AWESOME MERRY.

That's all from us folks!

We've loved spending time with you on  undilutedzone this year and look forward to #2013!

Have a good one!

How To Make Yourself Much Smarter, Right Now

I think I’m pretty smart.  You probably think you’re pretty smart, too.  But there’s something available to you every day that can make you immediately much, much smarter: other people’s brains, experience, and insights.

So I decided to call upon the power of OPB (Other People’s Brains) – to make myself smarter through collaboration.

So here are three approaches that have helped me – and that I hope will help you – to take best advantage of the power of OPB:

Find the right people. My experience with the book title collaboration worked because I called upon a group of people who were 1) interested in helping me and 2) the ideal audience for my book. Successful crowd-sourcing – whether the crowd is 2 people or 2,000 – depends on these two things: interest in the topic and relevant knowledge, experience or circumstances.

Open up.  I was talking to a client today, a very self-reflective and insightful CEO, who realized that he sometimes short-circuits collaboration on his team by having and expressing a strong opinion too early in the process.  I suggest you enter into a collaborative conversation with this as your mantra, “Even if I think I know the right/best answer, I want to put that aside for awhile. Somebody else may have a much better idea, and I want it to come out.”
 
Diverge, then converge.  After you’ve let the conversation unfold and gotten everyone’s ideas on the table, make a decision.  You can do that in a collaborative way, by working to consensus; you can make the final decision yourself; or you can use any level of participation between those two extremes (what’s appropriate depends on the expectations of the group, the level of your need for their support of the final decision, and any deadlines, among other things).  The most important thing, though, is to come to a conclusion, and share it with your collaborators. Nobody wants to feel as though they gave of their valuable time and brainpower for nothing:  If people see that their collaboration with you has yielded a great, practical outcome, they’ll be far more inclined to want to think together with you in future.

by  @erikaandersen   Forbes Magazine.

Crisis can force you to find solution

While undergoing financial literacy coaching in February 2008, my mentor taught me a lesson that I understood vaguely until recently when I went through the real experience.

I was then comfortable in the pocket, thanks to my employers who paid me well and on time.

Coach Paul taught me that a crisis compresses many lessons you would have learnt in many years and delivers them to you at once.

This, he explained, is the reason a crisis helps those whose minds were ready for it to rediscover themselves, but also destroy in equal measure those who had not been mentally prepared for it by their past life.

He intended to prepare my mind to accept that moving out of regular job will only introduce me to a sharp financial crisis, and that I will learn rather than die.

I had to go through a year without regular income to appreciate the meaning of the lessons a crisis carries.

For example, I quickly lost interest in working for pay as I had done for over 13 years.

I later registered for the chartered financial analysts classes, spent 16 months studying investment analysis and management, and then took up a job in local investment advisory business.

By the start of 2008, I was mentally retired and no longer able to take instructions I considered ill informed — contrary to the rules of succeeding in employment.

I did not recognise immediately that during my coaching lessons, I had set forth my attitudes for the first steps into a journey of faith padded with many crisis.

In business and investing, contrary to formal and self employment, you learn more about how to succeed from your failures than from the so-called success, because in this other world of wealth, you must be willing to create experiences.

Like Carnegie told Napoleon Hill, you “will discover that the cause of success is not something separate and apart from the man; that it is a force so intangible in nature and that a majority of men never recognise it.”

When man will come to recognise that successful investing starts with preparing the mind for success, poverty will disappear from the list of global concerns. 
By Patrick Wameyo
He is a financial literacy educator and coach

It isn’t for women only

Makena had been my patient for so long, we had become good family friends. I had delivered all her children, and was always invited to their celebrations; birthdays, baptisms and many school activities.While at their son’s school play, I struck up a conversation with Makena’s husband. He looked troubled. “Can I ask you something Doc?”

“Of course what is the matter?” The furrows on his brow deepened.

“I have noticed that my left breast feels odd.”  

“How so?” I asked.

“Well, it feels lumpy. And it has some brownish stuff from the nipple. But I am not too sure. Can you take a look?”

I gave him an appointment for the next day. True enough, he did have a lump in his right breast. Further examination showed that it was fixed to the underlying muscles, and the skin had an orange peel appearance.

I was concerned and sent him to the laboratory for a fine needle aspiration; my fears were confirmed. He had cancer of the breast.

Devastating news

I did not know how to break the news to my friends. I decided to ask more questions. He had noticed the lump six months before but did not think much of it until he saw the brown discharge.

He was devastated by the news because he’d always thought breast cancer was a disease for women!

Breast cancer forms in breast tissue. Although it was always thought to be a disease of women, it also occurs in men. It is unfortunate though that many men do not seek medical assistance promptly when they have the symptoms of breast cancer so it is often diagnosed at an advanced stage.

Symptoms of breast cancer in men are similar to those of women. They include a painless lump, changes on the skin, like reddening or puckering or peeling, inversion of the nipple, and a discharge from the nipple.

The causes of breast cancer in men remain controversial. Men have less breast tissue than women, and this means that they are at less risk.

Prevention and detection

Men and their partners need to be very observant, and do regular breast examinations, to ensure that any abnormalities are dealt with early. Unlike in women, routine screening with mammograms and ultrasound is not done, unless the patient is at very high risk.

Prevention of breast cancer involves promotion of good health practices. These include moderate alcohol consumption, weight loss, exercise, and regular medical examinations.

.........Source Daily Nation

REAL ESTATE AND RENTAL INCOME TAXATION

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

The Law 
Rental income is taxable under Section 3(2) (a) (iii) of the Income Tax Act, Cap 470 Laws of Kenya. In addition, rent on non-residential buildings (Commercial) is also taxable under Section 5 and 6 VAT Act Cap 476.

What is Taxable?

All rent, premium or any other consideration for use or occupation of property.

Rates of Taxation

Taxation rates are dependent on whether the taxable person is an individual or corporate entity and whether they are resident or non resident

1.      For resident individuals, the  annual tax rates  (on total annual income including net rent income) are as follows;

On the first Kshs. 121,968 ........................10%

On the next Kshs. 114,912 .......................15%

On the next Kshs. 114,912 .......................20%

On the next Kshs. 114,912 .......................25%

On all income over Kshs. 466,704..............30%

   Note: The above scales are referred to as “graduated”

2.      For resident companies the net  annual income together with other incomes, if any, are taxed at the flat rate of 30%

3.      For, non-residents (for tax purpose) there is only withholding tax @ 30% on gross rent and which then is a final tax, they are not allowed to claim any expenses.

4.      For partnerships, only a single rent declaration is submitted but the partners will be taxed on their respective shares of the rent income.

5.      Estate of deceased landlords.

The net rent income (supported by rent schedules) accruing to the estate of deceased is chargeable at resident corporate tax rate of 30%.

6.      VAT on non-residential Rent(Commercial rent)

This is charged at 16% as it is not exempted by the 3^rd Schedule of The VAT Act.

What You Need To Do To Comply With the Law

1.      Obtain Personal Identification Number (PIN) if you do not have one yet to enable you to transact any business with KRA including filing returns and paying taxes. KRA issues PIN on-line. To apply for PIN, please visit KRA online services at; www.kra.go.ke

2.      Taxes are paid in four instalments on the 20^th of the 4^th month, 20^th of the 6^th month, 20^th of the 9^th month and 20^th of the 12^th month of the accounting period. Any balance of tax is payable by 30^th of the fourth month after the end of the accounting period.

3.      Proper records should be kept for all your rental property indicating the following;

1. Land reference(LR) number
2. Year of construction 
3. When first let and certificate of occupation
4. Cost of construction
5. Building plans
6. Loan agreements
7. Number of rentable units and rent per unit
8. Rent received and rent receipt books
9. Related expenses (invoices and receipts to support expenses)
10. Lease/tenancy agreements
11. Bank accounts for the rental income
12. Rent schedules (income and expenditure account)

4.      At the end of the accounting period;

a)      Income Tax on Rental Income

·          

• Prepare rent schedule for all let property showing; number of property, rent received per property, gross rent received, and all expenses incurred per property.
• Deduct only allowable and supported expenses to arrive at the chargeable rent. Examples of tax computations are provided herein. 
• Complete tax return and attach rent schedule in support thereof. When you are filing return online, enter the details of the rent schedule as provided in the sheet available with the online tax return form. The sheet is provided when you click in the space to declare/enter taxable rent profit.
• Submit self-assessment return within six months after the close of the accounting period.  

b)     VAT on Commercial Rent

Prepare VAT Account showing the VAT charged to tenants (output VAT) and allowable VAT on purchases (input VAT) incurred in the month.

·         Complete VAT return and submit together with payment by 20th   day of the following month.

·         Note: Receipts/invoices issued to tenants are supposed to show the VAT   charged and shall be ETR generated.

·         Note the following about online filing of the tax returns:

·         You are encouraged to file your tax returns online. For details on how to file your returns online, please visit the KRA online services at www.kra.go.ke.  

·         To file online, you must register with KRA online services.

Examples of a Rent Schedule

Example 1: Resident Individuals

a)      Mr. Landlord  has two properties from which he is earning rents as follows:

• Property A with 5 units, at Kshs. 20,000 per month per unit
• Property B with 10 units at Kshs. 15,000 per month per unit

b)      All units were occupied by tenants throughout the accounting period of 2010.

c)      During the accounting period, he incurred the following expenses;

1.  
1. Land Rates – Kshs.10,000
2. Property insurance – Kshs. 20,000
3. Agents fees – Kshs. 30,000
4. Repairs – Kshs. 160,000
5. School fees – Kshs. 120,000*
6. Loan interest – Kshs. 85,000
7. Electricity – Kshs. 60,000
8. During the year, his principal loan repayment amounted to Kshs. 250,000**

d)     His accounting period ends on 31^st December, 2010.

e)      Computation of taxable rent income is as follows;

Gross Rent income for the year:

Property A -   5 units x Kshs. 20,000 x 12 months        1,200,000

Property B – 10 units x Kshs. 15,000 x 12 months       1,800,000

            Total Rent income in Kshs                                 3,000,000

Less: Allowable expenses (Kshs.):

Land Rates                            10,000

Insurance                             20,000

Agent’s fees                          30,000

Repairs                               160,000                          

Loan interest                        85,000

Electricity                             60,000                        365,000

Net taxable rent income (Kshs.)                               2,635,000

Notes:

* School fees is a personal expenditure that is not allowable deduction.

** Principal Loan repayment is a capital item and not an allowable deduction

f)       Computation of Mr. Landlord’s tax for the year (on the assumption that he does not have any other incomes):

Taxable annual net rent income for the year - Kshs. 2,635,000

The first Kshs. 121,968 @ 10%            12,197

The next Kshs. 114,912 @ 15%           17,237

The next Kshs. 114,912 @ 20%           22,982

The next Kshs. 114,912 @ 25%           28,728

The balance Kshs. 2,168,296@ 30%  650,488

     Total tax Payable                         731,632

Less: Personal relief                             13,944

 Net tax payable                                 717,688

g)      If Mr.Landlord had paid 4 equal instalments of Kshs. 150,000 each for the year totalling Kshs 600,000 then he would have a balance of Kshs. 117,688 to pay by 30th April 2011. However, if he had not paid any instalments in advance, then the entire of the Kshs. 717,688 would be payable by 30th April 2011 plus penalties and interest for failure to pay instalments when they are due as per the law.

Example 2: Resident Limited Company

a)      In the above case, if the landlord was a resident limited company say M/s Landlord Ltd, then the net rent as computed above would be taxed at the corporate rate of 30% and all other matters remaining the same except that there is no personal relief.

b)      Therefore, tax computation will be as follows;

Net taxable rent (Kshs.)               2,635,000

Corporate tax @ 30%                      790,500

Less: instalment taxes paid            600,000

      Balance due by 30/4/11              190,500

Example 3 – Non Resident Persons

a)      For non-resident persons, the gross rent income is subjected to withholding tax at 30%, which is a final tax.

b)      Therefore, tax computation will be as follows;

Gross rent income (Kshs.)      3,000,000

Withholding tax @ 30%             900,000 (Please note this is a final tax)

5.       Kenyans in the Diaspora

Any Kenyan living out of the country but own property in Kenya must pay tax in Kenya on the rent earned. If non-resident (as defined in Section 2 of the Income Tax Act Cap 470), such rent is subject to a withholding tax at 30% of the gross which is then a final tax. However, if resident the rate of tax shall be at graduated scale on net rent income (see example 1).  

6.      Further Clarification

For further clarification, please contact Mr. David Gichohi on Tel. 020281-6095, Pentronila Muthenya 020-2813086  0r Call Centre Tel. 020 4999999. You may also visit the Real Estate and Rental Income Help Desk at Times Tower Building, Ground Floor or your nearest KRA Station for assistance. You can also communicate with us via email; rentalincome@kra.go.ke

Note that the Income Tax Act Cap 470 and VAT Act Cap 476 of the laws of Kenya are available on KRA website at www. kra.go.ke

Disclaimer: Taxpayers are notified that if there is any inconsistency between the provision of the Revenue Laws and the information contained herein, then the Revenue Laws shall prevail.

Source    http://www.revenue.go.ke/

The 10 Richest Women In Africa

Typically, women in Africa have been seen as homemakers or agriculturalists, yet a new breed of empowered women across the continent have managed to forage a way in business, whether through family connections, governmental patronage or sheer entrepreneurship. Below, are profiles of the ten richest females on the continent.

Mama Ngina Kenyatta
The widow of Kenya’s first president, Jomo Kenyatta, the former glamorous “mother of the nation” now leads a quiet, reclusive life away from the spotlight. Yet though she is not to be found on any African rich list, she has fabulous, mostly undeclared, wealth.
Mama Ngina, now 79, has gained huge respect from the Kenyan public for her defence and promotion of the family’s business interests. The Kenyatta family has investments in banking, education, farming, hospitality, insurance, manufacturing and real estate, though its presiding matriarch keeps a low profile.
Having stuck by Kenyatta even during his detention by the British colonial government, and defended the family’s business interests since his death in 1978, Mama Ngina now oversees a serious portfolio of brands and investments, including the largest privately owned Kenyan bank, the Commercial Bank of Africa (CBA), and the upmarket hotel chain Heritage. Brookside Dairies, East Africa’s leader in the dairy field with market share reaching from the region to the Middle East is another part of a vast investments empire which also includes media firm Media Max and Timsales Timber.
The latest move is in real estate, where Mama Ngina runs the rule over the construction of the 500-acre Northlands City, which will be the largest upmarket gated community in the region. Though alleged to have been involved with ivory smuggling in the 1970s, she is also engaged in many philanthropic activities. She has never revealed the full extent of her investments.

Isabel Dos Santos
Dos Santos, 39, is the oldest daughter of Angolan President José Eduardo dos Santos. The millionaire businesswoman is estimated to be worth over $50 million, with interests in oil and diamonds. She also has shares in Angolan cement company Ciminvest and the Banco Africano de Investimentos.
She is worth $170 million.
She originally made her mark in business at the age of 24 by using her father’s patronage to gain lucrative state contracts. She has fostered close business ties with Portugal, with her Maltese-registered investment firm holding a ten per cent stake in Portuguese media conglomerate Zon Multimedia. She also owns major stakes in Portuguese banks Banco Espírito Santo and Banco Português de Investimento, and in energy firm Energias de Portugal.

Hajia Bola Shagaya
The richest Nigerian businesswoman, Bola Shagaya has retained links with important figures in various administrations up to the present day and now enjoys a status as a queen of luxury. With interests in oil, banking, communications and photography, she has now also made steps into real estate, building hundreds of town houses for which renters pay $180,000 per year.
Owning properties in Europe and America, she has become one of the biggest players in the lucrative Nigerian oil sector. She is Group Managing Director/CEO of Bolmus Group International and a board member of Unity Bank Plc, while she has served on numerous board committees and currently sits on the board for the National Economic Partnership for Africa Development (NEPAD), a Nigerian business group. With over 24 years of active local and international business experience, she had participated in many local and international seminars and workshops, including the Harvard Business School to keep abreast of developments in management techniques.

Folorunso Alakija
Alakija is a 61-year-old Nigerian billionaire fashion designer and Executive Director of FAMFA Oil, the gas and oil exploration and production company.
After studying fashion design in the UK, she founded her fashion house Supreme Stitches in Nigeria in 1985 in Lagos, becoming the best designer in the country by 1986. Through a friend she became involved in the oil business, being allocated an unwanted oil bloc which later struck oil in commercial quantities and made Alakija’s fortune. This was achieved due to a hook-up with Texaco, which later became Chevron, in 1996.
She later became a more religious individual and now donates a lot of time and money to her Rose of Sharon Foundation, which provides interest free loans to start-up businesses.

Wendy Appelbaum
The only daughter of South African billionaire Donald Gordon, Appelbaum became a director of her father’s insurance and real estate firm Liberty Investors. Upon selling her shares she made her own personal fortune. Previously she was the Deputy Chairman of Women’s Investment Portfolio Limited (Wiphold), the first women’s controlled company to list on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange with then assets in excess of R1 billion. Moneyweb calls her the wealthiest woman in Africa.
In tandem with her husband Hylton, she used these funds to purchase DeMorgenzon, a wine estate in the famous wine region of Stellenbosch. She has in total donated US$23 million to found the Gordon Institute of Business Science and the Donald Gordon Medical Centre, in memory of her father, while she also chairs the South African Women’s Professional Golfers’ Association.
Wendy Appelbaum’s net worth as of early 2012 is estimated at $259.3 million.

Wendy Ackerman
Retail tycoon Ackerman is worth $190.2 million, with the Ackerman Family Trust run by her and her husband owning about 50 per cent of the major South African grocery chain Pick ‘n’ Pay. The $3 billion company owns outlets in Mozambique, Nigeria, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Australia, with Ackerman acting as Executive Director.

Bridget Radebe
The founder of Mmakau Mining, the successful mining firm with assets in gold, platinum, uranium, coal, chrome and exploration, Radebe started out by working in mines herself. Now the president of the South African Mining Development Association, she is the older sister  of South African billionaire Patrice Motsepe and married to South Africa Justice Minister Jeff Radebe.
She was the first black woman in the country to found her own mining company, overcoming racial and gender prejudice. While her net worth is large, it is currently not published. Radebe received the International Businessperson of the Year Award in 2008 from the Global Foundation for Democracy.

Sharon Wapnick
Worth $43.1 million, Wapnick is one of the largest individual shareholders in listed loan stock companies Octodec Investments and Premium Properties, which were both founded by her father Alec. She is also a partner at TWB Attorneys, a Johannesburg-based commercial law firm. Her fortune was made in investments and real estate.
As of October 2011, Wapnick stepped into the role of non-executive chairman of Octodec, replacing her father. An attorney, she also has a wealth of experience in the property industry.

Elisabeth Bradley
Bradley, whose father Albert Wessels brought Toyota to South Africa in 1961, enjoys a net worth of $32 million as a result of her investments portfolio. In 2008, Wesco Investments, the holding company that she chairs, sold its 25 percent stake in Toyota South Africa to Japan’s Toyota Motor Corp for $320 million, with Bradley pocketing at least $150 million.
As well as remaining chairman of Wesco Investments, she is also vice-chairman of Toyota South Africa Limited, a director of AngloGold and board member at blue chip companies such as Standard Bank Group, Hilton Hotel and Roseback Inn.

Irene Charnley
Charnley, 52, is a former trade unionist who has amassed a net worth of $150 million. Currently the CEO of Smile Telecoms, a telecommunications products company working out of Mauritius, she first made a mark as a negotiator for the National Union of Mineworkers in South Africa. Later she became Executive Director at MTN, Africa’s largest teleco.
At MTN she led the company’s expansion across Africa and beyond, helping to acquire licences from Nigeria to Iran. She was as a result rewarded with MTN stock worth $150 million, though she left the company under controversial circumstances in 2007. She has also been a director of FirstRand Bank, Johnnic and Johnnic Communications.
Her current company, Smile Telecoms, helps lower-income individuals to have telecommunications and continues a line of anti-poverty programs Charnley began at MTN.

Source...........  Ventures Africa

FastJet To Phase Out Fly540 By October

RUBICON Investments, the company that bought out regional airline Fly 540 plans to launch its operations locally by October under new name FastJet, it has announced. British investment firm Rubicon last month completed a buyout deal to take over Fly 540 for $85.7 million (Sh7.3 billion) from Lonrho group. The firm said then that it had chose to acquire Fly540 as its platform for the launch of a budget airline in Africa modelled along Europe's largest low cost carrier Easy Jet founded by one of Rubicon's director's, Stelios Haji-Ioannou.

In its latest statement, Rubicon said it had chosen Airbus A319 for Fastjet operations in the continent. "The decision to launch FastJet with the Airbus A319 enables us to expand rapidly with each aircraft potentially carrying around 250,000 passengers a year. Rubicon expects passenger capacity to double from current levels within six months of the introduction of the A319 fleet,” said Rubicon CEO Ed Winter in the statement posted on the firm's website. "We plan to add at least five leased Airbus A319 aircraft to the fleet within six months of launch and up to 15 within a year."

This announcement was made hours after a local newspaper reported that the buyout deal had been challenged by a creditor who gone to the registrar of companies in a bid to block the transfer of Lonrho's shares in Fly540 to Rubicon. The creditor, the report said, is demanding Sh55 million from Fly540 for supply of jet fuel and seeks to block the transfer until the debt is settled.
However if the deal eventually pulls through and Fastjet manages to launch operations by October as planned, it would create fierce competition with Kenya Airways' new subsidiary Jambo Jet also planning to launch at the same time. In April, KQ's Finance Director Alex Mbugua told an investors meeting held at Outspan hotel in Nyeri that the budget airline Jambo Jet would launch in six months time since staff recruitment was already on course.

Jambo Jet is also expected to be a low cost airline. The fight for the regional air travel market by the airlines will signal the beginning of cheaper fares. Currently air travel is very costly with travel to some regional destinations costing as much as or more than long haul destinations like Europe or North America. David Lenigas, Executive Chairman of Rubicon and of Lonrho Plc added that FastJet intends to sign a deal with a major European maintenance, repair and overhaul company in a bid to also raise the aviation safety standards in the continent to be at par with Europe.

The star.

6 networking mistakes job hunters make

Most people know by now that networking beats answering job ads, but how you go about it can make all the difference. Here's what to avoid.

 By Anne Fisher,

FORTUNE -- Dear Annie: I've been living on my savings and a small inheritance since I lost my job in late 2010 and, while I've kept busy with some consulting projects and volunteer work, I really need to find a full-time position. I keep hearing that tapping my network of professional contacts is a far better approach than responding to ads and, based on my own experience in my past jobs, I know it's true.
My problem is that I really hesitate to get in touch with former colleagues and other acquaintances I haven't seen or spoken with in years. It seems like an imposition. So far, I've been forcing myself to do it anyway. But when I contact people and ask if they know of anything, all that comes of it is a short, awkward conversation, followed by silence. Is there some secret to networking that I'm missing? — Stumped

Dear Stumped: Are you really asking if people know of "anything"? If so, that may be your first mistake. "There are a lot of misconceptions about what networking really is," says Darrell Gurney, a longtime career coach and author of Never Apply for a Job Again: Break the Rules, Cut the Line, Beat the Rest.

"In my job search workshops, when I ask people to tell me what they think networking is, they usually say, 'Getting in touch with my business contacts to let them know I'm looking for work and asking if they know of anything,'" says Gurney. "The trouble is that, if you ask for 'anything,' you just might get it."
Or, as you've found, you'll get nowhere. Here are five other common networking errors:

1. Leading with your need. "Of course you need a job," says Gurney. "But in this way, networking is a bit like dating. If you seem desperate, people will run the other way." Instead, he recommends taking stock of exactly what kind of work would fascinate and engage you most, and then launching an information-gathering campaign.
"Find ways to approach people that call on their knowledge and expertise, and the conversations you have with them will be far more productive," Gurney says. "'I'm researching this field' has a whole different feel than 'I need a job.'" Not only will you make more connections and learn more about specific openings, but you'll vastly increase your chances of ending up in the right place. Says Gurney, "If you've ever taken a job without enough information about it beforehand, you know all too well why this matters."

2. Relying exclusively on online social networks. There's no question that LinkedIn (LNKD), Facebook, and their ilk can be tremendously useful in a job hunt, but "they're a tool that is only a good first step," Gurney says. "You need to get away from the computer screen and connect with people. Different things happen when you meet with someone in person." They're often very helpful things.

3. Overlooking the people you come across every day. In his job search workshops, Gurney sends people out to lunch with an assignment: "Don't come back until you've engaged in at least three conversations with strangers." Perhaps not surprisingly, this doesn't go over well at first. "Nevertheless, people get job interviews this way," Gurney says. "The guy standing in line next to you at Starbucks could be your next employer's brother-in-law."
And speaking of relatives, Gurney points out that many job seekers overlook their own family members' and close friends' professional networks. "If you know someone very well on a personal level, you may not be aware of how many business connections they have," he says. Include them in your information-gathering efforts, and you could be pleasantly surprised.

4. Defining your talents and interests too narrowly. Just because you've always been, say, a human resources manager doesn't mean your next job will necessarily be in human resources management. "It's a mistake to be out there talking with people without authentic passion about what you'd really like to do next," Gurney notes. "Too often, job hunters don't give themselves permission to go after what they really want."

The early years of a career, he adds, are "just R&D for the second half. You don't have to stick with one thing all your life. You can take what you've learned so far and make a purposeful plan for applying it" -- either in a related field or in some other kind of role where your skills and experience could be even more valuable.

A sixth mistake, which you mention in your question: Hesitating to get in touch with people you haven't seen or spoken with in a while. You're far from alone in this. Jayne Mattson, a senior vice president at executive coaching firm Keystone Associates, says she encounters the same reluctance in many of the job seekers she counsels, who often say things like, "'Everyone's so busy, I've always done things on my own, I hate to bother people,'" she notes. "But your job now is to find a job. Why would you think you could succeed at any new job all on your own?"

Mattson gets her clients past this hurdle by asking them, "If someone you know called to ask for information or guidance related to their job hunt, would you give it to them?" Says Mattson, "Of course the answer is yes. So why would you assume someone you know would not want to help you? Think about it."
Talkback: If you've found a new job by tapping your network, what approach helped you the most? What have you found is least effective? Leave a comment below.

James Mwangi of Kenya’s Equity Bank Named Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur of the Year 2012

Dr. James Mwangi, CEO and Managing Director of Kenya’s Equity Bank Limited was yesternight named the Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012 at an awards ceremony held in Monte Carlo’s Salle des Etoiles. James was picked from among the 59 country finalists vying for the title across 51 countries, each of whom had already been named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year in their home country.

Equity Bank is the largest bank by customer base in East and Central Africa and the largest African majority owned company in the region. The bank has more than seven million accounts representing over half of all bank accounts in Kenya. It also has operations in Uganda, South Sudan, Rwanda and Tanzania.

Ruben Vardanian, President, Troika Dialog and Chair of the judging panel said, “Not only has James really transformed people’s lives across Africa by offering them access to funding that they have never had before, Equity Bank continues to grow quickly through a strong financial performance.”
“I’m honored to accept this award on behalf of the people and customers of Equity Bank,” said James. “This is a global recognition for Africans who are embracing the power of entrepreneurship to change the economic and social state of Africa.”
Maria Pinelli, Ernst & Young’s Global Vice Chair for Strategic Growth Markets said, “James has been pivotal in the transformation of Equity Bank into one of Africa’s brightest business success stories. His is truly an inspirational story of entrepreneurial spirit with an innovative business model that has the potential to be replicated globally.”

Jim Turley, Global Chairman and CEO of Ernst & Young, said, “Over the past 26 years, entrepreneurs have done more than any other group to stimulate innovation, job creation and prosperity during both periods of growth and in challenging economic conditions. James epitomizes the vision and determination that set entrepreneurs apart and is very worthy of the title Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012.”
Broadcast coverage and an interview with the winner will be available to download for broadcast and online use, at: http://digitalnewsagency.com/stories/6683-ernst-young-world-entrepreneur-of-the-year-2012-announced-in-monte-carlo

Great minds are so much in Our Motherland.
CONGRATULATIONS TO Daktari.For making Kenya Proud.

Virgin Atlantic withdraws Nairobi-London route

Virgin Atlantic has announced it will withdraw its flight operations between Nairobi and London in September.......Read More

Why first impressions matter.

I think I’m a pretty sensitive guy. But if you showed up to a first ever business meeting in a T-shirt and shorts, would my feelings be hurt? Would I feel that you were not respecting me or my position? Absolutely-.....Read More

3 Simple Ways to Get People to Listen to You

I suspect a lot of people have that question, so – here you go:

1. Listen.  This may seem counter-intuitive, but by far the most effective way to get people’s attention is to give them yours....................Read More

Make Social Media Your Job-Finding Weapon

What’s one way for hiring managers to learn who you are outside the confines of the résumé, cover letter and interview? Scanning your social media profiles.
It turns out 37% of employers screen potential job candidates on social networks, according to a new CareerBuilder survey. That means about two in five companies browse your social media profiles to evaluate your character and personality — and some even base their hiring decision on what they find.

“Social media is a primary vehicle of communication today, and because much of that communication is public, it’s no surprise some recruiters and hiring managers are tuning in,” says Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources at CareerBuilder. “It will be interesting to see over the years how many employers adopt formal policies around social media.”

Brad Schepp, co-author of How To Find A Job On LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Google+ says he was surprised to learn that just 37% of employers are researching candidates on social networking sites. “I would think that number is actually much higher,” he says. “If you were a recruiter, or a hiring manager for a company, wouldn’t you check out a potential hire through LinkedIn? Or, if you were hiring a recent grad, it would almost surely occur to you to visit their Facebook profile.”
Of the employers who do not research candidates on social media, 15% said it’s because their company prohibits the practice, and 11% report they do not currently use social media to screen, but plan to start.
The survey also found that employers are primarily using Facebook (65%) and LinkedIn (63%) to research candidates. Just 16% use Twitter.
So why are they using social networks to research candidates? Sixty-five percent said they do it to see if the job seeker presents himself or herself professionally. About half (51%) want to see if the candidate is a good fit for the company culture, and another 45% want to learn more about his or her qualifications. Some cited ‘to see if the candidate is well-rounded’ and ‘to look for reasons not to hire the candidate,’ as their motives.

A third (34%) of those who scan social media profiles said they have found content that has caused them not to hire the candidate. About half said they didn’t offer a job candidate the position because of provocative or inappropriate photos and information posted on his or her profile. Forty-five percent said they have decided not to hire someone because of information about him or her drinking or using drugs. Other hiring managers chose not to offer the job because the candidate’s profile showed poor communication skills, bad mouthing previous employers, making discriminatory comments related to race, gender, or religion, and lying about qualifications.
“Social media is used differently by everyone,” Haefner says. “Some embrace the tools to extend their personal, professional brands and others choose to solely use it is as a private channel with their friends and family. So when a hiring manager does find public social media content, it’s possible to get a better sense of that person’s interests and personality, but that doesn’t replace the value of meeting the individual face-to-face.”
No matter what information is found on a candidate, and regardless of where it’s found, the process has to abide by fair and equal hiring practices, she adds.

 

The good news is that hiring managers aren’t just screening your social media profiles to dig up dirt; they’re also looking for information that could possibly give you an advantage. Twenty-nine percent of the surveyed hiring managers said they have found something positive on a profile that has caused them to offer the candidate a job. In some cases it was that the employer got a good feel for the candidate’s personality. Others chose to hire because the profile conveyed a professional image. In some instances it was because background information supported professional qualifications, other people posted great references about the candidate, or because the profile showed that the job seeker is creative, well-rounded, or has great communication skills.

“It’s possible to maintain both professional and social personas online as long as you take the time to monitor content and tailor who can see what,” Haefner says. On most social networking sites the user has control over who can view each individual piece of content, she adds. “It’s possible to keep personal or social information secure while still leaving some basic information public.”
The lesson for job seekers: If you choose to share content publicly on social media, make sure it’s working to your advantage, she says. “Take down or secure anything that could potentially be viewed by an employer as unprofessional and share content that highlights your accomplishments and qualifications in a positive way.”  Hiring managers aren’t necessarily looking for red flags; most just want a better idea of who you are. “Knowing that, it’s possible to use social media as valuable job search tool.”
Schepp adds, “Make sure any profiles you write are free of typos, the information is coherent and applicable to your industry [or job you’re trying to land], and your photos present you in a favorable light. You can verify the applicability of the information by checking profiles of others in the same field.”
The information you provide online about your job background and accomplishments should be consistent, he says. “Don’t assume an employer will only be checking you out on LinkedIn. They may also check Facebook, or even Twitter and Google+.  The story you tell on each site should be pretty much the same, although it’s fine to adapt the material for the site.”

The XYZ Show Producers Unveil a new Web and Mobile Video Platform

 

 Buni Media, the creatives behind XYZ show, has today announced the launch today of a new VOD and mobile TV service called Buni TV. The service which will be available through www.buni.tv and on mobile through m.buni.tv will see users access shows and movies through their internet enabled computers and mobile devices.
With the launch, Buni Meedia announced that the entire 5 seasons of the Kenyan political satire The XYZ Show is now available through the portal together with the Kenyan animation films like Kwame Nyong’o’s The Legend of Ngong Hills, documentaries by Egyptian filmmaker Abu Bakr Shawky and Nigerian children TV program Bino and Fino.
Other content available on the patform include music videos from across the continent, as well as content provided by its partnership with Scotland’s Africa in Motion film festival. Buni TV will also act as a curator, showcasing film trailers and other videos already existing online but notoriously hard to find.
Commenting on this development, Marie Lora-Mungai, CEO of Buni Media said:
 
“There is actually quite a lot of remarkable, high-quality African content out there, but it’s often scattered over niche sites and very difficult for African audiences to find. Buni TV editors will do the leg work for our audience and select only what is worth their time. Buni TV wants to become the number one destination to watch modern, creative African content online and on mobile.” 

Unlike other African video platforms which mostly target the diaspora market, Buni TV wants to bring its content in priority to the continent’s under-served audience.
Anticipating Africa’s upcoming mobile video boom, Buni TV developed a light, user-friendly mobile site that works on most smartphones and can be accessed at m.buni.tv.
Buni TV’s platform was developed by Asilia and designed by Barbara Muriungi. Streaming videos on Buni TV will initially be free with advertising. Buni TV will share the revenue made from advertising around their work with the filmmakers on a 50-50 basis.
In the future, the platform will develop a subscription option to allow access to premium content.
Marie Lora-Mungai said:

“Buni TV has been developed by filmmakers for filmmakers and film lovers. We know what it means to be independent creators. In Africa like everywhere else, distribution is a major challenge: how to find the right audience for your work, how to get your work in front of that audience, and how to generate revenue from that audience. We’ve built Buni TV to provide a solution to that problem.”