When Anne Muya quit the “drudgery of the 9-to-5”, something shifted in her. She ditched the grey power suits, false fortifications, and the mean mien that defines accountants. She added silk to her steel. Now she’s in red, and in red lipstick, she’s a girl again.
After leaving the banking industry, she founded Finsmiths Investment, a wealth management company and Finsmiths Insurance Agency.
She rediscovered her first loves: gardening, golf and driving. “I love cars,” she says, “perhaps because I didn’t grow up around them.” It’s funny how the absence of something could be its biggest presence.
At the Royal Nairobi Golf Club, she looks much younger in person compared to the photo on her member’s card. Of course, you never ask a girl her age. That’s unbecoming. “Don’t ask my age,’ she says. “I am 50.”
When I strip away the fancy titles, who are you?
I am a mother of one, but he is a grown man. I play golf and practice a lot of healthy living, which includes exercise and eating right. You first take care of your health before you take care of everything else. I wake up, skip the ropes and do a lot of walking around the estate.
You are an empty nester; what’s that experience like?
It is interesting. You keep holding back. My son wanted to move out earlier, but I kept on holding on. He has not really fully moved, and his room is still there. He can always come back.
What are you doing when you are just alone in the house?
I have a client base now that I work from home. I check my emails, WhatsApp and sort out any issues.
How do you avoid the loneliness of a large house from creeping in?
Interesting question. When you are busy, you don’t quite feel it. Usually, I have a routine for the days. But I also don’t live in Nairobi full time, I have a place in Naivasha with a small garden.
How did you land on golf?
I like being active because when you are active, you don’t think a lot. Exercise, golfing, or I am out of town. I have played golf for the last 15 years, but because of work engagements, I didn’t play so often. Nowadays, I play at least once a week.
Any life lessons you’ve picked up from the course?
The course is actually real life. A lot of times, we think playing a game is just playing a game, until you realise that when you hit the ball, it goes a different direction...golf streamlines you to be persistent, consistent and disciplined so you can build a good handicap. Most golfers spend their time on the golf course, it is a very involving game.
What habit has served you best in life?
Eddy, for me, it’s all about honesty and being a person of high integrity. The business I am in is about trust; that’s how clients keep coming. This business is not just about returns but also risks, which a lot of people forget about. You have to be very honest with your clients.
What is the most difficult lesson you’ve learned about money?
A lot of people are not disciplined when it comes to finances, they want instant gratification. The challenge is convincing people that they need to save constantly. People want to buy the latest gizmos. Getting clients to invest is quite difficult.
What is the dumbest thing you’ve spent money on?
Not necessarily dumb, but I love cars [chuckles]. I bought a Mercedes E250 and found it is not a handy car. I like travelling, it is a very good car, but when it gets to the village haha! It’s a soft girl. Now I need an off-road car.
Did you grow up around cars?
No.
Where did your love for them come from?
When I went to the bank and knew we could get a loan, we took car loans haha! But we were young. My first car was a Toyota A100. I sold it and bought a manual Nissan, which I still have, 20 years later. I love that car. I think not growing up around cars in Kinangop made me want cars [chuckles].
What comes to mind about growing up in Kinangop?
I was a bright student. I didn’t do a lot of sports, but I realised I was good at academics. I was the top student in Nyandarua District when I did Standard 8. I went to Alliance Girls. Being in the newspaper at that time was a great deal.
Why did you want to go to Alliance?
I wanted to be the best in my field. Even in investments, I give lessons, and people can see I have the content. I research and make sure I give value. In my studies, I wanted to go back and do an MBA. I have a CFA [Chartered Financial Analyst] and a CPA [Certified Public Accountant]. You have to keep on being on top of your game.
What do you miss most about your childhood?
Being a child, playing with water, sliding in mud, making small cars. These days, I see children on their gadgets…I miss my childhood.
How are you remaining childlike now?
Playing games like golf. And gardening. When I go to Naivasha, I till my shamba, I love being outdoors.
What do you think your parents would want you to pass on to your son?
My dad passed on in 2020. I was a daddy’s daughter, and he was a brilliant man. I think my parents would want me to teach my child how to be tenacious; whatever life throws at you, you can move on. And the ability to take on more responsibility. I am the second-born, but I educated my siblings. Taking care of others, not just thinking about yourself.
How many are you?
Seven.
Taking care of your siblings, was it a burden or a responsibility?
I would have probably wanted to have a bigger family, maybe two sons, but I think it affected me because now I had to think about my siblings too.
As a daddy’s daughter, do you have a special memory you shared just you and him?
I decided to go to Alliance in Standard Four. I heard him talk about Alliance Girls, and from that time, I set my mind to it. He was an accountant as well, which played a part in my going the finance route.
Tell me a story from your childhood that is a good representation of your life now.
Tough one. [long pause]. I was a small girl visiting my aunt in Nairobi. I was excited to see the big town.
We had a cow, and I loved being around it. I tied my leg to the cow with a rope, and for some reason, the cow decided to run. The harder I screamed, the faster it ran. I had bruises all over my body [chuckles]. That is how I ended up in a hospital. Till today, I don’t mess around with cows.
What did you grow up believing that has since changed?
Golf is for rich people. It is not. If you want to join a golf club, you can start with other clubs outside of Nairobi.
What’s your idea of a perfect weekend?
When I am travelling out of Nairobi. I am driving to Naivasha, where I can go and play squash or go to the lake and chill. What I love in life is having options, so I am not tied down.
Which is one place you’ve gone to that remains etched in your heart?
Kinangop, where I grew up. I climb the Aberdares with my brother anytime I am home.
What matters more than you thought it would?
At this stage, health. When I was younger, perhaps drinking [alcohol] was fun, but now not so much. I am concentrating on the lifestyle. We take health for granted, but in hindsight, I’ve seen people get issues in their 40s. And then we chase money a lot, neglecting ourselves.
When was the Damascus moment for you?
When I hit 40. My doctor told me that after 40, you are in your dog years, and you have to take care of your health. I used to love dancing, but after some time I realised my knees are not as strong haha! A human being is not meant to be idle and just sit; you are supposed to be running around, doing something physical.
What does 50 feel like?
It feels good. How did I get here? I was shocked; I think it was a midlife crisis. Actually, don’t write that I am 50 [chuckles]. You wonder, where did the years go? But it’s not the end because this is the youngest I am ever going to be.
What would the 30-year-old tell the 50-year-old you?
In my 30s, I was focused. I knew I wanted to retire by 45. That said, the 30-year-old would say, ‘You have lived well’.
What have you finally come to terms with?
When you are young, you never think about death. I lost my younger sister at 42, in 2020, to cancer. Dealing with grief. I lost my dad, too.
Does grief get easier with age?
You learn how to deal with it. I was very close to my sister, and losing her was devastating. But as you age, you hear your friend is gone, or classmate, you realise that life is not as long as we think.
Anne Muya ditched the grey power suits, false fortifications, and the mean mien that defines accountants.
Photo credit: Wilfred Nyangaresi | Nation Media Group
What is one thing you wish people understood about you more?
That’s a hard question. Many people think I am very serious about life. I was a treasurer at the Railways Club and they thought I was a bit tough. But I also have my soft side, it’s not always about work. I am a fun person, too. Now I am relaxed. I think being an accountant does that to you haha! I just used to wear grey suits; you’d never find me in red. I realised I needed to start enjoying life.
What is the most important question someone can ask you?
[long pause] What kind of family do you want to leave behind? A happy person who knows himself and excels to his full potential in whatever he loves to do. I’d also want him to have a family, I am looking forward to my grandchildren [chuckles].
No pressure?
No pressure! Haha! He is 26 now.
Who do you know that I should know?
My best friend Lucy. She is a fantastic person, quite positive about life, and we’ve been friends since high school, going through the ups and downs. When things are tough, she knows there is a way. I call her in my hard times, and she encourages me to trust in God. And also God. You should know God. Because in everything, I trust in God.