Fahad Ntale

“Are you really a doctor, or is Dr. Carpenter just a nickname?” I get asked this question quite often. Yes, I am a medical doctor. I completed my Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree at @MakerereCHS. Medicine was a path shaped by my academic ability and my father’s desire to have a doctor in the family. But while studying, I discovered business and gradually realised that what I truly wanted was to become an entrepreneur. Immediately after completing medical school, I put down my clinical coat and went into business full-time. I wanted to learn how to build businesses, solve problems and create opportunities for other people. That journey eventually brought me to @ImpactWoods. Woodworking also reawakened an artistic side of me that I had largely left behind after studying Fine Art at O-level. I began teaching myself how to create 3D designs for kitchens, closets and other spaces. When I later joined @BNIuganda, someone called me “Dr. Carpenter.” The name created instant curiosity, and it fit, so I ran with it. Today, I identify primarily as an entrepreneur. But I worked too hard for the title of doctor to let it disappear completely. Interestingly, medicine still influences how I approach our work. A doctor must listen carefully, understand the patient’s pain and prescribe a solution that fits the individual. At @ImpactWoods, we must also listen to our clients, understand how they use their spaces and create solutions for their particular needs. Sometimes, we identify problems they had not yet recognised themselves. I may no longer practise clinical medicine, but that way of thinking has never left me. That is why “Dr. Carpenter” is not simply a marketing nickname. It is a summary of the different parts of my journey that have come together in the work I do today. On this account, I share what I am learning about building businesses in Uganda, leadership, governance, coaching and craftsmanship. Sometimes the path you begin with is not where you eventually find your greatest fit. But no part of the journey has to be wasted.

How do you protect quality and service as a business grows? I recently asked a business leader whose company I admire. One idea from the conversation stayed with me: Choose your non-negotiables, then refuse to compromise on them. A standard maintained only when convenient is not truly a non-negotiable. A brand eventually becomes the sum of what clients experience repeatedly. That is the discipline we are working to strengthen at @ImpactWoods. What is one non-negotiable in your organisation?

Lesson 4: Document the work. Samuel Mugisha D.C. of AdminIE explained that AI-assisted research had helped examine the nominees’ public records. Seeing @BrownieEbal, a fellow @JTBoardroom graduate, receive the Rising Star in Corporate Governance Award made that lesson real. Visibility cannot replace competence or contribution. But meaningful work that is never documented can remain invisible. Congratulations to @BrownieEbal and every woman who was recognised. If someone searched your name today, what credible evidence of your work would they find?

Lesson 3: Leadership should make the path wider for those coming behind you. Many of the women celebrated had not only built successful careers. They had mentored others, sponsored emerging leaders and opened doors that had once been closed to them. Leadership is also measured by who gets an opportunity because you served.

Lesson 2: Board readiness begins long before the appointment. Serve well where you are. Build competence. Understand the numbers. Strengthen your judgement. Learn about the issues boards are expected to confront. Prepare before anyone begins considering your name for the opportunity.

Lesson 1: A seat at the table is only the beginning. Representation matters, but contribution gives the seat its meaning. A board member must be prepared to speak, question, challenge assumptions constructively and help shape better decisions. The goal is not merely presence. It is meaningful influence.

The inaugural Women on Boards Awards Gala organised by @KairosConsult_ celebrated women who have shaped institutions, influenced important decisions and created opportunities for others. I left with a clearer understanding of what meaningful board service requires. Four lessons stayed with me. A thread:

Cheering on the women that lead. 💪🏽

If the work on your social media looks better than your showroom, clients notice. Our showroom was completed in 2022. It has served us well, but it no longer represents what @ImpactWoods can do today. We are upgrading it so clients can see how a design comes together, test hardware, compare materials and make decisions with greater confidence. What would you want to experience before choosing your kitchen, wardrobes or doors?

Earlier this year, we shaped a machinery investment plan when the dollar was around UGX 3,500–3,600. It has recently moved above UGX 4,200. Same machines. Roughly 20% more in shillings. The investment still makes sense. The assumptions have changed. Now we must decide what to purchase immediately, what to phase and how much currency risk to carry. Waiting is also a bet on where the dollar goes next.

A beautiful render is only the beginning of good interior woodwork design. It must reflect how the client lives, fit the actual site, use appropriate materials and account for how the workshop and installation teams will execute it. At @ImpactWoods, the design process is not complete until the work can be produced and installed accurately. We are hiring a Designer – Interior Woodworks who can translate site measurements and client needs into accurate 3D designs, layouts and technical drawings. Applicants should email their CV and portfolio, including 3D design samples, to [email protected]. Know someone who would be a good fit? Please share this with them.

If you hope to move into your home before Christmas, now is the time to confirm your doors and kitchen. A custom project at @ImpactWoods generally requires 6 to 7 weeks after design approval, payment and site readiness. November and December production and installation slots fill quickly. We would rather give you a realistic timeline than promise a handover date our schedule cannot support. If your house is at or approaching the tiling stage, send me a DM. I will guide you on what to prepare before an assessment.