Four friends who first connected during their 1994 university years established Tessera in 2017 after years of planning, leveraging their distinct skills to create a communications agency focused on brand strategy and SME support.
Their journey began with a 2014 cruise ship conversation that crystallized their business vision. Joanna Gow and Stella Mwachi, who would become the agency's executive directors, emphasized that their friendship - forged in 1994 - provided the foundation for their professional partnership. "We saw an opportunity to focus on brand strategy rather than aggressive sales," Gow recalled, highlighting the market gap they identified.
The founders implemented clear roles from the start, with Gow as managing director and Mwachi handling finance. "We established boundaries to maintain professionalism," Mwachi said. The company's name, derived from the Greek word for 'four,' reflects their original group of friends. Each founder invested equally, supplemented by a business partner's loan.
Key projects include Safaricom's rebranding and the cross-African 'Together to End FGM' campaign. Despite challenges like high staff turnover, Tessera maintains a 67% female workforce. "Our approach balances creativity with financial discipline," Gow said. The agency aims to strengthen its digital capabilities while continuing to support small businesses.
The founders' personal timelines intersected with their business journey. Joanna's 2004 marriage coincided with the agency's conceptual phase, while Stella's family milestones during the same period influenced their business philosophy. "We had worked many years, we were mature enough to understand if Joanna is the managing director and she admonishes me in that capacity," Stella said, emphasizing their established roles.