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CHANGE IS NEVER EASY

"I did events design and management for 11 years. I enjoyed working on each event project as each event had its own set of challenges and lessons to learn from. I got to meet many people from different walks of life. I did a lot of sports events, weddings and private parties," she says.

"Around my eighth year as an entrepreneur, I felt the need for a change in my career. I started looking at various options on what would interest me based on my background in Biochemistry, but life happened and I channelled the energy back to the business."

According to Natasha, it was during the pandemic she finally had time to sit down and think through her future, and the changes she needed to make.

"In 2020, Covid affected people in different ways, but those of us who are in the business of meetings and gatherings suffered greatly because of the lockdown. The silver lining to the lockdown allowed me to reflect and create a plan for the next chapter of my life," she says.

She adds, "I did research and spoke to a couple of people, and upon reflection and also considering my education and experience background I landed on Data Science as the new path that I wanted to pursue. Interestingly, before entrepreneurship, I worked in the banking industry, which exposed me to data analytics and this gave me more confidence as I was familiar with the basics."

Natasha said goodbye to her business in 2020 and is currently doing a Masters in Data Science and Analytics at Strathmore University in preparation for the new career path she has chosen.

However, Natasha says making a career change in your late 30s or at any age is not easy, and requires grit, hunger for learning, humility and a support system from family and friends.

"I have received a lot of support from my family and friends who have encouraged me to keep moving. There are days that I have reached rock bottom and doubted my skills; I have struggled with imposter syndrome. I believe that support from family and friends is one value that you cannot quantify, but is important for your growth," she says.

Apart from a great support system, Natasha advises, that if one decides to change their career path, it is key to pick something where you can make use of the skills from your experience.

"When I decided to pick a new career path, I ensured I was not going into something completely new, and that I was moving into a new area where I had transferrable skills from my experience and educational background. Also, I did online courses from an institution in America just to get a better feel of the industry before deciding to pursue a Masters Degree at Strathmore University. I am scared, but also very excited about what the future holds."

STRATEGY IS KEY

"It was a difficult endeavour and some marketing strategies we used failed, but all was not lost because I soon figured out what worked and in 11 months we had a million subscribers, and two and a half years later, we had about five million customers across the continent.

"Working with Duke University's Dr Dan Ariely and the Centre of Advanced Hindsight to research and implement some behavioural economics principles was an interesting part of the experience. As a result, my brand won the prestigious Loeries Award, and received brand recognition from IFC and World Bank among others."

Lina, says that starting in a new field does not always mean starting from the bottom.

"For example, if you want to start a career in theatre, you can audition for a small TV role to dip your feet into the sector, or use your leadership experience to join a board from a national theatre organisation; or you can put yourself forward to fundraise for drama society for your children's school. Use what is available to you to gain exposure to the inner workings of the field. Meanwhile, you will also be giving back by doing something that you love. Who knows, it could grow from a temporary gig to a permanent one or even a business if you are strategic," she says.

Lina also says that getting or observing mentors, and hiring a consultant or a coach when diving into a new career path can also be insightful in navigating the transition and in the new role.

"Reverse mentorship is also useful. If you are moving into an industry where there are younger professionals or there is a natural talent, befriend them and learn what they know and combine that with your experience," she says.

"Further, engage with those working with you and around you and create an environment for feedback so that the entire team can improve. I started a tradition where I would sit with an advertising agency, street marketing agency, digital team, PR team, and 16 radio station executives representing radio stations countrywide to enjoy ice cream cake while discussing what went well and what did not at the end of a marketing campaign.

"We concluded with how we should proceed going forward to the next campaign. This was a comfortable judgement-free zone, where we could find ways to do better and grow exponentially."

Lina says that age or the number of years you have poured into another career path should not be a hindrance to crossing over into something new.

"If you feel the need to move to something new, take the plunge, but ensure that you do your research. Better take the risk now than have regrets late on at your death bed."

After working in marketing for more than a decade, Lina recently made another career move. She is now a consultant in marketing and growth hacking, provides board advisory services and serves on boards.

She has worked with clients from Kenya, Qatar, and Malawi, scaling up a hospital chain and introducing a natural haircare brand in over 300 stores in South Africa.


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