How I Made My First Million in Form One - Allan Chesang

Allan Chesang
Businessman Allan Chesang
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Legendary American Actress Katharine Houghton Hepburn was famously quoted saying, "It is not what you start in life, it is how you finish" as motivation for people to define their destiny with hard work and a vision.

For Businessman Allan Chesang, growing up in Matano area in Trans Nzoia county, he was privileged to get a primary and secondary school education when he was enrolled at St Anthony's Boys school.

Speaking during an interview on August 5, Chesang stated that while in form one, he was involved in sports especially table tennis which opened up many opportunities for him.

He was selected to the National table tennis team where he got to represent Kenya in international competitions and was at a point the junior Table Tennis champion.

Allan Chesang participating in the Mega 2 City Table Tennis tournament.
Allan Chesang participating in the Mega 2 City Table Tennis tournament.
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"The first time I represented Kenya in a championship was in a Table Tennis tournament in Congo Brazzaville. I was paid $10,000 which was equivalent to Ksh1 Million in allowances for a weekend of playing," he stated.

Chesang went to represent Kenya in other tournaments earning allowances of equivalent amounts in addition to the prize money that came with winning trophies. He was part of the Kenyan team at the Commonwealth Games held in New Delhi in 2010.

He stated that he used the money to support his father in paying for his school fees and also invested in a number of shares through his father who was an insurance broker.

The businessman was a professional at the game and was signed by a table tennis club in France where he earned even more money.

There, he explained he would make upto Ksh2 million per tournament when the game season came around which meant he played every weekend for three months before he went for a break.

Table Tennis is an Olympic Sport popular in more than 200 countries. According to Investopedia tournament purses can range from Ksh 280,000 to Ksh3.3 Million.

Politician Allan Chesang interacting with a resident on June 2018.
Politician Allan Chesang interacting with a resident in June 2018.
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When he completed university, his contract with the club expired and he decided to venture into business in Kenya. He was however, not as successful as his businesses did not yield what he expected.

"My businesses flopped, and I ended up back at square one, I was auctioned," Chesang disclosed adding that he managed to bounce back after forming a Community Based Organisation (CBO).

In 2017, he contesed for the Kwanza parliamentary seat 

Watch the video of the interview below:

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Chesang runs the Allan Chesang Foundation and is also a part-owner of Blend Club in Nairobi and The Garage in Thika Town.