Founder Diaries Podcast

Welcome to Season 2 of Founder Diaries! 🎙️In this first minisode, I take you back to where it all began—my story, my journey into business, and how we got here. From selling noodles in high school to building two thriving beauty and skincare brands, this is a raw and honest look at the process behind the progress.One thing I’ve learned? Skincare is like math—there’s a formula for everything.If you’ve ever wondered what it really takes to start, grow, and stay consistent in business, this one is for you. Partner Spotlight;We’re honored to have Sarova Hotels as our Season 2 partner on Founder Diaries. From creating beautiful spaces to curating unforgettable experiences, Sarova is the best fit for your staycation, business meeting or that special celebration. Visit their website to check out their facilities and services at www.sarovahotels.comSponsor highlight;This podcast is proudly sponsored by Beauty Square Ke and Sage Sknn. Visit and patronize at beautysquare.co and use the code FOUNDER10 for some coins off.Follow Founder Diaries on socials: Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/founderdiariespodcast?igsh=MTI2NzNndTgyZGUydg==Tiktokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@founder.diaries.po?_r=1&_t=ZS-95LDUI5VlHY

You know… running a product business will teach you math you didn’t even know you needed.Not the cute math… the painful math.The “why is my cash gone yet my shelves are full?” math.Today we’re talking about inventory mistakes, the true cost of dead stock, and why inventory turnover and run rate are non-negotiable if you want a healthy business.Inventory is a beast to master and has to be mastered to really optimize your business - most importantly cash flow! Learn why dead stock is detrimental to your business and get specific and practical tips on how to better manage inventory. "Inventory doesn’t care how passionate you are.It doesn’t care how good your brand is.It doesn’t care how many followers you have.Inventory rewards:SystemsDisciplineCash flow awarenessNegotiation skillsAnd the willingness to say “no” to suppliersIf you master your turnover, your run rate, and your inventory planning, you stop running your business like a kiosk…" Find our host on socials:Instagram⁠ TikTok⁠ Follow Founder Diaries on socials: ⁠Instagram⁠\TikTok - @founderdariespodcast  Reach out to DigiTax to make your eTIMS compliance much easier: ⁠https://digitax.tech/⁠ | ⁠+254795279403This podcast has been proudly sponsored by Beauty Square Ke, and Sage Sknn. Visit and patronize at beautysquareke.co, and use the code FOUNDER10 for some coins off.

Pricing might seem straightforward — but over time, I’ve learned that most of us underestimate how many things quietly eat into our margins.We price for the product.But we forget to price for the business. Your pricing should factor in: Your salary and compensation as a founder/directorGovernment compliance (taxes, licenses, statutory requirements)Rent and operational overheadsStaffing and laborSoftware, tools, and systems that keep everything running.If these aren’t built into your pricing structure, your profit is an illusion. And here’s the part we don’t talk about enough: pricing is emotional. For many founders, pricing feels deeply tied to self-worth. If you struggle with valuing yourself, charging higher prices can feel like you’re building a wall to push customers away. But that’s not what strong pricing does. Strong pricing creates sustainability.It allows you to serve well.It gives your business room to breathe. Here are signs your pricing likely needs adjusting: High revenue… but just as much money going out. Constantly tight cash flow. You can’t scale without feeling financially stretched.You’re overworked and underpaid.Revenue is vanity.Margin is sanity.Cash flow is survival.If your business is growing but you constantly feel pressure, the issue may not be effort — it may be"Profit is not extra - it's how the business stays alive." Find our host on socials:Instagram⁠ - https://www.instagram.com/yvonnekanyiTikTok⁠ - https://www.tiktok.com/@entrepreneurmamakeFollow Founder Diaries on socials: ⁠Instagram⁠\TikTok - @founderdariespodcast Reach out to DigiTax to make your eTIMS compliance much easier: ⁠https://digitax.tech/⁠ | ⁠+254795279403This podcast has been proudly sponsored by Beauty Square Ke, and Sage Sknn. Visit and patronize at beautysquareke.co and use the code FOUNDER10 for some coins off.

Hear the story of Liz Njuguna and how she started off with buying and flipping land at 19. She started off with one parcel being paid in installments of 20K a month which down the road was flipped into 700K pain in a lumpsum. Learn how her discipline and reinvesting grew that hustle into Risiih Investments. Five years down the road Risiih is working on putting more land into the hands of women and breaking down the barriers to women owning land. Find our guest on socials: Liz Njuguna Find our host on socials: Instagram, TikTok Follow Founder Diaries on socials: Instagram, TikTok Reach out to DigiTax to make your eTIMS compliance much easier: https://digitax.tech/ | +254795279403

In today’s episode of Founder Diaries, we sit down with Murugi Munyi for a conversation that goes beyond content creation…the space most of us know her for.Murugi shares her journey of starting her first business while still in university, navigating entrepreneurship as a young mum, and growing into a founder who has built multiple businesses over time.We talk about starting before you feel ready, evolving through different seasons of life and what it really takes to keep buildingThis episode is for anyone building, pivoting, restarting, or figuring things out as they go.

In this episode , we sit down with Charles, the founder of Royal Reel Photography and one behind the production of the Founder Diaries Podcast.Charles introduces himself as a visual strategist, someone who goes beyond photography and videography to intentionally create visuals that communicate meaning for brands and personal brands.He shares how his journey didn’t begin with a polished plan or a grand vision, but as a hustle...assisting, carrying equipment, learning on the job and slowly building skill, confidence and clarity.Over time, that hustle grew into purpose and a deeper understanding of storytelling through visuals.In this episode, we talk about: • What it really means to be a visual strategist • Starting out with what you have and learning as you go • Turning a hustle into a sustainable creative business • Building a brand that communicates meaning through visuals • Finding your “why” as a founder and creativeThis conversation is honest, grounding and especially relatable for creatives, founders and anyone building from the ground up.Youtube:https://youtu.be/9mOBEkcykXMInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/founderdiariespodcast?igsh=MTRxcnZjcm5zM3pwdg%3D%3D&utm_source=qrTiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@founder.diaries.po?_r=1&_t=ZS-93DygkaNo4C

In Minisode 2, Yvonne walks through a simple morning formula for a productive day...why avoiding social media first thing matters, how to ground yourself before the day begins and small habits that help you pour into yourself before giving to the world.

In our very first episode of Founder Diaries Podcast with Yvonne Kanyi, we sit down with Victoria, a serial entrepreneur building and scaling multiple businesses in Kenya.She shares her journey running a multi-branch spa VSPA Kenya, alongside her other ventures, Titi Kenya and Thao Tree and talks about how marketing strategy has been key to her growth. She also opens up about the realities of leading multiple ventures, the challenges of scaling and the lessons she’s learned along the way.Watch on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@founderdiariespodacst?si=JJAYjtB1vW5BlTfEInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/founderdiariespodcast?igsh=MTRxcnZjcm5zM3pwdg%3D%3D&utm_source=qrTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@founder.diaries.po?_r=1&_t=ZS-9344MIiFFHp

Imagine having a phone that doesn`t force you to be on your screens all day but you still get your notifications on time. In this episode, we talk about an entrepreneur called Kat Goetze who invented a bluetooth landline phone that is able to connect to your smartphone, which means if your phone rings, the landline rings. The phone was designed to help users reduce screen time by allowing them to take calls on a familiar handset without picking up their smartphones, how cool.Partner Spotlight;We’re honoured to have Sarova Hotels as our Season 2 partner on Founder Diaries. From creating beautiful spaces to curating unforgettable experiences, Sarova is the best fit for your staycation, business meeting or that special celebration. Visit their website to check out their facilities and services at www.sarovahotels.comWhen you think DigiTax think tax and e-TIMS simplified. Reach out to DigiTax to make your eTIMS compliance much easier: ⁠https://digitax.tech/⁠ | ⁠+254795279403DigiTax — your tax assistant in your pocketSponsor highlight;This podcast is proudly sponsored by Beauty Square Ke and Sage Sknn. Visit and patronize at beautysquare.co and use the code FOUNDER10 for some coins off.Follow Founder Diaries on socials: Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/founderdiar...Tiktokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@founder.diari...Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/1CBpdVjLHAuO96jyYCLo4S?si=SJOyRSTQS_GXgTOFzZc0ZgFollow our host on socials:Instagram⁠ https://www.instagram.com/yvonnekanyi?igsh=Y3NiczB1YWR1eW1wTikTok⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@entrepreneurmamake?_r=1&_t=ZS-95NMkTDQ6wD

Imagine being able to access real data to understand your business operations, reduce stock-outs and who your consumers are. In this episode, Michelle Watiki, Co-founder of Duck Analytics takes us through the importance of data and client segmentation in business building to make better decisions that boost revenue. Duck Analytics helps retailers optimise their pricing and location strategies using an AI-powered platform empowering you with real-time data for smarter decisions.Partner Spotlight;We’re honoured to have Sarova Hotels as our Season 2 partner on Founder Diaries. From creating beautiful spaces to curating unforgettable experiences, Sarova is the best fit for your staycation, business meeting or that special celebration. Visit their website to check out their facilities and services at www.sarovahotels.comNow, you`ve heard me talk about DigiTax for a while now and I'm here to plug you again. When you think Digitax think tax and e-tims simplified. Reach out to DigiTax to make your eTIMS compliance much easier: ⁠https://digitax.tech/⁠ | ⁠+254795279403Digitax — your tax assistant in your pocketSponsor highlight;This podcast is proudly sponsored by Beauty Square Ke and Sage Sknn. Visit and patronize at beautysquare.com and use the code FOUNDER10 for some coins off.Follow Founder Diaries on socials: Instagram⁠\TikTok - @founderdariespodcast Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/1CBpdVjLHAuO96jyYCLo4S?si=SJOyRSTQS_GXgTOFzZc0ZgFind our host on socials:Instagram⁠:https://www.instagram.com/yvonnekanyi?igsh=Y3NiczB1YWR1eW1wTikTok⁠:https://www.tiktok.com/@entrepreneurmamake?_r=1&_t=ZS-95NMkTDQ6wD

Listen to the story of how Cellulant was built, the businesses Ken Njoroge built prior to getting investors into the business. He built with a larger market in mind and today that is a reality. Today's hustle is Komini which is a business built to create community for small business owners and helping them "arrive alive." Then hear the perspective of Kui Njoroge who built alongside him and continues to do so in Komini. Asking: "How big the business shall be vs how big it can be."Find Komini on socials: InstagramFind our host on socials:Instagram⁠ -   / yvonnekanyi  TikTok⁠ -   / entrepreneurmamake  Follow Founder Diaries on socials: ⁠Instagram⁠\TikTok - @founderdariespodcast Reach out to DigiTax to make your eTIMS compliance much easier: ⁠https://digitax.tech/⁠ | ⁠+254795279403This podcast has been proudly sponsored by Beauty Square Ke and Sage Sknn. Visit and patronize at beautysquareke.co and use the code FOUNDER10 for some coins off.

Hear my thoughts on how I would market my business if social media was no longer available. Social media is becoming saturated and more people sensitive to promotional content thus affecting it's effectiveness. We need to start thinking about offline ways to engage and attract new customers. What are your ideas? Engage us in the comment section. Find our host on socials:Instagram⁠ TikTok⁠ Follow Founder Diaries on socials: ⁠Instagram⁠TikTok - @founderdariespodReach out to DigiTax to make your eTIMS compliance much easier: ⁠HERE⁠ | ⁠+254795279403This podcast has been proudly sponsored by Beauty Square Ke, and Sage Sknn. Visit and patronize at beautysquareke.co, and use the code FOUNDER10 for some coins off.

Catch up on Waithera Mugo's story and how she went from a law student to owning her own firm and building a niche business with Ithera Africa, a tax & wealth advisory firm. I learned from here there are so many ways to legally reduce your tax liability as a business and to think through your corporate structure and the implications that has on your tax points. The true point of a business is to make money for the business owner - hear more on how to maximize this. Find Waithera: https://ithera.africa/, on Instagram: @waithera_mugo Find our host on socials:Instagram⁠ - https://www.instagram.com/yvonnekanyiTikTok⁠ - https://www.tiktok.com/@entrepreneurmamakeFollow Founder Diaries on socials:⁠Instagram⁠\TikTok - @founderdariespodcast Reach out to DigiTax to make your eTIMS compliance much easier: ⁠https://digitax.tech/⁠ | ⁠+254795279403This podcast has been proudly sponsored by Beauty Square Ke, and Sage Sknn. Visit and patronize at beautysquareke.co and use the code FOUNDER10 for some coins off.

Find our host on socials:Instagram⁠ TikTok⁠ Follow Founder Diaries on socials: ⁠Instagram⁠TikTok - @founderdariespodcast  Reach out to DigiTax to make your eTIMS compliance much easier: HERE⁠ | ⁠+254795279403This podcast has been proudly sponsored by Beauty Square Ke, and Sage Sknn. Visit and patronize at beautysquareke.co, and use the code FOUNDER10 for some coins off.

I've been in business for many many years and I have one particular season where I truly thought about quitting. I sat down to figure out how to replace my income and actually got the ball rolling until I realized where the pain point truly was. What happens when you're faced with the end of the business you built from scratch?This podcast has been proudly sponsored by Beauty Square Ke and Sage Sknn. Visit and patronize at beautysquareke.co and use the code FOUNDER10 for some coins off. Find our host on socials: ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠TikTok⁠ Follow Founder Diaries on socials: ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠TikTok⁠ Reach out to DigiTax to make your eTIMS compliance much easier: ⁠https://digitax.tech/⁠ | ⁠+254795279403

Dreaming is dopamine and doing is discipline. It's not because you're lazy or lack of motivation. Thinking about your dream life of driving the car you'd want, the freedom of time you crave and dream travel destinations is VERY easy but different to when it comes to taking the action required to achieve that. There is a physiological reason to this - your nervous system is wired to avoid change and it's a survival mechanism. Listen to how this works and how to counter it to set the ball rolling for the dream life you want. Get some practical steps to beat how your body has been wired to achieve what you want. This podcast has been proudly sponsored by Beauty Square Ke and Sage Sknn. Visit and patronize at beautysquareke.co and use the code FOUNDER10 for some coins off.

At some point, every founder has to ask:Am I building a real business… or just surviving?In Minisode17, Yvonne shares the practical shifts that helped her stop running her business like a kiosk and started structuring it properly, from paying herself consistently, building systems, delegating intentionally, to planning financially and creating cash reserves.If you’re still in survival mode, this one is for you.

We’ve been sold the myth that businesses need to be revolutionary, AI-powered, or completely novel to succeed.In this minisode, we strip it back to the basics and unpack the 4 pillars of a good business — and why simple, needed, profitable ideas often win.If you’ve been overthinking your idea, this episode is for you.Let’s share about our partners, DigiTaxAs someone running a business, staying compliant shouldn’t be complicated…and that’s where DigiTax comes in.DigiTax is an eTIMS invoicing platform that helps you issue, receive and track all your tax invoices in one place, with ease.With DigiTax, you can:✅ Issue, receive, and track tax invoices in one place✅ Access via web or Android app — no technical skills needed✅ Get real-time tax reporting that syncs automatically with KRA✅ Enjoy reliable customer support for setup and complianceDigiTax makes eTIMS compliance simple, affordable and stress-free.📱 WhatsApp Support: 0112685368🌐 Website: digitax.tech

Many founders think they’re building businesses... but have actually created full-time jobs for themselves.In this minisode, we unpack the difference between being self-employed and being an entrepreneur, the signs your business depends too heavily on you, and practical steps to start building systems that scale without burning you out.If your business stops when you stop, this episode is for you.Watch on Youtube: https://youtube.com/@founderdiariespodacst?si=JJAYjtB1vW5BlTfEInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/founderdiariespodcast?igsh=MTRxcnZjcm5zM3pwdg%3D%3D&utm_source=qrTiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@founder.diaries.po?_r=1&_t=ZS-93DygkaNo4C

What does it take to build a sustainable catering business?In this episode of Founder Diaries, Yvonne sits down with Esmeralda Founder & CEO of Spez Catering Limited, to unpack her journey from starting to running multiple corporate cafeterias.We talk about:• Why event catering alone isn’t sustainable• How corporate cafeterias create steady daily cashflow• Turning one client into long-term institutional contracts• Starting a business young and scaling through real hustle