(So) How's Business?

(So) How's Business?

por Alma Mabachi
Emprendimiento

Ep 16- Lawyer, Founder, Builder | Akoth Aluoch Gets Real About the Legal Entrepreneurship Path

Akoth Aluoch is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya and the founder of Triple A Dispute Resolution (Triple ADR) and AkothAluoch Media. She left a stable law firm career to build a boutique ADR practice full-time and a media platform dedicated to humanising law. In this conversation, she gets into what it really looks like to be in a building season, the businesses she ran on the side while employed, having her first child in third year of university, and why she walked away from a clear path to partnership to build something entirely her own. We also unpack the world of Alternative Dispute Resolution: what it is, why there is real money in it, and why Akoth believes it is the smarter, faster future of conflict resolution in business. Honest, grounded, and full of practical insight. This one is for anyone sitting with a big dream and a very present reality. So... how's business?
E16
10 mar 2026
1:13:43

Ep 15- Hard Truths Creatives Don't Want to Hear | Dija White, The Block Studio

Dija White is a multidisciplinary creative director and founder of The Block Studio, a brand design, strategy and experiential design company dedicated to spotlighting African talent. She is also part of the team running Village Creative, one of Nairobi's most interesting creative ecosystems. This conversation goes deep. We talk about what it actually costs to build a creative business, from the 3 million shilling mistake that took three years to pay back, to the client who paid two thirds and disappeared, to the friendships lost over work that went sideways. Dija is honest about the evolution from artist first to business first, why creatives struggle to pitch themselves in corporate rooms, and what it took to stop being the person who let everyone have a piece and start knowing her worth. If you are a creative trying to figure out how to take your work seriously as a business, or a founder who has ever felt personally offended by a budget negotiation, this one is for you. Tune in every week for honest, unfiltered conversations with African women building businesses on their own terms.
E15
3 mar 2026
1:03:03

Ep 14- From 800 Cupcakes to Accredited Culinary School - Yasmin Mohammed's Story

Yasmin started selling cupcakes at 50 bob each from her mother's kitchen at 25, with no formal training, no business plan, and no nozzle. Today, she runs Cake Hearts, one of Kenya's only internationally accredited culinary and hospitality schools, in partnership with BHMS Switzerland. In this episode, she opens up about building from scratch, navigating a market that doesn't take young women seriously, why she teaches entrepreneurship inside a culinary school, and what it really takes to bring international standards to the Kenyan market. If you believe that education should transform you, not just certify you, this conversation will hit home.
E14
24 feb 2026
49:09

Ep 13: Stop Calling It a Small Business: Dr. Becky Omodho on Entrepreneurship for African Women

Dr. Becky Omodho shares the unfiltered journey of building joojoostores.com , a Pan-African e-commerce platform connecting African artisans to the world. From getting conned twice to taking six years to break even, Becky opens up about resilience, systems thinking, privilege, male bias, and motherhood. This episode challenges the idea of “small business” and explores what it really takes to build big in Africa.
E13
17 feb 2026
1:15:10

Ep 19- Cold Calls, Corporate Clients & Knowing Your Worth | Melanie Hapisu

Melanie Hapisu- Wambugu is the founder and CEO of Digipath Africa, a digital marketing agency based in Kenya. In five years she has built a client list that includes some of Kenya's largest corporations, trained hundreds of business owners and marketers, and figured out how to run a business from Muranga without losing a single client. This episode covers a lot of ground. We talk about how she lands large corporate clients through cold outreach, her exact process, step by step. We talk about the year one client accounted for 60% of her revenue and what that anxiety taught her about building a sustainable business. We talk about the moment she stopped giving free advice and started charging for everything, including 15-minute consultations, and how she had that conversation with friends who expected it for free. We also get into digital strategy for small businesses and founders, why posting every day is not the answer, what the algorithm is actually doing, when paid ads work and when they're burning money, and the biggest mistakes she sees founders make with their online presence. And then there's the story about the time her name trended on X for something that had nothing to do with her. That one is worth listening to alone. Melanie is sharp, generous, and genuinely funny. This is one is a favourite. Hosted by Alma. New episodes every week.
E12
31 mar 2026
1:22:56

Ep 12- Procrastination Isn’t Laziness It’s Trauma in Disguise- Wangui Mungai

In this episode of So, How’s Business?, Alma Mabachi speaks with certified master coach Wangoy Mongai about why procrastination, self-sabotage, and playing small are often trauma responses, not character flaws. They explore how fear of being seen, identity shifts, and survival mode shape our behaviour, especially for women in business navigating confidence, visibility, and growth. This conversation breaks down why discipline isn’t the solution, how identity-based habits create consistency, and what it actually takes to break the loop. If you’ve been delaying the things that matter most, this episode will help you understand why and how to move forward with clarity and self-trust. Topics include: procrastination, self-sabotage, trauma, survival mode, fear of being seen, identity shifts, imposter syndrome, women in business. 🎧 Listen, reflect, and break the loop.
E12
10 feb 2026
1:01:59

Ep 11- How to Scale an African Food Brand: Nanzia Mbaga-Johm, Founder of Roro's

How do you build a scalable, African-born brand in the middle of a pandemic? In this episode of "So How’s Business," we sit down with Nanzia, the founder of Roro's, Nairobi’s go-to fast-casual healthy food brand. Nanzia gets incredibly real about her journey, from launching her first salad shop in Dar es Salaam to securing prime real estate in Nairobi’s top malls. This isn't just about food; it’s a masterclass in resilience, systems thinking, and the "unfiltered" side of scaling a business in an oversaturated market. If you’re a founder, an aspiring entrepreneur, or a working mom, this episode is your blueprint. CONNECT WITH US:Instagram: https://shorturl.at/TElffTikTok: https://shorturl.at/8MwGhLinkedIn: https://shorturl.at/GW5Wu Don't forget to follow the show and leave us a review if you enjoyed this episode! #NairobiBusiness #AfricanStartups #FemaleFounders #RorosNairobi #RestaurantBusiness #ScalingUp
E11
3 feb 2026
1:15:06

Ep 10- I Grew Too Fast and Nearly Lost Everything | The Cash Flow Trap No One Talks About

What really causes businesses to fail , lack of funding, or poor systems? In this episode of So, How’s Business?, Lucy, founder of a Kenyan manufacturing brand built around purple tea, shares an unfiltered look at the highs and lows of entrepreneurship. We talk about scaling too fast, cash flow traps in retail, the realities of manufacturing in Kenya, and why fundraising can actually make problems worse if done at the wrong time. Lucy also reflects on how a major health crisis reshaped her approach to business, leadership, and growth. This conversation is for founders navigating growth, burnout, funding decisions, and the pressure to “scale fast”, especially women building businesses in Africa. New episodes weekly. Follow So, How’s Business? for real founder stories and practical insights.
E10
27 ene 2026
1:10:29

Ep 9- How Self-Awareness and EQ Change Everything for Business Leaders with Vicky Karuga

How Self-Awareness and EQ Change Everything for Business Leaderswith Vicki Karuga Emotional intelligence isn’t a soft skill, it’s a leadership advantage. In this episode of (So) How’s Business?, host Alma Mabachi speaks with Vicky Karuga, psychometric specialist and EI master trainer, about why self-awareness is the foundation of effective leadership and how low emotional intelligence quietly costs businesses through burnout, disengagement, and poor decision-making. Vicki shares her journey from architecture to psychometrics, explains what emotional intelligence really means (beyond buzzwords), and why founders and leaders must do the inner work if they want to build sustainable, high-performing teams, especially in fast-growing African businesses. We discuss:• Emotional intelligence (EQ) and leadership effectiveness• Self-awareness as a core founder skill• Psychometric assessments vs gut instinct in hiring• The real cost of low-EQ leadership• Women in business, invisible labour, and leadership guilt This episode is for founders, managers, and professionals navigating leadership, growth, and people management. Follow (So) How’s Business?Instagram: https://shorturl.at/TElffTikTok: https://shorturl.at/8MwGhLinkedIn: https://shorturl.at/GW5Wu Emotional intelligence podcast, leadership podcast, women in business Africa, African entrepreneurship, founder mindset, EQ leadership, business psychology, people management, leadership development
E9
20 ene 2026
1:08:10

Ep 8- Building a Business When the Rules Aren’t Clear: The Real Truth About Tax Compliance

What happens when you try to build a business in a system that doesn’t always make the rules clear? In this episode of So, How’s Business?, Alma sits down with Eunice Migwi, founder of Her Legacy, for a candid conversation about tax compliance, entrepreneurship, and what it really takes to build a sustainable business in Kenya and similar emerging markets. Eunice shares how she turned her expertise in tax, accounting, and finance into a business after closing a previous venture, and why starting over forced her to rethink systems, pricing, partnerships, and long-term vision. From the realities of running a business with a friend, to the importance of building beyond the founder, this episode goes far beyond tax. They unpack why most entrepreneurs don’t actually have a problem with taxes, they have a problem with confusion, poor communication, and lack of education. Eunice explains why compliance is less about fear and more about protection, how systems matter more than capital, and why many businesses struggle not because of taxes, but because of weak foundations. The conversation also dives into motherhood, responsibility, fear, and starting again, highlighting how personal growth and business growth are deeply connected. Finally, Eunice breaks down what business owners and creators need to understand about VAT, turnover tax, withholding tax, record-keeping, and the common mistakes that quietly cost people money. This is an honest, practical episode for founders, freelancers, creators, and anyone building a business in an imperfect system and learning how to do it anyway. Connect with Eunice MigwiInstagram: @herlegacyconsulting Listen to more episodes of So, How’s Business?Instagram: @sohowsbusiness
E8
13 ene 2026
1:33:47
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