Business Plan Writing

Check out this website if you need to be hooked up with a business plan, Research proposals, and funding proposals. www.bizresource.co.ke

And a quote that i ran into today: If you do not have capital to start your business; Get a job.

A lot of people out there want to live the dream but they dont walk the talk. There are lost of opportunities that wont require lots of money but they do not follow through. Will soon be posting some ideas so follow our blog on google connect to get updates and invite your friends.

A couple of Lessons about life

Today I want to share a couple of things I have become more aware of or learned in the past couple of weeks during my blogging hiatus.

1. Taking Stock
Once in a while it is important to take stock of your life and the things that you do each day. Take a step back and ask yourself why do you get up each morning? Why do you brave the matatu ride and the traffic to go to work? Is what you are doing worth it? Are you growing and learning or are you in the same place you were even a month back. If you are, then it is time to re-strategize. I realize it is easy to get caught up in the mundane processes of the rat race and sometimes we do it just to pay the bills. However, indirectly quoting one of my favorite writers; Robert Kiyosaki; sometimes the experience of learning how a company works while being employed is worth more than what we get in salary. Look at what it is you do everyday what have you learned from your interactions with clients? With your finance director? With your MD?

2. The importance of Mentors
No need to stress the obvious. I know most people wonder where to start looking. Books are always easy. Is there an entrepreneur that has inspired you? Chances are a book has been written about them. Find it and get started. Try and avoid books about entrepreneurship by non entrepreneurs; it is always easier to learn about where you are going from someone who has already been there.

3. Start Now
I know a lot has been said but i need to stress this. Get started working on your idea it does not have to be perfect. Devote your weekends to the pursuit of your big idea. Or even get started on your business on the weekend.

4. Teams and Partnerships
It is important to identify who it is you need to get to where you want to be. Someone once said that whatever venture they take in life, they never leave their friends behind. There is someone in your circle with the same burning desire; passion and skill set you require to propel you. You can not get far in life without the right people. One of my favorite books; the one minute millionaire (www.oneminutemillionaire.com) devotes a chapter to help you identify your team and the varying skill sets required in each team.

5. Networks
The theory of 6 degrees of separation claims that for each person in the world you want to get to; there is an estimated 6 people within your network that can get you to them. For instance; if I had wanted to get in touch with the King of Pop i know a friend of mine on Face book that was once in the same jet with him and if i tried really hard he would probably get me the contact of his people. Try this and think about all the people that you know and how many people they know and you will understand the magnitude of networking. It is estimated that each person in an organization knows at least 600 people. The lesson is nothing is impossible. Once you begin to interact with people worlds of opportunity open up and anything can be done. There are plenty of angel investors out there looking for the chance to grow a good business idea into a great one.

6. Nothing is impossible
A couple of years ago, a small start up set out to build the greatest search engine in the world. This would require them to download the entire internet and then set out to organize and create a system that would rank the pages and produce the most relevant results for the user. Nobody knew how this start up would make money. None of its proprietors had the kind of money it took to finance such a project. 10 years later and we all can not imagine life before Google and the company is the number one in its league. There are endless unique opportunities in the world today and for the first time we have the biggest library to analyze ideas and markets and find the tools necessary for any undertaking. Make friends with the www. It’s amazing how much you can learn from it.

7. Take care of the Legal

For any business idea it is very important to protect yourself. Get a lawyer get advice and protect yourself from the vultures out there who steal other people’s ideas.

8. Never Stop Learning
Read, listen, and learn. Never give up. To keep up in today’s world you need to be aware and ahead. Devote time to reading, go back to school, and take a short course. Whatever it takes but never sit back and be content with the status quo.

Christmas and Leadership

This week I have been thinking about the not so sunny side of being a leader. I have been reading John C. Maxwells thoughts in leadership to mentally prepare for what lies ahead as far as my personal goals are concerned. I want to share some of the nuggets of wisdom from the 360 degree leader.
If you think about the story of Jesus, it took him 30 years to prepare for 3 years of his mission.
Lesson 1: Many want the prize, but not the pain
Look critically at the way you spend your time today. Every task you undertake should be in preparation for your greater vision. So don't take it lightly when your boss calls you into the office to discuss a project that did not go too well. Each interaction should be related to your greater vision, otherwise you are have your ladder against the wrong wall. It takes years of mental, personal, and spiritual preparation to venture into business or even top level management. Take your time and don't lose focus.

Back to the story of Jesus, he never once asked his disciples to do anything he was not willing to do himself. He modelled for them how he expected them to live.

Lesson 2: Self Discipline.
To be fair all of us want to get ahead in life. However, only a few of us have the self discipline it requires for us to be there. If you want to achieve a high level of excellence in top management or in business it is imperative that you model your behavior today against how you will be required to behave once you attain your goals.
For instance, do you have a life plan that goes 10 years into the future? Are you aware of what you want to achieve at 40?50?60? Are you concious of the things you need to do today in order to get there tomorrow? Are you committed to a day by day action plan until you get there?
Many people have goals, but very few people develop the self discipline they need to achieve their goals.

During Jesus's lifetime, he consistently questioned the status quo and did things that were out of the ordinary. For example, he healed people on the sabbath day and mixed with the undesirable people from his generation.

Lesson 3: Live like no one else today, so you can be Like no one else tomorrow
I must attribute this quote to one of my Leadership mentors, Pastor Muriithi of Mavuno church.
When you wake up to go to work in the morning you have two choices before your feet hit the ground. You can choose to make every menial task count because you know it is boot camp and it will bring you closer to your greater goal or you can choose to complain about being stuck in the rat race and carry that bad attitude to work.
Exceptional people do not fall into the status quo. They have their sites set on a greater vision. They look beyond everyday trappings into their future to avoid pitfalls. Think about it? When you are 50 and you look back at being 25 will spending half your salary on booze be that cool?

When it came to time for Christ to fulfill his mission, his human side took over. He requested his father to take away the suffering but however he remained committed to fulfilling his purpose.

Lesson 4: Be willing to go the extra Mile
Have you ever had to give more than was comfortable for you? Leadership at a high level requires sacrifice. You just need to come to terms with what you are willing to sacrifice. Imagine how much christ had to give up to come down to us. A nice home, his family, servants, and more wealth than your mind can imagine. Yet he did it because his purpose was greater than his own personal comfort. Contemplate where you want to be and the sacrifice it will require for you to get there. I am not talking about extremist sacrifice such as time with your family, but at times you will spend lesser time with them. Think about what you would be willing to give up and what you are not willing to give up.

As we celebrate christmas this year take time to appreciate the people in your life that have contributed, both good and bad, to helping you be a better person. Thank those people without them you would not be who you are today. Merry Christmas and Happy new year.

Reflections on Life and Money

The more life changes the more things remain the same. so what is the point of change.
i read an article yesterday about the recent infrustructure bond by the governement that had been oversubscribed by a huge percentage regardless of the low publicity and also it came after two major bonds? Arent we supposed to be in a recession? Isn't money tight and the cost of living too high? Or is it that way just for some people and not others?
I know many talented people who work hard and love their jobs. At least they did for a while. Until they lost their freedom to do anything else, make time for their families, and soon enough they were caught up in doing the same things every day and getting nowhere. The trend continues until they lose all sense of reality and self improvement ceases to exist. This is the modern day rat race.
Beware oncce you forget what your mission is it sucks you in like a vortex and it spits you up on the other end old and broke with nowhere to turn. You better live in fear of this everyday. you might be rocking the latest handbag, shoes, cars but forty years from now you will end up jaded in shags.
There is a board game i played once that completely changed the way i think. That was Robert Kiyosaki's cash flow quadrant. It teaches you how to spot opportunities and how to get that freedom by getting out of the rat race. The beauty of this game is that it does not matter what your occupation is, its the financial principles that are timeless.I suggest you try it. If you don't know where to get it let me know. gather about 10 of your friends and for Kshs. 1,000, you can rent this game and learn how to win this battle and get out of the vicious cycle.
It is not impossible to thrive in a recession. The first thing you need to do is to stop buying unneccesary things and set up a savings account. The next thing you need to do is make an investment into your retirement. In kenya for as low as Kshs. 500 you can start saving for retirement and if like me you have 38 years to retire imagine how much money that is if i increased it by Kshs 500 every year and it was invested at 10% PA?
The next thing you need to do is create multiple sources of income. Even if it is just a yoghurt shop get it started and get that extra money coming in. But more importantly persevere and keep at it. It will take a while but you will be free forever.

Slick Marketing: Making strides in the Communications industry

Today I would like to share an inspirational story and I hope that it will inspire you to step out. The story is about Samali Namuddu who also happens to be proprietor and create Director of Slick Marketing Limited.
Samali started her company in her mothers house while we were still in University. I remember one of her very first projects was our year book. she tells me her first VAT payment was Kshs 3,500! Fueled by her passion for design and an entrepreneurial spirit she set up Slick Marketing which has now grown to a full fledged advertising and marketing communications agency and will be celebrating its 5th anniversary very soon. Slick marketing offers practical and relevant solutions to meet the needs of SME's. That is it's niche. Samali's dream is to create a world renown brand from the SME's that come to her everyday. She moved on from creating our year book as well as designing a lot of wedding materials for her classmates to building a business that services growing businesses in the Small and Medium enterprise industry. She creates business cards, brochures, web designs, marketing strategies, brand strategies, all with a personalized touch to bring out the personality of every business.
According to Samali, integrity is one of the key things necessary to build a successful business. This ensures you get repeat and referral customers. Courage is another key ingredient. It does not matter how long you wait to start a business. You will still have to build it from the ground up. Would you rather do that while you are still young or when you have kids to send to college and mortgages to pay? it is up to you to decide.
I must say that watching slick marketing grow has been truly inspiring. Please visit their website to see what customized solutions that Slick has to offer your business.

Developing the Leader within you

In the recent weeks I have been thinking a lot about leadership. What does it mean to be a leader? Is it a skill set, position, something you are born with? How do I know if I am a good leader?
In my quest for knowledge in this area I have come across interesting bits of information that i would like to share. Being a leader is not a position. It is a quality that some people have a natural tendency towards but at the same time anyone who takes interest can develop their leadership abilities. There is a difference between a manager and a leader as we will read shortly.
People also naturally assume that leadership and position go hand in hand. This is also a myth.A person can be put in charge of a project and lack the leadership ability to propel it forward. So what is leadership?
Leaders are people who possess a passion to serve and improve lives. They are not driven by selfish ambition. A leader's mark is the ability to influence people to follow him/her. A leaders adds value to his/her team members and does not take away or influence them negatively. A leader is able to empower others without feeling that s/he is depleting their own resources/capabilities. A leader is a visionary. S/he is able to asses any business situation and provide a road map years into the future. A leader is genuinely interested in people. A leader understands that without people s/he can not exist. One of my favorite leadership mentors John C. Maxwell states that if you want to find out whether you truly posses leadership capabilities; start or work in a volunteer organization. If you can inspire people to follow you and connect to your vision then you are able to practice leadership in any situation or organization.
Do not confuse management and leadership. A manager is someone who can allocate resources and people towards accomplishing tasks effectively. A leader moves beyond that to build a strong organization or business with a vision beyond today and themselves. S/he is able to see opportunities that go along with that and how they will impact the world. S/he is able to attract the right people and retain them. S/he is able to rise above pettiness into greatness.They posses character, influence, vision,intuition, servitude,strength, courage and most importantly they are secure in themselves.
Please visit our facebook page or post comments and share your thoughts on leadership. We will continue to explore this topic. Please seek out mentors and world renown leaders and learn from them. read their books and life stories.

Share and Learn

This month i would like to give an opportunity to all the ladies to share their stories, learning's, and Struggles. Please prepare a small write up that you think aspiring women entrepreneurs can benefit from. The article can be about anything you have to share on a professional and business front. Send in your submissions to janetmwendwa@gmail.com. We will post and share the stories on this blog.

Jobs in Kenya

I wanted to share with you this wonderful blog i came across. it contains recent updated jobs and consultancy opportunities available in Kenya. Make it a part of your daily browsing and am sure we will share the same sentiment. Another site i like is www.careerpointkenya.blogspot.com and www.kenyatenders.blogspot.com.

Uchumi Supermarkets to return to the Stock Exchange

As a way to unlock the suspended trading at the NSE and enable the lifting of receivership, Uchumi is offering its current shareholders an opportunity to loan the supermarket chain loan with 10% annual interest that is also guaranteed by the government. The holder has an option to convert the loan and interest earned into shares at maturity or simply get paid. The minimum investment is Kshs. 3000.
This is definitely worth checking out to see if there is renewed investor confidence to warrant public purchase once the share is allowed to trade on the NSE.

Business Fair on 31st October 2009

Attention all SME's and people out there. This weekend will be the annual Business fair at the Mavuno Dome on Mombasa road. It will be on this saturday and sunday. Please come and get involved. Learn what opportunities to improve your business are, get new leads, and Network. Be there. Tell all your friends.

Business Woman of the MonthRedefining Marketing

This week I was very privileged to meet an inspiring woman i would like to honor as the Business Woman of the the Month. She is the owner of Upbeat Marketing an agency like no other. Nathalie Chinje is no ordinary lady she is driven,vivacious,passionate, and she knows her thing. She is driven by a passion for empowering Africa and especially women to pursue their business goals beyond borders but within Africa.

It was this passion that gave birth to the intra-africa business breakfast an event that has caught the attention of governments and businesses. This event is held in different countries and provides businesses an opportunity to gain insights on the different markets/countries. It also provides the government an opportunity to communicate directly to investors what incentives have been put in place in order to improve the businesses environment. Other than that it a wonderful networking platform for any investor. Be sure to visit the link and learn more about this amazing event.

To Nathalie; Hats off you are an African Woman in Business Icon.

Investing in a Recession: Kengen PIBO

The kengen pibo finally launched yesterday and for those of you looking for a practical investment solution in a volatile economy I think this is a worthwhile one to check out.Investors will earn tax exempt interest income at the rate of 12.5 per cent in the first two years while the principal sum will be redeemed bi-annually for the subsequent eight years in equal installments.Transaction arrangers have reserved 20 per cent of the offer for retail investors, who will be allowed to put in minimum applications of Sh100,000 each. I think this is definately worth checking out go to www.kengen.co.ke.

Kenyan Lady enterprenuer Stand Up!

Today i spent time researching on top ways to cut down costs for your business. The sad reality dawned on me after a few reads that most companies at the end of the day will sacrifice their employees to survive the bad times. If you are a Kenyan Lady that has had to go through a pay cut or retrenchment in this recession my sentiments are with you. Rather than feel defeated and lost i think its time for you to rise up and wise up. Use this as an opportunity to start climbing the mountain towards financial freedom. If you have been through this and would like a chance to explore other opportunities to help you build multiple streams of income drop me an email and i will share with you some powerful resource material that will require a little bit of commitment. Remember in all things to give thanks and to pray.

8 Simple lessons

Today I want to share a couple of things I have become more aware of or learned in the past couple of weeks during my blogging hiatus.

1. Taking Stock
Once in a while it is important to take stock of your life and the things that you do each day. Take a step back and ask yourself why do you get up each morning? Why do you brave the matatu ride and the traffic to go to work? Is what you are doing worth it? Are you growing and learning or are you in the same place you were even a month back. If you are, then it is time to re-strategize. I realize it is easy to get caught up in the mundane processes of the rat race and sometimes we do it just to pay the bills. However, indirectly quoting one of my favorite writers; Robert Kiyosaki; sometimes the experience of learning how a company works while being employed is worth more than what we get in salary. Look at what it is you do everyday what have you learned from your interactions with clients? With your finance director? With your MD?

2. The importance of Mentors
No need to stress the obvious. I know most people wonder where to start looking. Books are always easy. Is there an entrepreneur that has inspired you? Chances are a book has been written about them. Find it and get started. Try and avoid books about entrepreneurship by non entrepreneurs; it is always easier to learn about where you are going from someone who has already been there.

3. Start Now
I know a lot has been said but i need to stress this. Get started working on your idea it does not have to be perfect. Devote your weekends to the pursuit of your big idea. Or even get started on your business on the weekend.

4. Teams and Partnerships
It is important to identify who it is you need to get to where you want to be. Someone once said that whatever venture they take in life, they never leave their friends behind. There is someone in your circle with the same burning desire; passion and skill set you require to propel you. You can not get far in life without the right people. One of my favorite books; the one minute millionaire (www.oneminutemillionaire.com) devotes a chapter to help you identify your team and the varying skill sets required in each team.

5. Networks
The theory of 6 degrees of separation claims that for each person in the world you want to get to; there is an estimated 6 people within your network that can get you to them. For instance; if I had wanted to get in touch with the King of Pop i know a friend of mine on Face book that was once in the same jet with him and if i tried really hard he would probably get me the contact of his people. Try this and think about all the people that you know and how many people they know and you will understand the magnitude of networking. It is estimated that each person in an organization knows at least 600 people. The lesson is nothing is impossible. Once you begin to interact with people worlds of opportunity open up and anything can be done. There are plenty of angel investors out there looking for the chance to grow a good business idea into a great one.

6. Nothing is impossible
A couple of years ago, a small start up set out to build the greatest search engine in the world. This would require them to download the entire internet and then set out to organize and create a system that would rank the pages and produce the most relevant results for the user. Nobody knew how this start up would make money. None of its proprietors had the kind of money it took to finance such a project. 10 years later and we all can not imagine life before Google and the company is the number one in its league. There are endless unique opportunities in the world today and for the first time we have the biggest library to analyze ideas and markets and find the tools necessary for any undertaking. Make friends with the www. It’s amazing how much you can learn from it.

7. Take care of the Legal

For any business idea it is very important to protect yourself. Get a lawyer get advice and protect yourself from the vultures out there who steal other people’s ideas.

8. Never Stop Learning
Read, listen, and learn. Never give up. To keep up in today’s world you need to be aware and ahead. Devote time to reading, go back to school, and take a short course. Whatever it takes but never sit back and be content with the status quo.

Reality Check

It has just been one of those pessimistic what is happening to Kenya days. Just came from a 2 day strategy session where we came across interesting data on Kenyan youth. Apparently over 60% of our population relies on Money transfer as a source of income. The number of self employed Kenyans are less that 10% of the population. The employed kenyans have also dropped to less than 10% of the Total population. The Kenyans getting income from the agricultural sector has also dropped to below 20%.
Basicaly we have no jobs, no water, our youth have no access to jobs, then you and I are the ones supporting about 80% of the Kenyan population. You know the way your relatives are always calling you for a hand out? Take it seriously they just have no options. Kazi kwa vijana is a hoax. Old money rules Kenya an New money (read looters of Public land and coffers) is not going to do anything about it because they are as thick as thieves. It is only you and me that can change the direction Kenya is spiralling towards. Be more passionate and more driven to create employment for another Kenyan because deep down every kenyan needs hope and is willing to work. Start thinking about the marginalised in society and Join Irene Mbari-Kirika and other concietious Kenyan passionate about changing the destiny of many Kenyans. We the population living in Urban Kenya (35% of Kenya) must mobilize and go out into the rest of the Kenya to provide Education and exposure and enterprenurial skills so they can be self sustainable. Even if its setting up training facility or donating expertise, each one of us has to give back and pull up our fellow kenyan.
It shocks me that 15% of Kenyans still go without a meal every day. That is more than 10 million of us going hungry on a daily basis. By the way just right now open your MPESA menu and type in account no 10,000 and donate 300 bob to red cross.
Our leadership is busy fighting over Mau, TJRC, and God knows what else. The youth in Mau have mobilised to plant trees. It is you and I that will change Kenya. Be the change you want to see in Kenya. It starts with you. Please do something about it TODAY.

Our reading Spaces

Sometimes in life you meet people that inspire the socks off you and make you re-think our life. I had the opportunity today to meet a lady that is touching lives in the community around her because she dared to dream. Irene Mbari-Kirika has started a foundation called our reading spaces www.ourReadingSpaces.org when she visited her shags and realized that there was no library for the kids from surrounding schools to go to. They had no access to books or computers. This is in Thika which is 40-50 kilometers from the Capital City of Kenya: Nairobi. This gave birth to our reading spaces whose aim is to set up a library in rural areas starting with kairi village where they will fill it up with books from one of their partners Books for Africa who are situated in the States. When she set out to actually carry out the project Irene found out that the situation was more dire. Thika also is home to Thika School for the Blind but after school where do these men and women go? They are not in our offices employed as we are but yet they need to earn a living. On top of that HIVAIDS was highly prevalent among them and they have no access to ARV's. They have no economically viable business and do not have access to information and education to develop a sustainable economic activity. Irene then set out to find partners who would help make a change in this community and she harbors big dream. The community donated land for the Library so they need an additional piece of land to build a library big enough for the village. Irene has also been able to open the first computer lab in the area but it only has 15 computers. She is investing in IT training for the visually impaired to help them become self sufficient. Then the next thing she wants to do is set up entrepreneurial activities that will make the communities have a sustainable economy since no one is willing to invest in them, they invest in themselves. She has various partners including the rotary club and access Kenya who put up free internet access.
If you are interested in partnering with Our reading spaces please go to there website or find them on face book. But whatever you do you must think of a way of giving back and investing in the fellow Kenyan that is not as exposed as you are. If you thought life was bad with high food prices; water and electricity rationing; remember there is a visually impaired person in Kenya getting 10 shillings in exchange for sex so they can put their kids through school and get a meal; there is a child living a few minutes from your home who has no idea what their future is beyond their village.

AGOA takes over nairobi

So the AGOA conference is here and if you are like me you are wondering how does this affect my life. Apparently out of about 2000 products accepted for export from Africa to the US we only export 6. If that does not spell opportunity don't know what does! Apparently Kenyans are only concentrating on apparel and textiles. If you had the opportunity to listen to KISS this morning when they interviewed a 31 year old entrepreneur who owns a clothing manufacturing business he started at 29 that now has over 600 hundred employees keep you ears and eyes peeled and gather the information on AGOA. There are a lot of young enterprises that have seized the opportunity don't let it pass you by. One of my friends said something very interesting the other day; its not that people living in Nairobi do not harbor the dream of being financially free but because of the uphill task involved they focus on what can get them quick money from collecting bottle tops of all the beverage promotions and discount shopping; they lack the bigger picture. I only hope this isn't true for you.

Online opportunities for extra cash

If you have a laptop you want to make work extra for you, i want to tell that the internet is flowing with opportunities to make cash writing and doing data entry. One of the sites i came across today is www.submitwebads.com which is looking for ad writers and its not as hard as you might think. check it out and let me know what you think.

Exciting product by DHL

Just wanted to let you enterprising people out there know that DHL has a very exciting product called Easy shop. Basically you can get a shipping address in the U.S! How cool. So if you have seen a book you like online among other things that are cheaper there you can now buy them online with your visa credit or debit card and have DHL deliver them right to your doorstep. Check out www.dhl.co.ke for more information and click on the link below the Easy shop banner and you can register for your address online without leaving your office/home! Check out the list of prohibited items and also the costs of delivery before making your purchase. I am personally in love with this product and I'm testing it out, just made my first order.
Let me know what your experience is.

Female enterprenuer of the week

Every week i want to honor an inspiring enterprenuer and this week i want to honor flora mutahi who owns melvins marsh international a company that had humble begginings out of her love for tea and has now ventured into other products such as brown rice.i honor her because she represents the different facets that a woman encompasses and strives for. She is a wife, a mother, and a very succesful enterprenuer and one of the only women in the manufacturing industry in kenya. Catch a glimpse of the rest of her story in the july issue of african woman magazine kenyan issue.

Turning Bins into Pools

Now am always on the look out for interesting ideas. check out this link for an interesting opportunity. Imagine if you set this up in Kibera and charge 20 bob per person per weekend or something like that.

http://www.business-opportunities.biz/2009/07/23/entrepreneur-turns-trash-bins-into-pools/

Fibre optic goes live

This is in commemoration of the day when the fibre optic went Live but like someone told me do not expect miracles at least in the first month as the several ISP's sort out configuration issues but to all enterprenuers please take note and advantage of the vast opportunities available online! Make hay while the sun shines and indeed its shining now

Register A company in 4 days!

If you are still harboring dreams of financial independence and entrepreneurship but are yet to take that first step, registering your own company, then get a move on. These guys promise to have you on the road to your dream in just 4 days for only 19,500 OR YOUR MONEY BACK. Now thats a good deal by all means. Visit www.formakenyancompany.com go on, take the first step and sign in!

Book Review: Jimah Mbaru's Transforming Africa

If like me you did not know that jimnah Mbaru had a book out and a website www.jimnahmbaru.com check out this review from his website and if you like it go out and get the book and promote Inspirational African Writers.

Transforming Africa

This volume comprises speeches, lectures, papers, letters and press releases that address pertinent issues in the realm of socio-political economy while laying particular emphasis on policy reforms for sustainable growth and development in Africa as it enters the 3rd millennium.

These issues range from the origin, significance and repercussions of globalization of national economies and revolutions in information and telecommunication technology, to capital and money markets, regional and continental integration, socio-political and economic reforms, and women's emancipation.

These are issues that will be of great interest to academics, scholars, policy makers, political players and economic planners and all those concerned with development in Africa.

Jimnah Mbaru is an internationally renowned investment banker who has made a remarkable contribution to the development of capital markets in Africa. He has been associated with the development of financial institutions including the Nairobi Stock Exchange (NSE), which he served as chairman for 10 years and Africa Stock Exchanges Association, which he launched as a founder chairman in 1993. Currently, he is chairman and director of several companies, including Dyer & Blair Limited, a leading stock broking firm.

Totally awesome inventions

Source.www.biz-opportunities.biz

Cyber Clean – Keyboard Cleaning Slime

iSnow – Make Your Own Snow

Sprinkler Hide-A-Key

Brush and Rinse Toothbrush

Photos by Firebox/geekalerts/thinkgeek/littledivatoys.

Tips to retain your Customer

Source: www.business-opportunities.biz

Make Customer Retention Priority No. 1

Rhonda Abrams At USA TODAY:

In this economy, when small-business owners ask me what to do to survive, I always advise, “Whatever you do, make sure you do whatever you can to keep your current customers.”

Whether you call it customer retention, account management, relationship management, or just staying in touch, developing a strategy so that you don’t lose the customers or clients you have is vital to the success of any business — especially now.

1. Contact your top customers or clients regularly. Make a list of your top customers, at least 10-25. Call them each at least quarterly. Take the best ones to lunch or dinner — even if that means you have to hop a plane.

2. Keep your name in front of all your customers. Advertise regularly. Network regularly. Send e-mail newsletters regularly. The key is doing this regularly.

3. Give your current customers good deals. We’re all used to come-on deals to attract new customers, but we then fail to offer similar discounts to current customers. Remember, your competitors are targeting your customers with deals.

4. Surprise them! Do something special and unexpected for some of your best customers. Send them a small gift. Add something extra to their order.

5. Keep track. Get a database, contact manager, digital address book. I’m always surprised by the number of businesses — especially small businesses — that do not have a good database of their past customers. Find a way to keep track of all your clients — past and present — so that you can easily and quickly contact them.

6. Communicate, communicate, communicate. All of us, myself included, take our customers for granted. As a result, we get so focused on doing our work, that we don’t take enough time out to meet with, talk to, and more importantly, listen to, our customers. Stay in touch. Ask them what they need and want. Be part of their lives and businesses.

10 important websites for your business

10 Must-Click Websites

Surfing the web for top-notch research and advice to help your business grow? Save some time with these information-rich websites.

• BizStats.com
  Free statistics and financial ratios for businesses by industry; find out what the average firm in your industry spends and earns.
  
• Business.gov
  The central source for federal, state and local government information for businesses; learn about employment laws, where to apply for government grants and loans, and more.
  
• BusinessFinance.com
  This lender-matching service offers a range of useful information on various ways to finance a business.
  
• Entrepreneurship.org
  The Kauffman Foundation runs this site, which features hundreds of how-to articles for entrepreneurs, and data for policymakers.
  
• Nielsen
  Snapshots of consumer trends in different markets, from groceries to movies, by one of the oldest and biggest market-research firms
  
• Ladies Who Launch
  Blogs, success stories, how-tos and more, all targeting women entrepreneurs
  
• Access eCommerce Guide
  Even internet-illiterate entrepreneurs can learn almost everything they need to start an e-commerce business here.
  
• Small Business Advancement National Center
  The nation's entrepreneurship researchers contribute to this trove of scholarly articles on small-business issues.
  
• Small Business School
  View online videos and read transcripts of presentations on financing, hiring, exits and more.

Read more:http://www.entrepreneur.com/magazine/entrepreneur/2009/april/200694.html#ixzz0LzsuN5R8

Business Plan Writing

Check out this website if you need to be hooked up with a business plan, Research proposals, and funding proposals. www.bizresource.co.ke

And a quote that i ran into today: If you do not have capital to start your business; Get a job.

A lot of people out there want to live the dream but they dont walk the talk. There are lost of opportunities that wont require lots of money but they do not follow through. Will soon be posting some ideas so follow our blog on google connect to get updates and invite your friends.

Free Business Document templates

Fret no more if you ever need to deliver or send a document over to a client in a hurry and do not already have existing templates then www.freebusinessformsandtemplates.com to the rescue. This nifty website has tonnes of free templates guaranteed to sort you out. check it out; give us your feedback.

In Execution | 0 Comments

Important Steps To Take Before Starting A Business

June 7, 2009 by Jaclyn Wells | 4 Comments

photo credit: Lincolnian (Brian)

In the world today with all of our new technology rising every day and so many different opportunities, one could start just about any business you could think of. However, There are a few vital steps to take before starting any sort of business today as suggested on Entrepreneur.com.

Show the money. Obviously you cant start a new business without the proper capital, so be sure that you examine what you have to work with and where you will need to borrow before starting. Go out and get yourself a good attorney. This doesnt mean they have to be at your beck and call, but it’s good to have an attorney on staff that is experienced in new business to help you get started.

Decide on what you are going to call your business. This probably sounds like a very easy task, but it’s really not. Make sure the name you choose you will like for the duration of your company.

Get all necessary licenses and permits: Along with a business license, you may need to get additional licenses depending on the type of business and local laws. Many professionals, such as contractors and real estate agents, need to be licensed in the states in which they work.

Mom invents Organic diapers

Green Top to Bottom

Bored while her baby slept, this mother created organic, cloth diapers.

Margarita McClure found that when her first baby was born, she had a lot of extra time on her hands. "For those first few months, the baby doesn't do much," she recalls.

So she filled the hours with a project that eventually became a business earning 2008 sales of more than $1.4 million. In 2005, while her baby slept, she created Swaddlebees.

---

McClure, 34, began designing and manufacturing organic cloth diapers because she couldn't fathom all the waste created by disposable diapers. "We don't generate much waste from my house, and the thought that I'd need an extra bag or two or three for diapers seemed wasteful," she explains. Plus, "They're hypo-allergenic, and a lot of parents feel better knowing they're putting natural fibers next to their babies' most sensitive areas."

The mompreneur made her first sales on eBay. "I made a dozen orders, put them on the site and sold the first one for $26. At that point, it was an unknown brand. It got me thinking that this had potential," she remembers. Soon after, she found a fabric supplier and developed a website.

Today, Swaddlebees, along with McClure's second diaper company, Blueberry Diapers, sell at nearly 100 boutiques and online stores, many of which are run by other mothers. "Last year, we had almost 200 retailers, but I found that many of them weren't serious about their businesses," she says. "So we set standards that our retailers need to hit certain volumes to work with us." By cutting the number of stores she works with, she has doubled her own volume because she's been able to concentrate on her better-performing customers.

McClure, a former restaurateur, attributes much of her early success to luck. "When I first started out, I didn't advertise. Our customers are always on the lookout for new brands, and somehow they found me."

And while she never had plans to start her own diaper company, now she can't imagine doing anything else. "I'm proud of myself," she says. "We're all having fun here."

Read more: http://www.entrepreneur.com/magazine/entrepreneur/2008/december/198512.html#ixzz0LzIZYXK9

Personal Branding

I was researching yesterday on Personal branding and some of the controversies that are around the said subject. But as i was doing so its was amazing to find interesting things that celebrities have had their names attached to; from perfume, clothes, shoes, food, drinks etc the list is endless. However i got to thinking are there any real personal brands in Kenya?

The ones I could think of are Susan Kamau who has no doubt built a successful empire as our very own Kenyan Martha Stewart. She has a magazine, a book, a tv show, cooking classes, motivational talks that i know of anyway. Check out her website www.kenyankitchen.co.ke.

The other female personal brand i could think of is the incredible Sylvia Owori. I must say as soon as her shop opened and her magazine launched i could not wait to get my hands on some of the shoes in African Woman magazine its just amazing. She is one of the most recognizable fashion designers, enterpreneurs, and is the owner of African Woman.

Can you name any other female personal brands drop an email at janetmwendwa@gmail.com and we will post all the names on the blog

10 year old enterpreneur

I am a fan of the internet and if you are patient enough you can find the most interesting reads. The post below is from www.business-opportunities.biz be sure to subscribe to it its surely one of the most insightful things i have come across. Enjoy!

10-Year-Old Entrepreneur Takes Her Vision On The Road

June 16, 2009 by Rich Whittle | 4 Comments

Detroit Free Press:

Amiya Alexander bounds in front of a parked school bus at Bloomfield Hills Montessori Center, her smile so wide it shows off the red and black bands around her braces.

Those braces, her brown Baby Phat high tops and the poof of pink feathers affixed to her hair speak to the accoutrements of any 10-year-old girl.

Except Amiya owns another accessory: the school bus.

At age 10, Amiya Alexander is an entrepreneur — owner, founder and creator of Amiya’s Mobile Dance Academy, which travels around metro Detroit teaching kids hip-hop, ballet, tap, merengue and more.

Painted a searing shade of hot pink, Amiya’s bus has all but four seats ripped out, a dance floor installed and ballet barres and mirrors affixed to the walls. On the ceiling, glitter glimmers.

Since January, it has rolled around metro Detroit, driven by her great-uncle, Sundiata Abdul-Mateen, who was lured out of retirement to help.

Aside from Bloomfield Hills Montessori, Amiya also teaches classes at the Northwest Activities Center in Detroit and has instructed toddlers in ballet and salsa at Island Kiddie Kampus Child Development Center in Grosse Ile.

Photo by Detroit Free Press.

Karibu

Welcome to Kenyan Lady enterprenuer debut on the www. Its going to be a fun site for women of all walks of life to share and interact and most of all learn from each other. It is important in these hard economic times in Kenya with no water and power-cuts to keep abreast of global trends and information that will improve our lives so welcome and enjoy the ride. Feel free to submit articles at janetmwendwa@gmail.com and we will be sure to post them.