By Silas Otieno

On May 12, Mastercard Foundation Scholars participated in an inspiring and informative career pathway mentorship workshop focused on building thriving businesses. The session was held at Flint Home Integrators, located within the Village Market in Kiambu County. The workshop brought together eight Mastercard Foundation Scholars for a hands-on, immersive experience in innovation and entrepreneurship.

The session was facilitated by Mr. Steve Ngosia, CEO of Flint Home Integrators and a USIU-Africa alumnus from the class of 2009. The event aimed at empowering the Mastercard Foundation Scholars towards transitioning into meaningful careers with a focus on innovation and entrepreneurship, and equipping the students with business operation skills, strategies and tools necessary to building self-sustaining businesses.

The interactive workshop kicked off with a guided tour of Flint Home Integrators’ operations. From smart home installations to a state-of-the-art home cinema hall showcasing cutting-edge technology, Mastercard Foundation Scholars were immersed in real-time innovation and given insight into the day-to-day dynamics of a growing business.

Following the tour, Mr. Ngosia led a mentorship and entrepreneurship session, sharing his personal journey from humble beginnings to building an award-winning automation company. He discussed key topics including innovation, business funding, collaboration, critical success skills, and the realities of entrepreneurship.

Drawing from his own experience, Mr. Ngosia emphasized the value of purpose-driven leadership and the importance of nurturing professional networks. “As students, you have great potential within you,” he said. “You never know who’s seated beside you. Get to know each other. Organize coffee meetups, go for outings. These moments will deepen your connections and inspire new ideas,” he added.

Mr. Ngosia also encouraged the Mastercard Foundation Scholars to remain open to learning, embrace emerging technologies. He highlighted how technology has kept him at bay and keep driving most of the operations at Flint Home Integrators. Acknowledging the rapid technological changes, he added that young innovators must ensure they are not left behind in this modern technology driven sphere to keep relevance.

Challenging traditional views of entrepreneurship, Mr. Ngosia advised the participants to treat business as a serious, full-time commitment. “Don’t treat entrepreneurship as a side hustle, remember this is a full-time commitment. If you give it a side hustle treatment, the outcome will be directly proportional. The moment has come where the young generation must be very intentional to achieve the success desired. Also have a mentor to who will walk with you,” he advised.

In his closing remarks, Mr. Ngosia expressed his admiration for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars’ contributions, noting that the future of Africa rests in the hands of such purpose driven and well-equipped young leaders. He also expressed how grateful he was to contribute to his Alma matter and invited fellow alumni in leadership to contribute to this elevating mentorship ecosystem.