1 Nov 2016

Voice of Truth II: Run Your Race!

In my previous article, I talked of the two voices: one urging me to write and another urging me to wait. Seeing as you're reading this, it means that the voice urging me to write must have won. :)

What allows someone starting out on a journey to have the courage to write about it?

First, it is the understanding that we are all on the journey - on the journey of life. More importantly in this case, it is the understanding that we are at different stages within the journey. There are some ahead and others behind. Those ahead are not better or more important, they are just ahead.

This may be best illustrated by the powerful words of Max Erhmann in Desiderata


If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enough said.

Second is the understanding that we do not draw our worth from material possessions or achievements such as business or career success. In the words of the United State's Declaration of Independence:


We hold these truths to be self evident, 
that all men are created equal 
and are endowed by their Creator 
with certain unalienable rights...

This implies that our intrinsic worth as human beings is not dependent on our achievements but is inherent upon birth. Though business or career success may bring a sense of accomplishment and with it money (which of course affords us many privileges we would miss in it's absence), we should always be conscious of the fact that there is more to life; and our sense of worth should be intact in spite of our achievements and acquisitions.

In the comedy film Head of State, Mays Gilliam finds himself thrust into the race for the White House. Assuming the election was already lost to the sitting Vice President, Mays Gilliam's party picked him as a likable but unwinnable party for the sole reason of improving their chances in the next presidential election. He wasn't chosen to win. However, against all odds, Gilliam begins to rise in the polls and as with most election campaigns, the opponents start mudslinging. Gilliam is tempted to reiterate but receives this very sound advice that I think should define the attitude of every entrepreneur:


"Have you ever been to a horse race?... The horses wear blinders. They don't even see each other. They just run their race. So don't worry about [them]. JUST RUN YOUR RACE!




Without a doubt, comparison breeds competition. Competition has been touted to have it's advantages in the world of business. It may therefore come across as a little hard or confusing to claim that one not need be competitive to succeed. But this is my persuasion - that I don't need to compare myself with others - I just need to work at excelling at what I do. As a business, we don't need to be overly concerned about competition - we just need to clearly define our promise and be true in keeping it. The pressure to grow as a person or business should not come from the outside, straining to be like others. It should come from within, seeking to be the best me there can be. I just need to run my race.

10 Oct 2016

Voice of Truth I: To Write or Not?

It took me quite some time to decide on starting this blog. Who am I to write on entrepreneurship? The dissenting voice told me to wait until my business has grown into a multi billion empire, then I could have what it takes to write about business.

"You should wait until that time when you have a multi billion business. Or you could wait until your brand is a household name in Africa; or until that time when you have become a global brand."

But there was another voice. Maybe the voice of truth. This voice said that success is not a destination;it is the journey I'm on. It reminded me of this powerful prose by Marianne Wilson:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves,

'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?'

Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you... We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us... and as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.


Frank Gaertner/shutterstock.com










With that, I was encouraged to start writing. To share my entrepreneurial journey as I walk it, and not wait until a certain perceived destination before I start sharing. It is my hope that as my light starts to shine, it will inspire many others to let theirs shine as well. For the One who lights a candle does not put it under a bushel, but on the candlestick, that it might give light to all! 

13 Sept 2016

Business Idea

More than once, I have come across aspiring entrepreneurs who pose this question:

"Jeremy, help me with business ideas. What business idea can I invest in with say, 500k to a million shillings."


image from under30ceo.com










Well, my answer has been the same: 

"It doesn't start with the money. It starts with an idea. Money follows ideas. Not the other way round." 

I know this because when I started what is today our business consulting firm, I started with nothing. Absolutely no money. Hence today, I wouldn't quite find myself in a quagmire wondering what to do with any amount of money. I would expand or diversify as may be appropriate.

The other reason why I believe it's more accurate to start with an idea other than with money is this: you will almost certainly lose money! Every entrepreneur I have come across recounts a venture in which they lost money. I'm yet to come across an entrepreneur who didn't lose money along the way. This is just part of being entrepreneurial - it comes with bearing a certain amount of risk. In fact, entrepreneurship may be all about finding a good balance between risk and return. The interactions I've had with various businessmen would tend to prove what Robert Burns said to the Mouse - the best laid schemes of mice and men, go often askew.

If all I had was money, I would want to lay the best plan not to lose it. This would greatly reduce my risk appetite and consequently reduce my potential for realizing worthwhile returns.... and yet, with such limitation, the best laid plans could still go awry. If however, I start with an idea, it could succeed or not, but if it should fail, there are more where that one came from.

This then is my two cents on it: it doesn't start with the money. It starts with an idea. Money follows ideas.