The CEO Edition- Joshua Oigara, Group CEO of KCB Bank

His twitter bio reads “Choiseul Laureate and named Africa’s top 100 youngest and most influential economic leaders in 2014 by Institut Choiseul”

The man; Mr. Joshua Oigara. He serves as Group CEO of KCB Bank Limited, a position he has held since January 2013. He served as CFO and member of the Board of Directors of KCB from January 2012 to January 2013. Mr Oigara has many feathers in his cap, from serving as the current Chairman of the Kenya Bankers Association, Chairman of the Williamson Foundation, Executive Director and Group Financial Director for Lafarge East Africa at Bamburi Cement Limited, to Business Performance Manager at Hima Cement Limited, Group Business Performance Manager at Bidco Africa and to his initial years at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). Impressive credentials, right? KCB is the largest bank in Kenya by asset base. Steering such a powerhouse demands a level of prowess, skill and uncommon savvy!

My interview with him wasn’t like any I’ve done before. This was evident right from my efforts to schedule an interview with him, which began in January this year. Someone asked me how I managed to connect with him and schedule an interview. Would you believe me if I told you it was as simple as using Twitter?

Sometimes I think us young people don’t effectively utilise Social media as best as we should. Social media is great to post selfies on Instagram, talk about your weekend on Facebook, shares memes and interact with friends. However I have come to realise that we can take it a step further and connect with diverse people and expand our circles. Leaders, entrepreneurs, and business executives have now gone digital. It really is as simple as that! So I sent Joshua a tweet. The interesting thing about twitter is that it limits you to 140 characters, so I had to sum up my message in 140 characters. (Chuckles). And here we are!

I felt more nervous than ever walking into his meticulous office on the material day. Our mothers always tell us to put on our best dresses, hold our heads high and flash the million dollar smile. That I did!  J

I knew that this would be an interview unique in its own way. He inquired about me, wished to know what I did and what inspired the interview; it was engaging, refreshing and a challenging conversation. In fact I told him that the aim of this interview was to discover the man himself, devoid of the title and information in the public domain. A quick google search will yield phenomenal results of this man, his childhood, his accolades, and his rise to KCB CEO. So this interview will steer clear from that, and unearth who he is, his values and what makes him the man he is. I hope something in here inspires you, or triggers a spark in you to become the person you are destined to be. Enjoy:

I have one of the best teams. I am surrounded by some of the best minds; a brilliant team. I believe our culture has taught us to have the tyranny of “you versus me”. It is always a competition to outwit those around you. It is a push and shove aimed at outsmarting, outperforming and outshining those around us. But my fundamental question would be, why can we not replace this “you versus me” mindset with “you AND me”? Why can’t it be about teamwork, about working together and about growing each other? I believe this is a paradigm shift we need to have as a society.

I have always believed there is no shortcut to prosperity. It is sheer hard work. Earlier on in my career I undertook a program for Management Development at Duke University. While I was there I met one of the youngest CEOs. He rubbed shoulders with men twice his age, and still exhibited traits of a seasoned captain of industry. This greatly challenged me. Scaling to great professional heights is not a preserve of those with numerous years in their feathers.

Effort delivers outstanding results. You must make a conscious decision to follow the path you want. Growing up, my ambition was always “to be a CEO of a blue chip company by the time I was 40, although at that time I wasn’t exactly sure what a blue chip company was”. I have always believed background doesn’t define who you are; it is a platform to catapult you to unimaginable heights that you wish to achieve. My parents, William and Diana Oigara, were school teachers and rural farmers.  My father believed the only inheritance we would get was a good education.

Over the years I have come to learn that you must be willing to do what you think you cannot do. You have to envision yourself achieving those dreams which your mind tells you that you cannot achieve. This will require you to have unmeasured ambition, ambition that drives you to put in the necessary hours; commonly known as the 10,000 hour rule.

In order to achieve greatness, we must begin to benchmark ourselves on a global level. Think global. It is important to benchmark yourself alongside those in your industry, but we have to go a step further and think regional, think global. This expands your potential greatly. Depending on the role you are doing, benchmark yourself against your regional and global counterparts. This puts a lot into focus, changes your perspective greatly and sharpens your drive and resilience. Let’s not think Kenya-wide. Let us challenge ourselves and think global!

Having heard such great insights, Joshua gave me the opportunity to ask him anything. I chimed in and asked that all-elusive question which we young people battle with “How do you discover your passion?”  His advice was simple and yet so powerful;

In life, never do many things. Run a race to build on your strengths. Look for your passion, seek out your comfort and what you are good at, and be the best in it. Life is a God-driven purpose. We have to discover our God-given purpose in life, and fully focus on achieving that.

Joshua is a man passionate about young people. In his role as CEO, and outside of this role, he is a firm believer in the potential of the youth. He re-affirms that we need to be in the 2% bracket of people who categorically and without fear of ridicule or shame, go after our dreams. It doesn’t matter how long it takes and the opinion of others (which he reckons you will have to face along the way). What matters is having the drive and will to realise the dreams you have. Look around for the opportunities open to you, and go for them!

Joshua went on further to emphasize that when we are young we can be more aggressive with our time. At a young age, we have the most defining moment to build a more sustainable future. It’s important to surround ourselves with a good support system; choose your friends wisely as they are a definition of who you are.

His greatest advice to young people would be that we need more young people biased to doing more and talking less. The future belongs to Doers. Everyone has an idea, but there are few who decide to do something about it today and not tomorrow. Indeed we have a unique opportunity in this generation to build and realise more inclusive growth and shared prosperity.

Chasing perfection

Photo credits: Business Daily Africa, Kenya Bankers Association, The Star, Samsung Galaxy S4

Chanda chema

 Hey there!

Happy new month loves!

February was one of those up and down months..but I am pretty excited for the new month.

This post is specifically for the ladies! Sorry gents :) 

I want to kickstart your month with a bang, a FABULOUS bang at that.

“…Quite often young ladies see each other as competition instead of sisters. Rarely, do you ever find ladies coming together to invest in a common business venture. Our counterparts however do this so often, and that continues to give them power. Young ladies need to have thirst for power, strength, financial security, respect and independence on the society.”Young, wild & free” we are.Why are girls in competition?Let us  root for each other!"

I hope those words have a profound effect on you. Take a moment and read them again. 

And then proceed to mark your calendars on Saturday March 14^th 2015. I would like to  invite you to an event titled “Chanda Chema”.

Pull out that gorgeous sun hat, slip into that beautiful sundress& come and enjoy cocktails and cheeky chit chat on various aspects of life. From relationships, friendships, sex, careers, travel , savings ,investments, fashion & family…you name it! There will also be a chance to enjoy a taste of our local fashion with amazing things on sale.

Details of the event are:

Event Name:”Chanda Chema”

Event Venue: Pawa 254 Roof Top on State House Road

Event Date:Saturday March 14th 2015

Event time:1:30-4:30pm

Event Price:Ksh.800

Ticket purchase: Ticketsasa or call 0706 444 443 

And guess what?! I’ll be speaking at the event and I would love to see YOU there! It’s my first event to attend as a speaker so I am SUPER EXCITED!

Hurry and get a ticket before the slots run out. Trust me, you really don't want to miss this!

Chasing perfection

-Lydia-

20-something lessons in my 23years.. Take 1!

Hey there!

So tomorrow is my BIRTHDAY and I am super excited! *scream!*

I am currently in Somalia (yes, yes I am quite fine and safe, hehe!). I am here for a work engagement and I was supposed to take a flight back this morning but unfortunately the flights were fully booked. It looks like I will be spending my birthday in this lovely place. Check out this photo of me in a buibui, you can call me Miss Amina. LOL! Funny enough the locals actually believe I’m Somali, they don’t think I’m Kenyan. HAHA! Anyway I digress!

So I thought this post would be ideal on the Eve of my birthday. I think I am the type of person that makes a huge deal out of events like birthdays, weddings, graduations etc etc… that’s just me.

This series of posts will probably be some of my more “revealing” posts, but I think its fitting. Its also great for you to get to know a little about me. So here goes, 23 lessons and experiences:

  

1. Its okay to fail

I have failed in many things...Moreso I have failed in things I thought I was good at, struggled in things that would previously have come naturally.. but that’s part of the painful process of growth.

2. Disappointments in life are fine.

I have disappointed my loved ones one too many times. There are certainly  things I thought I wish I could take back, words said, actions done…but I have learnt that’s its okay. Perfectly okay. What matters is the sincerity in making amends, and having a laugh about it later.

3. Health is SO important.

I can not stress this enough. My work mentor once told me that “we all juggle so many balls..family, work, life, friendships..and it goes on. Sometimes its tough but there’s really one ball you CAN NOT afford to drop, and that’s your health” Think about it.

Well I must admit in my hussle and bussle I have let that ball slip sometimes. Worst part is when your body says “YO, I need a break” its either you listen or it’s downhill. So yes, take care of your health.

4. Friendships.

This is a TOUGH one. Really, it is. Reason is I have gained so many friends this year, remained close with my life-long ones and sadly lost touch with some friends. I believe its a metamorphosis; where I needed space to really step back and think, what kind of friend do I want to be? And consequently, what kind of friends do I want to have?My sister constantly tells me” It is not in the number, but in the quality”. Its not in the happy times but in the difficult; not in the mutual areas of interest you share, but in letting each other metamorphosise, grow, come into your own and still understand and remain true friends.

So yes, its being a year of discovery.. a year of understanding and being understood…and its still a work in progress.

5.Love is a beautiful thing.

*tralalala* Love is amazing, really it is. I am not talking about that kind of puppy love, but the love that lies in understanding your partner, sometimes fighting and really going at it with them, growing, discovering and loving. I thank God daily for my amazing boyfriend. Every day with him really is a gift, I couldn’t have found a more imperfectly perfect man in him; a soul mate.

6. Confidence.

Its okay to go up to a perfect stranger who you have been meaning to talk to, introduce yourself and prove to them why they should spare just five minutes of their time. No really, its fine. Reason I say this is because that’s exactly what I do with my blog. It requires me to approach my prospective amazing interviewees, briefly tell them about the blog and ask if they would like to be a part of it. 

Well, its not entirely as easy. Sometimes its difficult to even track them down.. Sometimes I don’t get responses, or they may take a long time, but I can tell you for the most part it WORKS! I cant stress this enough. Infact the fabulous Magdalene Mulandi, Top 40 woman, told me “You are 5 people away from the person you want to meet, even if it’s the President” All you need to do is get out there!

7.Family means the world to me.

I am from a small family. Its been great growing up in a nice tight-knit family. In fact that is what I want for my children (yeah, I absolutely CAN NOT wait to be a mum..).  Also, my extended family is very close. I have amazing grandparents, aunties, uncles and cousins. 

Growing up I have always treasured Christmas time. My last Christmas this past December was really amazing. We spent time in Murang’a (shagz). We literally had an itinerary for the whole time. We arrived on 24^th December, sang songs and just had fun that night and at midnight cut our Christmas cake and sung carols. The next day was the HIGHLIGHT you guys! We went to church, had a bountiful Christmas lunch together, had a photo session (why not?) and played games..I mean ALL sorts of games..from musical chairs, tug-of-war, sack race, skipping, pass the DUTCHY..you name it. And EVERYBODY was involved, no age restrictions at all. That will be etched in my memory FOREVER.

......................................

 .....thank you for reading.. see YOU in part two! :)

Meet Jamie Pujara, Top 40 under 40 man

We kick off our Top 40 men series, and who better to start us off than Jamie Pujara! He is the CEO and Founder of Kenya’s number one property portal www.buyrentkenya.com,co-founder of Four Bistro and Director and MD of Tin Tin Restaurant. He is easy going and so friendly. Would you believe that I reached out to him on Twitter, told him about the Top 40 men series and he was immediately up for it. How cool is he? Sit back, and let’s delve into his awesome life!

C: How does it feel like being in this year’s list of Top 40 men under 40?

J:It’s a great privilege to be nominated this year. However, having said that so many of the achievements that I accomplished in 2014 were due to having great teams around me and while I appreciate the personal accolade it’s a great reflection of the people who have helped me reach the goals.

C:How has life been growing up? Walk us through your life from childhood.

J:I was born in Nairobi and studied here until my A-levels. I then went to the University of Warwick and graduated in 2002. I then spent time working in the UK, Japan and New York before returning to Nairobi in 2008 to help my father run the family business which is Tin Tin Restaurant. My father had just been diagnosed with cancer at the time and unfortunately passed away in 2011. In 2012 I launched buyrentkenya and in 2013 I helped open Four Café Bistro.

 

C:You are an exceptional man blazing a trail in many frontiers. What has your journey been like, from the onset up to today?

J:Definitely a lot experiences. Living and working in Japan was a great personal lesson, I learned a lot about discipline, patience and appreciating a new culture. Before buyrentkenya I tried various other projects that weren’t so successful, but failing is ok so long as you learn the lessons for why you failed and learn not to make those mistakes again.

C:You studied at the University of Warwick -Warwick Business School. Did that influence and shape your entrepreneurial ambitions?

J:To be honest, I think at 18 it was too early to know what I wanted to do. I think Warwick provided me with a  great environment to take on new challenges I was heavily involved in the event organization as well as student union politics and I feel those experiences definitely helped shape my character and goals.

C:You are the CEO and Founder of Kenya’s number one property portal www.buyrentkenya.com. What inspired you to launch this portal?

J: In 2011 my co-founder Nicolas and I were discussing what property was available and we realized getting information was incredibly difficult. The vision to create a site whereby people would be able to search easily and transparently for a property is what drove us to develop buyrentkenya. 

C:You have broken ground in the hospitality industry and achieved great heights. What was the inspiration and drive behind venturing into this sector?

J:Tin Tin was actually started by my grandparents before I was born. I grew up in the restaurant business but I think most of the credit for Tin Tin goes to my family who have worked there before me. With Four, it was an idea between 3 friends and myself where we felt a café in Gigiri would be a great opportunity and a fun business to run.

C: Did you ever seek formal employment, or was your dream always to run your own company? 
J: I have worked in formal employment before which was a great learning experience. Sometimes I wish I had worked longer in formal employment so as to have absorbed more information but at the same time from a young age the dream has always been to run my own company.

C:What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned from a mistake you have made in the past? J: I think before I’ve been very cautious about failure. I was afraid of failing and in doing so I would avoid taking risks and making changes. I now realize failing is part of progress. It drives you to examine what went wrong, to learn from past mistakes and to push yourself to succeed.

C:What drives you to achieve all you have?

J: There is this quote I love “Entrepreneurship is living a few years of your life like most people won’t, so that you can spend the rest of your life like most people can’t.” I think that sums up the drive to keep going.

C: What has been one of your most memorable experiences?

J:Most memorable- probably the numerous awards won by buyrentkenya especially the Internet Marketing Portal of the year at the East African Property Awards. And the day One Africa Media said they wanted to invest into the company.

C:If you could travel to any corner of this world, where would you go?

J:I’m a big fan of South East Asia. It remains my favourite place to travel.

C:What legacy would you want to leave?

J:Ultimately with buyrentkenya I think if it becomes the default medium that people use to search for property, it would be a fantastic achievement.

C:What do you like to do for fun or to unwind? How do you like to spend your weekends?

I have a young son now and another on the way and for me Family is very important so any opportunity I get I try and spend as much time with them.

C: What is your view on the importance of mentors for young people in all aspects of their lives: professionally, socially, and holistically?

J:Having a mentor is incredibly important for personal development. But it’s more important to find the right mentor. Someone who inspires, motivates and challenges you.

C:What is your definition of success?

 J:Hmm tough one. I’m not sure here. It keeps changing for me, I keep moving the goal posts further and further forwards.

C:If you had a chance to share a meal with any person in the world, who would that be?

J:Jack Ma the Founder of alibaba.com

C:What is your advice to young people on investing in the property market?

J:Property remains your safest investment. If you can afford it find a way to buy property.

C:What would be your greatest piece of advice to any budding entrepreneur?

J:Believe in your product and yourself. Keep learning from your mistakes and keep trying to improve.

C:The purpose of Calibrated Blossom, the blog, is to inspire young people to seek and chase inner perfection, encourage a shift in mindset and spur people towards their goals. What is your take on this?

J:It’s a fantastic concept, I wholly agree that a focus on inner perfection will lead to outward perfection and being at peace with oneself.

 C:What is your message for young people out there? For all the young people struggling to figure themselves out and for those who have embarked on their voyage towards achieving their dreams?

J:For those struggling to figure themselves out, I’d say listen to your inner self. Don’t be pushed to do something because people tell you it’s good. Do something that you believe you will enjoy and be motivated in.  For those who are on the journey towards their dreams I’d say keep going. The satisfaction is both in achieving the goal but also in experiencing the journey.

ISIS NYONG'O-MADISON | SHE LEADS AFRICA

Isis Nyong'o - Madison

I wasn’t too sure what to expect when I met Isis. I’ve always heard of Isis, the corporate force who has accomplished what most can only dream of and has therefore earned a lot of recognition for it. Isis, however, is great and really easy to talk to.

Isis is married and has a 1 year old daughter, who she’s rushing home to at the time of our interview, it is really very sweet the way she lights up when she talks about her young family. She describes herself as a passionate entrepreneur, and I believe her. She went to High School both in the United States of America and in Kenya before going to Stanford University to study, wait for it, Biology! At this point, my interest is peaked as I try to understand how she converted a degree in Biology into a vibrant career in sales and marketing.

Responding to questions at #SLAxIntel event

In her own words, the American market is extremely different from the Kenyan market in that they recognize that what you learn in university is not what you actually practice in reality. She therefore was able to get a job based on the fact that she was smart, hardworking, able to critically analyze any situation, make decisions and most importantly she was ready to learn. She worked in the USA for about two and a half years before relocating back to Kenya and joining a then upcoming job site, MyJobsEye.

After about a year and a half, she left MyJobsEye to go study her graduate degree from Harvard. Here she made a lot of networks and gained invaluable knowledge from the people she interacted with. “Networking is what you do daily. It’s a lot of practice and confidence. Push yourself and go out there,” says Isis.

At Harvard, she heard that MTV was planning to go into Africa and this peaked her interest. Isis admits that she “hustled” for this job. She sent countless emails which went unresponded before she finally gave the man a call. The lesson here, of course, is if you want something, go for it and be persistent. Although MTV was a bit hesitant to give her the role, mostly because she had no experience in sales, she got the job. She led MTV Network’s commercial entry into Africa as a founding member of the team.

After a couple of years, Isis got an offer from Google who were also planning their strategic entry into Africa. One of the perks of this job was that she’d be able to relocate back to Kenya as Google planned to have offices in Nairobi. At Google, she specialized in mobile and local content partnerships. She then became the Vice President and Managing Director of the African operations of inMobi, the world’s largest independent mobile advertising network.

At this point I’m curious to know why she decided to get involved in the She Leads Africa (SLA) event. Isis sums it up in one word, she is simply impressed. The founders of SLA, Afua and Yasmine, have taken charge of their lives and decided to tackle a pertinent issue on the African continent and they are making things happen. “You HAVE GOT TO BE proactive to be successful in anything you want to do,” says Isis.

L-R: Afua, Isis, Agatha, Terryanne, Yasmine

Isis is now a co-principal at Ashpalt & Ink, a firm which provides strategic advisory services to corporations, investors, start-ups, governments and nonprofit organizations operating in Africa. The firm was formed out of the recognition that Africa’s rapidly changing landscape necessitates new approaches, insights and partnerships.

Having the experience that she has, I ask her what the pros and cons of venturing out into business are. She says that one of the greatest advantages is getting to decide what is most valuable to her and having the freedom to set her own agenda. On the flip side, there are less resources and less developed teams in business and also, every second spent on other activities, regardless of their personal value, are counted as a loss to the business!

To the people considering business she offers some nuggets of wisdom. Firstly, think and decide whether entrepreneurship is truly for you. What is your motivation for doing business, passion or pure profit? If you are not passionate about what it is you want to do, chances of success are slim. If you are in employment thinking of making the big move, she advices calculated risks. That is, the awareness that you simply do not have resources to prevent all catastrophes and still allow for innovation.

Her final piece of advice, and quite honestly, my personal favorite, THERE IS NEVER A RIGHT TIME. “If you don’t pursue your business idea now, 2 – 3 years from now, you will regret it!” – Isis Nyong’o Madison during the fireside session with Terryanne Chebet.

Fireside Chat with Terryanne Chebet

I was curious to know what she does for fun, you know, after a long day of being absolutely awesome. She loves engaging in sporting activities which keep her fit, and there are results to show, trust me. She loves to travel, hang out with her family and this year she made a commitment to try something new EVERY WEEK. I thought that was quite ambitious and she admits that initially, she felt like it was ambitious too. Her husband convinced her and Isis is loving it.

I learnt so much from Isis. She is humble, passionate and a go-getter and she really is beautiful, both inside and out!!

-Gakii Biriri

Isis and Gakii during the interview

Who wants to be a millionaire?

We are so proud to announce a partnership between Calibrated Blossom and She leads Africa.

She Leads Africa is a social enterprise in Africa investing in young female entrepreneurs across the continent. At the core of their vision is to invest in high growth female entrepreneurs who have the greatest potential to create large enterprises. After all, it is such women who have the innate power to become global leaders and effect change on a tremendous scale. 

They are heading to Nairobi on Saturday January 24^th to host a training session for young women who want to turn their technology ideas into sustainable businesses.  They are co-hosting the event with Intel Africa and have put together an exciting panel of speakers and workshops for the participants.

The purpose of this event is to: Support young women interested in technology take their ideas and turn them into sustainable businesses.

Date: Saturday, January 24, 2015

Time: 10am – 6pm

Venue: Nairobi Garage, Piedmont Plaza, Ngong Road, Nairobi, Kenya

Participation: 50 – 60 estimated attendees

Sponsors: Intel, Forbes Woman Africa

The Exciting agenda includes:

- Big Ideas: Interactive problem solving session on how technology can and has been

used to solve community problems

- Working Session: Building your minimum viable product and getting it ready for the

public

- Lean Startup: Developing your go-to market strategy and listening to your customers

- Reaching your first 1,000 users: Panel discussion with local entrepreneurs on how

they jumpstarted their businesses and get their first set of users

- Fireside Chat: An intimate discussion with a leading female entrepreneur and investor

on how women can reach business success

Amazing Speakers include:

Keynote Speaker: Isis Nyong’o

 Isis Nyong’o is the Vice President and Managing Director of the African operations ofInMobi, the world’s largest independent mobile advertising network. She has degrees from Stanford and Harvard and has previously worked in senior management positions at MyJobsEye (Kenya’s leading Job site), MTV, and most recently, Google. In January, she was selected as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.

Moderator: Terryanne Chebet

Terryanne Chebet is one of Kenya’s top Business news anchors who reports on news and business stories from across the African Continent, interviewing Heads of State, Global Business leaders, Policy makers & CEO's. She currently hosts Kenya’s top Business Show, the Business Centre on Citizen TV.

Additionally, Terryanne is the CEO of Scarlet Digital, a 360 Advertising and communications firm that opened in 2011. Scarlet Digital prides itself as a house that understands digital conversations and helps propel brands in that space.

Panelist: Angelah Madara

Angelah Madara is Director of Digital Financial Services at KnightStirling Consulting. Angelah was part of the team that provided inaugural support for the successful implementation of MPESA.

Panelist: Judith Owigar

Judith Owigar is the owner of the tech startup Juakali, and President and founder of AkiraChix – an organisation centred around building, supporting, and inspiring African women in technology. She is also a social enterprise fellow at the Anita Borg Institute. She is a coder, a blogger and a tech enthusiast.

 

Panelist: Calvince Okello

Calvince is the Founder and CEO of M-Shamba, an interactive mobile platform that provides vital information to farmers and other stakeholders along the agricultural value chain.. Calvince holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Agricultural, Biomechanical, and Processing Engineering from Jomo Kenyatta University.

Panelist: Collins Omwenga

Collins Omwenga is the Co-Founder and CIO of Quintelcon Limited. He also serves as the IPHUB Manager at Microsoft as well as the Projects and Events Coordinator for the JKUAT Tech Expo.

Calling on all you tech women out there, this one is for YOU! Lets make 2015 OUR year. 
Don't forget to check out our Facebook page (Calibrated Blossom) and twitter handle (@Calibrated_B) for more info!

Forget new year resolutions; Dare, Dream and DO!

It’s a new year! Can you feel it? Do you feel the freshness, the numerous opportunities and the clean canvas ahead? I certainly do, and I am super excited about this year. I am thankful to God for a restful holiday and the opportunity to see a new year.

 You probably expect this to be your typical post…where you are probably expecting me to talk about new year resolutions- setting them and ways to make your 2015 better. I prefer to make this post a little different. Believe me, it’s great to set new year resolutions, be prepared and know what you want to achieve. In fact my father has a saying that goes “Luck is opportunity that meets a prepared mind”. So yes, preparation is important. But why not do it differently…go against the tide, make it personal, make it different!

The inspiration behind this post is the story of Lou Holtz who, broke and unemployed, decided to write down 107 goals one evening in 1966. Some of his goals were as ludicrous as having dinner at the White House and meeting the Pope. To date, would you guess how many of these goals he has achieved? 102 of his 107 goals!!

So lets do it differently this year. Why limit your dreams to 1 year? Lets dream together, and lets make those dreams as crazy as they come.

Ask yourself these questions:

What is my inspiration?
When have I had the most fun in my life?
What caused me to enjoy and remember that time?
If I had a magic wand, what wishes would I make happen?
What do I want most for MY life? 

Those are the things I would like you to think about, DREAM about and BELIEVE IN!

Would you like to travel the world? Would you like to be Kenya’s next president? Would you like to be the youngest CEO? Would you like to have a family and a pretty home? Would you like to go into music? Who in the world would you love to meet, dine with and have a conversation with? Would you like to start your own business? Which corner of the world would you like to explore? Would you like to grow your career?

These are the things that make life worth living, and these are the things I want YOU to DREAM about and set out to achieve. They may not be limited to 2015, some may take you years to achieve as was the case with Lou Holtz. But no matter what, DREAM, DREAM DREAM! So go ahead and let your mind wonder.

Once you are done, write each and every one of these dreams down..no matter how trivial or no matter how ridiculous they sound!

After that, commit yourself to take one step each day to make these dreams happen. Let yourself imagine what it would feel like to achieve these dreams and make it your life purpose to make that feeling a reality. What is that one step that you will take today to make it a reality? What is that one thing you may need to sacrifice today?

Lastly surround yourself with people who appreciate and understand your dreams..YOUR TEAM! They will be your biggest supporters. They will keep you accountable, encourage you, laugh at you and smile with you.

 
Here’s to an awesome 2015!

In pursuit of perfection