HUSTLE MAG MARCH 2020 FINAL

Q & A
When you follow your passion,
money will follow you
For entrepreneurs, challenges are
the norm and not the exception.
Bill Mboya, chief executive officer
of Jebilton Ventures, has overcome
many challenges on his way to the
top.
Bill Mboya, CEO,
Jebilton Ventures.
He talked to Hustle East Africa Magazine
on the challenges, pitfalls and
opportunities available for young
entrepreneurs in Kenya. Excerpts.
Take us through your entrepreneurship
journey?
I launched a shoes enterprise in 2013
named Billian Boutique after quitting
my job in the corporate world. Using my
savings of Ksh 70000, I set up my business
in Nairobi’s Umoja estate. It was a success,
although there was a steep learning
curve.I had just left my job where I was
employed as a media analyst, and I felt I
would do better in business. I had a good
experience because I realised profits of
about Kes 30,000 every month.
At that time rent for the premises was
only Kes 3,000. However, I decided to
close the shop so that I could focus fully
on building my company.
I have this passion for entrepreneurship
and that’s how I chose business
over employment. Later on, I was able to
launch another company, Jebilton Ventures,
a business consulting firm.
How would you describe yourself?
I am a visionary leader who sets smart
goals and gets the job done. I think I’ve
already found my purpose, which is to
see small companies grow by engaging
in marketing and project management
activities that can create revenue.
What are your duties as the CEO?
Generally, my job is to carry out the
vision of the company, to lead, guide and
motivate the staff to achieve set goals.
I also attend networking events to meet
potential clients and evaluate the company’s
output against set targets, to make
sure we are making good progress.
What’s your routine like?
My day starts at 4 a.m. I spend the
first two hours checking my e-mails and
responding to them before preparing for
the day.
Between 6am and 9am, I usually attend
work-related meetings and by 10am I’m
always in the office.
My company deals with Marketing and
Strategic Brand Management, so I usually
have to do follow-ups on ongoing projects
to make sure my marketers and project
coordinators are on site and doing
I spend the rest of the day attending
any other meetings or offering consultancy
services to clients.
What’s needed for one to succeed in
business?
To succeed you need a vision, patience,
and the ability to work smart. Also, you
must always put God first in everything
you do.
You also need problem solving skills.
There is also need to invest heavily on
research. In this digital era, young people
should gain as much knowledge as possible
from the information that is available
online. They should also be risk takers.
I prefer trying and failing, rather than
not trying at all. It’s through failures and
mistakes that one learns and experiences
growth both in their careers and in their
daily lives.
What are the common pitfalls for
youth in business?
Putting too much emphasis on money.
When you follow money, you will not go
far.
But if you follow your passion, money
will follow you. The other mistake is lack
of patience. When some young people
face challenges, they quit too quickly.
Procrastination is the other mistake.
This habit of saying: “There is always next
time”, or “I’ll do it tomorrow”, is really
costing young people and has made many
lose out on opportunities.
What sacrifices have you made to
get here?
At one point I was without a job for
a whole year, but I stayed patient and
focused on my vision.
To start my company, I needed a capital
of Kes500,000. But when I realised that
this amount was barring me from reaching
my goal, I reduced it to Kes70,000,
which a relative helped me raise through
a loan.
I decided to start small and I am happy
with the steady growth the company has
enjoyed so far.
HUSTLE EAST AFRICA
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