Before Mikul Shah, the CEO of EatOut Kenya (the leading online restaurant guide in Kenya) embarked on his business, he lived in London where he had a job that paid really well. The first time he was ready to come back to Kenya, his plans were halted because of the political instability in Kenya (Year 2007).

Due to this, he started another company while in London which
ended up doing really well but a year later after the inception of his start up business, he decided that he still wanted to leave London and so he left it all behind and came home to Kenya. While in Nairobi, his family decided to invest in a Shoe factory based in Athi River which Mikul was meant to manage but he quickly discovered that though it would be a good business, it wasn’t what he wanted to do.

I didn’t want to tell these guys who were putting millions of dollars into a shoe factory which I was meant to run that I was not going to do it so I tried to play a long with it.

Mikul Shah

However, in time he decided to quit as he had already realized it wasn’t his calling. He decided to pursue his hobby (trying different cuisines in different restaurants) and turn it into a business.

Quitting a job that provides a steady paycheck is a huge risk that may lead to failure or success. Is it a risk worth taking? That question can only be answered by each individual not satisfied with their current work.

However, even when taking such a risk, it’s important to have a backup plan or something that sustains you before your business takes off. This could be a part time job for instance. As Mikul Shah‘s story shows, anything enjoyed is a business opportunity so make your passions your business and success will follow.

Mikul Shah, Founder of Eat-out Kenya, was a guest at Founders drink up held in April 2018. To get access to the full podcast, email dream@wearefounders.co.ke.