From left: Faith Kwamboka, Brian Kagwe, Njeri mwangi, Jimmy Odhiambo and Charles Ndegwa. PHOTOS | NATION
Whatever career you are studying for, there is need for you to
start laying the groundwork, building your brand alongside your studies.
Granted, this sounds great in theory, but how
practical is it with school work eating up a sizeable chunk of your
time, not to mention that all you have is your pocket money, which is
just enough for bus fare and your most basic needs?
Well, these students have managed to do it. Learn from them.
Faith Kwamboka
Age: 21 years
Studying a Bachelor of Arts in international relations and diplomacy at USIU
She is a model
When did you start modelling?
While
in high school, even though I did not make any money from it then. I
got my first paying gig with a local designer in 2015 - I earned Sh3,000
for showcasing his brand during a fashion show event. Last year, I
participated in the Miss Kisii County competitions and was the first
runner’s up.
Why modelling? Who do you model for? How many gigs a month and approximately how much do you earn in a month?
Most
of my clients are designers who wish to showcase their fashion brands
during fashion show events and have no height requirements as long as
you look good in their clothes. I ensure that I participate in at least
three gigs in a month, which earns me around Sh30, 000.
What has modelling taught you?
The
need to act fast and be ready always. Sometimes requests to be part of a
designer’s modelling team come in last minute – you either show up or
miss the business.
I have also learnt
to be time-conscious and manage it in a way that does not interfere
with my studies. I have my classes in the evening, so I mostly model
during the day.
How do you market your services?
Mostly
through Facebook and Instagram. Also, most of my classmates know what I
do, and inform me of upcoming events or link me up with designers in
need of runway models. In future, I hope to model for my own fashion
brand.
Is this something you plan to pursue on a fulltime basis?
Yes.
My plan is to study fashion and marketing after graduating to help me
understand the dynamics of this industry better and enhance my skills in
modelling. I believe that this way, I will get more and better paying
gigs.
__________
Brian Kagwi
Age: 23 years
Studying for a diploma in Interior Design, at the Nairobi Institute of Fine Arts
He is an Interior designer
Your parents must be proud of you, already making money yet you haven’t graduated yet…
My
dad was skeptical about me studying interior design. He felt that it
was a feminine course, but with lots of convincing, he let me study it.
He
however still thought that it was the wrong course for me, so when I
started putting my skills to use in 2014, I did not disclose it to
anyone.
Towards the end of last year,
I got a client who I sold to two coffee tables made of car tires for
Sh18,000 - now that changed my dad’s perception towards the course!
Today, he is my foremost critique and cheerleader.
Where do you source your clients from?
I
mostly advertise my work through word of mouth and at times through
social platforms such as WhatsApp and Instagram, kagwi_grey. In social
functions, I make a point of letting acquaintances know what I do.
The
good thing about interior design is that your work advertises itself. I
get many clients referred to me by past clients after seeing a coffee
table or beaded decoration I have made.
A
valuable lesson I have learnt in school is the need to be a diversified
interior designer; I also design lighting décor, color palettes and
help clients furnish their homes.
Some students start side hustles, only to spend the returns on partying and clothes. How do you spend yours?
When
I started this business, I did not have a definite plan of how I
intended to use the money I made. With time however, I realised that to
manage my business better, I needed to study project management.
This is what I am saving for right now. I want to go back to school after I complete my current course.
In
a good month, I can make up to Sh50,000. I save most of what I earn and
also inject part of it into the business by buying the materials I
need. Once in a while, I also help my parents pay my school fees and
treat myself with a good movie at the theatre.
Do you plan to seek employment or start your own business once you graduate?
In
the long-run, I want to be self-employed, however, I feel that working
in an already established business will help me understand the dynamics
of the industry better, broaden my mind and improve my skills.
Working
with other people in the same industry would also give me an insight
into how to solve some of the challenges I encounter in my work.
How do you manage your time to ensure that you don’t lag behind with your studies?
Projects
are part of school work; some of the art and decor pieces that I sell
are actually products that I produced in the course of my school
projects.
If we don’t have any
project going on, I work on them during the weekends or on days that I
don’t have classes. My short-term plans include bringing on board two or
three people that can help out when studies won’t allow me to work on
anything else, or when involved in a major project.
__________
Njeri Mwangi
Age: 21 years
Studying Commerce (Entrepreneurship) at Strathmore University
She bakes when not at school
Instagram:@the_chocolate_hut
How do you strike a balance between studies and baking?
It
is quite tough, bearing in mind that baking is quite time-consuming and
can be taxing too. To strike a good balance, I have to make some
sacrifices; sometimes I turn down orders to attend class, other times I
might miss a class to make a delivery.
My
studies come first though. I am in my final year of study, a critical
time, so I have cut down on the number of orders I take, while Sundays
are solely dedicated for studies.
How did you discover that you could bake, and how do your parents feel about you running a business while still in school?
Growing
up, I enjoyed watching my mum bake cakes for us; that piqued my
interest in baking. I baked my first cake in 2015 and shared it with my
classmates. They enjoyed it so much, I decided to start earning from my
skill.
They were my first clients. I
would bake in the evening and distribute during lunch hour. Through
references from my classmates, I started getting birthday and wedding
cakes orders. At first, my parents insisted that I concentrate on my
studies, but as time went by, they realised that I was passionate about
baking and started to support me financially - my mum helps me to make
deliveries when I have exams.
You are studying entrepreneurship, did you choose the course with baking in mind?
Right
from high school, I knew that I wanted to be a businesswoman, although I
did not know what my business would be. Although I had attained the
points required to join university as a government-sponsored student, I
convinced my parents to enroll me at Strathmore University, one of the
best business schools in the country. The course has been instrumental
in this business since through it, I now know how to evaluate the cost
of the cakes and to keep proper accounts.
When
done with school, I plan to go into this business full-time. No
employment for me. The good thing is that I already have clients and the
necessary equipment, such as an oven and mixers, so I will not be
starting from scratch.
How do you spend your earnings?
Before
I joined Forth Year, I would take three to five orders a week, now I
can manage only three due to studies. In a good month, I am able to earn
up to Sh88,000, with Sh28,000 being the least I have made in a month
since I started to bake. I re-invest most of it back into the business
by buying new tools and re-stocking items such as flour, fondant and
packaging materials. I also save a percentage of it for future
investments. I recently joined an investment group in which I make a
weekly contribution. I use what is left over to meet my personal needs
and treat myself with a trip or a good meal in a fancy restaurant after a
job well done.
___________
Jimmy Odhiambo
Age: 23 years
Studying Commerce (Marketing) at Multimedia University of Kenya
Social media marketer and app innovator
You are a marketing student, why application innovation?
Mobile
applications fascinate me. I find it compelling, for instance, that you
can use your phone to get turn-by-turn directions until you get to your
destination.
The conception of ‘My
Safari app happened by chance. In September last year, I got late in a
town I was unfamiliar with; it was quite difficult finding a hotel to
spend the night in. What if I had an app that could direct me to the
nearest hotel? I thought to myself. The app helps you find an ideal
hotel, restaurant, tour agent or night club in Kenya.
To translate such an idea into an actual app, a background in Information Technology is critical, right?
Sure.
I needed the help of a developer to build the app. First, however, I
researched on similar apps from other countries, which gave me an idea
of what would work.
The research and
prototype bit of it is quite time-consuming, so I partnered with two
like-minded friends to bring the project to fruition.
Apart from being time consuming, it must have cost you quite some money. You are a student, where did you get the money from?
I
am a social media marketer as well; I run a couple of organisations’
social media campaigns. What I had saved from these engagements, coupled
with my partners’ contributions, we managed to start off the project –
we started off with a capital of Sh100, 000. Research on the project
began last year and we launched the app in March this year. So far, we
have had 17,000 downloads.
We earn
through companies advertising on the app, and from commissions once
customers book facilities using the app. So far, we have earned close to
Sh80,000 since we launched the app - we envision improving performance
as more people get to know about it.
It seems that you have a lot in your plate; do you have adequate time for your class work?
We rarely have classes all day, so I have lots of time on my hands, including time to meet up with friends.
The
fact is that students have so much free time, time that we could put to
better use; rather than sleep or watch movies and series’ for hours
every day, start building your future.
Why is it important for you to work alongside your studies?
Initially,
I was doing it to strictly earn money, now, I am more purpose driven – I
for instance network with a purpose, in the process getting to know
people who can help me spearhead my dreams once I graduate.
For
those eyeing employment, the fact that you have a viable project going
on will give you an edge over others during an interview.
___________
Charles Ndegwa (Chanchori)
Age: 27
Doing pupilage at the Kenya School of Law
Blogger and columnist
Where can one find your work?
Visit http://www.chanchori.com
I
write about anything under the sun as long as I find it intriguing. I
write fiction, fantasy, romance, dark comedy and recount real stories.
Often, I serve a poem. My characters are not limited to human beings.
Through my writing, I want my readers to question, to get answers, but above all, I want them to keep reading.
Early
this year, you wrote a story that, according to BBC Africa, was shared
thousands of times through the WhatsApp platform. Tell us about it.
The
story, titled, “Around Nairobi in One Night” was about a taxi driver
who was about to call it a day but got a call from a man with such a
commanding voice, he could not say no. His wife hated it when he worked
late, so he intended to get home before midnight, which did not happen,
thanks to the man, a soldier, without a destination.
I
wanted to highlight taxi drivers’ encounters in their line of work and
also tackle mental issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder among
soldiers. Does killing, in the course of duty, bother them? Does it make
them feel guilty?
Why do you think that the story, which is quite long, commanded such a huge readership?
My ability to personify a taxi driver made most people believe that it had actually been written by one.
The
character of the soldier also sounded realistic. However, that is what I
like to believe because I am yet to come round to the fact that all
those people read it.
That story got me a column with the Sunday Standard (the magazine) where I write for the weekly column, City Hawk.
Currently, I am not earning from my blog, which is only three months
old. With time however, I foresee it becoming a frequent stop for
Kenyans.
Law calls for dedication and lots of commitment, when do you get the time to write?
The
real action happens in my mind. I could be talking to you yet there are
characters in my mind calling out to be written about.
As
much as I write lengthy pieces, seldom do I spend much time writing.
Give me stillness, space and a few hours and I will be back with a
lengthy article, if not a manuscript.
Are you planning to pursue both writing and law in future?
Time
will tell. I could give up many things, but one thing that I am certain
about is that I will never stop writing. Building my brand as a writer
while still in school was a good decision because I now earn a living
from the pay I get from the column, and once in a while, I am
commissioned by organisations to write articles for their in-house
publications.
If you would like to
start writing, just write and use what you have at hand to get it out
there - when I wrote that story, I did not have a blog, I posted it on
my Facebook timeline.
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