Today I received a question in the comment section of my blog about how guidance can be given to the many who have failed with their African business in the past and who have lost a considerable amount of hope and capital. The commentator (who has become a much respected LinkedIn friend and colleague of mine) shared a certain unease about the – often overly – optimistic narrative of Africa rising and the related pool of business opportunities when in reality many Africans are facing major challenges to understand what is required of them or how they can succeed on the ground while facing so many obstacles.
What a great question and I am really grateful for the honest tone and this observation. I regularly try to address a variety of challenges that could stand in your way in my blog section ‘Overcome Obstacles’, but I could not agree more that there is a tendency that we idealize the ‘Africa rising phenomenon’ and that we do not attend the worries of those who want to move forward, but feel prohibited. So let me use this opportunity to provide my personal answers and some guidance how you can move your Africa business forward, and become successful against all odds. In my view ALL of the points below need to be in place – if one is missing, it will be difficult to succeed. Let’s get started.
1.Developing the right success mindset
I know you hear it again and again, yet this is most probably the only point that can be universally used for successful people. They have the right mindset: and this is a mind that is set towards success.
If you worry about your own inabilities or the many reasons why you could fail, if you are concerned with other people’s expectations of you, if you do not know what exactly it is you want out of your business and out of life and where you are heading, if you are paralyzed by a lack of energy, direction, or motivation to keep going despite the many falls you will encounter, then there is a big probability that you will not succeed.
Success is not something that falls into your lap despite hard work, instead it’s the result of a conviction and a certain mindset coupled with continuous intention and action. And that often requires that we start to think and act differently than we have done in the past. And, your faith and persistence during your journey of growth (both personal and business growth!) need to be larger than your doubts. This requires a lot of inner strength and constant nurturing.
Tips for action: Feed your mind with the advice of successful people each day. There are so many business mentors and motivational speakers out there accessible online. Read, listen, internalize, practice….read, listen, internalize, practice. Do that for a few months each and every day and you will see how your attitude is shifting, how you win a new understanding about yourself and what is required to release an untapped potential within you. Be ready to learn and see it through. You will find great business advice from successful African entrepreneurs, too: Check out howwemadeitinafrica.com or follow these entrepreneurs on Twitter where they share their wisdom.
Read: The Truth About A Rumbling Tummy and Africa Entrepreneurship (it’s not what you think)
2. Be driven by the actual market dynamics in Africa or a specific country –not your views.
One common mistake is that too many start their business within a very constricted context: A friend tells you about a market gap and asks you to come on board, you may think about how to turn your profession into a business, or you come up with an idea of what you could sell and hope that people will buy.
The true initiator however should be a market trend or gap that screams out to you ‘fill me!’. If you find yourself wondering if your idea will really sell, there is a problem right there. You are either not yet appropriately informed or you have chosen the wrong market and you can sense that. When starting your Africa business you should know that your products and services will sell without a question and you should only be concerned with how you will put the right strategy and action plan in place to make that happen.
Tips for action: Be informed about Africa market trends, look out for gaps, and then jump in right there. Don’t try to fit an idea into Africa. Let Africa do the talking and then see how you can fit into that dynamic with a business. Take local risk management into account when working on your strategy.
Read: 22 Bite-Sized Tips and Links to Insanely Increase the Success Rate of your African Business
3. Start small ……and work smart in Africa
Again it may sound like a cliché, but there is so much wisdom in this approach to start small (yes, on a shoe string budget!) and think big. One problem is that some people think small and as a result they are more concerned with daily activities to keep the business floating than with visualizing and working out strategies how to get this business into a bigger arena. Others start big – they are impatient to take the journey of building something with little steps and inject thousands of Dollars. But they run the risk that they are paralyzed when that money has run out due to unforeseen circumstances. They are stuck because they depended on cash for their startup to keep moving. Quick tactics replace learning, building connections, providing value, building strategies and resources that remain with you even when disaster strikes. Those latter attributes are often neglected, but they allow you to quickly get back on your feet after a crisis.
Working smart in Africa means also to be well aware of the challenges and risks that can bring your business potentially down or never allow it to kick off in the first place. Don’t just dive in anyway. Instead, amend your business concept in a way that mitigates those risks: Take a regional instead of a local approach, build local partnerships, sell online, diversify your income streams – these are some of the strategies that work wonders in an African context.
Tips for action: Follow into the footsteps of the many crazily successful African entrepreneurs who started small and who never had to worry at the time about losing a big financial injection before they could proof their business worked: Take the De Fynne Nursery, a business that produces shrubs for fencing driven by a booming housing sector. South African entrepreneurs Jacky Goliath and Elton Jefthas started that in their backyard in 2001 today they are planting on several hectares of land selling to the likes of Woolworth and Wall-mart. Take Patrick Ngowi who started selling mobile phone top-up vouchers and then realized that people in his country Tanzania were unable to charge their phones- there was the gap, right there, and he jumped on it! With a loan of US$1,800 from mum, Patrick bought some small solar equipment and in 2007 business slowly picked up. Today he is making millions and liaises with Al Gore on climate issues.
Read: Africa Entrepreneurs – Don’t Play It Small
And I really want to stop there. I think these 3 points are the most crucial for becoming successful in Africa. Yes, there are many obstacles you will carry within yourself (mainly that negative small talk in your head) and challenges you’ll face on the ground. Working on these three steps above hoeever will equip you in the best way to sail through those storms and get to your destination. But to do so, you need willingness, patience, and real dedication and focus. It can be a daily struggle in the beginning – but a journey so worth taking for so many reason.
Now, we would all love to hear from you. Take it away!
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Harnet
Tthank you once again for putting things in perspective. To succeed one has to leave their comfort zone. Obstacles are no different from when we stub our toes when we go for a walk. They will always be there. You can turn them into opportunities. Burn the bridge and commit fully. Everyone has advice as to how you should do things, listen keep what helps and throw out every other. Each time you feel like quitting it means you are getting closer to your destination. Read think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill and it will begin to make sense.
The journey is never easy but those that persevere are always rewarded. I have been on my quest for 2 years and each time I think I have things solved something new comes up. I will be running training sessions for my employees and I will charge non employees to attend. If I don’t train I will suffer more equipment loss and shoddy work. I train I get better results and I also get paid. Problem that is turning into an opportunity. Sorry I am rambling but I hope that I made sense.