Martin Keino — transcript

AfriCAN Do! Episode 72: Martin Keino, Founder & CEO Keino Sports Events Ltd

This transcript is generated automatically by YouTube and has not been checked by a person. It misspells names and mishears words, particularly around Kenyan English and company names, so read it as a guide to the conversation rather than a quotable record. Each timestamp opens the video at that moment.

0:05 Greetings ladies and gentlemen and welcome to episode 72 of the African Do Podcast. Today we are very privileged to have an old friend, Martin Keino, a bit of a household name, uh who runs Keino Sports Event Limited. Sports Events Limited. And welcome Martin to the African Do Podcast.
Thank you very much, Leonard. It's a It's an honor and a pleasure to be here today.
Excellent. Excellent. So, Martin, you're a bit of a Your Your second name kind of gives you away, you know, you're a household name. Everyone
[laughter]
Everyone grew up hearing the Keino name, at least everyone in a Kenyan context, because of your dad and his history with Kenyan athletics. So, um before we get into that that journey of building your your your sports business, maybe let's speak about you. Where did you grow up? Um Did you follow in your dad's footsteps and go down the athletics track or how do you find yourself now well as a build-up to where you are today?

1:10
All right, thank you. Um so, I grew up in Eldoret. Uh went to primary school in Eldoret. Then things changed a bit. I we had a family friend invite me to go to high school in the US.
Okay. Okay.
Yes. So, I I went to the US in 1985 as a 13-year-old.
Wow.
And went to start high school in the US.
Wow. Okay.
So, that was a fantastic experience. In a way, it sort of um prepared me for the journey ahead in terms of you know, career, uh interests, uh exposure, everything.
Mhm.
So, I previously, of course, coming from a very well-known sports personality family, I was not an athlete.
Okay.
But when I went to the US, I went into high school, of course, everybody knew about my father there and they were saying, "Oh, you must be a Kenyan. You must be an athlete. Why don't you join the cross country athletics team?"

2:15
Okay.
So, I I did, but, you know, year one was not much of a success. Partly due to the high expectations. But from there, I just took it up seriously. I started training and everything and got quite a bit of success in high school.
Okay.
And I then was recruited to to run for university. I went to University of Arizona on athletic scholarship. And did my five years there, got a degree in interior design.
Oh, [laughter] interior design, wow. Oh, man, okay.
Yeah. So, but then I my profession, you know, grew steadily. I was the national champion in athletics in 5,000 cross country in the in the NCAA, the colleges level.
Yes.
So, I became after that, I got I was approached by management to become a professional athlete.

3:09
Okay.
Yes, I became a professional athlete in after university in '95.
What does that mean to be a professional athlete in in athletes? I mean, people have more visibility to maybe footballers, basketballers, but what does professionalism look like in the athletic space?
Well, you're invited to all the the professional to the professional racing circuit. You know, I a manager, a professional manager approached me to manage my career and get me organize my running schedule, you know, internationally.
Okay.
So, I I was able to run in some of the top competitions internationally.
Okay.
At the same time, right after university, I was approached I I did an internship with a Nike International

3:54
Okay. at the headquarters as a designer for their Nike Town Shops and sports shops.
Now this is your interior design not not okay.
So I moved to I went to university in Arizona but then I moved to Portland, Oregon to work at the headquarters of Nike and I started working as a designer for their Nike Town Shop their shops. Yes. So we did their shops concept shops and their retail shops.
Yes.
But when I was there I was exposed to footwear design apparel design and I thought maybe that's the way I would wanted to go.
And Portland Oregon is a huge running town isn't it?
Oh yes it is massive running town yeah so that was good but at the same time as I was working there I was training because now I had a manager and he organized series of races for me both you know in Europe around the US in different parts of the world so I was also traveling to compete as well as working.

4:52
Okay.
Yeah so So I took I was the only one who really okay who took after after my father.
Yes.
In in the in the
In your family.
Yes so I ran professionally I I didn't I didn't quite achieve of course the success he he he of course I tried to make the Olympic teams I came in fourth twice in the Kenyan selection trials so I never really made it to the Olympics like it was which was a big goal of mine but I never made it to that level however I now have the family records I ran faster than my dad okay 40 years later but I ran faster than my father.
Okay.
So nonetheless I had a 10 year professional running career.
Okay okay.
Yeah traveled all over the world so
Am I right in saying that of course by virtue of being your father's son and then the the journey that took you through professional interior design that you are getting immersed in the ecosystem of athletics and you are fortunate enough to do so on multiple continents because when you turn professional you said you are running in Europe. You studied in the States. You come to Kenya for trials and and so on. So you get to see how were those the

6:14 seeds being planted for what you ended up doing entrepreneurially?
Absolutely.
Yeah. When I look back uh the level of exposure that I got from from traveling around the world. Uh I was fortunate to travel 92 countries.
Oh, wow.
Yeah, all over.
Oh, wow. Wow.
traveled everywhere. We um we were based in Australia for the first you know the first 3 months of the year. So we would travel to New Zealand for some competitions, all of Australia, then um on our way home from Australia we'd hit South Africa for some competitions. We even go to Asia. Uh there was a race in South America, literally all over Europe.
Oh, wow.
Uh so we traveled a lot. So the level of exposure I got I I really um realized that I was onto something here.

7:05
Okay.
And you know the you know the exposure, the networking opportunities, um just seeing what is possible in different parts of the world just you know really uh benefited me. And I saw okay, I better take advantage of this.
Is it is it fair to say
Mhm.
that having a father who was an athlete
Mhm.
um
[snorts]
released you from that pressure, you know, of um you know, other other kids who who pursue non-conventional careers. You know, uh I I see if I was to go and talk to maybe my parents and say that um uh I'm I'm I have a Nike internship and and I'm going professional. I'm I may have been pushed more towards the Nike, you know, you have a degree degree. Did Did your dad being an athlete himself release you from that pressure that he

7:59 he was okay with you pursuing that line or how did that conversation go on the home front?
Well, he was very encouraging uh to take up the opportunities that were available.
Okay.
You know, given the exposure and everything.
Yeah.
Um the pressure, of course, being Kipchoge Keino son was immense.
Yeah.
And somehow it sometimes it works uh for you, sometimes it works against you.
Yes.
Uh because expectations are very high.
Mhm.
Uh why aren't you running like your father? Why aren't you living up to the name? All those kinds of things. But he was like he's very supportive. Don't you do your thing.
Mhm.
Uh you know, find your own level of success. I'll support you.

8:35
Yes.
And that kind of thing. So, and then yeah, just, you know, ride on this opportunity, you know, that you have.
Mhm.
If you're traveling globally, if you know, you have this opportunity working uh in one of the world's biggest sporting um uh sports companies.
Yes.
Take advantage of that. Build your name, that kind of thing. Be it be it in in in that line of work or in athletics.
Okay.
And even with athletics, when I was running, uh I in my second year, something uh our management uh had a whole bunch of top Kenyan athletes.
Mhm.
Uh and these athletes would win gold medals in the Olympics, break world records, win world championships, all that. So, we're all in one group. And so,

9:21
[clears throat]
once uh the summer of '96, uh I'd run my race It was somewhere in Finland. I'd run my race uh 1,500 m and my manager was like, "Why don't you come and I I you How you feeling? Are you feeling okay? Can you help uh your colleague? He wants to break the world record in the 2 miles. Sounds
like, yeah, sure, why not? And so I did. I helped pace for him and he broke the world record. But little did I know that started a whole new path for me.
Okay.
Yeah, so because I was identified and recognized as well, you know, one of the top pacemakers in the middle distance running scene.
Okay. Okay.
I started getting more requests for pacemaking.
And pacemaking is a paid gig?

10:04
My goodness, it was.
Oh, wow.
So, um if you like at the time an athlete wants to break a world record. At the time it was Daniel Komen, Haile Gebrselassie, Kenenisa Bekele uh Kenenisa Bekele
Yes.
Those were the top
Those are the top runners
runners in the world and those were the guys who were looking for world records.
Yes.
So, because and there weren't very many good uh pacemakers at the time.
Mhm.
And and pacemaking is really the ability to run as even as possible for a a long distance so that the person you're pacing for doesn't have to do much work. He's basically drafting off of you.
Mhm.
And saving his energy for the last bit.
Mhm.
And so as I I was called upon to do those races uh I ended up breaking help break seven world records.

10:57
Oh, wow.
in that period of 10 years. And so I was very much in demand, you know, I'd be paid
as a pacer
as a pacer
than a racer.
Okay.
And at the time I'd be paid equal to the second person.
Mhm.
Yeah, it was significant money, you know. And you don't necessarily have to finish the race.
It's so interesting that you you bring that aspect out because I think it's something that we need to dig into a bit deeper. Yeah? So, um I find that when we when we look into things from uh what I call non-convention careers, you know, um and convention being a historical connotation, not a right or wrong one, yeah? I find that um we are not exposing Kenyan youth sufficiently to what the ecosystem is.

11:52
Yes.
And what opportunities it it offers. Because most people when they look at athletics, they assume that if you're not the winner and collecting the top prize money, that's it.
Mhm.
You know, or all the kids like this uh middle-class Kenyan is spending a lot of money on on swimming training, on football training, yeah?
Mhm.
[clears throat]
And I feel we would benefit greatly if we took like football and stretched out
Mhm.
the ecosystem. And don't think every game needs a referee.
Sure.
Every game needs, you know, uh other administrative staff
Mhm.
And it helps if you already have passion for the sport or if you're a player, if you understand that ecosystem. Like that's my learning from you today.

12:39
Mhm.
That pacing is I mean
Yes.
people are sought after as pacers, you know? Now you think about Kenya and the running talent we have. Not all of them are going to be the winners and not all of them but if some of them can see, oh, listen, I'm doing this and if I don't become the best of the best, there's this and there's this and there's the other. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I agree.
And that's you know, that began sort of my process of learning of the whole ecosystem.
Mhm.
You know, I you know, of course I had my dreams and goals to be one of the top athletes in the world. Okay, that that was impossible. I was ranked uh second in the world in my event, you know, 2 years. I was running 2,000 m. m ranked second in the world. Okay. I had my level of success in the 1,500 m or 1 mile. I was ranked in the top 10 in some of them over time. But, as this pacemaking gig came around and I took it

13:39 seriously and I was in demand my services were in demand for some of these top athletes. Yeah, I learned okay, yeah, there's many other ways that you can achieve success.
Yes.
You know, in in the ecosystem. And that continued when I retired from professional running in 2005.
Yes.
Uh actually 21 years ago.
Mhm.
Um so, before then because I was traveling a lot more I was traveling a lot more, you know, in during my my my time as an athlete. I knew that okay, I wanted to do 10 years
Yes.
as a professional athlete and move on.
Okay.
There were many other opportunities that I could chase after and not necessarily have it having to be a professional athlete. So, so 8 years in my professional career I I knew that I I set the target for 2 more years and then I move on.

14:35
Okay.
And within those from year 8 to year 10 I started learning you know, consciously learning about the rest of the ecosystem around us. You know, cuz you're traveling to the same places every year. So, what's new? You know, what can you find out? You know, what can you learn as you travel other than the airport hotel stadium hotel routine.
Mhm.
Uh you know, you have to do something else. I figured out I've got to learn a bit more
Yes.
about this experience or take advantage of this opportunity that I have. So, I started interacting and networking with the meeting directors, sponsors, managers, different athletes just to find out what you know, what makes them tick, what what works. You know, because I I I I was planning to make the transition to post professional athletics.

15:28
And where does post 2005 take you?
So post 2005, I moved I had moved back home back in Nairobi. And I wanted to start sports marketing was a big deal at the time. And I saw the opportunities because during that period I was I was called upon because I I was a fairly effective communicator.
Yes.
Among other athletes and particularly our Kenyan athletes. So I I'd be called upon, you know, before an event I'd be called you know, the top athletes would be called for a press conference. You know, and you know, talking about what they want to achieve and that kind of thing. But a lot of them struggled with language, communication skills. So I'd act as a translator for a lot of our athletes. And you know, get them to speak in Swahili and I'd

16:18 translate in English and you know, forever. So I'd you know, there'd be those opportunities and I'd also be there to advise on taking up opportunities of sponsorship and marketing.
Yeah.
You know, you know, get themselves out beyond the Nikes, Adidas, Pumas. You know, finding marketing opportunities for these athletes. So I'd guide them and advise them on that as well as financial planning.
Yes.
Financial and lifestyle planning. Because you can imagine some of these athletes would come into a lot of money.
And it comes lump sum.
Lump sum. And they wouldn't know what to do with it. And they would not trust some of the professionals to help them manage the finances or manage the lifestyle.

17:03
Okay.
And you can [clears throat] imagine the lifestyle, you know, when a guy comes home with like, you know, half a million dollars, you know, the attract the attention he attracts either from family, friends, women, you know, all that. How do you manage that? And so I I took it upon myself to to advise a lot of the athletes at the time, you know, how to manage those those those challenges that you would have to you'd encounter as a as a top professional athlete.
And were you doing this as an individual or did you then set up an entity that was
I during during my running career, I was just doing it as an individual. That's why I was like when I when I retired, I set up a sports marketing agency.

17:44
Okay.
To now help athletes do that. Uh so I continued even right after I, you know, we did quite a bit of work, you know, we set up seminars, we set up sessions with a lot of the athletes to advise them on how to manage their finances, how to manage their lifestyle, communication skill, improve their communication skills, and all those things. As well as at the same time I was now creating events, you know, the sports market or the sports events agency, different kinds of sporting events around the country, not just running events. And we've done Yeah, we've done we've done a whole bunch of different kinds of sports events.
Let's come now into this world of of creating sports events.

18:26
Yes.
Um of course you you as we said as we covered earlier, you've had this immersion, you know, by being an athlete.
That's right.
By by being conscious in this space, you know, you go to the States, you you you then participate in the collegiate circuit, um you become a professional athlete. So you've had a complete immersion into the ecosystem. So how do you um What has become a recurring theme on the podcast has been the contextualization. How do you take this knowledge and now bring it in a Kenyan context and start building events that make sense here? Yeah?
That's right. And that's those were part of my learnings as a professional and the experiences and exposure I had around the country around the world. I was like, why don't I create a specific sports event agency that manages uh create and manages events from end to end.

19:26
Okay.
So, if I'm approaching a client or a client wants an event, you know, maybe they're a bank they're a bank or insurance company or whatever kind of uh company they are.
Yeah.
But, they want to handle something sports. We wanted to you know, I wanted to provide that level of service
Mhm.
for those people.
Yeah.
That all they, you know, we once the idea is there, we create and manage all the processes end to end. So, their job really is you know, to give speeches and prizes and pay us.
Okay.
and make them look good. You know, we do all the work behind the scenes. Because it's a very specific thing, you know, getting the officials, measuring the fields, you know, prizes, everything that, you know, managing, you know, all the competitions. It's a I saw that as a huge gap here.

20:15
Mhm.
That, you know, many companies I There was no one really to help them specifically to manage those processes like that. And having studied and having been in so many uh sporting events you know, over the 10 years, I saw you know, the the level of professionalism that's required to manage that and it has to be very specific. So, I said, let me create that.
Okay.
And then, not only that, but I would create my own events.
Okay.
that hadn't been done here.
Yeah.
And we've done I don't know if you remember this, we we did a sports fashion show.
Okay.
Yeah, way back. You remember that.
I think I remember that. Yeah.
back. Yeah. So, stuff like that, you know. And just to showcase, you know, our our sports people in in a different angles. Like that. And we've done uh we've done sport sports across all kinds of sports across the you know, fields.

21:08
Did that involve did did part of what you are doing because you are kind of pioneering a space in a local context? Did that involve curating the value proposition for the sponsors?
Absolutely.
Yeah.
That was part of it.
And how does that journey look like because you're coming to people in a corporate environment and you're trying to show them something that they probably haven't seen.
That's right.
Yeah. Cuz I I advise a lot of young creative economy people, sportsmen, and so on. You know, when you write to me and ask me for money to sponsor it's your obligation to think about why would should I sponsor? You know, I mean it's not otherwise it's charity you're asking for, you know? So, how was that journey how of of curating the value proposition for the potential sponsors and what was the reaction you got in the

22:02 early days?
Initially, it was um yeah, it was a whole new journey because, you know, curating that purpose and showing them value of supporting, you know, sponsoring a project like this and you know, what the benefits would be for them was quite intense. You know, it was a whole learning process. But I I tapped into my my knowledge and experience from having worked at Nike and you know, just you know, all the exposure opportunities around the world and see how they do it the benefits here. That was it was quite a journey to be honest with you. But it it opened up a lot of eyes on people like, oh, this is how we should be doing stuff. And so, you know, that whole it was not easy selling that bit and a lot of I would get this comment, oh, you're ahead of your time.

22:51
Mhm.
You know, you're thinking 5 10 years [laughter] ahead.
I I know that comment well.
You know what I mean?
Yeah.
So, yeah. So, yeah, I got a lot of that. And then I was like, you know what? This is a long journey. I I I didn't you know, I in the beginning I knew that I may not have so much success uh selling this proposition to a lot of people because they were not quite understanding that this this is the way to go. And and so it took a bit of time to get some of the clients on board to understand that. Uh but for the most part uh those who got it, yeah, understood that that this is the way to go and that's how to engage.
So let's speak a bit then about the the patience that is required in walking a journey like this. You know, um I was very privileged in my early life and working at the carnival uh to be part of um the first team uh that was involved in the StanChart Marathon. So I remember StanChart Marathon 1.

23:49
I was there I was there as well.
Yeah, and and we were, you know, we were we hosted the athletes in the night before and so on. There's quite a bit that we did. And I think it started from the Carnival Gardens and that's where that that the marathon started from. But now fast forward to today and you look at what an amazing brand asset the StanChart Marathon has evolved into. And also something that is not often discussed the institutional knowledge that is built in the marketplace, you know? So much so that now you encourage um other people to other other corporate sponsors and other maybe people like yourselves start curating more because you've there's marathon here, marathon and every other corporate. So there are the me toos

24:40
And then there are the innovators.
You know, so I I admire NCBA for example with their loop
the loop brand
for going cycling and then now building a whole new ecosystem. I think Jubilee also as a corporate went cycling, you know, and they're building this whole different and lots of sports assets. So, where are we now? And where are you now today in in in in your space?
Yes, it's interesting to see, you know, how and how how a lot of corporates have, you know, created some of these lasting products in the in the market like StanChart. And as you I remember the first StanChart I was one of the first commentators. I did a commentary for StanChart.
Yes, the first one.
So, I've seen the journey going back and just seeing how they've grown. They've had some challenging years, but for the most part they've learned from that and they've grown and solidified their position, you know, in the market as, you know, of course now the top, you know, marathon event in in the country in East Africa literally.

25:46
Okay.
So, kudos to them for that effort and the level of patient. It takes time to develop these things, you know, over time. But you have to, you know, again you have to be innovative and come up with something that's unique in the market because the uh the clientele, the people who want to take up these products and I mean want to want to participate are very switched on now. And you have to keep up with, you know, with them. You have to provide, you know, a quality service, a product to them so that they come back. And if you don't learn about if you don't manage that well, you know, as a corporate or as a institution or as an agency, you know, you know, you fall flat in your face. And you know, the biggest thing is, you know, patience, the level of time. These things don't happen instantly.

26:35
Okay.
If they happen instantly, you can understand you best believe that it's going to fall
Okay.
in a very short time.
Agreed.
Yeah, so you have to build, you know, all the components required and have the right team, you know, over time to to enable it to grow. and if you provide an innovative create an innovative service or event, you know, you best, you know, have thought about it, you know, what's going to happen in the next 5 years. Cuz it's constantly evolving. Now, just going back to what I'm doing, you mentioned cycling.
Yes.
Um seeing what Loop has done, I mean, I've been thinking about this for the last 5 6 years. Uh and it's finally coming together. So, we're creating this year at the end of September um a multi-day cycling event in the North Rift.

27:27
Oh, okay.
It's a bike the Rift Tour. It's more like a like a Tour de France, a mini Tour de France, but a 4-day cycling event that's happening in Kenya.
Nice.
And, you know, providing, you know, a route that's one of the most scenic in Kenya, you know, from Nakuru to Baringo to the Geothermal to Uasin Gishu,
Nice.
you know, valleys, everything in between, and some of the So, create because there's a lot of cycling clubs that want to experience something new.
Yes.
And something challenging. Nobody wants anything easy anymore.
Okay.
Yeah, so and just providing that kind of So, we're doing the bike the Rift Tour at the end of September, 4-day cycling event for the elite, recreation, and and the community.

28:12
Nice.
Yeah, that kind of
And that's a new brand asset?
It's a new brand asset, yes.
Listen, but let's let's let's double a bit in your in your um in your own personal journey of patience
Yes.
in building a brand asset.
Sure.
And let's speak about the brand asset you developed and named after your dad, the Kip Keino Classic. Yeah?
How many years has has it been now? And maybe walk us through that journey of conceptualizing the Kip Keino Classic,
Mhm.
finally launching it, and now, you know, chasing sponsors and and establishing it the same way we were discussing about the standard of marathon.
Well, um um you know, given our strong history in um in uh athletics performance uh as a country we thought it was about time it it was the right time to host a major event, an athletics event here in Kenya.

29:04
Yeah.
And so, uh you know, of course, uh working together with Athletics Kenya uh creating a major event that could attract international athletes to come to Kenya, as well as showcase some of our top athletes here, present them an opportunity to compete here at home.
Mhm.
And so, 7 years ago, this idea came up. Um just, you know, literally 2020.
Mhm.
And it was interesting because during COVID that was COVID times.
Yes.
And it was like October 2020.
Mhm.
And the challenge I mean, there were many challenges there, of course, but it had to happen. So, it started off very small. We started off with an empty stadium.
Mhm.
We we couldn't have any people in the stadium.

29:44
Of course.
You know, during COVID times.
Yes.
But over time, it the event has slowly grown. The idea was to scale up from a continental tour level series, gold series, up to a Diamond League. Which is the highest level of an athletics event in the world.
Yeah.
So, that, you know, that was that was always the goal. We have not quite gotten there yet, but hopefully next year. Uh but that's the idea is to grow an event, you know, over time. And, you know, like I said, these things don't take uh
They don't happen instantly.
Yeah.
And there's so many challenges and requirements, of course, raising the the the the [snorts] funds required through sponsors, and presenting a quality quality fields and quality performances uh over time that shows the world that, yes, we are ready for a a top-level athletics event uh here in Kenya. In Africa, there's only uh the one in Morocco uh that is um uh that's a gold, uh, you know, Diamond League status. But, Kenya, um, here is

30:48 is is where it should be because we tend to attract, you know, global athletes coming to participate here now. We get all the top Americans, you have a few Europeans, all the top Africans love to come and compete here in Nairobi.
Yes.
So, that's kind of where we would like to go. So, it's taken time to develop, uh, this event to the to that level, to to to the highest level.
But, you now have, I mean, the last I was just looking up, um, at the photos online for the last Kip Keino Classic.
Yes.
And, uh, your attendance has, you know, from that empty stadium, you now get people coming to the stadium. So, [clears throat] you're not just, uh, working the corporate side.
That's right.

31:28
You're also working the the audience side. And and Kenyans are celebrating the fact that there is an a global standard athletics meet, and they're coming out to watch.
Absolutely.
How has that journey been?
Uh, okay, it's been It's not been easy. Okay, the demand has been always there. However, the only challenge that I'd say the event has faced is we we haven't quite gotten the the ticketing,
Mhm.
system right. And when I say the ticketing system, for the most for the most part, uh, attendance has been free.
Mhm.
Which I wouldn't encourage.
Yes.
You know, people are willing to pay for the services.
Yes.
And why I say that, there was one year where, uh, there was a Kip Keino Classic, and they said, "No, uh, initially they were going to charge." And then, I think the president said, "No, it's I'm opening up the stadium for free."

32:23
Mhm.
Uh, but that shows you, you know, when you when you have an event for free, it doesn't show you, you know, fans that there's value.
Yes.
So, if you charge a certain, uh, fee, then people are like, "Okay, this is must be very top quality. I'd rather pay for it." And people are willing to pay for that kind of thing. So, it's been those challenges along along the way that shows you that you know, there's a a few more things that we need to fix in order to get because other major events say here in Africa, I was involved in the Botswana Grand Prix. A couple of years I helped them put that together. And the demand for you know, to attend that that event is massive.
Botswanans
Botswanans. They're paying VIP, they're paying 20,000.

33:09
Wow.
And regular seats are paying 5,000 equivalent.
Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow.
Yeah. So, here we can't be thinking about 100, 200 shillings. You know what I mean? Because the value that we're presenting, the proposition we have to to fans that we're presenting you a world-class event, world-class performances that that have value, you know, is way more than that. So, those are the things that I think, you know, we'll have to fix so that it gets to the next level because the demand for viewership for top-class athletics is high.
Yeah.
Yeah. So, those are the things that we we're trying to put together.
But but but but what I what I like what I like about what you're doing um is we often negate the journey.

33:52
Certainly.
And the journey you can only speak the way you're speaking and curate the lessons that you're curating because you've done it.
Yes.
You know, these are not things that you can create conceptually on a piece of paper or on a business plan. You have to run one and the president has to give free tickets and there's no free is not great because of this, there's a downside to it and there's and so on and and um am I correct in saying that you also have an advisory arm because you're saying you help so you do agency sports marketing and agency event development and and and and and you also do advisory.
Yes, we do.
Okay. Mhm. And there's demand for advisory on the African continent.

34:33
Absolutely. Uh we're getting quite a bit of work on the continent.
Yeah.
Uh to advise on on many different places.
Okay.
Uh I'm doing something with Ruwenzori Marathon next month.
Okay.
In Kasese, Uganda.
That's in Uganda.
And it's growing. It's massive now.
Yes.
And so we advise the team there. Uh and they they're really keen on growing their brand and the event there.
I love this thing that is coming. Um I love this thing that's happening now where people are going I I have nephews. So we cycle. Um and um I I that that my nephews have have really gotten into the loop thing. And they follow the series. You know, they cycle in Nairobi. And then they go and cycle in Naivasha. And then they say, "Oh yeah, we're going to the coast because" and it's really great to to see see a lot of Kenyans crossing the border

35:27
Yes.
to go to Tanzania for the Kilimanjaro marathon. And even and you're just like, "Wow, this is great to see." Now you're telling me about the Ruwenzori marathon. I'm sure that will evolve into another road trip for Kenyan running clubs who want to go and run in And that's fabulous because I think that um I I I'm glad that I'm living in an age, yeah, where the African the extractive nature of the way the world has viewed Africa
is changing
And it's being changed by Africans.
For sure.
Because if you can build worthy brand assets. And your point that you made about patience cannot be lost here.
Mhm.
[clears throat]
You have to stay the course.
Of course.
Do the first one, make some mistakes. You may not be perfect, but work on the second one. And work on the third one. And you look back and see, yeah.

36:23
Yeah, that's true.
So you live in this ecosystem. And and and I dare say you've lived in it your entire life.
Yes, I have.
Uh you you you have um brand assets at different stages and you're developing new ones. Maybe tell us
Mhm.
where is [clears throat] this space? What What is it now? And where is it going as a sports events [snorts] building space? Of course, we can see the emergence of a wide diversity of brand assets.
Mhm.
But maybe walk us through what the contextualize the opportunity for us.
Okay. Oh, uh right now uh Kenya Sports Events um of course manages a variety of events, you know, uh and we are literally in every sector. You know, we organize golf tournaments, we organize volleyball, marathons, cycling events, events in the wild, seminars.

37:23
Mhm.
We're in that space as well. We've organized the first ever We're part of the team that organized the first ever sports technology conference in Africa.
Mhm.
We're looking at doing another sports law governance uh seminar next year. Okay. So, we're looking at very many different things as well, even sports fashion show again we're doing that. So, very, you know, both uh on the field and off the field in terms of advisory, you know, policy making, you know, all those kinds of things we're doing.
Uh so, that's what currently what we're doing. What we want to the next steps for us is uh as a family, we uh creating a sports complex in Eldoret. A 100-acre sports park complex.
Wow. Okay.

38:08
That that would have many different facilities, modern facilities, and that's something that's lacking in this space here.
Yes.
We're we're creating uh indoor indoor arena, aquatic center, and athletics museum, fields 40 acres of fields, four football fields, eight basketball track, tennis, everything. So, the facilities thing is where we want to go next. So, that we are able to provide world-class modern facilities for any event, literally. If you want a football tournament, basketball tournament, you're not queuing up for one court. You have all the facilities there. So, we want to now integrate our services as event managers and sports marketing advisors into and put them together into this um ecosystem where everything can happen at once and you get all the modern facilities, the best possible experience for a major event or a training, a camp, any kind of you know, sporting activity you want to do. So, that's where we're moving on to next, but now we're trying to solidify our our our event experience and present that to

39:27 anyone who would want that that kind of support to organize or you know, to be you know, and get advice on anything around sports. We I've helped on this other side in the sports policy side of things. I was part of the national task force uh to redo the national sports policy. How do you want sports to be handled, you know, going forward in the next 10-20 years?
Yes.
I've also helped county governments develop their own sports policies. You know, so that they able to manage, you know, the the counties that have a lot of sports presence, like Kilifi County, Nandi County, where a lot of these activities happen. They have before they had thought about, you know, how to manage Uh, and grow and use sports as a platform to grow the local economy.

40:20
Yes.
So, that's we had we we also advise on that kind of thing. So, basically, that's where we want to that's the future for us. You know, helping the country grow their sports assets and advisory and provide them the skills to to manage sports activity because the demand for sports and be be it activities, be it funding, be it policy making is becoming really high level that as as a country within Africa, we are sort of looked up to
Okay.
as this is where you need to go and learn about anything and everything about sports.
Nice.
So, if we can engage and prepare our people and have the right and have the capacity to handle that, it could grow more than ever because we're getting we're still getting requests from different parts of Africa to come and help us with this. Come and can we learn about this? Can we, you know, can we benchmark off of you on certain things? And that's I I see that that's the future for us.

41:23
Okay.
Yes, and so
As a as a as a um as a hospitality professional, that being my career, what excites me most
Mhm.
about what's happening in the sports and even the evolution of these brand assets is how it's encouraging intra-African sports tourism.
Certainly, yes.
You know, because you talk to the the the Tanzanians and they do look forward to commercially to the Kilimanjaro marathon because they know they're going to get two, three nights out of Kenyans. After the run, there's going to be around for, you know, after parties and and there's going to be a boost, you know, a spike in the in in the economy for the region. And then I'm sure the same will will happen around Rwanda and

42:14 all.
Oh, yes, it is. Yes.
Locally, we see it in all the loop series. Naivasha does see a spike. The Bongo sees a spike when when the series comes to town. And so, it's really great to see that. Maybe let's speak a bit about the numbers. Are are the economically are the numbers making sense? Are these sports assets that you're building do they eventually become profitable and cash generating assets?
Absolutely. You know, if you look at the numbers um uh and the impact on the local economy. Like for example, the uh the bike the Rift Tour for example. I'm giving you okay, being that it's the first time. The amount of interest we're getting for people coming just not even the cyclist. The tourists want to follow the route. Mhm. There's so much there's a lot of demand.

43:05
Wow.
Yeah, so we're already talking to hotel partners. You know, can you provide packages for people who want to come and you know, discover you know, the North Rift region.
Yes.
You know, and through the five countries we're going through. This it does make sense numbers numbers-wise where you know, if you provide uh uh I you know, the opportunity for people to come and you know, uh tour an event through sports. Sports tourism is massive. You know, from the global level if you see what you know, at the highest level. The World Cup Olympics, you know, what it does. And then you trickle that down that effect to other events here.
Yeah.
And yes, it it's huge. It's massive.
Okay.

43:45
Yeah, so the numbers [clears throat] make sense. You know, and and it makes it a lot interesting
Yeah.
uh for hospitality partners or local businesses to support your event because you know, they'll get a return on investment right away.
Okay.
Yeah, so that we definitely even in our in our pitch deck, we always put together the numbers and show them this is how you benefit.
Okay.
Yeah, and how to attract a lot of people.
Wow, sounds like really exciting stuff and really good to hear because I I love the intersection between uh I've argued this for a long time that we need to build this asset so that we build local circuits. And if the local circuits are good enough for the locals, they do become regional and then they become continental and then they become international. Just like um you know China have done a brilliant job of I think they've done the best job of

44:39 local tourism in the world. You know the Chinese are encouraged to see and love their country and and to tour. And that has spun off hotel brands. It's spun off so much. And Kenya, we kind of learned this lesson the hard way because we reacted to domestic tourism as a result of being shut out from global tourism. But now domestic tourism you'll find all hoteliers have a domestic tourism strategy, you know, because it has become a thing. What does the future look like for your space in an African context?
Well, again just riding on the experiences of you know, I've had and putting together you know, some of these ideas we had around sports and I've been fortunate to have I've had a lot of global experiences. I really would like to grow the brand in a way to help major sports events grow here in Kenya to the to the highest level.

45:47
Yes.
Uh so our our dream and goal is to create and and manage some of the existing events here in Kenya to the highest level so that we are able to attract not only uh to local uh participants, but global participants. I I see Kenya as, you know, in in a fantastic spot that we able to benefit from We have so many um positive attributes as a country that we can harness to to attract and and host major events in the world. One of actually just I'd like to mention this.
Yes.
Uh we were approached to help put together a bid to host the E1 powerboats uh racing series.
Wow.
Uh-huh.
Next year in Kilifi County.
Wow. Okay.
That's a massive opportunity.
It is.
It is.
Where? On the creek?

46:44
Creek, yes, on the creek.
Wow.
Yes.
Okay. That's my home county. That's why I'm so excited. [laughter] Yes. Okay.
So, yeah, early February next year. So, we're looking to put that together.
Excellent.
And a powerboat E1 powerboat is like the Formula 1 uh F1
Of powerboats.
Yes, the the powerboats.
Yeah.
So, because we have so many attributes that a lot of people don't really see, but we do. You know, we have the organization skills, we have the uh hospitality capacity, we have great weather, we have, you know, fantastic uh you know, ecosystems for a lot of these things.
Yes.
It's just now harnessing the right professionals and and the funding to put a lot of these things together.

47:25
Mhm.
You know, we've hosted, you know, Safari Rally WRC here. You know, it's been successful. We've, you know, had major other events, but yeah, there's still more that we can do.
There's so much we can do out here.
we can do. So, it's just, you know, developing the right capacity of experience, knowledge, uh you know, management knowledge to put a lot of these events together. And then harness the the right kind of funding, you know, because the benefits will be you know, will be there for for all. So, those are the things that we see that are possible for us in in the coming years. And you know after hosting one, there'll be other opportunities that will come up. And we we can just continue to take up those opportunities. Uh given that we are quite exposed and switched on, you know, on what is really happening and now riding with the with all these characteristics that define Kenya, you know, the great weather, great ecosystems, environment, everything and the knowledge that we have as a people, you know, to to put a lot of these things together.

48:26
Emerging infrastructure is one we we almost we we often ignore in in in a Kenyan context. You know, I'm thinking now if you're doing something in Kilifi, you know, you can someone can fly into Malindi or they can fly into Mombasa. And and and that is really really quite something. Exciting stuff.
Yeah, now it is. I'm really excited about the future. And you know, again, you know, our people have such amazing knowledge, you know, and they're willing to if they don't have it, they're willing to work hard to get it and and put a lot of these things together. So, I'm I'm I'm excited about the future.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Well, Martin, allow me to just one uh congratulate you for taking that time to giving of yourself to pioneer in our space. I know the journey of enterprise and brand building and it's not an it's not for the faint-hearted.

49:19
Indeed.
And sometimes I I was asked by a friend, how is the journey of building brands? I said, "Do you know, you suffer a lot of imposter syndrome because you're like, man, is it is it supposed to be this hard?" But [laughter] no kudos for sticking the journey and really excited for you to see your brand assets take take shape. You do espouse and that's why I asked you to come on the podcast. You do espouse the narrative that we are trying to curate in the world.
Yes.
That we are here. This is our continent our continent and we can host you whether it's E1 power boat, which is a brand asset created elsewhere, but we can also curate our own, you know, [clears throat] from scratch, Standard Chartered Marathon Loop, Kip Keino Classic, and all the others that that the Great Rift bike that you're talking about. And so it's really great to see someone invest in this and and build those

50:14 change these narratives globally on what we're capable of. So, at this point I just like you to tell the audience where they can find you, you know, if they want to interact with Keino Events Sports Events Limited. Where can they find you? What are your social media handles if any or websites so that the the audience can reach out to you should they need to.
Okay.
Yeah.
Thank you very much. So, we can be reached at Keino Sports Events is based in Eldoret, Kenya. We have an office there, but we can be reached on social media or, you know, through our website, keinosportsevents.com, and on all the socials Keino Sports Events.
Okay.
Yes.
Excellent.
Yes, thank you very much.

51:00
So, ladies and gentlemen, that was episode 72 of the African Do Podcast where we featured Martin Keino and had a fabulous story about sports, sports events, development, marketing, growth, and get got a very good glimpse as to where we are from a sports events perspective in the market. And the future is indeed bright. It is great to see Kenya, which is a has a rich sporting history as a sporting nation, athletics in particular, but all other sports, rugby, football, cycling is emerging. It's great to see all these events being curated and being established for the Kenyan audience and the international guests who are welcome to come and participate. So, this is what the African Do Podcast is about and we thank you for joining us on our episode 72 and look forward to having you in future episodes. Thank you very much.