iGrand Business Radio

Webinar Review: Connecting Kenyan Businesses To The African Market Hosted by Ajira Digital on 25th February 2022

According to statistics, 93% of all online interactions start on such engines. 81% of customers research things online before they buy them. 84% of today's customers think a website makes one's business more credible than companies that only have social media profiles. These statistics reveal what was the main theme of this webinar as Hasnain Noorani the Founder and Managing Director of Pride Group, taught how Kenyan business owners could expand to the African market. Tapping into the African market calls for growth in businesses. The secret to this growth lies in understanding the buyer problem; where purchasers are too busy to get to shops and hence end up relying on the same sellers due to lack of knowledge. CV is the solution to the buyer problem, the acronym stands for Communication and Visibility. These two, according to Hasnain, are key ingredients for growing any business. Communication calls for meeting as many people as possible and having one's business card(s) during those conversations - networking. Visibility involves rigorous activities in social media pages - branding. A dynamic and very active website is also key to visibility. Bill Gates says "If your business is not on the internet, then your business will be out of business." The pandemic provided a wake-up call to digitizing business i.e. digital methods of delivering products and services. Digitization reduces cost, automates business processes and reduces the reliance on manpower. Having an impact requires an online presence. No business in this era can successfully achieve optimum success without online sales. After all, how else will other business people in the African market get to know what one does? The challenge when it comes to visibility is that business owners have websites that are static and not updated, others lack the technical knowledge to operate the website, others find it time-consuming and expensive to maintain others are simply not connected to updated technology. Differentiating between online existence and online presence is key. Online presence is what all business owners should aim at as it is the silent salesperson that deeply explains what one does. A good online presence is what attracts a valuable audience, not followers. Performing Search Engine Optimizations (SEOs) too is helpful. Although there are limited platforms for the African market to showcase various businesses online, Amazon, Alibaba Group and Airduka.com are examples of platforms that have utilized the e-commerce business revolution. Esther W. Njaramba The writer is a passionate Counselling Psychologist who works with individuals and groups to see to it that they lead satisfying and happy lives.|njarambaesther3@gmail.com

Business Biography: More Than A Professor, Bitange Ndemo

Many might know of his works, but little about the person. We know of a certain permanent secretary in late President Mwai Kibaki’s government whose brain and work placed Kenya on the global map as a FinTech giant. While in government, he initiated the development of undersea cables into East Africa and later began the Kenya Open Data initiative. The man is a professor of entrepreneurship and associate professor at the school of business, University of Nairobi. He is Professor Bitange Ndemo. In the Bible, great kings like David were supported by valiant men who were brave at war and courageous on the battlefield. In Prof. Ndemo, President Kibaki found a man of valour who helped greatly in creating an Empire in Kenya that many nations admire. Prof. Bitange Ndemo, unlike King David’s men of valour, didn’t support the president through spear or javelin. He instead applied his high intellectual gifting, rich professional network and understanding of evolutionary trends in business and ICT to run his portfolio as a permanent secretary. Professor Ndemo is a corporate titan aside from his accomplishments in academia. He sits on the board of Safaricom PLC and in many other boards as an advisor. Some of the organizations that bank on Prof. Bitange Ndemo’s wealth of knowledge and expertise in business and ICT include UNCDF’s better than Cash Alliance, OECPD panel of experts on Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain, World Economic Forum Blockchain Council, UNESCO NEXTEXPLO Forum, Global Learning Council, Research ICT Africa and UN Global Pulse. Prof. Ndemo needs no introduction in many other companies, forums, councils and research classes as he is widely quoted, used as a point of reference or sought to advise without exactly being admitted to those boards. The great professor is a widely published author and speaker on many forums across the world. He is a PhD holder in Industrial Economics from Sheffield University in the United Kingdom and holds a series of degrees in business administration, accounting and finance. Prof Bitange Ndemo is also a columnist on Business Daily and The Nation Newspapers. His footprint in global conferences, digital conferencing platforms, TEDx Talks, Engage Talks and University Lectures have created a huge impact on governments and the private sector. Prof. Ndemo has inspired change and transformation in Urban Planning, Financial Access through FinTech and the captainship of large corporations. The man has widely influenced policy making through his disruptive thinking, research and contributions in tocorporate sector dialogues. Rick Okinda | okinda.p@igrandbp.com The writer is a Certified Accountant working with small business owners to deliver business plans that serve their management and financial needs.

Opinion Column: Economic Ramifications Caused By Political Campaigns.

Kenya is a country that has been hard hit by a history of post-election violence most notably in 1992, 1997, and post-2007. This trend has caused a lot of investors to shun investing in the country during the electioneering seasons. The message of peace is being spread all over but one question still stands, what next after August 9th? A study conducted on the country’s economic data shows a trend in hyperinflation during elections. During such times, economic growth dwindles affecting the livelihoods of millions. Evidence of this observation is the inflation rates in the following pre-election times; 2012 inflation was at 9.38%, 2016 at 6.32%, 2021 at 6.11%, and currently the inflation rate is at 7.21%. The heated political season is typically accompanied by a rapid slowdown in economic activities. Sectors that have traditionally suffered the most damage are those that heavily rely on government patronage. Agriculture, infrastructure, and the manufacturing industry are top in this list. On the other hand, the sectors that benefit the most are the sectors that are not highly dependent on political goodwill such as the service sector with an exception of banking. Kenya’s current high voltage politics has disrupted commercial activities leading to a reduction in revenues for many businesses. Additionally, with politicians pushing for water-tight regulations and higher taxes, it becomes harder for companies to operate legally and effectively. In some cases, this can lead to widespread corruption and dishonesty within business circles and criminal activity such as money laundering. Political campaigns in Kenya are run on heavy financial budgets leading to the circulation of money from politicians to fund political activities. For instance, in the financial year 2014-2015, The National Alliance (TNA) Party received USD$866,679, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party USD$848,239, and the United Republican Party (URP) USD$273,688 based on their numbers in parliament. The presidential candidates can use up to 5 billion Kenyan shillings in political campaigns and in addition, they are not restricted from holding fundraisers to get more cash for the campaigns. This usually comes in at a time when there is an increased level of inflation and in my opinion, some of this money could be re-invested in creating job opportunities for the youth and unemployed. Nonetheless, one way to mitigate the effects of a heated political season is to diversify investments into sectors that are less polarized by politics. Bungei Obadiah | obadiahbungei69@gmail.com The writer is a student of Karatina University pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree, an enthusiastic graphic designer, and a photographer. Intrigued by community education on health and wellness, gradual social transformation to improve the quality of life.

Industry Review: Giving Visibility To Cooperatives | Shaping The Cooperative Sector’s Image

Over the last five years, many sectors in Kenya have been adapting to a recent shift that has seen many large, medium and small entities change how they do business. Policy changes have made more youth interested in being entrepreneurs and business owners and this has caused a rapid rise in the number of youth-led businesses. It is this growing market that is ripe for the picking as far as Cooperatives are concerned. This tech-savvy crop of entrepreneurs and business owners are looking for solutions that are readily available within the Cooperatives movement. They are open to saving and securing financing through Saccos and are also more than willing to join collaborative spaces and unions that address their collective issues. Yet, very few of thesenew target markets are part of the Cooperatives movement. Instead, they opt to look for financial services in banks and collective representation in business hubs. Why is this? Well, the reason is simple! This demographic is attracted by who is most visible and the attention they give to utilizing art, style, and creativity in their brands. This is what most banks and serious corporations have been utilizing recently to get these customers. Almost every major bank and corporate entity has rebranded in the last five years and some have gone the extra mile to set up youthful entities for their businesses that deviate from the primary serious corporate feel to a more appealing trendy side. So, what can Cooperatives do to become more visible and attractive to the youthful target audiences that we are seeing today? They have to master the art of Trendiness. Youthful trends are colourful, suave, vibrant and energetic. They are unapologetically fashionable and free, creating an aura of complexity and fun. Any Cooperative that speaks this language is bound to attract its fair share of this new market. The entire Cooperatives sector has to revamp its image. Any entity in this sector has to change its brand image and outlook to one that is trusted by a younger demographic. To do this, Cooperatives have to lose those old boring branding elements and embrace a vibrant and youthful look that tells young people, “We see you and we hear you!” Therefore, Cooperatives have to ensure they are visible and attractive brands first since their branding is the first point of contact they have with customers. Jackson Macharia | jackson@digicreative.co.ke [jackson@digicreative.co.ke] The writer is a brand strategist and digital content creator who helps individuals and businesses thrive in today's modern markets by enhancing their branding and marketing. Writing for Co-optkam Company Limited

Health Column: Mental Health; A glimpse at eating disorders

An eating disorder (ED) is a mental disorder defined by abnormal eating behaviours that negatively affect a person's physical or mental health. There are three main types that include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating. Other EDs include pica, rumination, avoidant/restrictive food intake disorders, and night eating syndrome. Having an ED and being on a diet is not the same thing, but frequent dieting can be a curtain-raiser in developing an eating disorder. EDs are often associated with preoccupations with food, weight or shape, eating anxiety or consequences of eating certain foods. Behaviours associated with eating disorders include restrictive eating, avoidance of certain foods, binge eating, purging by vomiting or laxative misuse or compulsive exercise. These behaviours are often driven in ways that resemble an addiction. Common risk factors include gastrointestinal disorders, a history of sexual abuse, and being a dancer or gymnast. EDs are highly prevalent globally. They affect several million people at any given time, most often women between the ages of 12 and 35. Anorexia and bulimia occur nearly ten times more often in females than males. Research published in May 2019 on PubMed showed an increase in prevalence rates of eating disorders escalating from 3.5 % between 200-2006 to 7.8% for the 2018-2018 period. Many factors can influence the development of an eating disorder. These factors can be biological, psychological, and social. Individuals who are struggling with their identity and self-image can be at risk, as can those who have experienced trauma. EDs and mental illness are stigmatized hence some people with EDs are secretive or ashamed and often conceal them. Assessing for an ED is simple. If the way you eat and think about food interferes with your life and keeps you from enjoying life and moving forward, you may be experiencing disordered eating. EDs impose severe health complications such as anxiety, depression, acid reflux, low blood pressure, organ failure, amenorrhea and infertility, and stroke on. Individual.Both anorexia and bulimia increase the risk of death. Recovery from an ED is guaranteed when professional help is sought. Seeking help soonest is paramount, as prolonged suffering may delay recovery from treatment. EDs are mostly diagnosed by a physician and help sought from a therapist for counselling, a registered dietitian on healthy eating strategies and healthy weight management, and sometimes taking medications (e.g., antidepressants). Recovery from EDs may take time (about 5 years), and therefore requires patience and consistency.