She grew up in Nanyuki, a very small and secure town, in a family of four girls. Never in her wildest dreams did she think she would be the owner of a company with her name as the brand. GINA DIN!

At the tender age of 21, Gina Din started off in PR and later on established GDCC after her 13 year tenure as the Head of Corporate Affairs for Barclays Bank of Kenya Limited. She was instrumental in PR activities for a number of share issues and privatizations that Barclays was involved with including, National Industrial Credit, Housing Finance Company of Kenya, Kenya Tourist Development Corporation (privatization), and the offloading of shares in Serena Hotels and Lodges, amongst others. Her experience in successfully orchestrating the Corporate Communications strategy for the floating of the bank’s shares to the public in 1986, involved conducting business with the relevant regulatory bodies, the media, and existing and potential stakeholders.

We had a quick chat with Gina Din on business, and her personal life.

What did you study at the university?
I was at the London School of Journalism

What made you think of starting a company?
My father was an entrepreneur and I knew that I would end up in my own business.  However I needed to gain experience and did that during my time at Barclays. I was also in the field of PR, It was my profession, so it made sense for me to follow that line.  Plus it was what I was passionate about.

Why did you name the brand GINA DIN?
I called the brand Gina Din because I didn’t have any other name for the business then, and now I’ve become this brand. But if you are the person you represent in the brand then it’s fine. But if you’re not then there’s no conflict. What I portray as a person is what my brand is.

How did you manage to raise capital?
Savings mainly.  I was fortunate that on the first day I had a major client so it wasn’t too much of a problem.

Who is your mentor?
I have a few. Bob Bird who was my boss at Barclays mentored me and more recently I have learnt a lot from Micheal Joseph, former Safaricom Ltd. CEO. My father was my first inspiration. He was hard working and innovative

What challenges did you face when starting?
Well we weren’t a brand so establishing a brand was a challenge. Being a stand alone company without international links made it a little more of an uphill task.
How many people have you employed so far?
We employ 70 people.

What are your achievements so far?
We have had many achievements as an agency.  I think our role in the success of Safaricom has to be a piece of work we have done extremely well.

What motivates you to wake up each morning and go to work?
I’m not on the Forbes list yet! I’m very close to my clients, and I want to come to work and see what’s going on because each day there’s something new. Having different clients help me be more engaging and broadens my mind every day. One day I’m in telecommunications, the next I’m a banker – I get to wear so many hats and it’s exciting.

Managing your own company must be tasking, how do you relax after work?
I love to practice yoga at home, have massages and hang out with my son.  He is very amusing and helps me to relax. I love massages. Quite often, I’ll be with my son in the evenings and help him with homework. My daughter has already left the nest, she’s at Oxford and she’s 21 now.

Do you see yourself as a role model to other Kenyans especially the youth?
I would hope so.  I intend to leave a legacy

Favorite song? and why?
“Halo” by Beyonce – I totally love it. We went to see her in concert in Las Vegas and was blown away

If you could trade places with any other person for a week, famous or not famous, living or dead, real or fictional. with whom would it be and why?
I would love to be a superpower for a week

If you were given a chance, would you enter Big Brother Africa? And if so, what would be your strategy to win?
I wouldn’t have the patience

What is your favorite daily wear attire?
I’m a real girl. I love clothes and shoes and experiment a lot with clothes.  I don’t actually have a “favourite attire” although I must admit being partial to pyjamas

Who according to you is the best dressed man and woman in Kenya?
There are lots of very sharp dressers. I think Hon. Balala and Peter Kenneth are always smart. I like Julie Gichuru’s style.

Who according to you is the worst dressed man and woman in Kenya?
I am not sure I can really answer that – I don’t really know

What do you love most in your work?
It is totally a passion and I absolutely love what I do. And that’s’ the big difference. You know lots of people are in jobs they don’t really love and I find that really sad. I have a real passion for what I do and what my clients do.

Advise for the youth who want to start up their business. What does it take to start a company or achieve whatever dream?
Well the first thing is to have the desire and then focus.