Diving into Entrepreneurship
T&E Ladder held our first ever workshop, “Diving into Entrepreneurship,” on Saturday 12th September. It was a great success.
Over 60 students from high schools and universities in Kenya attended.
The event was kicked off by our Founder, Khushi Malde, who gave a brief introduction about the inspiration behind T&E Ladder, it’s mission of empowering Kenyan students with technological and entrepreneurial skills, and an insight into the various teams involved within the organization.
This was followed by a Q&A panel, between the participants and our guest speakers — Prescott Nasser and Mubarak Muyika, who are successful entrepreneurs currently based in America.
Students and members from T&E Ladder asked interesting and thought-provoking questions, which allowed the participants to learn insightful knowledge about entrepreneurship, motivation, failure and persistence through the inspiring entrepreneurial and life journeys of both Prescott and Mubarak, overall creating an interactive and engaging session, which was hosted by Jineal Caleb, our design team member.
What is entrepreneurship to you?
Prescott: It is the attitude and approach to starting a business. It could be any type of business even local business. Additionally, entrepreneurship involves taking risks and really engaging in all aspects of establishing a business. (instead of “getting dirty in the weeds)
Mubarak: To me, entrepreneurship means having the freedom to do what you desire. It is a social venture, whereby you decide what you want to do the way you want to do it. In summary, you are the oversight and you answer only to yourself.
How would you describe your journey to becoming a successful entrepreneur? And what inspired you to take the path of entrepreneurship?
Prescott: I started with a startup in 1998. However it went out of business in 2001 due to economic uncertainty. After that, I started a web company with a friend in high school and managed to successfully sell it. Next, I did another startup which unfortunately was not successful. After I graduated from UC Berkeley, I went to work for a large corporation in the United States of America. But after a while, I quit that job and went back to startups. As for the second part of the question, I never made a conscious decision to establish business, opportunities came up and I took them.
Prescott’s journey:
- Started with a database startup in 1998, went out of business in 2001
- Started a web company with a friend in high school
- Sold the company
- Did a failed startup in college
- Went to a large US corporation
- Went back to startups
- Never really made a conscious decision; opportunities came up and he took them
Mubarak: I grew up in an environment where my future and my job was predetermined. I was taken to a competitive school where I began to aspire to go into aviation. However, when I was there I heard of intriguing science competitions which I wanted to be a part of. My true intention was to leave school but in the process I discovered my entrepreneurial skills. I became very persuasive and ambitious. I even wanted to go to Harvard but realised that it was too expensive and I would rather start making money. So, I did a wordpress for 50 dollars for a client and he liked my work so much that I grew my clientele to the point where I ended up earning 6,000 dollars within 3 months of leaving school. And within 2 years I sold 30% of his company and then I successfully sold my business.
What advice would you give your younger self? And how do you handle failure?
Prescott: I wouldn’t change anything. You know, there’s definitely been some, some ups and downs in, in the winding kind of experience I’ve had, but all that experience has kind of helped me in in later things that I’ve done.
Some of it’s been bad and been a little bit rough. But, you know, I still learned from a lot of it. And so, even if something bad is happening, or something’s not going the way you want it to, there’s usually something to learn from it, either for next time, how to avoid the situation, when something you just can’t avoid, they’re going to come up, how to how to handle it and manage it.
Mubarak: It’s more of a continuous process. I wouldn’t say that it’s an isolated situation where there’s something specific that really has to be changed. Because life goes on, life moves on whichever event happens, anything happens. It’s just we move on. So I think for me, for my younger self, there’s nothing I’d say I’d change, because there’s always room to improve, room to grow, room to change. room to develop.
What words of advice would you have for anyone who is concerned funding a business idea?
Mubarak: Everyone who is a human being wants something, or need something, we’re all human beings. So for as long as you understand that, there’s someone who wants something, you always have to think along that line. For as long as you can appeal to what they want, you can do a deal, you can make a request. And if you think along those lines, you will never lack people to raise money from.
If you can structure a company, you can sell shares, those are the basics that are only technical matters. But now the raising money part itself, you have to think about it from a need perspective. Anyone who invests in a business always needs something and for as long as you can appeal to their need, one way or the other, you will make sense to them. And then you if you keep sticking to that one thing, you can keep it flowing. If you lack money now you can get someone else to give you more money. Because everyone always wants something. That’s the definition of being a human being.
Our next workshop, Infinity and Beyond, featuring Smit Sanghrajka, is on September 26, 8–9pm EAT. We will discuss the power and limitations of technology. And how young people can unlock its potential.
Future workshops include:
- Idea to Product — Saturday, October 10, 8–9 PM EAT
How to create a business model/prototype and bring it to market.
- Let’s TALK it out — Saturday, October 24, 8–9 PM EAT
Communication and Leadership Training — the value of your message and how you interact with people.
- Marketing and Design — Saturday, November 7, 8–9 PM EAT
The power of marketing and design thinking. Sell yourself and your products in ways that will appeal in-person and online.
- AI changing the world — Saturday, November 21, 8–9 PM EAT
What is AI? What is Machine Learning? Data Science? Sytems Engineering? Learn how you can approach these fields with confidence.
- How to fund YOUR startup — Saturday, December 5, 8–9 PM EAT
Venture Capital and funding models. How can you navigate the world of startup funding?
- She’s changing the world — Saturday, December 19, 8–9 PM EAT
Women in Entrepreneurship. Why diversity matters and what we can do to promote it.
* Workshop dates are subject to change.
T&E Ladder wants to use technology and entrepreneurship to open doors for students.
If you would like to get involved there are lots of opportunities to participate in and support this program!
High school students — Get involved by following our social media pages and attend all the exciting events we have planned for you all. Elevate your education experience to the next level.
Professors, Entrepreneurs, Investors, Mentors — Get involved by offering your support in leading workshops and participating as judges for our competitions. Become an inspiration to young innovators.
Passionate individuals — Reach out to us and we can help you join the team to create an impact. Whatever your skill set may be is helpful to us. Volunteer to bridge the digital divide!
Everyone — Follow our social pages, attend events you are interested in and reach out to us with any ideas, collaborations, or contributions you may have. We are looking to grow and impact as many students as possible.
For more information and/or questions, please contact us at: techandentrepreneurshipladder@gmail.com
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