What was your first job, and what did you learn transitioning from one role to another?
Wilson Obwatinya
My first job was with Faulu Kenya microfinance bank as an intern/reliever. This is where I started loving people engagement and customer care. It’s not easy moving from one level to the next. It takes courage and support from the whole team, but you have to show commitment and a desire to learn from those who have been there before you.
Jeremiah Mutisya
My first professional job was in 2007 when I joined KPMG in auditing straight out of university. I later joined Basecamp Explorer Kenya in 2011 as a finance manager, and I have grown into various roles in the company. From Kenya’s head of office to general manager to now CEO.
Daniel Njuguna
I joined EABL as a management trainee in 2010, and my first role was supply planning analyst. With a technical background and no formal training in supply chains, this role presented an opportunity to learn how material inputs are delivered to manufacturing sites. This tested my ability to learn on the job and my adaptability. I have since been in three different roles. The key lesson in transitioning from role to role is that passion and an eagerness to learn can lead you to huge personal growth and unimaginable business outcomes.
Emily Njuki
I started off as a brand executive at Interconsumer Products Limited in 2010, and by the time I quit to start my company, Smart Solutions Africa, I had risen to category manager. Transitioning from one level to another requires the right attitude, enthusiasm, and lots of patience to learn.
How do you keep learning and growing in your career? Is an MBA or a master’s degree essential for a management role?
Daniel Njuguna
I am driven by a passion to learn new tasks, new ways of doing things and to be better this month than I was last month. I am fortunate to work for a business that has interests across the globe. This offers me the opportunity to compare notes with peers in other countries and even other continents. Besides that, I constantly read books to up-skill. An MBA is an important qualification to have, however, it is not an absolute requirement to propel someone to a leadership or management position. Passion, a desire to learn new things, and going out of your way to benchmark yourself with the best are what will set you apart.
Jeremiah Mutisya
I frequently catch up with business and global news and try to understand what is happening locally, regionally, and globally in the business and political world. Such knowledge helps you broaden your thinking. If you’re interested in leadership, invest time in reading relevant material and books or in short-term programs. Trends are changing frequently, hence leaders and managers have to stay afloat of some of the changes.
Emily Njuki
A master’s degree is not absolutely necessary to be an entrepreneur. In fact, most successful businesses were founded and run by people without many academic achievements. However, it complements one’s experience in the management of a corporate entity. I am currently undertaking my MBA at Strathmore Business School, and I read a lot of books and journals on business.
Wilson Obwatinya
On learning and growing my career, I believe in just working with other people. I read business-related magazines, books, and newspapers. I share information with my peers in management and talk to people who have been there. You also need the right attitude for the job if you are to effectively manage projects and people. Education is very necessary, especially in this age where the majority of people have gone to school. An undergraduate degree is very important, but on-the-job learning and experience are the best preparation. In my own opinion, an MBA or master’s degree is not a must but a good ingredient in a management career.
