In May 2021, Kennedy Odhiambo, popularly known as Crazy Kennar or The Content Cartel, donned his entrepreneurial hat and made his first steps into the business world.
He opened a restaurant, Instant Delicacies, that was located in Juja, Kiambu County. The grand opening ceremony was graced by celebrities who showered him with praises for the bold move.
In an exclusive interview with a media house at that time, Kennar assured his fans that the restaurant would specialize in offering a variety of foods, including biryani, chicken starter packs, beef starter packs, and more.
“My inspiration for creating the restaurant was to open job opportunities for my fellow young people to enable positive growth in the society,” he said.
“I believe in people growing together and supporting one another.”
However, two years after venturing into the restaurant business, Kennar found himself closing the doors of his establishment and redirecting his energy towards content production.
Hosted on Becoming CEO by Director Phil, Kennar admitted that he got his fingers burnt in the restaurant business, stating that it may have been the wrong investment option for him at the time.
“Personally, I would advise someone that if they made money in arts, reinvest in arts,” he said.
He explained that the demands of running a startup restaurant required his constant presence, which meant sacrificing content creation to effectively manage the day-to-day operations.
Kennar revealed that he decided to close down Instant Delicacies in January 2023. He hopes to make a potential comeback one day, adding that he would not directly involve himself in its daily operations if such an opportunity arises.
He maintained that restaurant management is extremely time-consuming, considering the difficulty in simultaneously shooting content, writing scripts, and maintaining a proper work-life balance.
Asked about his new business hashtag, ‘Happy Country’, Kennar explained that it angles from his personal belief in happiness being a choice.
He has put himself on the front lines to ensure that Kenyans understand what makes them happy and what they can do to make others happy too.
“Happy Country is a concept that I have had in me. It’s not an event…it is a conversation about happiness. It’s a conversation that is going to outlive me,” he said.
