The journey is not a walk in the park. It’s waking up with ten things on your mind before the day even begins. It’s running the business, managing your people, chasing after clients, and still worrying about whether the business will stand strong in the next five years. The pressure never really switches off, you’re the one making decisions, solving problems, and carrying the weight of the risks. It’s tough, it’s exhausting… but it’s the path you chose.

And sometimes, as many put it, “Nikujaribu tu.” You give it everything you have, while looking around and wondering, “How come their business is still booming even when they seem to be struggling just like me?” That tension between holding it all together and still desiring more is a reality every entrepreneur knows too well.

Most business owners know their business inside out. You know how sales flow, how customers think, where the money goes. But here’s the thing: when you’re buried in the daily grind, it’s easy to miss the bigger picture. The blind spots. The long-term structures that could actually give you freedom. Because there’s a difference between working in your business, where everything depends on you, and working on your business, where systems, strategy, and structure carry the load.

That’s exactly where the KOMA Programme, a partnership between Strathmore Institute of Mathematical Sciences (SIMS) and Absa Bank Kenya, steps in. It’s an 8-week journey built to help you step away from firefighting and start thinking like the architect of your business. It’s not just theory; it’s mentorship, practical guidance, and the tools to implement what you already know but may not have had time to take action. It gives you that 360° view, an outside-in perspective that helps you see your business clearly, as if you were looking at it from the balcony instead of being stuck in the kitchen.

Since its inception, the KOMA Programme has welcomed over 30 participants. And on 28th August 2025, the spotlight turned to 15 graduates from Cohorts 2 and 3 who successfully completed the journey. The highlight of the day? Hearing directly from the entrepreneurs themselves. Their stories were proof that transformation is possible when mindset, process, and governance align. They spoke passionately about: mastering customer acquisition mapping to nailing accounting and finance essentials, and even sharpening decision-making skills. Graduates also highlighted how they have restructured their ideas on tax and business operations, built robust operations manuals, and gained the legal clarity every founder needs to scale with confidence.

It takes resilience to pause, step back, and map out your business. Yet, every testimony shared during the graduation revealed how much clarity and growth comes when entrepreneurs dare to shift perspective. Their words were heartfelt and inspiring. One participant proudly shared, “Thursdays are mine, the business can run with my employees.” Another reminded the room that, “Dreams are valid… I am not yet there, but I’m on my way.”

To crown the day, faculty and partners shared words of encouragement: 

1. Dr. Edwin Obonyo, Course Lead (SIMS): “Start by working on your mindset. Once that shifts, growth becomes inevitable.”

2. Elizabeth Wasunna-Ochwa, Business Banking Director (Absa Group): “As a business owner or CEO, you must keep an open mind: learn, unlearn, and relearn to stay ahead.”

3. Erastus Muthura, Head of SME (Absa): “The greatest thing we have done is partner with SU to ensure SMEs have a sure future. You are truly going places with Strathmore.”

The spirit of the day was best summed up in one phrase: #LifeLongLearning at its best.

Now, as we celebrate Cohorts 2 and 3, the journey continues. Enrollment for Cohort 4 of the KOMA SME Growth Preparedness Programme is officially open. If you’re a CEO or business owner, this programme is designed for you: to empower not just your finances, but your leadership, systems, and vision. Because to #BeMore is to grow, and to grow is to empower yourself and your business.

Congratulations to the graduates of Cohorts 2 and 3.

Article written by: Jemmy M. Kamau