Mathew Kenyi

Building capital is easier if you avoid conspicuous consumption...
____And start just where you are, with what is in your hand(s)!

Back in the 1970s, a West African student said to me: "If the truth be told, the first Africans to study in Britain from West African countries like Nigeria and Ghana, were sons and daughters of 'market mamas'."

These are women who spent all day in markets selling goods they bought from outside the country or grew in the fields. They did not know anything about so called “investors” or formal “bank loans.” And they had no “government support,” that is for sure!

What they had in common was their capacity at thrift, discipline, and frugality.

They their way to wealth in the best way they could at the time: saving every penny and making it work for them over time. This meant either putting it back into buying more goods to sell to expand their market reach [what we now call ] or investing it in the education of their kids, many of whom ended up at prestigious universities like Oxford and Cambridge. [In the Afterthoughts I'll share one article about how "Compound Interest" works nowadays].

Such a pity that in most instances, their educated kids then saw entrepreneurship as being completely beneath them and chose the comfort of jobs in the civil service and the corporate world. Just imagine what would have happened if many of them had built on the resilience and entrepreneurial spirit of their mothers, using their education?

Would we not have built mega corporations like those in India who built from generation to generation what their mothers began?

My mother gave up a job as one of the first black female executives to start her business. There were no “venture capitalists” or banks. Instead she bootstrapped her way to capital. She started by buying second-hand clothes and selling them at a local market. She saved every cent and kept detailed records of every cent she had. She shunned expensive clothes and makeup. Through her savings, she built up her capital.

I knew this story well when I started my businesses, and it always inspired me to be humble and not be afraid to get my hands dirty doing the actual work.

What are the takeaways?

#1. “Don’t despise humble beginnings, build on them!”
#2. The power of Interest and proper savings ensures that anyone willing to be thrifty, patient, and frugal - putting the money into the bank and back into the business - will over time grow bigger, often exponentially!
#3. True entrepreneurs avoid conspicuous consumption; that is, buying expensive stuff that has zero to do with growing the business, much of which depreciates the second you walk [or drive] out the salesroom door with it...

This is the trade-off between being small and medium-sized to building a big business.

What is the point of having a great innovation or business idea while sitting around moaning about lack of this or that?

Come on!

Go sell tomatoes, if that's what will get you in the game!

Image credit: KWB-UbuntuHope/via AI. “You shouldn’t focus on why you can’t do something, which is what most people do. You should focus on why perhaps you can, and be one of the exceptions.” Steve Case

The street vendor I wanted to meet
__ to Africa's entrepreneurs, busy hustling all over town!

One day years ago, a friend of mine was on a flight from Harare to Johannesburg where he found himself sitting next to a rather excited young man who soon engaged him in a discussion.

“I’m nervous because this is my first time to fly on a plane!” he began, before continuing. “I’m on my way to pick up my own car from Durban” (port city).

“It’s coming all the way from Japan; I imported it!”

“Congratulations!” my friend replied.

Then the young man asked my friend what he did: “I’m a Pastor, and I’m going to a church conference in Joburg.”

“If you are a Pastor, then you must know Mr Masiyiwa?”

“Yes, I do. We are actually good friends.”

“Wow!” the young man bellowed with excitement.

“He gave me my first start as a businessman! I owe him so much!”

Then he told his life story. He had lost his parents when he was young and drifted to the capital city Harare where he wandered around as a teenage vagrant. One day he heard he could get a job selling recharge cards on the streets.

In those days we used to give unemployed young people a free starter pack of cards to sell, after a short training program. They would go out and sell them and then bring us back the money and we would allow them to buy the next pack. They would make about 10% margin.

That was all the start this young man needed and he was on his way! He never stopped selling, often going into the night, and soon he was employing others. In time he became a “Super Dealer”. He lived modestly, saved his money, and let the power of compounding drive him to wealth.

He had his own ‘Innovations’ in how he sold his recharge cards, and even sales techniques quite unique to him and his team. In all the chaos, a casual observer might see on the bustling streets there was actually a system of marketing and sales that an astute trained eye would see... There always is!

__These are entrepreneurs in every sense of the word, worthy of our !

In those days [being the CEO] I devised all sorts of sales innovations, including giving our best vendors shiny little street corner kiosks branded with our company name. These were given to our vendors, particularly women. We even distributed branded umbrellas [all part of a well-orchestrated “marketing” and sales strategy].

The young man, it turns out, had taken advantage of every one of these opportunities. Then he went for the big one: a “franchise shop". We would identify and renovate shops but instead of owning them, I insisted they go to our most accomplished vendor (entrepreneurs); they paid us rent and it was their business.

When we launched Mobile Money, we launched another entrepreneurial system that was adopted by many others around the continent [few people know that M-PESA in Kenya and EcoCash were the first mobile money platforms in Africa; we “fast followed” them!] We were able to launch 50,000+ entrepreneurs who created over 300,000 jobs.

When the plane landed in Johannesburg 90 minutes later, the Pastor prayed for the young man and asked him to come to his church, where in time he would become a regular as he heard I had once attended there myself. Now that was a real bonus!

When my friend the Pastor told me the story years later, I was so pleased and said, “If you see him again bring him to me; I would be honoured to meet him.”

Unfortunately, I never met the young man but he was unusual I think in that he was astute enough to recognise that the entrepreneurial ‘program’ that launched him as an entrepreneur was a very deliberate initiative by someone. It was a ‘win-win’ for him and for us!

I have always encouraged you here not to despise humble beginnings because often in Africa that is all we have. Don’t let pride get in the way because of the chaos and disorder you see on our streets. There is a system and order all of its own that is honing the next generation of multimillionaires and perhaps even billionaires.

If I had seen this innovative street vendor-entrepreneur, I would have urged him to immerse himself in the same things I teach on this platform. I would have urged him to try to advance his formal education and find courses that would him with a formal understanding of finance, marketing, business management, and even economics and law.

These days there are even entrepreneurship courses that cover the key drivers of the Drucker principles, as well as the “3Ps” [perhaps with more academic terminology than mine!] And of course, I would have urged him to . A lot.

Knowing that I did not have an opportunity to meet this guy personally, I yearned still to reach him and perhaps millions of others across Africa which is why I started these blogs.

In my opening lectures here more than 10 years ago now, I would often write that if you are a true entrepreneur, treat everything I write like “course work” at college, and then go out and do “practicals" ... set up or improve your business.

I don’t write for those who feel they know everything but actually for those who have a desire to learn more, irrespective of their level; I teach principles and not formulas.

One of my great joys is reading the business updates you write here on the page sharing about your "practicals"!

Image caption: This photo is from Dakar, Senegal. Try to identify each of the famous people in the group.

5 HABITS OF HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE :

1. Goal setting: Successful people have clear goals and prioritize their time and energy to achieve them. They set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals, and regularly review their progress towards them.

2. Continuous learning: Successful people have a growth mindset and are committed to lifelong learning. They constantly seek new knowledge and skills to improve themselves and stay ahead in their respective fields.

3. Time management: Successful people are highly disciplined when it comes to managing their time. They prioritize their tasks, delegate where necessary, and focus on high-value activities that align with their goals. They understand the importance of being efficient and effective with their time.

4. Networking: Successful people build strong and diverse networks of professionals that they can collaborate with, seek advice from, and learn from. They understand that networking helps them gain new opportunities, knowledge, and support.

5. Healthy habits: Successful people prioritize self-care and maintain a healthy lifestyle. They understand the importance of regular exercise, proper nutrition, and adequate sleep to sustain their energy levels, enhance productivity, and maintain overall well-being.

Shout out to my newest followers! Excited to have you onboard! Garang Alaakgutier, Gaichad James, Swaibu Mulindwa, Jamúz Kontrola, Peter Akook Ajuong, Wol Mabior, William Yaol Makoi Manyuon, Rîçh Bûñdlê, Kiir Salva, Piol Deng

BIOGRAPHY: HH. John Pombe Joseph Magufuli
29 October 1959 – 17 March 2021

I used not to follow Tanzanian politics and leadership closely but Sudanese, Ugandan, DRC and Kenya's because I was by then very busy with my degree and had nothing much with Tanzania since it was not neighboring South Sudan and didn't affect South Sudan much.

I first learnt about HH. John Pombe Magufuli on Facebook, I think it was a BBC post and later video when HH JPM cancelled the so called independence celebrations and their elections victory party and instead used the money to build or renovate a hospital.
Then I again heard he kicked out over 10 thousand fake teachers and ghost public civil servants. Then again he chased pregnant girls out of government schools saying they are in school to study not to became pregnant and they were bad examples to young girls.
Before those could settle, I heard again him ordering all public officials not to travel to the west or if they must travel they should use economy class which he showed them by example. And finally when Corona was introduced, he was the only president who openly protected his country people from the fake pandemic which definitely cost him his life.

With these and many other acts, I straight away made him as my mentor and role model.
God willing, next year I must visit Tanzania to pay my respect to him and get his blessings.
Eternal rest grant to him Oh Lord, and may thy perpetual light shine upon him, may he rest in peace Amen.

John Magufuli was born on 29 October 1959 in northwestern Tanzania (then Tanganyika), on the shores of Lake Victoria, into a poor family. He lived in a small thatched house, looking after the cattle and selling milk and fish to support his family.

Magufuli started his education at the Chato Primary School from 1967 to 1974 and went on to the Katoke Seminary in Biharamulo for his secondary education from 1975 to 1977 before relocating to Lake Secondary School in 1977 and graduating in 1978. He joined Mkwawa High School for his Advanced level studies in 1979 and graduated in 1981. That same year he joined Mkwawa College of Education (a constituent college of the University of Dar es Salaam) for a Diploma in Education Science, majoring in chemistry, Mathematics, and Education.

Magufuli earned his Bachelor of Science in education degree, majoring in Chemistry and Mathematics as teaching subjects from the University of Dar es Salaam in 1988. He also earned his master's degree, and doctorate degrees in chemistry from the University of Dar es Salaam in 1994 and 2009, respectively. In late 2019, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Dodoma for improving the economy of the country.

John Pombe Joseph Magufuli (29 October 1959 – 17 March 2021) was the fifth president of Tanzania, serving from 2015 until his death in 2021. He served as Minister of Works, Transport and Communications from 2000 to 2005 and 2010 to 2015 and was chairman of the Southern African Development Community from 2019 to 2020.

First elected as a Member of Parliament in 1995, he served in the Cabinet of Tanzania as Deputy Minister of Works from 1995 to 2000, Minister of Works from 2000 to 2005, Minister of Lands and Human Settlement from 2006 to 2008, Minister of Livestock and Fisheries from 2008 to 2010, and as Minister of Works for a second time from 2010 to 2015.

Running as the candidate of Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), the country's dominant party, Magufuli won the October 2015 presidential election and was sworn in on 5 November 2015; he was re-elected in 2020. He ran on a platform of reducing government corruption and spending while also investing in Tanzania's industries.

Despite all the accusations, a spokesman for the ruling party assured that Magufuli would not remain in power beyond the two limits allowed by the constitution.

Under his presidency, Tanzania experienced one of the strongest economic growths on the continent (6% on average per year according to the IMF) and moved from the category of lower-low income countries to lower-middle income countries.

Contrary to leaders elsewhere in the world, Magufuli ordered COVID-19 testing to stop and resisted calls to implement public health measures during the COVID-19 pandemic in Tanzania. He also expressed distrust of American- and European-developed vaccines, preferring to rely on faith to protect his nation. Magufuli's approach has been characterised as COVID-19 denialism.

His death on 17 March 2021 was attributed by the government to a long-standing heart issue. He was succeeded by his vice-president, Samia Suluhu.

Magufuli ventured into elective politics after a short period as a teacher at The Sengerema Secondary School between 1982 and 1983. He taught chemistry and mathematics. Later on, he quit his teaching job and was employed by The Nyanza Cooperative Union Limited as an industrial chemist. He remained there from 1989 to 1995, when he was elected as Member of Parliament (MP) representing Chato district. He was appointed Deputy Minister for Works in his first term as MP. He retained his seat in the 2000 election and was promoted to a full ministerial position under the same docket. After President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete was requested to take office, he moved John Joseph Magufuli to the post of Minister of Lands and Human Settlement on 4 January 2006. Subsequently, he served as Minister of Livestock and Fisheries from 2008 to 2010 and again as Minister of Works from 2010 to 2015.

On 12 July 2015, Magufuli was nominated as CCM's presidential candidate for the 2015 election, after winning a majority vote in the final round of the primary over two opponents: Justice Minister and former United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro, and the African Union Ambassador to the United States, Amina Salum Ali.

Although Magufuli faced a strong challenge from opposition candidate and previous CCM political party member Edward Lowassa in the election, held on 25 October 2015, Magufuli was declared the winner by the National Electoral Commission (NEC) on 29 October; he received 58% of the vote. His running mate, Samia Suluhu, was also declared vice-president. He was sworn in on 5 November 2015.

In Association with Wikipedia.