Wednesday, August 31, 2011
They Are Talking About Kenya
They are talking about Kenya. Print E-mail
Kenya and the East African region offer excellent investment opportunities in a wide range of sectors. GM has operated effectively in the region for over 27 years in an industry that has been totally transformed through liberalization and changes in consumer behavior. The basis for our sustained success is a combination of factors in Kenya: an educated work force, a moderate climate, and recent improvements in banking and telecommunication. The formation of the East African Community in January 2005 provides even greater opportunities for those considering Kenya to invest in. Come to Kenya and invest in the future of Africa!
Bill Lay, Chief Executive Officer, General Motors East Africa
Kenya has immense potential in the areas of horticulture, floriculture and tourism. With improved enforcement of law and order, and good governance, more investment in these sectors could be attracted very quickly. These are labour-intensive sectors and investors will find the workforce they are looking for in Kenya. Vitacress for its part is planning for growth.
Willem Dólleman, Managing Director, Vitacress Kenya Ltd.
When I was first asked to come to Kenya in 1994, my picture of Kenya (like that of most outsiders) was of a misgoverned country with limited resources. The reality on the ground turned out to be very different: a community of people with amazing resources and a real passion to go forward and develop themselves. Yes, there were and still are problems in Kenya, but if one comes here with a positive attitude and focuses on niche markets, the underlying talents of the people can transform any idea into a solid opportunity.
Stewart Laird Henderson Chief Executive Officer, Old Mutual Kenya
Tourism has long been an important industry in Kenya and has successfully capitalized on the country’s assets – not only the natural ones like the beaches, the wildlife and the weather, but also the great human asset of an excellent workforce. However, much potential still remains for investors to exploit. For example, neither Lake Victoria nor the Rift Valley has received anything like the attention it deserves. The Serena group has a very positive view of its own future and would be delighted to see more investors join us.
Mahmud Jan Mohamed, Managing Director, Serena Hotels (East Africa)
Nestlé has had a manufacturing presence in Kenya for the past 40 years. Nairobi’s location and the quality of the workforce have been big assets for us. With further improvements in governance and the full realization of the benefits of the COMESA and EAC regional arrangements, we believe that Kenya could offer many new opportunities for investors, both foreign and local. Agriculture and infrastructure are two very promising areas.
Dominique Peterhans, Managing Director, Nestlé Foods Kenya Ltd
http://investmentkenya.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=130&Itemid=169
"How to choose the right Small business opportunity in Kenya"
How to choose the right Small business opportunity in Kenya
Are you one of the thousands that are ready to take the entrepreneurial plunge and pursue the great entrepreneurial dream? Before rushing into something, there's a lot to consider. This is a major life decision, so take the time and effort to carefully consider your options and choose the right path.
Your Passion
First, choose a business that suits your passion and true skills. As a business, owner, you'll log more hours then you ever dreamed, so if you do something you love, you'll have a much better chance of success.
Lifestyle does matter. Do you want to work out of home? Consider an e-commerce business. Do you want flexibility in your hours? Consider "project-oriented" businesses where keeping specific hours is not critical. If you enjoy community activities and interacting with people, a retail operation might be for you.
Don't let your life plan get put on hold for a business plan, or your dream business could quickly become a nightmare. Many entrepreneurs end up with a business they are all too happy to exit from because they did not clearly think through the role of the business in their life.
There is more then one way to "start" a business. Options include starting a business from scratch, opening a franchise or buying an existing independent business or franchise.
Buy or Build Form Scratch
There is quite an upside argument for purchasing an existing business. It can be much less risky, and you may see a profit sooner than if you start a new company. Existing businesses generally have an established customer base, a name or brand, relationships with venders, experienced employees and proven systems.
Buying an existing business may or may not be for you. Purchasing a business is has some risks too. Your success depends on how well you analyze the business you ultimately buy. As you search for a business to buy, use multiple approaches in your search. Call a business broker, your attorney, your accountant, your banker, your friends and neighbors to come up with the perfect match.
The advantage of starting a new business is that most of the time you don't have the problems with reputation that an existing business may have developed. The disadvantage may be on financing.
Risk Tolerance
Be aware of your tolerance for risk. If you create a truly revolutionary concept, the upside of your business could be tremendous. But with the potential for success, the risk involved also goes up. There are usually fewer risks involved in replicating a business idea that's already in the marketplace and just needs a little tweaking for differentiation. When you purchase a franchise, the risk-reward scenario is perfectly illustrated. This is one of the lower risk approaches to sowing your entrepreneurial oats, but the potential reward also may be capped.
Financing
Carefully consider your business financing requirements. Some businesses are much less capital intensive to start than others. For example, with many consulting businesses, all you need is a business card and some basic marketing materials to support your qualifications. You're likely to need more funding up front if you're purchasing an existing company rather than starting up your own.
However, if you need outside financing, getting money for an existing business is generally easier than financing a start-up, due to the fact that the business has a proven track record. Starting businesses that offer the promise of accelerated upside potential, such as high-tech companies, are an option. But remember, these fast-growing companies also require significant amounts of outside capital in the early stages.
Market
Before you even think about starting your business you must find out if there is market for your business idea. Because finding out if you have customers who are willing to pay for your products and services will lower your risks.
If you don't understand your market first, you can easily open the doors of your new business and have no customers. But if you know there is a market your less likely to run into this problem.
So let me wrap this up. In order to pick the right business for you, you should think of your passion; decide if you want to buy an existing business or if you want to start from scratch; determine your risk tolerance; your financial status; and lastly find out if there is a market for your product or service.
When all these five pieces fit together, it's like magic.
http://kenyasmallbusiness.blogspot.com/
Are you one of the thousands that are ready to take the entrepreneurial plunge and pursue the great entrepreneurial dream? Before rushing into something, there's a lot to consider. This is a major life decision, so take the time and effort to carefully consider your options and choose the right path.
Your Passion
First, choose a business that suits your passion and true skills. As a business, owner, you'll log more hours then you ever dreamed, so if you do something you love, you'll have a much better chance of success.
Lifestyle does matter. Do you want to work out of home? Consider an e-commerce business. Do you want flexibility in your hours? Consider "project-oriented" businesses where keeping specific hours is not critical. If you enjoy community activities and interacting with people, a retail operation might be for you.
Don't let your life plan get put on hold for a business plan, or your dream business could quickly become a nightmare. Many entrepreneurs end up with a business they are all too happy to exit from because they did not clearly think through the role of the business in their life.
There is more then one way to "start" a business. Options include starting a business from scratch, opening a franchise or buying an existing independent business or franchise.
Buy or Build Form Scratch
There is quite an upside argument for purchasing an existing business. It can be much less risky, and you may see a profit sooner than if you start a new company. Existing businesses generally have an established customer base, a name or brand, relationships with venders, experienced employees and proven systems.
Buying an existing business may or may not be for you. Purchasing a business is has some risks too. Your success depends on how well you analyze the business you ultimately buy. As you search for a business to buy, use multiple approaches in your search. Call a business broker, your attorney, your accountant, your banker, your friends and neighbors to come up with the perfect match.
The advantage of starting a new business is that most of the time you don't have the problems with reputation that an existing business may have developed. The disadvantage may be on financing.
Risk Tolerance
Be aware of your tolerance for risk. If you create a truly revolutionary concept, the upside of your business could be tremendous. But with the potential for success, the risk involved also goes up. There are usually fewer risks involved in replicating a business idea that's already in the marketplace and just needs a little tweaking for differentiation. When you purchase a franchise, the risk-reward scenario is perfectly illustrated. This is one of the lower risk approaches to sowing your entrepreneurial oats, but the potential reward also may be capped.
Financing
Carefully consider your business financing requirements. Some businesses are much less capital intensive to start than others. For example, with many consulting businesses, all you need is a business card and some basic marketing materials to support your qualifications. You're likely to need more funding up front if you're purchasing an existing company rather than starting up your own.
However, if you need outside financing, getting money for an existing business is generally easier than financing a start-up, due to the fact that the business has a proven track record. Starting businesses that offer the promise of accelerated upside potential, such as high-tech companies, are an option. But remember, these fast-growing companies also require significant amounts of outside capital in the early stages.
Market
Before you even think about starting your business you must find out if there is market for your business idea. Because finding out if you have customers who are willing to pay for your products and services will lower your risks.
If you don't understand your market first, you can easily open the doors of your new business and have no customers. But if you know there is a market your less likely to run into this problem.
So let me wrap this up. In order to pick the right business for you, you should think of your passion; decide if you want to buy an existing business or if you want to start from scratch; determine your risk tolerance; your financial status; and lastly find out if there is a market for your product or service.
When all these five pieces fit together, it's like magic.
http://kenyasmallbusiness.blogspot.com/
International investors choose South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya as top 3 in 2011
Nicholas Sowden, Business Development Manager at ToughStuff, Kenya:
‘The Kenyan economy is growing at a blazing rate and has done so for the last 3 years. We expect this to continue into next year. Nairobi’s as the regional hub for East Africa is becoming more important with the integration of the East Africa Community. For this reason dozens of companies are moving their regional and continental head quarters to Nairobi supported by the ease of travel and a pleasant lifestyle. This means that industries such as Construction, real estate and services to corporations are growing steadily and will continue to do so. Additionally, Kenya is taking advantage of Southern Sudan’s likelihood of joining the East African Community by creating a port in Lamu. This is further boost Kenya’s regional importance over the next several decades. Anyone interested in mobile and ICT technology will be drawn to Kenya. Its leading when comes to software developers, computer science colleges, incubators like i-Hub and others. Finally, the phenomenal success of the mobile payment system Mpesa will attract others who are interested in the opportunities offered by a country where a majority of the people now use their mobile phones for monetary transactions. In terms of entrepreneurship, Nairobi is and will continue to be one of the best environments for innovation in Africa. 3 great schools are turning out qualified engineers, computer scientists and business students. These graduates are getting jobs with successful companies and learning quickly. For the first time we’re seeing a bounty of talented young professionals in Africa taking risks by starting their own businesses or returning home from abroad to start businesses.’
Please read the who article here http://vc4afri.ca/amac7
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