Not too long ago, I read an intriguing and fascinating book by Allan Bukusi: ‘How to Prosper in Employment’, narrates a powerful and personal story from his early career that delivers valuable lessons on financial management and using opportunities wisely. Not long after graduating from college, Bukusi secured an employment at a famous factory. There, he met an elderly man who had worked in a low-cadre position at the firm for 17 years. At first glance, Bukusi quickly dismissed the man, thinking little of him or his career, considering the many years the man had spent doing the same job.
Amassed wealth
However, Bukusi soon received a rude awakening that shattered his assumptions. The elderly man, despite working in a low-paying role, had quietly amassed wealth that surprised Bukusi. He lived in his own house 50 miles from the factory, owned three 40-seater buses, and had a piece of land where he and his wife kept dairy cows.
In contrast, Bukusi, despite being freshly graduated and with a promising career, was deeply entangled in debt. He drove a new car financed by a company loan, lived in a rented house in an upper-class estate, and filled it with high-tech electronics, most of which were bought through loans or hire purchase.
What surprised Bukusi most was that the elderly man’s gross pay was equal to the tax he paid from his salary, yet the man had achieved much more than him. Unable to make sense of the situation, Bukusi confronted the elderly man with a simple yet pointed question: “What are you still doing here? Judging from what you have, you don’t seem to need this job.” The elderly man’s response was profound and left a lasting impact on Bukusi. The man replied, “Young man, all those things you see out there—my house, buses, and farm—they were born out of this job. And, as we speak right now, I have not milked all the opportunities this job provides me. If the management asks me to go, I will leave gracefully.”
Experience
This response pierced through Bukusi like a hot razor blade. The elderly man’s words were deep, ruthless, and convicting. Bukusi, who had considered himself more educated and qualified, realized that education alone was not enough. While he had qualifications, the elderly man had experience, and with that experience came wisdom.
Experience, as Bukusi learned, is more than just time spent in a job; it is the total value of knowledge, exposure, and expertise one accumulates over time. It is more than just confidence—many people spend years on a job without truly gaining experience, simply repeating the same tasks without growth. The elderly man had honed his experience, and it was paying off in ways Bukusi had not even considered.
In contrast, Bukusi had used his education to secure employment but had not figured out how to use it as an enterprise. While Bukusi focused on acquiring material possessions financed by debt, the elderly man had taken a much different approach. He used his salary to build assets that generated additional income, such as his buses and farm. Bukusi, on the other hand, was piling up debt, living beyond his means, and failing to grasp the full potential of his job.
Loans and expenses
This experience revealed to Bukusi the stark difference between salary takers and salary makers. Salary takers are those who earn their salary at the end of the month and immediately spend it, living from hand to mouth. No sooner do they receive their salary than they exhaust it on living expenses, loans, and material goods.
Often, the only thing they have to show for their earnings are possessions acquired through bank loans, such as cars. They are constantly chasing after the next paycheck to keep up with their lifestyle. Bukusi realized he was a salary taker—his income was spent before he even received it.
Salary makers, on the other hand, are entrepreneurs in their approach to employment. They use their salary as a tool to create wealth, investing in assets that generate passive income.
Additional income
The elderly man Bukusi met at the factory was a salary maker. While he earned a modest salary from his employment, he used it to buy buses, which then provided him with additional income. He lived in his own home, free from the burden of rent, and earned from his land and dairy cows. He had built multiple streams of income that allowed him to prosper without relying solely on his salary.
Bukusi’s experience with the elderly man was an eye-opener. He realized that while he had been busy spending his salary to live a high-flying lifestyle, the elderly man had been quietly milking the opportunities his job provided. Bukusi understood that education, while important, must be used wisely.
It should be an enterprise that helps one cope with the realities of life, not just a pathway to accumulating debt. The key to prospering in employment, as Bukusi learned, is in transforming oneself from a salary taker into a salary maker.
By Kamomonti wa Kiambati
Kamomonti teaches English and Literature in Gatundu North Sub County.
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