 All right and a very good morning to you. Once again many thanks for joining us this as a Y in the morning. My good name is Brian Sakua and I'm so so happy, elated and excited to be right here with you. But before we do anything, I want you to do me and yourself a favor by interacting with us on our social media, which is Facebook, Instagram and on X, which is unforeseeable for channel underscore on the ground. And mine personally is that Brian Sakua 101 and today being entrepreneurship Tuesday as well and now that we're in the Christmas mood and the holidays are finally here. We're going to talk about a sport that actually you'd like especially you know if I don't know if you've watched some of these Santa movies you see somebody sliding down with a machine and then there's no and it's just a chill mood and a chill vibe that actually creates that fun and fun feel with your family and those that you love close right here. That's what we're going to talk about and joining us live in studio we've got Dominic Kagecha Gikare. He's the founder and CEO of ski fund training center Karibusana. Thank you so much Brian. All right so if for anyone who maybe is trying to watch this show for the first time and they want to basically know you how would you introduce yourself to them apart from being a CEO and founder of skiing and training center. Okay first of all Merry Christmas to everyone. All right yeah and my name is Dominic Kagecha and I'm a businessman who is established and I the CEO of the ski fund training center. Yeah and actually it's an upcoming sport activity for basically the youth. And for me the reason as to why actually I suggest is to bring such a facilities because I'm a man who is raised in a family that do enjoy things together. So that's why I wanted to bring such a thing so that everyone both father, mother, their grand, the grand mother they can be able to enjoy their grandson and also sons and daughters. Yeah and speaking of family right now it's all about Christmas and people are all into that holiday and celebration mood. Personally for you have your money to maybe like bring this service to specific families and if yes who are the most let's say familiar families that gravitated towards this kind of business so this kind of service that you're offering. Okay for us when we did it mostly the people who came as the youth because we were just trying it out and also older people from the age of 45 to from the age of 30 to 45 and we were located in Lemurod where we stationed our first program of this facility and that's why we tried to work it out and that's why currently you want to locate it to Konzo city where we can be able to create something that will be able to accommodate our climates and also people will be able to have fun in skiing. Yeah and now that it's Christmas is finally here maybe are there like special packages you're offering to clients? Actually we are an upcoming program. We are looking for a partnership and also sponsorships. Yeah so many you're still on your baby establishing you know stage. True. But then this kind of service is not really common. Rarely will you see I'll say maybe families from the rural areas gravitating towards you know snowboarding and skiing and also it requires a special kind of environment so maybe if you can describe to our view how is that setup of that sport it's a sport right? True. If you can paint for them a picture what happens and what are some of their tires that they need to you know get themselves into so that they enjoy this fun sport. Okay first of all since that is a very cold atmosphere we're able to use a modern snow making machines that you'll be able to remove the snow and then for anyone who is coming to to ski in it first of all we have to train you first. There's a jacket you'll have to wear because this is of it's it's like a freezer you know you you get the vibe it's a place whereby you need a jacket you need gloves you need a hat and also the skiing boats you know and all of this we're able to provide a ski fun training center you know and then in terms of the people in the rural areas we have been able to look at them actually this is something that they can afford because per person from the age of 14 years old and below they're able to pay 1200 shillings and then 15 years and above they're able to pay 1500 shillings and then a monthly subscription will be 23 000 and this will be able to facilitate 12 lessons. Now for this business did you get funds from a bank? Did you get them from your savings account? Are there people who came on board to support you? It was always a dream for you to start this kind of a business because I believe for anyone who starts or ventures into business there's always that part of capital and capital can include our physical resources apart from money or finances in other words so for you how did you finally hack it? Did you borrow a loan from a bank? Did you receive handouts from well-wishers or donors? And now that you're also schooled at an overseas university how did it go? So when we started I first of all want to say thank you to my family the first people who came in and supported me and then friends also from where I started I studied people came and supported me and also bring the brought funds you know and currently since you're facing now a challenge of raising capital since this is not something that we can just do as small people we want to want to share this piece of cake because it's a big piece of cake whereby you're able to welcome all sponsors and partnership who will be able to be interested in investing in us. Yeah so if maybe a sponsor or someone who's watching right now that they'll be interested to partner with you to sponsor that like you say are there like benefits you know somebody also would don't just sponsor something that's not benefiting them even me too you know and I want to sponsor something definitely I must be getting a share an equal share of it is there any benefits of anyone joining on board? Actually yeah for anyone who will be able to invest in us they will be able to have a special monthly subscription with us and also be able to put since this is something that they will be able also to put them in a rollout in outside country mostly their kids who will be able to be interested in this competitive environment because this is something that you can create a career out of it you know and so we have looked and dived into how every party can be able to benefit into it and also in terms of returns of investment we'll be able to return it back actually after six years because in the first years and in the first years we're able to have that emerging curve of profits yeah and looking at the net profit from the first year to the second year there's an improvement of 16 percent you know and for sure for anyone who is in business you can really understand these numbers you know yeah but you know that when you look at the ecosystem or rather the climate of the business is right now especially small medium enterprises small and medium sized enterprises the market is not so stable now with their high taxation rate the economy is on a flip-flop or rather in a nosedive and like it's just uncertain in short stablent times for even a young entrepreneurs when you look at what you've started for this in this time of a season do you feel like you're on the road to goodness Amayou also it's also unpredictable you just don't know when it's going to kick off and become something big or you're just trying out by faith by power actually this is a market that we have really looked into it this is a market that we have been able to study it because according to global news this is a market of 172.9 billion US dollars and looking at that market truly it's a bigger market and also when you come here in Kenya we are trying to attract a market of 1.5 percent among the people who according to KRA because the number of people here in Kenya who are earning it's a ratio of three percent three percent yeah yeah so is the market favorable are the conditions favorable i might still not uh it's favorable it's favorable according to where you sit yep right according to a mastercard study say 66 percent of SMEs in Kenya are optimistic about this year however 73 percent of SMEs in Kenya are concerned about the rising cost of doing business and access to catapult capital pardon me and taxation and most of them are have been complaining about lack of capital like i've said lack of managing skills lack of market inability to borrow funds lack of sponsors and then also most of them are aiming for tools like the digital space and this this again includes also when it comes to the digital space now that we have a lot of young people in it creating opportunities for them so are you creating opportunities because that's actually the dream to create not only just for you but for others yep yep are you creating an opportunity in that business yeah because looking at this spot as we know the government right now they are saying Talantahela initiative right they want to bring money to the youth through sports you know and so for us since in the sports sector we'll be able to create opportunities to for everyone who wants to move up the competitive rack whereby they're able to have a good career they're able to build actually looking at the winter sport market in terms of career making it's not a crowded market you know so it's not like we can say like football you know it's a very crowded market before a place seen up there it will take him or she time you know and for this we'll be able to make you attain and achieve your career goals and dreams and also get paid also yeah there's an interesting update here that says let me get it right it says 1.5 Kenya has an estimate of 1.5 million formally registered MSMEs and over 5 million informal MSMEs and they collectively generate 30 percent of that is the gross domestic product and provide most of them are non-agricultural employment and this includes creating opportunities and the sighted platforms like a Agira digital program the digital marketing service providers that is for SMEs that have actually ventured into the digital space personally for you guys are you using the technology tools to propel your business because I believe now we have an intrinsic influences for anyone to come up and get you know known yes you can use the digital platform because now you have people that already have influence in those social media platforms to push that brand so anytime soon are you guys venturing into that space yeah actually have you already okay sorry actually it was in our plan of bringing influencers actually we have been speaking with a few of the influencers here and there we're just we're just it's just a matter of us giving them a green light when to start and so we are also welcoming other influencers to come in on board so that we can be able to make this dream a reality yeah so what about awareness creating awareness for this business how are you doing it we have actually created our we have a facebook account whereby we have about 525 likes into this business yeah and we believe that we'll be able to venture also into instagram and all other social media platforms yeah like a platform like x and now people are earning not even a business exactly individually people are being paid to be on x if you have a good engagement a number a certain number of followers you're getting you know some token from x hopefully you guys will use such platforms now when it comes to also business every business has competition and sometimes competition is healthy I believe every competition is healthy but this I have interviewed a couple of entrepreneurs on this show who said sometimes there's unhealthy competition where you start a business and somebody opens another exactly similar business like yours so you find clients prefer to go to this other side and not this other side and it becomes unfavorable so for you I do you have competition actually yes from who from Panari hotel and the Panari as Kirank but looking at what they're doing and what we are doing it's a bit different and so for us also in the future because as an entrepreneur you have to look at the edge the corner of your business you know so for us we'll be able to receive a special permit from this forest services that only allows such a facility to exist in a particular a county or an area because looking at it because it uses a lot of water and also a lot of electricity but for us we have been able to cut costs we're able to cut cost of electricity and we're able to use a solar panel and this will be able to power the green initiative the green initiative movement of clean renewable energy all right that's a very integral part now I'm remembering about the attire so you guys have some form of shoes that somebody needs to be trained to use them maybe if you can just also paint for us a picture about that part is it for people that already have done it before I'm even for amateurs so someone who's new or they have an interest of skiing is it snowboarding or skiing because skiing also involves water and waves but please you can clarify this is about snowboarding and snow skiing snowboarding and snow skiing so anyways the act is skiing that way yeah yeah and for us we for every client before they ski these are forms they will have to fill to showcase if they have ever done such a thing before or are they people who are starting amateurs yeah and if they are amateurs themselves they're able to train them you know and they'll be able to have a particular a different zone whereby they're able to use simulators these the ski simulators whereby there's no snow onto it it's just a board which rolls you know so they will be able to have the ski the ski board shoes that are able to use in their training and then after that we'll be able to climb the ladder and now we will come you into the zone of the snow the snow environment itself yeah all right looks sounds and looks complemented complicated but also easy anyways so it's open to anyone from adults to kids and anyone who wants to venture into it yeah where exactly at Konza Konza in Malili town yeah currently we have we in the process of securing a plot in Malili town we're able to use a optimum optimum firm and there we'll be able to create this a facility that we're able to accommodate the temperatures and also be able to accommodate a safe environment for both kids and adults so that because our motto is to be the best and to make sure that no client moves there with an injury we want to make sure that every client moves there with a smile so you have safety gear yeah which are we're able to have we have a knee cup the knee cups the equipments and also we're able to have also helmets also yeah yep all right so even ladies too can can come in snowboard or ski fun uh what about good times are there good times in that uh because you've said you started this year yep so how many for how long have you been in business for it actually it was a two years uh two months two months now yeah wow that's a that's a baby business yep but it's a good one incredible so have you experienced good times and bad times because of course there's those good and bad times uh but for me I'd say maybe for a good business for you to see if it's going to last for long and you as an entrepreneur you can foresee the good side and the bad side at least give it half a year half a year you're up on as a jewel this one is going to be stable so have there been good times already and bad times in these two months that you've been in business actually yeah the good times as we all know is that uh feedback from our client is very very very important you know and we have been able to receive very good uh uh feedbacks and uh the fall back is that uh where we were before uh since uh of the architectural designs of uh the rooms uh the rooms that we had it was uh not uh it was not uh accommodating uh the snow because it was turning after 15 minutes was turning into water and uh so for us we saw that's not uh a good thing to bring to our clients you know and so that's why we opted to create a bigger uh facility itself yeah yeah I'm interested and to say so far for you have you learned anything as an entrepreneur now that you've ventured into it actually yes maybe what are some of the skills that you'd love to share with our viewer who's learning about snowboarding and skiing okay about snowboarding it's uh snowboarding and I'm one of these uh the skill of uh patience mm-hmm that's a very uh biggest uh I can say the the main uh the main lesson patience number two we have uh number two we have uh what do we uh I'm I'm searching for that one okay uh we have uh all right let me also refresh it uh when even when we when I got into this job boss from radio and you know there's a way you try to transition from something different that you're used to and out to something else that you have to learn on it so maybe what are some of the things that have changed since you started doing this business in you even personally interpersonally from the relationships you have with people and now from the relationship you're having with people in business how is it how are some of the things that have changed for you uh I've been able to improve in my listening skills nice yeah and uh and this was uh based on our clients uh needs and wants yeah number two uh we have been able to create a very loving family you know because uh everyone of us can be able to go to start shining star that they do believe in okay and uh the other thing is that uh we the other thing I've learned is about timing nice you know yep bigger good timekeeper being a good listener but but then also uh that also includes feedback in between because you know there's there's people get disappointed also maybe you can tell us uh when I can you tell if a client or a customer has uh is satisfied because sometimes uh for those that have digital businesses they they have a place where you can rate the service uh the likes of bolt and even these are the services as well that are on digital platforms you're able to rate give it five star three star ten star depending on the category of the business so can you tell if a customer has received excellent service and you can even read the body language uh yes uh in terms of a body language we have gotten a very positive feedback and then when it comes to uh the starting itself since it was not uh since the snow was turning into water we got uh two percent into it yeah yeah nice I have like three questions and then we go uh what is the future of this business maybe what are some of the things you're planning on board to expand it now that it's Christmas Christmas is finally here the whole actually have only two weeks and then this year is done so now that the holidays are finally here and uh you've been in business for two good months and uh probably you have a vision board what is the vision for this business uh for this coming year and also this year ends uh the first thing is uh the first thing is uh I will be able to use my our mission our mission which is being the best we're able to create uh productive and a fun experience to our clients and this is through facilities this is through uh good customer services you know and then our long-term vision is that and also I can be able to put it into also our exit plan is that I will be able to put the facility into a public option yeah right um what about for you individually where do you see yourself as this business continues to grow okay uh I'll be able to also reinvest my money into the business because I believe uh it's just like uh there's a story I was hearing actually of two wolves you know one uh one is a good wolf and the other one is a an evil wolf an evil wolf and uh the one you feed the most that that's where you're able to feed yourself yeah you know so for me since I do believe in this uh facility I'll be able to reinvest uh my capital back yeah and also provide uh more uh innovative uh innovative uh ways to uh to improve it into becoming a better facility in the future do you see 2024 as uh a year where this business is going to blow up for you actually uh no why why not why aren't you not optimistic it's not a big optimistic it's just uh you know in business yeah the first year the second day the third year it's not always a good year okay until the fourth year whereby now we're able to receive positive feedback from the business itself yeah so I believe in uh 2024 uh if the investors are able to come in they're able to create it and then they're able to start the operations in 2027 even though it would be an elect an election year I know we'll be able to receive very uh minimal clientele's yeah you know and that's in our uh financial projections have been able to consider that yeah and so from 30 uh 2027 uh 2028 2029 2030 and then in 2020 uh 2031 that's where you're able to now see uh our feedback now all right and if you say so man I believe that but for uh but why don't you uh for example if you are to be optimistic and say uh let me give myself now that you've you've you've been in business for two years uh give yourself uh January 2024 February March it was six months and then you can determine whether you have to continue this business or you have to quit it because of course you must have alternatives as well but then you've said you've talked about patience and and strategy I believe strategy is really important in attacking anything so why can't you uh strategy as in position yourself at a place where if it's not giving you returns in six months I have to focus on something else uh shouldn't that be part of the options you've got it's part of the option uh and uh but our main focus right now is uh uh bringing uh first of all we have to bring first of all investors first okay because uh after that I believe in uh I believe when it's done uh we're able to have uh we're able to also things do is marketing do we have we have a good strategy in our business plan actually which will be able to facilitate the business into a positive pickup actually all right now how many people do you have on board for the business currently we have a team of five yep and uh so who handles what and what happens where okay for me as a CEO you are the CEO I'm speaking to the CEO guys you know each time I usually have CEOs on this on this uh uh interview at John got to see you on your pizza they have a lot of interactions of money networks it doesn't matter bro once you become a CEO last set the universe has already recorded you're a CEO and your CEO are special people CEOs are special people so I'm speaking to a very special guy so please tell us tell us okay and uh also we have a familiar label since uh I'm the founder I have to work here and there you're almost everywhere I'm almost everywhere there we have uh accountant we have an accountant right and then we have a marketer uh personnel yeah is he is she or he using the digital platforms uh actually uh yes uh actually is the one who uh put us into the facebook page yeah and actually currently is working into the instagram accounts yeah which is a very integral and pertinent part of our illness in terms of creating the business all right so uh and what is what is the fun maybe let me put it like this what is the good side of you uh having this business for anyone who doesn't know for now just for now now you've said it's only two months anyways but what is the how hot does it feel being on the other side and owning this business is it do you feel uncertain are there moments where you're worried you're like god says oh what did I get myself into and then there are times you wish oh god seem to own a tour could you support a vision do you have such moments actually every entrepreneur has that you know yeah everyone has uh the mindset of uh because in a business uh when it's uh when you're starting uh you don't have that support that's the big support you know and uh for me I'm not waiting for the right time to have that full support as we all know uh as entrepreneurs we work and uh we work not when it's the right time but we create the right uh we create the perfect actually the perfect moment uh for us to thrive in the business yeah you know and uh and uh also uh as an entrepreneur also we have been able to to uh learn things here and there yeah let me just feel like that right okay we have to go by the way uh just one last one before you tell us anyone who wants to partner with you and uh get to support this business do you feel like when the government uh has to consider such a business uh is there is is there is there a way that they can also benefit from it i mean they just have to support that's all because this business is creating an opportunity anyways but it looks more of like um a recreational a recreational uh venture not like an income and come train to me okay is it more of a recreational venture because uh snowboarding is is more of a luxury sport right it's not like a basic need or a basic mini venture uh first we want to create a we wouldn't say it's a luxurious thing because for us we want to create a fun environment uh due to this stress and all and all that's recreation you know that's recreational yeah true true yeah and so if the government comes in i believe we'll be able to work something out whereby they're able to benefit uh from the from the sport itself yeah all right thank you so anybody who wants to partner sponsor and find you out and check out where can they find you there's we go actually um my our page is a ski fun training center uh in facebook and uh my number is uh 0 7 10 60 54 39 and i also uh i don't know if you're able to share the the bank uh the bank statements and all that yeah absolutely absolutely now that you've gotten your number they've you've given it to them they'll get in touch and you know the you'll share all those caribou son and thank you so much for coming so much all right we have been speaking to dominica geccia gikariya he's the founder and ceo of ski fun training center right here telling us about you know the snowboarding business and i believe if you've been watching from the beginning till right now you've learned a lot now it's the first season definitely tell about having fun with your family and definitely you know the right plug to contact and that is dominic and um this uh note right here i think it's time for us to take a very short break when we come back we have a lot more lined up for you so tell our friend to tell our friend it's merry christmas right here and a happy new year now that i'm in my costume is definitely about good vibes and inshallah at y 254 channel underscore on the gram uh facebook instagram and x as well minds personal is at brand circle 101 on that hashtag which is why in the morning we take a break we come back with much more stick around