5 things every student should do

Life at college is one one of the most beautiful but crucial phases of life, from minimal parental restrictions,assured pocket money,party life and to many books come last.Still this is the a stage that you can shape your dreams and aspirations.Unfortunately the rate of unemployment is soaring up and jobs are becoming scarce day.Sadly this is a situation that is here to stay,universities and colleges are blossoming at such a high rate and the few jobs available cannot cater for the number of graduates being shunned out every year.This is a practicable scenario of Darwin theory "struggle for the fittest" that those who get the few available jobs are the finest
So as a student
How can you fine-tune yourself to be the fittest?

How can you have that competitive advantage over the rest? 

How can you stand out?

Below are some of the ways of which I have personally tried most of them,and trust me they work

1.Establish your presence in the internet

 A blog can be a very nice ay to market yourself to potential employeers,it helps you to showcase your passion and potential. You can also contribute to other blogs especially if you have a tight timetable.Your social media accounts especially linked in should be 100% complete.Start a group/page about something that you love. Follow companies that you are intrested to work for and people that you share same traits with. A blog is free to start,it wont cost a penny only your time

2.Create connections

Participate in seminars and conferences,this a nice oportunity to interact with potential employeers.Srike conversations with c.e.o,managers and employees and during conversations inquire what it entails for one to work in those organizations.This will help you have an idea of how the corporate world works. Again use social media to your advantage by participating in online discussion.

3.Start your own company

 It should not be about 'I cant wait to complete my studies and get a job" rather it should be"I cant wait to start my own company". The beauty of starting your own company as a student you have a room to fail and so many people are willing to help you if you truly believe in your ideas. I am a glad I am part of social edge africa a Social edge Africa which is behind the establishment of SocialPROclubs

4.Voluntary

When you volunter to do something it doesn't only show that you are committed and passionate about something but that you also care about others.It helps you bring out your personality and character.  However the secret about voluntary is that you should volunteer to an activity that is in line with your career because will improve your knowledge about your career field.

5.Brand yourself

 Why does muiltinationals like coca-cola maintain their market share?? above all things they have a strong brand where they spend million of shillings to maitain it.Likewise ensure that you have a strong personal brand,know whoyou are,what you want to achieve in life and how to achieve it.Basically develop your  personal brand and let people know about it.This will enable potential employers understand you,your strengths and weakness easily.My next article will be about Personal branding.

 Lets keep the conversation @nairobiguruh

The #SocialKenyans

The #SocialKenyans; a Documentary on Social Media by @SocialAfrika

Social networking has become integral to the lives of many (research shows it’s harder to resist than sex), to zoom in on Kenya; users of social media represent the most influential and economically able section of the population. This number continues to grow especially as access to the Internet’s tool of choice, the mobile phone, makes astronomical inroads even in areas considered remote. 

This tremendous growth of social media in business and communication has necessitated us to conceptualize a TV documentary on this industry dubbed “The Social Kenyans”. This documentary shall feature outstanding social media enthusiasts & influencers, developers, artistes, bloggers, industry analysts, key people and organizations as well as memorable events that have made significant contributions and at the same time appreciate and acknowledge those who have immensely contributed to the growth of social media in Kenya. 

This is an initiative of SocialPRO clubs under Social Edge Africa whose core objective is to teach, educate, create awareness and impart knowledge & skills of various disciplines of social media and platforms to the public. This documentary is in line with the mission of the clubs whose mandate is to develop a talent pool with solid understanding of new media to bridge the knowledge gap and demand there is today for people with skills and expertise in various disciplines of social media especially. 

This documentary will mainly have five parts as demonstrated below.

Part one; The past, history and growth (Key events, growth in stats, people, factors & major players that have contributed to this astronomical growth)

Part two; The current- Adoption in Business & Communication (Who is/has done what & where on social media in the recent past, the campaigns and other notable efforts on social media) Plus the integration of social media into business operations and departments across various industries & sectors and NGO’s in the economy. 

Part three; The people & Entities (influential social media enthusiasts, developers, bloggers, social media managers, artistes, creatives and designers who have been behind some of the greatest concepts, campaigns, initiatives and trending topics to share their stories. This is meant to get the public to learn how they do it, to inspire and expose others to the opportunities, possibilities as well as explain the skills needed, education and what one requires for certain careers in new media.) & organizations (digital, mobile and other agencies) that are major players in this space.

Part four: The threats, challenges and best practices. Here we get expert opinions on ethics, etiquette and best practices approach as well as look at the threats & actions or behaviour that may lead to legal actions. We shall also highlight on the systems, policies and guidelines in place in various institutions (Government, private sector and not for private organizations). We’ll also feature common challenges brands face and get expert opinions. This part seeks to promote responsible ways of engaging on social media as well as educate Kenyans on social media etiquette and ethical ways of communicating online for societal good.

Part five: The future finally we’ll look at the future of social media in Kenya and in Africa generally. Here we shall get opinions from the public, industry analysts, government institutions, and major player’s e.g. mobile service providers, universities on probability of offering courses or majors in new/social/mobile media and basically major players in the growth of this industry. We shall also focus on how to overcome the threats & challenges as highlighted in part four.

While face-to-face and traditional media is just as important as it ever was, now we've got new tools and platforms that let us tighten bonds with our key publics. Thus I think it’s safe to say that brands & individuals investing in better having direct contact with their publics that were previously unreachable now will most definitely have an advantage over those that wait and see what happens to this ‘social media’

Based on the above you can be part of this project in the following ways

    1.    Suggest or recommend names of individuals, events, past trending topics or organizations that you would want featured on the documentary.

    2.    If you’d like your company, employer or you to be on the documentary to share your lessons, opinion or insights do let us know.

    3.    You can support this non-profit initiative financially as a brand or individual and we shall feature you & recognize your special contribution on the documentary.

    4.    You can support this shoot by offering technical support by providing data & research, time or your ideas.

    5.    You could also send us a partnership request so we work on this jointly (We have a special package for our partners and corporate sponsors).

    6.   Finally you can share this post on social media and let your friends know that it’s coming soon on a local TV station using #SocialKenyans. 

Muthuri Kinyamu works at Social Edge Africa the firm behind @SocialPROclubs and you can follow him on Twitter @KenyanMarketer 
 

For more information, inquiries or contributions kindly send an email to Muthurikinyamu@gmail.com

What differentiates Strathmore Business School with other Business schools

Over the last few years Africa has been labelled as the rising continent.Most of foreign companies have turned to African for investment.This partly due to  rising middle class,good democracy among others. Kenya has not been left behind and has positioned herself as the PEARL of E.Africa.The country boosts a vast pool of educated citizens coming 2nd after Nigeria in terms of human labour exportation.There has been an a greater emphasis on developing and nurturing entrepreneurship skills to push the economy forward. Colleges and Universities are sprouting everyday to cater for increasing demand of education and skills

Whenever one want to do a masters degree in a business field or an executive course in business, Strathmore Business School is the first option to click in their mind. SBS was established in 2005 and it has grown to pride itself among the best business schools in Africa.
Here are some of reasons why SBS is the school of choice for majority.

1.Strong Alumni Association.

Since 2006,SBS had the privilege to have more than 2600 executives.This means that they have a strong network of the elites in the Kenya Corporate world.They have officially launched the alumni, and Prof Charles Hardy a leading management guru and among top 50 thinkers in the world was the keynote speaker. Listen what Prof Charles Handy had to say prior to the launch,Prof C. Handy.

2.A Strong faculty.

Their faculty is comprised of great and experienced scholars, academicians and achievers from different sectors of business. They are the great mind behind the success of SBS. Looking at their website you will notice a whole range of events(business talks,conferences etc) in their timetable.Most of these events are addressed by both local and international business leaders.

3.Relevant course.

Business climate is changing fast,trends are emerging and becoming outdated in a short span of time. SBS is keeping up with these changes no matter how fast they happen. You will find that they are developing programmes that focuses on these issues.They have courses on Real estate,a booming business in Kenya,Construction project management as there is increasing construction activities in Africa among others.

4. Global Partnership.

SBS has a strong partnership with some of the best B-Schools in the world.These includes IESE Business School the graduate school of management of the University of Navarra, located in Barcelona and Madrid, Gordon Institute of Business Science located in Johannesburg,S.Africa.Check out more at SBS partner institutions

 

5.Adoption of technology.

If you are lucky to attend a lecture in SBS,you will realise that a better percentage of the students using a tablet or a laptop. This tell you they value and understands the role that technology is playing in business field.Just check their website and their social media sites and you will be impressed. They perfectionist in everything they do.

You can too join other great Africans transforming the continent by clicking HERE

Some facts about SBS.

• The first green business school in Africa.
• Its Ranked 1st in kenya and 3rd in Webometrics ranking of B-Schools in Africa.
• It is the first university in Kenya to become ISO 9001:2000 certified

The video on the launch of SocialPROclubs is out,if you missed the launch check out how it all went down.Dr.Bitange Ndemo launches SocialPro club at the University of Nairobi,School of business

Why Rugby is one of my greatest source of inspiration

Leonard Mugaisi with the ball

They say rugby is a hooliganism game that is played by real smart gentlemen. To many,rugby is a harsh and unfair game,but being a sport passionate,this is the only game that i played and totally felt 100% satisfied.Unfortunately i was forced to early retirement from active rugby by an injury,but my love for the game is still intact. Rugby had an impact on my life from my mentality to my behaviour in general my personality.
These lessons that i have learnt from rugby are not only crucial in the entrepreneurship world but in general life. Here they are:

Dedication.

Rugby training routine is one of the hardest among all sports,you need to combine athletics and serious weight lifting,just watch the players training and you will  be impressed with their dedication. Building the endurance required for rugby means putting in the hours every day.  Staring and growing a business requires 100% dedication. The dedication i developed during my rugby playing days is a big boost to me in my entrepreneurship ventures.

Time and schedule. 

Rugby favours those who are strong and physically fit. You have to pump hours lifting those weights,press-ups etc. You cant fail to practise and expect to play,you have to commit and adhere to your training schedule.I remember during my playing times in high school,we would wake up @4 am without failure every weekend to practise.We lacked mass but this helped us reach National levels and we would upset big teams(Long live MASURA-Meru school). This is applies business in a big way.Great pitches, great products,unique ideas and great teams don’t just appear overnight. They take time to build. It is that commitment to investment of time that creates value.

Internal motivation.

Have you ever though what rugby players pass through? broken and twisted hands, legs and muscles,bruises all over,do you think a commitment of this level can come from the outside — it must come from within. The same holds true for building a successful business. It must come from an internal desire to operate at your absolute best.

 Teamwork.

Rugby is a sport that 80% is teamwork and 20% individual brilliance. During my high school days we would always hang out together as a rugby team.During free time you would naturally find rugby players together. This is because we had developed a strong bond since we all had the same passion. Starting a business requires that you develop a strong team, a team that you not only meet in the office but you also get to hang out together.This will enhance team bond and a better understanding with each other.

Confidence. 

Being selected in the school team when in form two enabled me build confidence. Not because i was that super good but because i was never afraid of the senior players-i redefined my limit. The thing about redefining your limits is every time you break a limit and reach a new one, you build more confidence. That confidence lets you break the next limit and the next limit and on and on. Redefining your limits is what makes great athletes — and great entrepreneurs.”

I thank you all for your support during the launch of SocialPRO club,at U.o.N school of business on 25th Oct.  I invite you all again as we shall be launching our pilot phase in this month

Why the rich grow richer and the poor get poorer

Over years Citizen T.V  has grown and surpassed the rest to establish itself as the channel of choice by majority of Kenyans. Two things I like about it (hope you are not thinking about the super beautiful female presenters) are: Who owns Kenya and Movers and Shakers segments. These are two segments I never miss thanks  to YOU TUBE. If you too love them there are certain characteristics you have identified that lack in average and poor people.

Here are some things the rich,wealthy and successful believe in

1.They dream of the future
Successful people always talk about the future, setting goals and being optimistic about what the future holds. The average dwell on the past which often holds them back by making them unhappy or depressed.

2. They possess the power of leverage and a mindset of abundance

The wealthy and successful have a different vocabulary and choose to focus what they have, not what they don’t have. An attitude of gratitude creates abundance. Leverage is about leveraging everything around you. Leveraging your time, your energy, your money, your investments, the people around you, everything

3. They put themselves before anything else.

They believe that if they don’t help themselves first they can’t help anyone else. I have heard Jay-z say this in a song,”I can’t help the poor if I’m one of them, So I got rich and gave back, that’s a win/win!” Average people put others before them, that’s why they will work for the rich forever and feel comfortable about it.

4. They follow their passion.

This is one crucial thing about success you have to do what you love to be ahead of others. They always ensure they get revenue for doing something they love. Average people earn money doing things they don’t love. You will notice these people complain every day about their jobs and never do anything to follow their passion.

5. They don’t overspend.

They always ensure they spend far much below than what they get, they rarely do impulse buying. Infact it’s the average people that you will find with designer clothes, cars bought by loans and poorly planned mortgages

6. They are mentors to their children.

They teach their children from early age the principles of success and about money. On weekends and holidays their children accompany them to their offices. Average people on other hand teach their children how to survive. I know majority of  us were caned seriously when your parents found you with money when you are a child. This best explains why our Indian brothers are among the richest in Kenya.

7. They search for knowledge and wisdom rather than formal education

They are rich and successful because they have made money selling and utilizing  a specific knowledge they have acquired. It costs more than $ 5000 to attend a conference shared by the rich.Average people believe the road to riches is through doing masters and doctorates and that education is key to success. Remember the song “ Soma Soma kijana,umalize shule upate kazi mzuri” 

8. They hang out with like minded people

You will rarely find the successful ones in a company of pessimists rather always look for people who are optimists. People whom they can share ideas on how to invest and make more money. Average people on other hand hate them always saying they are boastful. Why would a millionaire hang out with you if all u gonna do is tell him how economy is hard,borrow him cash rather than seek for his knowledge

This is a food for thought,and these are principles we are applying as we seek to grow SocialEdge Africa. Remember to attend the launch of socialpro clubs clubs at the University of Nairobi, School of Business ,Lower Kabete Campus

 Be a SOCIALPRO 

Transplanting your Busines

At  his age, Wesley Owiti has accomplished what many of his peers are 5 years shy  from achieving. He is a  blogger,author ,CEO and founder of Le-Sleek Marketing, a marketing agency that is transforming the marketing experience. He is an inspiration to me because of the commendable work  he is doing not only in the corporate world but also in environmental conservation.

He has recently written a book 'Transplanting Your Business'. A book that identifies and simplifies the marketing communication channels that many entrepreneurs are not aware of. “I saw the need to break down the marketing jargon's to simple terms that can be understood by everybody”, He says. 

The book

I salute him because despite spending more than a year writing it, all the proceeds from its sale will go towards environmental conservation. This is through an initiative by Global Development of Peaceful Environments (GDPE) dubbed 'Plant by Reading Campaign' that will see thousands of trees being planted across the country

Two things I admire about this initiative is how he has successfully satisfied his passion: writing and his love for trees. So whenever you go on indiscriminately cutting down trees remember that you’re draining someone’s sweat.  

As youths remember that the Kenyan future, and attainment of things like vision 2030 lies in our hands,and it’s the high time to take initiative to ensure we don’t let our country down. Many youths are busy complaining there are no jobs and are still depending on their parents even after graduation,yet many can write books(it doesn’t take a miracle) and get involved in other  productive initiatives like Wesley. You can check more at Amwesthemarketer

Finally am inviting you at the launch of social pro clubs on 25th Oct,at the University of Nairobi,Lower Kabete campus

Lets keep the conservation @Nairobiguruh

The Next Big Thing

Love or hate it, social media is here to stay; it’s not a FAD. It’s no longer the teenagers on it or a pass time for the college students that many associated social sites with, its now a multimillion dollar industry. The recent Facebook IPO is just an indication of the potential in this industry. It is a 21st century innovation that has completely revolutionized the business climate. Many of the companies especially in the developing world have not fully embraced nor integrated social media in their operations though they are gradually changing their attitudes. However I don’t fully blame them for this, the other big issue is lack of social media agencies around to assist organizations in handling social media issues.

The customers are the most important aspect for success of any business, the more an organization attracts customers and is able to satisfy them the higher the profitability-the simple business rule.

Below are some of the reasons as to why organizations should embrace social media to win more customers.

Here is how social media influences customers

             1. Social proof

Consumers are more and savvier about whom and where they purchase products from Statistics show that more and more consumers are searching online before purchasing. By having a social media presence that is engaging helps boost the confidence, reputation and trust of clients about your business

   

       2. Engage with its customers.

Customer engagement is a very crucial since this will help your company retain your existing customers and of course increase your brand credibility. Strong social media presence will give an organization increased engagement and interaction with customers. When organizations are able to have conversations with their customers, it automatically results to an increased level of credibility.

•  

Coast Bus

September 19 via mobile

Do you have a favorite city? We want to hear from you! ::Fill in the blank:: My favorite city to travel to is ________!

Mercy Njue Ksm en nrb

Gitonga Tosh Munene mombasa

    3. Access to customer’s feedback

This is because the feedback actually helps in improving your products based on what your customer’s require. Due to the fact that social media channels aid in making customer engagement possible, then customer feedback will always be available for the company to use as basis for improvement. With this, you can always expect customer reviews and feedback that can help you in making your products or services even better

 

    4. Discover your customers’  preferences

You will be able to act based on what they want. By knowing their preferences, it will be much easier for you to enhance all of your products and plan your marketing campaigns more effectively. Smart companies monitor social media conversations to better understand consumer preferences, unmet needs, satisfaction levels and opportunities to improve service delivery. This results in retaining a higher percentage of customers and lower costs to secure new customers, who are not being well served by your competitors.

Safaricom Kenya Official Page

September 12

Thank you for your company, it was a pleasure serving you tonight. We will be back from 5:00 AM. Have a good night!^WW

   5. Aids in customer care service

 Many businesses face the same questions time and time again when it comes to customer service. Use your social media outlets to answer those questions. You are not only able to highlight to your community that you are available but also get other people within the community to provide answers and support to new members who have perhaps experienced the same issues themselves.

Nakumatt Holdings

9 hours ago

Let us know: How would you like us to improve on our customer service?

Jack Martin U never have toilets, especially dev. hse & its 24hrs, we need to use then, its a public place for heavens sake!

Ma Stingo Lower ua prices kidogo :-) 

There are many more benefits brands gain by embracing social media,finally am inviting you all at the launch of  SocialPro clubs

WHAT ARE THEY AND WHY NOW?

The tremendous growth of social media in business and communication has necessitated us to conceptualize and spearhead the formation of social media clubs dubbed (SocialPro clubs) in universities across the country. These clubs will bring together different social media enthusiasts, speakers, bloggers, industry experts, digital agencies and organizations who have immensely contributed to the growth of social Media in Kenya. SocialPro clubs will also create a platform that will enhance product and consumer engagement through creativity and innovation. The core objective of these clubs is to teach, educate students, create awareness, and impart knowledge & skills on social media. These clubs in a nutshell will unlock the limitless possibilities and potential on social media.

Below please find features online we've gotten so far on SocialPro clubs to acquaint yourself with SocialPro clubs. To support this initiative in kind or in cash or be part of the team drop me an email through Nateford@socialedge.co.ke

http://www.humanipo.com/blog/1589/SocialPRO-to-help-universities-in-Kenya-adopt-social-media-use-for-info-sharing

http://www.openbook.co.ke/2012/introducing-socialpro-social-media-clubs-for-university-students-in-kenya.html

http://www.cio.co.ke/news/main-stories/socialpro,-the-birth-of-social-media-clubs#.UFrHall41Bg.twitter

http://www.slideshare.net/muthurikinyamu/introduction-to-socialpro-clubs-by-social-edge-africa.

http://www.ghettoradio.co.ke/social-edge-africa-set-to-launch-social-media-clubs/

http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/campus/social-media-clubs-to-help-uni-students-network/