2020 was both a blessing and a curse for many people. Some people gave up and others kept going.  At Melvin Marsh International Ltd, what keep them going is they had built a brand that was demand driven. Flora Mutahi, CEO of Melvin Marsh International Ltd says that as an organization, they have built a culture of always speaking to their consumers as much as possible. Knowing what the consumer wants and how the market is evolving in terms of its demographic has helped them to stay relevant over the years.

Another resilience strategy for Flora has been networking. Flora says that networking allows her to to share her pain points with others, sometimes before they happen and find solutions. The Government is always looking to hear from the private sector so from there you can get some free consulting and also to push for advocacy. She has been deeply involved with the Kenya Private Sector Alliance over the years and says it has paid her back for her time many times over.

Finally, Flora advises leaders to put up an advisory board to help you think, especially in areas that you are weak in.  Have a group of people that help you see what you would normally not see, people that help you think out new ideas or just new ways of doing things.

Flora Mutahi was a guest speaker at Unthinkable Roast (our monthly Leaders Workshop) in January 2021. Click here to apply for membership in Unthinkable for first hand access to industry leaders from Kenya and beyond.