You can be the most talented developer in your country. You can win innovation awards. You can land international clients. And still lose opportunities not because you’re not good enough, but because they simply can’t pay you.
Kali Kimanzi knows this reality too well. As someone who’s navigated the gap between African innovation and European optimization, who’s registered businesses on two continents, and who’s watched transaction fees eat into hard-earned payments, he’s learned that talent without access is just potential waiting to be unlocked.
In this conversation, Kali shares what nobody posts on LinkedIn: the rejections, the waiting, the payment nightmares, and the unglamorous truth about building a global career from Africa.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and tell us what you do?
My name is Kali Kimanzi. I’m the CTO and Co-founder of CodeX Safari, and I also serve as the CEO.
At CodeX Safari, we build technical solutions both hardware and software for businesses, governments, and NGOs. We also develop internal products that help businesses manage their operations more efficiently.
One of our key products is Codex POS Store, which is an inventory and point-of-sale platform.
Currently, we work with clients across Kenya and internationally, including the United States, as we are incorporated both in Kenya and in Wyoming, USA.
How did your journey into the digital or creative space begin?
My journey began during my university days. My background is in Mathematics and Computer Science.
In 2019, I went to Austria to pursue my Master’s degree in Computer Science. During that time, I got my first experience working in the digital space within a larger company.
Over time, I started comparing what was happening in Europe and Africa. Europe is more focused on optimization improving existing systems while Africa is still in the innovation stage, where there are many problems to solve.
I saw bigger opportunities in Africa, especially in Nairobi. That’s what led me to start my company and eventually return in 2022 to focus on building it fully.
What first inspired you to start building your career online?
For me, it has always been about solving problems.
From high school, I was involved in innovation programs where we created solutions for societal challenges. In university, I was recognized among the top innovators in the country for a water management system I digitized using IoT devices.
That experience showed me there is a huge gap where technology can improve systems and make life more efficient.
So my inspiration has always been to build solutions that automate processes and improve how society functions.
What were some of the biggest challenges you faced when you were just starting out?
One of the biggest challenges was not just building solutions, but getting people to adopt them.
Many businesses across Africa are not yet fully digital. A large number of business owners belong to older generations Gen X and baby boomers who are not as quick to adopt new technology.
So even when we had strong solutions, it took time for them to understand the value:
- How it improves their business
- How it makes operations easier
- Why they should trust it
Adoption has been one of the biggest challenges, because building a solution is one thing, getting people to trust and use it is another.
Did you ever face issues receiving payments from international clients? How did that impact your growth?
Yes, receiving payments was very difficult in the beginning.
There were high transaction fees, especially with platforms like PayPal. You could receive $500 and lose a significant portion to fees and conversion charges.
This affected growth because even when you had clients, accessing your money wasn’t always smooth.
What was your very first international payment experience like?
It involved a lot of waiting.
On paypal, SWIFT transfers were supposed to take about 4 to 5 days, but in reality, it could take a week and a half or even two weeks.
So most of the time, I just waited for days, hoping the payment would come through.
How did you handle the payment challenges at the time?
I adjusted and adapted.
There weren’t many options, so I learned to be patient and plan around delays.
In your opinion, how important is having a reliable dollar payment account for freelancers and digital creators?
It’s like oxygen for freelancers.
Without a reliable way to receive payments, you miss out on opportunities not because you lack skills, but because clients cannot pay you easily.
Was there a particular moment or opportunity that really changed things for you?
Yes.
At one point, I had to register a business in the United States just to be able to receive payments properly. That meant paying taxes both in Wyoming and in Kenya, which wasn’t ideal.
But it became a breakthrough moment because it allowed us to operate internationally and receive payments more reliably.
What skills or mindset helped you grow the most in your career?
Networking and continuous learning.
You can be highly skilled, but if you don’t network, opportunities won’t find you. Most of the projects I’ve worked on came through connections, conversations, and referrals.
What lessons would you share with African freelancers looking to work with global clients today?
Trust and reliability are everything.
When clients trust you and you deliver consistently and on time, they don’t just come back, they refer you.
Growth often comes from referrals, and over time, that builds into something much bigger.
How do you stay consistent and motivated even during slow or challenging periods?
I remind myself that I’m not alone.
I talk to other entrepreneurs, and I’ve realized that everyone faces challenges, even if they are different.
That helped me understand that business is about challenges, it’s how you respond to them that matters.
What is one honest truth about building a global career that nobody tells young African creators and freelancers?
There will be a lot of rejection.
You might face hundreds or even thousands of rejections, but that’s part of the process.
People only show success online, they don’t show how many times they failed before getting there.
Platforms like Novacrust are trying to make international payments easier for freelancers. What are your thoughts on solutions like this?
Solutions like this are very important because they bring inclusion.
Without access to global payment systems, you’re excluded from opportunities—not because you lack skills, but because you can’t get paid.
But when that barrier is removed, you can offer your services globally and access more opportunities.
Would you consider signing up for a platform like Novacrust? Why or why not?
Yes, I would and I already have.
Because I understand what it means to have access to a system that makes payments easier.
Being able to receive money and move it into local systems like mobile payments is very important, especially in Africa.
Kali’s journey highlights a key reality: talent alone is not enough. Access, systems, and persistence play a major role in building a global career.
From navigating payment barriers to building innovative solutions, his story shows that success comes from consistency, adaptability, and resilience.
For African freelancers and creators, the opportunity is global but unlocking it requires the right tools, mindset, and determination.
