Let me share a story that sums up why I made a big career switch.
We had a customer’s car to fix lights, a typical job that should take 6-8 hours. She was cool with it and sent her boyfriend to wait for the car. But by 8 pm, the car wasn’t ready, and he insisted on taking it. We did a quick fix and asked him to bring it back the next morning.
To our surprise, we got a letter the next day – turns out the car owner is a lawyer. She starts with a bold announcement of her legal prominence in Nairobi and hits us with terms like ‘negligence’ and ‘causation.’ Long story short, she demands we pay for her Uber, or she won’t return the car and will sue us.
That’s just a slice of my daily life in the automotive business, dealing with car owners and their dreams on wheels. If you own a car, you get the emotional attachment. Now, imagine me messing up your lights and ability to drive safely at night.
But here’s the twist – I enjoy what I do. I love creating and starting new businesses, seeing them grow until others start copying. My mind is always on the move, finding solutions, researching, learning new techniques – you name it.
In my past life, I was an advocate and a company secretary. I worked in top companies, from the biggest law firm in Africa to the best in Company Secretarial and Corporate Governance Firm, and then to a major microfinance investment company in Africa. The training was top-notch, especially in the Corporate Governance Firm, where my mentor shaped me with discipline, resilience, honesty, and hard work.
Despite the tedious task of writing minutes, I got to contribute to big business deals and impactful ideas. I loved the commercial side of my work – corporate governance was a calling.
Most of my days were spent in boardrooms, writing minutes or conducting governance audits, working non-stop. I didn’t realize how much it was taking from me until I slowly started rebelling, unconsciously. My true calling, entrepreneurship, was beckoning.
Things intensified when I joined the microfinance investment company. Great minds surrounded me, and the founders were like business superheroes. My desire to run my own business deepened, especially seeing the founders touch thousands of lives. By then, my own business could support my life.
Consultations and prayers followed because I loved the law, but the entrepreneurial calling got louder. Many couldn’t understand my move; some were confused. I was also in the confused bracket.
And so, the journey of an entrepreneur began – living on the front line with no safety net if things go south. But there’s nothing as fulfilling as creating something from nothing. I’ve grown professionally and personally, gaining experience in marketing, accounting, software project management, HR (my least favorite), and even mechanics. It’s not a breeze, it comes with challenges, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
That being said, I still hated writing minutes, and I’ll tell you why… I will also speak about the mistakes I have done as a small business owner both from a legal perspective and a governance perspective.