@Work with Engaisi

Grassroot Tech Solutions for SMEs

This episode’s guest is Emmanuel Kimaro, founder and CEO of Bizzyn - an accounting and business management software solutions company. 

How Sports Teams Do Teamwork

I delve into what we can learn about our roles as leaders and contributors in work teams from sports teams - from team cohesion, effective feedback systems, and why retreats need to be re-examined as a path to improving team dynamics. 

Bringing Human Sensitivity to Corporate Activity

Sandile Tshabalala, co-founder of Huruma Bantfu, speaks about what human centered design is, how it shows up in communities and workplaces, and why understanding the interwoveness of work with community is key to facilitating positive upliftment of working persons.

Rethinking Innovation, Discovering the Process, Implementing Iterations

From afar, innovation seems like magic; someone's brilliant idea has come alive to give brilliant results - just look at ideas like MPesa! What is art and science behind this "magic"? Ms. Senorine Wasike clues us in. She talks about ways we can re-think innovation and orient our actions toward a more iterative process. Senorine is the head of marketing at the Kenya Wine Agencies Limited and is pursuing a PhD in Strategy and Innovation.

How to Get More from Learning

Risper Mukiri Kaibiria, a Learning and Development specialist, speaks about the role of the L&D department in an organization, why learning is not always the solution, and why we should always take ownership of our careers

How to Get More from Learning

Risper Mukiri Kaibiria, a Learning and Development specialist, speaks about the role of the L&D department in an organization, why learning is not always the solution, and why we should always take ownership of our careers

The Art and Science of Thriving Solutions

Ng’winula Kingamkono speaks to us about developing tech products. From him, we learn about communities around ideas, how to bring ideas to life, and how curiosity can be an antidote to the fear of failure.

No, Branding Isn't Just a Logo

Irene Mutiganzi shares her knowledge and thoughts around branding - what it is and isn't and how do it better.

Cybersecurity

How much of your information is online? When was the last time you thought about your digital safety?  We are getting increasingly reliant of the internet and cloud services  as both have made impeccable improvements to the way we work and run our businesses. As they continue to evolve, we continue to further move our lives into the digital space.  Nice as that is, there are caveats to this digital market as well as some serious threats to personal information and data breaches that could do...

Rethinking and Redoing Marketing

Competition is stiff for East African businesses and it may be time to re-examine marketing. In developing countries, SMES take up 90% of the private sector business and are responsible for creating 50% of jobs in the economy.  Lydia Kasese shares her marketing insights on how to rethink marketing for your business, strategies to effective campaigns,  and resources to learn more about marketing.

Edith Mwiyombela: On The Learning Imperative

When was the last time you learned something new that helped you with a task at work - either made it easier or quicker to do? And generally, when was the last time you wondered about something you observed or heard and decided to look into it?  Both these reveal something about your learning as an adult - one as an adult learning in the workplace, and the other as a plain human seeking to understand their world better. Today’s guest, Edith Mwiyombela, speaks to us about learning in the wor...

Dear Creative

Gervaz Lushaju, a jack of quite a number of artistic trades, speaks about how he found himself here, his reflections of his experiences, and what he has learned. His thoughts  are especially relevant to anyone considering starting anything creative. 

Darlene Mutalemwa: Tanzanian SMEs, graduate skills gap, our education systems and all in between

This episode's guest holds a PhD in Development Studies, is an aspiring dentist, and believes in making teaching sexy. Darlene Mutalemwa tells us about her childhood in Abidjan, being a visitor in her mother country,  the plight of SMEs in Tanzania, her passion project - the graduate sales bootcamp program, thoughts about our education system and many more.

The Thriving Artist

Despite common reservations against careers in the creative industry, creatives are establishing businesses and learning to run them sustainably while still maintaining their creative edge. Ngaira Mandara is one of those artists and he speaks to us on this episode about risk-taking, patience, and building a brand around a creative idea.

Learning Beyond the Certificate - Making Learning Practical

Why is it that we like certificates more so than we love actual knowledge we gain from learning projects? Why is it that organizations reward certificates more than they reward tangible outcomes that are products of gained understandings? We hear from Lovilio, co-founder, L&D specialist, and business manager at Rigor International who sheds light on these questions.  

Creating a Winning Product - Failure first, learning second, implementation third!

How disappointing is receiving 0 customer interest in your new business or product? How would you approach the process of re-evaluating and re-introducing a new product you had high hopes for that wasn’t well received? These are very real challenges entrepreneurs face and we can learn from those who have gone through them before. This week, we speak with Brian Namanya, founder and CEO of Tubayo in Uganda who has, through experience, mastered the art of learning to pivot and improve his busi...

Networking, Professional Development, and Where are the Women?

We get first hand information from a talent acquisition specialist about job-seeking, networking, and a sneak peek of what the future of work looks like - hint, the gig economy makes an appearance.

Innovation: What's Culture Got to Do With It?

Could our ability to think up novel solutions be amplified or stifled by where we were born and where we grew up? Dr. Scott Bellows thinks so and he’s got the research to prove it. But how and why? This episode delves into those two questions. Scott speaks about what research shows about divergent thinking in East Africa, why it's an especially pressing imperative for East African businesses to be innovative, and what we can do to train our brains to think more creatively.

How Gamified Learning is Fixing the Professional Skills Gap

If your training was modelled like a video game - would you participate? That’s gamified learning - and most people would because it’s an enjoyable way to learn. ​We speak with Yussouf Ntwali - Founder and COO of BAG Innovation - a Rwandese + Swedish start-up, and he tells us how his company is bringing gamified learning to college students to help them be better prepared for the world of work. 

Insights on Solving Organizational Problems

What are some persistent problems facing African organizations and how can we begin to solve them? We get some insights from Shaneil and Jonathan, seasoned professionals in management consulting and finance.

14: Insights on Solving Organizational Problems

What are some persistent problems facing African organizations and how can we begin to solve them? We get some insights from Shaneil and Jonathan, seasoned professionals in management consulting and finance.

Learning and Learning at Work

On this week's episode, we get to chat to Jonathan and Shaneil, established professionals and co-hosts of the Young Professional Podcast: Africa Edition. We talk about learning--from what it looks like in schools to what it looks like at work and what impedes it in both of those settings.

13: Learning and Learning at Work

On this week's episode, we get to chat to Jonathan and Shaneil, established professionals and co-hosts of the Young Professional Podcast: Africa Edition. We talk about learning--from what it looks like in schools to what it looks like at work and what impedes it in both of those settings.

13: Learning and Its Barriers

On this week's episode, we get to chat to Jonathan and Shaneil, established professionals and co-hosts of the Young Professional Podcast: Africa Edition. We talk about learning--from what it looks like in schools to what it looks like at work and what impedes it in both of those settings.

Solving the Problem of Scale

Where do businesses fail when it comes to growth? While there are quite a number of factors we can look at, this episode hones in some of the solutions from one company's perspective.  Kevine from Uzuri K&Y, a Rwandese eco-friendly Rwandese footwear brand inspired by African culture speaks to us about the journey from humble beginnings to a now solid, well-established and flourishing business with social impact as its guiding star.

12.5: Storytime - Uzuri K&Y's Humble Beginnings

Where do businesses fail when it comes to growth? While there are quite a number of factors we can look at, this episode focuses on what the business itself can do from the inside to ensure sustainability and creating conducive opportunities for growth and scale. Kevine from Uzuri K&Y, a Rwandese eco-friendly Rwandese footwear brand inspired by African culture speaks to us about the journey from humble beginnings to a now solid, well-established and flourishing business with social impact a...

12: Solving the Problem of Scale

Where do businesses fail when it comes to growth? While there are quite a number of factors we can look at, this episode hones in some of the solutions from one company's perspective.  Kevine from Uzuri K&Y, a Rwandese eco-friendly Rwandese footwear brand inspired by African culture speaks to us about the journey from humble beginnings to a now solid, well-established and flourishing business with social impact as its guiding star.

Storytime - Uzuri K&Y's Humble Beginnings

Where do businesses fail when it comes to growth? While there are quite a number of factors we can look at, this episode focuses on what the business itself can do from the inside to ensure sustainability and creating conducive opportunities for growth and scale. Kevine from Uzuri K&Y, a Rwandese eco-friendly Rwandese footwear brand inspired by African culture speaks to us about the journey from humble beginnings to a now solid, well-established and flourishing business with social impact a...

11: Founding a Company and Sustaining a Culture

How do we gauge whether our business idea is onto something and is potentially viable? And once you establish the business, what do you do when you have a growing team? We delve into these two questions in today’s episode through Albany James’ experiences in starting-up and running FoodSasa.

Founding a Company and Sustaining a Culture

How do we gauge whether our business idea is onto something and is potentially viable? And once you establish the business, what do you do when you have a growing team? We delve into these two questions in today’s episode through Albany James’ experiences in starting-up and running FoodSasa.

Your Pace, Your People, Your Mistakes

What’s it really like transitioning from employment to entrepreneurship?  ​ The short answer is that it’s complex and this episode delves into the long answer on why that is through one entrepreneur's point of view.  Ellen Mndima recounts her experiences of being a young executive and going through the motions of starting her own business. 

10: Your Pace, Your People, Your Mistakes

What’s it really like transitioning from employment to entrepreneurship?  ​ The short answer is that it’s complex and this episode delves into the long answer on why that is through one entrepreneur's point of view.  Ellen Mndima recounts her experiences of being a young executive and going through the motions of starting her own business. 

Putting Ourselves Out “There”

What was the last thing you did that terrified you? What came of it? This week’s conversation centers around allowing ourselves to explore our interests and act on our ideas. We speak with Ellen Mndima, founder of Infinate solutions, a marketing firm based in Arusha about the power of putting ourselves out there, especially when it terrifies us.

9: Putting Ourselves Out “There”

What was the last thing you did that terrified you? What came of it? This week’s conversation centers around allowing ourselves to explore our interests and act on our ideas. We speak with Ellen Mndima, founder of Infinate solutions, a marketing firm based in Arusha about the power of putting ourselves out there, especially when it terrifies us.

8: Change and 21st Century Careers

How do we know we’ve made the right decisions? More often than not, it’s in hindsight. Without the benefit of precognition, we have to remain flexible and open to changing our minds--even when it comes to the big guns like our careers and what we study in college. Lila Wells speaks about that and her work with the Unite Passion Project.

Change and 21st Century Careers

How do we know we’ve made the right decisions? More often than not, it’s in hindsight. Without the benefit of precognition, we have to remain flexible and open to changing our minds--even when it comes to the big guns like our careers and what we study in college. Lila Wells speaks about that and her work with the Unite Passion Project.

Business Research and Fixing Youth Unemployment

7: Business Research and Fixing Youth Unemployment

6: Tech Enabled Local Solutions to Local Problems

Tech Enabled Local Solutions to Local Problems

5: Working in a Learning Organization

Working in a Learning Organization

2: A Word from Daniel Mainye to Employees

2: A Word from Daniel Mainye to Associates

A Word from Daniel Mainye to Employees

1: A Word from Daniel Mainye to Job Seekers

A Word from Daniel Mainye to Job Seekers

4: On Letting Your Values Lead Your Career

A Word from Daniel Mainye to Managers

4: On following your passion