Not sure which strategic direction to take? Call in the experts, talk to Alketas
Entrepreneur Inyemba Kamwi is inspired by the day to day people she meets, who work hard to fulfill their dreams, especially through tough and hard times. Kamwi is the Managing Partner of Alketas Consultancy, a business consultancy firm that aids the private and public sector in matter of research and training, business development, corporate strategy development and oil and gas consultancy amongst others. She is also a lecturer at the International University of Management.
The God-fearing entrepreneur said the best part of owning your own business is that you are the boss, and in the consultancy business no day is ever the same and certainly no two clients are the same. “You are actually in a position to pave out your future, not only yours but that of those you employ and interact with,” she explained.
Even though she wears several hats, she draws hope from ordinary people like the young student that works for the City of Windhoek bin collection department to pay for his engineering degree, or from the woman who wakes up at 4am every morning to go sell breakfast to construction workers somewhere around the city. “I draw inspiration from that single mother that takes a taxi to drop off her child at school and then take another taxi to go to her place of work, because such individuals are the very definition of resistance and determination. They do not allow any circumstances to deter them and they do not know the words, give up, but they keep pushing for the end goal,” she added.
She stressed that there will always be challenges in everything you do and in business it is not different, because owning a business is like having a baby, you are fully responsible for their well-being and like a baby they are awesome. “But sometimes a business can fall sick, fall and hurt itself and like any good parent you need to be ready for the unexpected changes that might occur with your baby, and carry the emotional maturity to go through the unexpected,” she advised.
She reiterated that the spirit of not giving up in tough times is a very good quality for entrepreneurs and she advises young businesswomen never to give up. “It is really that simple, you can to give up on your dream but you will never make it in life by giving up,” she said.
Kamwi acknowledges that it will be hard, and yes, doors will close in your face but a door will never open unless you keep knocking. “Do not wait for men to give you a seat at the table because they will not, just grab the chair and sit, and if there is no chair, buy a new table and sit at the head of it,” she said adamantly.
For the future of Alketas Consultancy, they thrive on seeing businesses, organisation and public institutions soaring at their best potential and therefore she wants to take the consultancy beyond the Namibian border. “Africa is a continent not only rich in resources, but rich in minds, however the potential of these minds has often been under-utilised, partly because we do not know how to best organise our institutions to drive results that will set us up competitively,” she said.
Alketas Consultancy will continue to exist to aid businesses and institutions to thrive within their mandate.
