KenyaOnAShoeString: Real Advice for Real Kenyans

  Before you ask for a raise, ask yourself: has the role already hit the roof? "You can be the best driver in Nairobi, but unless you're delivering hearts for transplant, your salary has a ceiling." — A Kenyan HR consultant, off the record The Myth of Infinite Growth We are told, especially in motivational settings, that hard work and loyalty will take you far. But how far is “far” when the role itself has no ladder? In Kenya, it’s common to confuse working in a growing company with having a growing income . They are not the same thing. A company can expand from KES 10 million to KES 1 billion in revenue — and still pay its office administrator the same KES 50K it did five years ago. Why? Because some roles are structurally capped . You don’t hear this in job interviews or town halls. But it’s the silent truth behind many stagnant careers. Private Sector: The Shiny Trap In Nairobi’s private sector, salary ceilings often hide behind big brand names. Working for ...

You’re excited. Your boss is sharing a big vision — expansion plans, revenue targets, new markets. It sounds impressive. Maybe even inspiring. You start seeing yourself as part of something grand. But somewhere in the quiet moments, you realize something: Just because the company is winning doesn’t mean you are. Your salary hasn’t changed. Your title hasn’t changed. Your workload has. You start to wonder — am I helping build a vision that has no space for mine? Poem (to keep the spirit of your other pieces): They built the dream, And I gave my days. They earned the billions, And I stayed the same. Now my rent is due, And their name is in the news. I forgot to dream my own dream While building someone else's. The Illusion of Shared Progress In Kenya, company branding can be seductive. We love to be associated with the “big names.” Safaricom, Equity, Google, KCB. There’s status in saying “I work there.” But here's the honest truth: Company growth is not employe...