This archive report was first published on 23 April 2020.
Post Covid-19? I will start from zero ¶
As the world grapples with the Covid-19 pandemic, businesses are facing unprecedented challenges. For Brian Owango, managing director of Aqueous Mobile Bar, the situation is particularly dire. In an interview with Nyakundi Report, Owango shares his thoughts on the impact of the pandemic on his business and the importance of learning new skills to survive in an unpredictable world.
On his 41st birthday, Owango is preparing chilli garlic prawns at his idyllic pool house in Loresho. His core business, Aqueous, a pioneering mobile bar/events company, has ground to a complete halt due to the pandemic. Owango, a UK-educated building-surveyor-turned-hotelier, mixologist, and capoeira instructor, has had to adapt to a new reality.
"I don’t see it [events business] coming back, nobody will want to be in big crowds anymore," Owango says. "But the most important lesson for us is we have to learn other skills in order to survive in this unpredictable world."
For Owango, cooking is not just about preparing meals, but also about transferring creativity and love to people. He believes that cooking requires an organised mind and that preparation is key to success. Owango also shares his thoughts on balance and how it is essential for mental well-being. He reflects on his experiences in Dubai in 2003, where he felt unbalanced and uninspired.
As he looks to the future, Owango plans to work smart, develop younger Africans, study online, and engage less with time wasters. When asked how he thinks he will emerge post-Covid, Owango responds, "At zero. I will be starting at zero. I started this journey some 11 years ago and now I’m down to nothing, down to zero again."
