Women matter
McKinsey & Company’s Women Matter Report estimated that as of 2017, women constituted only 25% of top management positions globally. A survey conducted by the Africa C.E.O. Forum in 2018 indicated that 18% of businesses in Africa have no women in senior roles, while only 29% of senior roles are held by women.
Walking Abbot
Priscilla Muhiu is the General Manager of Glovo Kenya. She acknowledges that having a strict father and teachers while growing up in a Christian home shaped her character. “In high school, I was studious and popularly referred to as the ‘walking Abbot’, named after a Physics textbook by A.F. Abbott. I was very good in sciences and scored an A in Mathematics, Physics, Biology and Chemistry,” she recalls. Priscilla studied Food Science and Technology at the University of Nairobi but later realised this was not her calling after going through an internship.
“I started my career in a Public Relations agency called Silver Bullet, where I grasped the concept of Public Relations and Marketing. I later moved on to Scangroup, where I was involved in the media department in developing brands and strategies.” Priscilla says that marketing goes beyond talking to people and making them buy your products. It is a science. Accordingly, marketers should understand how to analyse data and develop solutions that are aligned to them.
Innovation
Businesses must be innovative and ensure that they adapt to consumer needs to have an advantage over other businesses. This will enable them to find new revenue opportunities and ensure existing channels thrive. As a result, the company will have increased profits. “I’ve had many instances where I had to be creative and innovative through the companies I have worked for. For instance, when we launched Glovo in Kenya, we had to understand how to make the grocery category attractive to the Kenyan consumer. We work with the local restaurants through Kibanda Express. Which ensures we communicate to the local user under one brand.”
“In the next year, we would like to increase the penetration of Glovo services across the country and ensure it suits different demographics. I’m very optimistic as the environment is favourable and we have a good strategy. When the COVID 19 pandemic hit, we prioritised the safety of our consumers by ensuring the riders were trained and had masks and sanitisers. There is a feature on the app where you can rate your courier and inform us in case the rider did not take any safety measures. Unfortunately, some small restaurants had to close business as they were greatly affected by the pandemic. Regardless, Glovo has offered convenience and has proved to be an essential service.”
What it takes to succeed
A study by the Harvard Business Review concluded that for women to be successful at the helm of leadership positions, they need to manifest courage, risk-taking, resilience, and the ability to manage ambiguity. “My top tips for entrepreneurs are to avoid panicking as a result of the pandemic but rather think about how a business can serve the current consumer. The current consumer is price conscious and focuses on essential items to save money. They want to stay fit and get value out of products and brands,” Priscilla advises.
Learn more about Priscilla here:
