Monday 24 December 2012

Wish You All a Meru Christmas and Successful New Year 2013

Wish You a Meru Christmas with Great Celebrations/Festivals en Successful New Year 2013!!!

Sunday 25 November 2012

Being Indispensable

Are You Truly Indispensable At Work--Or Just Fooling Yourself?

By Mark Samuel ©all rights reserved

Committing to make yourself indispensable is one of the most important steps you will take toward being successful and living a fulfilling life. Making yourself indispensable is not about position, power, or ego. It is about taking charge, overcoming obstacles, and achieving your dreams at work, at home, and in your life. Making yourself indispensable is made up of six key spokes: being purpose driven, playing big, being adaptable, being we centered, being priority focused, and valuing others. Ultimately, making yourself indispensable is about committing to a bigger purpose than yourself and making a meaningful difference to your organization, your team, your family, and your community.

Making yourself indispensable is for everyone, regardless of your position, role, or lot in life. Today’s business environment doesn’t allow for satisfaction with the status quo. It requires constant growth and change. Being indispensable means that you are adaptable, learning and growing with your organization as it changes and evolves. You remain valuable to your organization, to your team, and to the important people in your life. If you aren’t changing with your organization, in essence you are becoming obsolete. So at the end of the day, you are either working to make yourself indispensable or working to make yourself obsolete.

Have you ever known someone who acted indispensable when they weren’t? Some do this in the form of loud “notice me” or “bow down to me” behavior or in the form of quietly expecting others to give them everything without having to work for anything. In either case, these people don’t give as much as they take, which is the ultimate demise of true indispensability. They are annoying at best and destructive at worst. Let’s explore the makeup of those faking their way to feeling indispensable so that we make sure to avoid this initial trap on the path to being truly indispensable.

Using power and force to make yourself indispensable is popular with people who have strong egos, financial wealth, or positional power. They make themselves indispensable by keeping others unsafe, generally through threat. If they have an aggressive nature, they will yell at others or even use physical force and fear to make people do what they want. In a beverage manufacturing plant in Canada that hired me to build the management team, one manager would yell at his direct reports so loudly when they made a mistake that it could be heard throughout the plant, causing humiliation and embarrassment for his team. They worked in fear of their manager until they banded together and rebelled. In our personal lives, our spouses and children can feel the same fear when our approach to communication involves emotional or physical mistreatment. The result is hurt feelings, shame, and sometimes abuse.

To act indispensable, some people and organizations use their financial advantage to evoke fear by threatening to take away people’s livelihood--whether a job, a home, or the ability to get a loan. Finally, using positional power is one of the most common means of faking indispensability and is most prevalent in the workplace. Employees witness fake indispensability when managers micromanage, dismiss their ideas, or worse, take credit for the solutions implemented by their team.

The second way people create “fake

indispensability” is through entitlement. It arises from overprotective parents who never want their children to feel bad about themselves, an education system that doesn’t push its students to excel or gives everyone a passing grade regardless of their test score, or a group that encourages people to feel entitled by. People with an entitled attitude believe they are indispensable based on their mere existence. As long as they are breathing and taking up space at work, they should be paid--even when they aren’t producing results. And worse, if they ever start breathing hard (even without satisfactory results), they expect a bonus. Thinking we are the best when we are not is the surest and quickest path to dispensability.

No matter how smart you are, how physically strong you are, what religion, race, or creed you come from, what your financial status is, what abilities and talents you possess, or what positional power you have over others, you are not indispensable unless you use your gifts and principles in service to other people’s success, improvement, or survival.

Tuesday 6 November 2012

Business Leader of The Year 2012, James Mwangi, CEO Kenya's Equity Bank.

EQUITY CEO WINS ALL AFRICA BUSINESS LEADERS AWARDS

Author: Grace Kerongo - Hot Secrets: http://hotsecretz.blogspot.com/

CNBC Africa, the continent’s biggest business news television channel, hosted the second annual ‘All Africa Business Leader Award’s (AABLA) on Thursday 25, October.

Kenya’s Equity Bank CEO, James Mwangi, walked away with the Business Leader of the year prize. It’s the second high profile recognition for the Kenyan businessman, after he won the Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur of the Year in June.

The awards, organised by ABN Productions had took place at the Vodadome in Midrand, South Africa. DStv audiences will be able to see the broadcast of the awards on Tuesday, 30 October 2012 on CNBC Africa at 10pm. The event was hosted by senior CNBC Africa anchor, Alishia Seckam and former ‘Top Billing’ presenter, Nico Panagio. It was attended by captains of industry and government leaders including MEC Nkosiphendule Kolisile, who was the key note speaker.

“I have founded these awards in 2011 as a derivative of the Business Leaders Awards that are held by CNBC all over the world. These awards are a tribute to those Captains of Industry who have made a qualitative difference to the companies, industries and communities that they serve”, said Rakesh Wahi, Founder of the ABN Group.

“On behalf of the ABN Group, I would like to congratulate all the winners and finalists for their superb work, they are promoting African leadership that will eventually create and preserve the wealth and glory that belongs to its people”, he said.

The AABLA 2012 winners in the different categories are:

Business Leader of The Year sponsored by Telkom: James Mwangi, CEO, Equity Bank

Entrepreneur of The Year sponsored by the IDC: Jannie Mouton, CEO, PSG Group

Business Woman of the Year: Funke Opeke, CEO, Main One Cable Company

Young Business Leader of The Year: Jack Kayonga, MD, Rwanda Development Bank

Lifetime Achievement Award: Manu Chandaria , Comcraft

The Forbes Africa Advertising Leader of the Year: Bharat Thakrar, CEO, Scangroup

Forbes Africa Agency Network of the Year: Ogilvy & Mather Africa

“The AABLAs are an important calendar item in our coverage of African business and markets,’’ said Godfrey Mutizwa, CNBC Africa’s Chief Editor.

“The winners once again demonstrate the quality and depth of business leadership across the continent, and we look forward to continuing to showcase Africa’s best,” he said.

Sunday 28 October 2012

Kenya Vision 2030 Innovation Award

Kuza Biashara wins Kenya’s Vision 2030 Innovation Award

Author: Rachel Wariko (Kuza Biashara)

Sriram Bharatam & Juliet Gateri receiving the Prestigious Vision 2030 Innovation Award

The Connected Kenya summit came to an exciting end on April 5, as Kuza Biashara emerged top to clinch one of the Nation’s top innovation awards. The Vision 2030 ICT innovation award is part of the Connected Kenya Summit that took place from the April 2-5, 2012. The purpose of these awards, started in 2011, is to “Recognize and Celebrate Kenyans who have developed ICT solutions that drive economic growth and social development as outlined in Kenya’s Vision 2030“.The innovation awards were the creation of the Kenya ICT Board and the Kenya Vision 2030 Delivery Secretariat. All applicants for the awards were required to be registered as a business in Kenya and have had their product in the Kenyan market for at least six months. The applications were then reviewed by a team of independent judges representing the ICT private sector, academia, public sector and civil society. Over 400 applications for different categories from all over the country. Kuza Biashara won the award as the Best Innovation in the Education and Training sector, which was the most hotly contested category. Sriram Bharatam, Founder and Chief Mentor of Kuza Biashara was on hand to accept the award along with Juliet Gateri, Operations Head of Kuza Biashara. Other winners were Green Dreams Tech for their product iCow in the Agriculture sector; Digital Divide Data Kenya, in the Business Process Outsourcing sector; Digital Horizons, in the Financial services sector; Michezo Afrika in the Gender, Youth and Vulnerable groups sector; Social Equity and Poverty Reduction went to ALIN and Compulynx while MamaMikes.com won in the Wholesale and Retail Trade sector.
“Encouraging local innovation is critical for Kenya to achieve Vision 2030. There are a lot of young people who come up with brilliant innovations but it goes to waste if the ideas are not monetized. Vision 2030 hopes to help market and communicate these innovations,” said Mugo Kibati, Director General, Kenya Vision 2030 Delivery Secretariat.
Speaking on this occasion, Sriram Bharatam (Sri) said, “This recognition is a testimony that we are in the right direction and is a great motivator to the 50+ team members of Kuza Biashara across 20 locations in Kenya, to now scale this idea and reach out to transform as many Kenyan small business owners as possible.”

Saturday 27 October 2012

Online Small Businesses in Kenya - Kudos to Facebook group 'Soko kuu' (Big Market)

Generally Speaking: Online Small Businesses in Kenya: As the cost of living continues to scale higher and higher with no much increase of income, alot of Kenyans have resorted to side 'jobs' or ...

Friday 19 October 2012

Dr Bitange Ndemo (PS Ministry of ICT) To Launch Social Media Clubs in UON, Kenya

Kenyan Marketer: Dr Bitange Ndemo To Launch Social Media Clubs in K...: A group of four students from the University of Nairobi; School of business have conceptualized and spearheaded the formation of soci...

Wednesday 3 October 2012

A photographer with a difference, Kudos to benkiruthi Photography

Nairobi Guru...: A Kenyan photographer with a difference: Ben Kiruthi Founder benkiruthi Photography Tell us something about your business or professional background? I run a photo...

Friday 28 September 2012

Rift Valley Festival 2012, Kenya

The Great Rift Valley Culture Experience (The Birthplace of Mankind)

By Nikki Follis: For three days in early September, several thousand revellers from Kenya and beyond gathered on the shores of Lake Naivasha for the Rift Valley Festival (RVF). A showcase for local and emerging talent alongside more established African and international artists, the festival has been growing in reputation and ambition since its inception in 2010.

Photography Japhs Barikiwa
RVF is the brainchild of British brothers Ivan and Sean Ross, who admit that organising a festival of this scale has not been easy but that this year has marked a coming of age in terms of success. The pair divide their time between the Rift Valley and London, and run the event with a strong ethical spirit - all proceeds from ticket sales go directly to local community and environmental projects in the Naivaisha area. And by attracting festival goers from across the East Africa region as well as around the world, they also hope RVF will help promote Kenya as a safe and exciting tourist destination, a reputation that has been damaged in recent years due to media reporting of outbreaks of political unrest and violence in the country.

Photography Julia McKay
This year’s line-up featured more than 40 artists across the several stages nestled around the beautiful, waterside setting of Fisherman’s Camp, owned by the Ross brothers’ parents, which in itself is one of RVF’s main draws. What other festival offers the chance to go hippo spotting under the watchful eye of Masaai security guards in between enjoying music, food, dancing and culture?

Photography Japhs Barikiwa @ Dunsa Culture Safaris

The festival kicked off on Friday evening with DJs Under The Stars on the main stage, featuring spin-masters of the nascent Kenyan Afro-house scene, such as BBSA, Barney Barrow and one-to-watch Nairobi collective Electrique DJs & The Beat Parade Band. The UK’s Felix Buxton of Basement Jaxx fame headlined with a set heavily inspired by afrobeats old and new.

Saturday and Sunday's acts treated festival-goers to a musical smogasboard covering African roots, soul, jazz, ska, dub, reggae, house, hip hop and rock. Highlights included renowned Kenyan songstress Suzanna Owiyo; stalwarts of the global festival circuit Yunasi, whose East African sesube music style got a lazy late afternoon crowd on their feet; and the infectious rhythms of Congolese group Rumba Japan.

One of the biggest crowd-pleasers of the weekend was the Saturday night set by New York-based multi-instrumentalist, rapper and beat-boxer Joe Driscoll, whom Cee Lo Green has labelled ‘the gangsta with an iron lung’, with Guinean Sekou Kouyate, known in France as the ‘Jimi Hendrix of the kora’. Speaking of their collaboration, which was born when they met at the French festival Nuits Métis, Sekou noted, “He doesn’t speak any French, and I speak no English, but through music we understand”.

Thursday 27 September 2012

Pools And Family Vacations By Hilton Hotels & Resorts

Pools Rule In New Hilton Hotels & Resorts Study Of Family Vacations

Hilton Blue Paper Uncovers What Families Really Want in Resort Vacations: Pools Lead Wish List; Kids’ Clubs with Thrills and All-Inclusive Resorts on the Rise

September 27, 2012
MCLEAN, Va. - Pools and water activities are the most important element of a family resort vacation, followed by spacious and potentially adjoining guest rooms, according to the latest Hilton Blue Paper - "Resort Travel Trends: What Families Want." Hilton Hotels & Resorts issues the study today as the flagship brand of Hilton Worldwide prepares to introduce Hilton Puerto Vallarta Resort as its 75th resort and first all-inclusive in Mexico this fall. The study explores top destinations along with the needs and preferences of parents and kids when it comes to family vacations. Hilton finds an increased interest in all-inclusive resorts, with 92 percent of U.S. parents and 95 percent of U.K. parents polled at least "somewhat interested" in this model.
Additional focus is given to the vacation planning process, today's desirable destinations and the preferred components of an ultimate kids' club experience. The report was commissioned by Hilton Hotels & Resorts and offers valuable insight from parents and kids - through a survey to more than 1,200 parents in the U.S. and U.K. in June and July 2012 as well as 20 focus groups that separated moms and kids in November 2011 in the U.S., U.K. and China.
"This new research offers a timely perspective on what today's families seek in resort vacations," said Dave Horton, global head, Hilton Hotels & Resorts. "Of particular note, the report's leading resort vacation considerations of pools and food for everyone are key touch points for our 75 resorts that all offer at least two pools or a pool and a beach and a minimum of two restaurants along with waterfront food and beverage services."
Key insights in this Hilton Blue Paper include:

Pools and water activities are the No. 1 resort touch point for parents and kids, followed by spacious (and potentially adjoining) guest rooms and a variety of dining options
Kids' clubs are a highly valued resort amenity for families, as they allow kids to have fun and enjoy group activities while parents take advantage of some "me" time - key considerations for kids' club use are safety, flexibility and diverse programming
Top destinations where U.S. parents want to vacation now include Hawaii, Orlando, the Grand Canyon, Southern California and Continental Europe, while U.K. parents pair their top choice of Orlando with Disneyland Paris, Italy, Mallorca and Dubai
An increasing interest in all-inclusive resorts, with 92 percent of U.S. parents and 95 percent of U.K. parents at least "somewhat interested" in this resort vacation option
Mom serves as the family travel agent - researching travel options and seeking advice from trusted sources (including friends and family) before booking a family vacation
While parents want to simply relax and create fond memories while vacationing, kids are most interested in fun pools and good food
A checklist of parent recommendations for resort vacations that please everyone in the family

"This Hilton Blue Paper examines the family vacation experience from the planning period to key on-property touch points, with input coming from the most credible source of moms, dads and kids in cities around the world who regularly take resort vacations," said Bonnie Campagnuolo, senior director, global brand marketing, Hilton Hotels & Resorts. "We look forward to using the report to further shape the guiding principles and standards for our Hilton Resorts portfolio that offers 75 resorts in 28 countries."
The Hilton Blue Paper is released as the Hilton Resorts portfolio continues to expand its global footprint with 17 resorts in development while consistently offering memorable vacation experiences in the world's most desirable locations - as near as Florida and Hawaii and as exotic as Mauritius, Seychelles and Bora Bora. The portfolio, which features 10 all-inclusive resorts with the opening of Hilton Puerto Vallarta Resort in October 2012, will introduce exciting beach and city resorts by 2015 in destinations including Argentina, Austria, China, India, Egypt, U.A.E. and Jordan.
Hilton Resorts is a specific collection of premier properties within the Hilton Hotels & Resorts portfolio that are designed for travelers seeking relaxation and rejuvenation in the world's most sought-after destinations. This distinguished group of more than 70 properties located throughout 28 countries encompasses requirements above and beyond the Hilton brand standards.
To view a summary and full version of the "Resort Travel Trends: What Families Want" report and other Hilton Blue Papers, visit http://news.hilton.com/bluepaper. To learn more about Hilton Resorts, visit http://hilton.com/resorts or http://news.hilton.com/resorts.

Tuesday 25 September 2012

Safaricom do not Own the Patents to the M-PESA Innovation

M-PESA is not a Kenyan Innovation

@ http://www.gmeltdown.com/2009/12/m-pesa-is-not-kenyan-innovation.html

Posted by John Kieti Labels: innovation, intellectual property, kenyan, knowledge economy, M-PESA, michael joseph, patriotism, safaricom, sagentia, socio-political crisis, Tanzania, technology, vodaphone, YuCash, ZAP

Many Kenyans still believe that 'their' Safaricom owns the patents to the M-PESA innovation. Some Kenyans even claim that Safaricom hijacked their idea and developed it into M-PESA - a court case was once reported on this. The reality being that the system was 'developed' by Sagentia on behalf of Vodafone, it goes without saying that the corresponding intellectual property (IP) does not belong to Safaricom. That is also not to forget that Kenya has enough software development capacity to build such a system on a robust platform.

Safaricom is paying patent fees to Vodafone just like any other network operator who will wish to use the money transfer platform. It might help for Michael Joseph to clarify if any benefits accrue to himself or others in Safaricom specifically for accepting to be the test platform for "Vodafone's innovation". Such a clarification should of course address the opportunity cost of a more direct contribution to Kenya's knowledge economy through the apparently foregone IP ownership.

I would like to suggest that if for any other reason M-PESA does not succeed in other markets outside Kenya, it will be because the M-PESA is merely a Kenyan innovation, whose success is a direct derivative of Kenya's patriotism. As such the innovation's success may not be replicated where the corresponding patriotic emotion is inexistent.

Consider the patriotism displayed in the oversubscription of the Safaricom IPO of 2008. Consider the fanatical self imposed network (Safaricom) lock-in of over 14 million Kenyans. Then you might start understanding the success of M-PESA in Kenya. Many Kenyans found M-PESA compelling merely because it was supposed to be a 'Kenyan Invention'. Indeed the M-PESA success story may not be complete without mentioning the sense of belonging and patriotism of Kenyans as an aftermath of 2007/8 election crisis.

Had the 5+ Millions of M-PESA users initially learnt some of the facts in Olga Morawczynski's

article - What you don't know about M-PESA, the service might as well have been struggling as is the case with the Vodacom's attempt in Tanzania. Consider the question - why are ZAP and YuCash - alternatives to MPESA not yet success stories? In my opinion, the technological platform could have been developed by anyone else - including our own software developers. The business processes addressing the socio-economic context could only have come from the Kenyan populace - regardless of who eventually incorporated them into the software.

I am sure at some point in history, the social scientists will have something to say about the role of Kenya's social-political crisis of 2007 and 2008 in the M-PESA success story.

Monday 24 September 2012

Evolving thoughts on business innovation, entrepreneurship and economic growth.

gmeltdown: Evolving thoughts on innovation, entrepreneurship ...: Entrepreneurs create new businesses, and new businesses in turn create jobs. New businesses intensify competition for existing larger bu...

Monday 10 September 2012

Happy Ethiopia New Year 2005, 11th September. Enkutatash!

Happy 2005 Ethiopian New Year

Culture, Ethiopia, Holidays,

Ayanna Nahmias, Editor-in-Chief

This is an inspirational time of the year because of the proximity of the major holidays of the Abrahamic religions.

We have just concluded Ramadan and now we are celebrating the Ethiopian New Year. Enkutatash is the word for new year in Amharic the official language of Ethiopia.

The new year is also known as Ri’se Awde Amet (Head Anniversary) in Ge’ez, an appellation preferred by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.

It occurs on September 11 in the Gregorian calendar, except for leap years, when it occurs on September 12. The Ethiopian calendar year 1998 ‘Amätä Məhrät (“Year of Mercy”) began on September 11, 2005. However, the Ethiopian years 1996 and 1992 AM began on September 12, 2003 and 1999, respectively.

This date correspondence applies from the Gregorian years 1900 to 2099. Generally, because every fourth Ethiopian year is a leap year without exception, while Gregorian years divisible by 100 are not leap years, a set of corresponding dates will thus apply only for one century. However, because the Gregorian year 2000 is a leap year, then in this case the correspondences continue for two centuries. (Source: Wikipedia)

The Ethiopian New Year will be followed by the Jewish High Holidays of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. We honor all of our readers by acknowledging and celebrating their holy holidays and we thank them and wish them happiness and joy on during these perennial festivals.

Friday 7 September 2012

Tech Culture:Toshiba Invests in Kenyan Market.

A Nairobian's Perspective !: Toshiba invests in Kenyan market, appoints Country...: Erick Njuguna Country Manager Toshiba Japanese company positions Kenyan operations for accelerated growth Nairobi, Kenya, 5th Septemb...

SOMA AWARDS-AWARDING SOCIAL MEDIA EXCELLENCE IN KENYA...

Kenyan Marketer: SOMA AWARDS-AWARDING SOCIAL MEDIA EXCELLENCE IN KE...: Social networking has become integral to the lives of many and to brands social media is just another way to talk to, and engage wit...

Tuesday 28 August 2012

Date A Man Who Lives His Dreams.

Date a man who dreams

Date a man who doesn’t spend his money on drink, or clothes, or video games, but saves what he has to go on adventures and pursue his dreams. He might have problems dealing with everyday things but no-one sees the possibilities life holds like he does. This is a man who is ready for anything, who will drop everything on a moment’s notice to run away and get lost somewhere with you or show up unannounced to whisk you away on some crazy adventure. Date a man who sees the world in millions of colours, who has his head in the clouds and his feet on the ground.
Date a man who hasn’t got the money to spoil you or shower you with gifts but finds a way to do it anyway. You can trust that he’ll find a way to touch your heart and make you feel special in new ways. He knows that words and gifts aren’t what matters. Every time he gives you something or writes to you he is giving you a piece of his soul. And every time you give him something or write to him he will truly treasure it and understand the effort you put in to choosing the gift, the words, or even making it yourself.

An Ideal Office Culture For Travelling Entreprenuers

A nomadic entrepreneur, Amir Wald, 33, is the founder of Colnect.com, a unique platform for collectors available in 60 languages and currently visited by over 333,000 people a month.

It all started a little more than a year ago in my dull home city. I was selling my apartment and moving my things. When people asked where I was going to, I answered, “everywhere”. Surprised, they wondered “what about your start-up?”. I pointed to my backpack, “Colnect is coming with me, right here”. I ventured out into the world with a laptop, a smart phone, four Colnect T-shirts in four different colors, a box full of advertisement fliers that resemble dollar bills enough to make them a popular attraction almost anywhere on the planet and a puppet frog named Frognector. To date, I have been through 13 countries, camping around Iceland, hitchhiking through continental Europe, seeing the Orthodox Jewish New Year celebrations in Ukraine and shortly after attending Israel’s much less orthodox naked festival, staying in desert caves in Jordan, lying on the beaches of Goa in south India, settling for a while in the Tibetan refuge city in the mountains of north India and drinking fresh coconuts in Thailand. All the while running my start-up. My name is Amir Wald and I am an entrepreneur. Colnect is a unique website for collectors, available in 60 languages, that I built and am continuing to push forward. From any place that has an Internet connection, I keep managing hundreds of volunteers who help make Colnect the greatly needed service it is for the hundreds of thousands of people visiting it each month.

The Traveling Office

Every month, week or day my office door opens to a completely new place. The globe turns a bit, grinding beneath the floor tiles and comes to a screeching halt. The office room itself changes in the process as well, but what the heck, as long as it has a decent bathroom. This time the office door opens to a quiet green village in the mountains of Northern Laos, infested with plenty of unreasonably fairytale-like big butterflies. My breakfast is a fresh pineapple shake. My lunch and dinner are in a restaurant that is actually the bamboo home of a sweet elderly Laotian couple that put a big English menu on their door. They seem to really enjoy feeding me giant sizzling dishes. No coworker chatter, just laughing Laotians drinking Beer-Lao and the occasional Western tourists. No credit cards accepted here. Some of the chairs are replaced by pillows and hammocks. Although at the bottom of the mountain, it feels like the top of the world.

Various Ways to Grow Professional Contacts On LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a massive social networking tool; it is the Facebook for professionals. On LinkedIn you can create a professional profile, connect with colleagues, friends, associates and even potential employers and employees. It’s an excellent way to find a professional niche, discover new audiences, join groups, generate ideas and explore new opportunities.
With so many users on LinkedIn, it can be quite a daunting task attempting to stand out and build a network with other serious professionals. Following are a few ideas to get you started.

Make Time

Think of LinkedIn like a blog: you not only have to have something for people to read, you have to have something new. Try to update your profile a few times a day and make sure you comment on and share other updates.
Unlike Facebook, LinkedIn members only check in a few times a week, so it’s important that you have something new to share whenever someone looks at your profile. Doing this shows that you are serious and dedicated to building your network and connecting with other professionals.

Make Connections

Another easy way to build your network is to build your network. But make sure that the connections you make are worthwhile. Don’t accept a connection simply because you need one more to break a hundred. Spend time finding and making connections with individuals that can actually help or teach you. Be sure to connect with local professionals first.

Time it Right

You can make as many connections, comments and updates as you want, but you should do it at the right time to truly capitalize on the capabilities of LinkedIn. A majority of members are on during the afternoon, so plan your activities during this time to make sure that you can receive maximum exposure.
That being said, each industry has different peak hours. Experiment with different times and record the amount of exposure you receive and patterns that you notice. A fishermen must rise with the fish, and a hunter must hunt when their prey is in season.

Participate in Groups

Whenever you join a group, make sure that you are an active participant. This is not only a great way to gain knowledge and find new opportunities, but to make new connections as well when you make comments and participate in conversations.

Add Value

What you share on LinkedIn is your personal brand. If you share valuable information, then you present yourself as a professional, an authority in your industry. Not everything you post has to be of your own creation, you can share news, articles and other posts as well. Bringing value brings new connections when members realize you have worthwhile information to share.

Refer

If you are a member of other social media websites, be sure you have a link to your LinkedIn profile. When writing and responding to business e-mails, add a link to your LinkedIn profile in your e-mail signature. This opens up several new opportunities to build your network.

Use Facebook

While Facebook may be used more for friends and old high school classmates, it can actually serve as a good tool to build your network on LinkedIn. Join and participate in Facebook groups related to your profession. Whenever someone sends you a friend request, inform them that your Facebook account is personal, but your LinkedIn account is for your professional life. Rather than looking at LinkedIn and Facebook as an either/or deal, look at them as one massive tool with multiple uses.
Get the most out of your LinkedIn experience by following these easy tips. Ask yourself how you can apply real work networking strategies to social media, and how you can create new networking opportunities suited for online interaction.
Jennifer Carrigan wrote this article on behalf of Promotional Pencils, where you can get custom pencils to advertise your business.

Saturday 25 August 2012

Steve Jobs Best Quotes

This post originally ran on Aug. 24, after Steve Jobs stepped down as CEO of Apple. It has been updated to reflect the news of his death.

Steve Jobs, one of the fathers of the personal computing era and the founder of Apple, died at the age of 56. Although he will be remembered for ushering in fundamental changes in the way people interact with technology, he has also been known for his ability to turn a phrase – and a knack for taking complicated ideas and making them easy to understand. Below, a compendium of some of the best Steve Jobs quotes.

On Technology

“It takes these very simple-minded instructions—‘Go fetch a number, add it to this number, put the result there, perceive if it’s greater than this other number’––but executes them at a rate of, let’s say, 1,000,000 per second. At 1,000,000 per second, the results appear to be magic.” [Playboy, Feb. 1, 1985]

***

“The problem is I’m older now, I’m 40 years old, and this stuff doesn’t change the world. It really doesn’t.
“I’m sorry, it’s true. Having children really changes your view on these things. We’re born, we live for a brief instant, and we die. It’s been happening for a long time. Technology is not changing it much — if at all.
“These technologies can make life easier, can let us touch people we might not otherwise. You may have a child with a birth defect and be able to get in touch with other parents and support groups, get medical information, the latest experimental drugs. These things can profoundly influence life. I’m not downplaying that.
“But it’s a disservice to constantly put things in this radical new light — that it’s going to change everything. Things don’t have to change the world to be important.” [Wired, February 1996]

***

“I think it’s brought the world a lot closer together, and will continue to do that. There are downsides to everything; there are unintended consequences to everything. The most corrosive piece of technology that I’ve ever seen is called television — but then, again, television, at its best, is magnificent.” [Rolling Stone, Dec. 3, 2003]

On Design

“We think the Mac will sell zillions, but we didn’t build the Mac for anybody else. We built it for ourselves. We were the group of people who were going to judge whether it was great or not. We weren’t going to go out and do market research. We just wanted to build the best thing we could build.
When you’re a carpenter making a beautiful chest of drawers, you’re not going to use a piece of plywood on the back, even though it faces the wall and nobody will ever see it. You’ll know it’s there, so you’re going to use a beautiful piece of wood on the back. For you to sleep well at night, the aesthetic, the quality, has to be carried all the way through.” [Playboy, Feb. 1, 1985]

***

Entrepreneurship Choice & Endurance

Robert Kiyosaki "Employment is a short term solution to a long term problem."

Starting a business is just like a 42KM Marathon. In order for an entrepreneur to succeed in business, they must master the art of ENDURANCE!

Photo Courtesy of telegraph.co.uk

So what made me decide to choose Entrepreneurship

Asset – I have come to learnt that building a business is the smartest thing i have ever done because am building an asset in which I can transfer to my family.
Ownership – When building a business, I own everything I build under my company. However, an employee can work hard in building something in which they can’t never own. The worst thing is that the job can’t be pass or transferred to the family or children, but in business one can do that.
Control – The economy at the moment in the world is not favourable. Every time i read the newspaper, I tend to see retrenchment or downsizing in corporation. An employee can get fired at any time. Today we have Merges and Acquisitions when another company buys another company. So you could be a great employee but the Company which buys your Company can fire you.

Maasai Girl Jubilant Graduation runs Canada Media, Plus a Special & Most Valuable Gift in the Maasai Cultural Coffers for Ryerson University President.

TERIANO LESANCHA’S,22, dream was to get an education, something that was elusive to many girls in her village in Kajiado. She, however, got more than she ever dreamt of, writes HELLEN MISEDA
University graduation is a big deal in Kenya and it calls for pomp and celebration with the media always present to capture the memorable moment. Jubilant jubilee
This is not the case abroad and a graduation day is just like any other day. The media rarely show up for unless there is something extraordinary going on.

But on June 6, one simple Maasai girl managed to make graduation a big deal in Canada, capturing the attention of the local press and the university community.

On that day, big names like Toronto Star, CTV News and CBC News camped at the Ryerson University grounds to capture this inspiring story that sounded like a nicely written movie script.
Toronto Star ran the story on their front page on June 2 demonstrating how smitten the Canadian media was by this fascinating Maasai story.
So what is this big story that wowed the Canadian media so much that they gave it prominence and acres of space?
I came to learn of this beautiful story while on a three-week tour of Canadian universities sponsored by the Canadian High Commission in Kenya. Ryerson University was one of the institutions we toured and it was during the tour that I bumped into the Teriano tale.
This 22-year-old Maasai girl had a big dream when she was growing up in a little known village in Kajiado — she wanted to get an education and use it to build a meaningful life.
That ‘crazy dream’, as Teriano called it, seemed like it would never come true, considering that few in her poor village could even read or write.
Coming from a place where girl-child education is not valued, Teriano wanted to show her people that educating a girl was a worthy investment.
When she completed her secondary education and excelled with flying colours in 2008, she was lucky to get a sponsor who was willing to finance her education in one of the top universities in Canada — Ryerson University.
Teriano was a typical naive Maasai girl who had never even stepped in a big city like Nairobi. Now you can imagine the shock that met her when she landed at the Toronto Airport and into the fast-moving city.

Africa Awards for Entrepreneurship (AAE) 11 October 2012. Will You Be Next?

CHRIS KIRUBI TO JUDGE 2012 AFRICA AWARDS FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP,

The African Leadership Network , Africa's premier network of new generation leaders, announced the judging panel of the prestigious 2012 Africa Awards for Entrepreneurship (AAE) . The panel is made up of 5 of Africa's leading entrepreneurs and business executives with illustrious records in building businesses and promoting entrepreneurship. They represent 4 African regions and collectively, bring more than 150 years of senior-level business experience and unrivalled business knowledge in Africa.

The members of the judging panel, whose profiles are attached, are:
1. Chris Kirubi , Serial Entrepreneur and Investor – Kenya
2. Ahmed Heikal , Founder and Chairman, Citadel Capital – Egypt
3. Divine Ndhlukula , Founder & CEO, Securico & Grand Prize Winner, AAE 2011 - Zimbabwe
4. Adedotun Sulaiman , Founder & Chairman, Arian Capital Management - Nigeria
5. Yvonne Ike , CEO, West Africa, Renaissance Group - Nigeria

Commenting on the announcement, Mr Fred Swaniker CEO of the African Leadership Network (ALN), said: "We are thrilled by their acceptance to serve as judges for the 2012 AAE and we commend their exemplary contribution to inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs in Africa. The Africa Awards for Entrepreneurship are a powerful and prestigious platform to spotlight the best of the best among Africa's entrepreneurs."

The awards were previously owned and coordinated by the Legatum Group and are this year being managed by the African Leadership Network. The Awards Gala Ceremony will be held on 11 October 2012, in Accra, Ghana at the African Leadership Network's flagship yearly event, the ALN Annual Gathering. The awards will have four categories:

• Lifetime Achievement Award to be bestowed on a remarkable senior and iconic African business leader that has left an enduring legacy of decades of entrepreneurial success in Africa.
• Transformational Business Award to be awarded to an outstanding African entrepreneur who has built a company with revenues greater than USD 50 million.
• Outstanding Mature Business Award for a remarkable African entrepreneur with a business that has made revenues between USD 5 million – USD 50 million.
• Outstanding Small and Growing Business Award to be given to a stellar African entrepreneur with a business that has revenues between USD 500,000 and USD 5 million.

Comment on the announcement, Divine Ndhlukula, a member of the judging panel, and the Overall winner for the Awards last year, said:

"With the African Leadership Network taking the lead in the management and hosting of the awards, the awards should serve as a focal point for recognising and rallying the next generation of entrepreneurs in Africa. In its sixth year now, it is essential to see more African women entrepreneurs recognised for their achievements and I encourage people to nominate outstanding women entrepreneurs for the Awards."

The competition for the Awards opened 5 weeks ago and runs until 31 August 2012.

Tuesday 21 August 2012

Masai Mara Wildlife Migration update 2012

Masai Mara Wildlife Updates: Migration update 2012- 3: The migration of wildebeests in the Mara has progressed much more faster than we thought. Most of the migrating herds are now on the Talek r...

Sunday 19 August 2012

The African Tech-Hub Boom

From Kenya to Madagascar: The African tech-hub boom

Viewpoint by Erik Hersman Technologist, blogger, co-founder of Ushahidi

Where the magic happens: iHub in Kenya is just one of several technology centres across Africa

There's a buzz, a palpable energy, running through the corridors of Africa's capitals and urban areas, and much of it revolves around tech.

What happens when smartphones outsell computers four to one, and 50% of a continent's population is below the age of 20?

You have a technology-literate mobile generation unlike any that has come before.

This week finds me in Botswana.
I've talked to a couple of start-up entrepreneurs - Pule Mmolotsi, who is testing out an Oyster-like card for public transportation in the country, and Katy Digovich, who is creating apps for the Ministry of Health.
They represent what I continue to see across the continent - a new generation trying new ideas and taking to technology.
African governments aren't fast or savvy enough to build the infrastructure needed to support this type of entrepreneurial tech activity.
Academic institutions are woefully behind in teaching skills for computer science and design.
So where do people like Pule and Katy go? What mechanisms support their start-ups and connect them to capital, businesses and their peers?
Incubators and accelerators If you had asked that question two years ago, the answer would have been: "Very little."
But in the past two years there has been an interesting phenomenon in Africa - the proliferation of tech hubs and incubators.

Kenya, Truly the Cradle of Mankind

Cradle of Mankind

Kenya has the largest number of fossil human remains appr. 1000 individuals than any other country in Africa.
Kenya has the oldest human remains going back to 7 million year old from Turgen Hills, Baringo (oldest in Ethiopia = 4.5 million years ; S.Africa ca 3 million years, Tanzania = 2 million years.
Kenya has some of the most complete skeletons e.g Turkana Boy (1.6 Million years), which provided a great wealth of information regarding early human physiology than anywhere in the world.
Kenya is endowed with many prehistory sites scattered all along the Rift Valley (north to south) and western Kenya.

10 Guidelines For Naming A business Brand/Company To Suit Your Culture

In order to creative an effective product you need to position yor brand name in order to distinguish yourself in the market. Below are 10 general guidelines for naming brands or companies.

1. Real Words: Usually real words that have an alternate meaning other than their actual definition. Sometimes the word is misspelled or in another language. Examples: Apple, Amazon

2. Compounds: Two words put together to form one word. Examples: Facebook, Firefox FedEx

3. Phrases: Similar to compounds, but do not follow the same guidelines. They are often longer and more natural sounding. Examples: StumbleUpon, LinkedIn, SecondLife.

4. Blends: Two different words blended together to form one. Typically the consumer can still tell what the word is although it uses two different prose. Examples: Microsoft, Wikipedia, Skype.

PR firm Hill+Knowlton Strategies set to offer Ksh5 million sponsorship to the Kenya International Film Festival

Hot Secrets: PR FIRM IN KSH5 MILLION SPONSORSHIP OF THE KENYA I...: The Kenya International Film Festivals is set to benefit from a five million shilling sponsorship from leading PR firm Hill+Knowlton Strateg...

Former NBA Star and China's Yao Ming In kenya

RETURN TO THE FOREST DOCUMENTARY. Marking World Elephant Day, August 12. Narrated by William Shatner. Return To The Forest
“Return to the Forest” is the heartfelt story of the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation and its mission to return captive Asian elephants back to the wild in Thailand. August 12, 2012 is the inaugural World Elephant Day supported by the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation, a Royal initiative of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit of Thailand. Return To The Forest Documentary

Monday 13 August 2012

5 Business Lessons From Chief Francis Kariuki On Twtter

Kenyan Marketer: 5 Business Lessons From Chief Francis Kariuki On T...: Lessons For All The Recent Graduates in Kenya- Who's Smarter Now? Francis Kariuki is the simple chief of the dusty Lanet Umoja locati...

Sunday 12 August 2012

Happy World Elephant Day, 12th August.

Strong, Intelligent, Caring.. yet Big. World Elephant Day, 12th August. worldelephantday

“RETURN TO THE FOREST”

Announcing the World Premiere of the Return To the Forest documentary Narrated by William Shatner

“Return to the Forest” is the heartfelt story of the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation and its mission to return captive Asian elephants back to the wild in Thailand. August 12, 2012 is the inaugural World Elephant Day supported by the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation, a Royal initiative of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit of Thailand. Many elephant organizations around the world are joining this initiative to bring awareness to the plight of Asian and African elephants. worldelephantday, Return To The Forest.

Kenyan Conglomerate: Naushad Merali on Entrepreneurship Sameer Group investments in banking, telecommunications, manufacturing, agriculture and other sectors

Bankelele: Naushad Merali on Entrepreneurship: Kenyan businessman Naushad Merali known for his Sameer Group investments in banking, telecommunications, manufacturing, agriculture and ot...