Anne Muhia has opened up about one of the biggest lessons she learnt after walking away from corporate employment in 2015.
She revealed how she quit a well-paying job without a financial safety net or a personal brand to support her transition into entrepreneurship.
At the time of her exit, she was earning KSh 300,000 monthly, with no savings cushion, structured exit strategy or established public profile to help her attract opportunities outside her immediate professional circle.
In a candid video shared on Facebook, Anne explained that although her colleagues, friends and employer understood her professional abilities, very few people outside that circle knew what she could offer.
The Nairobi-based entrepreneur believes the lack of visibility made her transition into entrepreneurship considerably harder than it needed to be.
“Apart from my colleagues, my friends, maybe acquaintances, and my employer, nobody else really understood how good I am at what they do,” she said.
Should Have Built Her Personal Brand Earlier
Reflecting on her experience, Anne said she now understands the importance of establishing a personal brand before making major career decisions.
She explained that having an audience and a recognised professional identity would have given her a foundation to build on instead of having to introduce herself and her abilities to the world from scratch.
“The thing I wish someone had told me sooner is that I needed to be more intentional in terms of building my personal brand,” she said.
Anne added that investing in visibility while still employed could have made her entry into entrepreneurship smoother by helping potential clients and business partners understand her expertise.
Her experience has since shaped the work she does as a personal branding coach, where she encourages professionals to think beyond their job titles and build reputations that can create opportunities even outside formal employment.
Anne Became Personal Branding Coach
Rather than keeping the lessons to herself, Anne is using her experience to help other professionals prepare for career transitions.
She currently hosts a programme designed to equip participants with the knowledge and strategies needed to build profitable and trusted personal brands.
The programme targets people considering leaving employment, professionals seeking better career opportunities and individuals planning for early retirement.
Anne believes that preparing for a possible loss of income should be part of everyone’s career strategy.
“I can’t imagine a better plan than you having a plan for when or if you lose your income,” she said.
