BY ANTONY MUTUNGA
What has always come first for most Kenyans after completion of one’s first-degree course is hitting the job-searching route. This trend, with the emerging technologies that have indeed actualized the world as a global village, is however becoming decadent with young, innovative professionals setting up their income generating outfits once they step out of the comfort of the classroom.
It is what Kevin Mwengei, a Bachelor of Commerce, Accounting, graduate from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) did on completion of his course in 2014. The 24-year old saw the gap that existed between the thousands of Kenyans that seek to start enterprises on a daily basis and the fulfillment of the requirements needed to set up those businesses and decided to fix the jig saw by offering consultancy services.
It was not easy. First, it needed a capital of about Sh100, 000 to start up the incorporation, which was not available. For close to a year, he was confined to consulting for close friends and acquaintances for tokens. It was not easy, especially with stiff competition given the many consulting agencies flooding the market. It took Kevin almost a year to save enough to start up a formal enterprise.
Come 2015, Kevin set up Altic Investment and Consultancy Limited, creating a conducive environment to put to work proper the knowledge he had acquired from his commerce and accounting course. “I started the company as a platform through which from our diverse range of business solutions local and global entrepreneurs or investors can get services to package their brilliant ideas, and efficiently venture in their respective fields,” he says.
Altic Investment and Consultancy Ltd not only handles business in consulting on startups, but also handles accounting, tax and booking services including stock and inventory audit, which Kevin specifies as his specialty and what comes naturally to him.
“When it comes to accounting, this is something I enjoy doing and I believe when work is something you enjoy then at the end of the day you will have done an excellent job that will eventually encourage the client to come back,” he says, adding that the business offers services in web design and corporate branding as well.
Swimming in the same pool with big sharks like Cytonn Investment is not a piece of cake and Kevin acknowledges the challenge of competition in a field dotted with big, established companies.
“It is not without its own major challenges, as it requires a lot of patience. Clients are not easy to come by and trust is important to be able to ensure the customer’s their financial data and information is in good hands. We try our best to create trust through walking the talk and delivering on set goals,” he says.
The business, Kevin says, is reliant on good relations between itself and the client. The more reliable you are, the more clients you are able to get. Customer satisfaction is another important factor to ensure so as to create a better relationship, which gives one an edge over their competitors.
Business, the JKUAT alumnus says, is never easy. The same goes for the consultancy sector. One has to ensure they are ready in terms of patience and good communication because “commitment, communication and trust are the keys to be successful in this business.”
