Podcasts · Financially Incorrect

I Raised $1M.Then Couldn't Afford KES 500 | Kevin Mutiso

30 Oct 2026 · 2 h 05 min

What does it take to rebuild financially, professionally and personally after a business you have invested everything in collapses?Kevin Mutiso's relationship with money and business started quite early. While still in Form Two, he was buying shares in Kenya Airways. By 19, he was managing investment portfolios for some of Kenya's top CEOs. He went on to build Alternative Circle, a fintech venture that secured US$1 million in investment, only to face technology challenges, fraud, mounting costs and the disruption of COVID-19.The consequences extended far beyond the business. Kevin had to sell his home, cars and personal belongings, confront significant debt and rebuild his life with the support of his family and wife. In this conversation, he opens up about the decisions, assumptions and business practices that contributed to the collapse, including the lessons he has carried into his next venture.Today, he is building Oye, a financial services platform designed around the needs of boda boda riders. What began with personal accident cover has expanded into fuel credit and merchant services, with a bigger ambition to help riders build financial resilience and eventually participate in the ownership of the business.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Financially Incorrect Live Early Bird Tickets Still Available Get Yours Here: https://mookh.com/financiallyincorrectlive/Access all our links in one place: https://lnk.bio/Financially_Inc💹 Ready to start trading?🧑🏫 Learn how to trade: https://lnk.bio/fxpesa📲 Open a demo trading account: https://bit.ly/DemoAccountYT 📈 Start live trading: https://bit.ly/LiveAccountYT---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Episode Chapters00:00 – Introduction & Community Update00:00:26 – Expanding Audience Across Africa and Beyond00:00:44 – Upcoming Financially Incorrect Live Event Details00:01:39 – Early Life: Family Support and Dad’s Offer00:02:09 – Kevin Mutiso’s Background & Role in African Fintech00:02:32 – Early Entrepreneurship: Selling Secondhand Phones00:02:50 – Journey in Microfinance and Lending Insights00:03:15 – Challenges Building Alternative Circle00:04:01 – Supporting Family through Difficult Times00:04:52 – Kevin’s Podcast: Let the Cake Bake00:06:33 – Kevin’s Fintech Vision and Industry Impact00:08:21 – Creation and Evolution of Oye for Boda Riders00:54:42 – Securing Initial Investment for Alternative Circle01:02:39 – $1 Million Funding Deal and Its Significance01:57:58 – Scaling Oye: Business Growth and Future Plans

The episode on the publisher’s site ↗ (opens in a new tab)