1. Wake up, remind yourself of what’s most important. 2. Find the next best action towards it and focus on that till it’s done. 3. Take a break then start the rest of your day. 4. Repeat for a week and see what happens. #DailyProductivity

2024 has been quite a year so far! 7 Growth for Techies Bootcamps done. Mission - Equip the next generation of techies for holistic growth and good success. Thankful for the nomination and votes. I wasn't aware, but pleased to see. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16

[New Video & Audio Podcast] Martin Nielsen's Incredible Journey To Making Mdundo Africa's Biggest Homegrown Digital Music Platform. In this edition of the Pure Digital Passion podcast, I had the pleasure of hosting Martin Nielsen, the Founder and CEO of Mdundo, a mobile and ad-supported music service that has become one of Africa’s leading digital music platforms. Although I have known Martin for a good number of years, our conversation was a truly eye-opening conversation about his incredible journey from starting Mdundo, building it over time and scaling it to where it is today. Martin Nielsen’s Journey Martin’s journey to Kenya began in an unconventional way. He first traveled to Uganda as a university student for volunteer work, invited by a friend from Denmark. This experience marked the beginning of his deep connection with Africa. Later, in 2012, he moved to Kenya as an Entrepreneur in Residence for 88mph, an African investment fund focusing on early-stage tech startups. This role not only solidified his bond with the continent but also laid the groundwork for what would become Nairobi Garage. The Birth of Mdundo Inspired by his experiences and the vibrant technology startup ecosystem in Nairobi, Martin co-founded Mdundo. The company has since grown to become a clear leader in the African music industry, boasting millions of monthly active users primarily from Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Ghana, and Nigeria. Mdundo works with thousands of musicians across Africa and has secured licensing deals with major music groups like the Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group. A Unique Business Model Mdundo’s business model is unique and highly localized for the market in Africa. The service targets underserved consumer segments who cannot generally afford traditional subscription-based music streaming services like Spotify or Apple Music. Mdundo offers affordable subscriptions through partnerships with mobile networks like Safaricom in Kenya and MTN in Nigeria. Users can pay for subscriptions using airtime and mobile money, making it accessible even to those with basic feature phones. Additionally, Mdundo provides ad-supported music content, enabling free music downloads. This approach has attracted top-tier brands across the continent, making Mdundo’s offering both sustainable and appealing to a broad audience. Growth and Achievements Over the past decade, Mdundo has grown significantly, reaching tens of millions monthly active users in Africa, including 4 million in Kenya alone. The service has an annual reach of 205 million consumers across the continent and pays out approximately US$ 1.5 million in music royalties each year. A significant part of Mdundo’s success lies in its ability to be frugal in how it operates, focusing on bootstrapping even after raising US$ 7 million through its Nasdaq listing in Denmark. The funds raised were partly used to repay early investors and to recapitalize the business. Supporting African Musicians Mdundo plays a crucial role in supporting African musicians by expanding their reach and providing monetization opportunities. By creating a platform tailored to the unique needs and nuances of the African market, Mdundo has lowered the barriers to adoption for consumers and ensured that even those with limited resources can enjoy and share their music. The Future of Mdundo Looking ahead, Mdundo aims to continue its expansion and innovation, focusing on further improving its service and exploring new markets. Martin’s vision for the next 2 to 5 years includes strengthening partnerships, enhancing the user experience, and finding new ways to support African musicians. Key Lessons and Insights During our podcast session, Martin shared valuable lessons and insights from his journey, offering advice to aspiring entrepreneurs in Kenya and beyond. His story is an empowering one in terms of how he used innovation, resilience, and a deep understanding of the local markets in Africa to create something that truly resonated with consumers at scale across the continent. Mdundo is undoubtedly for Africa, by Africa, which has ultimately underpinned its success to-date. Closing Thoughts As I think back on this podcast which really encapsulated all the hallmarks of an entrepreneurial journey from humble beginnings based on key insights to scaling the heights of success, I am reminded of the transformative impact that technology and innovative business models can have on industries and communities within the African context. Martin Nielsen’s work with Mdundo is an apt example of this and I am grateful for the opportunity to delve deeper into his journey and the future of Mdundo. Watch The Podcast Below: youtu.be/bcOnZ_LW4Go Listen To Podcast Below: open.spotify.com/episode/2Gu… @Mdundomusic @mdundomusicUg @mdundomusicgh @mdundomusicng @mdundotanzania @MartinNielsen_ @Martin_Nielsen_ #Mdundo #Music #AfricanMusic #AfroBeats #BongoFlava #Genge #Amapiano #Kenya #Tanzania #Uganda #Nigeria #Ghana #Africa #Streaming #Spotify #AppleMusic #MusicDistribution #MusicDownloads #MusicLicensing #Apps #MusicApps

Banking looks calm on the surface, but quite tough to lead at scale. In Feb 2021 I received a WhatsApp that reads; “Good morning Elijah, my name is Anne Juuko from Stanbic Bank. I got your number from - -. I was wondering when would be a good time for me to give you a call or better still set up a physical meeting”. First, her humility had my attention. We had several discussions with Anne and other executives that resulted in me joining @stanbicug in June 2021 as Head Engineering/CIO. I’ve told Anne before that as a father of daughters, I could not resist an opportunity to support a trailblazing female Chief Executive at her request. For 2 years, I applied myself as Anne’s “tech co-founder”, and she treated me as such. Along with EXCO, we had long days and many candid conversations - on and beyond tech - on which way was best to Run the Bank and which bets were critical to Future Proof the Big Blue. I never once had any worries about holding a different view from my leader and passionately arguing my case until she saw it. Sometimes she won :-) Amidst many storms that come with running such a large and critical corporation, Anne broke records every single year of her Chief Executive tenure. In lighter moments I’ve told Anne that Isaiah 54:17 is definitely active over her life; No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. It didn’t matter if it was COVID in 2021, a red-hot fraud environment, a gloomy economic outlook, FATF grey-listing that stretches compliance to new levels, or a fragile PR landscape. When it was time for the results, Anne Juuko always broke the record. Anne, such an honor to have received that WhatsApp in 2021 and to have contributed to your CE success. May you continue to defy odds and set new records as you move on to your next role. You have a chapter in my book if I ever write one. What great exploits!

#Q1Highlights: Spent time with great minds in corporate tech as part of Growth for Techies and Journey to CIO sessions in Kampala, Uganda.

#JourneyToCIO: Our January cohort is full! Signup is 50% female. I'm pleased and encouraged to see such hunger for #GrowthForTechies. #GrowthForTechies #ForTechiesToExecutives elijahkitaka.com

With more than two decades of experience, @PKahiigi, joins Dr. Rita Kabatunzi and @ElijahKitaka as mentors on the #JourneyToCIO ⏤ an initiative that seeks to grow the pool of ready-now and highly effective CIOs ceo.co.ug/cente-techs-peter-…

Journey to CIO I'm excited to do something I deeply care about; grow the pool of highly effective CIOs at home. If you're an aspiring or first time CIO in Uganda, this is for you; One in-person bootcamp in January 2024, followed by an optional quarterly online check-in session for the subsequent 3 quarters. The goal is to build a pipeline of highly effective CIOs that can reach ready-now status by the end of 2024. Essentially, a pool of talent out of which we can confidently recommend if a CIO-need comes our way. At the end of the physical bootcamp in January 2024, you will have a roadmap to rapidly improve your CIO-readiness. The quarterly online check-ins will focus on tracking progress and course correcting your journey to ready-now. Because we believe in Women CIOs too, there is a special $200 gender-diversity discount.🥰 See details at elijahkitaka.com.

Mark 9:23 // All things are possible to him who believes. Matthew 9:29 // According to your faith let it be to you. 📸@twenymoments

Spent Friday evening with young entrepreneurs at @StartHubAfrica. I was very humbled by your hunger. May God light you paths so you go far and achieve good success.

You’re invited to our upcoming Alumni event on Friday, November 3, 2023. We’re excited to host @ElijahKitaka , co-founder of @SongBoost, who will share how to build a successful career, business and life as an entrepreneur. ➡️ Register to attend here: starthubafrica.org/alumni

Proof of life, chilly morning in Paris…

Happy 25 @Google! Thanks for daring us to pursue audacious goals that are “uncomfortably exciting”. My years at Google, the people I met, and the work I was part of all continue to impact my journey profoundly.

I had a great time seeing off @ElijahKitaka last evening with the Blue family. Hosted the evening with Candy Okoboi and boy, we killed it 😎

My heart is full today. Passed by to check on my former team at the Big Blue. I was met with this surprise gift, a creative illustration of how they remember my CIO/Head Engineering stint with them. Thank you!! I’ll carry this with me. 🥰🙏🏼

Important Rule for Life: When in doubt, zoom out. Being perpetually zoomed in creates two challenges: 1. Struggle feels bigger than it really is. 2. Growth feels smaller than it really is. The 10,000 foot view provides perspective—on the manageable nature of your struggles and the impressive nature of your growth. Two effective ways to zoom out: 1. Vertically: Zoom out via "altitude" and see the bigger picture context of the moment. 2. Horizontally: Zoom out via “mental time travel” to the past or the future and observe the present through that new lens. Go back 10 years and think about how your past self would be in awe of where you are today. Go forward 50 years and think about how your future self would give anything to be back doing the things you get to do today. Both can work wonders. Always remember: When in doubt, zoom out.

Most likely impact of FATF grey listing, and banks going to the extreme for fear of compliance issues. I suspect that to strike a balance between compliance vs. speed of execution, new startups will go "Advisory Board" rather than full director appointments. I was recently asked for work permit and local TIN for a foreign director, not at all domiciled in Uganda, and not an employee of the company.

Test drive challenge accepted @namlyd :-)

I’ve just completed my assignment as CIO/Head Engineering of Uganda’s #1 Bank. 5 key learnings from this and other ExCO roles I’ve done over the years, especially for those that aspire to hold similar positions. 1. Innovation The threats that financial institutions face are complex and fast evolving. Your balance between risk and innovation will be tested. 2. Focus Whatever you do, don’t spread yourself thin. Find the one thing that if you get right will make room for the rest. The one thing that if you don’t get right, nothing else you get right matters. That’s the assignment. 3. Environment Large matrix organizations have many voices. Your ability to shield your team and block the noise before it gets to them will allow the team much needed room to stick with the plan and cause meaningful impact in the area of focus. 4. Talent Identify, build, position, empower, and reward your talent. You’ll need them for there’s much ground to cover. At a point my team headcount was ~300, with diverse disciplines. Alone you’ll be blinded on many fronts. Work through your talent. 5. Depth As techies we invest a lot in technical depth. The best it will get you is the respect of your team. That’s important, but you need far beyond that to stand and weather storms that surely come. In my case it’s the peace and boldness that comes from knowing that I have Heaven’s backing. That peace makes you different out there.