At the dawn of the lockdown Elvis Sekyanzi was one of Uganda’s self-made millionaires. He owned a number of entertainments related businesses from Silk Liquid in Bugolobi to Silk Events, an entertainment management company with branches in Uganda and neighboring Rwanda, he ruled the roost.
Then the two-year lockdown that put an end to his core business happened. Luckily, he wasn’t the type to wallow in misery. A beaming Sekyanzi reflecting on what were arguably the hardest two-years in Uganda’s entertainment sphere told this website.
“You need ingenuity and not industry to survive such catastrophes,” he said.
He was speaking at a press conference for the Jam Fest 2022 held at his Whispers Restaurant in Bugolobi. At the corner of the eye, you somehow told that Sekyanzi beamed because it was the first event he was holding in two years! True to form, Kampala was back to its partying form like it was 2009.
The Jam fest that was held at the Zoe Grounds Lugogo was a sea of thirsty entertainment enthusiasts who enjoyed performances from Azawi and Mudra. The Jam Fest was intended to provide a platform for budding talent that had been locked down for the past 2 years to entertain their fans.
Sekyanzi jokes that two years were so long, he was worried they had forgotten the craft (Events). “I’m pleased that we still have the Midas touch,” he said post event.
It should be noted that during the Covid-19 induced lockdown, Sekyanzi and team channeled energies to producing masks (Silk Masks), Sanitizers and sanitizer dispensers.
Although he became a laughing stock to some people on social media, for Sekyanzi, it made perfect business sense. It earned him money (the kind for which he would line at the bulk cash section of his bank) but more importantly, it kept his workforce together.
“ I have very many valuable staff members with whom we have worked for the past several years. I purposed not to lose them on account of having the entertainment industry closed. Today we are back in business and they could never be happier for some of those decisions we took as a group,” he says.
His thoughts on success amid hardships? Sekyanzi says that for any business one starts, they should be ready for it.
“The difference between successful people and unsuccessful people is the successful people do all the things the unsuccessful people don’t want to do. When 10 doors are slammed in your face, go to door number 11 enthusiastically, with a smile on your face,” he advises.
He admits that although his name is synonymous with entrepreneurial success, it hasn’t been too rosy. His past experiences have led him to develop a philosophical approach to life.
“I believe life is a series of near-misses. A lot of what we attribute to luck is not luck at all. It’s seizing the day and accepting responsibility for your future. It’s seeing what other people don’t see and pursuing that vision,” he says.
At the Jam fest press conference, singer Mudra summed up Elvis Sekyanzi’s tenacity in a comment to the press. “I am so grateful that after lockdown you (Elvis) decided to put up such an event, of course, am paid. On top of that, I got sponsors around, so I’ll perform all my songs.” Mudra assured fans.
According to Sekyanzi, successful entrepreneurs set ambitious goals and act on them and also have mentors. He admits that tapping into the best minds on each subject for perspective and insight pays off.
He however is driven by one mantra- never being afraid of failure. “After the lockdown, I fully understand the benefits of learning lessons through failure,” he concludes.
