“I Was Over Qualified For The Job” Meet 33yr Old CEO Who Had 6 Jobs Before Quitting

How many jobs would it take you before you realize your passion? For some it may be one or maybe three.

Meet Christine Khasinah-Odero a 33 year old CEO who had 6 jobs before she called it quits in the corporate world to start her business.

She describes her journey to The Parents Magazine. From being an intern, having many jobs to becoming the CEO of Supamamas; an event and marketing company, and Cosma Ventures; a marketing company.

She attended Umoja Primary School before attending Butere Girls high school. She later joined the United States International University (USIU) in 1998 to study for a Bachelor degree of commerce in marketing.

“At USIU I had a major culture shock. I think all that English was puzzling to me, having grown up in the hood,” says the third born among six siblings.

After finishing her degree she immediately got an internship in an insurance company. This is where she made the decision to pursue a Masters degree in Business Administration (Marketing option) at the University of Liverpool.

She completed her course in 2004 and got a job at an ice cream making company in Nairobi.

“I was unhappy with the work ethics because I felt that my skills were not being utilised fully. After a year, I moved into a financial investment company but soon found out that working with figures wasn’t my area of liking and a year later, I was on the move again. This time I went to the tours and travel industry,” she tells the Magazine.

It is in this industry that she got to work in three different tour and travel companies at the managerial level. These positions provided her with opportunities for challenge and growth.

In January 2008, she found herself jobless after the 2007 post election violence (PEV) in Kenya and in addition she was expecting her first child.

She had to find a way to survive. She resorted to starting a tour and travel agency where she soon learnt that running a business was not an easy feat.

“Business was not forthcoming especially since the economy and industry had been adversely affected by the PEV. And so I closed down my business,” she explains.

After several months of job-hunting she got a job at a garage in Karen, Nairobi, as an administrator and receptionist.

She says that though she was over qualified for the job, she didn’t let that get to her head. Instead she purposed to learn the business and set out to do what she knew best; marketing and offering everyone who walked through the door exemplary service.

Two and a half years later (2010), she quit to start a business. With her skills in events management she started running a company called Supamamas.

“Supamamas, would do events for mums-to-be and mums between 22 to 45 years of age, specifically with kids up to 12 years,” explains Christine who admits that no job is too small to learn from

She started out with a group of six women. Being strangers to each other, they decided to run it as a chama. Today she has registered it as her company after a major fall out with her partners.

Even with all the challenges that come with running a business, Christine gets her inspiration from people ahead of her who have excelled at what they do.

Christine is of the opinion that everyone is cut out for different things.

“Some people are good in employment while others are good in business. The most important thing is that one is passionate about what they are doing. Money is important but it isn’t everything, just purpose to thrive at whatever you are doing regardless of your circumstances,” she concludes.

Courtesy: Parent’s Africa

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