Beating Competition

“Gundi is doing it better so why bother?”

This is sadly the reason why many of us don’t want to start doing things. Because we think the other person is doing it well or even way better than we ever could. Many of us fear to venture into business because we are afraid of the competition. We are so quick to think about the negative outcomes and leave out the positive even before even we start.

Well let me interest you for a minute…

Riham Cola, a carbonated soft drink bottled locally by Hariss International Limited, was introduced to the Ugandan market in February 2013. Most of us wondered how it would battle against Coca Cola or Pepsi products. But lo and behold! Century Bottling Company is said to have cut prices for most of her products by almost 70% in response to a new and aggressive rival in December 2013.

While Coca Cola and Pepsi increased the prices of their sodas, especially the Kamini which was brought to counter Riham Cola as a strategy, Riham Cola chose to instead reduce the quantity of their 350ml to 320ml and kept the price at 1000 shillings. Coca Cola had its Kamini price at 1200 shillings and has recently increased to 1500 shillings.

The average Ugandan would obviously want to save the 500 shillings if they had the chance to. In a price sensitive market, 200/500 shillings means a lot and the customers can reject the brand faster than you can blink your eye. Riham Cola went further and targeted the untapped market in the villages and by doing this, its market shares rose by 5%.

So maybe you thought of something that probably already exists. Truth is, there is nothing new under the sun.  That should not stop you from doing it, and doing it in a better way. Realise what makes your product different from the rest. Find that gap and exploit it. It is up to you to make a difference; to be better.

No matter how competitive the market, you can still succeed. Competition should not scare you. It should motivate you.

By Rebecca Nabejja

Intern 

Kyusa

How To Grow Interns

Interns are a popular item with in the market place because mainly they offer free labor although with minimum expertise on the job if any at all. They come in handy when you have overwhelming work load and can be a source of enthusiasm because of their high energy levels but do they actually achieve their purpose for being sent out…

According to Wkipedia.org, ``An Internship is a job training for white collar and professional careers.’’ Internship positions can be paid for or unpaid for and usually temporary.

In most universities in Uganda, the students are expected to take on internship in their second year in a bid to get work experience or have a taste of what it would be like to work after graduating from campus. The standard internship lasts for close to three months.

However, do students really get the ``so called work experience? ’Are the work places ready for these interns?’’ These are questions that every company or organization should be in position to answer.

The universities might be churning out thousands of graduates each year who are ill-prepared for the work place but isn’t this the solution the internship experience is meant to provide??

If students are rough on the edges, let the internship experience sharpen them. The whole internship process is geared at equipping students with work place etiquette as well as giving them a practical work experience.

A few tips on how to best prepare to receive interns in your workplace;

v Follow the trends of various universities in order to know when internship happens and prepare accordingly to receive interns .If they are expected each year, then planning for them will not be a hard task.

v Know how many interns the organization needs and break it down to know the departments that need interns.

v Define what the interns are to do while with the organization. Remember, people can`t do everything. This saves time on both ends –for the interns and the host organization.

v Allocate supervisors to the interns; these supervisors monitor the progress of the interns and ensure they are growing for the time they are with the organization. This process is about value –addition for the students as they help out the host organization.

v There should be a skill set the organization is dedicated to equipping the interns with.

This provides another dimension to youth empowerment and cuts the cycle of unemployment giving youth an opportunity to be trained and prepared for the work place.

Work places in all their various capacities need to be concerned with youth empowerment. It`s time they paid attention to the internship process and rigorously add value to the interns they receive each year. At Kyusa, we are keen and committed to empowering as well as equipping the interns that we take on from time to time because we realize the relevance of that phase in the life of a young person aspiring the launch into the labor market.

All stakeholders must join the youth empowerment movement and play their role.

How To Manage Your Sales

Selling and selling properly is a key factor in business!

Every entrepreneur is encouraged to learn how to sell as it is another way of social interaction. Dave Ramsey states, “Selling is nothing more than transference of feelings”. Entrepreneurship involves persuading a team to follow you in achieving a certain goal. Therefore below are some of the steps taken to ensure effective selling;

As an entrepreneur, you need to know your target market to the dot so you are able to qualify your clients. You should also encourage your team to always serve clients’ needs but not pressure them to buy products. This is mainly because clients usually purchase for their own reasons not yours.

In addition to the above, you need to be able to build rapport as this is what creates an opportunity for the buyer to trust you. One writer also emphasizes that people will buy from you only if they trust you, your product and company. Therefore, you need to have attractive packaging of your products, proper eye contact among other things. When rapport is effectively built, then positive referrals within the community begin to flood in which eventually boosts your business.

Furthermore, you also need to be well educated and informed about your products and competitors given the fact that it is very difficult to teach someone how important something is unless you actually know it. You are also able to passionately serve your clients when you know so much about your competitors mainly because you know why you are better.

Finally, always make it a point to sell and serve by describing the benefits of the products mainly because people do not buy products or services but rather what those products or services do! as encouraged by Dave Ramsey.

Let us therefore partner with Kyusa in creating a community of youth who have been fully equipped with entrepreneurship skills that will enable them to effectively sell their products or services thereby earning a living and causing social transformation. Enroll a participant for the January 2017 intake.

HOW TO LAUNCH YOUR BUSINESS

Many people always have the thought that starting business is hard. I say “no” to this thought by sharing a few nuggets on how to launch your business;

First and foremost you need to know the “why”, “how” and “what” of your business; you should be certain about the reason as to why you have selected a particular line of business. This reason should be big and audacious enough to keep you on fire and spread over to your future team and stimulate them. You should also know the strategies you are going to apply and what exact product or service you intend to produce. When all this is clear, the journey to launching your business then starts.

Secondly, you also need to identify the needs of the people in the surrounding areas and see how best to serve them. This can also help you in identifying your niche that is finding out what distinguishes you from other producers. For example, if there are many shoe sellers in an area, you may choose to sell yours with a free pair of stockings in addition.

Always start small and be proud as you launch out because even great oaks were once small acorns as stated by a certain writer. You are advised to start with the available amount of capital and resources. Borrowing to start business is usually discouraged. Hence, sometimes you might need to use the space at home in the early stages of your business till your income increases for example you can start by having a mini bakery at home where you bake the cakes and fry the daddies from .

Finally, when you start, always endeavor to employ workers who buy into the “why” of your business as this will save you from various problems. Therefore; forgetting all the fears, with our passions and dreams right, let us jump onto this train of business.

Kyusa commissions change agents to start up passion driven businesses through the Business Development module which is part of the curriculum. It is for this reason that I encourage you to recommend a person for the January 2017 intake.

Alumni Empowers Four Other Job Creators

The Kyusa program takes a holistic approach in empowering out of school youth to become employable mainly by starting their own businesses. Once alumni start their businesses. Kyusa continues to work with them towards growing and accelerating their business ventures.

Viola, an alumnus from the Kyusa pilot class recently visited the Kyusa offices and shared her milestones since graduating from the pilot class of 2014; “Kyusa empowered me to become financially independent. I ventured into a snack business after the program focusing on the production of crisps, hard corns, wedding cakes, ground nuts and cookies. I have expanded my market reach to three secondary schools in the areas of Nyanama, Kabowa and Bunamwaya. I also supply three shops in my home area with my products.. My income levels have increased, I earn a profit of 75,000/= weekly from sales and I save 29%. In addition, I have conducted training's where I have empowered four ladies to also start their own snack businesses. Finally, I plan to expand my business in the next quarter by purchasing an oven and also renting out a mini confectionery.”

Self Leadership

Whenever leadership is mentioned, most leaders think of their followers which is not the case. A leader must be able to lead in all directions that is; those above you, your peers and those below you in order to be considered an effective leader.Prior to that everyone needs to lead themselves first before they can lead others and this makes self reflection and inner growth key for all leaders as they tackle the challenge of self leadership.

Self leadership requires a leader to know and develop their gifts to the best of their abilities for example through mentorship, consultancy, voluntary work and going for further studies. It is also the leader’s job to keep their passions alive for example read whatever he has to read, go wherever he has to go to stay on fire. And he does not need to apologize to anyone as he/she works at keeping their passion alive.

In addition, it is the responsibility of the leader to know their evisioned future and keep it sure. This can be through having constant personal vision nights where you answer questions like;

·         Is  my vision clear?

·         Is my passion hot?

·         Am I developing my gifts?

·         In what area am I most gifted?

·         Is my pace sustainable?

·         Are interior issues undermining my leadership?

“It is difficult to lead people to the future when your own picture of the future is fuzzy” hence the importance of personal vision nights.

Finally, a leader’s character needs to be in the right shape for the whole team to be able to achieve the mission. A leader needs to have moral authority given that followers will only trust leaders who exhibit the highest levels of integrity.Hence, leaders need to maintain a good character as they desire to influence others!

I therefore encourage you to partner with us in raising change agents who will exhibit high levels of self leadership as they roll out into the community to foster development. 

How Leaders make Effective Decisions

Every leader at some point is faced with the decision making challenge; having to choose what alternative to take. This can be in families, organisations, meetings, nations and even the world at large. Therefore below are some of the sources  of data that may be of help as you make different decisions;

First and  fore most,you need to know and act on your personal convictions-what you believe. Sometimes you need to have the courage to carry out your promptings , even when you might not understand them fully, and also when your team questions your wisdom as a leader.

Second you need to be a calculated risk taker. This can be done well through consulting your  mentors or your morale informers who are able to increase or decrease your risk level according to your need. This is mainly because excellence is honorable and inspires people as we make decisions along our leadership journey.

Finally,the the other important source of data is pain that is from previous experiences. Bill Hybels says that ,``one of the greatest importances of experience is that it provides veteran leaders with a “pain file” of raw-edged memories. ‘’The lessons gathered in this file help leaders to discern the level of potential pain inherent in any new idea. Hence pain is a powerful teacher and a fantastic informer to our decision making process.

Therefore, we implore you to partner with Kyusa in empowering Ugandan youth with decision making skills through the self management model so that we are able to better leaders for today and tomorrow who will effectively make the right decisions pertaining to development of our country and economy.

The Culture Of Giving Back

Giving back simply means giving and expecting nothing in return; giving of resources like time, money, skill and talent, expertise, material things and much more.

The giving back culture is not popular in Uganda, most volunteers will ask for some sort of facilitation to be able to give their time and skill in any organisation. Our culture promotes ``something for something’’ relationship where you can`t give just for just, you give because you expect something in return.

When we talk about giving back, it means giving back without expecting anything tangible in return except the realization that you have made a significant impact in the community and in some one`s life.

At Kyusa, we teach our change agents to give back to their communities even as they start-up businesses. One of our change agents Anthony has started up a project under ``Creams of Life’’ where he teams up with other organisations to raise money for them through music, dance and drama. The money raised is given to the particular organisation to support and they are not paid. They are simply giving back to their community.

Every person entrepreneur or not needs to cultivate a culture of giving back to their community without waiting on government to do all the work.

A few tips on how to give back to your community;

·        =  Partner with an organisation that is causing impact in your community by contributing your time, skill and expertise, money and resources.

·       =  Take on a child (or children) to support through school and give them a better education so they don`t drop out of school.

·         = Volunteer with an organisation and don`t expect money while at it.

·         = Give donations

·         = Take part in fundraising activities like runs and  car wash drives

How are you giving back to your community?

At Kyusa, we challenge you to embark on the journey to give back to your community? Remember little by little we gain ground, we better our community in our ``small’’ acts of service.

Effective leaders

Leadership is a trait which is both inbuilt and acquired. It is an important function of management which helps maximize efficiency to achieve organizational goal or dreams and currently, the world needs effective leaders who will foster change. Therefore, below are some qualities of effective leaders;

First and foremost, effective leaders need to have positive thoughts and positive talk. They must view challenges as chances to lengthen their lists of successes. They should not shy away from facing and accepting the brutal facts that is they should be able to sit down and solve issues while hoping for a better future.

Secondly, they need to look beyond their personal roles, fame and achievements. Effective leaders need to have visions-pictures of the future. Vision gives people something to strive towards. Leaders should keep casting these visions always till they are understood by the people.

In addition, humility, willingness and ability to take on risks should be part and parcel of the lives of effective leaders for example; they need to be work oriented. They should also be able to identify and include the right people with them towards achieving goals. This is mainly because, for a team to be effective, it needs the right people who have the competence to achieve the set goals.

Such leaders also believe in step by step actions towards achieving a common goal. The word ‘rush’ does not exist in their vocabulary. They are always seeking for detailed information and evidence before they can make decisions that concern both their personal and corporate circles.

In conclusion, effective leaders are always on the frontline .They are the ones who start work or projects mainly by communicating the policies and plans to their team members. They also guide people on the right way of performing responsibilities effectively and efficiently that is; they decide the destination of the bus.

At Kyusa, we equip the youth with leadership skills through the various modules for example under team dynamics and communication skills modules. The youth need leadership skills if they are to be of influence.

I therefore encourage you to partner with Kyusa in raising generations of change agents fully equipped with leadership skills and are able to activate dreams or passions that will transform communities.

FINANCIAL PEACE FOR BUSINESSES

Most of us have ventured into businesses though  we fail to follow common financial principles leaving our businesses vulnerable to the whims of their competitors, every little ripple in the market and certainly too big shifts in the economy as explained by Dave Ramsey in his book Entreleadership.

However, when the following principles are put into consideration, we will eventually have financial peace for our businesses.

As we launch into businesses, the first step we need to take is do proper accounting that is; match the incomes with expenditures regularly. Proper financial recording needs to be done and documents like statements, receipts, invoices and cheques must be thoroughly kept.

Under micro businesses, we need to open a separate checking account that is; we should not use personal money to pay business expenses and vice versa. We should also prepare businesses budgets so that we are able to tell our money where to go.

In addition to the above, we need to act our wage if our businesses are to gain stability. This can be through avoiding the need for toys or the emotional need to impress visitors. Dave Ramsey supports this by saying, “If you and your business are attractive, you do not have to impress anyone with your furniture or toys.”

Finally, we need to avoid debt as this increases chances of failure. This is possible by growing slowly and gradually. We should avoid borrowing for larger purchases and instead resort to options like; paying cash by saving towards a purchase goal or hiring until you can pay cash.

At Kyusa, the youth are empowered with financial skills through the Financial Literacy Module. Therefore, let’s join our hands so that we can raise generations of change agents who will live successful lives and operate businesses with a soul thereby transforming communities.

How To Build Effective Teams

Team community is doing life deeply with one another when providing services and every great leader needs a great team to achieve great goals.

First and foremost, when building a team; one needs to first identify the purpose more specifically in order to know the kind of people to look for.

Secondly, when you get into the field to look for the right people; you need to consider their character that is see evidence of honesty, a teachable spirit, humility and reliability. You need to also check if they have proven competence that is; you should do everything within your means to ensure that they possess the right skills that have been developed and refined over time.

In addition, the selected people should have a relational fit with the team leader as well as the other team members. This is mainly because it easier to do bidding with people that love you and vice versa.

Thirdly, each team needs a top quality leader who will keep it focused on the mission, ensure that the right people with the right skills are in the right positions maximize every team member’s contribution and emphasize communication so that all team members remain in the information loop.

Finally, you should build team performance by establishing clear goals and also rewarding achievements as you walk the journey to greatness!

At Kyusa, the youth are equipped with Team Dynamics skills which are included in the Kyusa curriculum so as to effectively work in teams.

I therefore encourage you to partner with Kyusa in raising generations of change agents who believe in team work being the way to get work done faster!

Make Learning A Lifelong Journey

Continuous learning is the minimum requirement for success in any field – Dennis Waitley.

There is no one who knows it all (except God). We are all ignorant of something at a certain time and this ignorance requires that we seek to know. It has been said what you do not know cannot hurt you. This saying is not necessarily true. In fact what you do not know may actually be the answer to the question you have been asking. Ignorance can no longer be an excuse. We have to continuously learn and get better at our trade (whatever that may be.)

In the words of Thoreau, “how can we remember our ignorance which our growth requires, when we are using our knowledge all the time?”  There is so much out there to be learned. In the area of business and entrepreneurship, new systems of operations are being invented. You cannot afford to use the same old methods our ancestors used in this new competitive era.  Find ways of fine tuning your skills, abilities and potential. Make yourself indispensable so that you will remain relevant in your field.

The Kyusa mandate is to raise a generation of passion driven change agents who will transform their communities and the world at large. This we do through empowering our change agents with life skills and we encourage them to discover their passion which they can turn into their profession. Partner with us today to make this dream a reality.

We concur with Malcom Forbes in his words “formal education will make you a living but self -education will make you a fortune.”

Habits

Successful people do daily what mediocre people do occasionally.

Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary defines habit as ‘a thing that a person does often and almost without thinking, especially something that is hard to stop doing’

Habits can be positive or negative. They can either make or break a person. In life there are those things that we must do consistently in order for us to survive. For example eating food and drinking water.

In the world of business and entrepreneurship, habits must also be formed. If you want to see your business grow and become successful, you must do daily what you know will yield the desired results. Get into the habit of keeping financial records and your books will always balance. Save and invest a percentage of your money monthly and it will become a habit.

At Kyusa, we teach and encourage our Change Agents to engage in life transforming habits that will enable them achieve their goals faster. We therefore call upon as many as can partner with us in this regard as we raise a generation of Change Agents.

It takes 21 days to make or break a habit. The onus is now yours. What habits will you break and which ones will you keep?

Mind Your Business: Part 2

The dictionary defines stock as a supply of goods available for sale in a store. It further defines it as supply of something available for use.

I love the latter definition most simply because it brings reformation to the thought that stock is only that which has to be sold.  Stock can even be that which I am going to use. Simply put the five different ideas I could have in possession are my stock.

The palest ink being much better than the most retentive memory, we ought to write. In this case we are dealing with a stock book.

Let’s have a look at a sample stock book

Date	Description of The Stock	Stock In	Stock Out	Balance
4th July 2016	Business Ideas for 2017	5 ideas	___________	5 ideas.

This stock book gives us an experience of one who jots down her business ideas every time they come in and continues to write them down when she uses them. In this case, she did not use any ideas and this reflects in the number of stock recorded to have been released.

Your stock could be an idea, clothes, books or any item of possession. “The palest ink is better than the most retentive memory”. Write it down! It is much better to keep track of your stock that way.

The stock book is one of the essential business records in which change agents are trained as they go through the business development training under the Kyusa curriculum. It enables them keep track of their stock and in that way ably manage their businesses.

Visit us today at www.kyusa.org

A Go-Getter

The ability to stand by one’s word is in itself a gift not everyone possesses. It breeds a spirit of principle consequently enabling one stay on the right path towards the realization of their dreams.

Ephrance Nanyonga has been blessed with this gift. Passionate about swimming, travelling and nurturing people, the 20 year old, S6 leaver envisions a future bigger than eye has seen.

Before the Kyusa intervention, Ephrance was involved in a poultry project with a group of friends in pursuit to realization of her vision. This experience turned out to be the bench mark on which the interest in the Team Dynamics module arose.

While taking the program Ephrance was empowered to set SMART goals, manage herself, boost her confidence and foster her own independence which has made her a stronger leader among her peers at the Maisha Community Clubs where she serves as a manager for the kitchen section. The financial literacy training also empowered her to manage her finances and as a result her saving culture has greatly improved as she saves for future investment.

 As she intends to advance her studies with a Tours & Travel course. Ephrance has identified Piggery as a business venture, made a standard business plan and is taking necessary steps into its breakthrough so as to realize her immense vision for life.

Our Society is filled with a lot of leadership potential such as that within Ephrance. Only when we create platforms for them to blossom do we better the lives of the generations to come.

You cannot create a future for a generation, but you can create a generation for the future.

”Raising Generations of Change Agents”