 All right, welcome back to entrepreneurship Tuesday on why and the morning my name is by Moses or it's by one social media And it's time for our first interview of the day This gentleman right here has been from University to a music group and now doing his own thing He goes by name Utikas, which means patience and is here to share his story with us. Thank you Oh, you can introduce yourself just in case you missed anything. Yeah, my name is Utikas But I go by the name fortunate Utikas means fortunate. I mean, I'm a creative entrepreneur. That means I double in a lot of Fields and my gifts here. All right. I'm so happy to be here I always like to have people like you on set people who have different gifts and Explore their different gifts. So your t-shirt is Is you unit? Yeah, this is your merchandise. Yeah. Yeah, and fortunate is your knee. Yeah. Yeah All right. This is I see a 1% on the side. So fortunate 1% before we talk about anything I don't know. What is this about? the 1% like In every society We you'll only see that these the lucky 1% like the people the elite the people who have it and Sometimes it's a fad dream. We have the American dream the Kenyan dream But only 1% people get to achieve that. So the concept of 1% is all about that All of us are made for greatness. It doesn't mean that Those 1% that are out there the people who have it that you and I cannot get there So it's much more chosen to be that one. Yeah, sometimes if you like Yeah, you can it's actually a philosophy that I I may not be the best I am because I'm 1% it means I need all these other 99% still I still need them because we don't leave as Islands. Yes, we need to coexist. Yeah, we to coexist and so the aspect of 1% is much more You as I individually and being you Deciding to be I won't be part of the statistic But I'm where I am and I'm fortunate and I'm loving it though I may not be where I want to be I know where I'm going you're fortunate to be that one person Yeah, one of the powerful words right there. Thanks. You are an artist. You're a music producer. Yeah, you are a trained teacher You have taught for a while. Yeah, you have been part of the music group and Out of all these things I've mentioned. I don't which one comes first the music group or campus. Take me back So we so I finished school 29 2010 We started a group called 3 4 12 Mouhanji Clive Jimmy D Milome Milome. We actually went to school with Milome. Oh, yes, you went to the same high school. Wow amazing so after that we we did music for around six years and It was really good at that time. I was still in campus and I finished campus I started working still doing music and It was really a good time And I think we made memories and friendship. How did you guys actually link up tea photo? Ah, okay to photo style as a click So you just You guys are making Religious music you guys were preaching the one you're preaching the gospel. Sure. You're still preaching the gospel Yeah, you're still impacting people positive me Clicks you you're still rolling in clicks as well Okay, something there's something my my granddad told my dad Then your dad. Yeah. All right. So you say Things that you do in a group Will help you But always know that you are responsible for what you do at the end of the day So know where the group comes in and know where you as an individual you coming. Yeah, all right, and I've come to learn that Life is like water. Mm-hmm. So I enjoy the moments I have with people. Mm-hmm. So When I was in a crew, I loved it Like I believed we'll do this till you are seven. Mm-hmm. But now that I'm solo. Mm-hmm. I'm loving it You're loving it as well. Yeah. All right. I'm trying to imagine you as a teacher as well and still making music How was experience like? Okay, it was interesting I Like I used to teach about adverbs and proverbs But it was really interesting because I could use the music In the class setting so we're talking about pronouns. You're still telling the person Yeah, this is how you do it in the first person second person third person and It was really interesting. I really liked it, but I Found myself sometimes not really talking like I would find myself drifting to stories sometimes Telling people more about imparting them more than really teaching but teaching what is required of you in the outline? Yeah, I did that. It was like but I really love the one-on-one session. I hope your employer is not watching right now I know Okay, he was watching perfect because I really loved the offset off teaching sessions Like after teaching then I will come and talk you and you Get to connect the students talk about life. That was the part like I loved the lessons But I loved the after lessons. You love the after lessons. Yeah, did they connect with you differently? Do you feel like the students connected with you different from the other teachers in your in your surrounding? Yeah, I am person being somebody with that music quality and you know, it's very easy to teach with music to learn Yeah, so I think One thing that really made the students feel like I was one of them is because I was young. Yeah, and Funny enough it like I taught first in a girl's So it's really comes with it It was a challenge, but like principles and you can't do some stuff. Yes, but Principles only extend to you. You don't know about all of you was principles You know and some people are going to come try to infringe You know, yeah, but I like I really try to be professional and At the end of the day, you know, the bark stops with you. So I had to make sure that I keep What like what bought me there there? All right, so it was we are not even talking about your business yet And I'm already learning a lot from you When it comes to group dynamics, you need to understand your role as a person sure sure And when the group comes in true principles are very important. Yeah, so so far. I have those two two gems so Understanding your power as an individual. Yeah in the group dynamic. Yeah Did it help you to get to where you are today and is it the reason you're doing what you're doing today? Yeah, I think Understanding that all right We're in a group yeah, but first to survive I need to provide this this this and that I need to always be active and provide this this and that At least some of the things you're doing for yourself right now and did it impact you post it Well, I never thought I'd never answer this question ever and but for real it was because We had a mentor and a producer called gala and he would give us advice do this do this and Sometimes his advice would stop then we have to do the work, you know at the end of the day And we had to now get to learn the links where to do the branding where to get to hire stuff How do you organize an event? How do you organize a shoot? How do you organize a shoot? How do you talk with corporates? And those moments are the moments that really even channeled us to where everyone is right now From black like because I had to now find out what are we dressing? So if what are we selling for much? Where are we? Where are we getting them? So by then we started with wristbands. So we started with wristbands the most simple simple form of merchandise And guys are like, okay, then they started buying, you know at that time wristbands were nowhere Like you couldn't get custom wristbands. So that's where we started then we now started We went to pendants with the t-shirts then slowly by slowly other guys started asking for them and The rest is history business group. Yeah, the business group. All right So over time you learned a lot of things during this process. Yeah, and now you have You have your own productions. Sure. You're producing for yourself. You're producing for other artists You're co-working with other producers. You're into branding and the branding aspect grew for sure I'd like to talk about this Transitioning from having a music producer to now producing for yourself. How is it like? Well, it's it's really I Can't say that I'm there yet Because I have a like the partner. It's called wrong. It's really talented Superb is really good with the making beats and all and the engineering So I usually do like mostly of the art directing the songwriting part make like the producing part No, the sound engineering and all the other. Why yeah, let me not get you lost in the details Okay, I think I'm lost in here. No, no worries Production transitioning from having a producer to now directing your production having your own producer with you rather Yeah, so after we took a break from the group. I was able to get I was fortunate to join Nile up so we were told all about business models and We were able to know like restructure our businesses then I I We did your crowdfunding. It was my first time It was really which platform did you use to do crowdfunding? It was called It was called next economy next one. Yeah, it's led by Nile up. So with What we were able to get we bought a Microphone and that's how we started. So we are also like planning on now increasing our Output and doing more and all right and investing more in the business. Yeah. Yeah All right. So crowdfunding was a source of capital. It was a source. Yeah, all right Does it work? Yeah, it works. It worked. It worked. All right. Yeah, people who contribute Contributed do they follow up in the in the business? Are they all are all up in your space asking? What are you doing now? They're really They're really cool and unco signed Partners because they're really involved like if I put out anything out there. They'll be the people that will Yeah, they'll ask What have you done with this? How are you? How can we help you in this? They're really instrumental and I really value their feedback and their relationship. All right. I recently had guys Who are trying to to bring this crowdfunding concept in the country? Because they realized most of the people with ideas bunks don't like us man So crowdfunding is a future for Kenyans who have ideas What are some of the tips you can give somebody who's looking to raise capital this way? I can okay because I Can say mine wasn't as successful, but I learned something out of it, but mostly say I Really focus on The important things the important thing they put like what do you need because I Had this audacious goleani Audacious like Able to get a think is it was it one percent or two or like ten percent of it of what we had planned for so and That was able to get something so if if Sometimes if it comes to crowdfunding either reduce your Look gets to focus on what is there really the most important thing yeah, don't expectations Yeah, yeah, and Expect help from people that you don't expect. All right. Yeah Expect control be able to manage your expectations through you put it perfectly. Yeah manage your expectations and And You'll get help ready for surprises. Yes surprises. Yeah All right Remember you're on white by four channel on Twitter white by four underscore channel on Instagram I'd say four on Facebook and this is that day that the BB I report drops and we have we have a question on Facebook for you guys What are you expecting in this report and do you think it's going to impact us the way? It's intended to that is on Facebook We are looking forward to your feedback and we'll be sharing them with the world towards the end of the show So my guy, yeah, let's talk about branding now, which is something You're really passionate about sure you started quite simply without even knowing your brand Yeah wristbands you wanted t-shirts, but now you're doing it for yourself and other clients. How was it like? It's really a good experience and a space to be in and the process of creating because You know Okay, what's failed me and You can have a client can have this concept then bring it to life And the process of bring what they want to life is really I love that process So when someone says I want this t-shirt looking like this or I want or I want to achieve this But I need some branding on this line So it's really the process towards that is really what I really enjoy They changing and all that and making it Sometimes we are supersede what they wanted. All right, so it's really it's the process is what I really like the process is what you really like All right, so Some Corporates or some people have been accused of being very good at branding. Yeah Average products yeah, the product is not so much but the branding is super true true true and when you do this you run the risk of achieving Very good first week sales when it comes to music you have a good chance of achieving very good Launches, but in the long run. It doesn't happen. How do you manage to to to balance the product and the branding? I? Think using the the 5p is any like the product the price is Mostly the product and the price and the value that the people want because that's where People fall short so they want this price They want this value, but the price is way up and Sometimes you have to reach our consensus like this is what you want and this is what I can offer you and sometimes I notice some if if we don't get this clear way before these are things that really come back and They really hurt you they really hurt you really like I've really like I've had situations where I Someone was like I want this at this price. So I went Like when you put the value like the price before the value sometimes really Get to hurt yourself. You hurt yourself as a business person Sometimes even emotional Why then you like why did why did we start all this all together? All right, so it's sometimes just Having to understand this is what you want and this is what will cost you and this is what we can go for This is what we can get. This is what I want. What I want is always here. Yeah What you can get is always somewhere here, and then what you're going to get is always so It comes back to what you said managing expectations So how do we bridge this discrepancy between what you want and what you get? How can we make it really seamless? How can we bring it to what you want? This you can only learn over time. Yeah, it's time. Yeah, let's get a taste of what you do in living color So maybe if we can get some pictures on the screen to show us What I would rather you take us a.k.a. Mr. Foshige does as I said But remember we are on Facebook at white 5 4 on Twitter at white 5 4 underscore channel and on Instagram on Instagram at white 2 5 4 Channel. All right. So this is you right here. Not In that sense, this is your work right here. Yeah, all right. So what is happening here? So this is this is a poncho It's not yet. It doesn't have any brand. So usually we create Samples, yeah samples then if you want now to get it branded Like maybe your name or your company or your logo now. That's when you take it the way father All right, so this might end up with a company logo. Yeah, I kind of the company logo So companies are going for things like this custom made things like this But most it companies and also individuals also in the individual so that some people who just want their names on their on their stuff But they're just a typical a typical lawyer typical teacher typical doctor But they'd like to have their name on a piece of clothing that they own true some sometimes what even really Their name. Maybe it's a mantra that they live by or something. Yeah So someone will really put their name, but they can Something about something that speaks speaks for them speaks for them. Yeah All right, I feel that this is also another sample, right? Sure. Sure. All right. Who's taking the pictures by the way? These are the pictures that you send to clients. Yeah, I do. Yeah, show them the samples that yeah, yeah, who takes the pictures Okay, I walk with several studios and several photographers. Yeah, all right. So you got sauce when it comes to that Yeah, yeah, all right in our soon God only So this is also sample forget including the hat. Yeah. Yeah. This is another one. Yeah All right, this is this is my favorite so far the brown one. Yeah, the brown jumper right there That is my favorite so far. This is also a sample. Yeah, it's just somewhere. All right. Why don't you just turn this to a clothesline? Baby steps baby steps. Yeah. Yeah All right, so we need that is a lesson you've also learned in the course of doing business. Yeah, all right So baby steps you need to wipe baby steps Why not just go in because you always told take take risks in business I'm learning. Okay. I was reading this book. It's called contagious and Why things why things catch on and sometimes it's Those things that you don't expect that may make things catch on so I'm really Working on that space and I'm not forcing myself into it. All right according to this book contagious Yeah, after reading contagious. Why do you think gang it on really caught on to? the market right like that there's the aspect of being hip people love talking so they You want to be in the know like for example yesterday The the the lady pastor who did the video So like everyone wants to share it so that they can be in the know share ability Yeah, like you want to you want to be the person who knows and those are like they are Seven and we can't talk about them But like now that the social capital that comes with you being in the know All right, it's really so if your product has that talk ability here talk ability and that Controversy around it. That's just one aspect. It's a lot of aspect like the aspect of people want to be Ascribed to it. Why people want to show Like why do why would people why would for example we in Kenya e pz. We We do calving train In e pz. We do leave is in e pz. But they go out there then they come back, but when you but We don't even think that these things are made in Kenya know about that. This is okay. Yeah, so we we it's the aspect of It's emotional it's spiritual by the way, so you need to connect with this year and it takes a while That is why baby steps are very important when it comes to business. Yeah, baby steps and and I think also Putin god any like there's a lot of this. This is really a very strong Spiritual aspect that comes in business that we don't all right. And that's what even makes Some people tick and some things not work. You're a true minister of the word You're going to be talking about the word in a few I see some recurrent faces. Yeah These your resident models. They are very good friends of mine and partners. We work with them like I work with them on Very different fronts. Mm-hmm. Like for example this She's called one boy. She does beads. Maybe you can see them like she's the one who does the beating and then it's Sylvia She's she's one. She's also a partner in what we do. All right. Yeah, wonderful, man So I think we've captured every aspect them all But at least they got a taste of what's happening You have captured the aspect of your music in your business the branding aspect You as a person But as a minister of the word, I know it's very it's very unfair for you for me to let you leave without speaking something About about your drive and about the Reason that you do this thing and the reason you do this thing is to win souls To the Kingdom show show for the King. Yeah. All right. When when when did you actually get this? What do you call it? The light. When did you see the light? I? Think I've always been there like the black sheep in the family and How convenient and I can see I Through the motions, and I've learned that Sometimes we don't play what we believe it's it's very All these other people who in business for example The other day we're talking in church and they were saying like when you go to all these other people if it's a Hindu if it's an like they will always put their religion and they put their religion affects their business and also I think as being Christians we need to Also, let our belief affect our business yet as Christians. I believe I also apologize We have really failed in this just for really failed business and church are different He and for example, you'll you'll find that Even our prices are very exuberant. You see It's very capitalistic. Yeah, like we don't Like we'll say about loving your neighbor But when it comes to business, you're going to overcharge that you love a child and neighbor So it's we there's a discrepancy between what we believe and they will believe and we'll give our neighbors expensive loans We'll give our neighbors Overpriced true products will give our neighbors Bad quality stuff, but when we look at other religions, we can improve it on this Yeah, we see how the Muslim religion affects their businesses They they close shop during Ramadan. Yeah, they do all of them all of them But they but when it comes to they understand that what they are doing like the business is still an aspect of worship Business is still an ask that is the most Thing you've told me today so as a Christian you need to challenge yourself Yeah, if you're a Christian in business and you're representing Christian in business You need to understand that Yeah, the business is also what a worshipping. It's it's worship. Like what you do is still worship everything that we do bury you as here as you as you As you enlighten the people as you give them Awesome Yeah, as I informed as informed like You still it's still worship. It's still worship. It's still worship and if you're a Christian you should always Leave by yeah Introduce your song. You're going to take my job for so we can play it and Before introduce the song remind them your social media handles and the business social media handles Sure, then introduce the song so we can wrap this up Yeah, my name is Utikas tapkins. You're a fortunate My IG is 4 2 and 8 underscore T4 12. I still go with T4 12 Facebook is Utikas fortunate tapkins. You're a the next song is this song is called I need you Produced by Brown Performed and written by yours truly enjoyed so much pleasure being here. You forgot the most important YouTube channel or YouTube channel Utikas just Utikas Utikas, please UTI CHU UTI CHU as thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you to why in the morning. I really appreciate you We're going to be listening to his song. He has a lot of voice words to say and I'm pretty sure it doesn't change in the music So we've come to the end of this remember on Facebook We have a question what are you expecting in the BBI and do you think it's going to affect us or the intended way? We are looking forward to your feedback. We are going to be sampling it Towards the end of the show. My name is by Moses or it's by more on every social media platform Alex is coming up next with another interview. You don't want to miss it