Startup Kenya

Almost three years ago to the day, I gave my CC9 speech at my then home club Nairobi Toastmasters on the need to set up a new toastmasters club. It's been my great privilege since then to see dozens of enthusiastic men and women come together and form what is without a doubt the best club in Kenya - Early Birds Toastmasters . Recently one of our members at Early Birds who flew back to San Francisco where he's domiciled told me that Early Birds also beats hands down the three clubs he visited in San Francisco. I am excited at how far we've come and I look forward to another three years of being part of the born ready leaders at Early Birds Toastmasters. Enjoy the speech below Early Birds How many can tell me what the first toastmasters promise is? Fellow toastmasters and guests, today I’d like to present you with an opportunity. An opportunity that helps you achieve that first promise, but can also result in so much more. My friends - both old and new - today I

Reader’s discretion: Strong Language and Violence Paxa  Rainne slams her open palm on the car horn frustrated. Another matatu has overlapped and cut her off just as she was to join the highway. Driving into town from Ngara is still a nightmare, despite a spanking new superhighway. Rainne wonders if her naivety in being polite to other road users is a magnet for this menace. Rainne has been in traffic now for over an hour and has hardly moved ten metres, giving way to dozens of other vehicles but not getting any reciprocation. She wriggles her bare toes, driving shoeless in these conditions is more comfortable.  She takes comfort in that small luxury. The lotion she applied on her feet earlier is keeping them nice and cool. The conductor of the matatu swings wildly from the door as it narrowly misses Rainne’s front bumper. “Siste, huku ni Nairobi, jikakamue”! She glares at him and he returns a lewd look, seemingly excited at the fact that he’s unnerved her.

The following is a tip session delivered by John Kageche, ACB, CL and current President of Nairobi Toastmasters Club. It focuses on the need to properly prepare and present the 2nd, 3rd and 4th projects in the Toastmasters Competent Communicator manual towards building strong speech delivery. KILL THE VIRUS, SHARE THE MAGIC 2, 3 and 4. That’s where magic lives. Mr Toastmaster, fellow members, guests in ccs 2, 3 and 4 that’s where speech magic lives Unfortunately, numbers 2,3 and 4 are numerically lower than 7,8 and 9 And because they are lower many a speaker in this room and beyond tend to gloss over them And yet if 2,3 and 4 were a virus many a speaker sadly failed to protect themselves from it And because they failed to protect themselves they missed the magic and got infected And because they were infected then, these speakers have carried over the infection to 5,6,7 and beyond For instance, If your cc 2 did not have a singular organized message in it,

In 1785, Robert Burns penned that famous Scots poem with the penultimate stanza which read: But Mousie, thou art no thy lane                          / But mouse you are not alone In proving foresight may be vain:                        /  Planning for future can be in vain The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men           / The best laid plans of mice and men Gang aft agley,                                              /  Often go awry An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain,          / And leave us with nothing grief and pain For promis'd joy!                                            / For promised joy Putting down a plan on paper is great. It helps crystallize your goals and gives you a defined target to aspire to. It's just as true though that no project plan can expected to be perfectly executed and "the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry" In every project expect challenges. The most common are the notorious three: scope cr