I interact with many small and medium sized business owners and lately the overriding conversations have centred around how hard it is in Kenya financially.
Customers are not spending; invoices are going unpaid for long periods of time. Banks are less than willing to stand in the gap. The future looks bleak.
Being the owner of a small business, I know that this is all true because I have experienced the same, and the future looks uncertain at the moment.
But you know what I have learnt in the midst of all this harshness…
Kenyans are incredibly resilient. More so Kenyan entrepreneurs. If you are a Kenyan entrepreneur, take a moment and pat yourself on the back for still being here!
Kenyans are also incredibly kind and generous. I have noticed that in the hardest of times is when the true Kenyan spirit shines through? and not just with financial resources which are rather meagre at the moment, but with advise and open honest sharing. Sometimes one just wants someone to listen to them.
As Maya Angelou once said, May our mission in life be to not just survive, but to thrive and to do so with some passion, compassion, humour and style!
Do you agree?