Paint manufacturer, Crown Paints PLC Kenya, in partnership with Peak Performance International, a training, coaching and mentorship consultancy firm; have launched a comprehensive business coaching and mentorship program tailored exclusively for its partners.
The program dubbed Crown IT Business School aims at providing the right mindset, tools, and skills for growth of partners’ businesses. Peak Performance International’s Chief Executive Officer and Founder, James Gitau said the partnership is a unique approach that will transform many businesses and lives.
“It is about helping people grow their businesses to a whole new level. It will help the business owners think differently, manage their businesses in a better way and make more money as well as create more jobs for this country”, Gitau explained.
Crown Paints Group Chief Operating Officer Richard Muturi said the initiative whose -all expenses will be borne by Crown Paints was conceptualized as a way of improving growth for their partners and recognizing them as valuable stakeholders in their development plans.
“Most of our partners are categorized as Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and by targeting this group, we underscore the critical role they play in the Kenyan economy. According to statistics, SMEs constitute a significant portion of Kenya’s economic landscape, accounting for over 80% of the country’s employment and contributing approximately 40% to the GDP”, Muturi argued.
Mr Muturi said despite SMEs’ substantial contribution to the country’s economy, they face a myriad of challenges that hinder their growth. He said limited access to adequate financing was a major impediment due to stringent lending criteria, lack of collateral, and high interest rates.
Muturi also said the sector lacks sufficient management skills as many SME owners in Kenya lack formal business training and may struggle with essential management skills such as strategic planning, financial management, human resource management, and marketing.
He decried risk-averse behaviours the sector faces due to concerns about financial stability and market uncertainty which could prevent it from pursuing growth opportunities, exploring new markets, or investing in innovation and technology to cope with the market dynamics.
“As part of our strategy to empower our partners and ensure they are well aligned with our objectives, we’ve developed this program to equip them with essential business skills that will help them unlock their growth potential”, Muturi explained.
Muturi said Crown IT School of Business curriculum will remain adaptable and beneficial to partners as it will employ regular assessment, coaching and feedback while continuously conducting market research in collaboration with industry experts and integration of technology to meet market demands.
The Peak Performance International boss said the program will focus on helping business owners develop an unshakeable mindset that knows no limits while equipping them with superb skills to manage and scale up their businesses.
“Our desire is to open up the minds of Crown Paints partners to new possibilities of growth, regardless of the challenges they face, our 30-year experience in helping businesses will be our yardstick in ensuring success of this program”, Gitau explained.
