By Nathan Loyd Ndungu

Failure Isn’t the End—It’s a Beginning

When people look at where I am today—leading international businesses like Avoveg Health Kenya Ltd, managing exports across continents, and consulting with companies through Loyd Global Consulting—they often assume it was a straight road to success. But the truth is, my journey has been shaped just as much by failure as by victory.

In fact, some of my greatest breakthroughs came right after my biggest disappointments.

That’s why I wrote My Successful Failures—to share the hard moments that helped me grow into the leader I am today. This blog is a reflection on a few of those lessons, and how failure, when viewed through the right lens, can be the key to long-term success.

Lesson 1: Failure Is a Teacher—If You’re Willing to Listen

Early in my career, I started a business that I believed in with all my heart. I poured in time, energy, and resources. But within a few years, it collapsed. I was devastated—not just financially, but emotionally. I questioned everything: my ability, my vision, even my purpose.

But once I moved past the pain, I realized that the failure was teaching me. It showed me what I didn’t know. It exposed weaknesses in my planning. And most importantly, it revealed how I responded under pressure.

Failure is only wasted if you refuse to learn from it. Once I shifted my mindset and started asking, “What can I learn from this?” everything began to change.

Lesson 2: Strategy Without Character Will Eventually Fail

One of the hardest lessons I’ve learned is that being smart isn’t enough. You can have a solid strategy, a great team, and the right market—but if you lack integrity, it will catch up to you.

In one of my earlier ventures, I trusted a partner who didn’t share my values. We made good money at first, but cracks began to form. Miscommunication, mistrust, and misaligned priorities took over. Eventually, the business crumbled.

From that point on, I made a promise: never again would I build with people who didn’t value honesty, transparency, and mutual respect. Now, character comes first—every time.

Lesson 3: Setbacks Reveal What You’re Made Of

Failure has a way of stripping away pride. It shows you who you are when the money runs dry, when the deal falls through, or when your plan doesn’t work.

During a season when nothing seemed to go right, I felt like quitting. But it was in that moment that I learned how to persevere. I leaned on my faith. I surrounded myself with wise counsel. I rebuilt—slowly but surely.

Now, I see failure as a test. Not of how clever I am, but of how committed I am. Do I really believe in the mission? Am I willing to adjust, to start over, to keep going? These are the questions that define us.

Lesson 4: Resilience Builds Respect

Clients and colleagues don’t respect leaders who have never struggled. They may admire their achievements, but they can’t connect with them. Real leadership is built through resilience—when people see that you’ve been through the fire and kept going.

I’ve used my failures to relate to farmers, partners, and entrepreneurs around the world. Whether I’m in Nairobi or New York, people appreciate honesty. When I tell them I’ve failed, they lean in. Because it’s real. And because they’re either going through it now or afraid they might.

Your story of resilience may be the very thing someone else needs to hear to keep going.

Lesson 5: Failures Shape Vision—If You Let Them

One of the most powerful things failure does is reshape your vision. After losing one business, I realized I needed a deeper purpose. That’s when I felt called to create something that wouldn’t just make money, but would make a difference.

That led me to Avoveg Health, where we empower small-scale farmers by giving them fair prices, training, and access to global markets. It’s not just a company—it’s a mission. And it never would’ve happened without the pain of that earlier failure.

Sometimes the closed door is the very thing that pushes you toward the right one.

Faith Made the Difference

Throughout every setback, my faith has been my foundation. I believe God doesn’t waste anything—not even our failures. The Bible reminds me that “all things work together for good” (Romans 8:28), even when I can’t see how.

Faith gave me the strength to keep going. It helped me see that my identity wasn’t tied to my business success. It reminded me that leadership is about service, humility, and courage—even when things fall apart.

Today, when I speak to young entrepreneurs or business leaders, I don’t tell them how to avoid failure—I teach them how to walk through it.

Redefining Success

If you’ve failed—or if you’re failing right now—I want you to hear this clearly: You are not done. You are not disqualified. You are being refined.

Failure is not the opposite of success—it’s part of it. If you let it teach you, shape you, and humble you, it can become your greatest advantage.

I’m still learning, still growing, and still bouncing back. But I’m proud to say my failures weren’t wasted—they were successful because they changed me.

So whatever you’re facing, don’t run from failure. Use it. Learn from it. Build something better with the wisdom it gives you. That’s how strategy is born—from the ashes of a setback, fueled by the lessons of experience, and guided by a greater vision.