Our Story
Kenyan SGBs provide close to 85% of the country’s employment and contribute to 20% of its GDP, making the sector a major contributor to socio-economic development, however the growth of the sector is hampered by poor presentation and a myriad of business challenges such as lack of access to capital, markets, networks and appropriate affordable people & enterprise development solutions.
SFA exists to foster the creation of decent and sustainable work through collaborative partnerships with our wide network of strategic partners across sectors & geographies.
How It All Started
Founded in 2015 as Profit network, a business mentoring network, we evolved into an association to better represent the business community as a collective voice to foster the creation of decent work.
SFA is a nationwide partnership of higher education, economic development organizations, chambers and other stakeholders dedicated to promoting a more enabling and sustainable business environment for SMEs to thrive.
The Association successfully links Kenya’s education system with community outreach to aid in the development and education for youth and enterprises to thrive.
As the leading association that provides mentoring, networking, and advocacy for small and medium enterprise owners in the region and continent, SFA plays a vital role in Kenya’s economic development initiatives by supporting SME owners to grow, scale and thrive in a co created ecosystem of SME Technical experts, development partners, public and private sector across Kenya and Africa.
SFA has a database of over eleven thousand SMEs who have gone through our learning and networking programs using the Grow, Scale and Thrive Playbook which provides an assessment and appropriate interventions.
SFA supported 240 SMEs hit by COVID-19 to pivot through a virtual capacity building.
In 2020-21 in partnership with INT-GIZ SFA provided investor readiness training for 3 cohorts of young ventures to access capital.
Our Team
Building Our Future
Motivated entrepreneurs and emerging business owners have access to our team of professionally certified business advisors and specialists to help accelerate business growth and expansion. Our business advisors bring local businesses access to a network of national impact and resources needed to compete in today’s global marketplace. Additionally, our consultants live and work in the communities in which they serve, giving them the regional knowledge and vested interest to help businesses succeed.
Our Leadership Team
The Leadership Team is responsible for advising, counseling and conferring to ensure the interests of small businesses are represented in promoting a sustainable enabling business environment as well as coordinating efforts and investments in small business development and entrepreneurial support services.
Our Management Team
Our Think & Do Tanks
Transformation
Fostering people and enterprise development
Communication & Culture
Fostering appropriate communication channels and associations culture.
Risk, Investment & Trade
Fostering linkages to access to capital and markets.