The success of your product in the market will greatly be determined by the packaging it comes in. Yes. Just that physical container. There is nothing that cries out “unprofessional” than seeing someone giving absolutely no thought to packaging. Small businesses need to appreciate that investing in packaging isn’t necessarily wasting money. Some interesting numbers … Continue reading Spare a Thought for Packaging
I grew up in a community that gave premium to size, small size that is. We used to say “Kanini Kaseo” small is good. Nowadays that is a classic oxymoron. People shifted focus to the big, the mighty. We have grown to detest and despise the small ones. We have forgotten that even the big … Continue reading Making the Case for the Small Business
How is important customer service to you? Funny how everyone of us demands the best possible service yet we hardly offer the same to those whom we serve. There are many dimensions in which your biz can meet and even exceed customer expectations. Every business should aspire to get there. I often like to challenge … Continue reading Customer Service 101: How To Improve Yours
Let’s try this. Can you tell the difference between creativity, Innovation, Invention, discovery, technology? Well, it’s not important that you are able to tell the fine differences, that’s for academics. However, its not bad to also have a basic understand of the same. Creativity for me is a disposition (tendency, character) that precedes and is … Continue reading Innovation 101 for SMEs
The relationship between an entrepreneur and a provider of professional services is supposed to be symbiotic. However, that is hardly the case. Even when they have to work together, it’s always a difficult situation for both the provider and the entrepreneurs (buyer). To be competitive, SMEs need to professionalize and very seriously so. While the … Continue reading Why Entrepreneurs Are Not Interested in Your Consultancy.
For starters, the informal sector is potentially the largest ‘employer’ in Kenya today. Its contribution to national income is very large despite there being very little accounting for it. However, by being informal, then there is very little support that goes to the sector from government. Not even the basic amenities. Ever wanted to use … Continue reading Why Your Good Business is Informal
What is more challenging to an entrepreneur than carrying all the responsibility for your biz on your shoulders? Unlike in employment where you have the benefit of supervisory management, as an entrepreneur you are everything. Your life, that of your biz, employees, suppliers and even buyers depend on you. Most often, you do not possess … Continue reading A Board for your Biz? Why and How to Get One
As we have seen in the previous article… Every business can benefit from having a partner. The difference however, is how it goes about recruiting a partner and what the partner brings in to the biz. You want to get someone who really brings value into the biz and essentially someone who know comfortably well. … Continue reading Choosing the Right Business Partner (2)
The Chinese (or Africans if you like) have a saying that if you want to go faster walk alone but if you want to go far walk with others. Well, business is a little complicated and this saying wouldn’t fit in directly. While it’s true that it’s better to work in a team of founders, … Continue reading Choosing the Right Business Partner
Values is a set of principles that give character to your biz and define what your biz is all about. Values empower both your partners, staff and customers towards ensuring that your biz is able to meet the needs and expectations of its stakeholders. A rational being will have a set of natural principles that … Continue reading Building Your Business on Values
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