In Episode 56 of The Incredible Machines podcast, hosts Jon Oliff and Luke Holden are joined by Kuki Shah, a Kenyan born entrepreneur, executive coach, facilitator and former family business leader who has spent decades building businesses, coaching leaders and helping entrepreneurs create intentional growth.
This episode is a powerful exploration of identity, belonging, leadership, and entrepreneurship. Kuki shares how childhood bullying shaped his need for acceptance, how that influenced the way he led others throughout his career, and why learning to value yourself is one of the most important journeys any leader can undertake.
Along the way, we explore scaling a family business to compete against multinational giants, planning business exits years in advance, building high performing leadership teams and discovering that success alone cannot fill the gap left by a lack of self-worth.
Whether you are an entrepreneur, business owner, executive or someone working through your own personal growth journey, this conversation offers practical business wisdom alongside deeply personal life lessons.
Throughout the conversation, Kuki returns to one recurring theme. Leadership is less about telling people what to do and more about understanding yourself.
"The better you know yourself, the better you lead others."
As an executive coach today, he helps founders recognise blind spots, improve accountability, and create healthier leadership cultures. He believes lasting leadership begins with curiosity rather than certainty.
Many entrepreneurs focus entirely on growth without considering what success eventually looks like. Kuki shares how he approached business differently by defining his desired retirement lifestyle first and then working backwards to determine the business valuation required to achieve it.
"I started with the end in mind. I worked backwards from the life I wanted."
That long-term thinking influenced every strategic decision the company made over the following years and ultimately contributed to a successful exit.
Kuki reflects on growing up feeling different and constantly searching for acceptance. Years of bullying and feeling like an outsider led him to develop a servant-oriented leadership mindset, always looking for ways to create value for others before considering himself.
While this approach helped him become an effective leader, it also revealed an important lesson. Serving others should never come at the expense of your own wellbeing.
"We got it so right that every week we were on the board. Vaseline was tracking us because we'd beaten them on market share."
One of the most fascinating parts of the conversation explores how Kuki helped transform his family's petroleum jelly business into one of Kenya's leading brands.
Instead of trying to outspend multinational competitors, the team focused on understanding customer behaviour, creating meaningful marketing campaigns, and building long-term loyalty.
“People forget what you say. People forget what you did. But they'll never forget how you make them feel.”
~ Maya Angelou, one of Kuki Shah’s favourite quotes
City Lodge Television Advertisement: Kuki highlights City Lodge's "Check In to South Africa" television advertisement as a brilliant example of emotionally driven storytelling. Rather than focusing on hotel rooms or amenities, the campaign celebrates the country's diversity, resilience and shared identity, reminding viewers that South Africa belongs to everyone.
What stood out most to Kuki was the campaign's ability to make people feel something before trying to sell anything. He explains that the best marketing creates an emotional connection first, because people remember how a brand makes them feel long after they've forgotten the product itself. This aligns closely with his own philosophy on leadership and relationships, where genuine human connection always comes before transactions.
City Lodge Television Advertisement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwUvewBwqFM
Kuki’s journey reminds us that business success and personal growth are inseparable. Building great companies is important, but understanding who you are, why you lead, and what truly gives your work meaning matters even more.
Whether you're growing a business, planning your next chapter or searching for greater clarity, Kuki's story offers a thoughtful reminder that authentic leadership starts from within.
Who is Kuki Shah?
Kuki Shah is a Kenyan born entrepreneur, executive coach and facilitator based in Dubai. He previously helped grow his family's consumer goods business into one of Kenya's leading personal care brands before transitioning into executive coaching through Bloom Growth.
What is Bloom Growth?
Bloom Growth is a coaching and leadership development organisation that helps entrepreneurs and leadership teams improve accountability, strategic execution and organisational growth through proven coaching frameworks.
What is the Incredible Machines podcast?
The Incredible Machines podcast is a thought leadership series produced by Tim Africa, featuring conversations with visionary entrepreneurs, leaders, and changemakers from across the continent.
Where can I listen to the full episode with Kuki Shah?
You can listen on all major platforms including:
🎧 Spotify
🍎 Apple Podcasts
🌐 Tim Africa Podcast Hub
Kuki Shah’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kuki-shah-5240139
Kuki Shah’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kuxshah/
Coach Kuki’s Website: https://www.coach-kuki.com/
Bloom Growth’s Website: https://www.bloomgrowth.com/
Bloom Growth’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bloomgrowth/
Bloom Growth’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1259247988796452/members
Bloom Growth’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bloomgrowth.ecosystem
Bloom Growth’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bloomgrowth