Today I turn
my attention to a woman who has taken the less travelled road of
entrepreneurship. She is an independent consultant and founder of Utake Coffee
Consulting. She has personified what is popularly known as the 10,000 -hour
rule. This principle suggests that 10,000 hours of deliberate practice are
needed to make you world class in
your skill; and world class she certainly is!
‘I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once... I fear the
man who has practiced one kick 10,000
TIMES’ Bruce Lee
She is a
certified Q Arabica and Robusta Coffee Grader, the highest coffee qualification
she attained in 2009 and 2011 respectively. She is one of the 40 certified Q
Arabica instructors in the world, who conduct the esteemed Q Grader course,
becoming the first African to attain such a qualification. Her company, Utake Coffee
Consulting, is a company that specialises in coffee quality training,
marketing, research consultancy and development management.
Meet the
phenomenal Mbula Musau.
C: What do you
consider as your greatest achievement to date?
M: Setting
up and working in my own business, the first Specialty Coffee Association, SCA
Premier Teaching Campus and Coffee Lab in Africa that has an in-house
international certified instructor, and established throughpure passion and an
effective business model.
C: What has your
career path been like as you have navigated through your chosen field leading
up to your current role/position?
M: My career
path was divinely inspired, I believe. I came across specialty coffee in my
gap-year as I was waiting to join university and developed interest from the
novelty of specialty fine coffee being offered in Kenya. I stayed the path, despite
having many options and internship offers from the business world, as we often
did having taken an undergraduate B-Com degree at the University of Nairobi.
After establishing the wholesale coffee division at Java House Africa and doing
Coffee Sales and Marketing for the company in and around Kenya, I came across
the regional coffee association(Eastern African Fine Coffees Association,
EAFCA), which I convinced my bosses that we join as a company. This led us to
participate in several international trainings and national and regional coffee
events as members, including cupping competitions such as the Kenya National Taste
of Harvest competition.
I was selected to be a judge at this annual
competition and while at it, the regional association spotted a skill in coffee
quality assessment and marketing and offered me an opportunity for a regional
position at the African Fine Coffees Association. I applied for the position, went
through the rigorous interview process and thankfully, I went through. I headed
the Quality and Marketing department, running national and regional coffee
trainings and competitions for the 10 African member countries. I also
represented the winners in international marketing events such as the Specialty
Coffee Association of America, Europe and Japan every year. While there I took the
Q Grader International qualification in coffee, and went ahead to train to be
an instructor.
Five years ago I left the association and started up Utake
Coffee Consulting, while taking my Masters Degree in Development Management at
the Open University, UK. At the same time I worked as a Coffee Corps Volunteer
and consultant at the Coffee Quality Institute, CQI. I was combining this with
working with the International Trade Centre, ITC, an arm of the UN and WTO. My
role here has been setting up International Women in Coffee Chapters in Africa
as a vehicle to recognize and empower women in the coffee sectors in Africa. I
was also finalizing my Q Instructor qualification and succeeded in 2013. I have
since been teaching the Q Course to passionate coffee sector professionals all
over the world.
This year I set up Utake Coffee Lab, an
internationally certified Specialty Coffee Association, SCA Premier Teaching
Campus, and registered it in Kenya, to serve the region and the world. I have
plans to expand into the region, funds and logistics allowing. My Masters
degree also helped with incorporating emerging real issues like gender equity,
climate change mitigation and adaptation in the coffee sector and food security.
Why did I decide to set up Utake Coffee, you may ask? When
I took the Q grader professional coffee training, these were funded programs. When
the funding ran out, many stakeholders in the sector had no easy way to
progress or even maintain their qualifications. The business idea I had was one
that I knew would address this problem by ensuring that high quality coffee
education is available right here at the coffee origin and accessible to all. Kenyan
coffee, and African coffee for that matter is unique, and we should blow this
trumpet, LOUDLY.
C: What advice would
you offer to young people on figuring out the balance between work, family life
and social life?
M: Have a plan
to incorporate all three, and then give all of them your best shot. Balance is
a moving target, but it will eventually take care of itself.
C: What is your
greatest piece of advice to the young upwardly mobile individual?
M: Make a plan;
break it down in years, months, days and hours. Follow your heart, and use your
mind. If it gives you emotional and financial rewards, it is worth the pursuit.In
other words know thyself and find what you love. If willpower fails you have a
system (the plan) to guide you until you pick right back up.
C: What is the
greatest lesson/ nugget that you have picked up in life?
M: Procrastination
is the enemy of progress. The effort used in beating yourself up on
unaccomplished tasks is the same it takes to actually do the task. So the
sooner it gets done the faster you will grow, and surely
blossom.