Friday 29 December 2017

Big Ideas 2018 in the Tech Industry

CAD simplified - just click a tool
Recently, LinkedIn sent me an email. It started, "Dear Umeme, as an active contributor on LinkedIn, we want to hear your big ideas for 2018. Then it continued, "...heading into 2018, we wouldn’t be more excited to look ahead at the big ideas that will shape your industry and workplace. We want to know your predictions; what ideas, topics and conversations do you think will define 2018? Weigh in and see what others are saying ...using #BigIdeas2018 "
Immediately I read the sign-off yours truly the LinkedIn team, one very outstanding idea popped up! CiSA (CAD in Schools-Africa)! I could easily reply with "CiSA", but then that would be too much assumption. So, why would I consider this a big idea?
If you were to ask a good trainer to show you how to use #Autodesk #AutoCAD software, he would run the software, click on a tool in the software and then carry out a task using that tool. He would then ask you to try a similar task with that tool. He would repeat these procedures until you are able to use all the tools and commands of AutoCAD. In between, the good trainer would demonstrate for you some projects carried out using a combination of such tools in AutoCAD.
Now, imagine a software program that does all that (and much more) for you!
This is what #DemosCAD (a.k.a. Demos ‘AutoCAD’) does. It is a software program that, among other capabilities, lets current and prospective users of Autodesk products become instantly productive with Autodesk AutoCAD software by demonstrating each and every tool of AutoCAD within an environment similar to that of AutoCAD. It is thus an AutoCAD version that equips AutoCAD users with skills on how to use Autodesk AutoCAD software. Boy! Oh! Boy! Isn’t this the new definition of genius?!
Now imagine what impact that would have when this software, DemosCAD, is accessed by learners in TVETs, Universities and even High schools? This would take Computer Aided Design to a whole new level! You wouldn’t need lecturers sweating it out over tools they themselves are not familiar with. All the students will need to do is Click a tool and voila..... The command is demonstrated in simulation!
Already excited? Hold it right there! Here is the big idea itself;
CiSA (CAD in Schools-Africa) is an awareness program initiated by SkyTOP Technologies Ltd (www.skytoptechnologies.com) to inspire and capture the hearts and minds of the young generation in order to get them proficient and passionate to use CAD products. The program targets those who aspire to become architects, designers, engineers, builders, etc.
The CiSA program involves:
Holding discussions with policy-makers and stake-holders both in government and outside of government with a view to devising a framework that facilitates the program’s penetration into schools. These include relevant ministries responsible for secondary education or curriculum developers such as Institutes of Curriculum Development (ICDs) and the Directorates of Science and Technology (DSTs).
Engaging and interacting with School Managers and Principals with a view to finding out their level of preparedness in as far as the adoption of the CiSA program is concerned. This may include establishing whether the concerned school has a well equipped computer laboratory.
The CiSA program also includes the DemosCAD software- a product that not only showcases the many things that CAD tools are used for by professionals in the industry but also demonstrates the capabilities of Autodesk® AutoCAD® software and instances where various tools and commands of the software can be applied in real life.
CiSA has been recommended as a noble course by such institutions as UNESCO and Vision 2030 (Kenya), and described as an idea in sync with the changes envisioned in the proposed education reforms and the Kenya Constitution 2010.
The ultimate goal of the CiSA program is to see school-going children in Africa and other developing countries become masters of their destiny through constant exposure to modern learning tools that foster critical thinking, problem solving and creativity.
Salient features of DemosCAD are
The Interface of DemosCAD resembles that of Autodesk AutoCAD software. This lets users learn how to work with the tools of AutoCAD without struggling to locate them in Autodesk AutoCAD software.
When you click on any command tool in DemosCAD, it instantly demonstrates how to carry out a task with that tool in Autodesk AutoCAD software. Where there are more functions for a particular tool, DemosCAD provides various ways of using that tool in Autodesk AutoCAD software.
Each of the tools in DemosCAD contains a project file that is linked to Autodesk AutoCAD software so users may try out similar tasks with AutoCAD software. Through such exercises, users are able to get more skilled in AutoCAD software.
DemosCAD also introduces users to other Industry-specific products from Autodesk. These include AutoCAD Mechanical, AutoCAD Electrical, AutoCAD Architecture, Autodesk Civil 3D, Autodesk Inventor, Autodesk Revit, AutoCAD Map, etc. This is to let users understand how those products work with AutoCAD so they can make informed decisions that are appropriate to their needs.
Through DemosCAD, users may link up with Autodesk Authorized Re sellers and Trainers should they wish to acquire Autodesk products or need assistance from an Autodesk resource.
The AutoCAD User Guide- a publication from Autodesk that contains information about using AutoCAD software- has also been integrated in DemosCAD to help users acquire additional skills and knowledge in the use of AutoCAD software.
The auto-complete commands feature in DemosCAD lets users easily search for any AutoCAD command by just typing in the command line to learn how that command is used in Autodesk AutoCAD software. This saves on time.
Now this doesn’t end there! DemosCAD is coming up as a website where you get to access anytime anywhere at your convenience! Who says learning for CAD users is confined in the lecture halls and classrooms? I dare you say that again and I will call the authorities on you!
 Without playing with fantasy, no creative work has ever yet come to birth. The debt we owe to the play is incalculable – click a tool today!
Now this is the #BigIdea2018 that will keep professionals talking for 2018 and decades to come.
If you are an engineering student desiring to go pro – click a tool
You are a tutor and afraid to embarrass yourself in the lecture halls – click a tool
You are an engineer needing more insight – click a tool
You are curious and want to know how shit works – click a tool
You are specific with the design you want for your country home – click a tool
You are on transit but need to revise for your exams – click a tool
Ravings students can still click a tool
Hata kwa wedding ama other party – click a tool
DemosCAD is the next big thing for CAD consumers

Friday 7 July 2017

Nakumatt: The elephant on its knees!

What next for the big elephant Nakumatt?


A few years ago, shopping at Nakumatt was a delight. Today it feels like you are walking into a funeral parlour.
The once pride of retail shoppers is currently struggling to pay employees, suppliers and generally meet their financial obligation pointing to a cashflow challenge which is a symptom of deeper problems in their capitalization and operations.
Manufacturers have been complaining of facing a serious cash flow challenge following delays by the retail chain-store with the outstanding debt estimated at Sh40 billion. So what next for the big elephant?
Today empty shelves and shorn of many brands and products, Nakumatt is beleaguered by mounting crisis. Can it be because the founders decided to step back and allowed someone else to take over the company? 
A relative who pumped in money and then took on the mantles of the company? Was it because of some top level management individuals who unscrupulously scalped the company and watched while it sailed into more turbulent waters and then fled to greener pastures?
Nakumatt is crumbling like the stale cookies on its shelves.
Nakumatt had everything going for it but now is in shambles. There is a possibility that it can make a comeback with some judicious decisions and actions. For one the brand and the goodwill was immense but today it is turning into a joke. But it can still be revived. If swift action is taken in winning back customers: Suppliers.
Nakumatt just like any other business is at a cross roads of some sort in its growth trajectory. Nakumatt needs to solve several issues to untangle itself from the current dilemma; Fresh capital injection, Management and motivation of staff, supplier engagement and brand erosion management.
At the heart of any strategy is ability to diagnose a bottleneck or challenge, development of a guiding policy for dealing with the challenge and development of coherent actions designed to carry out the guiding policy.
Nakumatt management team is faced with strategic choices that are highly correlated and chain linked. This means that implementing a single strategy on its own would not produce real value. Say for example negotiating with employees and other suppliers on payment plan without significant capital injection would only aggravate the situation further. 
Similarly negotiating for capital injection from strategic investors would take time hence the need to ensure suppliers are patient.
This chain link logic is in framed in a way that the overall strategy performance will only be limited by its weakest link.
Some proposed solutions to deal with the challenges faced may include review of business model to e-commerce to reduce stock holding and other fixed overheads, establishment of employee share ownership plan, debt-equity conversion option for strategic suppliers and finally identification of key investor to inject capital to finance some of the proposed programs.
In conclusion a good strategy doesn’t just draw on existing strengths; it creates strength through the coherence of its design.  Most organizations of any size don’t do this. Rather they pursue multiple objectives that are unconnected with one another or worse that are in conflict with one another; Nakuamtt must ensure it’s not a victim of the same.
x

Friday 30 June 2017

I had a sit-down with a prostitute!

Its criminal, but the law is vague!

Okay guys, this is a juicy one! Obviously not going to be for everyone, so if you’re already hating this and/or offended, please avert your eyes now and wait for my more normal posts in my next blog! There’s nothing graphic here, but of course it’s a post on having sex for money and will most definitely turn people off !
 If you’re curious about other lifestyles though, and ever wondered how people end up down paths like these as well as how much they get paid (!), then keep reading as it’ll definitely accomplish that.

I will call her Cynthia! This is not her real name, but will make do for the story to flow and keep her dignity intact! About my dignity and how I got to chat her up..... well, its gonna be a long wait!
Well, this is her narration;

How It All Started

My friends and I would meet up at my house, a bedsitter, just off Kasarani-Mwiki road each Friday night after class. We would hang out and have dinner and then go out to dance and play. On some occasions we would run into another group of girls and hang out together. We usually joke that its our gang-friends! They were a lot of fun and we all became friends. I noticed time and again that one of the girls always had a new outfit and handbag. (I will call this one Sophie!)
I sat down next to Sophie on one of those comfy club leather seats and joked around with her one night and said, “I want to go shopping with you sometime!”
She replied to me, “Let’s do it, I go every single week!”
“Your credit card bill must be insane!”
“No credit cards, no ATMs, No Mpesa, just cash! Not with this world full of cyber criminals!” she told me and off she went back to dance leaving me to wonder how she had so much money as a campus student.
At the end of the night, as we headed home, I tried to catch up to her and asked her where she worked and she said, “All over the place.”
She smiled and got into the car with her friends. A little later that night she texted me and asked me to come by her place Sunday afternoon.
I showed up to her house and her roommates said that they thought she was still asleep. I went upstairs to her room and knocked on her door and actually woke her up. It was 3 p.m.
She sat up in bed and said that she had been working all night long and got home just after breakfast.
“So you work nights?” I asked.
She crawled out of bed and went over to her laptop and told me to come over.
“I made over 80k last night,” she said.
She then pulled up a website and there she was in multiple selfies posing in lingerie and showing off her body and long blonde hair. She called herself Shantelle in her ad and said that she was ready to help guys release the stress from their lives and could discretely make their worries disappear, or something to that effect. The ad said to call or text her, but no free pictures and no dirty talk.
She said she was strictly for VIP escort and charged 18k for a half-hour or 10k for an hour for her “companionship.”
I was shocked.
“You’re a prostitute?” I remember questioning loudly.
“I’m an escort and I met up with three guys last night. Two businessmen in town at their hotels, and then stayed overnight with one of my regulars at his apartment home,” Shantelle said. “I get 50k for staying overnight.”
She walked over to her drawer and opened it up and pulled out a pile of cash.
“That’s just last night; we should go and buy something.”
We went to TRM (always my weakness) and she picked up a new Louis Vuitton hand bag.

Never In My Dreams

I left Shantelle after we grabbed a bite to eat, and just sat there on my bed not being able to get our conversation out of my head. I remember thinking about all the money she had and how easy it seemed for her, but most of all how it didn’t seem to bother her at all. 
She made more in a night than I did part-time in months. I had bombarded her with questions while shopping and at dinner.
“How did you get into this?”
“How long have you been doing this?”
“Does anyone else know?”
“Aren’t you grossed out by the old guys?”
“Aren’t you scared when you show up?”
“Aren’t you afraid of picking up an STD?”
“Are you afraid of getting arrested?”
“How much money have you made?”

Shantelle said that she had all the same questions as well. It was a former roommate of hers that introduced her to it when she was invited to go along as a second woman on a “date.”
She said that she had met up with dozens of men and even a few couples. She said at this point she had many regulars that she saw once a week or once a month. Most of them were businessmen who would text her during the day and ask if they could meet up on their way home from work. On occasion it was just a lonely guy who had no chance at bars. A quick rendezvous and she had a couple of thousands in her purse. Shantelle figured she had made over six-figures the last two years.

Making the Jump

I didn’t get into it right away. My biggest concern was about who would be on the other side of the door. I didn’t want to go out one night and never be heard of ever again.
Shantelle said that it was ultimately up to me who I would meet with and I could be independent or work with an agency.  She was independent, but got called all the time by agencies and pimps trying to get her to work for them. They promised her more money and a driver to take her around to clients while protecting her. She decided to go it alone after talking to others.
Shantelle only met up with guys 40 and older. She said young guys are largely punks (and they are) whereas there are a lot of older guys who just need some company who are divorced or guys that just want a break from their life. 
She also said that there are tons of guys that travel into town for conventions and work that look for a quick hook-up while they are away from home.
After a couple more conversations with her I finally decided to give it a shot. I wanted to make thousands of shillings just like her.

My First Ad

I took so many pictures and spent so much time writing my first ad. I love taking pictures of myself, but it is awkward to take pictures half naked and then post them online. What if my mom saw it or my little brother? Even more awkward was trying to figure out a price of what your body is worth. I called myself Cynthia.
I got a spare phone and set up a message like Shantelle had recommended “Hi boys, I’ve been waiting for your call, I’m excited to see you soon. Keep calling.” You can’t go and meet with clients and have your phone buzzing and ringing all night so I just tell them to keep calling and I can answer in between visits.
I quickly found out that guys don’t read the ads as much as they look at pictures. I changed my hair style to a long weave because Shantelle said that long weaves generally can attract more clients and they make you look more appealing.
 I put the same price as Shantelle for my time with 8k for a half-hour and 10k for an hour. I also up-sell them as well once I’m in the room with them, especially young guys - You know the way you'd feel a man's heart racing then you up your price! Funny but real!

I got arrested during a sting about seven months into it at a hotel because I got sloppy and didn’t verify a guy who said he was just in town on business. But police raids don’t happen too often because police simply don’t have the time and resources to keep up. It’s just a minor misdemeanor for prostitution and a 2k bribe, but when you make thirty times that on a Friday or Saturday night it’s not enough to stop the business. Besides, the constitution as it is.... ah ah!!

Tricks of the Trade

You can’t just call and show up and drop your pants. *She  laughs out loud.. literally!!
For pros like myself and Shantelle, there is a two-step verification process to protect ourselves from psychos. We give you an address to show up to, and then once you arrive we give you the real address.
I prefer to only verify guys online or from references from other girls they have been with. Some guys freak out that we want their real name and where they work or even their social media profile, but we have to watch out for ourselves.
When you show up to our place that is called an “in” call. I used to do that for a while when I got my own apartment, but got tired of changing out the sheets four or five times a day and showering four or five times a day and doing my hair and makeup over and over again. I wasn’t making as much money working that way.
I found I made more money with less clients on “out” calls, which meant going to hotels where I could get bigger money and bigger tips or gifts from my regular clients. Business guys just had more money, and often wanted to spend less time together. They had no drama and didn’t cling to me, just sex and back out the door.
Some guys did request for me to show up to their house and I never like walking down the hall past the family pictures or seeing the happy couple’s pictures staring back at me right next to the bed, but it’s the man’s decision to cheat and not mine and I am not picky over money. It’s all cash in my hand at the end of the night.

My First Time

My first client was a divorced man in his 50’s. He was a lot older than anyone I had ever been with before. He called just an hour or so after I posted my first ad on NAIROBI DISCREET VIP ESCORTS on facebook which has recently been shut down; but there are plenty of other local sites to advertise, plus most of my business comes from regulars after a few months, so I didn’t need to always advertise. Some girls run their own escort web sites.

He called me and said he was in town on business for a few days and wanted me to come to his hotel downtown. He gave me some times to see what worked for me and I verified who he was online and I got ready and headed downtown. My heart pounded so hard after the phone call. Was I really going to go through with this? I nearly passed out from anxiety as I headed up the stairs. 

I walked down the corridor and stood in front of the door. I just stood there and couldn’t bring myself to knock on the door. Finally “Jim” opened the door without me knocking.
He was a quiet, balding man who looked older than my dad. He invited me in and I asked him where the money was at (Shantelle always said to ask right away and if you didn’t see it to walk out). 
He pointed over by the TV and I went to count the money and there was 10k in thousands. I placed it in my bag and asked Jim to go get in the shower and to brush his teeth. 

That’s all I share about my first time or any other time other than most older guys are really hairy and kind of gross, but like Shantelle mentioned they are more polite and respectful than younger guys.
 I can deal with a pot-bellied bald guy than a total a-hole with rock hard abs and six packs. Like Shantelle, I don’t meet with anyone younger than 40 anymore.

The Money

The money is amazing. It has to be for putting yourself through the mental and physical anguish a couple nights a week. I’ve never had so much money so fast. If it was harder to get, I would have quit a long time ago. I spent it just as fast as I brought it in the first few months. 

I was in the mall a few times a week picking up anything I wanted. I splurged going on vacations and ski trips. I felt like I could do anything I wanted and that I deserved it because of what I had to go through to get it.
On occasion some men would ask for me to stay the weekend or the whole duration of work convention, and I would stay at the hotel and they would pay for spa and massages and I could order room service while they were off in their meetings. Sometimes they would leave cash to go shopping as well.

I charged handsomely for a weekend getaway. Sometimes it was actually fun to go out of town and be treated well and come away with so much money. Sometimes it was boring as hell getting stuck with someone with no personality and pretending to like them for a few days, but the money made it tolerable.
 I dreaded going to dinner for their work parties because a 24 year old girl with an old guy makes people assume I was being paid to be there. And even though I was, I still didn’t like being dressed down by the other women.

The A-Holes

On occasion some men treat you like Shit. I’m not here to say that being an escort is an amazing job and everything goes great because it doesn’t. I know others who have been physically assaulted and come home with bruises everywhere. I’ve been lucky for the most part. 

But on occasion there are a-holes who think because they pay you they can do whatever they want to you and threaten to call the police if you don’t do what they want. I don’t have many bad experiences, but have been abused a few times, more emotionally and verbally than physically.

There are nights I have come back home wondering what I am doing and saying I’m never going to do it again. I didn’t want to do this forever and lately I find there are a lot more girls getting into the business which has created a lot of competition, at least in my area. Younger, taller and bigger boobs are tough to compete with. I’ve lost a few of my regulars who want to try someone new, and I’ve lost out on some other big money that used to come in each month too. 
The better the economy the more money there is to be made, especially in big cities, and the more folks are jumping in the escort business.

Tons of Fake Pictures Online / Girls That Rob

The interesting thing about the business of VIP Escort is that most of the girls online are total fakes. If you see a super-hot girl in Mombasa, chances are that her pictures also show up on sites in Nairobi, Nakuru, Eldoret and more.

Girls post hot pictures and often times someone else shows up. Bait and switch happens all the time, or the pictures are a few years old when they were 15-20 kg lighter and firmer!

I mentioned upselling as well. Be aware that girls will come in and drop our clothes, and then tell you if you want more than a nice look you’re going to have to pay extra. We’re sales people, and if you want more then you have to pay for it.

Also be aware that you shouldn’t have any other cash lying around or a wallet in the open, because when you are told to get in the shower, that girl might just go through your room and clean it out and be out the door before you know it. I’ve had several guys tell me stories of them being ripped off. I don’t feel sorry for them, but it is what it is, we all take our chances with strangers.

I was flirty and pretended to like all the guys, but the sex is rarely good and I’ve had guys ask me to run away with them and tell me they are in love. Really? You don’t love me, you love my punany, how can you love when you are likely cheating? 
I play along because I just care about your cash and not you. I am using you as well. Most of you are out of shape, old and not overly attractive, and yes you have money but besides that our relationship when you think about it is just ugly.

All in all I have over 3m saved in the bank. While I splurged the first few months, I started to get smart and save so I wouldn’t have to do this all through campus! I liked the money, I liked the lifestyle when pampered, but it had to end at some point. I lose out on time with friends because the best nights for money are the weekends. I’d like to think I could have a normal relationship someday as well.

The Rest of the Story

Cynthia is graduating this November and you should see her determination. She has kept her 4th year clean of this escort business and has since discarded her business line.
Who says when you fall you have to remain down?!! The honorable thing is to get up, wipe your behinds and move on!

Saturday 3 June 2017

Is your company data secure?

With cyber thieves, no business can claim absolute safety!


No enterprise, no matter how large and profitable, is safe from the hands of cyber thieves. Massive hacking brought the likes of PayPal, Twitter, Fox News, and other major service providers to their knees and lasted for several hours. Yahoo! was hit by yet another data breach that saw a significant number of customers close their Yahoo! email accounts. Other big multinationals such as Verizon, HP and Oracle were also not spared in separate hacking incidents.
Intruders and eavesdroppers are notrestricting their affairs to the internet. Cell phones and IP PBX systems have also become targets for data and information thieves. Eavesdroppers who manage to get into your phone can read your texts, record phone calls, and even track the phone’s location. In fact, the most recent hacking into the Central Government of Kenya services like company registration, vote tallying systems and the Safaricom Mpesa loot tell alot about data security or the lack of it!
For any business, any form of potential security threat is enough to send customers to competitors, which contributes to the high number of business failures especially startups within their first few years. Here are some of the most common issues that place startups – and really every other business – at risk of data breaches. 

1. Poor password habits

In many instances, passwords are the first line of defense when it comes to cyber security. However, many startups often rely on default username and password combos to secure their IP PBX systems, VoIP, internet portals, and networks. Many startups will often install new systems and leave these passwords for months, creating fertile ground for cyber attacks.
In addition to strong passwords, experts in cyber security always advise startups to put in place two-factor authentication protocols. Two-factor authentication requires users to provide an additional security measure in addition to passwords, for instance, a code sent to a mobile app or a phone call with an authentication code. This ensures that even if hackers gain access to your passwords database, access is still limited. 

2. Insufficient physical security

Sometimes, it doesn’t take a special piece of code and hacking tools to break into your system. In some cases, breaking into a local network can be as simple as walking into a server room and copying valuable data into a thumb drive. Early-stage startups often overlook the importance of physical security, which can be devastating for startups that deal with a lot of customer data.
Access to server rooms and other central data storage areas should be restricted to only those with relevant access permissions. Businesses should invest in tools such as biometric access control systems in addition to the regular software-based safeguards for maximum security. 

3. Lack of and or limited technical knowhow

Even with the best security systems in place, businesses can still be vulnerable to security breaches. Employees without the necessary technical skills can open doors for hackers and eavesdroppers without their knowledge. Plus, because many enterprises often work with remote freelancers, people without knowledge on best security practices can place customer data and information at risk every time they access remote databases and servers.
Startups should always invest in training employees so that they understand the dos and don’ts when it comes to cyber security and protecting sensitive information. 

4. Failure to install updates and patches

Every piece of hardware and software installation is always vulnerable to cyber attacks, no matter how new and shiny it is. There are always undocumented vulnerabilities with every new piece of hardware, including the latest PBX and IP VoIP systems. Manufacturers are always testing and making updates to firmware as these vulnerabilities are discovered after the product has been launched into the market.
Most businesses – and many of us individually – are guilty of skipping such updates on a regular basis. As a result, hackers exploit these vulnerabilities to gain access to systems, placing sensitive customer data at risk.    

Bottom Line

As an entrepreneur, the best thing you could do for your business is to ensure you get it right from the beginning. Customers are more likely to do business with a brand that goes out of its way to guarantee the safety and security of their personal information. Always stay on top of things with regular security audits to ensure your security system is updated and protected from future security threats.

Monday 29 May 2017

Great leaders delegate the details!

Decision making process is complex... delegate the details!

Conventional wisdom suggests that great leaders are masters of simplification. They don't get bogged down in details, they aren't confused by complexities, they aren't torn by conflicting views. Instead, they size things up quickly, see right through the fog, delegate the details, and issue a clear, bold, straightforward decision.
I do agree that simplification can be a powerful tool, and that managers do often need to cut through confusion and disagreement, setting a clear path and leaving most details to subordinates. But sometimes I find that what gets lost in the push to simplify is the recognition that simplification can be taken way too far.
I would argue that the most effective leaders understand that simpler isn't always better. Instead, they look for the right balance of the simple and the more complicated. Doing so requires deconstructing what may appear a monolithic, chaotic or overwhelmingly complex picture into a manageable number of components that are contained and clear enough to be understood and weighed individually and against one another. In assessing or communicating, think of the leader's job as that of holding up a prism to a flood of white light in order to see the constituent colors that are critical to the light's make-up. Breaking it down in this way often can reveal hidden or unexpected elements. You don't need to see 200 shades of blue, but you ought to be able to see that blue is part of the picture. This fractionating approach can be used to better understand both problems and opportunities. It also leads to ways to effectively communicate challenges and decisions to others in the organization.
The challenge of finding the right level of detail comes up all the time in my business, which involves high level strategic planning. At the highest level, it's tempting to take a simplistic view: Opening up a new range of markets and opportunities, and since the demand is there, why not jump in and meet it?
And yet I've been in the field long enough to know that doing so is anything but a no-brainer. To put it simply: it's not simple. Everything from unpredictable local regulation to cultural differences to internal staff resistance can stand in the way, and there is an equally broad range of potential solutions and enablers at hand to address these issues. And I see these same sorts of nuances, traps, potential friction and buried gems hanging over every aspect of the industry, and in other markets as well. They all demand the top decision-maker's consideration.
In my own journey to becoming experienced in this field, I first failed to perceive the component complexities at all, and then when I started discovering them they felt overwhelming and baffling. It took time to find the right balance. I had to learn to see enough detail to be able to make good decisions, without becoming so encumbered in undelegated details.
Here are some of the techniques that have served me as a sort of prism for splitting challenges up into manageable components:
Balance different internal factions: For any given situation, you'll always find people in your organization who will tell you why you need to make a certain decision, and others who will try to push you to make a different one. Don't tune any of these groups out, but don't feel obligated to give them equal weight, either, nor to delve too deeply into their arguments.
See it from the outside in: It's relatively easy to find out what people in your own organization are thinking. But don't overlook what may prove to be the most important single component of your decision-making process: What your customers, suppliers, and other outside stakeholders think of your situation and possible decisions. Most industries often undertake ambitious expansion plans only to find out the hard way that local communities and regulators have their own ideas about how they should or shouldn't expand.
See it at different resolutions: Don't assume details don't matter until you've made a point of at least sampling some of them with people in the know. But your bias should be toward leaving details to others, so that as soon as you get a sense that the details you're looking at could be handled by others without weakening your ability to make an effective decision, let them go. When considering a partnership or new service line, for example, you certainly wouldn't want to move ahead without having some sense of the impact on your costs, cash flow, personnel workloads and brand--but you probably don't need to personally analyze 20 different spreadsheets on each area, either.
Rotate the prism: When you look at a big decision framed as a question of risk, you might be pushed toward a cautious decision. If you frame it as a question of opportunity, you may end up feeling bolder. As a strain on your operations, you could see it more aversely, and as a gateway to additional opportunity, more rewardingly. You need to see it from all these points of view, and others.
Change assumptions: You can't make decisions without assumptions, starting with the assumption that a giant asteroid isn't hurtling toward the Earth, and moving down to assumptions about the global economy, local economies, politics, conflict, shifting market interests, currency values, inflation, and on and on, down to assumptions about what sort of mood your board will be in when they consider your proposals. Identify your assumptions and change them up to see how your decision process changes in response.
Think about what you're missing: Is a new competitor waiting in the wings? Is a partner getting ready to bail? Is your organization about to get a shot at an even better opportunity? Use some imagination. It could help you bulletproof your decision, or least build in some coping mechanisms and escape routes.
The idea that a leader could confront all these elements and quickly cut through it all with a master stroke of simplification is just wishful thinking. Yes, great leaders can and must simplify, but not by ignoring the complexities. They do it by understanding and appreciating them.
Once a leader wrestles these situational nuances and components into a decision, well, sure, then he or she can work to make it look as if it were a simple choice. After all, not all stakeholders want to know how tricky, messy and uncertain the process was. A simple-sounding plan can help inspire confidence. Just make sure your simple-sounding plan can handle the complexities

Tuesday 16 May 2017

WHY SHOULD YOU REGISTER YOUR BUSINESS AS A COMPANY?


This I will share as bullet points!
1. It will give your business a legal identity/ status. The business itself will be able to own property, to borrow money etc.

2. It will safeguard the name of your business. The moment you incorporate it, no one else can use the same name which allows you to build a brand around it.

3. When you form a Company it will be easier to access opportunities, such as loans (banks prefer to deal with Companies),  contracts (because the Company is verifiable, it exists), tenders and financing opportunities through business expansion.

4. You will be able to register for licenses for example investment, trading and taxation licenses.

5. It allows your business to have better marketing and advertising opportunities for increased clientele.

6. It improves your chances of being competitive in the regioinal market.

Monday 8 May 2017

Reading can seriously damage your ignorance!



Depending on What you read:"Reading Can Seriously Damage your Ignorance"

I love this quote from "The Mindunleashed"! But, it can not be complete without pointing out that the damage is dependent on what you read!! The wrong readings (and/or correctly understanding what you read) may damage your intelligence, dignity and probably your humanity!!

Monday 10 April 2017

What you need to know about the Ward Development Fund!

Your MCA has been lying to you! Be sharp

The Office of the Controller of Budget (OCOB) released the Ward Development Fund Guidelines through the circular No.26 of 2014. The Ward Development Fund guidelines should help the counties to actualize and operationalize the Fund. Ward Development Fund should enable the counties to finance projects at the ward level.
The Ward Development Fund guidelines should aid the counties in establishing the Fund to adhere to established laws. These laws include the Public Finance Management (PFM) Act and the Constitution. The Controller of Budget expects the Ward Development Fund guidelines to improve reporting and accountability of public funds.

What the Ward Development Fund guidelines stipulate

The Ward Development Fund guidelines formulated by the Controller of Budget stipulate a number of issues. These are concerned with the establishment of the Fund, the approval of the Fund, and the operationalization and administration of the Fund.
The Ward Development Fund Guidelines also speak about the roles of the Members of the County Assembly (MCAs), County Executive, and the county residents. The Ward Development Fund guidelines also require provisions for monitoring, evaluation, and auditing of the Fund.
  1. Establishment of the Ward Development Fund

First, a county entity or a relevant department identifies the need to establish the Ward Development Fund. It forwards this proposal to the County Executive Member for Finance. The County Executive Member for Finance then submits the proposal to the County Executive Committee for approval.
When the County Executive Committee approves the proposal, the County Executive Member for Finance will then draft a County Bill or County Regulations. The Bill or the Regulations will establish and operationalize the Ward Development Fund.
  1. Approval of Ward Development Fund Bill or Regulations

The County Executive Member for Finance will then submit the Ward Development Fund Bill or Regulations to the County Assembly for Approval. Once the County Assembly approves the Ward Development Fund Bill, the governor assents to the Bill. The County Government then publishes the Bill in the Kenya Gazette.
  1. Operationalization and Administration of the Ward Development Fund

The County Executive Member for Finance will designate an administrator to operationalize the Fund. The functions of the administrator include:
  • Preparation of financial statements for the fund
  • Operating a bank account for the fund
  • Preparation of quarterly financial statements for the fund, which the administrator submits to the County Treasury and the Controller of Budget.

Every county should keep only one bank account for the Ward Development Fund. The administrator of the Fund shall be a mandatory signatory to the bank account.
The County Executive shall undertake the implementation of the Ward Development Fund programmes and projects.
The County Public Service Board shall address staffing needs for purposes of administering the fund.
  1. Role of the Members of the County Assembly and Residents

The Constitutional requires clear separation of powers between implementation and oversight. The MCAs shall play a role of mobilizing the residents of each Ward to identify priority projects for each financial year. In identifying these projects, public participation is critical.
  1. Role of the County Executive

The County Executive shall be responsible for implementation of projects funded by the Ward Development Fund. It shall implement the list of priority projects that the MCAs and members of the public identify after they receive them.
The County Executive must include the projects in the planning documents for the financial year (Annual Development Plans) and the County Fiscal Strategy Paper. No funds shall be appropriated (allocated or spent) outside a planning framework. The County Executive should also include the projects in the budget estimates in accordance with programme based budgeting.
  1. Monitoring and Evaluation

The Members of the County Assembly shall play oversight and monitor implementation of projects financed by the Ward Development Fund.
  1. Auditing

The Ward Development Fund Bill or Regulations should stipulate provisions for auditing the Fund.

Points to note from the Ward Development Fund guidelines

  1. The County Executive shall formulate the Bill or Regulations to operationalize and administrate the Ward Development Fund.
  2. The Ward Development Fund shall only come into operation upon approval of the Bill or Regulations by the County Assembly.
  3. Only the County Executive shall manage the Fund and Implement projects and programmes financed by the Fund. In the principle of separation of powers, MCAs shall not take part in this function.
  4. Public participation is critical. County residents should identify priority projects that the Ward Development Fund should finance.
  5. The MCAs shall monitor and play oversight on appropriation of the Fund and the implementation of projects financed by the Fund. They shall also mobilize residents to identify priority projects for the Fund to finance.