Monday, December 8, 2014

YALI Nairobi ends 2014 with Awesomeness

YALI network Nairobi ended 2014 on a high.

We were privileged to host fantastic Esther Passaris 
 
Fantastic Esther Passaris at YALI Nairobi meet at the iHub

Esther is one of the few people who embodies all the core principles of YALI in one person
  • Entrepreneurship
  • She is the founder of Adopt a light a social entrepreneurship venture which had such great impact when it was founded that beneficiaries in Kibera thought it was a government project
  • Public Management
  • Esther had personal experience in dealing with a government agency and experienced challenges faced contracting with City Council
  • Civic Leadership
  • Esther has had three attempts at Public office unlike many contemporary Kenyan leaders her motives were different
She runs Driving Kenya Forward foundation and is a philanthropist through and through.So needless to say the whole YALI network was eagerly awaiting for this meeting. 
SHE CAME SHE SAW SHE CONQUERED
Esther came and she exceeded all expectations speaking to the YALI fraternity of her own personal experience in family, business, money, politics and answering their own personal questions on everything from security and discrimination issues, starting a business from scratch... getting investment.
Personal Experience sharing

YALI members asked Personal Questions Esther answered them all


Kennedy Steven hosting Esther Passaris
Most of all she spoke on how to be a person... finding a personal identity, having a relationship with your money and how to be truly rich - leading a rich life in all aspects.

QUOTABLE QUOTES ESTHER PASSARIS AT YALI

Esther Passaris - Man in the Mirror
That conversation with the person in the mirror is so crucial
If you have that little voice that says you are bad, you can't do this, it's a waste of time. 
You have got to change that conversation with yourself
You know we all have conversations with yourself that derail us detain us we have to change that conversation
I believe when you change the conversation you having with yourself you will change your life
Esther Passaris - the name
It's a name it means nothing
It's the carrier of the name that gives it meaning
You give your life meaning

Esther Passaris on Success
What is success? 
Success is not money. Success is you being able to look in the mirror and say to that person you see. I Love You. You are amazing and you have done so well. You are a good person. You are beautiful or you are handsome inside out. I am proud of you. How many of you can look in the mirror and say that?
Esther Passaris on Success
You can be with money - 
You can't be without money
So don't have any illusions -  Have a relationship with money 
Engage your senses, because if you don't engage your senses with money and have a relationship with money you will not be rich
Adopt a light was my relationship with money. My need for money.
Esther Passaris tells it like it is at YALI Nairobi

Esther Passaris - On Ideas
You cannot sit on an idea
Don't be fearful about implementing
Doesn't mean if you trademark if its something you can trademark or you patent it it's not going to be stolen from you. Look at Adopt a Light.
Don't let fear but let faith guide you alright - go for your dream get started
Because right now you are suffering from Excusitis - excuses for not implementing.
I'll tell you what will be the saddest thing and I have seen this happen in my life when you actually ignore an idea and think you can do it tomorrow and then somebody else does it
Your idea is in other people's brains it's not unique to you . Get it done - be the person who came up with the first project on that idea.
Others will follow - you can't protect it my darling you can't.


Esther and other YALI members listen to Esther Passaris at YALI Nairobi
Esther Passaris on Integrity
Integrity, honesty... values... you cannot live right if you don't have them
Do I think all these people who do wrong will be successful? Majority no.
Because the foundation of your success has to be based on right. It cannot be based on wrong 

Esther Passaris on Venture Capital
If you have got the people that you have talked to and they are willing to invest get started. Keep the majority shareholding, alright. If they are putting in the money and they want you to take the minority. Take 30 percent not less because 30 percent gives you a seat in the board of your idea. If they are pulling the money be tough keep 51... alright but I know it's tough

Everybody that I went to wanted to take control of the company I still own it 100 percent I refused because everybody was like... will put in this money that you need and we'll take 80 percent. I refused. So good luck.
Esther Passaris on Social Entrepreneurship
That's when I came to learn about this term called Social Entrepreneurship where you do a business and you do good, alright? 
I didn't go out looking for it... I stumbled into social entrepreneurship and I love it and if I go forward in my life... any business I do will have social good because... I'll tell you one thing we all have a role to play in improving our world. We can be part of that change
BELATED BIRTHDAY
YALI Nairobi gave Esther a belated birthday surprise and also acknowledged her as a "Shujaa" coincidentally Esther was born on Mashujaa day October 20th
Yummy

Happy Belated birthday Shujaa

Sing a Song

Chill time

  
Esther Passaris on why she agreed to be a guest at YALI

YALI Core team with Esther Passaris
Left 
Tolu and Nyambura Right John Paul 
I saw you desperately trying to find somebody to speak - I saw you were getting closer to your day 
I saw somebody trying to do something and having no one that's coming forward - let me help him out. 
So I was doing a good deed.
I was giving him a speaker which he desperately needed
I was coming to talk to some young Kenyans because if I want change in Kenya then I have to be available to talk to Kenyans
I cannot want to change and not be part of the process
So join the process make it work for you and then it will work for everyone else


Personal Engagement with the young people after the session

Esther Passaris - Parting Shot for YALI Nairobi
YALI Nairobi Network group photo with Esther
You don't need to start off trying to make YALI work for everyone
You need to make YALI work for you first
Because once it works for you everyone else will come on board
Sometimes we try and get so many people into something and then it fails and everybody loses
If YALI can solve the problems of ten of you and you can solve the problem of another ten and it goes on like that and we have a ripple effect of solutions to problems
You could be the ten that bring in the million
So the people that are in this room make it work for you and then bring other people in.
 


quotable quotes by Esther Passaris at YALI Nairob