Asmau Ahmad, Plum Perfect CEO: Lessons on building a business in tech
The She Hive made its way to NYC and it held no punches! Guest speaker Asmau Ahmad, CEO and founder of Plum Perfect, showed us that building a business in tech requires strategy, confidence and persistence. Trained as a chemical engineer, Asmau understands the importance of being both precise and thorough. Asmau’s Plum Perfect is […]
Begin with the end in mind
I am sure we have all heard the saying ‘begin with the end in mind’ more times than we care to remember. Most times this is said in the context of our own lives and how we should be approaching the goal realization process. Perhaps the best-known individual on this is Steven Covey in his […]
Want your business to break out? Create a whole new market
As entrepreneurs already know, finding clients can be a long, frustrating and expensive process. When you have little or no brand recognition, you have to work so much harder to get noticed in the market. I recently read in Entrepreneur Magazine, that “it is so important to prioritize future-minded strategy over short term opportunism”, and I completely agree with this. So what […]
The purpose of business: The business of purpose
A few decades ago the notion of the Triple Bottom Line became commonplace. The phrase introduced the concept that businesses, particularly global brands, have a responsibility to ensure that their business and their business practices not only render to them (internal) economy prosperity, but that their business practices safeguards the environment, and delivers social responsibility […]
Copyright: Preserving your creative work in a social era
The last segment (here) was to follow with a detailed discussion on the non-disclosure agreement. However, conversations with some entrepreneur friends this week warranted a discussion about copyright protections. During the discussion, it was quite evident that some entrepreneurs believe the notion of copyright is all but a fictional concept in frontier markets like Nigeria, especially […]
Come what may…business must go on
To all intents and purposes, many economies on the continent have seen a slowdown. Businesses are being tested for resilience, they are being pushed to the edge, and the strength and acumen of their value chains are being tested. But come what may, businesses must go on. They may not thrive as they when the economy was […]
From passion to profit: Strategic planning for the woman-owned SME
I am fascinated and excited by the growing number of professional women entrepreneurs all over the African continent. Women who dreamed of being in the corporate world, then went on to leading universities at home or abroad, and then joined and rocked the corporate world in the business and financial enclaves of Nairobi, Johannesburg, Lagos […]
5 ways to out-hustle the competition like African market women
African women are naturally inventive, creative, and entrepreneurial – we aren’t the idle type. We work with our hands, minds, and wits. We find things we’re good at —even if it’s just a hobby. If you’ve been to Makola market, in Ghana, you’ve seen the endless rows of stalls, tables, kiosks and booths of market women […]
Scared of frauds? No wahala: 4 tips for conducting proper due diligence with global partners
A significant amount of entrepreneurs in South Africa are getting comfortable with the idea of doing business across borders, be it sourcing goods and services to even looking for strategic partnerships with foreign entities. The African continent has become more accessible and opportunities abound for entrepreneurs and small and medium enterprises. What’s more, African businesses […]
Dziffa Ametam: Tools and tips for building an e-commerce site
From Amazon to Alibaba to Jumia, ecommerce has taken the global retail market by storm. Data suggests the trend is here to stay. With internet penetration improving across Africa, we expect ecommerce industry to expand. Dziffa Ametam of Dziffa is on a mission to create an online marketplace for authentic handmade African goods. For any one who […]