Kenya's female entrepreneurs an endangered lot

A built-in microwave and below it, an oven- both of which fit in seamlessly with the rest of the kitchen design. PHOTOS\ JOAN PERERUAN

In Summary

• Kenya is not an emerging economy because the female entrepreneur is endangered.
• The back talk, the bar talk, the social media talk is awash with rumours, innuendos and gossip of how they got to the top.
• Allegations of sleeping with their male counterparts, bribery, or being the wives of connected men in society is what is used to define these successful women.
• Their sheer hard work, determination and patience is trampled on.

By Steve Biko
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Kenya is not an emerging economy because the female entrepreneur is endangered.

Many great women in this country have defied odds to build empires but still do not get the recognition they deserve.

The Kenyan woman entrepreneur is the rock that many analysts ignore when building their unrealistic pundit houses and define Kenya as an emerging economy.

The back talk, the bar talk, the social media talk is awash with rumours, innuendos and gossip of how they got to the top.

Allegations of sleeping with their male counterparts, bribery, or being the wives of connected men in society is what is used to define these successful women.

All manner of accusations are levelled against them as alleged explanations behind their power, success and influence.

Their sheer hard work, determination and patience is trampled on.

WOMEN SAVE MORE THAN MEN

The element of what entrepreneurship is, will not be complete and will not move from one level to the next in terms of defining available solutions.

Having a dream is the hope that leads one to the road of passionate entrepreneurship.

Women understand the essence of dreams better than men; they define them better and their implementation is impeccable.

They dream of a better society; an environment that offers solutions to challenges that face each and every one of them.

Women are the crucial denominator to the essence of budgeting for any basic societal unit, which defines the realm of how an entrepreneurial aspect can offer solutions to make life better, reduce costs and increase savings. Research shows that women save more than men do.

God created us for a purpose. If you have a dream to be something or do something in life, it will fester until it consumes you in a passion to fulfill the purpose you were destined for from the beginning.

Welcome to the world of entrepreneurship.

WHO SHE IS, NOT WHAT SHE HAS

But then again, for this to actualise, the element of a woman’s perspective on what entrepreneurship is, what their role is, needs to be recognised.

The right perspective has to be told through media coverage for this to make sense and have a narrative that will inspire apprentices to emulate and do even better.

The woman entrepreneur needs to be appreciated for who she is, NOT what she has as a woman.

She needs to have her space on the table of entrepreneurs next to her male colleagues.

She needs to have her voice listened to and affirmed. Times of affirmative action are gone.

We are in the 21st Century and we need to appreciate the role played by the female entrepreneur, of whatever calibre; from the mama mboga in our estates to the billionaire media house owner.

They need to be given respect and not labelled names that make the realm of entrepreneurship Darwinian. Success without failure is incomplete.

TELL THEIR OWN NARRATIVE

Female entrepreneurs need to be given a chance to tell their own narrative that will then enable us to tell the Kenyan entrepreneurial story whose lessons can be documented and passed onto the next generation.

I see the essence of entrepreneurship as adding value to the lives of others in a way that commensurate with what’s likely to work for you. Women entrepreneurs understand this better but unfortunately they are rarely heard.

Everyone is different and that is why both sides of the entrepreneurial coin need to be understood and documented.

Paths to entrepreneurial success, or failure, are different. I liken it to a journey. It can be a humbling experience. For some, it can be a way of life.

You may not only have to come to terms with what is most important in life but also have to make some tough decisions.

Hence the need to treat female entrepreneurs as equals to better enable growth of entrepreneurs. Different spices make soup delicious.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP IS INTIMATE

I see entrepreneurship as being personal; intimate; whether from a statistical perspective or not.

It can be considered irrational hence the need to factor in the female perspective.

We cannot, as an economy, achieve the so-called Vision 2030 unless we relook at the whole essence of entrepreneurship, focus on the female businesswoman and define the key role she plays.

In some cases, there’s just something within a person that drives them to address a bigger problem, right a wrong, or follow their heart.

It can be argued that in some ways we humans are hardwired to seek advice, listen to others, and go with the pack, sometimes at the expense of our own convictions.

That is why the female entrepreneur needs to be appreciated for the effort, hard work, tears, sleepless nights, strategies, ideas as well as the long hours she puts into fostering an idea that will create and offer solutions to society.

ELEMENTS NOT IN SYNC

Until Kenya as an economy can truly embrace the essence of entrepreneurship as perceived by a woman, then the self-declared status of an emerging economy does not hold any water.

The essence of entrepreneurship is the different parts that drive business in an economy.

Kenya is no different. To many, it is an emerging economy that easily attracts Foreign Direct Investment; an assertion that I disagree with as various elements of it are not in sync.

It isn’t a one dimensional expression but rather a composite of the best key ingredients which take advantage of capitalism and the free enterprise system.

This then gears up to levels that offer solutions to the society in which the entrepreneur sets up.

For Kenya to be truly a world economy, a few key issues need to be correctly contextualised with the right content.

SHEER BRILLIANCE

That is why I associate entrepreneurship with independent thinking, and self knowledge; not labels, innuendos, favours. It takes sheer brilliance to see an idea through.

As a country, for us to be respected globally, we first must appreciate our own women entrepreneurs whose businesses are world class.

Women's success should be NOT be attributed to sexual favours, a pretty face, or showing off some flesh.

They put in the same effort if not more than the rest. Until this happens, the Kenyan female entrepreneur is an endangered species.