He quit a salaried job to follow his passion

Oftentimes young people fail to make bold decisions even when they have ideas to enable them achieve their dreams.

Some, for example, fear what would happen after giving up a well-paying job, even if it is not satisfying. And it is because of such fears that many wait to be employed after graduating, despite the scarcity of jobs today.

However, there are a few who never let their dreams die and are now setting up vivid examples. They took the risk and are doing great things.

Serengeti Bytes co-founder and Chief Operating Officer, Michael Mallya, is one of them. The 30-year-old University of Dar es Salaam graduate has proven that it is possible to defy family backgrounds and all forms of barriers to realise your dreams.

Hailing from a humble background did not deter him from chasing his dreams. His name might be uncommon to many but his work can defend him in public.

Michael shares his inspiring life and career journey, unveiling how he jumped out of nowhere to co-found and run a company that has earned respect in the country and beyond for its creative and innovative initiatives.

“I don’t want to sound like a motivational speaker, but, all the time and in all circumstances, I try to be an optimist and keep the can-do attitude in me. Often, I draw inspiration from the phrase ‘when life gives you lemons, make lemonade’ to help me overcome both internal and external barriers that persist in day-to-day life,” Michael narrates with a grinning face.

He believes his attitude is one of the critical drivers to his achievements. His attitude has helped him try the impossible and go places he wouldn’t go.

He says if it were not for his attitude and optimism, he would have ended up succumbing to the hardships he went through in his early life and even the ones he encounters today.

“It’s not interesting to brag about our humble backgrounds, but that’s where I come from. You know how poverty can make people feel inferior and lower their self-esteem and confidence. So, all the time, you have to push beyond the limits, rise from all odds and do your best.”

With a modest background, a well-paying job could seem like a dream come true to Michael but for the sake of chasing his dreams, he couldn’t settle for one. Soon after he earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Dar es Salaam, he was employed as a Public Relations and Communications expert at one of the leading human rights organisations in Tanzania – Legal and Human Rights Centre.

Power of self-confidence

Michael says he started realising how far he could get with his creative and inventive ideas while serving his first permanent contract. He started to think of flexibilities and how he could do bigger things to grow his strategic communications career to create an impact in the country and beyond.

According to him, the most significant asset he had at the moment was his confidence in his capabilities and the little money he had earned from his employment. The reality of his life made the option to quit the job almost an impossible option until he picked up his can-do attitude.

“My desire to do more and transform my career to its fullest grew stronger from 2019 after we had established Serengeti Bytes. I started to think of quitting my job to fully embark on the growth of Serengeti Bytes.

“I have always been trying new things, taking on new challenges and risks but to be honest, this one was tougher,” explains Michael shaking his head as if reminiscing how disquiet the decision was.

Taking the risk

Despite the uneasiness to make the decision, in January last year, the ambitious young man found it hard to continue settling at what he called a comfort zone. He took the risk to resign from employment and focus on Serengeti Bytes.

“Letting go of a salary is one of the difficult things I have experienced, probably because of my background. At that particular moment, I went through what I now refer to as ‘a positive procrastination’,” he notes.

He adds, “This happens when something with immediate benefits pushes you back from diving into something that is meant to benefit you in the future. Again, nothing gave me the confidence to make the frightening decision but my can-do attitude.”

Michael’s career journey in public relations and strategic communication and now technology began in 2013, when he started blogging in his first year at the university. He worked as a public relations and communications intern and soon after he graduated in 2016, he was employed as an expert.

About Serengeti Bytes

He discloses that his time as an employee gave him experience, exposure and network since he worked with different people and organisations both in and outside the country.

On Serengeti Bytes and its future, Michael says, “Serengeti Bytes was officially registered in 2018 but started operations in mid-2019. It started as a crazy idea when I was in my second year at the university.”

“I remember Kennedy who is a co-founder and CEO, a friend known as Nancy and I had come up with an idea to establish an integrated communications agency. We went further to think of a name and we called it MINAKE after our first two letters of our names,” he exudes.

Unfortunately, he notes, they could not pull out everything they needed to start the business back then but the idea stuck in their minds. Things started moving after Kennedy took the initiative to register the company in 2018 – two years after they graduated and welcomed Michael on board.

At Serengeti Bytes, Michael is one of the backbone staff and leaders, who has engineered and contributed to the establishment of various products and programmes.

Michael is part and parcel of big programmes and projects that have earned Serengeti Bytes and himself a positive reputation in Tanzania and beyond.

Products such as the Tanzania Digital Awards – an award scheme that recognises and sheds a spotlight on individuals and initiatives that promote digital transformation in Tanzania.

Multi-talented young man

Together with Tanzania Digital Awards, Michael has played part in the establishment of Bytes Music - a talent management venture, Serengeti Post, and Tanzania Daily, which are digital media outlets.

“Looking at what we are crafting at Serengeti Bytes, I can confidently say the future is exciting. We are giving our all to transform the company into a Pan-African technology company,” he optimistically notes.

The young man says he and his partner have also created a conducive company culture that helps everyone use their multiple talents to benefit themselves, the company, and most importantly the society they are serving.

Commenting on his future, Mallya says, “I am a multi-talented individual so I want to see myself being able to unleash all my talents at a level where the impact will be felt in my society.”

he adds; “I don’t want to be a jack of all trades and a master of none. Instead, I want to be remembered as someone who gave his best. I am a hundred percent sure that I can attain this under Serengeti Bytes,” he eloquently comments.

Mallya is a renowned public relations and strategic communications expert. He earned his degree from the University of Dar es Salaam after which he worked as a Public Relations and Communications Officer for Legal and Huan Rights Centre.

In 2018 he joined forces with Kennedy Mmari and others to establish and take charge of Serengeti Bytes, which is a communications and technology company.