Kenyan Business Feed
No Result
View All Result
Saturday, April 17, 2021
Subscribe
  • Home
  • News
    How to apply for the latest police vacancies

    How to apply for the latest police vacancies

    CBK okays liquidation of Chase Bank

    CBK okays liquidation of Chase Bank

    LG Opens “Restaurant” In Kenya

    LG Opens “Restaurant” In Kenya

    Emirates commences IATA Travel Pass trials

    Emirates commences IATA Travel Pass trials

    Jubilee Insurance profits rise to 4 billion

    Jubilee Insurance profits rise to 4 billion

    Absa Bank Launches An Asset Management Subsidiary

    Absa Bank Launches An Asset Management Subsidiary

    CIC feted as the winner of Decade of Excellence Insurance Kenya

    CIC feted as the winner of Decade of Excellence Insurance Kenya

    Government to reintroduce monthly Contributions to Kenyans affected by new Covid-19 measures

    Government to reintroduce monthly Contributions to Kenyans affected by new Covid-19 measures

    Tough times for Kenyans as Tomato retails for Ksh 25

    Tough times for Kenyans as Tomato retails for Ksh 25

  • Markets
    Absa Bank Launches An Asset Management Subsidiary

    Absa Bank Launches An Asset Management Subsidiary

    Tough times for Kenyans as Tomato retails for Ksh 25

    Tough times for Kenyans as Tomato retails for Ksh 25

    AKADEMIYA2063, African Economic Research Consortium sign MOU to Support Evidence-based Policymaking

    AKADEMIYA2063, African Economic Research Consortium sign MOU to Support Evidence-based Policymaking

    Defiant Digital Taxi App Operators Given 30 Days Notice to Comply

    Defiant Digital Taxi App Operators Given 30 Days Notice to Comply

    Maize Flour Prices to Rise Millers Association Warns

    Maize Flour Prices to Rise Millers Association Warns

    Eat’N’Go joins Kenyan Market after acquiring Dominos Pizza

    Eat’N’Go joins Kenyan Market after acquiring Dominos Pizza

    Network International appoints Hany Fekry as Regional President

    Network International appoints Hany Fekry as Regional President

    SoftBank Under Investigation Over Risky ‘Nasdaq Whale’ Investments

    SoftBank Under Investigation Over Risky ‘Nasdaq Whale’ Investments

    Nokia to launch 6 cheaper and durable smartphones today

    Nokia to launch 6 cheaper and durable smartphones today

  • Real Estate
    Mi Vida bets on 200 Years Experience To Bring Affordable Housing to Kenya

    Mi Vida bets on 200 Years Experience To Bring Affordable Housing to Kenya

    Nairobi Ranked the Best City in Africa

    Nairobi Ranked the Best City in Africa

    Investors still Consider Land A Good Investment Asset in the Long Term

    Investors still Consider Land A Good Investment Asset in the Long Term

    Residential rents declined by 19% says new report

    Residential rents declined by 19% says new report

    This is how to get awarded Sh50,000 by Cytonn Real Estate

    The Kenyan retail sector performance softened in 2019 with rental yields declining 1.6%

    Cytonn’s Affordable Housing Investment Plan (CAHIP)

    17% of Kenyan Billionaires looking to buy a house in 2021

    17% of Kenyan Billionaires looking to buy a house in 2021

    Kenyan Firm awarded Most Innovative Community Developer 

    #OmokaNaAlma: This is how you get awarded Sh50,000 by Cytonn Real Estate

    Developing Countries Set To Lose Sh22 Trillion Due to COVID-19

    Commercial office rents fall 13pc in quarter 3 & 4 of 2020

  • Tech
    OPPO Reno5 named official smartphone partner of PUBG MOBILE Esports

    OPPO Reno5 named official smartphone partner of PUBG MOBILE Esports

    Cryptocurrency: Bitcoin is the Fastest Asset to Reach a $1 Trillion Market Cap

    Cryptocurrency: Bitcoin is the Fastest Asset to Reach a $1 Trillion Market Cap

    You Can Now Buy Airtime Using Fuliza From Safaricom

    You Can Now Buy Airtime Using Fuliza From Safaricom

    Nokia to launch 6 cheaper and durable smartphones today

    Nokia to launch 6 cheaper and durable smartphones today

    Safaricom Appoints Sitoyo Lopokoiyit As Head of New Mpesa Africa Joint Venture

    Sitoyo Lopokoiyit takes over as M-pesa Africa Managing Director

    60 graduate from Multichoice Talent Factory academy

    60 graduate from Multichoice Talent Factory academy

    Digital Partnership: Mastercard,Uber to boost payment digitization, advance financial inclusion across MEA region

    Digital Partnership: Mastercard,Uber to boost payment digitization, advance financial inclusion across MEA region

    Kenyans abandon 500million in their mobile accounts for fear of being known

    Kenyans send 11.4 billion daily over mobile phone

    Drake and Sauti Sol are the most streamed artists in Kenya

    Drake and Sauti Sol are the most streamed artists in Kenya

  • World Business
    Businessman Makes Ksh 2 trillion, Then Lost It All in Just 2 Days

    Businessman Makes Ksh 2 trillion, Then Lost It All in Just 2 Days

    SoftBank Under Investigation Over Risky ‘Nasdaq Whale’ Investments

    SoftBank Under Investigation Over Risky ‘Nasdaq Whale’ Investments

    IMF maintains Kenyas debt is still sustainable, Says loan is for the good of Kenyans

    IMF maintains Kenyas debt is still sustainable, Says loan is for the good of Kenyans

    Facebook Fined Ksh67 Million In Cambridge Analytica scandal

    Sensitive data of 533 million Facebook users have been leaked online

    Realme C11 a ‘hot cake’ as it makes top sales in Kenya

    Realme C11 a ‘hot cake’ as it makes top sales in Kenya

    How a religious festival turned into a massacre

    How a religious festival turned into a massacre

    Fire destroys servers at Europe’s largest cloud services firm

    Fire destroys servers at Europe’s largest cloud services firm

    1ST Commonwealth women’s Entrepreneurship Summit launched

    1ST Commonwealth women’s Entrepreneurship Summit launched

    OPPO Announces Global Partnership with Volkswagen

    OPPO Announces Global Partnership with Volkswagen

  • KBF
    • All
    • Agribusiness
    • Banking
    • Insurance
    • Manufacturing
    • Opinion
    CBK okays liquidation of Chase Bank

    CBK okays liquidation of Chase Bank

    LG Opens “Restaurant” In Kenya

    LG Opens “Restaurant” In Kenya

    Emirates commences IATA Travel Pass trials

    Emirates commences IATA Travel Pass trials

    Absa Bank Launches An Asset Management Subsidiary

    Absa Bank Launches An Asset Management Subsidiary

    Tough times for Kenyans as Tomato retails for Ksh 25

    Tough times for Kenyans as Tomato retails for Ksh 25

    Mi Vida bets on 200 Years Experience To Bring Affordable Housing to Kenya

    Mi Vida bets on 200 Years Experience To Bring Affordable Housing to Kenya

    Capital Markets weekly review

    Beauty e-commerce firm to list on the NSE

    Government Suspends Issuance of Development permits

    Government Suspends Issuance of Development permits

    OPPO Reno5 named official smartphone partner of PUBG MOBILE Esports

    OPPO Reno5 named official smartphone partner of PUBG MOBILE Esports

    • Agribusiness
    • Banking
      CBK okays liquidation of Chase Bank

      CBK okays liquidation of Chase Bank

      Absa Bank Launches An Asset Management Subsidiary

      Absa Bank Launches An Asset Management Subsidiary

      SoftBank Under Investigation Over Risky ‘Nasdaq Whale’ Investments

      SoftBank Under Investigation Over Risky ‘Nasdaq Whale’ Investments

      Equity beat KCB as Kenyas’ most profitable lender

      Equity beat KCB as Kenyas’ most profitable lender

      Government looking to re introduce loan relief measures

      Government looking to re introduce loan relief measures

      Family Bank defy pandemic to grow profits to Ksh1.4 B

      Family Bank defy pandemic to grow profits to Ksh1.4 B

      Stima Sacco announce a Ksh.1.02 billion profit

      Stima Sacco announce a Ksh.1.02 billion profit

      KCB Receives Global Finance Award for The Best Bank in Kenya

      KCB Receives Global Finance Award for The Best Bank in Kenya

      Family Bank officially joins the United Nations Global Compact Network

      Family Bank officially joins the United Nations Global Compact Network

    • Insurance
      AAR Insurance Net profits down 55 percent

      AAR Insurance Net profits down 55 percent

      The Association of Insurance Brokers of Kenya (AIBK) appoints Anthony Mwangi as board chairman

      The Association of Insurance Brokers of Kenya (AIBK) appoints Anthony Mwangi as board chairman

      Stima Sacco announce a Ksh.1.02 billion profit

      Stima Sacco announce a Ksh.1.02 billion profit

      Faulu eyeing lucrative agribusiness ecosystem in Limuru

      Faulu eyeing lucrative agribusiness ecosystem in Limuru

      Trouble at Britam as top executives face sack one month after new CEO takes office

      Trouble at Britam as top executives face sack one month after new CEO takes office

      AAR Insurance embrace paperless model with new mobile app

      AAR Insurance embrace paperless model with new mobile app

      Minet feted Insurance Broker of the Year

      Minet feted Insurance Broker of the Year

      Faulu Bank to lend Ksh 3 billion to SMEs to boost growth

      Faulu Bank to lend Ksh 3 billion to SMEs to boost growth

      Pension Schemes Maintain Positive Performance in Q4 of 2020

      Pension Schemes Maintain Positive Performance in Q4 of 2020

    • Manufacturing
    • Opinion
      OPINION: Energy Efficiency Will Decide Whether We Meet Our Global Climate Targets!

      OPINION: Energy Efficiency Will Decide Whether We Meet Our Global Climate Targets!

      Opinion: Now is The Time to Redeem the Nursing Profession

      Opinion: Now is The Time to Redeem the Nursing Profession

      IoT predictions for 2021: Smarter tech will make better business

      IoT predictions for 2021: Smarter tech will make better business

      KRA Goes After Rich Individuals, Firms Over Sh250 Billion

      Digital Services Tax a desperate move caused by bad governance

      OPINION: Managing the end-of-life of products to accelerate a circular economy in Kenya

      OPINION: Managing the end-of-life of products to accelerate a circular economy in Kenya

      Why Digital Services Tax is a retrogressive policy

      Why Digital Services Tax is a retrogressive policy

      How Citizen TV Became The Most Watched in Kenya

      How Citizen TV Became The Most Watched in Kenya

      This is the new Safaricom logo

      Fail or win? Mixed Reactions over Safaricom’s new logo

      After fuliza, Safaricom introduces another way to borrow money

      OPINION: Why Safaricom’s Fuliza is a rip off!

Kenyan Business Feed
  • Home
  • News
    How to apply for the latest police vacancies

    How to apply for the latest police vacancies

    CBK okays liquidation of Chase Bank

    CBK okays liquidation of Chase Bank

    LG Opens “Restaurant” In Kenya

    LG Opens “Restaurant” In Kenya

    Emirates commences IATA Travel Pass trials

    Emirates commences IATA Travel Pass trials

    Jubilee Insurance profits rise to 4 billion

    Jubilee Insurance profits rise to 4 billion

    Absa Bank Launches An Asset Management Subsidiary

    Absa Bank Launches An Asset Management Subsidiary

    CIC feted as the winner of Decade of Excellence Insurance Kenya

    CIC feted as the winner of Decade of Excellence Insurance Kenya

    Government to reintroduce monthly Contributions to Kenyans affected by new Covid-19 measures

    Government to reintroduce monthly Contributions to Kenyans affected by new Covid-19 measures

    Tough times for Kenyans as Tomato retails for Ksh 25

    Tough times for Kenyans as Tomato retails for Ksh 25

  • Markets
    Absa Bank Launches An Asset Management Subsidiary

    Absa Bank Launches An Asset Management Subsidiary

    Tough times for Kenyans as Tomato retails for Ksh 25

    Tough times for Kenyans as Tomato retails for Ksh 25

    AKADEMIYA2063, African Economic Research Consortium sign MOU to Support Evidence-based Policymaking

    AKADEMIYA2063, African Economic Research Consortium sign MOU to Support Evidence-based Policymaking

    Defiant Digital Taxi App Operators Given 30 Days Notice to Comply

    Defiant Digital Taxi App Operators Given 30 Days Notice to Comply

    Maize Flour Prices to Rise Millers Association Warns

    Maize Flour Prices to Rise Millers Association Warns

    Eat’N’Go joins Kenyan Market after acquiring Dominos Pizza

    Eat’N’Go joins Kenyan Market after acquiring Dominos Pizza

    Network International appoints Hany Fekry as Regional President

    Network International appoints Hany Fekry as Regional President

    SoftBank Under Investigation Over Risky ‘Nasdaq Whale’ Investments

    SoftBank Under Investigation Over Risky ‘Nasdaq Whale’ Investments

    Nokia to launch 6 cheaper and durable smartphones today

    Nokia to launch 6 cheaper and durable smartphones today

  • Real Estate
    Mi Vida bets on 200 Years Experience To Bring Affordable Housing to Kenya

    Mi Vida bets on 200 Years Experience To Bring Affordable Housing to Kenya

    Nairobi Ranked the Best City in Africa

    Nairobi Ranked the Best City in Africa

    Investors still Consider Land A Good Investment Asset in the Long Term

    Investors still Consider Land A Good Investment Asset in the Long Term

    Residential rents declined by 19% says new report

    Residential rents declined by 19% says new report

    This is how to get awarded Sh50,000 by Cytonn Real Estate

    The Kenyan retail sector performance softened in 2019 with rental yields declining 1.6%

    Cytonn’s Affordable Housing Investment Plan (CAHIP)

    17% of Kenyan Billionaires looking to buy a house in 2021

    17% of Kenyan Billionaires looking to buy a house in 2021

    Kenyan Firm awarded Most Innovative Community Developer 

    #OmokaNaAlma: This is how you get awarded Sh50,000 by Cytonn Real Estate

    Developing Countries Set To Lose Sh22 Trillion Due to COVID-19

    Commercial office rents fall 13pc in quarter 3 & 4 of 2020

  • Tech
    OPPO Reno5 named official smartphone partner of PUBG MOBILE Esports

    OPPO Reno5 named official smartphone partner of PUBG MOBILE Esports

    Cryptocurrency: Bitcoin is the Fastest Asset to Reach a $1 Trillion Market Cap

    Cryptocurrency: Bitcoin is the Fastest Asset to Reach a $1 Trillion Market Cap

    You Can Now Buy Airtime Using Fuliza From Safaricom

    You Can Now Buy Airtime Using Fuliza From Safaricom

    Nokia to launch 6 cheaper and durable smartphones today

    Nokia to launch 6 cheaper and durable smartphones today

    Safaricom Appoints Sitoyo Lopokoiyit As Head of New Mpesa Africa Joint Venture

    Sitoyo Lopokoiyit takes over as M-pesa Africa Managing Director

    60 graduate from Multichoice Talent Factory academy

    60 graduate from Multichoice Talent Factory academy

    Digital Partnership: Mastercard,Uber to boost payment digitization, advance financial inclusion across MEA region

    Digital Partnership: Mastercard,Uber to boost payment digitization, advance financial inclusion across MEA region

    Kenyans abandon 500million in their mobile accounts for fear of being known

    Kenyans send 11.4 billion daily over mobile phone

    Drake and Sauti Sol are the most streamed artists in Kenya

    Drake and Sauti Sol are the most streamed artists in Kenya

  • World Business
    Businessman Makes Ksh 2 trillion, Then Lost It All in Just 2 Days

    Businessman Makes Ksh 2 trillion, Then Lost It All in Just 2 Days

    SoftBank Under Investigation Over Risky ‘Nasdaq Whale’ Investments

    SoftBank Under Investigation Over Risky ‘Nasdaq Whale’ Investments

    IMF maintains Kenyas debt is still sustainable, Says loan is for the good of Kenyans

    IMF maintains Kenyas debt is still sustainable, Says loan is for the good of Kenyans

    Facebook Fined Ksh67 Million In Cambridge Analytica scandal

    Sensitive data of 533 million Facebook users have been leaked online

    Realme C11 a ‘hot cake’ as it makes top sales in Kenya

    Realme C11 a ‘hot cake’ as it makes top sales in Kenya

    How a religious festival turned into a massacre

    How a religious festival turned into a massacre

    Fire destroys servers at Europe’s largest cloud services firm

    Fire destroys servers at Europe’s largest cloud services firm

    1ST Commonwealth women’s Entrepreneurship Summit launched

    1ST Commonwealth women’s Entrepreneurship Summit launched

    OPPO Announces Global Partnership with Volkswagen

    OPPO Announces Global Partnership with Volkswagen

  • KBF
    • All
    • Agribusiness
    • Banking
    • Insurance
    • Manufacturing
    • Opinion
    CBK okays liquidation of Chase Bank

    CBK okays liquidation of Chase Bank

    LG Opens “Restaurant” In Kenya

    LG Opens “Restaurant” In Kenya

    Emirates commences IATA Travel Pass trials

    Emirates commences IATA Travel Pass trials

    Absa Bank Launches An Asset Management Subsidiary

    Absa Bank Launches An Asset Management Subsidiary

    Tough times for Kenyans as Tomato retails for Ksh 25

    Tough times for Kenyans as Tomato retails for Ksh 25

    Mi Vida bets on 200 Years Experience To Bring Affordable Housing to Kenya

    Mi Vida bets on 200 Years Experience To Bring Affordable Housing to Kenya

    Capital Markets weekly review

    Beauty e-commerce firm to list on the NSE

    Government Suspends Issuance of Development permits

    Government Suspends Issuance of Development permits

    OPPO Reno5 named official smartphone partner of PUBG MOBILE Esports

    OPPO Reno5 named official smartphone partner of PUBG MOBILE Esports

    • Agribusiness
    • Banking
      CBK okays liquidation of Chase Bank

      CBK okays liquidation of Chase Bank

      Absa Bank Launches An Asset Management Subsidiary

      Absa Bank Launches An Asset Management Subsidiary

      SoftBank Under Investigation Over Risky ‘Nasdaq Whale’ Investments

      SoftBank Under Investigation Over Risky ‘Nasdaq Whale’ Investments

      Equity beat KCB as Kenyas’ most profitable lender

      Equity beat KCB as Kenyas’ most profitable lender

      Government looking to re introduce loan relief measures

      Government looking to re introduce loan relief measures

      Family Bank defy pandemic to grow profits to Ksh1.4 B

      Family Bank defy pandemic to grow profits to Ksh1.4 B

      Stima Sacco announce a Ksh.1.02 billion profit

      Stima Sacco announce a Ksh.1.02 billion profit

      KCB Receives Global Finance Award for The Best Bank in Kenya

      KCB Receives Global Finance Award for The Best Bank in Kenya

      Family Bank officially joins the United Nations Global Compact Network

      Family Bank officially joins the United Nations Global Compact Network

    • Insurance
      AAR Insurance Net profits down 55 percent

      AAR Insurance Net profits down 55 percent

      The Association of Insurance Brokers of Kenya (AIBK) appoints Anthony Mwangi as board chairman

      The Association of Insurance Brokers of Kenya (AIBK) appoints Anthony Mwangi as board chairman

      Stima Sacco announce a Ksh.1.02 billion profit

      Stima Sacco announce a Ksh.1.02 billion profit

      Faulu eyeing lucrative agribusiness ecosystem in Limuru

      Faulu eyeing lucrative agribusiness ecosystem in Limuru

      Trouble at Britam as top executives face sack one month after new CEO takes office

      Trouble at Britam as top executives face sack one month after new CEO takes office

      AAR Insurance embrace paperless model with new mobile app

      AAR Insurance embrace paperless model with new mobile app

      Minet feted Insurance Broker of the Year

      Minet feted Insurance Broker of the Year

      Faulu Bank to lend Ksh 3 billion to SMEs to boost growth

      Faulu Bank to lend Ksh 3 billion to SMEs to boost growth

      Pension Schemes Maintain Positive Performance in Q4 of 2020

      Pension Schemes Maintain Positive Performance in Q4 of 2020

    • Manufacturing
    • Opinion
      OPINION: Energy Efficiency Will Decide Whether We Meet Our Global Climate Targets!

      OPINION: Energy Efficiency Will Decide Whether We Meet Our Global Climate Targets!

      Opinion: Now is The Time to Redeem the Nursing Profession

      Opinion: Now is The Time to Redeem the Nursing Profession

      IoT predictions for 2021: Smarter tech will make better business

      IoT predictions for 2021: Smarter tech will make better business

      KRA Goes After Rich Individuals, Firms Over Sh250 Billion

      Digital Services Tax a desperate move caused by bad governance

      OPINION: Managing the end-of-life of products to accelerate a circular economy in Kenya

      OPINION: Managing the end-of-life of products to accelerate a circular economy in Kenya

      Why Digital Services Tax is a retrogressive policy

      Why Digital Services Tax is a retrogressive policy

      How Citizen TV Became The Most Watched in Kenya

      How Citizen TV Became The Most Watched in Kenya

      This is the new Safaricom logo

      Fail or win? Mixed Reactions over Safaricom’s new logo

      After fuliza, Safaricom introduces another way to borrow money

      OPINION: Why Safaricom’s Fuliza is a rip off!

No Result
View All Result
Kenyan Business Feed
No Result
View All Result
Home Tech

Cellulant CEO Ken Njoroge to step down in 2021

by Montui
January 10, 2021
in Tech
0
152
SHARES
1.9k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare On Whatsapp
Loading...
Ken Njoroge, Cellulant Co-founder and CEO

By Ken Njoroge

The journey of being an entrepreneur is often compared to a man riding a lion.

People look at you in awe of your bravery and laud your accomplishments yet while atop the Lion, you’re constantly thinking of how to keep riding or jump off without the Lion devouring you whole. The opportunity to jump off the Lion at the right time and in the right way is one of the most crucial tasks of a founder and it is the test of a journey ran well. Such a time has come for me.

After 18 years of running Cellulant, I have decided that 2021 will be my last year as CEO.

Such transitions are not easy in any way and require a great deal of growth, thought and patience. I remember my team and I started 2020 with a clear mission to recover from the past three difficult years. We set out with an airtight vision, an incredibly talented team, the right resources on board and that hunger for excellence that has now become our corporate identity. 2020 turned out very differently for many people and businesses worldwide, of which we were no exception. However, apart from being a challenging year, it was a season of deep reflection. It gave me a chance to pause, reflect, question, examine and double down on why I do what I do.

Back in 2003, when we began Cellulant, it was not the Lion it is today. I would liken it to a cub. It was a tiny, harmless idea with weak arms and legs, which looked to my co-founder and I for life. It was the cub that I had been warned to stay away from by people who ‘knew better’ and warned me off entrepreneurship with phrases like “this is not sustainable”, and “please get a degree first”. Even then, I knew that my dream was to ride one. My co-founder and I found a way to get close to the cub, speak to it and understand it. Before long, we found ourselves on the back of the cub, doing the thing that made life worth living- riding the Lion, creating and changing the world we saw. For me, Cellulant was an ode to the belief that Africa could build great things. To create a solution on this continent, by Africans and for Africans, even in a field as westernised as technology was the dream we committed our lives to. We ate, slept and breathed nothing else. Every day, we woke up and fed this cub… until it was a cub no longer.

Growing the Cub into a Lion
When we speak of growth, we often refer to it as a remedy; as the thing that resolves all problems. As entrepreneurs, we learn that scale will make us stable and increasing our markets will make them more profitable; this becomes the thing you work towards. While this is true, we leave out the fact that while on top of that Lion, there is no map or manual. It is the thrill you cannot live without yet the one that scares you the most. You are both the master and the clown, but you must wear both hats tactfully juggling the different needs of the business at different stages. This is a skill I only learnt from reflection- taking the time to hear and look and listen until I knew what the business needed.

Also Read: FINTECH: e-Receipting startup sees uptick in sign-ups

In every phase, the cub has grown and required a new toolbox. At first, I struggled to find my way around these phases. When Cellulant was a smaller cub, the leadership came naturally. It was survival mode, and I did everything to stay in touch and push it over the mark. It is straightforward at that point because you speak, and the cub listens. With time, however, the cub learns to talk back to you, and you’re the one that must listen. I can admit that I wasn’t always the best at listening to the business. I didn’t make conscious time for reflection, and I know this cost me speed and strength at inflection points. For this reason, I now know that nothing is more important than being able to see the signs when the time comes, and the Lion is ready.

From 2014 to 2018, Cellulant went through a phase where it needed dreamers. It needed fierce ambition that believed building financial technology for the African continent was worth 47.5 million dollars with its eye on a billion dollars. It also required me to go out on the road and sell that dream to investors worldwide until finally, we secured the largest fin-tech fundraise for an African company in 2018. This phase necessitated an expansion of the dream and by extension, an expansion of the den. We opened our doors to investors who believed in the dream enough to support our growth.

Loading...

In 2019 after the Dusit terror attack, when we lost our Brave 6, we suffered indescribable heartbreak. The company needed me to show up differently as a leader; it required me to place healing above everything else. I became the leader who saw to the needs of each team member and spared nothing to heal and unite the organisation. That year brought with it the humbling realisation that this dream was no longer about me- It couldn’t have been. There were people and families who had sacrificed the most precious thing they had on account of this dream, and it was theirs as much as it was mine.

The Art of Jumping
At some point in the life of every founder, the Lion outgrows you, and you find yourself on top of a beast. It walks and talks familiar, but at the same time, it is a whole different being. At that point, the Lion will send you some signs telling you this is where you jump off.

We don’t hear enough stories about jumping off the Lion. Certainly not in Africa. Businesses either live and die in the hands of their owner or are inherited by the next generation. Even then, the stories and difficulty of that transition are not shared enough. I have sought out those stories in the past few months to craft a blueprint of my own. One of the things always going through your mind while riding the Lion is that if you jump off too soon, it loses its way; yet it will swallow you whole if you hang on too long. So when do you let go?

Jumping off is more of an art than science. It all comes down to the how, and then when, especially finding the perfect moment for the transition. The truth is that there are many ways to jump off the Lion, each one nuanced in its own way. For me, finding the right moment required me to be extremely switched on in assessing the business’s needs and character.

Two signs, in particular, solidified the decision for me:

Firstly, in August 2020, we suffered a major internal crisis that saw my co-founder exit the business. It wasn’t the crisis, but the process that followed, which gifted me the clarity that the next phase needed an ‘enterprise runner’ rather than a ‘venture builder’. As a natural builder, this reflection allowed me to see that I had given the business the best of my abilities in establishing an enduring business, built on strong governance, systems and culture.

Also Read: Faith Nkatha appointed Kenya Country Manager for Cellulant

I know this because, despite the COVID pandemic and a crisis, the business was unshakable. We came out of 2020 sharper, more focused and energized around our customers. The most critical technology, product, service & growth transformation happened over the last few months.

For me, people have always been the most rewarding part of the job. From clients to employees, seeing how tangibly the work we do impacts people has always fueled me. The last few years have pushed me to become more of a coach than a boss, and as a result, I take the development of the teams very seriously. About a month ago, I woke up and read a board document that had been prepared by my team, and in the first few lines, I knew my job was done. They were ready, and it was time for me to let them ride the Lion with a runner as their leader.

The Second sign came from my family who have been part of the journey every step of the way. I have spent the last 16 years of our marriage focusing 85% of my time and energy on the business. It’s time to balance that equation. My wife humorously introduces Cellulant as her first-born child or her co-wife, because they’ve felt the ripple effects of any storm that was happening at work. Now that even the children are old enough to have an opinion on the business, let us just say, I have a second board of directors at home. A few weeks ago, when I shared my decision to leave my position as CEO with my family, my teenage daughter looked at me and said: “Dad, it’s time”. Though this was only a moment out of a larger ongoing conversation, the certainty and finality of that statement was the lightbulb I needed. It became clear that this was the perfect moment to jump.

The next 12 months will be a season of learning like any other. I will transition from my role as the CEO by the end of June, and spend the rest of the year supporting all the teams and the new leader in the transition. I will remain a shareholder and director on the board. As a founder, I am still passionate about our vision and will continue to work tirelessly to be a strong advocate for our customers and our talented management team.

Africa needs Lion riders who can run faster, better and build world-class businesses that solve fundamental problems in this continent. Most of them will be technology-driven. The next part of my journey is to nurture, build and grow a thousand more lion riders who can run faster, better and with fewer mistakes than I did.

Yours Truly,
Ken Njoroge
A dreamer, doer and rider of Lions


Kenyan Business Feed is the top Kenyan Business Blog. We share news from Kenya and across the region. To contact us with any alert, please email us to [email protected]

Comments

comments

Loading...
Tags: CellulantKen Njoroge
Loading...

Popular Articles

  • Journalists Mourn Their Departed Colleague Chemjor

    237 shares
    Share 125 Tweet 47
  • The First Alcohol Supermarket Opened in Kenya

    152 shares
    Share 61 Tweet 38
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
How the sinking Tuskys Titanic hit an iceberg

How the sinking Tuskys Titanic hit an iceberg

July 3, 2020

Fuel Prices: Consumer lobby group criticises oil marketers for being greedy

May 12, 2020
Kenyans paying billions for insurances covers that don’t exist

Kenyans paying billions for insurances covers that don’t exist

November 19, 2019

Journalists Mourn Their Departed Colleague Chemjor

November 21, 2019
How to apply for the latest police vacancies

How to apply for the latest police vacancies

April 16, 2021
CBK okays liquidation of Chase Bank

CBK okays liquidation of Chase Bank

April 16, 2021
LG Opens “Restaurant” In Kenya

LG Opens “Restaurant” In Kenya

April 16, 2021
Emirates commences IATA Travel Pass trials

Emirates commences IATA Travel Pass trials

April 16, 2021


© 2021 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Markets
  • Real Estate
  • Tech
  • World Business
  • KBF
    • Agribusiness
    • Banking
    • Insurance
    • Manufacturing
    • Opinion