Remote working should be normal now. According to the Harvard Business Review, the coronavirus pandemic has forced organizations to adapt. It is also defining how people will start performing specific functions at work. In Kenya, the majority of businesses owners have offices and operate on an 8 am-5 pm clock basis.
Brian Nyagol, who works at Davis and Shirtliff is an electrical engineer by profession and software engineer by passion and practice. His routine involves research and development in the internet of things& digital manufacturing solutions. He started his business, Brainverse Technologies 7 years ago while in his second year of college. Brainverse delivers digital and software (Mobile Apps and Web Apps) services to large and small businesses. The company currently has 16 employees.
Startup suite
“With the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, the company has developed a software called Startup suite that allows small and medium-sized businesses to run their companies online. The whole team works remotely in Kenya in different towns, namely, Meru, Kisumu, Ugenya, Nairobi, Embu and Homa Bay,” Brian explains.
Companies need to adapt to working online whenever possible to reduce contact with people and hence flatten the curve. Startupsuite allows the user to record payments, create invoices, create new projects and assign tasks to team members. It is also convenient for the customer to monitor their transactions with the businesses. Currently, 7 of the 47 registered users are paying for subscriptions to the platform while the rest are trying the solution,” Brian explains.
“The system is very flexible. Further, it integrates the needs of people, processes and systems, components that are important in building a good company. Businesses should professionally manage their projects and transactions. This positions them for growth and trust,” he adds. “I am also interested in enabling small businesses in the ‘Jua Kali’or industry to manage their activities. This is in line with one of the Big 4 Agendas of the government that promotes manufacturing in Kenya,” he emphasizes.
Startup Suite has three modules:
- The Human Resource Management Module, which organizes activities, departments, implements company holidays, leave management, announcements, and company events.
- The Customer Relationship Management Module creates a schedule, lets you create and send invoices, quotes, proposals, and to add payments.
- The Projects Management Module allows the creation of projects, milestones and task assignment to staff.
Innovation challenge
Brian recently pitched Startup Suite to the United Nations Development Programme and the Konza Technopolis Innovation Challenge. This challenge was about finding ways in which businesses can be supported in case of a pandemic. They had to do a business analysis of the products. Out of 300 applicants, he was one of the 10 finalists and emerged as the winner. The hackathon part of the challenge enabled them to think broadly about their ideas with the guidance of the mentors. This has opened opportunities for them, especially access to the Konza Data Centre. According to ICT Cabinet Secretary in Kenya, the data centre will provide high-end cloud data centre services to clients looking for hosting. He noted this during its launch.
Financial freedom
“Many young people want financial freedom but forget to cultivate and master the work ethic needed to achieve it. Starting is hard, but once you do, you’ll never want to stop, if you really know your life depends on it. Let’s begin,” he concludes.