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Get your hands dirty, Hersman tells startup CEOs

Get your hands dirty, Hersman tells startup CEOs

Ushahidi co-founder Erik Hersman has challenged chief executive officers (CEOs) of startups in Kenya to not be afraid to get their hands dirty and do the hard work of knocking on doors working alongside their sales teams.

Speaking at the Startup Grind event held yesterday in Nairobi, Hersman decried the way some CEOs shy away from doing some jobs just because of their positions or qualifications, saying these should not be considerations when building a business.

Hersman also told startup CEOs to go after big projects even if their competitors are well-known international brands.

“There is nothing as good as when you build something and see it coming together,” he said, saying there is always a risk of failure associated with launching a business.

“You should have the courage to try out new things but everybody should figure out how to also deal with the bad things.”

He said CEOs should trust their employees, adding when he hires he asks applicants to give him their portfolios instead of their resumes, after which they work for about a year in various capacities before they are hired.

While agreeing with the fact startups need mentors, Hersman said most mentors come to a startup in an organic way. He also emphasised patience when it comes to fundraising because it can take up to six months from the time one starts looking to the time they obtain investment.

Posted in: FeaturedStartups

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