Archibald Macharia Kariuki is the managing partner at Infolaunch, a project management consultancy that specializes in project management advisory services and training.
Money was not so much the motivation when I started my business. I was already in a well-paying job. This helped me learn the value of being authentic in business. Shortly after I founded my business, I won a training collaboration program with the Project Management Institute – Kenya Chapter (the local chapter of PMI-Global). This partnership has opened up opportunities for my business in other African countries including Rwanda and Uganda. Besides a steady flow of business for the company in spite of the pandemic, it also exposed my leadership and entrepreneurial skills. Further, I learnt the value of being authentic in business. Be authentic in your venture and money will follow.
Discipline without planning is discipline that is misdirected. Maintain discipline in whatever you set to do in spite of the distractions. Most of us fail because of making impulse calls on the basis of seeing people we know succeed. We often fail to put in the hours for planning and considering where we are starting from. We fail to acknowledge that we do not all start from the same point. For example, in the project management profession, there is a reason why planning is the most intense phase of any project. I believe this applies to our daily lives too. Longevity in success cannot be established in a day.
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I took in too much credit which I used to fund consumerism instead of funding my first startup. I also had considerable skills that I could have commercialized, but I told myself that I still had my job. Jobs give us an impression that nothing can go wrong, until something goes wrong. In addition, I once bought some stocks for short term speculation. I wanted to sell them early because the money was meant for something else. This strategy did not work out well. Identify an investment opportunity as soon as you settle on the job. When you start investing early, as soon as you are settled in your job, you are highly unlikely to make huge losses. In the start of a career, you invest small amounts from your small means, which serve as a training ground for the future. If you’re employed, plan to start-up long before your resignation date to avoid the risk of running into cash-flow problems and surviving from hand to mouth. This was my second biggest mistake. It forced me to find another job and start over.
I should have started investing earlier than I did. I should have taken my first job as a training ground rather than an ordeal that I had to overcome. This would have included seeking advice from experienced people of goodwill. Over the years, I have learnt the importance of moderating urges and level of gratification. Failure to do this can be very costly.
I save my money through Sacco. With the right institution, the returns are considerably good. I previously used a bank savings account and stocks. The bank interest is unpredictable and usually low due to the base lending rates that have lately been reduced. Stocks are a good investment option on the long-term, but moderately risky.
Entrepreneurship should be your ultimate goal. But employment should precede entrepreneurship, especially for professional services. I cannot overrate the experience and exposure I obtained from my 7 years of employment. To become an entrepreneur is easy, but to become a successful entrepreneur requires mentorship and the humility to be molded by others.
There are so many unmet needs in the world today. We are all unique and you may just find the perfect need to satisfy using the strengths you possess. The key here is ‘find’. You will never know your potential until you start something; a job, a business, a volunteering opportunity. I have learnt that pleasure and effort have a nexus. Work hard and live life. Be yourself since everyone is unique for a reason. And no matter how you worship, put God first.
This profile feature on Archibald Macharia was first published in the Saturday Magazine. The Saturday Magazine is a publication of the Nation Media Group.