The Failure Effect

Winnie Nyambura: A Childhood Filled With Pain & Loss Inspired Me To Take Entrepreneurial Risks

Fri, 07 Jun 2024 08:48:00 GMT

At the tender age of 27, Winnie has seen it all. The mother of a four-year-old boy has experienced loss untold - and it all started when she became an orphan at the age of three and went to live with her maternal grandmother. Thus started her fight against anxiety and depression while still in high school - and yet, the spirit of entrepreneurship grew strong in her.

She started off pitching various ideas and innovations to potential investors, none of which went through. However, it was while she was at university that she experienced business success selling sweet treats. That business eventually collapsed, but it taught her a lot about sustaining a business in the face of growing competition and market resistance.

Today she is an SEO expert, author and blogger, and she's learned enough to teach all of us how to navigate mental health issues, business failure and success... and the loss of loved one. Listen on the hear the full story.

Mugambi Nthiga (Pt 2): This Is What Clinical Depression Looks Like

Fri, 07 Jun 2024 07:36:00 GMT

Actor, comedian, film director and scriptwriter Mugambi Nthiga continues where he left off - after his return to Kenya in the late 2000s, when he walked into what he calls "the most toxic work environment I have ever been in," in the advertising industry.

As that was happening, his romantic relationship was also dying, and he was starting to feel the pressure - until his friends who had formed a musical group called 'Just A Band' approached him to play a part in the video for their song 'Ha-He'. The video ended up going viral all over the world, with a character called 'Makmende' who they created.

However, while the video was becoming a global phenomenon, it didn't quite fill the financial and career expectations that Mugambi had had. And thus started his journey living with mental health issues.

In this often hilarious interview, Mugambi provides important background and context to Kenya's entertainment industry, including his experiences working on some of Kenya's biggest movie projects, and how one of them triggered yet another episode of clinical depression.

Listen in to hear how he navigated his depression, how they inspired him to seek movie projects that explore and explain mental health, and what he now knows about failure, success and happiness.

Mugambi Nthiga (Pt1): How I Survived Being Jobless In America

Fri, 07 Jun 2024 07:25:00 GMT

Mugambi Nthiga doesn't look like he has experienced any 'failures', being that he is a highly awarded actor and director, and comedian of note.

But he has.

And he's here to detail every part of his struggle with mental health issues, and how he got over them.

Listen in to find out more about how he recognised the struggle he was facing, and stay tuned for Part 2 to understand what he did to survive and thrive thereafter.

DJ Shinski: Everything Happens For A Reason!

Thu, 23 May 2024 11:23:00 GMT

DJ Shinski - real name Steve Nyaosi, aka Mr Vibes on Vibes - is currently Kenya's most famous deejay. He rakes in the money while touring the world, and lives the sort of life many of us would envy...

But it didn't come easy.

In this interview, he details how his journey to DJ success involved many unsuccessful attempts at being employed. While he did not thrive in those jobs, each of them taught him valuable skills that he eventually brought to his current work as a DJ. They also served as a lesson: When the Universe determines what your future is, no amount of detouring on your own part will stop the Universe from having its way.

Listen to this interview to find out more, or find The Failure Effect on YouTube to watch.

Violette Nduku Wambua: Entrepreneur Fatigue Nearly Killed My Business

Wed, 22 May 2024 20:28:00 GMT

When Violette Nduku Wambua first came up with the idea for Networking In Heels over a decade ago, it was a ground-breaking idea. Kenya had never before seen a forum for women to get together to support each other in business and in life.

So good was her idea that the sponsorship and media support and attention that came her way was literally unprecedented... until entrepreneur fatigue hit her. That, combined with struggles of new motherhood, caused her to make the one mistake many entrepreneurs with great ideas make: Abandon the idea and go back into the job market.

After a decade of pondering how to restart Networking In Heels, she finally hit the jackpot. Almost immediately after she had regained her momentum, Covid happened, causing her to pause her business for two more years.

Today, Networking In Heels is back and bigger than ever! How did she do it? Find out in this latest episode of The Failure Effect.

Happy Women's Month!

👉 *Interview recorded before March 8, 2024*

Carol Banks: How I Navigated The Loss of My Marriage And Work-Related Burnout

Wed, 22 May 2024 20:15:00 GMT

Carol Ndolo Banks was a high-flying healthcare executive running the East African chapter of the global, American-based health-tech firm IQVIA... when she suddenly quit her job, much to the shock of her colleagues, peers and bosses, who had watched her career rise from bedside nurse to General Manager.

What many didn't know is that while her career was flourishing, things on the home front, in her marriage, were steadily deteriorating, causing her to feel burnt out and unsettled.

So, after hosting the very successful IQVIA Africa Health Summit in November 2022, she handed in her resignation and went home to reflect on things and figure out her next move.

She currently runs her own health consulting business, and is still navigating the effects of her separation on her family. She is also the author of a book called 'Ethical Leadership: Creating A Culture Of Trust And Responsibility', available on Amazon.

Find out how she figured out her path back to business in this very personal, very absorbing story.

Abel The MC: Finding Your Unique Voice Despite Social Pressure

Wed, 03 Jan 2024 19:36:00 GMT

#entrepreneurship #successmotivation #overcomechallenges

Event MC Abel Opiyo - actually known as Habel Opiyo - was thriving and living his best life as an ex-Communications student, tutor and host - when life suddenly started to teach him some interesting lessons.

For our first interview this year, we sit down with him as he tells us how he learned to surmount social pressures to become his own man, which then enhanced his entrepreneurial and financial journey - and if you're a creativepreneur, you already know how important it is to find your own voice, and how to insurmountable that one task can often seem.

Listen in to find out more.

Nameless (Pt 2): Relationship Drama Nearly Tore Wahu And I Apart

Fri, 25 Aug 2023 14:42:16 GMT

Did you know that Nameless experienced music failure when his second song after "Megarider" was badly received? Well, it was.

Thus started his journey into design-thinking, and creating music for his target audience rather than creating music he liked. In the meantime, while his career was tanking... so was his relationship with his wife Wahu. In fact, it was so bad, he literally moved out of his home to reflect on things.

And this is how he learned the art of selfishness - and how beneficial this would be to his relationship going forward.

In the second half of this interview, he shares the lessons he learned from this split and other 'failures' he has experienced.

Nameless (Pt 1): How I Learned To Live With ADHD

Fri, 25 Aug 2023 14:14:23 GMT

"Everyone like to have a little fun so, shake your bum like a true African!"

Ma-lines za Nameless! Considering his public performance confidence, do you think Nameless has a social anxiety problem? Doesn't look like it, but when he first burst onto the music scene with his hit song 'Megarider', this is what he was battling,

While it seemed like he was confident and displayed a deep understanding of the craft of making music, deep inside, he was grappling with fear and uncertainty. The pressure of stepping into the limelight for the first time weighed heavily on him all through his first performance, leaving him anxious about whether his debut song would be embraced and enjoyed by the public.

In this captivating interview, the superstar candidly opens up about learning to live with a mental health condition, and the early days of his relationship with his now-wife, the talented singer Wahu, recounting the challenges and stresses they faced together.

Join us as we delve into the story of Nameless, in this, the first half of his two-part interview about the invaluable lessons he has learned along his life journey.

Tazim Elkington (Pt3): How I Learned to Be Vulnerable

Tue, 15 Aug 2023 20:08:56 GMT

In the final part of the Tazim Elkington interview, she explains how the lessons she has learned over time have made her the person she is now - comfortable in her skin, and aware that there's always more growth to experience.

She's had to put those lessons into practice, finally allowing herself to let people into her life, and to be open to their friendship, support and imperfections. Click 'play' to find out more, and don't forget to subscribe, share and leave a comment!

Tazim Elkington (Pt 2): I Went From Leaving A GM Job To Working As A Waitress

Tue, 15 Aug 2023 20:06:29 GMT

Tazim Elkington is not a fan of the word 'failure' - because in her experience, everything is a lesson designed to inspire us and take us to the next level.

In Part 2 of her interview, she explains how she suffered career burnout, got divorced, found happiness with a new partner, and moved to Canada to start a new life with him... until 9/11 put an end to her new, fairytale life. Thus started a season where she had to seek unexpected work that, surprisingly, brought her joy and new insights about her personality, all while she was dealing with the end of yet another season of her life.

Things turned when she dedicated herself to a new spiritual practice and came back to Kenya to re-set. And it was her ex-husband who stood by her side and gave her the space to find a new way to relate to herself. How did it all end? Part 3 comes out tomorrow, and that's when you'll find out.

In the meantime, catch up with the latest installment of her story here, and keep your notifications on for the last part of this series, out tomorrow.

Tazim Elkington (Pt1): From Childhood Struggles To A Troubled Marriage

Tue, 15 Aug 2023 20:04:45 GMT

Tazim Elkington wears many hats: she is a hypno- and regression therapist, authentic leadership speaker, evolutionary disrupter, among many others. While she has her finally has her life as an entrepreneur in the therapy space together, it didn't start out that way.

In fact, things were so bad at home, growing up, that she opted to leave at the tender age of 17 to find work and become independent. She then met the man who would change her life… and cause her to eventually come to a hard re-set.

This is part 1 of her three-part interview.

Sanaipei Tande: How I Learned To Put Myself First

Wed, 02 Aug 2023 15:30:14 GMT

Everyone loves Sanaipei Tande! She's the superstar singer and actress whose captivating turn as Nana Tandala on the TV show 'Kina' enthralled the country. She is also a radio show host and an accomplished singer who first found fame as a member of the group Sema.

But while she might look like she was touched by the golden star of fame pretty early on, things haven't always been that way for her. Not only has she moved past losing a job twice, but she has also learned - the hard way - how to negotiate a contract, how to navigate life without a penny in her pocket, and finally, how to make sure she always takes care of Number One.

This is her story.

Mwaniki Mageria: How I Lost And Rebuilt My Entertainment Business Pt 1

Tue, 25 Jul 2023 11:20:11 GMT

Mwaniki Mageria is the co-owner of Documentary & Reality TV (D&R TV, which produced The Real Housewives of Nairobi). He is also the host of the popular TV show Foods of Kenya, founder of Balozi Productions, emcee and all-round entrepreneur, among many other titles he holds.

But did you know that before he achieved his current level of fame and comfort, his career took him through the wringer, seeing him being retrenched from employment twice, losing a multimillion shilling deal once, and plumb the depths of depression. Life has shown him all the dips and rises any one person can handle... and he has survived and is thriving through it all. In the first of this two-part episode, we delve into the beginning of his work life, and how it prepared him for the challenges he was about to face.

Betty Oloo-Anderson: How to Build A Thriving Career From Scratch

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 08:59:59 GMT

Betty Oloo-Anderson started her career without the academic credentials required to get her to scale the highest levels of the development industry. Although she started out with secretarial course qualifications, she quickly learned how to utilise the experience she had acquired in one job to take to the next. It wasn't always easy; there were two retrenchments along the way that taught her the strength of patience, tenacity, the ability to regroup and the ability to reinvent. If you are currently in between jobs and struggling to cope, this is for you.

Sam Gichuru: How To Start An Online Business

Tue, 04 Jul 2023 08:37:00 GMT

What is the Y Combinator programme? Only the best-known online business start-up accelerator in the world, responsible for helping CEOs such as Sam Altman of OpenAI and the owners of AirBnB bring their dreams to life.

Techpreneur Sam Gichuru applied for the programme six times, and was rejected in four instances. Today, his hybrid Kidato School is part of a Y Combinator cohort - and in this interview, he tells how he found the strength to keep knocking on that door until it opened.

He also discusses his other online businesses such as job platform Kuhustle.com, and the lessons he's learning from its somewhat stalled growth.

Listen to the full audio on your favourite streaming platform, or head over to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWjfP_O6Ncg7gN0KXlj3gpw to watch the four-part interview.

Beth Wairimu Gachurah: A Lesson In Bouncing Back From Adversity

Mon, 12 Jun 2023 21:54:19 GMT

Beth Wairimu's story of bouncing back after going through a season of intense challenges, one after the other, will inspire you to go through your tough moments, acknowledge your feelings, and stay the course.

When she quit her high-flying job to start a different career path, she had no idea how the Covid pandemic would upend her life. Thus started a rollercoaster of events that took her through some of the worst moments she had ever seen - and eventually inspired her to start a programme that would help others in similar circumstances Bounce Back and Beam!

This is her story.

Joram Mwinamo: A Lesson In Working Around Mental Health Breakdowns

Wed, 31 May 2023 06:49:00 GMT

Starting a new business can be very difficult for anyone dealing with a mental health condition. This is a lesson that Joram Mwinamo, 43, married and a father of four, learned very early in his entrepreneurial journey.

He now runs a successful business called SNDBX, an entrepreneur support hub where business owners can access all the scale-and-grow services they need under one roof.

It wasn't an easy journey getting there; not only did the business sap him mentally and financially, but it also strained his marriage so much that he and his wife undertook a study to determine if their issues were normal for other couples in similar situations.

Listen on to find out how he survived and flourished despite the intense challenges he faced.

Njeri Wangari: A Lesson In Navigating a Failed App Venture

Fri, 26 May 2023 06:44:29 GMT

Njeri Wangari, aka The Kenyan Poet, was doing very well in her IT career and pursuing her side-passion for telling Kenyan stories and poetry when the bug to start her own story-telling platform hit her. She then commenced the gruelling journey towards building an app that would supply the country's children with the very best of our indigenous knowledge, complete with all the bells and whistles, and even felt compelled to quit her job to pursue her passion project full-time at one point.

What followed was a series of disappointments that saw her lose millions, strain her marriage... and eventually come to the reckoning that she had been royally conned by one of her service providers. She has since recovered and resumed the journey - but this time, with the knowledge of hindsight fuelling her scaled down, much more practical project.

This is her story.

Muthoni Ngugi: A Lesson In Thriving After A Bad Relationship Gets You Sh10m In Debt

Thu, 18 May 2023 11:05:54 GMT

Muthoni Ngugi was a successful young businesswoman who, at the age of 23, was already making Sh5 million a month from her furniture business, Gaze Furnishings Kenya. Then she met a man... and six months into their relationship, found herself at his mercy, with a baby in tow, suffering severe beatings every day and wondering how to escape her circumstances.

What followed was a series of painful events that saw the near-collapse of her business, and forced her to not only take hold of her life, but also reckon with how she had arrived at that point and what she needed to do to change her life for the better. This is The Lady Carpenter's story.

Hellen Ashiko Mbune: A Lesson In Turning Lemons Into Lemonade

Wed, 17 May 2023 12:57:20 GMT

When Hellen Ashiko Mbune started her career as a sales representative for a leading media house, she immediately knew she was cut out to succeed - except that she had one problem: Not having the patience to see a job through to the end. What followed was a series of short stints at various workplaces... until her luck ran out and she found herself unemployed and adrift.

That's when she fell back on a skill she had no idea she had been honing all her life: Cooking. After the death of her best friend forced her to confront her demons and realign herself to her goals, she has seen success as a caterer and chef, and is currently now back to working in media - this time, in front of the camera - as the host of a KBC talk show called The Dadas Show. This is her story.

Pauline Mwarabu: A Lesson In Surviving Early Childhood Trauma

Wed, 17 May 2023 12:43:29 GMT

Pastor Pauline Mwarabu, 41 and a co-pastor at JCC Ongata Rongai, is no stranger to failure. She first experienced it when she failed her KCSE exams - but because she was determined to go to university, she took it upon herself to find some money to take herself back to school to repeat the exam.

She passed with flying colours and made it to university, but her life then took a series of twists and turns that took her from being happily married, to not-so-happily married; from well-off to very poor... and finally, the most tumultuous journey, which was from regular church-going Christian to struggling to become a pastor's wife, with all the responsibilities it brings.

She's here to tell us how she finally found her happy.

Butch Singh: A Lesson In Mind Over Matter

Wed, 10 May 2023 09:38:59 GMT

When fitness enthusiast and HR business owner Butch Singh, 48, took it upon himself to raise funds for a girls' school at the Coast, he chose a most taxing challenge: To ride a bicycle all the way from Nairobi to Mombasa... alone.

Having made the decision in an instant, and with very few weeks to train before he kicked off the ride, Butch took himself through a punishing daily routine to get his endurance levels up. But nothing could prepare him for the lonely, physically and emotionally draining journey he was about to embark on.

Thus started his journey through punishing conditions and numerous instances where he had to fight with all his will to keep going. Here's how he learned to make his body obey his mind.

Joseph Odindo: A Lesson In How The Teacher Ended Up On The Receiving End Of A Hard Lesson

Tue, 09 May 2023 11:36:30 GMT

Joseph Odindo is a one-man masterclass in the art of good journalism. A self-taught journalist, he has worked in the profession for decades, rising through the ranks to earn the title all upwardly-mobile journalists covet: Group Editorial Director. He served in this role at The Standard Group, and has also served as Editorial Director at the Nation Media Group.

And yet, despite his vast knowledge of the profession, he will never forget the one day he made the decision to carry a particular picture on page 1 of the Daily Nation… and nearly lost his job in the aftermath of what the entire country determined was 'the worst decision the newspaper ever made."

Press play to hear his story.

Amakove Wala: A Lesson In Resilience In Business And Relationships

Tue, 09 May 2023 08:03:00 GMT

When Amakove Wala and her husband separated nine years ago, thus began her new life as a mother of four - one son and triplet daughters. Raising four children in a single-income household is no easy feat, and thus she has dabbled with various business, won some, and lost some.

She has also learned the value of personal relationships of all sorts through her journey navigating her new life, and she's here to share her personal story of loss and triumph.

Carol Nyaga: A Lesson In Parenting and Alcohol Dependence

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 13:51:53 GMT

Carol Nyaga, a mother of three, had no idea how to raise a child when she had her first one just after she finished high school. Having watched her parents fumble in their effort to raise her, she, in turn, became a detached mother whose only focus was to provide for her child. She eventually ended up in the advertising sector where her career grew in leaps and bounds... but she was using her work, and alcohol, as crutches to run away from her emotional problems and her inability to be a present mother. In 2020, she experienced a sea change when her third pregnancy and the Covid pandemic forced her to spend time reflecting on her chaotic childhood and what wounds she needed to heal to become a better mother. Here are the lessons she learned.

Amani Maranga: A Lesson In Divorce and Depression

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 14:12:47 GMT

Amani Maranga, a marketing and communications executive and current host of the men-only podcast Living Truthfully, was doing really well in his career, holding two jobs that put him in the orbit of the rich elite of the country, and starting a successful communications business... until an unfortunate decision he made led to the demise of his marriage. Thus started a downward spiral and bout with depression that took him many years to overcome, and a necessary 'meeting with himself' to figure out who he really was and what he needed out of life. This is his story.

John Irungu Muriithi: A Lesson In Navigating Business During Difficult Economic Times

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 13:54:32 GMT

John Muriithi is a serial entrepreneur who has worked in media, events, real estate development and sales, and farming. He started off working for a local media house before he followed his entrepreneurial urge and launched into business. Thus followed a raft of interruptions from the political and economic climates he was dealing with at the time. He's here to tell us how external circumstances interrupt business, and what he learned about navigating difficult times even when the best-laid plans are insufficient. Listen to learn more.

Miriam Nabakwe: A Lesson In Finding Purpose After Being Auctioned

Tue, 14 Mar 2023 12:08:00 GMT

Miriam Nabakwe is a food and beverage manager who has worked for leading restaurant chains and hotels in Kenya such as The Tamarind Group, Dorman's and The Fairview Hotel. Despite her success in employment, she chose to go the solopreneur route... and after a series of bad decisions, shortly found herself facing the auctioneer's hammer. She has since recovered and gone on to launch a highly successful western Kenyan cuisine restaurant called Kienyeji's. She tells us how she found her way back home.

Nancy Kairo: A Lesson In Age Ain't Nothing But A Number

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 10:47:56 GMT

This week we're talking to Nancy Kairo who is a certified life-coach, stylist and budding author... and her experiences with failure and how she moved past them will blow your mind! She re-started her life at the age of 44, but when you listen to her, you realise that 'age' is nothing but a number... and it's been nothing but favour from God since then. This is her story.

Rita Kanana: A Lesson In Choosing the Right Business Partners

Thu, 23 Feb 2023 07:40:00 GMT

Rita Kanana was a high-flying C-suite executive in the tech world... until her craving for entrepreneurship saw her leave to co-found a fintech business. As business dipped and the partnership fell apart, she found herself having to figure out creative ways to keep staff motivated. She eventually left the business and found her footing in the wonderful world of selling car spare parts. This is her story.

Khalif Kairo: A Lesson in Thriving After Losing a Business to Partners

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 06:56:00 GMT

In 2022, Khalif Kairo, former CEO of car imports company Imports by Kairo, watched as a dispute between him and his business partners turned into an acrimonious battle of press statements that nearly bankrupted and deflated him. In this episode - featuring never-heard-before details of what was going on behind the scenes - he tells us how he survived the public humiliation and used it to propel himself into a beautiful new business.