How a Kenyan lady moved from a newspaper distributor to a successful entrepreneur in Germany.
Grace Albrecht, a successful Kenyan entrepreneur in Germany and Switzerland is convinced that determination and hard work combined with proper knowledge can lead you to success.
No matter where you are, you can make it to the top. That’s what Grace believes in and would like to share with Africans in Europe, especially those who are helpless, hopeless and discouraged.
“Are you familiar with being broke and broken? I have experienced both and I know exactly how you feel. My life was a disaster but I refused to continue that way,” Grace discloses.
From her experience, she has learnt that while we can never change how our stories started, we can change how they will end. “One decision can either ruin or save your life. Please make wise decisions,” she says.
Grace came to Germany in September 2002 and was living in Black Forest in a village called Leipferdingen. She started by using a bicycle to distribute newspapers between 3:00am and 5:30am before cycling for 30 minutes to the next village where she did practical work experience in a Rehabilitation Clinic.
At that time it was terribly cold in winter. “Those cold stormy nights, slippery roads, heavy rains were my working conditions. But still I did not give up,” she recalls.
Grace then decided to enrol for a nursing course but she was discouraged by her friends who used to say that it wasn’t possible for her to be admitted to a nursing college in Germany. They also kept on reminding her that her German wasn’t good enough to go to college.
Grace’s friends advised her to go for a cleaning job. She however never gave up her plan of going for a nursing course. She sent out applications to several nursing schools but they were rejected.
The more rejections she received, the more she was motivated to send out new ones.
Finally Grace was invited to an interview and in 2004 she found herself in a nursing school in Villingen-Schwenningen.
After completing her nursing course she got a job in Switzerland, first as a nurse then as a head nurse.
Now living in Weil am Rhein, Grace has opted to move into network marketing.
She says that being an entrepreneur has enabled her help others improve their living conditions and achieve their goals.
“I have freedom in my life and more time to spend with my husband,” she says.
Grace believes that everyone can make it. It doesn’t matter what, as long as one is focused, no objective in unattainable.
Many people who know how she started keep on asking her how she has managed to succeed.
Those who contact her normally want to know how they can tackle their fear and become self-confident.
Having noticed that “many are in need of motivation, encouragement or tips,” Grace has now decided to become a Life Coach and plans to hold seminars to share her personal experiences.
“My way to the top wasn’t easy, but my story has helped many go to college or even change their way of thinking and be positive,” she says.
Grace describes herself as “a woman who has learnt how to walk fearless, make wise decisions with a lot of confidence and conquer the self-made doubts and excuses.”
Asked how she conquers fear, Grace says: “First, I know I wasn’t given the spirit of fear. Second I identify it and try to do exactly that what I fear most, and do it again and again. Running away from the things you fear is not the solution. I once feared dogs but now they are my best friends. Sometimes we have to do uncomfortable things to explore better.”
Grace urges all to be open to notice opportunities coming their way. “Stop complaining and step out of your comfort zones, go after your dreams and life will be awesome,” she says.
By Stephen Ogongo Ongong’a
