Faith an essential part of any family business

Family businesses can benefit from having a faith statement that will help support the foundation, establishment and continuation of the venture, especially during difficult times. PHOTO | FILE 

By PETER MUTUA

For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord, plans for good not for evil, plans to give you a hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11.

One of the most unique aspects of Home Afrika’s operations is that, in the words of their chairman, “factors in God’s favour” help as they carry out their operations.

Such a statement would be expected more from a faith-based institution like a church than a vibrant corporate enterprise. Yet, this seems to have worked wonders for Home Afrika seeing that they were the first to register on the Growth Enterprise Market Segment (Gems) of the Nairobi Stock Exchange and are one of the most successful young enterprises in Kenya.

When one speaks to the chairman of Home Afrika, Lee Karuri, it is clear that the belief originates from a family practice he has carefully cultivated in his home.

For more than five years now, Mr Karuri, his wife Consolata and their children have sat together to create a long term strategic plan for the family.

This plan is then broken down into annual goals after which Mr Karuriand his wife retreat for a few days to deliberate on the specifics of the strategic plan.

Because everyone is involved in the goal setting and planning, all feel accountable for achieving their individual goals and, subsequently, the lofty goals the family sets.

As a result of this planning process, they have gone ahead to establish a number of enterprises, are well invested in numerous ventures and each member has achieved significant personal goals.

Even casual interactions with Mr Karuri’s children reveals a sense of purpose, commitment and direction not normally found in many adults which can, to those who do not know them well, be intimidating.

When the family is together, one gets the sense that each knows where they are all headed, what their individual contribution to the overall goal is and how their unique personalities and abilities are incorporated into the big picture.

As a result, their statements, joint or individual, of where they are going as a family and as individuals are authoritative and assuring even to those who do not know them.

While not every Leader of Family Business can drill down strategic planning and execution within the venture to the level that Mr Karuri has, each family must recognise that success in business, in family relationships and in their own lives can only come as a result of careful deliberate planning.

Where there are strong statements of faith, these must be accompanied by the hard work of setting clear realistic goals, planning the steps the family must take to achieve these goals and what role each family member plays in this process.

At the core of every meaningful family business operation must be the complete belief that the venture is divinely inspired and that heaven wishes the Leader of Family Business, the family members and all who are associated with it well.

Such faith allows the leader to find strength during difficult times, gives the business a sense of purpose and, most important, allows all concerned to feel that they are part of something greater than themselves.

Every family business venture will experience difficulties, some as a result of the operating environment and others brought on by the leader’s own ineptitude.

Family businesses require a deeper sense of purpose than would normally be sufficient for the ordinary corporate enterprise. Because the people involved will, especially during the startup phase, work for less market wages, more is needed than just the promise of handsome future rewards to inspire them to excel.

Having a faith statement to support the foundation, establishment and continuation of a family business allows all family and non-family members within the business to feel that they are a part of something that is far greater than themselves as individuals or as a group; that they are part of the accomplishment of a divine purpose they could never achieve on their own strength.

Mr Mutua is a Humphrey Fellow and a leadership development consultant focused on family businesses. Email address is p.m.mutua@googlemail.com