Author: Victor Adar

BY VICTOR ADAR As lack of jobs continue to be a major concern in most countries, James Watare, a HR consultant, project manager and career coach, says having a professional CV is one thing but how to use it to search for jobs is another thing all together. The bulk of job seekers, he says, write unprofessional resumes with the thought that this will attract employers. In the long run they end up not getting feedback, which is seemingly the highest standard of rejection. Mr Watare was attached to the advisory department at Ernst & Young (EY) where he managed…

Agriculture seems to be the word on Fergus Robley’s lips. The general manager of Farm Machinery Distributors (FMD), the oldest Massey Ferguson distributor in Africa, says that their success is hinged on right partnerships with customers that can be traced back to 1958 when Massey Ferguson started manufacturing tractors. The company has evolved over the years, but has remained true to Kenyan farmers by offering mechanised agricultural solutions through the sale and aftermarket support of implements and tractors. He spoke to Victor Adar on challenges and opportunities in the agriculture sector.  Some dealers have a niche. Would you say that…

BY VICTOR ADAR You know times are tough when a huge number of workers have been laid off and others sent on unpaid leave. The situation has been made worse by the current maddening coronavirus pandemic. Recovering from the economic crisis might be a tall order, particularly to job seekers. One certainty though, life must go on. With advancement in technology and digitization, there is a growing need for not only companies but also employees to re-invent themselves to remain relevant. In scenarios where a huge number of workers have been laid off and others are on unpaid leave, it…

BY VICTOR ADAR Bearing in mind that raising children might be a nightmare to some parents, it is important to engage services of experts. It is more telling when there are individuals who believe in traditional healers, and others who bet on the Bible. Of course it all depends on problems that one is seeking to solve. Stories of mums who take their children to herbalists because of stomach infections, flu or fever are many and diverse and with the current socio-economic uncertainties, the conventional hospital may not be first on the list of a parent whose child or children…

BY VICTOR ADAR It is easy to raise a small percentage, say 25%, of the value of an asset and pay the rest on monthly instalments. It sounds good especially to first time buyers. But what happens when things fall apart and the centre cannot hold? How do you ensure that your asset is not repossessed and put on auction? The strategy used by lenders has always been reactive. Banks, SACCOs and micro-finance institutions generally engage services of third parties in a bid to recover a range of loans. Borrowers have borne the brunt of financial institutions after defaulting on…

BY VICTOR ADAR Rosemarie Anyango Omondi has been creating jewelry using bones, beads and brass since 2015. Her passion has grown so much that today she designs and creates pure leather handbags as well as bespoke accessories. And the forces of the market tends to work in her favour, more so given that her collections comprise of accessories which are hand crafted and sourced in Kenya. Over the last five years Ms Omondi has grown Zanta Adeyde from simple startup to become one of the familiar Kenyan brands in accessories. Indeed, when you give alternative advantage to customers while offering…

By VICTOR ADAR Kenya’s gaming tech start-up, Usiku Games has launched a made-in-Africa video conferencing system that will enable users enjoy calls with unlimited attendees, at more affordable prices. Dubbed Gumzo, a Swahili word that means chatting, the service is free for users to attend meetings, and only costs Sh100 per week for those who want to host their own meetings. Users are able to pay via Mpesa. The web-based Gumzo system is also one of the most secure platforms with all calls encrypted ensuring that users’ calls are private and protected. To avoid the problem of “Zoom Bombing”, which…

BY VICTOR ADAR Imagine your relationship hits the rocks. The father of your child allegedly makes it clear that he would no longer support your baby. It reaches a point where you might be back to factory setting and even feel that your aspirations are crushed. Because you are not financially well-heeled, it is, therefore, critical to go back to your parents place and start all over again. One day, Irene Oduor was on this lonely path. Safety net, though, was her dad who catered for her first three months rent, looked for a vacant house and asked her to…

BY VICTOR ADAR Many are generally hopeful that what they venture in will bear fruits. As always the case, you only hear of the pitfalls when things turn horribly wrong. But in the midst of those challenges, Alex Owiti would be one novel Kenyan to learn some tactics from. Quite focused, he seems to lead the pack in public relations and communications space. Mr Owiti’s career started after a few years in the mainstream media as a journalist. One day he took a bold step from the defunct Kenya Times and joined Gina Din Corporate Communications, a local PR agency…

Invest in Africa, IIA, is a Pan-African, private sector-led initiative working to empower Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the continent to create jobs. Since 2016, the platform has grown in leaps and bounds with over 2,400 SMEs and 245 women in business registered; supporting over 47,000 jobs; with more than Sh300M contracts won by SMEs through the platform. The organization’s country director spoke to NBM’s Victor Adar on achievements, opportunities, and what goes into business partnerships. Is there room for growth of SMEs? We believe that SMEs are the catalyst for the social and economic development of Africa and…