Humor in the office creates a happy and positive working environment. A shared laugh is one of the best bonding experiences.
The workplace is often full of relationship dynamics, but we can’t deny the fact that humor creates stronger bonds and eases tension when the going gets tough.
Job, who at this point we should be referring to as our CFO - Chief Fun Officer, is one guy who will always find a way to tickle your funny bones, whether you have a good sense of humor or not. It’s hard to think of a day I have bumped into this guy and didn’t have a good laugh. The Business Development Manager at Fuzu spared a few minutes in between his busy schedule chasing deals to have a chat and here’s how it went. Spoiler alert: it’s not business as usual.
Tell us a little bit about Job, your interests and what you like about Business Development
My job entails regular communication with businessmen and entrepreneurs- basically, so I mostly rock with folks who have money. Generating revenue is my forte, and I do that by creating value for our clients. In business development, there’s no better satisfaction than having a satisfied client- and I’m keeping it 100% on satisfaction.
What interests me? I like reading poetry and short stories (James Baldwin wrote some cool ones).
How would you explain what you do at Fuzu to a child?
I’m like Robinhood, okay minus the merry men and the quiver… but you get the drift, right? Hold up- that man was a thief, so that’s a wrong analogy. But I do actually reach out to employers and connect them with persons who would work for them… in a very fair and transparent manner, I should add.
What has been the best experience at Fuzu so far?
The getaway we had at Shamba Place. Interacting with the team outside the Business Development group was great. I appreciated the camaraderie, the appreciation by colleagues and the presence of our CEO Jussi. I reckon having the MD at these sessions creates a feel-good factor. We can all learn from each other, regardless of one's position at Fuzu.
You interact with HR and recruiters a lot. What would you say is their biggest challenge in finding top talent and how does Fuzu help solve that?
Well, Fuzu is like a swiss knife for the HR fraternity. I believe that our solutions solve most if not all their problems. Nonetheless, the fact that we go by trust and transparency means that we are unique in the game and actually fulfill what we promise.
Have you ever used your witty side to close a deal?
Yes, I have. How did that happen? I made the client understand the simplistic side of our process, even claimed that they had the capacity to be better than me if they used our platform for all their roles.
Have you ever felt being funny at work could hurt your chances of moving up in your career - do people take you seriously?
No, not really. On the contrary, when I try to shut this part of my persona out, my productivity retards.
Tell us about that one thing that you said and people took it out of context?
We were once on a B2B call and I asked Faith a curious question, “If you were to spend one night with a celebrity at dinner, who would you choose?” There was a pause after I said ‘night’ and I heard giggles and sighs… Well, I’m glad I finished the question since the team thought I was about to get all nasty ghetto in the office.
How did you develop a passion for basketball? Is this your favorite pastime?
I used to watch Shaq and Kobe as a young buck. We also had a basketball court in our area, so it was almost inevitable that I would grow to love the game. My favorite pastime though has got to be listening to podcasts.
I know we joke a lot about you being seriously single. Have any of your relationships ever lasted longer than your amateur basketball career?
That’s totally below the belt... I need to sue you guys. I plead the 5th on this one. I’m out!
Assuming you answered no above 😁, so, you’d pick a basketball tournament over a date?
Any day! Although it depends on who I’m going out with… I also have a bad right knee (a case of the 30s), so I guess I’d go for the date.
When was the last time you laughed so hard that you cried?
I think when I saw the infamous “Alaar” segment by Atwoli making rounds on social media… that was crazy.
If you were to be stuck in a lift with 3 funny people who would they be?
Dave Chappelle, Larry David and Alphonce Makacha Makokha.
