36 Issue 006 | January/February 2017, Inversk Magazine

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problem. It’s how you’re going to be ahead of your competitor and win customers.

Take one step back and review your work as if it wasn’t your own, let others go over it, experience your product as if you were the one buying it, not the one who made it.

Detaching yourself from something that you have put so much sweat and hard work in is not easy, but product design is an essential tool on your way to perfecting your product and with it ultimately your brand and business success. After all, if your product doesn’t deliver on the promises you make, customers will not return.

There is a gap in the business industry, that often don’t take into account the user experience and due to the lack of options, the market has been flooded with products that at best are not userfriendly. As an entrepreneur always keep in mind that your product is only as good as it makes the customer feel.

The challenge is to be open and actively court feedback. If you continue making tweaks to your product as you go along, every negative

comment on your product receives could be what will set you apart from your competitors in the future.

Simply put, product design involves coming up with a product the market needs and wants, and the more the product is tailored to a smooth user experience, the more successful the product will be. All entrepreneurs want to create products which will have traction in the market. Taking user experience into account will more likely attract consumers.

It should be considered early on because it will ensure that the product has the characteristics and performance the customer’s desire, thus reducing the risk of creating a product that does not reflect the customers’ demands, while cutting the costs and helping establish a reliable and respectable brand.

How will users understand your product? How does it feel in their hands and how do they feel about using it? These are just a few questions that product design evaluations will aim to answer.

Having all this in mind, now let’s go through several steps offered by Growth Africa, on how to now practically go about it, especially, if you don’t have a design yet.

5 Tips On Product Design.

Empathize - Use empathy to understand your client’s rational and emotional needs. Put yourself in your client’s shoes and objectively evaluate the service or product your offering.

Be user oriented - Don’t make your products appearance your main concern, it’s the product usability that will create traction in the market, so ensure a user oriented design

Test and Try - Don’t rush to the market without proper prototypes as these demonstrates the functionality of the product and ensure your product is ready for manufacture Observe - Pay close attention to how people interact with the product in its natural context (home, workplace) to understand and improve their experience with it.

Humanize - Always keep in mind that customers are not just data; they are real people with real needs and desires, it’s important to take them into account.

The author is a staff writer and Communication Personnel at Inversk Magazine.

Email: wamalwalynn@gmail.com

37 Issue 006 | January/February 2017, Inversk Magazine|37

38

Decision Making

THERE IS NO BETTER FEELING THAN LIVING

Make That

WITH THE CONSEQUENCES OF A DECISION THAT WAS MADE CORRECTLY.

By Rosemary Wanjiru There comes a time in everyone's life when you have to make a tough decision. A decision that is destiny defining. Thus, when that time comes, wisdom is of essence. This is so because the repercussions of such decision are as long as you will live.

Tough

First, an you should avoid making decisions while worried, sad, happy or anxious. Permanent decisions in life should be made when one is in sound mind.

Different people have different methods of creating

Decision

a sound state of their mind. The mind reacts to the emotions that individuals feel. Someone who has emotional imbalances cannot make a sound decision since his or her mind is clouded by different feelings. Scientifically there are different ways of making one’s brain calm and silent.

38|38 Issue 006 | January/February 2017, Inversk Magazine

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Decision Making To have a calm mind, you can take a walk to a

knowing that in the long run the decision will

different environment, stay alone in a room or

pay off.

even make yourself relaxed.

Another factor to consider while making a deci-

Also, before making a big decision, do

sion is deciding to make that decision. Histori-

research. Research will give you firsthand

cally, even indecision is a decision. Such that,

information on the decision you will make.

not making the right decision at the right time

May be enquire from people who have already

with the right people qualifies as a decision. In

made the same decision. This input will help

fact, this is always a regrettable decision so it

you to weigh correctly the consequences at-

is better to make a wrong decision and fail ra-

tached to that particular decision. As it is

ther than lack to make a decision.

said, history comes with wisdom.

What most people forget in life is that everyone

In as much as peer advise is crucial the most

is a student of life. We learn every day No one

accurate advice to seek, the wisdom that

has the correct marking scheme of living life

comes from the people that went ahead of

and what works for one person can fail to work

you is also very important. Since the elderly

for another person. So, take chances and live

people have seen much and know better con-

your life making decisions in the most correct

sider enquiry from elderly people. The people

way you know. At the end of the day, you only

in question are people who are trustworthy

have one life to live and your decisions shape

and wish the best for you in life genuinely.

your present.

But most important, make a decision for your-

Lastly, if you do not like the current situations

self. It is right to enquire but wrong to copy and paste people’s input in your life.

you are in right now, change the decisions you make. This is the beauty of life. There is always

Everyone’s life is different and therefore

hope for the living soul. As long as you have

everyone has a different way from other peo-

breath never be afraid to take chances. It is in

ple. This is what makes everybody different,

those chances that some people succeed in

make a

their destinies And never give up, always have

rational decision for yourself.

Considering intuition also leads to making better decisions. There are three different

an extra energy to rise up and make the correct decisions if you fail.

intuitions according to psychology; Ordinary

Everyone makes mistakes. But the ones that

intuition,

learn from their mistakes are the ones who end

Expert

intuition

and

Strategic

up making the correct decisions in life. Be

intuition.

The ordinary intuition is based on a gut feeling, the expert intuition is based on risk and result method like an automatic response while the strategic intuition is based on a sound mind which is the most preferable method

of

making

a

decision.

intuition drives one to taking a risk

Strategic

encouraged, you are not the first or the last one to make a wrong decision. Our destinies are in our hands and our decisions draw us closer to our destinies or drift us away from our destinies. What big decision are you making? Make it count!

The author is an intern Inversk Magazine

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