William's Diary (Part 2): Positive Attitude. This is a force multiplier

_Positive Attitude. This is a force multiplier.

Sometimes last year, I shared a story with a subtitle, 'It's time to give out something for free". In this story, I mentioned Anne, one of our staff. How she cried when she heard that one of our clients was not going to pay us what was to be our first ever payment. If you missed this great story, you can get it here: (https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/its-time-give-out-something-free-william-mukaria/?published=t)

I bring Anne back again. You know we've got loads of stories to tell. Some I tell. Some I buy time. Some I keep.

In 2014, we had accumulated office rent for several months. I think it was going to 5 months. I was running out of PR and the landlord was also not willing to talk to us anymore. She had had enough. For a long time, I had managed to convince her to give us more time and that we'll settle the arrears. One of the critical skills you have to develop and be excellent at in your entrepreneurial journey is managing your business partners - your staff, your customers, your suppliers, your landlords, your board, your investors.

But at this time, my vaults had run out of wits.

This day was on a Friday. I was extremely tired. I woke up late with terrible fatigue. My wife advised me to take rest and I did. So, I never reported to work on this particular day. At around mid-day, Anne calls me, "Hey William, are you coming to the office today?" She asks. "No. Am not feeling well. Am taking some rest today". She understood my situation because a few days before, she witnessed as I knocked my forehead hard on my desk as I dosed off. She laughed cheekily and sympathetically offered, "I think fatigue is weighing down on you. You need good rest".

Well, on this Friday afternoon, she has called.

"The office manager has given us a letter that if the office rent arrears is not cleared immediately our office will be locked and we'll not be allowed access on Monday", she said.

"It's fine", I replied.

"It's not fine. I think you've not understood what I told you. We'll be locked out of office on Monday", She was protesting.

"Anne, I understand what you're saying. Don't worry, I'll sort it out. I have plan B".

On Monday I woke up at 4.00 AM. At 5.00 AM I was in the office to get a few things in place. At 6.30 AM I left for my house. At exactly 8.00 AM my phone rings. It's Anne on the line. I immediately knew that this was not a call to wish me a good morning. She didn't know that I was there an hour ago.

"The office is locked. What do we do? Are you coming?", She asked.

"Yes. I'll be coming much later. But for now just go back to your house and take some rest. I'll call later. Also tell the team not to come to the office".

The following day, Tuesday, we met in a coffee shop for breakfast. I didn't labour much to explain our situation as they knew about our struggles. We talked and laughed. They needed an assurance. I had to give that.

"I would be worried if we didn't have money to pay for your salaries. Not office rent", I said.

I went on, "Who calls prospective clients to market for our services? Is it you or the office?". "It's us", they responded.

"Who ensures that clients' assignments are delivered quickly and effectively? Is it you or the office?", I asked. "It's us", they replied.

"Then, we have the business". They understood my perspective.

The Plan B I was talking about about was to convert one of the rooms in our family apartment to be an office. It was already my office but had to add more chairs. With Internet and coffee, we were good to go. For period of several weeks that followed, this became our office and my guys were happy.

What happened next? To be continued another day.

RESILIENCE.