June Syowia is the CEO of Beiless Group Limited, a technology and digital solutions, media buying and branding, communication and marketing services company.
Greatest milestone: Being part of the 2018 Forbes 30 Under 30 is my biggest milestone so far. This may not have been possible were it not for the strength of my company, and the toil that has fueled its growth.
Secret to success: I have observed that the pressure to do things a certain way and to have all the aesthetics in order to start doing what you love has made many people pause on their dreams, and settle for less than their worth just to get the society’s approval. Personally, I trust the process. One of my mentors once told me that you can’t afford the pressure to be a ‘Bill Gates’ when you haven’t even achieved a quarter of what he has. Setting a few short term goals, beating them, and then setting additional new goals will instead ensure that you are on an upward trajectory without getting worked up. You are where you are now and that’s okay. Don’t beat yourself up. Instead, work on becoming a better version of yourself daily.
Edwin Dande: My steps to succeeding in business
Biggest money mistake: Saving without intent is my biggest money mistake thus far. I had a savings account that did not grow my money. I would save just for the sake of saving until I discovered that having a savings account will be just as good as the growth of your money. Your money should work for you at all times. I have also found out that it is important to start investing early instead of splurging and wasting money on things you don’t really need and that you’ll regret later.
Saving method: I always spend less than I earn. I live below my means and this enables me to have a lot of cash left to save. Today, though, I do not allow my savings to just sit idle at the bank. I save through investments such as treasury bills, bonds, unit trusts and shares. Nonetheless, I am still perfecting the art of saving through investments. I have always been that girl who saves, and over the years I had a current and savings account. More than half of what I earned always went directly to my savings account. Initially, there were no plans to back up my savings. I was only saving for the assurance that I had some cash at the bank until I realized that having money lying idle at the bank would never secure my financial freedom.
Biggest career loss: Sometimes I tend to think that I can do everything. I can code, design websites, do sales and marketing for my company, do creative design, allocate finances. But once I took on all these roles, I realized that I had bitten more than I could chew. I learned through the hard way that I simply cannot be everything in my company. In retrospect, I have learned the importance of accepting losses when they occur and delving into them to pick out lessons on what went wrong and how I can prevent it from occurring again in future.
If I could go back in time: I would be more fearless and systematic in everything I do. I would also pay attention to detail and not be naïve by assuming that everyone has my best interests at heart. I would be upfront with what I want and not shy away from making bigger demands.
Entrepreneurship vs employment: These are two money creating avenues that can never be at par. The freedom that comes with entrepreneurship is unrivalled. It always has the edge to push you as the bearer of a vision and the innovator of your successes and failures. On the other end, although employment is also a viable money-making option for some, it is quite limiting as a wealth creator.