EnterpriseZone.cc Connecting Global Leaders
Inspired by a grandmother who had died before she was born, Sekayi Mutambirwa has refused to accept the cultural norms of the society she grew up in.
What’s your story?
I started my career in IT management consulting, travelling around Europe leading digital transformation projects in banks. I also angel invested in fintech and crypto, mentoring and advising startups through accelerator programs. I worked briefly for a decentralized crypto exchange and as a venture partner for a crypto and gaming VC. I became a board member for my local county sitting on a sub-committee allocating funds to scale ups. I’m now a co-founder and CSO for a convenience store digitisation and online lottery startup.
What excites you most about your industry?
iGaming and digitising the convenience store industry are both pushing existing sectors into the future, creating new experiences for customers and democratising their access to products and services. So you can sit at home and have your favourite products from your corner store delivered and if you are outside the US you can play the US lottery online!
What drives you in your career to push beyond what other people consider normal?
I’m ambitious by nature with a passion for success. I’m curious about life and how the world works. Coming from an underrepresented group, structural changes can only happen where wealth is created and corresponding decisions are made. That’s why it’s important to access these spaces.
What have been the most useful skills you have learnt and applied in your journey?
Research (information gathering) to find different options, testing to see what doesn’t work and what does work and watching and tweaking it to see how to improve it.
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
You don’t need to have the entire plan fleshed out or even a quarter of it before you get started. Just take the first steps and things will start to unfold.
Who inspires you?
My grandmother (who passed away before I was born). She told her daughter’s that their first husband should be their degree (university). Women of that era knew what needed to happen and set the wheels in motion to support our progress.
What have you learnt recently that blew you away?
What I suspected all along but scientists finally confirmed…single child free women are the happiest demographic 🙌🏿!!!
If you had your time again, what would you do differently?
I would focus on myself and prioritize building my dreams. As a young girl growing up amongst an African culture I was conditioned to humble myself excessively and put male needs before my own. There were very few examples of everyday women living to their fullest potential and not doing what was expected of them by society.
How do you unwind?
I like being around nature taking walks and admiring the diversity of plants, animals, landscapes and water. It’s very grounding to see life thriving around you, natural beauty and the flow of nature.
What is a major mindset change, belief shift or ‘ah ha’ moment that you’ve experienced in relation to your career?
1. Working remotely. I did this earlier on in my career as a consultant where I travelled constantly and realised that I could work from anywhere and travel. This was before being a digital nomad was a thing.
2. Side hustles to explore and achieve goals the workplace doesn’t allow or accommodate. This is how I learned about investing, emerging technology and board membership.
Everyone in business should read this book:
There isn’t a business book I’ve read that really stood out. The real test has always been seeing it play out in the workplace, the roles people play and the backdrop of politics and power.
Shameless plug for your business or career:
Ever dreamt of winning one of those big US lottery jackpots like Mega Millions or Powerball??? Now you can participate in a few clicks by registering on www.lottoncrowd.com. There’s a twist…our quick picks can increase your odds of winning. Good luck!
We have a ‘play with purpose’ initiative which invests in startup founders ideas, testing them in the market and providing constructive feedback before spending resources developing them.
How can people connect with you?
Social Media Links?
www.linkedin.com/in/se-kayi
https://www.linkedin.com/company/blam-retail/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/lotto-n-crowd/
This interview is part of the CallumConnects series.
