If you’re stuck in a career rut, have the guts to leave your comfort zone

Flora Mutahi, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Melvins Tea

I always begin my mornings with prayer, then as I am getting ready, I reprioritise my activities from my weekly plan. I focus on the main ones that will make the greatest impact on the day. I am most creative in the morning; I guess it is because I am fresh and can reflect on activities of the previous day and have the whole day to execute what I need to deliver. I like laying out a problem before I shower and by the time I am done, I have a probable solution. Sometimes I will drop my children off to school as often as I can and once or twice a week I will throw in an early game of golf.

My employment history is only nine months long as an auditor. I was also a student then. James Mcfie of Strathmore Business School noticed that I was not motivated doing my professional accounting classes. He challenged me to be true to myself and find my purpose as I was creating a habit of tolerance that would follow me the rest of my life if not addressed. Within two days, I quit both the professional studies and my job to really find out what I wanted to do. It was a very scary time, but I was young with no real responsibilities. The second person who gave me invaluable advice was my then boss Mrs Charity Muya. She challenged me by asking about the business I wanted to do. She shared a few examples of people who traded exceptionally well but did not hold out over the years. She said I must create a legacy, build a brand that can outlive me. My proudest achievement is  building a strong, nationally-recognised brand.