STANFORD, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Frank Omondi is a wildlife biologist turned entrepreneur. His desire to
lead a business that makes a positive impact on the community led him to
become the managing director of Ten Senses Africa, a fair trade cashew
and macadamia nut processing company based in Nairobi, Kenya.
With a background in wildlife biology, Omondi realized he needed further
training to help him continue to drive the company forward. That
realization led him to join the Stanford Seed Transformation Program in
2016.
Stanford
Seed is a one-year certificate program delivered by Stanford
University through Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB) that
operates in East Africa, Southern Africa, West Africa, and India. The
program, which is designed exclusively for busy business owners and
CEOs, provides management training, one-on-one support, and networking
opportunities to growth-minded business leaders.
Following Omondi’s participation in the program, Ten Senses Africa
doubled its sales, now provides 1 million cashew seedlings to support
30,000 local farmers, and employs 600 people, two-thirds of whom are
single mothers. The company was able to expand to Tanzania with the
support of the Seed Transformation Network, a group composed of past
participants in the program.
“The program created a lot of trust between the participants,” said
Omondi. “It is difficult to know anyone in Tanzania if you are based in
another African country. Through the program, we were able to learn what
other people were doing in those countries, which enabled us to have
entry.”
Surveys of past participants of the Seed Transformation Program reveal
the impact participants and their organizations have on their
communities. After completing the program, 89 percent of participants
grew their customers, 72 percent introduced a new product or service, 64
percent increased their revenue, and 50 percent expanded into new
geographies.
“I’m inspired by the change participants are effecting in their
communities,” said Darius Teter, executive director of Stanford Seed.
“One organization’s growth and success can have a significant impact,
and we’re thrilled to partner with promising entrepreneurs as they take
their businesses to the next level.”
Participants work with Stanford GSB faculty to gain the essential
business and leadership skills that will enable them to grow their
companies and, in turn, positively impact their communities. Admitted
participants:
- Create an action plan to grow and scale their business;
-
Get in-company support from trained facilitators who help introduce
what they’ve learned to their management team and promote buy-in; -
Develop relationships with like-minded leaders to share experiences
and develop an ongoing peer-to-peer support network; -
Receive pro-bono project-based consulting services from senior
executives.
The program is now accepting applications through June 15, learn
more and apply here. A free, online information session will be held
on Thursday, May 30. Register
here for further details.
About Stanford Graduate School of Business
Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB) is developing the next
generation of principled global leaders. Since 1925 we’ve been
delivering rigorous and experiential management education combined with
personal development and leadership that has the power to change both
careers and lives. Our faculty are empowered to design and discover
original research that pushes the boundaries of knowledge. Our diverse
programs include: the 2-year MBA program; 1-year Master of Science
program for experienced leaders (MSx); PhD program; Executive Education;
Stanford LEAD, an online certificate program; and Stanford Seed, a
Stanford GSB-led initiative that partners with entrepreneurs in emerging
markets to build thriving enterprises that transform lives.
Contacts
Kristin Harlan
[email protected]
