There was also the risk of: ‘What about tomorrow He always wondered where money would come from the next day. And of course, he says, there was the scarcity of capital which is common to almost all start-ups. But he is quick to clarify that the capital was not his biggest headache.
Maina who holds an MBA from the University of Nairobi was also teaching part-time on brand and sales management when he was only 25 years. He thinks his mentorship period under the Rising Stars Award was so valuable to him.
He listened keenly to the words of his mentor Rose Sang, a HR consultant and also one of the judges at the Rising Star Awards. Maina is passionate about brands which he describes as a promise of value. This promise is built on your personality, products, people, policies and values.
Branding business in Kenya: Your brand
Your brand, he says, is your story told by others. “For example, when you read my profile before you met me for this interview, there was a promise. There is something you expected from me. And that is my brand to you,” he says.
He says it is the companies themselves that need to come up with that story. No one else can come up with it. That is why, he explains, brand strategists are working very closely with the PR and strategic companies.