Walking into Number 79 on 3rd Parklands Avenue, I am greeted warmly by Mr. Paresh Jai who then hands me over to his daughter Phera who is tasked with showing me around.

We start at the health and fitness clinic which contains various pieces of equipment.

"This is where we do non-manipulative spinal therapy and kinesiology taping. We also do pre-injury and fitness screenings." Phera informs me.

The clinic is the first port of call for their clients. Here, they are taken through a series of motions and exercises to determine if they have any physical limitations that might pre-dispose them to injury or if they currently have injuries that have to be paid attention to during their training.

Next stop on the tour is the golf academy. I am immediately impressed by how much they have managed to do with the limited space that they have. There are two hitting bays as well as two Explanar machines where clients practice their golf swing. Phera explains that the Explanar mimics the golf swing.
"It gives the golfer the ability to feel what their swing should feel like."

"How does this limited space work for a golfer looking to practice their long drive?" I ask her.

"We have equipment for that," Phera says. Pointing to a little square contraption she adds, "This is the simulator that we have just introduced to the market. It is used for both teaching and entertainment purposes. I will just let Anokh explain it to you."

With this, her brother Anokh Jai takes over and demonstrates how the simulator works. Hitting the ball into the net, he shows me how the statistics of his swing show up on the attached computer screen, allowing him to see his club speed, ball speed, launch angle, distance hit and a lot of other data.

I am also introduced to the K-Vest, a vest fitted with sensors that the client wears to enable them to collect statistics on the efficiency and sequence of their swing. Total Golf Solutionz also has a putting and chipping area as well as Anokh's golf club repair shop.

This family's passion for their business is obvious and I am curious to learn the steps they took in turning their hobby into a successful business. This is what I learned from them.

1. Identify the opportunity
Paresh the patriarch of the family starts me off. "I am a member of Vet Lab and in 2008 we got an additional five acres of land. We then decided to go from a 9-hole to an 18-hole facility. We looked around for someone to do this for us and when we couldn't find anyone, I volunteered to do it. I didn't know too much about designing a course but in the next three years, I learned how to do it. After building the Vet lab course and knowing that I had started both my children up in this game at the age of nine, I called them and told them that there was an opportunity here that needed to be filled.
2. Acquire the necessary training
At the time that their father Paresh was birthing his business idea, his two children were in the United States pursuing their studies. Anokh, a scientist, was studying micro-biology and control of infectious diseases while his younger sister Phera was studying athletic training (the immediate management of sports-related injuries) while. Their father encouraged them to get some additional golf-related training that would go towards building their intended business.
Phera says, "I am certified with the Titliest Performance Institute of Eastern California and Anokh is certified with the United States Golf Teachers Federation. He is a level four certified instructor which means that he can certify the teachers. He has brought to Kenya the Golf Teachers association."
"I have also gone to the US in 2014 to develop the skills required to repair and adjust clubs correctly." Anokh adds.
3. Define your niche
In January 2012, Total Golf Solutionz was born with a very clear goal in mind; to improve the level of golf in Kenya. The Jai family was going to deal with all the aspects of golf apart from the selling of equipment.
"People can make careers out of golf, which is something they didn't realize before. You can make a career out of teaching, playing, repairing clubs and working on golf courses but you can't do everything. If you are a master, you are a master of one thing although you can be a jack of all trades. It's important to identify where you fit in and concentrate on that," says Phera. This is where the fourth lesson comes in.
4. Master your craft
At Total Golf Solutionz, each member of the family has a different role to play. By honing their skills, they have brought those individual talents together to create one cohesive unit and a very dynamic company.
"I deal with everything on the ground; golf course design, helping clubs look after their courses and all of that," says Paresh.
Kalpana, Paresh's wife takes care of the administration and everything else that is required to promote the business. She takes care of the designing of the brochures and other marketing materials. "I also organize the golf safaris allowing people to experience different golf courses here. Last year, Kenya and Nigeria were the most popular destinations for golf tourism." She adds.
Anokh is the master teaching professional and the long drive coach for Team Kenya. He is also the club repair guy. "For me this is the aspect I really enjoy. I can build you a set of golf clubs that feel amazing," he says.
"I am the junior coach and I do the health, fitness and the rehab. I also help Mum with the safaris. We all have our different departments and we don't step on each other's toes. The first rule of having a family business is you have to have respect for one another" finishes off Phera.
5. Plan your future
As with any business, the Jai family has ensured that their company will continue to grow in the years to come. They have done this by embodying one simple rule.
"One of the most important things for each one of us is that we have to learn something new every year. We can't afford to remain stagnant. Every year we each have to bring something new to the table." Paresh informs me.