Dr. Irène Kilubi - I Believe In The Unique And Distinctive Diversity That Is In All Of Us (Founder & Speaker, Germany)

 

Entrepreneurship is among today’s best approaches to extracting value. It involves creativity and risk-taking when setting up a business. If you want to start up your business instead of working under someone, an informational interview can help you learn what it takes to be fruitful and what is entailed in starting a business. This kind of talk can help you to decide if your business is aligned with your visions for your career and life.

1. Tell us more about your company and your journey.

I have a doctorate in Industrial Engineering and have been a management consultant with powerful companies such as BMW, Deloitte, Amazon, and more. I am the founder and managing director of both brandPreneurs and brandFluencers. I support pioneers, visionaries, and changemakers in the following two areas: community building and corporate influencer strategy.

In cooperation with Startup Network, I have introduced the biggest online startup pitch to the DACH region with the Unicorn Pitch. I am a strategic partner at VC Fund Silicon Valley Syndicate Club, a startup and investor network created to make global investments. 

In addition, I am a Limited Partner at the business angel network GoBeyond, which is one of the largest international networks of its kind. 

The founder and CEO of brandPreneurs and brandFluencers supports the global startup scene in my role as an advisor, mentor, and coach at Techstars, the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT) Health Accelerator as well as for Women in AI & Robotics, InsurTech Hub, BayStartup, the African Leadership Award, and the Advisory Board of Elgorithm and Ignite Mental Health, an incubator from Harvard Innovation Labs. 

Furthermore, I am an expert Advisor for the European Innovation Council Accelerator of the European Commission. 

I also moderate the Cashwalk and “It's a Co-Founder Match” events for German Entrepreneurship GmbH. I am board member for the Startup Committee at the European Chamber of Technology, and a lecturer for Entrepreneurship and Digital Marketing at various renowned universities.

I launched the JOINT GENERATIONS social impact initiative with the aim of building bridges and bringing generations together in an interactive way. 

Joint Generations aims to assemble a wide variety of players from business, research and politics to discuss future topics such as digitalisation, innovation and entrepreneurship. The end goal is the implementation of new and forward-looking solutions.

I believe in the unique and distinctive diversity that is in all of us.

2. How did you come up with this idea and go about executing it?

My social impact initiative, JOINT GENERATIONS, is a project of the heart.

With my high energy level, my can-do mentality and my will to leave my mark on society, my passion is to motivate, bring people together, break old stereotypes, and to create a future where all generations can work together, which works for the young as well as the old.

I am convinced that it is vital for everyone to act together to create a better and more liveable world. I want to motivate people and bring them together, to break old stereotypes and bring about a future where young and old cooperate together, and the divides between generations no longer matter. 

JOINT GENERATIONS is intended to unite a wide range of players from politics, business and research to discuss the issues of the future together. 

Along the way, new, forward-looking solutions can be implemented. The goal is to revive communication and collaboration between generations. The JOINT GENERATIONS initiative builds bridges between generations and encourages them to interact.

Everyone talks about gender diversity. However, age diversity is equally integral. Demographic changes represent major social and economic challenges now and in the future. Generational conflicts have always existed. The growing reliance on technology often leave older generations behind. 

However, digitization should promote communication between generations, instead of hindering it. Decisions about the future can only be made collaboratively, as everyone, both young and old, is a significant part of the system and that future. 

Therefore, Dr. Irène Kilubi, with the support of various collaborative partners, has launched the JOINT GENERATIONS initiative with the aim of creating an intergenerational ecosystem. 

All economic and socio-political issues must be solved and discussed in a cross-generational way, because every generation can and must contribute something. 

Together, we are accomplishing a lot and we see it as our job to lay the foundations for the future of this significant initiative through the creation of a new ecosystem.

The credo of the program is that the future is both young and old. More than twenty experts from different subject areas and cultures across four generations, all of whom are socially well-connected, are involved. 

With our innovative and sustainable digital and analogue formats, we promote dialogue and collaboration between generations. We combine the forces of society, politics, and business, and ensure the maximum exchange of experience and knowledge.

Vision:

A world in which all generations work together to shape a more sustainable future based on mutual respect, trust and communication.

Mission:

We build bridges to overcome any obstacles that arise, foster sustainable dialogue and collaboration between generations, and generate transformations in thinking and action.

In fact, in addition to my companies and the goals associated with them, intergenerational collaboration is particularly close to my heart. In my opinion, the cooperation of generations in all areas of life, based on mutual exchange, respect, recognition and trust, is a catalyst for innovation and forward-looking ideas. 

Finally, I can pursue my passion.

3. What has been the biggest challenge that you have faced and how did you overcome that?

As an entrepreneur, taking the first step is the biggest struggle as it involves a lot of pressure and action. It may involve quitting your job, creating a program, setting up a website, or approaching an investor and presenting your first pitch to them. In addition, raising the capital to launch your creation can be tough. 

For you to make that first step, you need to believe in yourself and be adaptive. Be self-aware and ready to allow and manage criticism and judgment. Through this, you might gain new ideas and consider them as a source of motivation. Commitment is also another key factor.

Being a first-time entrepreneur can be nerve-wracking and challenging, but also incredibly rewarding at the same time. Being a successful entrepreneur means learning from the experts, and this can be through having a mentor. 

If you want to succeed in this career line, you need to challenge yourself and learn to take risks. You must believe in yourself. 

This can help you find solutions to many different obstacles. In this line of business, vision is vital: having an eye for something which could be huge and the desire to create it. Always keep your vision clear.

4. What do you think are the most important qualities of a successful entrepreneur?

Business is a fine art that not everybody understands is a skill to be mastered. Some might have the inborn characteristics to be successful businesspeople and others must work on maturing their abilities. No matter which of these descriptions fit you best, all will gain from improving these significant traits.

Self-discipline, confidence, drive creative thinking, passion and persistence are usually considered the essential qualities of a successful entrepreneur. With these qualities to drive you, what is holding you back?

1. Staunch desire and incentive

Having motivation is vital. An entrepreneur will need to overcome challenges and have hope to continue to advance to their goals. That is why a productive entrepreneur has to be motivated and passionate.

2. Discipline

This is one essential feature to be successful in becoming a businessperson. If an industrialist can complete crucial tasks, they will attain higher success. Discipline means that one has to know about inner emotion to get a sense of responsibility for completing a job to substitute self-direction.

3. Creative intellect

To become a fruitful businessperson, you need to have a good intellect and a flair for dynamic thinking. This helps a businessperson come up with many types of businesses creatively and uniquely.

5. What are some of the most important factors for running a successful business?

Success doesn’t happen without a plan. Have a well-set, strategic plan that can accommodate changes and adapt to new ideas along the way. Furthermore, a clear understanding of success and its key factors, including value, money and time. The maximisation of resources is also necessary to create more profit. Don’t forget perseverance and motivation: it will boost your drive-in business to a new level.

Be open to ideas, critique, and most importantly, failure! That's how you learn! With social media at our fingertips to connect us wherever we are and whatever we are doing, now is the perfect time. Be open to new ideas, but most importantly, be open to opportunities that can change your life! And, if it does fail, then ask yourself what learned from it. What will your next move be?

a) Your network.

Creating a particular network of like-minded people has many advantages. It provides you with a soundboard when you have questions and need advice. This is most important when you are starting a business. If you have enough resources, your network will also grow.

b) You must be hardworking.

If you are not someone who likes to get their hands dirty, this is not the place for you. So many possible businesspeople have a false sense of what it means to have a business of their own.

6. What are your tips for first-time and aspiring entrepreneurs?

Self-awareness and understanding of your motivation and what drives you to pursue that business. Find someone who has already accomplished what you want to achieve and ask them how they did it. This way, you can save time and money through trial-and-error.

Some useful tips to consider as an upcoming entrepreneur:

1. Do something you care about: There is no doubt that running a business takes an incredible amount of time. Steve Jobs said that the only way to be pleased with your life is to do work you believe in.
2. Challenge yourself: Nothing new comes from your comfort zone. If you are just starting or looking forward to being an entrepreneur, you should be ready for challenges. Exploring new opportunities and doing things unconventionally is a good start. Richard Branson states that his best motivation is always challenge yourself to be better. He views life as a lengthy university education, whereby you learn more exciting things daily.
3. Have a business plan: For first time entrepreneurs, the excitement of starting a business can make you disregard many things. It is wise to develop a business plan to guide you in the direction of success.
4. State your vision and goals: A vision is the perfect guide to achieving set goals. Setting and pursuing goals for your business is a step towards making sure your business is heading in the right direction.
5. Build a network: Identify people you can work with while you grow your business. Create a network that you can incorporate seamlessly with your venture, and grow together.
6. Be ready to learn from your mistakes: When you start a business, you are likely to make mistakes. Sometimes it can be hard to bounce back. However, seeing mistakes as a learning opportunity is very beneficial.
7. Take risks: You can never know the results of your efforts until you do it. Jeff Bezos thought he would not regret failure, but he would have felt guilty for not trying.

Being a first-time entrepreneur can be nerve-wracking and challenging, but also incredibly rewarding at the same time. Being a successful entrepreneur means learning from the experts and this can be done through having a mentor. If you want to succeed in this career line, challenge yourself and learn to take risks. Believe in yourself. 

This can help you find solutions to different obstacles. In this line of business, vision is of utmost importance: having an eye for something that coule be huge and the desire to create it. Always keep your vision clear at all times.

7. How can one overcome the hurdle of lack of funds when starting up?

For most starting entrepreneurs, the lack of sufficient funds to start is a big challenge. However, this is a hurdle you can navigate. With the right business plan, you can market your ideas to potential donors and convince them to invest. 

When investors back a company, it is because they are confident in the entrepreneur's vision and determination. Another option is taking a loan to top up your initial capital. However, it is important to have a detailed plan on how to offset the loan before taking this option.

Innovative business models and products are the foundations of a strong startup. However, it would also be best to have a stable flow of funds to turn your ideas into reality. As a first-time entrepreneur, you will face multiple challenges while seeking funds. 

You can start to overcome the hurdle of a lack of funds by creating a flexible business model. It’s much easier to find investors if you can convince them your model has the potential to generate more revenue in the near future. 

Come up with a business plan that will demonstrate that your startup has a positive cash flow. To maximise your chances of finding funds, you need to be able to find the appropriate funding alternatively. You might also need to use more than one option to fund your setup.

8. Which is your favourite talk ever and how did it change your life?

My favourite talk is “Be Inspired Before You Expire” by the Congolese speaker, Pepe Minambo. The talk is about making the best of the chances that come your way before it is too late. It made me realise why it is important to grab opportunities. 

I now have better insight into how to take opportunities which come my way. The secret to being a renowned, successful entrepreneur is starting a real business that offers a genuine service and products to real customers, but most aspiring entrepreneurs keep searching for magic shortcuts to entrepreneurial fulfilment and success. 

9. What are the best public speaking tips that have worked for you?

Building a strong relationship with my audience by paying attention to their responses and keeping them engaged. Communication is the key, get to know their preferences and how they want to receive it. 

Put your audience first and remember a public speech is about the audience and not yourself. It helps you to match the expectations the audience has of you.

Public speaking causes concern and anxiety for many. Whether it’s presenting your speech in front of an audience or talking in a team meeting, talking to a group of investors can be a daunting task. If you’re looking to really nail it, you need to plan and structure your speech in advance. 

It’s unequivocally essential to be calm and eloquent when presenting your speech. Second, understand your audience. Once you know your audience, it’ll be much easier to understand the subject you are presenting in front of them. 

In addition, learn all the details and understand their expectations. This way, you’ll prepare a presentation that resonates with your audience.

10. What Impact Do You Want to Have on the World?

Entrepreneurs can have huge impacts on the world. The field is all about changing the world. To successfully navigate the startup landscape, ensure you are creating a business that you’re passionate about. 

My “why” is simple. I want to be able to give back: to do something that can help others grow and build on their dreams. I like inspiring people looking forward to starting and running a business. I like sharing ideas and advice on how to invest and grow.

My passion has always been entrepreneurship, from my first business idea, and with every passing year, and the more I see and hear from others, this passion only grows.

I want to bring a new view of and approach to entrepreneurship. This is through, among other things, enlightening the world on how to create and market businesses successfully.

- Dr. Irène Kilubi

Dr. Irène Kilubi holds a doctorate in industrial engineering and is a management consultant with powerful companies such as BMW, Deloitte, Amazon, and more on her CV. She is the founder and managing director of brandPreneurs & brandFluencers. 

She supports pioneers, visionaries, and changemakers in the following three areas: community building, corporate influencer strategy, and connecting generations. She is the initiator and organisational lead of the social impact initiative JOINT GENERATIONS with the aim of fostering intergenerational collaboration.

Dr. Irène has brought the biggest online startup pitch to the DACH region with the Unicorn Pitch, in cooperation with Startup Network. She is a strategic partner at VC Fund Silicon Valley Syndicate Club, a startup and investor network that makes global investments. 

She is also a Limited Partner at the business angel network GoBeyond, which is one of the largest international networks of its kind. 

The founder and CEO of brandPreneurs & brandFluencers supports the global startup scene in her activities as an advisor, mentor, and coach at Techstars, the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT) Health Accelerator as well as for Women in AI & Robotics, InsurTech Hub, BayStartup as a juror, the African Leadership Award, and the Advisory Board of Elgorithm and Ignite Mental Health (incubator from Harvard Innovation Labs). 

She is also an Expert Advisor for the European Innovation Council Accelerator of the European Commission. She also moderates the Cashwalk and “It's a Co-Founder Match” events for German Entrepreneurship GmbH.

- Website: Joint Generations

- Interviewed By Kusum Jha