Featured Submissions: Level 0

At the end of each Level of #AGEC19_KE, the Team reviews some of the highest scoring challenge submissions for each challenge and hand-picks a stand-out submission to feature. Here are the featured submissions from Level 0.

CHALLENGE 1: THE GIG ECONOMY

Featured: Michelle Mukomah – Apostolic Carmel Girls Secondary (Challenge 1 Winner)

The Challenge

Many different tech platforms (E.g. Sendy, Upwork, Uber, …) have been created to help freelancers find jobs (“gigs”). Your task is to use such a platform to help someone find a “gig”.

“This could be: – someone who is unemployed but looking for work, – a friend of yours who has a valuable skill they can sell – a working professional wanting to earn some extra income over the weekends. “

* Note that you might hit some obstacles in trying to make this work. Remember the quote below:

“I’m convinced that about half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the unsuccessful ones is pure perseverance…” – Steve Jobs

Michelle’s Response

One of my friends who is really talented in writing was able to get a gig through the use of a website called Upwork which is for freelancers.

I came across this website on the intro information before launching off challenge one. I then saw a website that was highly recommended to visit which was the Ajira website which is a tech platform. On there we saw a recommendation for Upwork. I saw how they were offering to pay someone who could write any content and I instantly thought of my friend Sheila Nyaga.

I told her about the idea, and she was up for it. We got her signed up and with no time she already found job offers. She put her payment fee as $45 which seemed reasonable. I feel great that I was able to help her find a gig which was simple and related to her passions and skill she has.

Here is Sheila’s profile on Upwork: https://www.upwork.com/o/profiles/users/_~018ecf00985b477037/

CHALLENGE 2: THE INNOVATIVE BUSINESS

Featured: Amina Maranga – Nova Pioneer Tatu Girls (Challenge 2 Runner-Up)

The Challenge Summary

• Part 1: Ideation List 50+ possible business ideas on a page.

Reflect on these and gather some input from potential customers. Based on these conversations, choose the 5 ideas you think most likely to succeed.  Circle these on your page.

• Part 2: Narrowing it down to the best 2 ideas.

Given many factors to consider, and a recommendation to speak to prospective customers, learners are tasked with narrowing their top 5 down to a top 2 ideas.

• Part 3: Primary Market Research.

Learners are now tasked with doing some basic research on their top 2 ideas. Most important is to get to know potential customers a whole lot better. They are then given a list of final considerations for choosing their ultimate business idea to pursue.

Amina’s Response

1. Clay pots. I pictured myself in the rural areas, there is plenty of food, but it all gets bad just because there is no refrigerating facilities such as fridge or rather it is expensive to buy and maintain. The refrigerating clay pots are easily made, portable, efficient and environmentally friendly. They clay pots will be taken to the particular home by personal sellers and give the procedure on how to use it. The clay pots are very affordable one would go for Ksh 200 to Ksh 1000 depending on the size of the clay pot purchased.

They will also be a help to the successful farmers in the rural areas preserve their agricultural products before transporting them to the market to be purchased. Therefore, this will reduce losses that they were likely to experience if the agricultural products would have decayed.

1. Mini-Wi-Fi chips. For instance, the medical experts who travel to places where the internet is so pathetic. These people need to communicate to their main institutions when they need help urgently. Therefore, it is important one to have connection.

They are going to be out of sale from any Phone Shop and will be very portable, flexible, efficient and affordable. It will have a capacity of 128 GB and a warranty of two months. It will be able to limit the usage of MBs per minute, hour, day and month. Depending on the preferences of my customers. The cost of one mini-Wi-Fi chip will go for 500/= to 3000/= the prices will vary depending on the features of the chip.

CHALLENGE 3: BUSINESS FOCUS

Featured: Joy Ego – Moi Tea Girls’ Secondary (Challenge 3 Winner)

The Challenge and Response Summary:

Briefly describe the idea you settled on in Challenge 2, including who the initial target market is.

My idea is of selling light building blocks used for construction of houses. They are made of rubber and are already being used in many developed countries.

My target market is the people who live in slums for they do not have solid houses. By selling this building blocks to them, they may get rid of the rusted iron sheets and mud houses which are in a poor condition.

By this, their health will be improved, and their status of living will be raised. Furthermore, it will take less than two weeks to construct a house and it is affordable to all.

Now, choose and describe a “Beachhead Market” for your company. What is a beachhead market?

In my hometown, there is a slum called Mathare. People living there have houses that are in a poor condition. I choose to sell the light building blocks to them as my beachhead market because they are in urgent need of affordable and more efficient building materials.

I live nearby, so transportation of the bricks will be easy. This will also help me earn trust more easily. I define the success of my business as not only to earn profit but also to touch lives and give back to the community. By this I would have improved the status of the people living around my home area.

CHALLENGE 4: THE INSPIRED INTERVIEW

Featured: Naomi Chemaiyo – University of Eldoret High School (Challenge 4 Runner-Up)

The Challenge and Response Summary

Identify a mentor in your field of interest. Describe why you chose this person & what you want to learn from them.

I chose the manager KFC ELDORET branch situated in Rupa Mall. This is because he is a young entrepreneur who has climbed to success making his way to be the KFC manager which is the best branch in the region.

What I want to learn is how to use minimum resource and make maximum profits in the food industry. I also need him to familiarise myself the ups and down in the food industry how to deal with clients and make customers my friends.

Now, find a way to make contact and set up a 15 min (or longer) meeting to ask them for some advice. (This could be a call). In this meeting/call, be sure to have specific asks. A good example would be to ask for help with a specific problem you’ve faced while building your business/brand. In a short paragraph, describe how you managed to reach this mentor in order to set up the call.

To connect with my mentor, I wrote to him in his email address *censored@gmail.com* I asked him if I could have a phone conversation during the weekends when his schedule is not fixed, he agreed, and it happened as we both agreed.

In a short paragraph, list three important takeaways from your interview. (Bullet point form)

• In order to succeed in the food sector, one needs to have passion towards work.
• Life is not a bed of roses one must face and tackle challenges.
• To avoid problems with the government, follow all legal requirements.

Upload a picture of you and your mentor busy meeting.