Top 40 Woman under 40- Christine Khasinah-Odero

Meet Christine Khasinah- Odero, Founder of Supamamas. During her first pregnancy she discovered the lack of information sources dedicated to motherhood and infants. This began her entrepreneurial journey into leadership. She is passionate about what she does. Her life has been characterized by following her heart and striving to be better.Let us delve into the world of this phenomenal lady.

C: How does it feel like being among this year's Top 40 Women under 40?

CK: Being a top 40 under 40 was an honour and felt wonderful to be recognized.

C: You have received several remarkable awards since starting Supamamas. You have been a finalist in CEOs Magazine Most Influential Women in Business and Government Africa 2013& 2014 and among Kenya’s Top 5 Women under 40, 2013 UP Magazine. How would you describe the feeling?

CK: Supamamas is yet to reach its 5th year milestone and am glad to have brought the vision to life to impact women especially mums who come for the events. Winning the awards makes the effort worth it in knowing that what we do does make a difference. The awards have elevated Supamamas and with the recognition we continue to strive to be better by the day.

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

CK: I grew up in Umoja estate in Eastlands as well as in Kilimani in my early youth. I am surrounded by 5 great siblings and great parents. My father especially is my friend and has continued to encourage me throughout. I schooled in Western at Butere Girls after which I did my first degree at USIU-Africa and MBA Marketing from Liverpool University. I came back to Kenya in 2004. My life has been characterized by following my heart and striving to be better. I have grown by reading a lot and having the guts to try out new things. At all stages of my life whether the ups or downs, I refuse to be defined by my circumstances.

Christine Khasinah (left) with Muthoni Ndonga of Blankets and Wine (centre) and Elizabeth Bisher- Simiyu of Slim Therapy (Right)

C: You are one of the exceptional women blazing a trail in the entrepreneurial world. What has your journey been like, from leaving a managerial position, starting your first business and eventually founding Supamamas?

CK: When I came back from the U.K armed with the Masters Degree I truly believed doors would open. However the reality is that so many Kenyans are qualified and are very well educated and the situation is even more saturated today. I started out my career as a marketing executive in an ice cream making company, and later on held jobs in tours and travel. During this time I opened my first business, a tour company, which failed in 3 months after which I had to go back to employment in a job I was over qualified for. This was at a high end garage which day in day out mainly featured administrative tasks including being the Personal Assistant to the company owner.

Despite the setback I did my job well and 2 years or so later decided to start a company and be an entrepreneur. The company was to create events for mums.

C: How was the transition from the corporate world into business?  

CK: The transition for me from Corporate to business was a leap of faith. I wished I had mentors or forums I could go and share with other women starting out in business. I worked hard and built useful networks.

C: What has it taken to build Supamamas to the brand it is today?

CK: What it has taken to build Supamamas to what it is today is giving myself permission to experiment, try out new themes and knocking on doors without giving up. It took several months to get an event sponsored or have brands to have confidence to come on board.

C: What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned from a mistake you have made in the past?

CK: The most important lesson I have learnt from the mistakes that I have made is that the biggest mistake is not learning from it. I keep learning.

C: Supasisters is a remarkable initiative that brings together women passionate about giving back to the society and mentoring the next generation of girls. What was the inspiration behind launching Supasisters?

CK: SupaSisters brings together women who want to give back and grow the next generation of girls because mentorship does make a difference in helping people believe in themselves and that they can also succeed if they put their mind to it.

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

CK: An opportunity to be mentored is so golden and can help you learn and give you direction in what you want to achieve. Mentorship is so important especially for those considering becoming entrepreneurs professionally. Socially it's also important as it gives you clarity of who you want to be and help you build a personal brand.

C: Supamamas has been involved in community service and outreach programs such as giving back at Nyumba ya Tumaini, community service at Kenyatta National Hospital and supporting Cerebral Palsy Society of Kenya among others. What drives this passion to reaching out to the less fortunate?

CK: Giving back is something I am passionate about on a personal level and as a Rotarian. It is a culture I cultivated early and incorporated in the business. As I thrive as a business person I would also like to give back.

C: Rooted in your business philosophy is Gandhi’s challenge to “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” You are under 40 and you have achieved a lot, what drives you to achieve all you have?

CK: I am driven to find my best self. I am a self starter and love to trying out different ways of doing things until I grow. I am ardent believer of investing in yourself to keep growing.  And in addition in order to get the best out of people, the best has to start with me.

C: If you could describe yourself in one word, or using one animal or thing, what would that be?

CK: I describe myself as resilient, as an animal- a phoenix perhaps, the bird that rises from the ashes and soars higher and higher.

C: Tell us something unique, different or quirky about you.

CK: Something that I find unique about me is that I’m an extreme introvert and extrovert. I am easy with people and at the same time very lonesome - I operate very well in my own company.

C: What legacy would you want to leave?

CK: That I made a difference in people's lives through being generous and compassionate.

C: What is your definition of success?

CK: Success to me is being at peace and achieving the goals I set.

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?

CK: I can totally feel your vision and hope many people will begin to see that inner perfection is what spurs growth in other areas of one's life. Like Napoleon Hill said "whatever the mind conceives it can achieve.” The mind is truly powerful and the first place to shift your mind set.

C: What is your advice to young people on saving and investing?

CK: Start early- and make saving and investing a habit rather than doing it because other people are doing it. Also before spending, ask yourself if you really need to or just want to.

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?

CK: I would tell the young people out there to DREAM, DREAM BIG, TAKE ACTION and move beyond the thinking stage. The only way to see your dream coming to life is taking the bold step to working on it and being diligent and persistent.

Top 40 Woman under 40- Esther Macharia Chibesa

   

I spent an hour with this phenomenal woman and I left with amazing nuggets of information and super charged to make a difference. She has years of wisdom, a creative spirit and a quest to enjoy life; it was a breath of fresh air speaking with her. Enjoy the interview with Esther Macharia Chibesa- mother, wife, career woman; a super woman if you ask me. She is the Director of Treasury and Trade Solutions at Citibank Kenya. She is among the few women blazing a trail in the male-dominated financial services industry and a prime candidate in the list of Kenya’s Women to Watch.

C: How does it feel like being among this year’s Top 40 Women under 40?

E: I can honestly describe the feeling in two words: gratifying and humbling. I am grateful for such an incredible opportunity and for each opportunity that has come my way. I have always purposed to harness each opportunity that has come my way and make it valuable. It is humbling to feature on such a phenomenal list.

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

E: I grew up in a sheltered and tight-knit family in Nairobi. I am the first of four daughters. I am so proud of my younger sisters and the astute strides they have made. They are doing phenomenally well in their areas of expertise- as a magistrate, doctor and lawyer. We owe all this to our upbringing and the sacrifices made by our parents. They believed strongly in the power of education and the importance of setting achievable and incremental goals. I remember my mother used to always tell us “There are no geniuses, just people who work extremely hard”

C: You are one of the few women blazing the trail in the male dominated financial services industry. What has your career journey been like, from your days as a graduate trainee through your rise to Citibank Kenya Director of Treasury and Trade Solutions?

I graduated from the University of Botswana having studied Accounts. I applied for the highly competitive graduate trainee position at Citibank Kenya in 1999. To this day I remember the highly ambitious cover letter I sent in with my application. I flew in to Nairobi for my interview and I truly believe that has been the best interview in my entire career. I attribute this to the thorough preparation I did for that interview.  I held the position of graduate trainee for 18months, working in different departments such as Operations and Customer Care.

I then moved to Citibank Uganda as a risk analyst for three years. It was a great opportunity and a great learning curve. I was part of the team that consolidated a new corporate unit that advised companies mainly on credit facilities. Between January 2004 and September 2008 I worked in Tanzania, Zambia and Uganda as a trade product manager. I then became the consummate banker involved in structuring trade services products for clients in the mining, public sector, agribusiness and manufacturing sectors and also identifying supply chain financing opportunities for them. I took up the position of Citibank Director of Treasury and Trade Solutions in Zambia from 2011, after which I moved to Kenya as the Citibank Kenya Director of Treasury and Trade Solutions.

C: At just under 40 years, you have achieved a lot. What has it taken to get to where you are?

E: I believe it is important to frequently ask yourself the question “Am I being true to myself and doing what I would like to be doing?” I believe intelligence exhibits itself in different forms. Growing up in university I had a vision board which had the goals I wanted to achieve in my life. This helped me to consolidate and focus my efforts on attaining my goals. Throughout my career I have always purposed to be curious and adaptable. This curiosity has enabled me to apply myself in diverse roles. I appreciate diversity.

C: Outside from your professional hat, what kind of person are you and what do you like to do?

E: Above all, I am a wife and mother to three beautiful children. Family is everything to me. I love to garden, I derive a lot of pleasure in watching things grow. I also love décor, this stems from my love for all things creative. I am also an avid reader. I strive to stay healthy by exercising regularly. When I was younger I used to love to sing and compose songs for Christmas carols.

C: You mention you love to read. What are your all-time favourite books?

E: I especially loved “Timeline” by Michael Crichton. Crichton combines technical details and action, addressing quantum and multiverse theory. This completely fascinated me. Another book I loved was “The Screwtape Letters” by C. S. Lewis. The story takes the form of a series of letters from a senior Demon screwtape to his nephew, a junior tempter. It’s a must read. Lastly, “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde. It is about a man named Dorian who desires to sacrifice his soul to ensure that a portrait of him, rather than he, will age and fade. It is a very thought-provoking read.

C: If you could describe yourself in one word, or using one animal or thing, what would that be?

E: A butterfly. A butterfly is curious and independent with a sense of freedom. I believe this bests describes me, and I in turn value these attributes in other people.

C: Tell us something unique, different or quirky about you.

E: That’s a tough one, but I would say I knit and sing. As I mentioned earlier, I used to compose Christmas carols in my childhood. Interestingly enough, years later I was amazed to hear one of the songs a friend and I composed in childhood being sang at a church service.

C: What legacy would you want to leave?

E: For my children- I want my children to understand that happiness is a choice. I want them to live life to the fullest and really enjoy their lives. I want my children to grow up as good, honest and kind individuals.

At work- Through effort, partnership with my great team and fate I would like to make a huge difference and impact, and grow the business exponentially. I want to be known for great ambition and tangible impact.

In life- In the end I want to have loved and lived life. I believe “You do this ONCE. Just once!” We have one life and with each passing day, we never get younger. This creates an attitude of fearlessness and you become possessed with clarity.

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

E: There is no shame in effort. It builds resilience. With resilience comes capability to do and be more. Achievement is a journey. Belief and confidence will make you soar. Build success incrementally.

To all the young people my challenge would be: Do you have a dream? Does it seem crazy? Are you going for it? If so, keep at it!

  

A small gift for a phenomenal woman. With the message: "Thank you for being a great mentor and role model"

Top 40 Woman under 40 - Mukami Njeru

 

Meet Mukami Njeru, the Group Actuary at CIC Insurance Group. She is smart, inspirational and very approachable. I had the privilege to sit with this phenomenal woman and listen to her story. Once I reached out to her to be a part of the Top 40 interviews I was running, she was more than happy to be a part of it. Her story is nothing short of phenomenal. She is an alumnus of Loreto Limuru, a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries and qualified as a Certified Enterprise Risk actuary. Mukami graduated from the University of Nairobi with a BSc. in Actuarial Science, First Class Honours.

C: How does it feel like being among this year’s Top 40 Women under 40?

M: It is both humbling and such a privilege. Being a nominee in a list with such phenomenal women is surreal. It has opened so many opportunities and doors and given me a chance to interact with so many people.

C: Kenya only has a handful of certified actuaries, and you are one of the few women on the list. What has it taken to get there?

M: I qualified as an actuary in 2012. I began my professional papers in my third year of university and by the time I graduated I had completed eight papers. I joined PriceWaterhouse Coopers (PwC) through their graduate program. I worked in the Corporate Finance and Advisory department. My boss who was from United Kingdom (UK) greatly supported me in my vision to follow the actuarial path. I was therefore able to transfer to PwC Australia on secondment to join the actuarial department. PwC has a global footprint and therefore the transfer was possible. This was a great opportunity which I gladly took. I attribute my days at PwC to giving me a broader view of the industry. I was in Australia for three years. While I was there I still continued pursuing my professional papers.

C: What was your experience in Australia like? Did it serve to give you international experience and global exposure?

M: My viewpoint and perspective changed. Australia serves the Asia- Pacific region and therefore I had diverse cultural interactions which enhanced my global exposure. The Australian actuarial approach is very practical and principle based. I therefore gained a wealth of knowledge.

C: What direction did your career take after the three years you spent in Australia?

M: I moved to London around 2011-2012 where I joined the actuarial department in Deloitte. There was a great demand for actuaries as Solvency 2 was coming onboard. I stayed and worked in London for two years. I later moved back to Kenya and started working for CIC Insurance Group as the group actuary. This was around the time when there was a new regulation requiring insurance companies to have actuaries.

C: What does your work as the Group Actuary entail?

M: My work entails developing and pricing insurance products and liaising with industry regulators. It also greatly involves financial risk, quantitative analysis and modelling. Moving back into the industry has been a great learning curve. It has involved a higher level of responsibility. It is a maturing experience.

C: What are your future plans in contributing to the actuarial industry in Kenya?

I have initiated several actuarial forums since I came back to Kenya. I look forward to contributing towards growing the actuarial industry in Kenya and I hope that there will be more female actuaries. I am looking forward to the growth of the profession in Kenya.

C: You are 29 years old and you have achieved great heights, what drives you to achieve all you have?

M: I believe opportunities and talents are God given. I have made the most of the opportunities that have come my way. My decision to do my actuarial papers was a big decision filled with uncertainty and the subsequent journey has been long and demanding. I greatly attribute my success to a good support system from those around me.

C: If you could describe yourself in one word, or using one animal or thing, what would that be?

M: An eagle. An eagle aims and soars high. I constantly set challenging and ambitious goals for myself which spurs me to aim high in all I do.

C: What are some of the challenges you have experienced?

M: The journey to qualifying as an actuary has been challenging. The professional papers are rigorous, demanding and require a great deal of sacrifice. In addition, relocating to different countries impacted my relationships. I was abroad for a number of years though I was fortunate enough to frequently visit Kenya.

C: What legacy would you want to leave?

M: Quality and diligence in my work. I would also like to make a tangible impact on people’s lives

C: What is your definition of success?

M: I believe success is “The people who know you the most respecting you the most”. To be successful is to have respect from the people who work closely with you and those that you have close relationships with.

C: Young people often seek instant gratification and haven’t adopted a culture of saving and investing. What is your advice to young people on saving and investing?

M: It is important to be prudent in your savings and investment. A culture of saving and investing is essential from early in life, developing financial discipline is a skill that is crucial to learn. I was able to attend a Financial Fitness four week course earlier in life. This instilled values of financial discipline, prudence and delayed gratification early in life.

C: The purpose of Calibrated blossom is to inspire young people to seek and chase inner perfection in all they do. It also aims to encourage a shift in mindset and spur people towards the direction of their dreams. What is your take on this?

M: It is true that sometimes the younger generation do not fully understand the purpose of going after their dreams. There is a mentality of complacency. However attaining your dreams is not only for your satisfaction, but also for those around you. It is important to fulfill God’s will and do what you can. Make the most of all the opportunities that come your way.

The World Summit Youth Award 2014 (WSYA) nominee- Esther Kinuthia

 

Esther Kinuthia is a phenomenal young woman . To add to her Top 40 woman under 40 award, she has recently been nominated for the The World Summit Youth Award 2014 (WSYA) for her campaign, Pro Life Movement Kenya. A global jury has selected the best 85 youth digital projects from around the world addressing the UN Development Goals. 

What is Pro Life Movement Kenya?

500,000+ abortions happen in Kenya yearly. That in other words, 500,000+ people are silently murdered in Kenya in a span of 12 months only. Thats a minimum of 40,000 deaths per month and at the least 1000 deaths daily. What is the difference between an abortionist and a murderer, Esther asks? 

She welcomes each and every one of you to join the ProLife movement ON YOUR OWN ACCORD. Her goal is to inform, inspire and ignite the Kenyan youth to join the ProLife movement because they believe in it.

The competition was fierce in 2014. Initially, 1896 users from 138 UN countries registered. Under

the guidance of Prof. Peter A. Bruck Chairman of the WSYA board, the Jury of international experts will select the 18 winners and 12 runnersup of the WSYA 2014.

Next Step: Winners’ Ceremony and WSYA Congress in Brazil

In a second round of evaluation, the Pro Life Movement has the chance to be selected as an outstanding contribution to the achievement of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals through online creations.

Hosted by the Humanitare Foundation, the winners’ ceremony will be held on November 28th to December 1th, 2014 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. This event will feature worldclass keynote speeches, hands on workshops and engaging panel discussions about social entrepreneurship and the content industry. The shortlisted candidates that will join the winners event will be announced at the end of August 2014.

You can have a look at her blog to learn more: http://missindependent.co.ke/youngest-in-kenya-top-40-under-40-woman-shortlisted-in-the-world-youth-summit-award/

Calibrated Blossom would like to deeply congratulate Esther for her remarkable campaign and outstanding contribution to the achievement of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. We encourage all of you to join and support the movement. We wish her well and believe she will bring home The World Summit Youth Award 2014 (WSYA).

#ChasingPerfection

Top 40 Woman under 40- Esther Kinuthia

 

Go-getter, influential, ball of energy.. just a few words to describe this amazing lady I had the chance to sit down with and interview. The second youngest nominee among the 2014 Top 40 women under 40. She is the 22 year old blogger who featured in this year’s list of top 40 women. Who better than to kick off this series? She oozes such confidence, warmth and self-assuredness that is difficult to spot in a person as young as her. This makes the interview smooth, infact like a conversation among old friends. Sit back, be challenged and let’s delve into the life of Esther Kinuthia, blogger extraordinaire.

C: You were the second youngest woman in this year’s Top 40 Women under 40. A huge congratulations on that!! Did you expect it?

E: It was such a huge surprise.  At first I thought “Wait is that email meant for me?” I was in such shock when I received the email. The first thing that came to my mind was gratitude. It’s a feeling you can’t describe really, and trying to describe it might just fail to reflect the immense gratitude I have for My Parents, My Family, Friends, Colleagues and basically everyone that has seen me through this journey. This award is representative of the people that have shaped me to be who I am today.

C: So how does it work? Tell us how you got to feature in this prestigious list. Did people nominate you and did you have an idea?

E: Actually, I didn’t even know that there were any nominations going on. Nominations are announced and people begin to nominate people they believe in, you can also nominate yourself as well.  At the end of the day it’s the judges that decide; they assess all the nominations received and narrow it down to the Top 40. I was nominated by someone and the judges picked me.

C: So who do you think nominated you? Do you think it’s your readers or your interviewees?

E: Haha! I don’t know. I don’t know how many nominations I received and from whom. I would like it to remain anonymous. Some of these things are beautiful in simply knowing that someone unknown nominated you; someone somewhere believed in you. I would like it to remain like that. Maybe I could put up a post about it one day and find out who it was , but I think I just want it to remain anonymous. Like I said, this award is representative of people who have seen me through this journey.

C: So how did it feel like being the second youngest nominee?

E: I was the youngest in Kenya. Malaika Firth, the 20 year old nominee, is in the States. So I always like taking “The youngest in Kenya” fete. Again, I can’t find words to describe this amazing feeling. It’s incredibly awesome.I remember when I approached Angela Angwenyi and Lorna Irungu to say hi and they were like “Congratulations”  They already knew me!! Being the second youngest on the list actually made people know me. It’s unimaginably amazing. This award is a huge opportunity to show the African youth it that it can be done regardless of where you come from.

C: There was an award ceremony held recently for the Top 40 women. What was the experience like?

E: It was so much fun. I interacted with lovely ladies. The talks were very inspiring I literally left Safari Park Hotel feeling like the next Bill Gates. The awards were held at the Safari Park Hotel which of course meant great music, great food and great ambiance. It was African themed. Everyone was so friendly ,we took selfies and I left there having made 39 friends. I usually say that the best part about this award is that you get to make some really good friends-amazing ladies in this country. It’s a pool of networking with the best of the best. I am glad to announce that Daddy Dearest was my plus one.

C: Now that you bring up your dad, it makes it a smooth transition into my next question. You talk a lot about your dad. He has been a major support in your life. Tell us a bit about that.

E: My Dad is my biggest fan and supporter. He is the one person that has truly believed in me since I was born. During exams my Dad never told me “Be number one”. Despite being a top student, he never made it seem like being number one was the only thing.  His message was always “ Be the best you can be”

I remember when I was young, I used to be like: “ Dad lets go to the casino and win a million shillings”.  Back then a million shillings seemed like everything. But he’d give me the same answer all the time:  “No Mum, easy money comes and goes. Work hard and get your own money”. These values have been instilled in me since I was young. It’s not that I was born independent or confident, someone had to instill these virtues in me and that has been my Dad. Also, I come from a very tight-knit family. I believe it’s the head of the family who is responsible for creating a good and strong family. I really thank my Dad for My Family. He has been a good example to all of us including some of my siblings who are now parents.

C: How has your dad supported your blogging ambitions?

E: My Dad has been so supportive it’s crazy. He has driven me to most of my shoots and waited for me for hours as I did my thing. Despite being a busy entrepreneur, he’d be there supporting me. Sometimes of course he was scared that I would neglect my education so he’d suggest I focus more on school but he would never tell me to stop blogging. He knows it’s what I really want to do.

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

E: I started In Le Pic Primary school from Nursery to class six. I didn’t go to baby class. In class seven and eight the school required us to board and my Dad doesn’t support boarding. I therefore transferred to Forest View Academy for class seven and eight where I sat for my K.C.P.E. I then went to Kianda School where I sat for my K.C.S.E. I am currently a fourth year student at Strathmore University studying BCOM-Marketing.

C: Miss Independent is the powerful name of your blog. Why that name?

E: The reason I named my blog Miss Independent is because it reflects what I stand for- Being the best you can be without having to wait for connections to help you succeed in life.

C: On that note, how does the “Miss I” persona tie in with your life. How does it influence your interaction with other people?

E: It’s very humbling and inspiring because now I get to be a mentor to various people that have sought mentorship from me.

C: And do your friends understand your busy schedule?

E: I always say a good friend will understand you. I have supportive friends. I think it’s important to invest these young years finding and building yourself, surrounded with true friends.

C: The motto of your blog is: Inform, Inspire, Ignite. Why those words?

E: My motto used to be "Inspire Enlighten and Motivate". When I re-branded this changed to Inform, Inspire and Ignite (Three I’s). I wanted something with I’s but still retaining the same message. My interviews seek to bring out the best in people.

I now have an I-team. I host three blogs under my domain and these are 411, Just a girl and Spark.  Each blog focuses in a unique area. Just a girl handles relationships, 411 handles music and entertainment and SPARK deals with peace, wildlife conservation and clubs.

C: Odipodev hosted your blog for six months. Why the transition from Odipodev to your own independent site? What was the move like?

E: Odipodev hosted me for 6 months after which their business focus changed to data mining. I therefore needed to transition which was not a cup of tea for me. I remember I cried on that night. I needed to get hosting space but I had NO idea what hosting space was. I sought help from i-Lab in Strathmore and was able to make the transition. It was a learning experience where I learnt how to take change positively and how to adapt quickly.

C: What are your future plans with the blog?

E: To give more value to my readers.

C: You recently turned 22. What are your future plans?

E: Miss Independent Show and Miss Independent Magazine

C: What one word, adjective or animal would you say describes you?

E: I have 3 animals in mind. An eagle because I always seek to soar higher. A butterfly which is delicate, beautiful but dares to fly against the wind. I don’t conform. Finally a swan which is graceful and loyal. I am a very loyal person.

C: What legacy would you like to leave? When someone says Esther or miss I, what do you want that to be associated with?

E: Happiness and my motto: Refuse to be average. It encompasses values, success and personal development. My blog is based on Albert Einstein’s quote “Try not to become a man of success, but rather a man of value”. This essentially means being the best you can be. When you refuse to be average you will be happy because you will have achieved all your dreams.

C: The purpose of Calibrated Blossom is to inspire young people to seek and chase inner perfection in all they do. It also aims to encourage a shift in mindset and spur people towards the direction of their dreams. What advice would you give the readers in terms of success?

E: Follow your heart and believe in yourself. No one will believe in you if you don’t believe in yourself, unless they really love you, they won’t. Go out there and do something GREAT.

C: What is your definition of success?

E: Happiness :)

C: If anyone wanted to reach you or have a look at what you do, what would be the best way to go about it?

It’s super easy. Kindly go to my blog ( missindependent.co.ke) and click on the CONTACT ME field. Do shoot me an email and I will respond.

C: Do you have any parting shot?

E: I would like to thank each and every person that reads my blog. My readers have seen me through this journey for the past 16 months, they majorly contributed to me winning the Top 40 woman under 40 award. Finally, REFUSE TO BE AVERAGE.

The Upcoming Series of Interviews you don't want to miss!

After writing the post on the Top 40 Women under 40, I thought to myself: why can’t I set out to interview at least half, if not two thirds of the women featured in this year’s list. The beauty is their stories have elements that you or I could relate to- whether you are male or female. It’s about the struggles, pitfalls, the tough choices they had to make along the way, the ups and downs… all of that and then some. Of course with plenty of bits and bobs of fun thrown in there :)

Wouldn’t you want to read their stories? Wouldn’t you want to get a glimpse into their lives?

 

 

 

In that spirit, for the next few months I would like to run a series of interviews on the blog. The first set of interviews will focus on the Top 40 women. The next set of interviews will seek to feature men and women who have successfully scaled the corporate ladder and those running successful businesses(that could be an individual running a company with a regional footprint or a successful 'mama mboga' who has been running her small enterprise successfully). In addition I would also like to interview young people who have just began their careers or those who have chosen to take the entrepreneurship route; individuals with resounding and unstoppable zeal. This mix will provide a bridge that will hopefully help people realize that their dreams are attainable and nothing can stop them from turning their dreams into reality.

 

This has been my dream for this blog; conducting interviews, inspiring and encouraging a change in mindset. The definition of success varies among people; I believe there is no one standard to judge a successful man from an unsuccessful one. But whatever a young person's definition of success may be, I would like to spur them in the direction of their dreams.

 

Well, that is my challenge for the next few months; and the challenge is definitely accepted.

Would you like to join me through this amazing journey? Sit back, relax and lets go on this journey together.

 

Chasing perfection,

Lydia

 

Top 40 Women under 40

The Business Daily recently published the 2014 Top 40 Women under 40 .

Business Daily, in the past six years, has invited its readers to nominate women aged under 40 who in their view have made significant achievements in whatever segment of our society and economy. A panel of judges then sifts through the entries and picks out the outstanding nominees. They recognise top women in Kenya who have scaled the professional ladder, run remarkable businesses or pursued their passion with enormous zeal. The list goes beyond the basic list of fame and influence to interrogating each candidate’s ingenuity, performance and staying power in whatever they do. To say that it is an honour to be featured in this list is an understatement. It is a great accolade, feted to the cream of the cream in different sectors.

Here are a few statistics from this year's top 40 women. I would like you to observe the numbers:

Profile of Age:

35- 40years: 44%

30-34years: 30%
25-30years: 22%
18-24years: 4%

What the women said about factors leading to success:

Focus and determination to succeed: 89%

Hard work: 44%

Good career mentors: 37%
International experience provided a stepping stone: 30%
Achieving KPIs and excelling: 30%
Work experience: 15%

Hours per week worked:

19-16 hours: 4%
25-32 hours: 4%
33-40 hours: 41%
41-50 hours: 26%
51-70 hours: 15%
No specific hours: 11%

The nominees work long hours with at least 52% of them working over 40hours in a given week. There are those that work up to 70 hours in a given week

Here is the list of the Top 40 Women under 40

1.   Captain Irene Mutungi- Pilot, Kenya Airways, 36

2.   Ory Okolloh- Director of Investments, Omidyar Media, 36

3.   Risper Ohaga- Managing Director, Barclays Internal Audit, 39

4.   Juliana Rotich- Founder and Director, Ushahidi, 38

5.   Anne Ncekei Maingi- Head of Strategic Capability and Modern Trade, Unilever Nigeria, 39

6.   Alfetta Mungai Koome- Country Manager, Firstrand Bank, 39

7.   Sylvia Wairimu Mulinge- General Manager for Enterprise Business, Safaricom, 38

8.   Agatha Kigunda- Head of Software and Services, Intel Corporation, 38

9.   Caroline Wanja Owesi- Chief Financial Officer, Jubilee Insurance Tanzania, 38

10. Anne Gitao- Head of Marketing for Africa, Vivo Energy, 39

11. Mukami Njeru- Resident Actuary, CIC Insurance Group, 29

12. Esther Macharia Chibesa- Director, Treasury and Trade Solutions, Citibank Kenya, 38

13. Becky Mungai- Head of Finance and Administration, Signature Group, 38

14. Magdalene Mulandi- Head of Brand Management and Corporate Affairs, Chase Bank, 33

15. Dorcas Muthoni- Techpreneur, 34

16. Mariam Mpaata- Founder, Junior Star Youth Development Programme, 36

17. Christine Khasina Odero- Founder, Supamamas, 33

18. Kate Kibarah- MD and CEO, Kate Organics, 33

19. Laura Akunga- Founder, Benchmark Solutions, 28

20. Elizabeth Simiyu- Health and Fitness Enterpreneur, 34

21. Charity Mutegi- Aflatoxin Maize Researcher, 39

22. Wanjiru Kamau- Rutenberg- Doctor, 36

23. Sheila Ommeh- Medical Researcher, 36

24. Lupita Nyong’o- Film and Fashion Queen, Oscar Award Winner, 31

25. Alison Ngibuini- Film and TV Programmes Producer, 38

26. Dorothy Ghettuba- Media Mogul, 35

27. Agnes Muthoni Ndonga- Singer and Songwriter, 31

28. Esther Kinuthia- Blogger, 21

29. Lornah Kiplagat- World class athlete, Proprietor of High Altitude Training Centre in Iten, 39

30. Malaika Firth- Model, Catwalk Queen, 20

31. Lois Muraguri- Scientist and Deputy Director, Global Alliance Network for Livestock and Veterinary Medicine, UK, 38

32. Anne Kiunuhe- Partner, Anjarwalla and Khanna, 33

33. Sara Koki Kinagwi- Medical Doctor, 38

34. Catherine Syengo Mutisya- Psychiatrist, 39

35. Mugure Njendu- Architect, 33

36. Joy Mbuthia- Entrepreneur, 38

37. Sumra Rehmet- MD, Roma Company Limited, 27

38. Christine Kahema Muthui- Legal Entity Controller for East, Central and West Africa, 34

39. Josephine Kamanthe Ndambuki- Senior Engineer, Transport and IP Support, Safaricom, 31

40. Lydia Ndirangu- Senior Tax Advocate, KPMG, 29

This post is a challenge to YOU (whether male or female) and ME. What is stopping you from being the best you can be in whatever you do? We can not wait till our 30s to scale those heights, the time is NOW. Who said we cant bring down that age bracket?  I was so impressed to see Esther Kinuthia (22 years)  and Malaika Firth (20years) in this year's list. Next year same time,  I hope to see at least a quarter of that list made up of many young people.

But just to point out, there are plenty of outstanding women and men out there doing phenomenal things who do not feature in any rankings. One need not feature on a list to make a mark. The challenge is: wherever you are, BE THE BEST YOU CAN BE!