Find balance between passion, money while solving a problem

What has your career path been like?

I got my first job from my mother. It entailed me going to villages collecting data for a project she was working on.  Although it was tedious the pay was good. While in my first year in Makerere, I got a chance to live a lifelong dream of being on the radio by participating in some talent search with 104.1 Power FM. I made it to the top three but had to wait for two year to actually get my first show.

In between there, I worked in the production studio, and part of the creative department. I went on-air and worked across almost all shows on Power FM from late night to breakfast. I also dabbled in public relations working with creatives such as author Robert Walakira and musician Tamba. A partnership with Enock Ikiriza started The Usual Suspects’ that was a PR and talent management outfit working primarily with musicians such as Jackie Senyonjo, DJ Twonjex and Myko Ouma.

At this time, I lived in Wandegeya, a place that came to be called The Kafunda. My friends most of whom were creatives, would gather for drinks, some “TV chicken” and many times those evenings turned into brainstorming sessions handling problems that many of us faced through the week. The problems we grappled with included how creative skilling was, how unaffordable the tools were and how difficult it was to find work. Some of those ideas brought exciting solutions and we realised we could this for other people. So I sat down with my partner then and told them I was leaving to focus on Kafunda Kreative. I then sat down at Javas with Colin Asiimwe and Joanitah Nvanungi and shared this dream, and on the back of a napkin, the flesh was built on this skeleton that is Kafunda Kreative and our dream was to skill, tool and nurture top creative talent connecting them to valuable work.

Tell us about Kafunda Kreatives and what it does

Kafunda Kreatives is a fellowship of creatives learning from one another, growing together and collaborating to create great brands, products and services. We believe that with access to tools we can reduce the cost and accelerate how quickly people start creative businesses. We believe that through our marketplace we can create opportunities for creatives to find work, and work that pays decently.

Why are you so invested in the creative industry?

There is no aspect or industry where creatives are not important. They permeate every single industry from politics to health care. Take the pandemic time for example. After the scientists figured out the vaccine the next step was to get a copywriter to weave the right words together to tell people about it.

Without the right words those laboratory tests and results would mean nothing. Sadly though, because a lot of contributions are undercurrents, people never really think about the impact of their work. If a product designer does your soda bottle well, it will feel natural. You will not think about how to use it. That is why I am always heartbroken when people disrespect or underpay creatives because they struggle to see the value. The world is symbiotic. I dare say that the communicator of a breakthrough treatment might just be as important as the scientist who made it.

What is the most challenging bit when it comes to your work at Kafunda?

The most challenging bit is finding the money to build how we want to, as fast as we want to. But compounding that is the seeming lack of appreciation people have for creative work, and the unwillingness to pay for good work fairly. But that is changing. Hopefully finding the money will change too, soon. Last year we managed to payout about Shs100m to creatives and creative support businesses.

How did you manage the transition from radio to your current job?

I was running Kafunda while I was still working on the radio. So there was not much of a transition, it was more like focusing on one thing and of course, it helps that the jobs were not worlds apart. There are lots of transferable skills learned over the 12 radio years that I apply in my work every day. I do miss radio though, and maybe one day I will be back on-air. Who knows?

What does it take to be an effective team leader?

   I do not know what it takes to be an effective team leader. I am honestly figuring it out as I go, learning every day. But I think the most important element to effective leadership is the willingness to learn. But another one I think is important, at least to me, is getting out of the way of your team.

I read somewhere that “Do not tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results,” and I am learning to live by that. I also believe in growing your team. Making sure they have the guidance and resources to be a better version of themselves today than they were yesterday.

What gets you up every morning?

The truth is, some mornings I do not want to wake up. I look forward to meeting someone who is giddy to wake up every morning of every day because they are doing the thing they love.

Does this mean I do not love what I am doing? Absolutely not. And what gets me up even on those difficult mornings is a dream that internally at Kafunda we are calling road to Yumbe. It is a vision of a girl, with average education from Yumbe, accessing the skills, tools and access to markets she needs to earn a decent living to take care of her siblings and impact her community. Of course, Yumbe is metaphoric. But simply put, we do not want Kafunda to be a Kampala business or be limited to the confines of urban centres. We hope to build Africa’s larest, most inclusive collective of freelancers.

What do you think got you where you are now?

This is where people normally say things such as tenacity and hard work right? I really do not know of any secrets. I just know I am always looking to learn, in whatever form that might take. But at the back of my mind, I think the real secret are the fervent prayers of my mother.

Any advice for those looking up to you?

I would strongly advise them not to. I think we should all try and look for our reason for being. I think the Japanese call it ikigai as a motivating force; something or someone that gives a person a sense of purpose or a reason for living I am fascinated by the concept. Finding the sweet spot between something you love, something you are really good at, something that makes you money, and something that the world needs. If you are lucky enough in life to find it, then you have made it.

Who are your role models?

Growing up, my role models were dependent on what career path I felt like I wanted to take at the time. At one time, when my mother got all of us to read Gifted Hands, I thought that maybe I wanted to be a neurosurgeon, so I looked up to Ben Carson.

When I was in a band and was trying to write music, my role model was Jon Foreman from American rock band Switchfoot. I liked how deep and honest his music was.

But I think the longer-lasting ones were from radio, for example Rick Dees. His style, knowledge and longevity made him the standard to aim for. I also look up to a lot of local entrepreneurs who are building exciting businesses such as Solomon King Benge from Fundi Bots, Davis Musinguzi and John Mark Bwanika from Rocket Health. People who show what is possible in our context.