Women’s Month Business Partner Feature: Leanity Dynamics

In celebration of Women’s Month, IQ Retail is taking the time to celebrate and reflect on the achievements of some of the inspirational women on our staff, and in our Business Partner network. One such Business Partner, is Leanity Dynamics, based in Kenya.

Leanity Dynamics forms an invaluable part of the IQ Retail business model, to support the East African market’s requirements for innovative, tailored software and ERP solutions.

Our team recently spoke to company founder, Anne Muhia, about her journey venturing into the tech industry, and what her experiences have been as an IQ Retail Business Partner.

Anne is an Accountant by profession, with 9 years’ experience in various industries, including Health and FMCG. She obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from The Catholic University of Eastern Africa and successfully implemented various ERP solutions for clients. Currently, Anne is continually working to upskill herself in the ERP and tech space.

Interviewer:
Hi Anne. It’s lovely to meet you, and we appreciate your time.
Can you tell us a bit more about your company? When was it established, and what are some of the main services you provide?

Anne Muhia:
Thanks so much for having me. My company started operations in 2017, but how it all came about is actually an interesting story. I had resigned from my job at the time, because I felt that the growth opportunities for me as a professional were very limited. It was a bit of a gamble, because I didn’t have any alternative employment options to fall back on. I had to take a big risk, not really knowing what was next.

Interviewer:
That must have been quite an uncertain time for you.

Anne Muhia:
Yes, it was. Coming from a corporate environment, it was very new for me to have to think of what other possibilities are out there. I worked as an Accountant for a short while after resigning, but I still wondered whether that was truly the career path for me. I thought back about what I enjoyed doing most throughout my career… Every time we had a new system implementation, I was at the forefront of those projects - That’s when I realised my passion for process automation.

Interviewer:
How did your relationship with IQ Retail develop?

Anne:
I actually met one of the IQ Retail representatives in Kenya at a tradeshow I was attending, and we got to talking. The company I was working for at the time was providing a German ERP solution that many Kenyan businesses couldn’t afford. From that perspective, IQ Retail seemed like a good fit for the Kenyan market both in terms of value and functionality.

IQ Retail has many solutions under their wing, which is great, because if a customer eventually outgrows one solution, they have another option to choose from in the same company group. This helps to retain our existing customers. The working relationship between Leanity and IQ are both very customer-centric, helping to ensure that I meet my customers’ requirements — that is very important for me as a business partner. A willingness to listen and adapt to the local market is what sets IQ apart from the competition.

I think something that also makes IQ stand out, is their continued investment in R&D and they already provide solutions that support order taking and deliveries in business operations.

Interviewer:
In your experience, what are some of the biggest gaps you’re seeing in the East African market? What requirements do companies have in terms of software to help with their trade and business processes?

Anne:
The Kenyan market is showing a lot of potential currently. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, many companies who’ve been manual for years have realised the importance of going digital and are increasingly considering automation. Stakeholders want to be able to access their business resources from anywhere, any time they need to. Government is also embracing technology, therefore business requires technology that can integrate.

From my experience in having used many ERP solutions before, most of them offer the same types of benefits. I think the big differentiator in the end, is project execution. To me, that determines whether an implementation has been successful. A service provider that takes customers’ needs into consideration and successfully manages change, is more of a stand-out.

Interviewer:
What would you say, are some of the biggest challenges that women in Kenya face, when trying to enter the tech industry, or the STEM environment as a whole?

Anne:
Most of the clients I deal with are male, and sometimes that can present a challenge, because there are clients who try to take a chance and invite you for drinks, for example. So, there is a very fine line between ensuring that you deliver the service they need, but also keep it professional.

The STEM environment, I would say, is still very male-dominated. Women are often not entrusted with complex business aspects, even though they are employed within the sector. But I am fortunate to be part of a generation where a lot of it is changing. There are many great educational initiatives running in Kenya to help upskill women and give them more opportunities, compared to a few decades ago.
 
Interviewer:
As a leading lady in tech, what would you say were some of your biggest challenges and achievements to date?

Anne:
That’s a good question. I would say the biggest highlight for me, was when I made my first sale. When I started Leanity I didn’t have a track record of previous projects, or references, to confirm the company’s capabilities. It was such an exhilarating feeling to know that I, as a lady, was entrusted with providing a solution to a client. But with that, it dawned on me that now the real work begins, and I have to deliver.

As for challenges, I think that, as a female, there are many duties that we need to balance. Wife, mother, entrepreneur… Many people often forget about that when they try to schedule meetings late in the evening, for example.

Interviewer:
Are there any specific female icons you look up to? Please tell us more.

Anne:
There isn’t one specifically. I think throughout my life journey, there have been many people, many females, who have taught me something valuable that I’ve been able to apply in my personal and professional life. Society is actually fortunate to have many resilient, inspiring females as icons. They range from family members or friends, to political figures, and more.

Living in the information age, we also have a lot more access to their life stories and to news updates, so it doesn’t really matter where you are, there is always a source of inspiration from somewhere, that females can carry with them— whether it’s from a book, from a film, from a news article… That is really great to me.

Interviewer:
Thank you so much for your time to chat to us, Anne. It’s been a real pleasure learning more about your business, and your experiences as a female business professional in the tech industry. We’d like to wish you and Leanity many years of success ahead.

Anne:
Thank you to your team as well. I look forward to the continued collaboration with the Kerridge team.