Thank you so much for according us this interview . We are confident that given your role in building a successful firm there will be a number of nuggets to take home from our discussions for our readers that will be of benefit as they strive to build their own brands in this competitive and uncertain environment .
We are looking to structure this interview into three parts : Hamisi the person , FCM the company and lastly the travel industry . Important for our readers are the lessons you have picked in your journey that they can learn from .
So , let ’ s begin with Hamisi the person . Who is Hamisi and what drives you . Let ’ s go to the beginning of your journey at the University .
Thank you for inviting me to sit down with Marketing Africa and the confidence you have that our time and discussions will be of value to the readers of Marketing Africa magazine . We at FCM Travel are grateful for this unique opportunity to share our journey .
Let me begin by going back to my childhood . I was born and bred in Murang ’ a where I completed my primary and secondary education . I then joined the University of Nairobi to undertake a degree of Bachelor of Commerce , majoring in Marketing . While at the University I felt the urge to try my hand at business . Looking around I saw a garbage truck with the name BINS , which at that time was one of the first well branded private company to venture into garbage collection , alongside the then Nairobi City Council . So , I decided to try my hand at garbage collection in Loresho with a few of my friends , not the most prestigious business for a potential graduate , but it paid well and taught me a valuable lesson .
We did not do it for long as our agreement was terminated without notice when BINS came raiding our clients . And of course , as novices we were not a match for them . Having realized that I could make more money than the “ Boom ’ we were getting I looked for another opportunity .
Lesson Learnt : I learnt that if one is prepared to do what may be considered undesirable or beneath one ’ s dignity as collecting garbage might be , you stand a chance of being successful . As we say ‘ kazi ni kazi ’. And as a fresher in the University there aren ’ t many options as formal work is very hard to come by . So , you just have to roll up your sleeves and take whatever comes along , it always pays in the end .
Not content with sitting around and having realized that there were opportunities out there I was always on the lookout , for as the saying goes , “ luck favors the prepared .” And so , it came to be and my second venture was collecting broken glass from a dumpsite behind EABL or Diageo today , which was then Kenya Breweries Limited . I had some contacts at Central Glass Industry located in Ruaraka who gave me the idea of collecting broken glasses as they had started re-cycling . So , with two partners we started a company , In Style Trading Company , to collect broken glasses at the site and deliver it to Central Glass . The business scaled quickly and was profitable and I continued working even after graduating .
However , it soon ran into headwinds as our visions for the business were different . I was looking to run the company more formally and my view was long term as I could see the potential . I wanted us to re-invest our earnings but my partners had other ideas about the business , so we parted ways and I went into formal employment .
To the youth especially those about to embark on their careers in whichever field for the fundamentals are the same , nothing happens fast like instant coffee or a microwave . There is a process and a journey to success however one defines it . Patience , resilience and hard work are necessary pillars . Even instant coffee had to be planted , tended , harvested and processed to get to the cup .
Lessons Learnt : I picked two lessons from this venture . The first is the importance of partnerships especially when they have a different skill or talent they bring to the table . Having said that it is crucial that the partners have a shared vision and are on the same page at all times . A difference in vision brings conflict which in many cases may be difficult to resolve and has proved fatal for many ventures .
The second is the importance of record keeping . Meetings , even if they are held in an informal setting should have minutes on discussions , what was agreed and the way forward . When it comes to finances accountability is very important .
Now let us turn to your formal employment where you worked and the lessons you picked .
My first formal employer was as a sales executive selling UPS ( Uninterrupted Power Supply ) backups for Vector International representing the brand Emerson from the UK . Our clients were corporates who wanted to ensure power continuity for their computers and servers , so it was B to B . I received very good training in product knowledge , selling as well as customer service . But my greatest benefit was learning how to develop relationships internally to keep my promise to clients .
Once I got an order from a client , I had to work with the Engineering Department to ensure that the installation was done on time . Furthermore , the larger UPS ’ s were imported so I had to place an order and follow up until the installation was done . So , I had to be able to communicate well with those in the UK and follow up with the Courier partner . I also had to ensure the full payment was made as most clients initially put down a deposit . Debt collection is a matter of tact as one is dealing with a customer whom you will need again . I got to learn that clients have different paying cycles , and that even departments within the same firm are not the same . The Accounts Department which made payments was not the one that generated the orders , so with time I learnt the ropes of how to collect our payment from different people .
Within one year I was promoted to Sales Manager , managing a team and dealing with some of our bigger clients . Being a manager taught me about delegating and motivating people which I will elaborate when we come to FCM . With time I started looking for bigger challenges and landed a position at Firestone East Africa . But before I discuss Firestone let me tell