{"id":894,"date":"2023-06-13T09:37:00","date_gmt":"2023-06-13T06:37:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/starthubafrica.org\/blog\/?p=894"},"modified":"2023-08-24T10:21:07","modified_gmt":"2023-08-24T07:21:07","slug":"kaziconnect-transforming-tanzanian-hiring","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starthubafrica.org\/blog\/kaziconnect-transforming-tanzanian-hiring\/","title":{"rendered":"How KaziConnect is Transforming Tanzanian Hiring: Meet the Inspiring Mbaga Sisters"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Welcome to the fifth #SheTechsTheFuture interview series, where we celebrate the remarkable journeys of pioneering female tech entrepreneurs in East Africa. Through these stories, we aim to inspire and empower young women, encouraging them to chase their dreams of establishing thriving tech enterprises on the African continent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In today’s interview, we interview sisters, Gizzel and Gillian Mbaga, co-founders of KaziConnect. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

KaziConnect is a human resource consulting and technology company in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Gizzel and Gillian share the story of how their business was built and the lessons learned so far.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Our business name is KaziConnect, an HR Tech company whose name stands for both \u201cjob\u201d and \u201cmission\u201d in Swahili.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Gizzel (L) and Gillian (R) Mbaga, co-founders of KaziConnect<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  1. How did you start your company? <\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    We are very passionate about people, culture, technology, and human psychology. In the past 10 years cumulatively, we have worked as Human Resources professionals, where our expertise lies in recruiting, consulting, AI, and B2B sales servicing organizations from NGOs, FMCGs, Fintech, engineering, and SMEs in the private sector. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Two years ago, we accidentally founded KaziConnect due to increasing client demands while Gizzel was on sabbatical in the US and Gillian was working at a Logistics company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    KaziConnect is a modernized recruitment platform that leverages technology, specifically smart matching technology, and AI-based search, to connect job seekers to employers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The future of talent acquisition and job search is evolving more than ever, and there\u2019s no question that AI will or is changing the job market. We are strategically positioning our company, KaziConnect, with innovation and creativity to revolutionize the recruitment industry for good.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    1. What inspired you to pursue a career in technology?<\/strong> <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Technology is constantly evolving, and there are always new challenges and opportunities to learn and grow.  We wanted to be part of the change. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      The main reason we\u2019re pursuing careers in HR technology is the desire to solve employability problems and create innovative solutions that can benefit society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      But specifically, to shy away from the traditional way of recruiting. We mainly use technology as the center of our work. Technology is an enabler to transform the way we work, especially in the recruitment and job search space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
        \n
      1. How have you seen the tech industry evolve during your career, and what changes would you like to see in the future?<\/strong> <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

        Over the years, we have seen HR technology undergo significant changes. These changes have been driven by advancements in technology and the increasing demand for digital solutions to support HR processes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Some of the key changes that have occurred in the HR tech industry over the past decade include; a shift towards cloud-based solutions, an increased focus on employee engagement and experience, greater use of data analytics, and the increasing use of AI and chatbots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Looking to the future, we hope to see the HR tech industry adopt some changes like an increased focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion and more personalized experiences for employees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \"\"
        Gizzel Mbaga, co-founder of KazoConnect<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
          \n
        1. How do you stay motivated and focused on achieving your goals?<\/strong> <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

          We\u2019re very passionate and purpose-driven individuals. Being able to wake up every day to help people find jobs and see their lives change, empowers us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          We also rely on our friends and family and surround ourselves with like-minded business owners who encourage and challenge us in many ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \n
          1. How do you stay up-to-date with the latest advancements in technology and ensure your company stays ahead of the curve?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

            We make sure to attend industry events, regularly catch up on industry publications, and follow thought leaders such as Jacob Morgan and Megan M. Biro.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              \n
            1. Which opportunities do you see for young women in tech?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

              We believe that technology has no limits. Young women in technology have vast opportunities like training and mentorship programs across the world, an ever-growing demand for female tech stars, and advancement in their careers by being able to get job opportunities anywhere in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              \"\"
              Gillian Mbaga during a workday at KaziConnect <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
                \n
              1. What are the biggest challenges you\u2019ve faced as a female tech founder, and how did you overcome them?<\/strong> <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                Some of the biggest challenges we have faced include the fact that there is gender bias and discrimination in the tech industry. It is a male-dominated space, and most investors tend to prefer to invest in a company that has at least one male founder. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                If a company is led by an all-female team, it has low chances of getting investment. This has made it hard for us to raise the necessary resources we need to grow the business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                There are also very few women who have built successful tech companies, which makes it hard to find the right leader to emulate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                To overcome these challenges, we have sought and joined communities of other female founders and discovered mentorship programs so that we can get guidance from experienced leaders in the industry <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  \n
                1. What are some key traits you believe all successful tech founders share?<\/strong> <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                  Every founder who wants to achieve success in tech must have at least three of the following traits; adaptability, persistence, passion, visionary thinking, and strong leadership skills. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  \"Gillian<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
                    \n
                  1. What advice would you give to young women who aspire to start a career in tech?<\/strong> <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                    Building a career in tech can be daunting, but it is doable, and you can be good at it. Seek out hackathons, training boot camps, and fellowships. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Actively participate in founder communities to be informed of any grant or funding opportunities that arise. Don\u2019t forget soft skills, learn how to speak in front of a crowd, get good communication and presentation skills, and learn how to effectively build networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      \n
                    1. Where do you see your company five years from now?<\/strong> <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                      Five years from now, we hope to have advanced AI and Automation on our platform and expand into new markets. We want to grow KaziConnect into a leading HR company in Tanzania and across borders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Thank you!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      \u2026..<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      If you loved this story, follow Gillian <\/a> and KaziConnect <\/a>on LinkedIn to stay in touch with the company\u2019s journey of transforming HR and recruitment in Tanzania.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Welcome to the fifth #SheTechsTheFuture interview series, where we celebrate the remarkable…\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":910,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[90],"class_list":{"0":"post-894","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-uncategorized","8":"tag-kaziconnect"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starthubafrica.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/894","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starthubafrica.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starthubafrica.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starthubafrica.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starthubafrica.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=894"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/starthubafrica.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/894\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":912,"href":"https:\/\/starthubafrica.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/894\/revisions\/912"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starthubafrica.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/910"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starthubafrica.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=894"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starthubafrica.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=894"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starthubafrica.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=894"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}