African Tech Startup Funding // US$701.5 Million Secured in 2020
January 27, 2021
Remote Teams // 6 Winning Communication Habits
January 29, 2021
After Office Hours // Part III of Lessons Learned from Our Speakers
In our final part of the lessons we have learned from our After Office Hours Sessions, we share 5 more business lessons gleaned from our great speakers!
Take a look!
Work Smart, Not Hard
Working smart differs for every person depending on their unique personal mission statement and definition of success.
This means figuring out what your strengths are and building a network around you to build upon those in order to reach goals in the quickest and most efficient way possible.
We live in a competitive world today where every day we have new innovations, or even new graduates joining the workforce. In Kenya alone, about 800,000 people graduate every year. Try to find out what will set you apart and find allies that will help you reach your goals.
Read more on the 9 tips to staying motivated in your career and business journey as shared by Lizz Ntonjira that she shared during her session of After Office Hours.
Simplify Your Business Story
In an After Office Hours session hosted by Harry Hare, Founder & CEO of DEMO Africa, he noted that start-ups and businesses seeking investments mostly fail to secure their investments because their pitches are most complex.
Keep it simple and just demonstrate your path to profitability, ROI and use growth metrics that investors understand. Driving local investor conversations is that simple!
Read more insights on the Six Steps that will Help you Achieve Success in your Business shared in Harry’s After Office Hours session.
Embrace the Art of Mastery
You have probably come across a situation where you have asked for the same service from two different people and one of the service providers probably charged you way higher as compared to the other and you were probably wondering why.
Maybe on asking, they told you it’s because they have put in so much work to give you the value you deserve as a client. This is where Mastery comes to play.
To achieve mastery takes time. It involves determination, zeal, effort, intention, and discipline. It is something we often overlook, but mastery holds value well beyond the surface.
In the long run, how to achieve mastery in what sets apart superstars from the rest of us. It is one thing trying to be the best in the world and it is another trying to be good at what you do and giving value to your clients. Mastery in this context means being in the top 20% of skill, not the top 1%.
Read more on how to achieve mastery and become great at what you do as shared by Ben Kiruthi CEO of Sun Africa Studios during his After Office Hours session.
Get a Mentor
Do not underestimate the power of mentorship.
Some of the highest achievers in history, from business people to artists to entrepreneurs, have sought out the guidance of a mentor. A mentor is further along in their career than you and can offer insight, guidance, and advice that is worth its weight in gold.
They have gone through their own process of building a career like what you aspire to and can offer sane advice from a place of knowledge that can be particularly relevant to helping you grow.
Surrounded Yourself with the Right People
We are the sum of the people we spend time with. Surround yourself with people who you aspire to be like. Go to networking events, request meetings, and get to know the movers and shakers in your industry and related fields. Not only will they inspire you to improve, but since business is so relationship-based, these networking efforts can open doors.
After Office Hours Upcoming Event
As the year kick starts in earnest, we are excited to continue bringing you more inspiring business leaders that will inspire you in your journey of entrepreneurship.
We’ll be hosting the first After Office Hours of the year on Thursday, 25th February 2021. Save the date and stay tuned for further details.
