I started off as an intern at Alexander Forbes in the Actuarial department. I then secured another internship at Kenindia Assurance Company Limited then became a management trainee. Prior to joining Kenya Orient Life Assurance three years ago, I worked at Resolution Health as a business consultant.
I used to splurge money which meant that I would spend most of my money on buying lavish or luxurious stuff. My spending habits needed to change. I learned that balance is key when it comes to managing money. I adopted the 50/30/20 rule. However, if you can have a larger percentage, go to savings, the better because you never know when your income may dip and you may need to rely on your savings.
I have a few memorable career moments but two stand out for me. Last year, I spearheaded the Kenya Orient Life Assurance ‘Pension Marketing Campaign’ which won the campaign of the year award on the individual pension plan. My other greatest career moment was in 2016 when I was recognised as the best employee for offering exemplary services to our clients at Kenindia Assurance Company Limited.
I would have soul searched and leveraged my career strengths from the beginning. This would have helped me determine the best career direction to take. Unfortunately, due to limited opportunities, sometimes you have to go through different areas before you find where your passion lies. Now I know my passion lies in pensions. My current role gives me the fulfilment of knowing that not only am I helping individuals or businesses grow, but I am also able to touch people’s lives by guiding them to better plan for retirement.
I should have started saving earlier. Saving is a habit and if you do not start early, it will eventually affect you.
Before I invest, I always consider investments that preserve my capital to keep money safe; those that lead to capital growth and those that provide passive income. I currently save through an individual pension plan, a money market fund and fixed-income securities, that is, treasury bills and bonds. By the time I want to purchase a treasury bond that is being floated, I will have planned in advance by progressively saving in the money market fund. This method works for me because I can raise the required amount over a set period of time. Previously, I saved with a Sacco but it was not aligned with my goals. Your preferred investment vehicles all come down to your goals as an individual.
Real wealth creation starts now with the little you have. Do not wait until you have a lot to start saving and investing. The beauty of saving early is the compounding interest. Also, when it comes to wealth creation and finding what you are passionate about, it takes time.
