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From Church Camera to Creative Boss
9 Plays28 days ago
In this episode of the Spark It Podcast, Abraham “Monte” Kamau shares how he went from using church equipment to building Mont Republic, a creative agency offering photography, design, and digital skills training.
With no formal schooling in media, Monte learned everything from YouTube and now teaches others how to earn a living from what they have. His journey shows how passion, faith, and consistency can turn small steps into big wins. This episode is perfect for anyone looking to start where they are and grow their dreams into something powerful. Tune in and get sparked!
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Transcript
Introduction to Spark It Podcast and Guest Monte
00:00:00
Speaker
Welcome to the Spark It podcast where we bring you inspiring conversations that actually spark an interest for you to do more. I'm your host, Helen Kimaru, and today I am joined by a young incredible leader, ah Abraham Kamau.
00:00:15
Speaker
I call him Monte. I've known him for over 10 years and he's actually an entrepreneur, a self-taught, self-made. Yeah, he owns a business. It's called Mont Republic.
00:00:29
Speaker
It's an agency where he offers services such as photography, graphic design, social media. And yeah, I wanted to have a conversation with him to probably know more about his journey.
00:00:41
Speaker
And I wanted him to associate share how that has sort of looked like for him. What he's up to and, you know, what also sparks his interest to do more and become more, especially in this entrepreneur space, entrepreneurship space as a young person. Mwonte,
Monte's Personal and Entrepreneurial Journey
00:01:00
Speaker
karibu.
00:01:00
Speaker
ah scientific Thank you so much for the invite and also for hosting me. Yeah, it's an honor to be here. thank you honestly for honoring this invite and also it has taken him a lot of time to get here umka for che coca but but go maps my lord a one i said that dr fi cap we'll say mean limar millionman of my bond cow so yeah bam got to make myself yeahcuscent pin and then theyin kept takinging you up on a palace giwap
00:01:35
Speaker
It was a ride. It was a ride of my life. Pole sana. Yeah, but honestly, thank you for who come. na Yeah, so it's just about, and want us to focus on Jania Kovile Mekua, you know, Vitu Kaisa. So, like Labda, you can probably get us started by telling us a little bit about yourself without necessarily the context of business. Who is Monte?
00:01:57
Speaker
Mm-hmm. Okay, so so soon i jump my my business side and also my personal life, it's like it's revolving around each other. So i I'm like, when I'm talking about Kama or Mons, as people call me,
00:02:18
Speaker
I'll say it's like you cannot you cannot like uh between months and ah because life mostly revolve but some other things that I do um I have to come this is a year to do because love riding bike yeah and I'm a Christian I'm born again Christian yes and a leader Wow.
Learning and Adapting in the Digital Age
00:02:44
Speaker
Yeah, that's me. Interesting. See the way it's just short and sweet. Okay, okay, okay. So how has your journey looked like? Like, for example, when did you start photography? Nini nili kuinspire kwanza photography?
00:03:00
Speaker
so for me i'll say uh in terms of photography funny enough photography started in church who and that is like around 80 years a ago oh wow more than eight years ago because we couldn't buy your church so you start i started getting like ideas but after before that i remember kichambo we used to go and use our phones like a bambi the kitambo the laguana camera yeah we used to use them in terms of shooting so from there totally spark wow interest
00:03:39
Speaker
interesting photography so after a we were so yeah it will spark interested photography lens like itambo but later on after after school julia le on night because of it so so nico
00:03:58
Speaker
I used to teach in high school. I used to teach IT, computer studies. So from there, that is the end of around 2016. So from there,
00:04:11
Speaker
that is the and and it's up with around twenty twenty sixteen so from there I can use graphics and photography photoshop. pizz and z yeah But the struggle is quite real because I can't compete.
00:04:32
Speaker
Slow. Slow. can't do anything I can't do anything. I am going to do it. But we thank God. as nice less traffic At least i you have like a good laptop to do your work.
00:04:50
Speaker
yeah So that's it. So is it like IT is something you have done by the time you are teaching in this high school? Yes. go miss some yeah So professionally you been able to do IT? I have no idea about IT, but in terms of what I'm doing right now, I'll say that I don't have to evolve IT because mostly when it comes to new laptops, when it comes to graphics, you're dealing with laptops and digital.
Diversifying Skills and Income Streams
00:05:21
Speaker
coming to editing editing in terms of photography editing still using the laptop and stuff when it comes to videography still and also sacramasquisite gonna lessons so don't teach in terms of like uh graphics still virtual so you see it's in a revolve live streaming revolving all things to do with connections and everything yeah so that's it So it's, yeah, digital skills, digital skills. Wow.
00:05:51
Speaker
hey For me, I think I'm stuck at your part. You see a lot of times, like, oh, I've gone to school, I've got something, maybe I've got something, and now I've got stuck around that. That's exactly what they should do. But for you, you found a way to carve your own niche because, okay, I am good at IT, but I desire more.
00:06:14
Speaker
I want to try photography. And then you decided to like, you didn't go to school, right? Yeah, for photography, all these skills, fine, actually. i he Easy skills, in mean asza photography, graphics, videography, and then video-kakin-alized streaming.
00:06:32
Speaker
Mm-hmm. self-taught YouTube University. Wow. Plus a scientist in terms of Kujituma. Yeah, so I'll say self-taught because one thing um I think right now the the thing that Nambia, the people that I'm teaching or they are learning from me, Nambia, they are very lucky because um they they get to learn it from someone like ki copo andbi this is what you're supposed to do.
00:07:00
Speaker
So for me, I and try and error. You do something, you fail, you try and do it again until you until you figure it out. Wow.
00:07:16
Speaker
That reminds me, I think in 2018, there was that time we I got a hold of you. was like, should shoot like a one minute or two minute video. It was like i' from a promo video for High Rock Tech. Did you even have a tripod? Because I remember the video is a bit shaky. Yes, I remember it is' a back then.
00:07:38
Speaker
ah Anyway, I was looking for that time when I came to shoot for the Hierarch Tech. I was talking about my name, my name is Kajoni. kaonei Shout out to Kajoni because I was growing up in photography. ah yeah ah yeah because I remember your time. For me, I think the one thing that inspires me about your journey, because I have seen you like sort of grow from that context, especially from the first time I worked with you, is the fact that you have lost. You take your initiative, you like you want to learn, you want to to do better after you have learned, and you keep trying to make your excuses. We usually say, Amma usually say, we left home to feed home.
00:08:24
Speaker
Oh, you left home to feed home. Yeah, so, ha. So that's what we do. There is no other way. We not to do it. So that's it.
00:08:42
Speaker
Nice. So at what point for example did you feel like so um as you were pursuing easy this skills like graphics and photography at what point did you like that?
00:08:56
Speaker
Like it makes a lot of sense. This is exactly what I would want to do. I wouldn't continue pursuing 825. a uh funny enough that before i started pursuing it before i started pursuing graphics and also these other ones what i did and i actually you could feel maybe eight to five really spark my interest try something mostly in terms of working on the graphics and everything and then
00:09:32
Speaker
I remember was on Facebook around 2015-2016 and then I saw someone who was looking for someone to do a research of product photography.
00:09:46
Speaker
So I was looking for picture of a photographer, I think he was looking for a picture professionally. So was looking for a picture. You know, learning on the job.
00:09:59
Speaker
i said yeah So the guy gave me the job. oh and knew my dea I remember but then you' got you comfortable go one be ki your magic financial goal and and lindanakaaf them to come back
00:10:17
Speaker
and When the guy gave me the job, I started researching on how to do how to edit product photography. oh So I decided in terms of how to add light, exposure, contrast and all those things. And then, came to me for a year.
00:10:35
Speaker
So, an i could know you remember, didn't know how to do it. so But the interest told him to give me like a week. out whole week, seven days, I days go on.
00:10:48
Speaker
um i told him to give me like a week so out of the the whole week seven days a <unk> meia five days la So the other two days, it was perfect the skill.
00:11:03
Speaker
It was perfect in terms of like, because you did it in such a way that you would have to frame Wow. So for you, it's more of like, when you learn on the job, you might have to pay something, or you might say, oh, you know, I don't know.
00:11:19
Speaker
It's more about your self-belief. You're like, let me try and see what you do. Let me figure it out. hit That's what I'm saying. You take initiative. Which is like a really good thing, honestly.
00:11:31
Speaker
Something I feel like a lot of young people, know we live place economy is bad, there's no jobs in creating, so sometimes we can say, either we can say we have a job, or sometimes we can do something about it.
00:11:44
Speaker
so sometimes when nambia i say ah translate like ke chini to samakunana makazi ama sometimes you can do something about it yeah Yes, but the other thing you can say to talk about what is in the market and the problem that is in the market and try to solve it.
00:12:03
Speaker
Because one thing I can say when COVID came, when COVID came, he was
Impact of Teaching and Digital Skill Advocacy
00:12:12
Speaker
either iquo either adopt you die like you see not dying in terms of like so when covid came we decided to do um to learn again to live streaming oh wow oh for churches churches and all you know streaming like streaming require broadcast and tv stations and all those things So we decided to do this because we have seen the niche and most churches want to do live streaming because members are not allowed to come to church but members need to to hear the word and even
00:12:59
Speaker
grow spiritually, but we are good. So, our botanical spark again, interest to learn about live streaming. And that's, to learn within like a month or two, we were good.
00:13:11
Speaker
And we were able to do a professional live stream in terms of churches. to set up a church and then from there we started going to burial remember still burial and events people are not allowed to come to to those places so it's a lot of people that are not able to come to you the burial or the wedding to come and then enjoy and have the same feeling that the people that are there are having So you you you saw when you were in Sema, you saw a need and found ways to actually... Wow.
00:13:47
Speaker
So if you wanted to live stream for this podcast, we should contact you. You're a kipata. We are here for you. Wow. That's really nice. i had You know, a funny thing, I didn't know you actually do live streaming. I think I have seen those church things you've done, but in my head, think we may click in that way.
00:14:06
Speaker
ah But now it makes a lot of sense. Yeah, true. Wow. How much money, have what is the maximum money you have ever made on one gig? K.R.A.
00:14:19
Speaker
I know, K.R.A. will not find you. K.R.A. will not your taxes. to your taxes, but it depends on what you've earned. But I'll see. Mm-hmm. ah and declare declare now what you've earned but i'll see um we shot a documentary for an international ngo okay an international ngo i'll just say that we shot a documentary and papo a a good one ah okay okay so that's that that's the the gig
00:14:56
Speaker
but also doing events and also other gigs but doesn't really propose there's a sustain because we live and like this is what we are doing in terms of finally appear how inezha could feed like every day you know na ku ime' not a gay ma so i'll say
00:15:19
Speaker
photography like what i'm doing that is what we are that is what is paying my rent and everything and in anueca in europe way're sour yeah and abuqueton in andke town Okay, honestly, that's really nice. It sounds like a when you are self-taught, it's sort of, it's been a journey.
00:15:41
Speaker
And you have been looking at, you see, you are trying to look at what are the opportunities, how can you fill the gaps? that's ah That's a really good thing. Whatever. What has been like your biggest challenge? youfeibbi Especially as ah as a also as a solo entrepreneur you A challenge, mostly challenge in terms of gigs.
00:16:04
Speaker
And that's why instead of being a photographer, you can decide to wear like to wear versatile. oh to go onna Multiple streams of like, like I'll say, having multiple skills so that you can have multiple streams of income.
00:16:22
Speaker
Because, kama say same with kengalia, events in a waga on weekends. you see so i when we can't know in a manishana you're working so come here we can do a job that means next week you're not doing anything maybe you're not editing because can't event on like on a saturday day the next whole week you'll be editing and maybe photography editing photos and the videos and some others So um I'll say during the week
00:16:53
Speaker
um no quaganna beha during the week, like right now, you during the week, there's a pattern of phones. During the week in Afanya, I'm working with different brands in terms of products, coming up with different products, of our brands.
00:17:11
Speaker
And yeah, such graphics, in short, I'm saying during the week, it's more on graphics, graphic design, branding and all those. And then maybe in between kuna one or two events we are covering.
00:17:25
Speaker
Yeah.
00:17:28
Speaker
That makes a lot of sense. And you also cover our weddings too, right? Yeah, weddings are bad. It's a weekend mostly in the form. Plus, I'll say, my skill is to travel so many places.
00:17:43
Speaker
my skill the meza once i didn't travel so many places Ah, plus, um, you see, uh, back at the Bible say, uh, like, uh, your skill will make you like sit with Kings and dine with Kings and also meet are a lot of people.
00:17:57
Speaker
So the skill young music once idea in terms of photograph photography and what I've been doing, I've been able to sit with a big brands.
Growth of Mont Republic and Overcoming Challenges
00:18:04
Speaker
and with big people and it i mean it's a man said yes, yes, yes, yes atomism look at kenya and you' are looking forward to kutoka i gotmaboda covoca boda toma voka latin this is ah unaa beyond to ruinda beyond capsa yeah Good stuff. Wow. something People, you ai you have heard for yourselves, please get married.
00:18:27
Speaker
And invite him. how has it grown? Because I
00:18:35
Speaker
wow so um business ya overtime how has it grown emma gro because i remember helaoa
00:18:48
Speaker
I know. look what twenty fourteen to fifteen sharing with someone be i went montary republic <unk> something that will be able to feed me iil go says umm to scar you for being a customer aja but i know it's ah um i I revisit that that conversation more and more you are i revisit that convoation more and more because from there, ikitu from the idea that I had, but the idea even it started way back in high school because I remember I was talking to my
00:19:26
Speaker
to my good friend and it was they know to me chill is the prep style they know was a good artist certain so it can me chill now they know in common so many came out of the show like thank for go camponi to Montreal public really yes like in this as i at at that time se and niure what we will do first i had interest in fashion and fashion and design because of uh so when i finished school i thought mont republic fashion industry taking a professional industry
00:20:02
Speaker
So when I was in the high school, I started doing clothes. I was designed for clothes. You remember back in the days, around 2012-2013, I had a shirt on my clothes.
00:20:16
Speaker
click on search so shazeo neguca Oh, it was like kitambo. I remember. So, I had a sweatshirt that I bought a brand. You used to wear graffiti and stuff. You remember back then? Yeah. So, that thing, used to be called Nairobi. Back then I was in Nakuru.
00:20:40
Speaker
So, we started to wear Nakuru. We started to wear this.
00:20:44
Speaker
I think had little bit of a cook after some time to get interested in cooking. Yes, we love cooking and stuff but also methods sort i think that is not that was not my thing. but By the way, my dad bought me a sewing machine.
00:21:03
Speaker
oh i was that interested in that i think that was 2015. my dad bought a lot of stuff from there still my interest in and stuff funny enough i used to use laptop church
00:21:19
Speaker
butss kazagowa more after funny enough i used to used in mini laptop judge oh else yeah cha has suffered in your hands hey yo cannia wifia to mia kaessa what to a againna could download movies if nada could download in any co andda could download tutorials oh now if and I
00:21:42
Speaker
ah left to co night from the young button and i now and you biing oh so i'll say my skill in me Canisa has helped. Yes, yes. How can good one? But this laptop be done in terms of tutorials and wifi.
00:21:56
Speaker
The laptop can be done with the wifi and the wifi can be done. I remember tutorials now if i ah a laptop canisa now if i a cannia to me to me i could download one tutorials to la i remember her and there is a friend of mine and i didju coco sita butto what tari and ao sita i think kenly andlifaa nico and and and interest interest in photograph photograph and edit um anna didta mato
00:22:28
Speaker
martin aloaitam naurru back then in twenty i think see kona In 2012, I had a scan. I remember. I had a scan and and I had a scan and I had a scan and I had a scan and had a scan had a scan and download tutorials on photography and how to edit edit photography.
00:22:48
Speaker
Right now Martin is a good photograph photographer and he he runs also he runs ah an empire photography in Nairobi. <unk> So, you see, i think soa after year 20, after I started scanning, later in life, I realized what Martin was doing.
00:23:04
Speaker
I realized that I was able to learn. He was on to something. i an noan i mean ni kansza who learn Yes, like three years later. Oh, wow. yeah But I like how, even if you are like using church resources for not the so intended purpose, I like the way when you say, You took your chance, you are not just there, you are resource.
00:23:27
Speaker
Like there is laptop or internet instead of being like, oh, you can browse, you can browse. I feel like it's easy. A lot of young people have that idea, you can find a place, you can find a wifi.
00:23:38
Speaker
But what do you think? TikTok. Like I said, what else can I do with your resource? But for you, it's a problem. The fact that you can't even think about what else can I do with it. You can use So how how did you convince and you come up past our chat you and love to be yeah home Mostly, ilioagga because I think around 2014-2015, there is a software going to worship.
00:24:13
Speaker
So, he a worship is a projection. I project like lyrics and also Bible verses square. I was in charge of IT. In charge. So, I was in charge of IT. So, in charge. So, I was able to do more research.
00:24:32
Speaker
So, you got more research. You got to learn about easy worship, Bando. Because also, apart from apart from platform learning easy to Zambu, I was learning more about easy worship. And we were able to set up a projection in church in good way. You can imagine, twenty fifteen back in 2015, you got to learn a projection in our church.
00:24:55
Speaker
you to learn more about it.
00:25:00
Speaker
about it So we learn how to do to work with the church. And then on this other side, you'll find you learn yours. So that's it. Clever. button clever Using resources. i I know. You have an opportunity. You run with it. Honestly, that is something I feel like we have to do the upcoming things. Especially when we are young.
00:25:27
Speaker
but young you to me honestly because They don't have opportunities because they grab them. You know what Never know. That's a good thing. Wow. Amazing story. So, I saw the other day was checking through your, I think it was Facebook.
00:25:43
Speaker
You started giving classes. Yeah, I saw you had a class graduating somewhere. And also even apart from that, i remember, was it in 2003 when I gave you that gig to teach the kids we were working with at Lachudziru?
00:25:57
Speaker
Yes, it did it was in 2013. 2023, end of the year. Yes, around November, December. Yeah, you taught for us. Actually, I traveled to Kachimega for two weeks. Kachimega, I know.
00:26:10
Speaker
right I tried to change to hey yeah You came to Kakamega and stayed there for like two weeks or so. You were teaching the kids photography and those kids really loved that. How has that journey been for you? Because the other day now I saw like you had a class graduating. Which school was that by the way? ecola um Right now,
00:26:35
Speaker
i was doing We were doing the ES shuling, it was very technical. oh nice okay Very technical. They were in conjunction with Starrehe CDF.
00:26:48
Speaker
Starrehe constituency CDF. So what they were doing is, Starrehe was the students, the students arema the residents of Starrehe constituency, who were able to prepare the youth.
00:27:03
Speaker
ah skills so coolly ago a different types of skills in terms of good coconna or go to find your hair beauty and all those things but for me i was doing graphic and video editing oh wow and yeah i took them for basic basic graphic design and also video editing for six months and my joy is Seeing someone green, Aekuja, Kiwami Iva, and someone being able to create a logo, design a logo, create a poster, and also to edit a video.
00:27:35
Speaker
And that that was that is my joy, like in terms of seeing that you've helped someone and given them a skill. who uh because i think nimohalii learned k um i learned something that's uh when you light up someone else candle it doesn't deem yours it doesn't deem yours yeah Okay.
00:27:58
Speaker
Nuggets of wisdom. Yeah, so that's it. Interesting. Okay. So like right now, who are like your target students?
00:28:11
Speaker
Like who are you most likely to work with as far as offering classes is concerned and which specific classes are you offering at the moment? Uh, at the moment, uh, right now, I think, uh, uh, there is something that is coming up, but I think I, before he, he, he go through, but funnily enough, um, uh, I've also worked with Red Cross, uh, Red Cross, uh, youth headquarter HQ.
00:28:38
Speaker
I was working with them, uh, 2022. okay i was the media lead for i was the digital media lead for red red cross for like three or four months up so our job was to ah equip people in terms of the people around the youth around kenya equipping them with knowledge yeah how to design and also we were in charge of designing um For that period that I was in in Red Cross, we were in charge of designing.
00:29:10
Speaker
So we were in charge in terms of creating, designing, ah branding and also teaching other people from around how to use, like, a how to design.
00:29:24
Speaker
So that's it. Oh, wow.
00:29:28
Speaker
That's good. So right now you find like your model of working or training people, that it's best suited like when you're working with institutions. um yeah cona institution but also i've um a few people that have taught like individual classes okay yeah so my like i find uh like i'm happy when i'm i'm seeing i'm elevating someone like with a skill that they will be able to maybe earn or not just earning but having a passion and also
00:30:02
Speaker
using that time that they have like in terms of like a hobby that free time to design something or come up with something so basically what i'll say in the
00:30:13
Speaker
senior targets but mostly I am more inclined like I am more inclined in helping people from let let's say I would want to see give someone this skill that as I put
00:30:28
Speaker
i would learn to see give someone this skill that ah and put on As I put meal on the table. Like right now, I can use Nairobi. not Not just Nairobi but other towns. I to replicate on these other places. This is a photography. There are many street photographers.
00:30:50
Speaker
<unk> Yeah, but you see apart from them that skill being a hobby, it's all in a in a put meal on their table. yeah So you see up when I live it in a live yet like poverty and in a have not noticed in I think it's been a has become like a thing.
00:31:18
Speaker
i had not noticed in a cra think it's been a while but in honestly photographers ah every research photography has become like a thing What has been your most rewarding part of vision especially in terms of training?
00:31:32
Speaker
and o are preoccupied so yeah inacate opportunities yeah you nikitupo what has been a most rewarding part of vijaiaco especially in terms of training Training, seeing someone green in terms of someone like the reason class that we had and name say kuja be Thank you because of impacted in my life.
00:31:56
Speaker
single I've seen like right now not the same person because I've learned something and there's something that I've learned I'm able to do it. And then another one is seeing business people in terms of idea in terms of to and a more like like graphic design because of branding you know branding and graphic graphic design and branding is not a cheap thing so if you learn like a kamamanab beharakian as ocom say in in that
00:32:28
Speaker
and I can't do
Future of Education and Continuous Learning
00:32:30
Speaker
that. I just think we can learn more because also for us we'll need to do that. in terms of that is where i get That's true.
00:32:41
Speaker
Makes sense. And what why do you think for example, you're a young person, you you advise them whilean easy digital skills at etc etc ah at such a time Because the world is digital, are going digital. So, those skills, actually skills. Funnily enough, my in my class, kuna kuligoconnabaca people that have already graduated and already in the business world.
00:33:12
Speaker
oh so But, they want to learn another skill. as like to add another skill like yeah yeah because the world is going digital. So it's either you go digital or go back home. yeah ah Do you think like for example, learning easy skills, pianoo like in ah create a quick way to access opportunities um ah in terms of especially of self-employment in comparison to what you are doing.
00:33:44
Speaker
But in comparison to people who spend 4 years, have a degree, who have a job, a job. What I'll say, about it is good it is good. They learn their skills, but also it is good to go and pursue their passion or pursue their education. Because in the long run, the school is about you know ko back interacting with other people like in terms of like if you go to uni you just don't come out with eye education you come out with a lot of things you come with like you only send us idea like in terms of interacting with different people from different backgrounds as a idea to how to learn how to like live with people out here because um think uh apart from education who an angle uni as
00:34:34
Speaker
you know cocolenavapping come on ali i like right now You'll be able to be able to intermingle with people from west east, eastern, western, every place around Kenya. So apart from here, that is one.
00:34:48
Speaker
ah Apart from education, when you go to uni, to college, you get to interact with other people and you're able to appreciate other cultures and everything. So the other thing I want to say is is you you can go to uni and also add a skill in terms of a umehania mephaia degree in maybe a you're a doctor but also you you you learn a skill in terms of photography and maybe graphics because it looks like in in the long run
00:35:20
Speaker
Do you think in the education system in Kenya, they have come because of digital like we came into ah the digital age not so long ago. So, is he skills.
00:35:32
Speaker
Do you think that you are considered mainstream? So like, we consider education like, kukua mwalimu, kukua doctorate, ikikua more mainstream. But ata, hii ni masomo.
00:35:45
Speaker
So would you think ingekua best maybe, ikua incorporated kwa curriculum? Mkave nyokienda kule, mna kwanga ana maybe communication on one. i said it is ah it is It is something that ah should be in the curriculum because you see the world is going digital. yeah at Our president.
00:36:10
Speaker
Our He said he said he had a and He had a money. He had a money.
00:36:23
Speaker
Interesting. Because I don't know, being a person who has skills to put a meal on my table, I kind of feel like, honestly, if you ask me, even if you have a partner with me, I have come to Form 4, and have come to see how many things are going to be.
00:36:42
Speaker
But we are still conservative a little bit. what we corner a when i considered like one of is mainstream careers But for somebody who is on the lower side of the grade, I feel like grade exams are not going to determine what they are going to do. And for such people, and there is our advice, like learning skills like this,
00:37:03
Speaker
It's not good thing to put on the map para caanaana in comparison. Yes, I am a content creator. There is a PhD and everything and still, it's not easy to learn from the content. Sorry to say that. But it's true. Because you can see,
00:37:24
Speaker
how content in Alipa was in terms of um to talk about our forex but when you on a leap on a skills as well because you
00:37:36
Speaker
can get more on the content side they are able to foot they are able even to travel because content creation you may say there's so many people in terms of traveling to different places and I measure because I gave even people to live lavishly yeah so I am teacher, but I am a teacher. I am a teacher, but I am a teacher. Because the thing is, when you are learning a skill, you will be able to learn a teacher. You see, like, you need learn a teacher.
00:38:08
Speaker
you see like kama you kiang gali okay i ah luonna shida shula the whole I'm not busy. I'm sorry to say. I'm joking. Especially when I'm doing it. I'm not a bad person. I'm not a bad person.
00:38:22
Speaker
I'm not a bad person. I'm not a bad person. I'm not a bad person. I'm not a
00:38:38
Speaker
find something else with your time eok woana So you see, my advice is go to school and also you see that free time Yukonayo, use it to add a skill. ah internet zio zio around so you see um my advice is go to school and also you see that free time in your kona use it to to add skills I'm telling you,
00:39:09
Speaker
bedwa could learn i like yeah i'm telling you vi ah most of it land through youtube yeah like most of which ia youtube nan gness ah eventually like when viinil lihi are like the most basic it was engaged a ko out of imagination like I would by nature or by sometimes chinese products like you would look you go to the shop on a product flany and like i can make something better than these or close to these or whatever then i go home and write such experimenting i
00:39:43
Speaker
Before you knew it, I was bowling and I was doing it. That is a skill that you did. Plus, I don't know if you knew, but at the time I was going to go to the boot camp. That was a boot camp.
00:39:59
Speaker
the good camp That where was working with the Did you get a boot camp? also sallikcona session necophons are the the kids zko and and the bidu and also ibi dot We are able to translate it to someone else.
00:40:18
Speaker
ah but quilan oko kiocabo it became business and also you are able to translate to someone else and feel like but they um tookto camega truly support you Remember we bought some some few bracelets. I bought like three bracelets from the kids. now These bracelets were made by the kids, not the teacher.
00:40:42
Speaker
so and nasappo lea impact producer um wachito oko because from the place they are i see workwa from a well-off family so yes saidre in our home yeah so you see they are able to do to uh to come up with something like the bid works and they are also able to sell and honestly Now that you have said that, especially for people who are in college and uni right now, because we've talked about how much time they have to kill, would tell somebody take up a skill apart from what you've said, apart from what you've learned from today, I'm here to learn from what you've learned from today. That's the time I have to go to class, they want watch movies. They've acted, they've done it,
00:41:29
Speaker
no I was you watching movies in Kampo because there is to beadwork, i was like you kill a lot of team watching movies in campo because i kuna something else ya cofana because that's what people used to do but when i started doing bedwa key I did Bidwak and then I was so impressed.
00:41:51
Speaker
yeah But although it's a difficult place, because I know how to multitask, I could put the movie up. before I don't have to, me when I'm watching a movie, I don't have to like pay attention. and way In the way I play in background, the way people listen to music while working. So for me, because I don't like listening to music while working, i would put like the movie, it's playing in background. I would do Bidwak until 3 a.m.
00:42:13
Speaker
Yes. So yeah, like I guess people should find meaningful ways to engage themselves. Because opportunities out here, it could be that skill that you learn on the side that creates an accord. Yes. Not a coding man.
00:42:28
Speaker
I just say, I like it in a coding. Like right now, it there is no need of you going to a shop. You just open up and order. yeah like or da you order everything that is a skill website design and all those things know um mostly i'll tell people yes i know but the other ones yeah yeah yeah
00:42:52
Speaker
yeah yeah in initial data i they do so on satate did it all like skills on your your own data yeah It's a skills, hands-on. It's a hands-on skills. So yeah. So it's a skills that come in handy. You work on the other skills, hands-on skills, then you merge up with digital skills. Because one thing I...
00:43:14
Speaker
I have seen the doctors. like not Nowadays, even there are doctors who are TikTokers. They are content creators. They are like, yeah, please, you can do it. Vloggers. Nowadays, actually, yeah the good thing in nafreya nowadays, we talk about the tap tap. by the ta top of the screen it means it reduce it's been a nowadays people are using the social media in terms of in terms of business
00:43:48
Speaker
Yes, it's yes, yes, yes. Now, but I remember when... tap-tap screen He tap-tap screen last year. He tap-tap screen last He tap-tap screen year. He tap-tap year. tap-tap screen year. He tap-tap last year. tap-tap screen year. tap-tap screen last He tap-tap last year. tap-tap screen year. He tap-tap last
00:44:08
Speaker
tap-tap He tap-tap screen. tap-tap tap-tap screen. tap-tap. tap-tap screen. tap-tap. He tap-tap. He He tap-tap. tap-tap. He tap-tap. He tap-tap. tap-tap. He tap-tap. He tap-tap. tap-tap. tap-tap. tap-tap. He tap-tap. He tap-tap. He tap-tap. tap-tap. He tap-tap. tap-tap. He tap-tap. He tap-tap. tap-tap. tap-tap. He tap-tap. He tap-tap. tap-t But you see, that's what I'm saying. yeah atoki land hans ok ok la hanso a ah like i have examples like itaka card now now and name me na now a pro leave them like right now,
00:44:36
Speaker
my mom i not who but and ajo ah a shop in a robin ozavi Because of TikTok. Oh, I know that shop. If it is the one I'm thinking about. That one, that one, that one you see. And so many other people and so many other places. Like right now, um because over there, I forgot to say, whether we do social media marketing and also digital marketing in terms of nowadays, it's not about the location of the shop.
00:45:05
Speaker
like uh marketing and marketing in terms of right now someone will and as a quote like eighth or ninth floor in a building and at a quote he will be able she will be able to sell more than say when you go up even the police school not traffic in nairobi do you know why because of digital marketing yeah because of social media marketing because none of what we move from tap tap to using it using social media for uh positively for marketing and also making sure people for actually what we see it's uh for uh awareness awareness awareness yeah
00:45:46
Speaker
Honestly, that's true. because it you could um Especially like on TikTok, I like spending time on TikTok to learn how people are doing different things. ah unap patta likewaiamm toosh Somebody went to like and comeba and it. little solo I think. A little solo came something. Plus no honor from that. That guy was able to, alikoa kwa magazeti.
00:46:15
Speaker
Yeah, nimemona mbaka think kwa TV. Alikoa featured kwa TV. Because of using. Yeah, the power of TikTok. Kama social media. Alichukua na power of storytelling. Because apart from yo.
00:46:26
Speaker
Alafo kuna. Kuna boiza jita sijiwe chefoist land or something. I know him too. yeah I've seen his content. yeah You see, like taking something, you you use what you have, you know, the power of social media. yeah You make something that is beautiful. There's something that's called Holy Dave.
00:46:45
Speaker
As in like, klivan aka bigka a sa i thought likepeka apart from and the power storytelling you see and an appearance to risk picker like a wide okay okay
00:47:03
Speaker
ah ki i think i come and mi me see i say are that jokes you pop pop pop give it desire rat i so yeah ah Yeah, honestly, yeah. But yeah, honestly, when you're talking about this, like that some of those skills su aan un that come social media when you learn, you could either even teach somebody else to do it.
00:47:26
Speaker
You could help brands manage their social media, whatever. You could create some ah graphics for people and the content itself. I don't know, it's this is the prospects, it's a mob. The other thing I said, that Nairobi is knee big There's something for everyone. told you, sometimes I'm in office, I told you, I don't know how to do this.
00:47:55
Speaker
be a guide sijuo nishnaqua i at all You cannot even handle even 0.1% of Nairobi population. and guja True.
00:48:06
Speaker
So you see, like, if someone is doing something, let's appreciate them. Let's watch out to watch out. We support their household in terms of, because at Akama, you're in the same business.
00:48:17
Speaker
um is different. There is way you love your art. There is way I love my art. So... are not in a position to
00:48:33
Speaker
you're not in in in a position just that it's why everyone in in your estate pacaque So the cake is big for everyone. Yeah, the is very big for everyone. Wow, that's that's really amazing, honestly. Hey, what are those platforms that you lead to me? For example, when you are learning easy skills, then you will either recommend like somebody to probably tap into, especially somebody that gets started.
00:48:56
Speaker
uh mostly local youtube because back when in then isto i was not i was not in a position to live back in a concert so mainly to me a youtube sana i love who youtube nihi didn't iconahi you You just need to know where. Which side?
00:49:15
Speaker
A lot of fun enough, you know FYP. Algorithms. Algorithms. So if you show your social media, not just pangar pin itaul ti to mobile but so if you if you show your yeah social media not just not just ah you train the algorithm you train in the ai actually it's a i so you train the ai on what you want now it will bring much like the interest in terms also mostly i'll say like but but like he says you couldn't have it to mob
Monte's Vision for Mont Republic and Personal Goals
00:49:46
Speaker
I have a lot of YouTube, platforms out here. In Kenya there are so many organizations that are coming up
00:50:01
Speaker
there's nice idea i say in terms of in terms of learning skills. comemo One of them is Red Cross. Red Cross is my youth. good The good thing is I am saying Red Cross is because Red Cross is all over the country.
00:50:14
Speaker
oh oh they have offices everywhere everywhere so see lazima ukwene robin dookona learn and i see it in our campaign or anything and also churches major churchches most churches mobs in a chukwa youths i laugh was in a letter someone to talk to them about something specific me i'm talking about the things that i know maybe kuna mosk is not funny the same but i'm talking from From your personal experience. Yes.
00:50:41
Speaker
So in terms of learning, Joshua is sure interested in something. And by there, it's like when you to understand a mother, I think when you think about yellow car,
00:50:52
Speaker
hit me You start seeing a yellow car. I swear that concept is so true. All of a sudden, it's just you lookka you spoke yellow cloud car. do yellow look laka and You a don't know a yellow car. So the same way, if you if you if you show interest in doing like learning about photography... trust me i love what nature this is what a twitter nature but me they are god you see god that is a cool letter the right people when you show interest like so like what are you to preach
00:51:28
Speaker
kunaa da to ta two too much that and um ni If you show interest what you want and you pray, God will bring the right people to you. If you show interest in terms of graphics or photography, trust me, there is someone out there who is willing to help you.
00:51:53
Speaker
Not at a fee, but also free. Oh, wow. Not totally free, but also free. But I swear, I think that's how we do this. Honestly, that's actually very true.
00:52:06
Speaker
So nikama it's like you're not you're attracting a certain energy. yeah Because these are the desires of my heart. This is what I want. And then somehow... It's not come through.
00:52:18
Speaker
Wow. Ish. Okay, okay, okay.
00:52:23
Speaker
All right. So how would you say, like for example, kama even from a personal perspective, how do you keep learning and staying updated? Because cars easy. There's AI.
00:52:33
Speaker
Like things are changing. car The other day, i was writing some i was writing some article. And then, was writing some articles. was writing from scratch. Chat GPT.
00:52:47
Speaker
I want a man that looks like this. Blah, bla blah, blah. Before I know it, in ocambia oh there some people there's a lot of traffic. Everyone is trying to generate an image. But before you know it, you have the image. Exactly. i take and So how do you manage to stay afloat or maybe keep yourself updated in a world and you change so fast? And there's so many things like you know, I learned skills now.
00:53:11
Speaker
Because something else has come up and you can't learn your skills. So it's like, hey, for that ah like for me for me i learn daily i wanna learn daily if i show you my fbi youtube I learn how different ways of shooting a documentary. Learn how different of of doing using Photoshop, but Illustrator, easy stuff. so i like Learn different ways of how to approach. ila isittagoje our Elevator speech. As in those things, like every day, I get, my i get nija butag I'm learning something new.
00:53:55
Speaker
Something new. Like I laugh for secrets sometimes. in a koaakking a bali ah it a as in like so in terms of like you wakeka paka pala treating mostly right now for me reading like i want a summer but mostly videos in terms of you know like so uh if someone will will come up with a new design of making maybe a logo You see, I have my laptop and maybe I'm watching it on TV or on my phone. So I'll try and learn the way he's doing it.
00:54:31
Speaker
Then after learning how he's doing it, and then I'll bring it and give it my touch. You see, so that's how i grew in terms of that is designed for photograph photography, learning different styles of photography in terms of taking shots, lighting and all all those things. And you see, you learn the small, small things when you learn yeah and then you you come and bring them. When it comes to photography, I tell people everyone, every photographer has his own style.
00:55:03
Speaker
Yes. So,
00:55:14
Speaker
you you know It's art and you can't dictate for people how it should look like. It's very subjective short. Yes, it is Wow. My loads.
00:55:24
Speaker
so So, what's your vision for your business and the training programs maybe in the next couple of years? couple of years like three to five e ah three to five years three to five because mount republic he made a change change he can take a team you can take a core difference so you see uh i'll speak on that perspective yeah come yeah so montre publics aga the the aim you remember the story in lacommia that we were sitting we were working someone yeah and then i was telling um i was telling her
00:55:58
Speaker
and micha so I was telling her hi in this story the vision that I had from Montre public. Yes, it is ten years later. Wow. And the vision is still like a bird too.
00:56:12
Speaker
but the two in enda polepoli and a ge kicoa in and they got anend key aki agenda and as in the inandki you see the golddi echemolia the v in lequa nia the vision in lago inandas society come into they come into place so um three years seismic republic is an agency so mostly we we are a creative agency so aqua and beer women a creative director
00:56:43
Speaker
okay ah and So, in a creative agency, so our future, in terms of three years, creating, having this agency that we will be able to bring different creatives from different places and able to earn a living from it. And also making it you ok like create a big company. that So we expand. Yeah, we expand.
00:57:08
Speaker
Now, we expand and expand other people that we call it to learn now. Nice. you see Fish. Hair? I laughed at her
00:57:19
Speaker
Five years. Hair. Since the release was only five years ago, we can say about this time around, and in the same manner, conviction, and I declare that in the next five years, I'll be someone's husband.
00:57:38
Speaker
yes i'll be someone's daddy oh daddy daddy like someone will be calling dad you you want a baby i yes ah in the next five years i will not be mostly working because wait ah anda quite a tagaor what i've taught iki oiaki orki mini aki finding in terms of like Like, so are a to toomicmija people that will be working for me, may I'll just be managing them in terms of the the different creatives that will be under Mont Republic. Yeah. Wow.
00:58:16
Speaker
That's a really big vision and a good one. I... I'm training. I'm training. I'm training. So, yeah, because we're working on virtual classes.
00:58:30
Speaker
So you see, Bado Tu is a kind of my goal and also my mission is to equip as many youths as possible with digital skills that have learned and the things that have learned that's known as the key work out here. wow that's amazing i'm the best with that honestly thank you what final message do you have for example for these upcoming people who could try digital skills whether any social media from easy to exotic graphic design photography what would you tell msimo get started
00:59:09
Speaker
data I'll go into the Bible kiasse and it's proven when Moses when God was speaking to Moses amo li za What do you have in your
00:59:28
Speaker
have a staff So for me I'll tell everyone that is listening to us or that is watching what do you have in your hands? You have interests, you have that phone, you have access to a laptop.
00:59:47
Speaker
That is what you have in your hands. And also, ah na za coursesis avi daughter but you have God out here. Cyber, right now, I think, now I need 50-60.
01:00:01
Speaker
say by ziko baby yeaho ziko so and and i say by right now i think ah now and it's fifty four or sixty but You can go there for 60 years and learn something. So you see, it is what you have in your hands. not dont Don't go for the big laptop, specs, camera, camera. Funnily enough, you know, back nowadays, there is that one thing that I do. What is it? It's same.
01:00:31
Speaker
Everybody. and al dash sureli That's the first thing you get. Yeah, same. So you see in your phone you can design, in your phone you can take photos, in your phone you can record a video.
01:00:43
Speaker
In your phone like you can imagine phone iiia cachuka like a million things like kaiakapo like the mobile phones that we have, i illegalkami cachoa you can record record a song in your phone. Nowadays, there are apps like keyboard in your phone.
01:00:58
Speaker
say zina You can design like Canva, you can use Canva to design in your phone. You can shoot a movie or a video in your phone and also edit its in your phone. like Use what you have. that is Use what you have to spark that interest that you have in you. Wow. Yeah.
01:01:18
Speaker
use what you have
01:01:23
Speaker
like that interest that you have wow
01:01:29
Speaker
ish So profound. Honestly, don't even want to. I'll ruin that for people.
01:01:41
Speaker
Thank you. and Thank you for hosting me. Thank you for sharing your journey honestly. It's very inspiring. I like when you on Jituma and I hope even for people who are listening to us today, a young person out there wondering where they can get started that they have heard how your journey has been from not even having equipment and you're using church equipment to learning from YouTube to growing a business, having a vision and and being that i think also for me the like the key takeaway has been mostly you've taken an initiative and you've been very consistent in your journey.
01:02:17
Speaker
It's like you had that seed you wanted to start a business and when you got a grip of exactly what you wanted uli run nao You are like this is it and this is what I get to do and that's why uha i v you are sharing that story because you walk your path because you trust in what you wanted and believed in what you wanted.
01:02:37
Speaker
So that's really amazing honestly and inspiring. Thank you for sharing your journey with us. Thank you and you funny enough this is the first podcast I've gone to. o Ooh, we are honored. Yes.
01:02:50
Speaker
So try as much as can to use my space. So we have my page, I try as much as I can to give tips. coffoonza in terms of like using myspace so we have my page you don't want republic yeah i try as much as i can to cool kuru sharuha so give to tips up even in terms of what we do so um if you're watching this you can follow me yes please check his pages mount republic yeah that is m-o-n-t-r-e-p-u-b-l-i-k
01:03:29
Speaker
yes and then can follow me on my socials like personal socials At least, the more as is it knockov and the other side of us at director Kama. That is D-I-R dot Kama with a H.
01:03:44
Speaker
ah Very, very nice. yeah I think we might add that in our description for sure. But honestly, thank you for sharing your story. You've been doing great. I've been doing great.
01:03:55
Speaker
And also honoring this invitation. You can see me. Yeah, yeah so kaibbuana God bless you. And God bless. I'm Patrick. the to
01:04:24
Speaker
but here ah yeah yeah so yeah so and also for and they grow
01:04:35
Speaker
I was I was I I was You're spanking a lot of things in people.
01:05:04
Speaker
God bless you. And maybe you're going far. Oh my God. Thank you so much for speaking some life into this podcast, honestly. What would be like your really final words to everyone who is listening and watching us?
01:05:16
Speaker
um Because I wanted to say it like the way I had written it. You'll allow me to write that. It's fine. so uh to the dreamer listening protect your spark not everyone will see it but trust me when it lights up it blinds the ones who doubted you
01:05:38
Speaker
ash Wow, that's that's really amazing. Wow, that's perfect and very profound. Yeah, thank you for showing up again. And for every everyone who is listening to us, it's been the Spark It podcast.
01:05:53
Speaker
Thank you for always tuning in. And for watching us on all podcasting platforms. This episode will be out soon. So follow us on all our podcasting platforms and subscribe and leave us a review.
01:06:06
Speaker
And yeah, looking forward to hosting the next guest. And you have definitely set the pace for the next guests. Thank you. Thank you so much. It's been the Spark It podcast.
01:06:17
Speaker
Bye. Adios. Adios.