Your network is your net worth…literally
In 2024, AB Entheos celebrated 10 years of operations. The company is the brainchild of Anne Kamau and Barbara Chesire, former colleagues from earlier in their respective careers. Launching and growing AB Entheos was perhaps the biggest professional challenge Anne and Barbara have faced. Over several virtual meetings in 2025, they explained the challenges they have overcome, their successes, and the lessons learned. This is their story of 10 lessons in 10 years, or 10-in-10.
Anne and Barbara know that getting time with both of them in the same place and at the same time is not always easy. Barbara is in Nairobi, while Anne is in Kathmandu on business. It has taken a great effort for each to align their busy schedules, but they are committed. Committed to talking about what nearly happened, and what eventually did. And committed to reliving some of the important lessons they learned in starting and building a business.
The decision to join forces and work together was borne out of different reasons. For Barbara, a near-death experience in a terrorist attack led to a desire for change. Anne had been headhunted for a senior position at an international organisation; despite being reassured that the job was hers, she was rejected at the final round. Both had left permanent and pensionable jobs with a major Kenyan insurance company. What united them was a desire to wait for the right opportunity to find them. Or, in this case, create it.
I think a lot of people like to share that ‘we started and then we’re so happy that finally we made it’. But I think the journey has had its share of successes and very difficult seasons for both of us.
Anne Kamau
Who made the first move?
Anne and Barbara exude smiles and happiness when they recall this moment. After some well-paid consultancy work that Anne had done, Barbara prepared a well-rehearsed pitch proposing that they pursue consulting opportunities together. What helped Barbara push the idea was that they had worked together, and found that they shared the same ethics and standards. Anne initially thought Barbara was just looking for an idea to explore. But very quickly, she realised how much Barbara wanted to do this – Anne said yes and they started the very next day from a borrowed office. Despite the extensive preparation, Barbara never had to make the pitch.
In 2014, the business was set up. But where does the lesson come in? Initially, venturing into consulting might have felt naïve – there was no plan B, no backstop, no safety net. And, crucially, no desire to go back. Like other founders, they relied on dedication and their professional networks. They compiled a list of all their contacts and started promoting their services as microinsurance consultants. Two contracts in the first few months evolved to half a dozen by the end of their first year together through referrals from people they had contacted. This early success encouraged them to continue expanding their network.
We often felt that other people did not take our venture seriously. Our families expected us to eventually seek ‘real jobs’…
Barbara Chesire
How did you make your network see your worth?
Winning business was one thing; delivering quality was now a necessity to keep their network satisfied. Anne and Barbara adopted a “10X” principle: the aim was to deliver ten times the expected value for their clients. They also tied a significant portion of their pay to a project being implemented. As new co-founders, this strategy helped to distinguish themselves as consultants who went beyond providing just advisory services to clients. This idea is now built into their current long-term vision.
The first two assignments were in Kenya, which focused on helping people in urban slums pay for healthcare – via insurance or alternative solutions. For Barbara, this was a humbling experience. It revealed that there was a need to quickly become familiar with the realities of urban slum dwellers. Suddenly, for Anne and Barbara, it dawned on them: neither was their academic knowledge of microinsurance going to help much, nor was their previous approach to insurance the right way for their target markets.
Perhaps with the benefit of hindsight, it is easy to see the funny side of formative experiences. Anne and Barbara often had to change from formal business attire for boardroom meetings to more comfortable clothing for field visits that same day. As challenging as this might have been at the time, it drew laughter this time. Perhaps this is part of the bigger lesson they learned: being so adaptable had helped their network to see what these new consultants were worth.
This is just the beginning of AB Entheos’ 10-in-10 journey. Stay tuned as we continue to share the lessons, challenges, and triumphs that have shaped the company over the decade.
Anne and Barbara