BLAZE BYOB TV Show – A Look At Kenya’s Ambitious Young Entrepreneurs

There has been a lot of conversation around entrepreneurship in Kenya especially with regards to the youth. With employment opportunities dwindling, there is a need to equip young people with the skills to run their own businesses and hire their fellow youth.

BLAZE is a youth product from Safaricom that has been met with positive reviews from customers. Multilayered, with a tariff specifically for the 10 to 26 age group. The platform also has summits, bootcamps and th Be Your Own Boss TV show (BLAZE BYOB TV Show).

The BYOB TV Show ran over 8 weeks from Monday 6^th February 2017 on KTN and featured 12 contestants from all over Kenya and 3 Judges – Caroline Mutoko, King Kaka and Trushar Khetia and saw contestants evaluated on their ability to perform outstandingly well across a series of tasks that assessed their business, leadership and teamwork skills.

Out of the 12 contestants, 3 emerged as finalists:

1. David Kimani (21)

David is one of three children brought up by a single mum in Nyandarua County and is currently studying Computer Science at Pwani University. He is an aspiring social entrepreneur whose desire is to bring change to society, which he does through his Second Chance Adult Learning Center in Kilifi County. The learning centre offers KCSE, KCPE, Literacy and HIV/AIDS and Drugs Awareness.

2. Safe Joe (25)

Joe was born in Dagoretti Corner and brought up by a single mum who passed away when he was in high school. He has lived in Githurai 45, Eldoret (Kaptagat, Langas), and after completion of high school settled in Eldoret where  he  currently works as a self-taught music producer and a sound engineer offering mastering, editing, mixing and recording services.

3. Valentine Nekesa (19)

Valentine grew up in Kakamega. Her mom passed away, forcing her to move in with an aunt and her family of 13. She is currently an IT student at Mount Kenya University and is looking to break into the fashion industry with her clothing label Vee Designs, targeting plus size women.

At the end of the show, Valentine Nekesa emerged the winner. I had the opportunity to moderate a conversation on entrepreneurs and the digital space that featured the 3 finalists, the judges and Charles Wanjohi, Head of Department Consumer Segments at Safaricom. Here are some of the highlights:

1. Digital is the future?

Both Trushar Khetia and King Kaka shared how they use digital platforms to market their businesses as well as to build their brands. The 3 finalists expressed their plans to grow their online presence and leverage it to build their businesses.

Safaricom’s Charles Wanjohi reiterated that the mentorship and business support the finalists would be receiving consisted of digital skills training as Safaricom recognized the importance of digital literacy.

2. Challenges, fears and plans?

The 3 finalists shared their individual challenges that included marketing, brand building and scaling. It was really great to see how confident they all were that they are up to the task to build successful businesses as well as seeing their passion for mentoring their fellow young people and changing the face of Kenyan entrepreneurship.

3. BYOB Season 2?

Charles Wanjohi confirmed that there will indeed be a season especially seeing the success of this first one. The BLAZE team will however, push harder to have a more diverse group of contestants for season 2. The BYOB auditions are held after the mentorship summits and so should kick off later in the year with the TV show scheduled to run early 2018.

I am looking forward to seeing the growth of the 3 finalists’ businesses as well as the build up to BYOB season 2.