The challenge for any company or organisation is finding the right people and building great teams, and one entrepreneurial team is making this process a whole lot easier. Right Seat is a specialist talent management company in Rwanda, spearheaded by two young women entrepreneurs, Denise Umunyana and Celine Uwineza, who are focused on building a strong HR pipeline in the country.
LoA met with Denise and the Right Seat team recently in Rwanda to find out more about this high impact company.
What does your company do?
Right Seat is a talent management company that supports organisations in helping them tomaximize their business performance through strategic Human Resource management. Right Seat further connects professionals to their matching interests across all industries in Rwanda. As a team and company, we are also passionate about identifying and mentoring young people to unlock their hidden potential.
"Right Seat is a talent management company that supports organisations in helping them tomaximize their business performance through strategic Human Resource management."
What inspired you to start your company?
Denise: The opportunity was there and the time was right! I had a strong calling for a change, after spending 10 years supporting large corporations. I was looking ahead and thinking - I don’t want to be in employment at the age of 50. Our business is also strongly tied to my passion in guiding young people to find their matching careers. This is something I had been doing for many years pro-bono, and successfully. I figured I could easily earn a little more income from something I love doing.
Celine: I started doing business at an early age and I always found myself trading with my classmates for something in return. I was raised in a business minded family, by a father who always sees opportunities everywhere. I am also very inspired by the ongoing Rwandan Entrepreneurship Initiatives that are encouraging youth to think outside the box and create things. My passion is in service, helping and impacting people. I also draw a lot of satisfaction from advising companies and seeing their business grow successfully.
"As a team and company, we are also passionate about identifying and mentoring young people to tap their hidden potential."
Why should anyone use your service or product?
We’re passionate! For companies, we’re not just a service provider; we are your business partner. Your success is our pride. For individuals, we are interested in you, your talent and helping you realize your full potential.
Tell us a little about your team
We are currently a team of two on a full-time basis. To support us, we work with other accomplished HR Practitioners who join us when we have big projects. Right now, building our market share in the industry is a big priority. Denise is the strategy and Celine is the business mind. We have a big heart for keeping teams engaged, identifying growth opportunities and helping dedicated young people find their place.
"Our business is also strongly tied to our passion for guiding young people to find their matching careers."
Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And, do you come from an entrepreneurial background?
Denise: Celine does come from an entrepreneurial background, I don’t. Our journey has been a rollercoaster so far, however we’ve learnt so much. We have met new people, tested and tried a few things, lost and made some money. We now laugh at some things that used to stress us out. I personally feel a sense of freedom that I would not trade for anything. I feel so strongly that this is home and know we are going to make it big.
Celine: Every morning, I am expectant to hear from someone or something. Nothing is promised, but I am expectant! We are learning everyday, moving from living on paycheck to making our money come through. Being an entrepreneur has unlocked my curiosity for what’s happening in the world and what opportunities are out there. Whilst we are glad to be here, we know we couldn’t be where we are today, if not for our past employers, and our colleagues.
What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?
We want to see our company grow, employ and impact many more people in the next few years to come. We aspire to see a Rwanda full of a diverse and versatile skillset, highly competitive in the African and Global markets. Our mission is to take part in making that happen. We also hope to be a true story for unleashing the potential in women entrepreneurs.
"We have a big heart for keeping teams engaged, identifying growth opportunities and helping dedicated young people find their place."
What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?
Celine: It’s seeing our ideas becoming reality and becoming a solution; being able to create. I take a lot of satisfaction from knowing that my work has a long lasting impact on people.
Denise: The freedom I have now to choose how to balance my life and work. My creation mode is now alert, I know I can conceive and test my ideas, and its okay if they don’t work out. I am doing what I love.
What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?
Denise: Listen to your heart, find what you care most about and don’t be afraid of making a decision to follow your passion; however scary it might be. Start now.
Celine: Start! Surround yourself with people who believe in your dreams and support you. There are also business advisory companies looking to support you. Right Seat has partnered with Inkomoko Business Development, and they have been an immense support in helping us to establish our brand and services in Rwanda.
Contact or follow Right Seat
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | EMAIL info@rightseat.rw
Why LoA loves it….
There is a saying that a company or organisation is only as good as its people, something that is fully appreciated by the team behind Right Seat, an innovative talent management company in Rwanda looking to make a real impact. Denise Umunyana and Celine Uwineza are two young women entrepreneurs on a mission to find the right people for the right jobs on behalf of any employer, and their success is testimony to their own talent for what they do. This is one company to watch over the coming years! --- Melanie Hawken, founder and CEO of Lionesses of Africa