Perhaps one of the most overlooked privileges is not wealth itself, but having enough margin in your life to respond to reality. Over the last few years, we have become fluent in the language of privilege, speaking easily about financial privilege, pretty privilege, racial privilege, passport privilege, educational privilege and social privilege, and in doing so we have become increasingly aware that people do not all start from the same place and that some doors open more easily for some than for others. Yet there is one form of privilege that seems to receive far less attention, and that is the privilege of being able to do something with the information you have, not simply knowing, but acting, because the truth is that information alone changes very little. We like to imagine that if people only knew better, they would do better, and entire industries are built around this assumption, from self-help books and documentaries to podcasts, awareness campaigns, public health initiative...
Everyone thinks they can run a better business than their boss—until they try. Before I ventured into business, I worked in the hospitality industry, and let me tell you, that experience was a wake-up call. If you're fresh out of school and dreaming of starting a business, do yourself a favor—get a job first. Not only will you gain industry insights, but you'll also realize that running a business is a whole different beast. Starting a business in Kenya fresh out of school is like jumping into a pool, only to realize there’s no water. Everyone tells you, “Just start something! Be your own boss!” What they don’t tell you is that being your own boss often means being your own accountant, marketer, delivery person, customer service rep, and unpaid intern—all while dealing with friends who think they’re doing you a favor by buying your products at a discount. If you’re dreaming of starting a business in Kenya straight out of school, fueled by optimism and motivational TikTok's,...