The Job Front

Back in Nairobi now and things are starting to look up. It was nice being at the coast for a few days but nice to be back home too!

One of the compelling reasons to move to Kenya was the job opportunities it presented for both me and my wife. My wife is an Internal Medicine physician. She specializes in really sick people…you do not want her to be your doctor because it means you are almost on your death bed. She primarily works in a hospital setting managing critically ill folks. Because there is a severe need for people with her education, training, and skills…it should be relatively easy for her to procure employment. Most Kenyans who become proficient in this type of field or another specialty will head off to the States or Europe where they can make a lot more money. For us, it is not about the money so much as an opportunity to feel good about the work we are doing. This is very empowering once one gets past the size of the paycheck.

My situation is a bit different. I have a BST in Automotive Technology. I have spent the better part of my life working within the General Motors Company as an Engineer, mostly specializing in telematics but also some service experience. After leaving Detroit for Dallas/Fort Worth, I started my own business selling and installing home theaters and audio systems. It was a really cool job, playing with toys most of the time and a challenge to run one’s own business. It is not nearly as easy as one might think. No person can understand until one has been there…something that makes me admire my Father all the more.

Anyhoo, because of my changing career paths and background, it was really difficult for me to find my niche in Dallas/Fort Worth. Because Detroit was/is taking a hardcore downward spiral, there were not a lot of options for me. I actually worked at Home Depot prior to my departure in the Electrical Department on a part-time basis. Was very easy work but taught me that I do not want to work in that capacity where idiots are in control of my destiny. Folks there thought they were saving the human race from cancer or something…really put themselves on a pedestal and all I could think was, “…jeeze, are you guys serious? This is an hourly job?!?!”

So, I had a couple of opportunities here in Kenya that I was excited about. One, is starting another Audio/Video company, which is in-progress. I have a first job doing work for a huge club in Nairobi that is two-levels and tons of tv’s, speakers, projectors, control systems, and the like. Once started there, I will have attained instant street-cred (something that is really hard to do no matter where you are) enabling me to market my services.

Another opportunity that looks like it is moving forward quickly is working on a construction project. A good friend of mine owns 5 acres of prime real estate in Karen. He has gotten the financing two days ago and is ready to turn it into a compound of homes. My capacity is planning and executing the infrastructure, build the homes, and manage the project. I am really excited about this one as I have experience from my business of working on home building projects and enjoy this type of work. May be a challenge working with Kenyans (differing work types than Americans) but one I am looking forward to.

The third opportunity is to work with another friend of mine who is the CEO of a ticket re-selling company. They are looking for assistance, on-continent, for the 2010 World Cup. Those of you not in the know, the World Cup is like 10 Super Bowls in one event. The entire world, sans USA, is obsessed with soccer and this is the granddaddy of them all. In addition, there is some interest in opening up a call-center of sorts in Nairobi due to the low wages and excellent infrastructure.

The surrounding problem is that I do not have a work permit for Kenya. That is a huge issue right now. Work permits are very expensive. One of the answers is to get an investor status Resident Permit, which is the way we are working right now. The downside is, I have to get a project up and running before my visitor’s visa runs out. That leaves me a little less than a month to get all this done. If it is not done, I have the option (hopefully) of extending my visitor’s visa another 60 days.

I have been here over a month now and am really excited to get to work. I am glad the construction project finally came to fruition but still have a few hurdles to overcome. I am also open to working, simultaneously; on the other two projects should the opportunity arise. I just want to work…period.

The next hurdle is to get my wife employment once she reaches. I have established some excellent contacts that will help her in this endeavor. That is the way Kenya works; who you know and who you pay. Actually, a pretty decent system…

Time will tell but the true measures of results are profits.
Peace,

Dude
FBO