Fahad Adil Mohamed and Ian Dennis were among 27 privileged individuals who took part in a 3 day Digital Business Management (DBM) program by Google. The two 4^th year Bachelor of Commerce (BCOM) students were selected for the flagship DBM Program that’s the first of its kind in Kenya. Fahad is a Marketing student, while Dennis is majoring in Accounting. The duo were selected after a successful online interview process that involved an email interview with questions on how to manage an online venture, as well as details on Google products.

 

The Program was first launched in 2014 in Nigeria and is now running in its second African country, Kenya. It was developed to bring small and medium businesses (SMBs) online in a lasting way.  It is aimed at leveraging Google’s third party model to grow the digital agency ecosystem in Africa, supporting businesses in their online journey.

 

The DBM program enabled participants to:

• build successful businesses using a proven model
• develop a new breed of managers for the digital age, helping local businesses realise their growth potential
• venture into opportunities that tap into a large and growing online market
• bring more businesses online

The program was designed for soon to be graduates from tertiary institutions across the country. Upon completion of the training program, the participants received a certificate of completion and they gained skills to be effective in a digital management role. Additionally, the participants gained the necessary skills needed to setup and run a digital agency of their own, focused on offering Google products to small businesses. “It was an eye opener for me. I got a lot of insights on how to manage online ventures. The legal aspect was also enlightening because we all need help on setting up company’s right. In terms of marketing, I was able to find a gap in Kenya that I could explore,” Fahad said.

 

The successful participants acquired the following skills:

• Ability to build and manage a digital business independently or with staff
• Ability to assess SMBs’ digital needs and proffer appropriate solutions
• Google business products expertise
• Ability to effectively pitch online products to SMBs

Individuals that obtained the DBM program certificate became eligible for ongoing support of their digital businesses by Google. Support provided may include:

• Funding
• Devices
• Internet access
• Marketing support
• Business advisory and mentorship
• Ongoing education and access to free training material