Mary Okelo: Makini has set standards bar high

“People should always look ahead; there is a good reason the eyes are at the front of the head, not back,” she says, sounding exuberant and energetic.

“It means that we should always face forward, move from a kiosk to a shop to a store to a supermarket and so on; if you lack that kind of forward thinking, you stop trying and eventually, you fail.” To succeed, Mrs Okelo says, one must lean on strong values. “A business that only targets profits is unsustainable,” she told Business Daily.

“Fairness, accountability and integrity must be the pillars of any successful enterprise. Without any of the above, we could not have survived as long as we did.” As a business owner and leader, it is most important to take good care of your human capital, she says.

“Employees are either your making or your breaking. It is critical that they feel they are a part of the project. Business leaders must always endeavour to lead by example, listen keenly to their employees and appreciate their efforts. Only then do you create a winning team.” She has a word of advice to education providers.

“Much as this is a business, ensure that you do not compromise on excellence and virtues.” The bar, she says, must be set very high for students and their teachers “to push them to the limit of self-application, sacrifice and morality; that worked for me and it would for anybody.”

hchege@ke.nationmedia.com