When the prime time news come on, many Kenyans only resonate with the successful careers that some of the Citizen TV anchors have created on the small screens.
Very few individuals, however, understand that for some of the stars, their foundation is engraved in workplaces away from the newsroom.
Jeff Koinange for instance, had his start in the aviation industry where his TV career was pricked by individuals who nudged him to try his luck in voice overs.
Here are five Citizen TV anchors who have demonstrated that fortune favours the bold.
1. Jeff Koinange
Today, it seems like the Kenyan media industry is synonymous with JKLive host Jeff Koinange but that has not always been the case, at least not in his foundational years.
In 2019, Koinange recounted an instance where he worked as a sales assistant at McDonald's, an American fast-food company, a job he described as his worst ever.
At the time, Jeff explained that he worked during the nights, selling chips and hamburgers to the customers.
He has also recounted his stint as a flight attendant, during his 20s, where he acquired his bold, engaging and immensely unique voice.
"I got a job with Pan Am Air (Pan American World Airways), I used to work as a flight attendant and when I was on the aircraft, most of you have heard (the announcer).
"I was 20 years old, they (then) said, 'Listen, kid, go to school. One day you are going to get a lot of money with that voice.' That was it," he stated.
2. Victoria Rubadiri
Ranked among the most promising countrywide, Victoria Rubadiri's rise to the top has, however, not come easy since her Hollywood days.
According to Rubadiri's LinkedIn profile, she served as a personal assistant to veteran American PR practitioner Angela Crockett between March and September 2008.
Angela Crockett Enterprises (ACE) is an innovative event design and marketing company based in New Jersey, USA, that offers a full range of services across the Atlantic City, Miami, and Hollywood.
In her role, she wrote proposals and crafted press releases as well as official letters for the organisation.
3. Waihiga Mwaura
On Tuesdays prime time, News Anchor Waihiga Mwaura is often known for his straight-pointed punches aimed at politicial windbags but before all that fame and glory, he got started in the industry as an actor.
In a November 24, 2015 interview on Beyond The Screen, the News Night anchor intimated how he landed a role in a TV series, The Team: Kenya, which was aimed at using soccer as the common ground to preach unity and root out social conflicts and aired on Citizen TV.
He also noted that he worked at a call center along Mombasa Road where his role involved convincing certain callers to buy into the company's services.
"My first job, I worked at a call center. I would talk with Americans for long hours, and maybe that is where I started own my media skills. The accent started to change," Waihiga narrated. He also had a stint at a bank.
4. Francis Gachuri
With his deep knowledge of the country's political affairs and brush with the political blowhards, it is hard to imagine that Francis Gachuri once worked as a tout.
His schooling years were, however, tough and in a past interview, he indicated that he had to work as a matatu conductor in order to raise his school fees.
He noted that he worked in the industry during the holidays and that his mum and uncle would help him raise part of the school fees in the following financial year.
"After High school, I asked one of my uncles to give a job in his matatu and even after joining the university, I did not stop," he told the press.
5. Yvonne Okwara
In the last couple of years, Yvonne Okwara has been ranked (multiple times) as one of the leading TV journalists in the country owing to her storied career ascendancy.
It all, however, started with a lesser-known, lesser-paid first job as a waitress at Walker's Restaurant at Reinsurance Plaza.
In a 2018 interview, she disclosed that she earned Ksh150 per day for the role.
"The restaurant opened at 9 a.m. We had to be in at 7 a.m. Closed at 8 p.m. Stayed till 10 p.m. to clean up. All for 150bob. But I learned a lot. To respect wait staff and dealing with people!
"A smile goes a long way. Earned more in tips this way!" she advised.
