I teach secretaries how to make their employers look good

Founder and CEO of International Renaissance Centre Winnie Kamuya

NAIROBI: The first person you meet when you walk into an office reception has a huge bearing on your opinion of the company.

This executive assistant, commonly referred to as a secretary, bears the burden of being the face of a business. A bad one can put your business at risk, while a good one can open doors you didn’t even anticipate.

Winnie Kamuya saw a business opportunity in this distinction, and started a company that trains executive assistants. Her job, she says, is to ensure an organisation presents the right image in all its engagements.

Ms Kamuya, who is the CEO of International Renaissance Centre (IRC), was born in Kariobangi South, an estate in Nairobi’s Eastlands area.

“I can say my background was very humble since my father was an accountant and my mother was a housewife,” she says.

TRADITIONAL ROUTE

When growing up, she wanted to become a teacher, just not in a school setting. Her dream played out as she had hoped. She now teaches people how to cope with workplace changes and reach the heights of their careers.

“Leadership training is what we do, and one of the groups we focus on is women so that they can break the glass ceilings that keep them from ascending to top positions,” she says.

This year, Kamuya says one of her firm’s key trainings will focus on executive assistants’ grasp of the three Es: being exceptional, extraordinary and excellent.

“For a person to be efficient and look amazing, they need an exceptional person to work with. Therefore, if a boss is to shine, then it must begin with the executive assistant.”

The pursuit of excellence is close to her heart. She says she has always wanted to excel, so she learnt from a young age never to settle. Throughout primary and secondary school, she was determined to attain top marks.

For her efforts, she got a place at Egerton University where she studied education.

She then got a job in Swaziland as a consultant at a firm that trained organisations.

During this time, Kamuya took courses in IT in Swaziland and South Africa, as well as a master’s in business administration (MBA) to position herself for management roles. After her MBA, she decided to venture out on her own. IRC was born in 2012.

Renaissance in her company title means rebirth, and she says her dream is to see a rebirth in the workplace — new ways of doing things and developing healthy working relationships.

IRC presents a calendar of courses for the year, which organisations then apply for on behalf of their employees. The firm also tailors courses according to specific organisational needs.

“The need can be report writing, etiquette or conflict resolution, so we package our material according to this.”

Courses cost between Sh8,000 and Sh25,000, depending on the content, speakers and organisation.

Kamuya says she has worked with Government departments and private organisations across the continent.

“In Kenya, we are also focusing on the counties to help them in management.”

NEED FOR TRAINING

One of the factors that Kamuya says creates the need for training is change. For instance, she says, with the advent of technology, most executive assistants thought their jobs had disappeared, but Kamuya’s firm is training them to integrate their jobs alongside what technology offers.

IRC also launched a Personal Assistant of the Year Award to reward executive assistants and motivate them to do more for their firms.

Currently, IRC employs 10 full-time staff and hires part-timers as required.

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