Maasi Mara Safari and Village

We went to the Maasai mara. It was spectacular, we came across 3 of the big 5: lions, elephants and buffalo baboons. We spotted  Giraffes, hippopotamus’, vultures, cheetah, warthogs and wildebeests

               

We visited the Maasi Mara Village were we partook in a cultural dance, visited a tribes mans family an bought souvenirs which supported their community.

                       

Networking Event

The networking event was fun, it was a great chance for entrepreneurs to bond and benefit each other with their businesses in the future; even if this meant keeping hold of business cards irrelevant at the time, this is due to developments such as product growth taking place then these businesses becoming relevant in time.

I was a a great opportunity to bond but also take a breath in all the hard work, we were able to remind each other we were all aiming for the same goal by supporting each other.

     

There were snacks and drinks, games and music, before we knew it there was rapping on the microphone and people dancing rumba.

It was enjoyable, and very much different to an English business gathering.

 Being Sheffield Hallam University Alumni, Charlie and I wore our Balloon Kenya T-shirts provided by Sheffield Hallam Student’ Union whom sponsored us. A big thanks again!

 

Testing!!

    The time had come to test all ideas, products and services this should be done the cheapest and easiest way. This is called the Minimal Viable Product (MVP)

LUCY – Fast Food within Eldoret University

> Lucy did market research within the university in order to see buying behaviour, preference and if there is demand for her business.

> Lucy tested her ability to cook and sell chips which were previously proven within market research that this was a popular and preferred menu item. (Lucy made profit)

 

Lucy also discovered that instead of creating wastage, crisps could be made with the left over potatoes too small for chips

> Lucy tested selling samosas which was also previously proven within market research this was a popular and preferred menu item. (Lucy again made profit) – the interesting point about this test was that Lucy had already sold  20 samosas before even arriving to the hotel whom agreed for Lucy to sell her menu items. This generous hotel being Joy Bringers.

> Finally, Lucy tested fast food delivery demand, this was due to the fact that Lucy needed a unique selling point, a value proposition, a factor which differentiates her from competition as market research allowed us to understand there were more competitors than first believed. The results were positive, Lucy decided this job position could be advertised though university, paid through commission and would not only benefit her but also students and staff.

> Once understanding her before and after canvas, understanding financial records and the importance of separation of personal and business funds. I believe that Lucy’s business idea benefited most through multiple testing, her amazing supportive network connections and her value proposition discovered and shown within her strategy canvas.

Lucy was always determined, constantly communicating and very supportive. I hold a lot of love for Lucy, she made my job in Kenya so much easier and I hope to visit her in the future. Balloon Kenya wasn’t just work, it was friendship building. I hope her and her son is enjoying themselves and I hope to one day meet her fantastic husband Ive heard so much about. I miss Lucy a lot.

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MARY – Selling Women’s mitumba (bundles of second hand tops)

> Firstly Mary performed market research through the relevant customer segments; Women in local offices, in town and around universities, this was to find out demand and whether interest could be further influenced through a social media connection ‘WhatsApp’

> The second test consisted of Mary’s business card, Mary chose her favourite colours and what she specifically wanted written, she posed for her photo and Mary was chuffed with Rosalies results.

 

> Continuing with her minimal viable customer channel ‘WhatsApp’, Mary decided that the way in which she can generate additional interest and grow within her current business would be through use of her cousins business, this was a fantastic idea. Her cousin sold jewellery therefore was relevant with Mary’s business; and Mary did not have to spend money on products, but simply access photos through her cousin, advertise on her WhatsApp page and if/when there was demand, Mary would sell these products.

> Marys business benefited mostly through organisation of personal and business finances. Mary was successfully using her cash book, recording all of her cash in’s and cash out’s, before she knew it she could understand where she was making money, how much profit/loss was being made each day, and how much money lies in the business at all times. with two weeks of this information, Mary also discovered how much she could physically give herself as a salary.

Mary was full of warmth, always with a smile and without fail always working, she has a beautiful daughter and an amazing family which I genuinely feel so grateful to meet. Mary and her cousin Mary (also an aspiring entrepenuer within the programme) had similar businesses and personalities. Mary’s once said she would love to bring her daughter to England for a holiday, all I can say to this is Mary; you are always welcome to stay with me.

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GLADYS– Dairy selling business

> Gladys began testing thorough market research. Research resulted in finding competitor rates for locals and businesses in order to find her value preposition/unique selling point (affordable cheaper pricing)

> Gladys continued market research in order to discover demand for her product (milk) which there was.

> Gladys chose her favourite colours for her business card and the crucial details needed. I finalised her branding in order for her customers to recognise an allow Galdys to stand out through competition. Gladys was happy with her business cards and the posters which were placed around her area directing people to her home where she would sell milk by the litre. Gladys minimal viable product was in fact her promotion and the polythene bags which held the milk sold. Gladys needed nothing more, she had her cows, boiling resources and holding containers; she had determination, support, motivation and an optimistic approach.

 

> Gladys’ most beneficial aspect appeared to be her strong friend base, Every time we met with Gladys, she had a different friend with her! every street we continued down, Gladys would greet another friend, she knew business owners and a lot of neighbours. It was actually quite funny how many people she knew. Such a strong strength to have when attempting to redirect business to yourself, friendship, loyalty, commitment and trust.

> Gladys did her demand market research for selling mala…basically yoguart (Under unrefrigerated storage, milk becomes sour in a matter of hours after milking. This is due to the action of natural lactic acid bacteria on the milk sugar, turning it to lactic acid which causes the milk protein to coagulate. Traditionally, most communities in Africa and Kenya in particular have used this natural fermentation to produce a variety of fermented milks for home consumption). The results were positive and allowed Gladys to know this could be a future development in order to achieve business growth.

> Creating a strategy canvas allowed Gladys to see where else she could beat competition other than her pricing, this appeared to be delivery.

Gladys was fab, I loved her energy and how large her friend base was. I enjoyed many times dancing when supposed to be working. She was fun, bubbly and would always make an average day seem like a party. I believe she has a strong chance of being successful within her community and hope that one day we can have a dance again 🙂

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EMMY- Convenience Store 

> Emmy  wanted to pursue her idea of fresh fruit and vegetables and see whether there were any other items that her customers wanted that she hadn’t identified. Emmy has a very loyal customer base and she knows all of them personally, so instead of asking people around her neighbourhood, she asked everyone that came into her shop. Emmy started doing covert market research, by doing a tally chart of all the items that people asked for that she didn’t have. From this one can see that Orange credit and paraffin were the most in demand items so we bought them first. 

> She bought 10 X 20 Orange credit and it sold out in 5 days.

> After asking customers what their favourite types we started with 200ml bottles of Nice & Lovely coco butter and aloe Vera.

> It seemed that there was an excessive number of soaps in Emmy’s shop so we tried to ask customers and competitors which ones they wanted to buy. Menengai is one that you cut up so profit margins are good even when you buy it from the supermarket. and it sold out in 5 days.

> She bought sufuria, buckets and slippers. Plates and cups are too expensive for her currently.

4 Sufuria sold out in 4 days! This is definitely a useful addition to the shop. She’s sold 1 each of slippers and buckets. All of them have good profit margins too.

> Emmy wanted to find out where people did their shopping normally, what they needed to go into town for and what they bought most often. From this we could work out what people needed in their daily lives that Emmy wasn’t providing.

Vegetables and ugali proved to be the highest therefore Emmy tested Vegetables. 

To work out which vegetables to stock we found out which were bought regularly, and the majority said Sukuma, cabbage, onion, tomato and manangu. They also said that they buy their vegetables in the evening, which gives Emmy time to get them during the day if need be. She’s focussing on cabbage, tomato, onion and Sukuma for now, and sells them cut too as it saves a lot of time for her customers.

> Emmy could develop her business in the future by expanding into fruits too, most popular, with her customers were mainly oranges, with a few bananas and mangoes.  She will introduce these when she has the funds. Oranges keep well so are good to sell.

> Emmy benefitted most through her volume profit matrix, she understood her business would benefit most through observing customer purchase behaviour then proceeding to minimise, expand, eliminate and which to purchase in bulk in order to achieve the discount for relevant products.

> Another area Emmy benefitted most was her finances which she took pride in so much, she was great, with so many sales each day, with constant supply buying; she never failed to keep up. It was not a case of how much money input she needed for her business but merely organisation and correction in operations management.

I had so much faith with Emmy and appreciated that she never gave up, working from the hours of 6am-9pm. I had a lot of respect. She is accommodating and positive. Emmy would shower us with hospitality every day we visited her shop, my favourite part were the mendazi’s (similar to donuts) she made, they were by far the best I had tasted in Eldoret. Emmy and her husband were so sweet, so hard working and so positive about everything.

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PATRICK– Photographer (events:birthdays/weddings/schools)

> Patrick first conducted market research to find out the demand for photography among: individuals and organisations, current competitors in the market, why consumers want photos and videos, as well find out consumers’ views on videography services which is one of the areas Patrick was interested in expanding into. One of the organisations spoken to (a church) highlighted that video (film) isn’t as durable as photos (can be damaged easier) and this is one reason videography is less popular. Other photographers also have digital cameras (capable of taking high quality photos) and other photographers can also edit photos undermining Patrick’s competitive advantages. There was a lot of variety in terms of potential customers. For example, there were individual consumers who may want a photo for their business, or to remember a special occasion. There were also organisational customers such as schools who may need a photographer to record a school photo, or a hotel who needs an event photographer.

> Patricks next set of testing was demand, he chose his business card colours, what information was needed, posed for his picture and Mayur created his business card. This was distributed successfully networking with a number of businesses, achieve 1 freelance event with the Balloon Kenya Eldoret Fellows and provisionally booked 2 other events.

 >  Patricks third step of testing was the Balloon Kenya Eldoret Fellows Wavy Garms Party. Patrick sold 37 medium sized photos many of which were decorated (with frames and writing) helping support the notion that Patrick’s photography and ability to add in fames is demanded

> One interesting opportunity emerged during the Balloon Kenya party that Patrick worked at. A lot of the Fellows wanted access to the photos online (rather than hardcopies). It will be interesting to see if this pattern also features among local Eldoret residents. If so Patrick can start charging a fee to share the photos online (due to popularity in social media sites such as Facebook) or provide access online once customers have sent the hardcopy copy. Patrick’s photographs were highly demanded during the Balloon Kenya Party however many people wanted these photos because of their novelty. It is important that Patrick further tests his demand photo decoration among local Eldoret residents to make these results more reliable.

> The final stage of testing was gaining contracts. Patrick distributed 11 business cards to these 13 businesses. Patrick gained unconfirmed upcoming event job positions and Patrick gained 1 confirmed annually continuing job. Not only did patrick earn a job at a upcoming event within a school, this will continue each June, each year!! Fab.

Patrick’s testing started off a little slow, he was hardworking and determined albeit his business was a difficult one, with so much competition and little useful resources Patrick never failed to continue. He gathered experience and constructive criticism until Patrick successfully gained contracts. He was very kind and I will always appreciate him helping my Swahili progression, Patrick taught me words, phrases culture and interesting tribal ways. Thank you so much Patrick! It’s a shame we didn’t have more time together.

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We did unfortunately have our 6th member of the Committed Warriors discontinue the programme, This was sad to all 5 of the entrepreneurs and all 3 of us fellows.

I wish them well in their full commitment to their final year of University 🙂  He was strong, independent and intelligent. I have no doubt that Stephen will create a business or two in the future once finalising University.

Bits and bobs, randoms and ramblings of a fellow..

By this point we have gotten to know our entrepreneurs, their personalities, their initial strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT analysis’) in terms of their business’ or their business ideas. We met families, visited homes, schools, universities and I couldn’t help but rumba to some Kenyan Music, especially at Gladys’ house and Emmys shop!! 🙂

                 

HEMIKA ACADEMY ANNEX. DAYCARE, ECD & PRIMARY – we got a tour of the school, and provided some motivational words to higher years going through exams.

  

ELDORET UNIVERSITY – We took a tour of the university behind the scenes.

         

DR. DAVID OWUOR CAME TO ELDORET– The festival took place right outside our accommodation.

on the 31st August people travelled globally to their final destination; Eldoret in order to attend the international conference of pastors where Dr. David Owuor of the Repentance and Holiness Ministry claims to of performed a healing service. The streets filled with many people, the festival appeared to of been a 7 day duration. More info can be found through the BBC.

Session 2 and Nakuru Rugby Tournaments!!

For task 1: a case study, ‘Sammy’s Story’ was introduced.

Sammy:

> Opened his first hotel

> Employed many staff

> Served food on the menu which he enjoys

> Invested all of his money and

> Opened more hotels

Sammy’s business failed.

The entrepreneurs realised that Sammy shouldn’t of invested all of his money, nor should he of employed so many staff, Sammy shouldn’t of assumed what customer would enjoy on the menu and he shouldn’t of continued to open hotels without knowing whether the first one is successful. Sammy should of started small and tested each step along the way.

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For task 2: The Marshmallow Challenge

The marshmallow challenge is used all over the world by even the largest company conferences and training.

The structure symbolises the business and the marshmallows ability to free-stand symbolises the success of the business.

Adults tend to fail and children tend to succeed in this challenge, the reason being that adults tend to use up time by planning and talking through the different ways of procedure whereas children build a structure and test along the way. just like you would a business.

Attempting this a week earlier, the fellows and I struggled, in fact; not one team were successful, however one the groups in our team of entrepreneurs ‘the committed warriors’ worked together and managed to successfully achieve a free standing structure.

Reflecting on why Sammy’s business failed is a conclusion which the marshmallow challenge supported.

Testing is Key.

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Nakuru Rugby Tournaments

On this day the Eldoret and the Nakuru groups of Balloon Kenya 2015  met up and enjoyed a spot of Rugby.

    

         

       

I believe Top Fry won this tournament.

     

Session 1 & Kissumu Boat Ride!!

Session 1 consisted of introducing the Business Model Canvas;

We helped the Committed Warriors through implementing a Kenyan business. The buda buda

The buda buda business is a  is a form of transport; when English would take a taxi, a bus or a train, Kenyans would take a taxi, a tuk tuk (a motor bike with indoor seating), a budda budda (on the back of a motorbike), or a matatu (a transit van).

The entrepreneurs we split in to two teams and they did a great job, they worked together, queried concerns and completed the task. It was a challenge on both the entrepreneurs but also the fellows; I felt this way due to Kenyan factors being completely new to us also.. factors such as e.g. revenue streams MPESA: mobile money (text banking).

Once this was complete we moved on to the reasons to why many Kenyan businesses commonly fail. These reasons were

> Giving friends on credit

> Assuming things will work before doing research

> Investing everything before testing

etc.

The session was successful and the two fellows and myself felt achievement after our first day of teaching.

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Kissumu was beautiful;

Firstly we learnt about the Luo tribe in terms of age when you are considered at age for marriage (15) and the rituals such as circumcision (boys), teeth removal (girls) and how engagement takes place (kidnap), we were also informed that monogamy is not something within the Luo tribe, infact we were shown around the setting of how life would be as a Luo, there was a first wife’s house a second, a third and so on and so forth; it was very interesting however hard to understand looking through the eyes of someone brought up in a very different culture.

After this we enjoyed seeing a crocodile and holding some very small and adorable turtles

Later that day we continued to a very rocky and speedy boat ride where we saw a hippo, learnt about the variety of birds nesting in the trees, hand picked the papyrus plant which Egyptians made paper from. We also had a cheeky brandy exchange with the tour guide when he parked the boat within some tall grass, on our way heading back to land we observed both the sun set and the incredible bird migration from the Netherlands.

Amazing.

The Committed Warriors and Nandi Hills !!

With training finalised and everybody bonding we were separated into our teams of fellows and entrepreneurs.

The fellows i was paired with were York based: ‘Rosalie’ and London based: ‘Mayur’. I was happy with the decision and excited to hear the entrepreneurs and their start up or existing businesses. We were informed that there were 6 entrepreneurs in our team,

Lucy / Start up / Fast Food

Mary / Existing / Mutumba

Emmy / Existing / Convenience Store

Stephen / Start up / Pool tables

Patrick / Start up / Photography

Gladys / Start up / Dairy Selling Business

When reading this we also discovered their team name, this was: The Committed Worriers… we found this hilarious and thought it was an ironic twist, we then realised this was a slight language barrier and our team name was in fact: The Committed Warriors; much more fitting due to the evidence throughout the following weeks

The weekend followed

 

Another fellow ‘Ivy’ within the Balloon Kenya Programme is a fun and bubbly Kenyan whom kindly invited the whole group of 20 fellows for a hike in her home town ‘Nandi Hills’, where we bumped into some of the local children, enjoyed a beautifully scenic picnic, previous to our amazingly delicious lunch with a selection of meats and flavourful fish. We learnt about the Kalenjin tribe and how the detailed created calabash’s Gourd are used to store milk and mala Ivys grandmas was even kind enough to give one of the calabash’s as a gift to one of the fellows whom took a high interest in the designs. Once lunch had been devoured we made our way through Ivy’s family home’s garden, where they grown mangos, grapes, guava, passion fruit and sugar cane (which we had a go at chopping down with a machete!) when we thought the fun was over, Ivy’s grandfather led us to the Siret Tea Factory, what a privilege to walk around restricted areas to understand each step of tea leave production, with our fancy white cloaks and hats we wandered round asking questions and finished the day with a spot of tea testing!!! slightly bitter without milk although very enjoyable all in all 🙂

Not quite the usual ‘go to friends for lunch’ day!

Brilliant.

Training & The First Adventure

The first week of training went fantastic! Ive met a great mixture of interesting and intellectual individuals from all over the world, places such as Norway, Germany, Hungary, China, Italy and England!

 

Once constructing hypothetical businesses in order to understand the process which we will be teaching aspiring entrepreneurs in the future, I enjoyed projecting my teams first presentation to the group, our business understood gaps in the market and created solutions to current problems (innovation). Understanding market research took place through practice in Eldoret Town, we were; yes, nervous.. but we had so much fun, I personally felt liberated once the activity was completed!

Our first weekend constructed by the social committee (which i am part of!) began in the amazing Kakamega Forest, the only rainforest in Kenya; It was amazing! We trekked for 9 hours up and down the Kakamega mountain, wandered and learned about the trees, tasted medicinal plants, saw Blue Monkey’s/other monkeys plus more animals, had an adrenaline powered walk through a dark, damp bat cave, climbed a manmade tower overlooking cows and nature, walked through a river, swung on a branch..

               

                        Not only this but chilled while watching the sunset with my bae’s

Just the beginning

Arriving at Manchester airport; I met and shared a (35 hour all in all) trip with Charlotte, However we found means to entertain ourselves within Doha Airport whilst awaiting our transfer to Nairobi.

Eldoret being our final destination, exhausted; the fellows and I settled into our accommodation. Here’s a small taster of balcony scenery!

Mutually experiencing the tourist/host gaze on the first trip to town; I felt both emotional due to living conditions in rural and even urban areas and slightly uncomfortable by the ashtonishing attention made by the simple fact of being ‘masungu’ (foreign/wonderer/white person in Swahili). I soon realised the other word being shouted was ‘Karibu’ (Welcome in Swahili) I was so happy to be in Kenya, as were they for us to arrive.  We were also lucky enough to experience a beautifully talented choir performing for the public, this was only the first day… I was so excited for the second! 🙂

Ready to Travel !!!

  With my (£52) Yellow Fever vaccination out of the way and both (£55) Cholera protective drinks (which had an unexpected unpleasant potent taste) drank; I am ready to begin my (£128) Malarial tablets each day for the next two months. Thank you to everyone providing me with support and my friend Jasmine who generously came along for photography before looking after me when i got a little dizzy 🙂 cannot wait to meet the 2015 Balloon Kenya Fellows at the airport tomorrow! A great big thank you for Sheffield Hallam Student’ Union‘s scholarship sponsoring!