Hustle Tales
Brief Bio:
When Mother Karua brought me into this world, she started calling me Magunga and by and by other people also started calling me that. So you can surely understand why I respond when that name is mentioned.
I wake up every morning, breath in and out the whole day, and try to make my landlord happy.
Current Location:
The Milky Way.
Current gig(s):
Goon. Writer. Jobless
What does being a goon entail?
Mostly making a lot of noise and making people uncomfortable.
Current computer(s)? Why this one?
Toshiba. Her name is Soni. Do not ask me where the name comes from. I like the peace in my home as is. Why Soni? She was a gift.
Current mobile device(s)? Why this one?
Samsung A8. It is as big as my ego.
One word that best describes how you work:
Alone
How did you end up at your current gig?
I quit law school and when I came into this field, I could not find a job. So I created one.
… Are there any career decisions/life choices/failures that were fundamental in making you the person you are now, doing what you are doing now?
I will go with failure. I realized I was going to make a terrible lawyer. I had to change.
What made you come to the realisation that you were going to make a terrible lawyer?
I stopped liking lawyering. I suck at things I do not like.
Is your startup (or whatever applies here) able to fully support you or do you have side gigs to sustain you as it grows? Any stories of some of the struggles/sacrifices you’ve had to make to see this dream come to life?
My startup is my online bookstore. It cannot support me. Which startup can? I support myself. So I do a lot of side gigs for rent. I transcribe interviews, social media management, write for people, and sometimes I blog for money.
I have had to sacrifice everything. I do not know where to start. It has even become a running joke – the lawyer who never was. And the sad part is that I have not even stopped losing yet. Chasing dreams and visions cut you and when that happens, you bleed family and friendships.
What apps/software/tools can’t you live without?
Lies. I will live without them. The only thing I cannot live without is food. But Facebook is my favourite app. But that is just I always have too much to say.
What’s your workspace like?
It looks like the arm of my living room couch
How big is the team of people you work with and what’s your formula for managing them?
It is mostly three people. Me, my editor and tech guy, who I do not know how they are still here with me when I do not even pay them.
What’s your best time-saving trick/life hack?
Life hack? There is this all time favourite of mine. It is simple and I think many people should try it. Basically, it entails sitting down, opening a book, and then listening to what the words say. I hear some people call this life hack ‘reading’.
What’s your favorite to-do list manager?
My landlord.
Besides your phone and computer, what gadget can’t you live without and why?
My brain.
What everyday thing are you better at than most?
Sleeping
How do you recharge?
I normally use a phone charger like most people.
Lol. But, seriously, how do you recharge thine self when burnout is looming?
I go stand under a shower. Seriously, I do. I do not know why and how to explain it, but when I am standing under a flowing shower head, ideas come.
What do you listen to while you work?
Myself thinking
What are you currently reading? What usually leads you to buy a book? Books you’ve read recently that have impacted on you deeply? What kind of impact did they have?
I am the kind that read for entertainment. My landlord and girlfriend have taught me enough life lessons.
Currently, I am reading It Wasn’t Exactly Love – an anthology of short stories from the prestigious Farafina workshop. That said, I think everyone should read Season of Crimson Blossoms by Abubakar Ibrahim Adam at least once in their lives.
Any mentors/role models that you are working with/have inspired you and what lessons have you managed to learn from them?
William Oduor Okango aka Meja. Google him. He made me who I am
Are you more of an introvert or an extrovert?
I think I am just a ‘vert’.
What’s your sleep routine like?
I close my eyes for some hours then open them. Just like the next guy
How do you strike a balance between work, family, friends and other social obligations?
Work first. Family and friends will always be there.
Who would you love to see answer these same questions?
President Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
Rise and rise again, until lambs become lions.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Just one.
I love Cock. Crazy Cock. The drink, that is.
If you have any additional questions for Magunga, feel free to drop them in the comment section below. He will try and answer those he can. Click here to read other Hustle Tales
The Hustle Tales (adapted from LifeHackers, How I Work series) asks people that are doing epic things how they go through their daily routines to make sure whatever is needed to get the job accomplished is done. If you are interested in doing one these interviews or know someone you think should do one, inbox us with the details and we’ll see if we can make it happen.
I discovered Magunga last year and have been following since then. My question: What advice do you have for new bloggers and writers?