Father mentors son to make it big in travel industry

Brian Gitau’s father, Moses Mburu, spotted his son’s interest in entrepreneurship at an early age. He recalls that as a young boy, Gitau would suggest business ideas he thought his father should pursue.

“My father noticed that I was not good in class. But he was keen that I first pursue education and to prove that I could make it despite my weakness, he bought me Ben Carson’s book ‘‘Think Big,’’ says Mr Gitau, 23.

“The book talks about a black boy from a poor background who was always on the tail-end in his classroom, but through hard work and motivation he later became a surgeon.’’

Mr Gitau says the motivation he got from the book earned him a mean grade of C plain in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination in 2008.

‘‘I realised that the basic component of failure is having a wrong attitude. The more I read the book, the more I felt motivated,” he says.

Meanwhile, his father stepped up his mentoring task, taking time on weekends to show his son how to network and taking him along to meetings where business deals would be sealed.

‘‘I identified his passion for tours and travel when he was 15. He told me that he was passionate about doing business in that field and with the small savings I had accumulated, I registered a company on his behalf ,’’ Mr Mburu says.

‘‘When I felt he was mature enough to handle the business, I relinquished from being part of the management, but I still offer advice when need be,’’ says the man who is now a proud father of a successful entrepreneur.

In 2007, while his son was about 17- years- old, Mr Mburu registered a company — Brisma World Tours and Travel — under his son’s name.

‘‘When my father told me that he had registered a new company under my name. I did not know what he was getting me into. But I knew he had seen potential in me; but my biggest worry was failure,’’ said Mr Gitau.

After finishing high school, Mr Gitau took over the company, including the 10 workers his father had employed, and later enrolled for evening classes at the Centre for Tourism, Training and Research to pursue a Tourism and Wildlife Management course for two years.

‘‘I wanted knowledge that could help me manage the business and at the same time create linkages. Sound education helps you to express yourself intelligently, make proper decisions and understand well the circles involving any business,’’ said Mr Gitau.

He said the strategy worked out well because he learnt the basics of budgeting, skills crucial in operating a tours and travel company as one spends depending on what clients give as deposit.

‘‘This really helped because I spent little of what I earned and the bookings increased given that my father kept referring me to his previous clients. Funny enough, he never informed them that I was his son,’’ said Mr Gitau.

‘‘I wanted him to be his own man. Spoon-feeding has never created any successful business because the beneficiary never gets the needed business confidence to ink his own deals. This is the biggest mistake one can ever make,’’ said Mr Mburu.

‘‘A serious entrepreneur must know how to control losses, how to build relationships with the clients and at the same time go ahead to research on how his competitors are doing,’’ he said.

Today, Mr Gitau has learnt from his father and has expanded the business that was started with a capital of Sh80,000 to the East Africa.

‘‘Brisma World Tours and Travel offers luxury services and reservations across Africa. We do hotel bookings, airport transfers and ticketing,’’ said Mr Gitau who is currently studying hospitality at Moi University.

Peter Mutua, an expert in family businesses, says the basic component is identifying a child’s potential and working towards the talent. He says mentorship should be gradual until the child reaches maturity.

‘‘There should be a strong support structure that should go hand in hand with guidance. Mentorship is a fantastic move, but should be handled progressively including knowing the child’s potential while at the same time creating networks  for the child,’’ Mr Mutua told the Business Daily.

Currently, Brisma World Tours and Travel works with Sopa Lodges, Enashipai, and Naivasha Simba hotels among other high-end resorts and Mr Gitau says the business is profitable.

‘‘We cannot complain, but every business has its challenges,’’ said Mr Gitau.

The company does not deal with local tourists, given that most of its revenue comes from international tourists.

‘‘Most of our customers are Chinese and Spanish. Locally, we mainly do bookings and help tourists visiting Mombasa and Maasai Mara areas,’’ said Mr Gitau.
He, however, notes that the Tanzanian market is more profitable than Kenya as it has fewer taxes.

Today, Mr Gitau has diversified his business into engineering and says he does not regret his father’s advice.

He said success in the tourism industry depends mainly on the perception from the international community.

‘‘Insecurity and the recent rampant terrorism acts in Kenya are some of challenges that tourism players are facing. Such cause many cancellations from the clients, translating to fewer bookings,’’ he said.