 Your phone? Okay. All righty, fantastic. Welcome back. You're still hanging out with us right here on Why in the Morning. And I'm so, so excited that you're still right there. But before we get too far, I want us to do each other a favor, right? You can plug in on the hashtag Why in the Morning. And today, this segment right here, I love it. And I know you love it too. It's all about entrepreneurs. Sometimes you bring influential people that have something, not only that impacts their lives themselves only, but others as well. And this is where I love it because you get to have insights. You get to delve into deeper conversations and get to understand different worlds, especially when you come to creating, you know, something meaningful for yourself. Wanting to offer a channel is the social media at Brian's Aquana One and the hashtag is still Why in the Morning. And just in case you're not seated in front of your TV screen, you can always jump in on our website, which is www.kbc.co.ke4-y254. And just remember, we are available on Punks, Signature as well. Go TV as well. Come on now. And many other TV distribution platforms. You can find us there as Y254 Channel. And I'm so excited. We have live in studio with us, the creator of the Montauk KE podcast. I'm sure you have come across that on YouTube and he's right. Live with us here in studio. I don't want to butcher your name though. Is it Eli or Eli? It's Eli. Eli Mwenda. Oh, Eli Mwenda. Yeah, yeah, Eli. Nice. Good morning to you. Nice to meet you in person. Thank you so much. I'm happy to be here, man. How does it feel being talked about on blogs as well, being published in the newspapers? How does it feel? I think for me, I always appreciate when a light is shown on something that you're doing, that you care about. So for me, when there's recognition from traditional media, coming places like here, seeing newspapers, it's a blessing. It's 100% a blessing. So I like it. Do sometimes get scared that someone will write something so gibberish and you'll be like, where did you get those details? Especially when it comes to relationships, sometimes it can be crazy. Yeah, so I think because of the way I've curated my brand specifically and the boundaries I've kept, it's going to be very rare that there's any information out there that's negative. And just generally the way I live my life, it's going to be rare that there's something I do that's going to have a negative story attached to it. So I don't worry too much. And I think the journalists I've spoken to most of the time, that I have friends of mine or you've had a good rapport, and it comes with a lot of respect. So that fear is obviously there, but I don't see it happening anytime soon. It doesn't give you shivers and shatters. I see very well, I see very well. I love the fact that you're so brave. Because you know, social media streets in Kenya, they are the get-through. Honestly, it just depends how you curate your brand. I think sometimes people let people in too much. And when you do that, then there's room for, you know, people scrutinizing and things. But if you just keep yourself to yourself, put out what needs to be put out, I think you're okay. But you just give them what they should know. Exactly, have your boundaries, have your boundaries. As we get to boundaries now, let's get to know you a little bit. I understand you're born in Kenya but raised in the UK. Yes, yes. And you came to Kenya, you came back to Kenya like four years ago. Yeah, yeah. How's that experience, by the way? Yeah, so yeah, I was born in Nairobi, born in Westlands. I left when I was a few months old. Okay. Then I went to the UK with my family at the time and then grew up there, came back when I was in my mid-20s. And it was a holiday, so I didn't actually plan to come back to Kenya. But I really enjoyed it when I did and I was into some businesses and it went well. Then I started doing social media, the podcast and I made a really good group of friends here and also the weather was fantastic. So I said, let me just move my stakes and put them here. So it's been a very interesting four years. It's coming up to four years now. No regrets, I really enjoyed it. Permanently in Kenya now? Permanently. The day that I bought a cat, I said this means... Oh, the day you bought a cat? So you're a cat, you know, there's always cats, cat mom, dog mom. Yeah, yeah, I'm a cat dad. How do we call you now? You're a cat dad. You're a cat dad. Oh my goodness. So when I did that, I said I'm definitely here if I bought a cat. Because of your cat? Exactly. What's your cat's name? Nala. Nala. Female? Yes. Wow. Hi Nala, just in case you heard this show, we said, all right, interesting details. Now, when it comes to even, you know, content creation, your podcast mom just took over two, five, four by storm. You started receiving a lot of recognition. Initially, we didn't have, you know, men who are creating content for men. But when you carved that niche for yourself, it suddenly, you know, took over, you know, the two, five, four digital space by storm. How did that idea materialize? Did you always hold that in mind? Yeah. Or did you always, you know, see yourself some day just, you know, advocating for men, talking about men conversation. And not just men alone, you're in, you're also incorporating women as well. See, it's men incorporated in women's spaces and women's spaces incorporated in men's spaces. Yeah. How did that come to materialize for you? So I always start with this story because I think it's quite motivating because it's something I want to do. So every year, I make a vision board with my family. So on new years, we put down what we want to do, et cetera. So during my year before coming to Kenya, no, the year that I came to Kenya, sorry, I put on my vision board that I want to have a show. That's a positive show. So then maybe... Was it for TV or digital? I didn't know. I just saw, in the vision board, I put a picture of like cameras and mics. And I said, I just want to be speaking about something positive. So I didn't know how that would form, how that would look, right? All right. So that was the angle I wanted to go down. Okay. And then so fast forward a few months, I was speaking to one of my friends who had a good location and he was like, I want to use this location for a show. I said, brilliant, I want to make a show. So he started there with like four of us making the show. And then as time went on, I bumped into my now co-host, which is Oscar Comet, who was a lawyer. He still is a lawyer, but he's studying at the moment. So we realized after some time that me and him had very aligned goals when it came to how we want to speak about society and the kind of space you want to create for young men. So through that, we started being just us two as the podcast. And the mission when we started it, it's called Mantle because we assumed that the men are going to be the ones that are tuning in. They'll be watching. Exactly. Yeah. So that was the angle we took off the bat. Right. But then quickly we realized that women also want to tune into these conversations. Yeah. So instead of being male focused, we said why don't we make it a place where both genders, people from different thought, from different thought ideas can come and have a safe space to express themselves and talk and have a community where we're open to learn at the same time. So it's become a platform where me and my co-host Oscar will start the conversation, start a discussion, but then we'll discuss now with the community every single week and we'll go live on Instagram every single week and have meaningful conversations. Because I think a lot of the time, the kind of social media that we have out there, there can be very toxic, very negative narratives. So our idea is to basically be the people that kind of balance the darkness and light. That was the idea. And it's been a fantastic journey so far. It's coming up to three years with the podcast now and we've impacted a lot of people and it's been very nice to finally sort of get to the point where it's a sustainable business, it's a production company and it's sort of running itself. But it didn't, you said take it by storm. It didn't really do that. It was, it's been a long, it took a long time. You had to process the process. Exactly. Invested a lot of money and a lot of time, but finally it's coming up. A lot of investing. My goodness. Yeah. Oh my goodness. If somebody would just watch a podcast on YouTube, they'd be like, you just bought a microphone, you started recording, but there's a lot of production like what are you doing right now behind that podcast as well. My goodness, yeah. Did you have to hire people or are you hard to do it yourself? Yeah, so when we first started, we started with a production company. We went through about four or five production companies. It's very hard to find people that align with your work ethic. And consistently as well. Consistently and the quality and then within budget. So it took a long time. But we finally have a production company called Artlight Studios, a fantastic team. So our company and their company work together. They produce for us and other podcasts now as well and other clients, but they're just a fantastic team that we've been with for now over a year. But yeah, they've held our hand because they were very expensive, but they said, listen, we love what you're doing. Let's sort of grow together. So it's important to have a product that, you know, your partners can support because they believe in the product. So that's been a massive blessing for us. And you have quality content. Exactly. Content is expensive, you know. So expensive. That's just something that you wake up in and slap something into something. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And as well, you do the research, you know. You have to look at the dynamics of, you know, how do we come up with something that will, you know, not only just, you know, create attention, but positively impact people who are watching on the other side. So in short, you're a journalist practicing on a digital platform. Yes, but I like the independence I have of my own kind of platform. But yeah, journalists in some spaces, yeah. Right. Would you do radio before you get to the business now? Would you? I'm sure there's a couple of radio stations who are like, hey, can you come to my show? Yeah, that's definitely happened. The issue is sometimes when you're discussing and negotiating, they're like, you can't now do your podcast. So I've had really good deals, but I can't do the podcast. It's like a contract to send you from your podcast or your podcast should air on the radio station. Yeah, other syndicating, et cetera. But so basically what I've said is my priority is the communities I've built. I'm not going to ever do a decision based on cash. So the podcast is number one. If I can do radio alongside that. That's like your first baby. Yeah, it's my baby. Yeah, we're my buddy. It's your first love. Yeah, we've grown it. We've invested in it. So yeah, I don't really chase opportunities based on money. I chase it on impact. Right. And I think the podcast has way more impact than sometimes traditional media. But if I was to get into that space, the check has to be okay. Right. And also the negotiation has to be okay. Yeah. I'm not aware of this cast when you're done. How much you're up behind this story for another day. But did you always like stem from a place of, you know, is it like something that self-inspired or something that you just looked around and went and said, now in Kenya, this is the niche. Apart from like you mentioned, you wrote it on your vision board. And you said, you know, it's just a podcast. But then when it manifested, it became an amazing thing, you know. Yeah. Did it stem from as a place of inspiration or research? So when I started creating my social circle in Kenya, I did it because the business I was doing offline, I didn't really interact with people my age or with the same interests. But when I started posting on social media, I created like a small following which meant I now had sort of friends in that space. So I started making content based on fashion to kick off with. But then I realized like fashion is fine. It's good. I really think you should dress well and feel good. But at the same time, I wanted to do something way more because from conversations I was having, there was a lot of men in pain and there wasn't a space for them to go to to see other men maybe talk about that pain in an articulate way. So it came from having conversations with my peers and then just seeing the scope. And I'd already gone on a self-development journey myself maybe like two years prior. So I'd had so much, I'd learned so much. Were you like going through something traumatizing, mentally draining or something? Not really. I think when you hit 25, something happens where you're like, okay, I'm now... Does I shift? Yeah, something happens. I don't know what it is, but that shift I was like, I'm so invested now in myself. So I took that journey mentally, physically, even spiritually. And because of that, I got so much help from virtual mentors online like listening to other podcasts. And I said, why don't I take that information, put it in a Kenyan context and now try and serve somebody else. So trying to basically pass on that journey now to someone else. And that seems to have worked. So that's how the podcast and the thinking came about. Hence the vision board, hence the wanting to help people. Before we get to the reception, let's switch to your business a little bit. And I love the fact that, you know, I'm sure you'd agree, the mantra podcast is the one that gave birth to your InstaMarket254 business. Would you agree? No, so how it actually happened, they run concurrently, but the InstaMarket started before Mantalk. Oh, it started before Mantalk. So me and my sister, I won't take too much time, but me and my sister basically wanted to sell our clothes to our followers because they were saying, we love what you wear. Are you ever going to be getting rid of it? If so, how can I buy it? So we said, okay, let's make a space where people can come and buy influences, yeah, buy specifically from influences because people follow them for fashion. So when they want to get rid of things, your target market will specifically influence us. To be the vendors. The vendors will be the influencers. And then the audience was supposed to be the people that come that follow them. But when we started posting about it online, we realized that so many people were interested and they had small businesses. So I said, okay, we'll have influences and then other small businesses. So we did one market, it was supposed to be one market, and we had like 10 vendors that we wanted to do at the time, that were influencers. By the time we put out the registration form for now anyone else, we had about 60 vendors. And so basically 50 of them were small businesses. So we said, okay, let's keep doing this monthly because they came, they made so much money and it's been going ever since every month for about three years coming up to four. So that started completely independent with me and my sister. That's one company and the other company is now the production with Man Talk. Okay. Yeah, so very, very different, very, very different areas. Various. So this was before the Man Talk. It was before Man Talk, yeah. Maybe like three, four months beforehand. Wow, amazing. Yeah. Now let's get to Instagram. Why Instagram though? Because I know there's a lot of businesses which they have a heavy presence on digital platform. Unless they have a chaotic, less massive following on social media as well. But those that will basically go Twitter, those that will go Facebook, but yours is purely centered on Instagram, intentionally centered on Instagram? So, yes, but I know the smart thing to do is to actually diversify because platforms all have an expiration date. But where I've grown the most has been Instagram because I think especially when I sort of came here it was the number one platform. I think TikTok at the moment is maybe, maybe above that I'd say, in different markets. But Instagram for me was just a nice place because it went from just photos to now video content as a place as a creative that I could express and connect with people like I mentioned, I met all of my friends when I came here via Instagram because I knew nobody when I arrived. So, I think because I started on Instagram that's been my number one platform. The space we are at the moment in Kenya in terms of the digital space, there's a lot of money to be made on Instagram if you're consistent and grow your audience. So for me, I look at that now as literally my job. And I didn't, prior to this, I didn't think digital, 100% yes. So there's my primary earnings, I want that to be from Instagram because it's something I really enjoy doing. So it was natural that I started to enjoy it, that I started to make money on it. So it's definitely why I'm staying on that platform. But maybe coming into next year, I do have a TikTok. But I don't think... You post very often? No, that's the thing. That's the thing. I started posting and then during COVID, everyone started during COVID on TikTok. You experience that TikTok block. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. So yeah, I'd say if you're creative and you want to start, I'd say diversify, be on multiple platforms. Right. And TikTok is good because it's on TikTok, Instagram, Spotify, all-podcast platforms, and YouTube. So I'd say if you're creating something, have multiple platforms because it helps growing each of them if there's ecosystem. But currently, primarily to answer your question, I'm on Instagram, as me. For now. For now. Now, speaking of that note, how do you basically find the tools to even propel your brand? For example, there could be a Mamboga watching. I know five years from now all Mambogas will go digital. And I love the fact that the government has rolled out at least 500 services are now going to be on E-Citizen, which is a digital platform. You'll no longer have to go to Nyaya House. You'll have to use your mobile phone. Exactly. And now when it comes to business-wise, for a person watching right now, and they want to make their brand visible on social media, and I love the fact that you're using Instagram Market, the tool, how can they go around that route? Yeah, I'd say, I always say if you fail to plan, you plan to fail, right? I'd say if you're going into it, don't just start without a sustainable model as to how you're going to keep making content on that platform. What I always say is create some pillars as to what you want that brand online to be. And then you're going to be able to work backwards, create a content calendar, and be consistent. Why consistency is the most important because there's an algorithm you're working with. So if you want to be able to post every single day, you need to have planned before. You're not always going to be inspired, even if you're a business. So it's creating that sustainable model, being consistent, and then also making sure you have high quality content over a long period of time and authentic content. High quality doesn't mean you need the latest iPhone. High quality means be smart with the lighting. High quality means collaborating with people that also are in that space and they have high quality content. So those would be definitely the two. And I'd say the final thing is patience because if you want to grow on a digital platform, it doesn't grow when you want it to grow. It grows when you're exactly, when your audience resonates, when you've been consistent, or if you do something once or twice that sits very well and it kind of propels you and amasses a great audience. But the final pillar I would say as well is make sure you're giving value because a lot of people, when you start on social media, you kind of think it's because it's about me. But it's not about me. It's about what you give in the people that want to follow you. Exactly. For somebody to follow you, they need to have a reason. That's going to keep them there for a long period of time. So give value, be consistent, and have high quality content. Yeah. Yeah. Fantastic. But Instagram has also evolved, you know, initially there wasn't that shopping tool. Yeah. And now there's that shopping tool. Yeah. You can access different products, different companies as well. How did you discover that? And if you are to, you know, explain to someone how to go about that, how can they do it? I think, okay, so Instagram is one place on socials that you can go to. But if you're literally just using search engines like Google, they will break down exactly what you should do, examples of how people have used their business to now, you know, use Instagram as a shopping tool. Like the tools are all there. You can even use like WhatsApp business. You can link the two. Yeah. There's so many tools online. There's drop shipping. There's so many options. And I think sometimes people want you to give them the direct answer. But I always say go and literally Google exactly what you want to find out and now implement it. Because if I was to start naming each way that you can sort of create revenue and link your pages will be here all night. But if you want to find out about how to link it, just go on YouTube, University of YouTube. There's literally, Exactly. Yeah. There's because there's so many tools on Instagram. There's so many strategies on Instagram that people have literally created like toolkits. There's ebooks, et cetera. So there's so many resources online that you can use to now better your business. But I think the ones I want to express are basically the principles in terms of your approach to it like mentality in terms of consistency. But when it comes to practical tools, tech tools, there's so many guys online that I've got. They break it down for you. Yeah. Yeah. And I love that they've made it so fluid that you can collaborate with the business and sponsor most of the time. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. With the Instagram market, you mean? Yeah. Yeah. So with Instagram market, that used to be one of the main things of our business. We put a budget aside to create sponsored ads because as much as organic content is brilliant, especially if you're an individual, as a business sometimes you want to be able to target your specific client. And so the brilliant thing that Instagram does or Facebook does is you have an ad manager. So you can actually go and select the exact demographic, the exact city you wanted to be in and exactly how much money you want to put behind it. That really helps getting you in front of people's faces because attention right now is here and you want to be able to get people's attention when they're scrolling at lunchtime, et cetera. So I'd say that's one tool. Also, if you're making organic content, then you just need to look at your analytics regularly so that you're able to see when my audience online, when's the optimal time to post, et cetera. Right. Yeah. In terms of engagement, like how do you know like there's 10 people who have clicked on this post? Yeah. Is that tool like you have? Yeah. There's a backend. There's a backend. There's a lot of insights. That will break down your audience size, location, good times for posting, which posted well, which did bad, exactly how many views. So it's being very diligent and going into those tools that the platform gives you on a regular basis to be able to now identify what's the optimal time, what's the optimal customer. And if you use all of those things, you're going to grow over time. All right. I'm told you have like a minute to go because we have to go to another segment. Or some of the people you have collaborated with before you get to the game time segment that you give credit to that how pushed you so far. So good. And you still enjoy working with them. My goodness. So I think on the podcast, I think the place that gave us the most traction are Saudi Soul Guys, so Bien, Fancy Fingers. We haven't interviewed the other two yet. And also Over 25, amazing channel, the TMI podcast, Georgie Durango, Ritimi, and just BBC's Georgie Durango. Yeah. Yeah. So those kind of guys have really have come on and helped the platform because we've been exposed to their audience as well. So yeah, those are some of my buddies that have come on and really helped us. Okay. I wanted to go to a game and then you'll tell us what is the next future for Manta KG. And I'd love to also feature on that. Yeah, for sure. We have my number. You have my number. Yeah. We'll have our conversation. So I wanted to go to a very short game segment and I want to blast you on to put you on the sport. Yeah. I want to test your singing ability. Just a little bit. Okay. And I'm going to pick the rough one. So the first song, the game is complete, the lyrics. And the first song is Farid Williams' Happy. Yeah. So let me start for you. Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof. Come on. Vocal. Complete. Clap along if you feel like happen. This is what you want to do. Is that it? Yeah, you got it. Is that it? Continue, continue. Wait, wait. Come along if you feel like a room without a roof. Because I'm happy. Come along if you feel like happiness is the truth. Yes, you got it. You got it. You got a one mark. One. Okay. I'm going to put you to, let me blast you with the deal that is by Ruga. The first line is bad man looking good in deal. Bad man. Drip to the course. Sports car, striped in a row. No, sports car, parked in a right spot. Bad man something. You got it. You got it. I'll take it. You are rigging this game. This one will blast you. Okay. One debanton featuring Tewa Savage. His song is Wahala. This one you are getting a zero. I'm sure. Okay. Let me give you the first lyrics. Problem in under finish. Eh. Make it a day. Enjoy. Blah, blah, blah, blah. Yeah, that one I'm on zero. That one. Zero deal. Zero deal. You've taken an L for that one. Yeah, I'll take that. The last one. Our favorite song in the 254, Nairobi. Benzled. Nairobi. Uh-huh. Yolana. I see. Here's the thing. My Swahili is not great. Your Swahili is bad? Yeah. I know how it sounds, but I don't know the exact words. Oh my goodness. Yolana Kopea. Yolana Kopea. Yolana Kopea. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Yeah. I know the vibe, but I don't know the exact words. Okay. Last one. This one you know. I know you sing it like Mac or Conservative. I'm a towards to be Chris Brown featuring Omareon. Uh-huh. Ginya Aikom. Uh-huh. If you come close to me. She ain't going home where she's suppose to be. Yeah. Money looking for us to be. Yeah, you got it. You got a list to have three out of 3 to 5. Uh-huh. Congratulations. I'll take it. Ladies and gentlemen, the Oscar goes to you. A line window. It'd be a Grammy, no? It'd be a Grammy. Yeah, thank you. All right. Thank you so much for you time. As we exit, what is the future of Mantoc podcast? What are some of the behind the scenes project that you can tease to your viewers and your followers? So the aim of Mantoc is to have positive conversations on a larger scale consistently over time. We've done a very good job with Kenya and other African countries. The goal is to spread that and just show that African thought leaders can compete in any market, not just Africa. So it's a case of making the podcast accessible and reachable for people even outside of Africa. So that's the main goal, just basically growing and pushing the positive narratives across the world. That's the goal for Mantoc. The holidays are finally here, by the way. Before you say your social media, I just wanted to say just one short amazing message, Christmas message, and show that you mentioned us, by the way. So thank you so much. Merry Christmas and a happy new year to your fans. That's your camera. Just a short Christmas message, happy holiday day. Okay, okay, thank you so much. So yeah, guys, it is the holiday season. Stay safe when you're out there. Make sure you enjoy yourself. When you get to the end of the year, make some goals for next year. And when you're there as well, tune into Y254. So there's more guests like this and more conversations like this. So happy holidays and happy new year. Exactly. Social media, faster, faster as we go. Yes, Eli Mwenda is my personal social media, E-L-I-M-W-E-N-D-A. Mantoc.ke, M-A-N-T-A-L-K.K-E. And then InstaMarket, the InstaMarket 254 on all social platforms. So those are the three places you can find me and my businesses. Right? Yeah. Thank you so much for your time. Thanks for having me, man. Thank you, pleasure. Thank you. And nice to meet you in Ponson as well. Yeah, man. You're following me on social media. I'm very fond. Appreciate it, thank you, brother. Thank you, appreciate you. Thank you so much. That has been Eli Mwenda, talking to us about the world of InstaMarketing. And I'm sure definitely if you're watching and you're still watching, you've got some two, three, five insight. He's also the creator, the original founder. He's also the creator of the Man2K-E podcast, which is an amazing podcast that took over 254 by storm. We love it. We still love it. We watch it. On that note, we're gonna take a very short break. When we come back, we'll still continue the rest of the programming. Keep it on the hashtag, why in the morning? Brian Sacco 101, why 2-4-4 channel? Don't change the channel. Freeze.