I was part of a popular Graphic Design WhatsApp group, and there was this young man who constantly asked for feedback on his logos. Every time he shared his work, he faced harsh criticism. Members of the group told him his designs were bad and that he should give up because design wasn’t his thing.
But he was incredibly resilient. Despite the constant criticism, he kept sending his designs for review. To be honest, his early designs were… well, pathetic 😂. But he didn’t let that stop him. Elon was a medical student with a deep passion for IT and design, and nothing was going to deter him from pursuing it.
I was an active contributor in that WhatsApp group, offering guidance and insights. Eventually, some members asked me to train them personally. I told them to create a separate group and add me. And just like that, Brait Academy was born.
Elon joined the group, and his resilience stood out. I saw potential in him and selected him along with two others for mentorship. I taught them not just web development but how to build successful digital agencies, establish solid business processes, manage clients, handle finances, and scale their businesses. I poured everything I knew into them.
Elon took what I taught him and applied it to his own agency, quickly replicating and refining the processes. He became one of the best web developers I know. To further enhance his skills, he pursued full-stack development at ALX, and on my advice, he joined the Power Learn Project, a social impact initiative training African developers.
Today, Elon owns Elon Designs, a thriving agency with an impressive portfolio of professionally built websites. My personal favorite is a law firm website he created for Gikima Mugwe & Associates Advocates, a masterpiece of color harmony and typography that leaves me in awe.
Elon was just another Gen Z with no work ethic, poor professionalism, and practically non-existent communication skills. He frustrated me more times than I can count, but through resilience and patience, I shaped him into a masterpiece.
Today, he’s in my Pro Group, and I’m still tough on him. I once asked, “Do you realize anyone can design and develop websites? Now that you’re skilled, is that it? Do you just relax and call yourself the best?” That question made him reflect, and he found his own DNA. He’s now niching into e-commerce and building his own SaaS. God knows how far he’ll go. He doesn’t know when to stop. I literally have to tell him to take a break.
Elon is one of my best mentees, and I’m incredibly proud of him. I still can’t believe I transformed a medical student into one of the best web and graphic designers and a full-stack developer. He went from living in a hostel to providing for his entire family. Today, he helps me run my company and has mentored countless others at Brait Academy.
We were recently at the Youth+ Festival, and I bought him the book Making Cents by Waceke Nduati. He asked me to autograph it. I started by writing his name, but he stopped me and said, “Erase that. Kindly title it as: ‘Son’. You are now my father. You have mentored me in skills, business, spirituality, and life! At my young age, I am full of wisdom, I run my own agency, and I can fend for myself and others. To me, that’s just a father!”
That’s when it hit me that this mentorship thing is no joke 😂. Someone teach me how to be a father to a grown man!
You can hire him at – https://elondesigns.co.ke/
