I have always been a focused and grounded girl

1. What do you remember about your personality in your 20s?

I always kept myself busy even before joining university. I remember volunteering for renowned photographer Bobby Pal when I was 20 years old, right after completing my diploma in Broadcast Journalism, and had not figured out what degree course I wanted to study at university.  I have always been artistically inclined and photography fascinated me, so when the opportunity came to learn from him, I took it up. 

2. What did you aspire to be and what was your driving factor back then?

Although I have always been drawn to arts, I had not yet figured out how to make use of my talent, so the next best thing for me was to get into the media industry and work as a broadcast journalist. I suppose taking up communications studies was my little way of connecting with a part of my dad’s life, which I knew very little about. What I did know was that he was a great journalist and I wanted to be like him. I had a particular affinity towards radio, so I ended up studying social communication with a major is radio production. 

3. If you went back in time, what would you tell your 22-year-old self?

By the time I was 22, I had my act together in terms of pursuing my goals and what I wanted to achieve by the time I graduated the following year. My mom and siblings kept me in check, so I didn’t really have a chance to get side-tracked. Even though I had a mildly active social life, I also knew I only had one chance to finish studies. I took up several volunteer positions with small organisations, which took up my time in between classes and the occasional socialising. I spent a lot of my time on artistic projects and experimenting. 

4. Did you ever think, then, that you would be in the position you are now and running your own company?

When I was 24 and left Nairobi to work for an Advertising Agency in Addis Ababa, I loved everything about the advertising world. I loved my job, I got a great package to move there so I was pretty happy. I  thought that perhaps some day I would start my own business in advertising. However, I had envisioned that entrepreneurship would come in my 40’s, not in my late 20’s as fate would have it. I did not go to fashion school, so starting out was not easy. I went from designing my own dresses as a hobby to discovering that I was good at it. I invested a lot of time getting to know about an industry, which drew out my personality in ways I would never have imagined. It was the most authentic, soul stirring and difficult thing I have ever done in my life, and yet also the most rewarding. 

5. What kind of music did you listen to back then? Has your taste changed?

I started listening to Jazz when I was quite young. Back then I loved listening to Jack Ojiambo on Capital FM Jazz Club on Sunday evenings. I also listened to Rock, Soul, 70’s Funk, New Jack Swing, Neo Soul and African Music. Putamayo World Music Series was and still is my best friend. The music collective perfectly brought together eclectic genres of music that I quite enjoy to date. So not much has changed in my music taste. However, I am a closeted Tailor Swift fan, but I guess the secret’s out now. 

6. What were your essential make up accessories and fashion style?

Back then I wore my hair in braids and discovered the value of good foundation. I made sure my sister kept me well supplied with facial products from the U.S, which she would send me whenever someone was coming to Nairobi. Also, after spending my teens wearing mainly trousers and baggy clothes, I discovered dresses and made a turn around. I would probably cringe at some of the clothes I wore in my early 20’s.