Business -At High school level, Joseph Malel Choge could make upto sh 200,000 in sales; an amount enough to tempt the young entrepreneur not to join college.
He used to supply milk to markets around his home using a motorbike which hustle he did for some years upto and after completing his secondary education.
“I grew up in Kitale, on a small farm. We grew maize and sold milk. I’d carry 100 litres of milk on my motorbike and take it to town daily. In fact, after high school, I didn’t want to go to university. I didn’t see the need to because I was making so much money,” he stated.
Now the current CEO of Peptang, a beverage production company, Joseph has been counting blessings after another in his life.
According to Who Owns Kenya website, Mr. Choge was born by a military father who wanted his children at school. Joseph would respect that verdict and went to pursue Mathematics at the University of Nairobi where he also met his current wife with whom they have four children together.
The publication revealed that the CEO once worked outside the country in Gabon where he missed home quite a lot. He stayed in Gabon for almost four years. He didn’t like it anyway but he had no option at that time. The job was also well paying though.
In his own words, he describes himself as a leader who depends on his heart than the head, but equally warns that brains are critical when it comes to numbers.
Joseph revealed in the interview that though there are mistakes that would warrant firing of some staff, he has never done that because he is empathetic and would first think about the impact of sacking someone who has a family and a life to live.
“When working with fellow people, you ought to have a humane feeling and this has to be considered even when an organization requires restructuring,” he said.
He advised fellow leaders both in corporate and politics to learn how to juggle between work and their families saying it can have consequences if one forgets to balance.
He currently drives nice cars and bikes to and from work. For instance, during this interview he arrived in a 1000 cc BMW motorcycle. He revealed his love for riding on motorbikes when alone.
