“I am interested in doing business in Africa, I have some ideas.” I regularly come across something along those lines in my communication with many and you will find similar statements in a variety of Africa business forums and blogs. But what quickly becomes clear is that such statements usually seek some direction and that the people behind those words are seldom marching confidently ahead.
The reasons for that can be manifold. Some simply have too many ideas and the whole exercise seems confusing, others are not even convinced their vague idea makes a strong enough case. As a result, the powerful excitement that should naturally come up within you when thinking about the potential of your new business, the very energy that drives you, does not set in. Somehow you are not going anywhere with your Africa business ambition.
So let’s assume you are one of those people who do not really know what business to engage in…. You are reading my blog and somehow my words resonate with you. Great – keep on reading, because I am going to reveal what steps you have to take, so you know exactly what you want to do and where you are going with your start up.
Sometimes it helps to have a look at what not to do. Here is the typical sequence many use:
1) Having a business idea (I kind of had this idea for a while)
2) Checking the market for it ( a bit of research online will do)
3) Business Plan (somehow I’ll make the research fit)
4) Registering the business
And I think it is fair to say that many get stuck somewhere in between 1-4 and they don’t proceed. I think this conventional approach is a wrong approach for Africa. I am not saying that it does not work, I am sure it has worked for some, but I am convinced there is a much better way to go about this, an approach with a potentially far greater success rate!
Africa’s market is emerging, it is buzzing and volatile, it is full of space, curiosity, and demand, the opportunities are immense and so are the obstacles…..Can you feel the dynamic and energy in this? Your diligent 1-4-approach is meant to feel out of touch with it all!
Instead, here is how I suggest you find a powerful business idea, so you can start your Africa Business successfully – from scratch. The most important thing you need to do is:
Align Africa’s Top Industries With Your Top Personal Wants
Let me repeat that, so it sinks in: Align Africa’s TOP Industries with your own TOP personal wants.
Ok, let me explain.
Don’t start with a random idea you had and it somehow looked like a good one. Importing used cars to South Sudan, opening a shop to sell DVDs in Nairobi, and running a restaurant in Dakar are all such ‘random ideas’. I am not dismissing them, and you could indeed become successful, but the issue here really is, it is probably just a business idea you had without owning a powerful context.
If you are not marching ahead with this charged energy in you, it is time you start a new approach, start with this first step: Take a paper and slot down Africa’s fastest growing and most powerful industries. Let me help you, here we go:
LIST 1: Africa’s TOP Sectors / industries
– Agriculture
– Fast Moving Consumer Products [processed foods, soft drinks, toiletries & beauty products, over-the-counter drugs, toys etc]
– ICT
– Mining & Energy
– Construction and real estate
– Tourism
– Finance, Business Services, Logistics
Bang, that’s it. This is a powerful first step. You just decided to be driven by Africa’s trends, dynamics, and demands – this is the right way around, a sound approach.
If you live in Africa and you pay attention, you may see some of these daily demands each day. They are screaming out loud to get noticed. Tap into that amazing energy field!
Now in a next step, you need to align your wants with these top African industries. Your wants are your talents, your interests, your personal circumstances. So you need to create another list. It could look something like this:
LIST 2: Your own top wants
– I love designing, traveling, and sports – they are my passion
– I have software development knowledge and excellent writing skills
– I don’t have any starting capital. $500-1,000 is what I would be able to invest at this point
– I need to be flexible (I am still employed, I need to take care of children, or I simply want to keep flexibility as an important trait in my business)
Let us go back to our examples I used in the very beginning of this post. Selling DVDs in a corner shop, importing cars, or opening a restaurant somewhere in Africa may be reasonable ideas, you may have heard of someone who was successful with such kind of business, or someone told you there was demand, but you know why this is not the most powerful business idea to start your African business from scratch?
Because you kind of just went with the flow and you have not aligned Africa’s TOP market dynamics with your very own top dynamics – your passion, your skills, your wants, and needs!
Let’s continue this important exercise: Look at the two lists above – How would you be able to align Africa’s top industries with the personal wants on the list? This is where your brainstorming work comes in, it may look something like this:
List 3: Aligned Results (brainstorming list)
– Branding company for Made-in-Africa agricultural /fast moving consumer good products
– Interior Design services focusing on upper class houses, offices , and hotels
– Building a travel or Africa fitness blog I can monetize
– Sourcing foreign markets /buyers for agricultural produce from certain countries in Africa
– Developing business management software for African companies
– Etc.
These are just a few examples how to align the two top lists – and they deliver on all counts. Including your non-existent budget, because none of the examples requires an expensive office (you can start all of that from home) or any kind of inventory….and you can remain flexible.
It may not be so obvious right away, how you can possibly align your two lists to a great business concept, but I really urge you to write those two lists down on a piece of paper and then to just deeply observe what you have in front of you. Believe me, when you give it enough focus, ideas and answers will come to you. This is about getting you started with a strong foundation – you can always expand and diversify later.
If you already know where in Africa you want to do business (because you want to stay in your home country, for example), then I suggest you list the top sectors of that particular country instead. If that country is one of Africa’s current popular growth countries, the list will not vary that considerably from the one I gave above. But a great place to find out about the top industries of a certain country is the website of the respective Investment Authority; if you can’t find one check the website of the Ministry/Chamber of Industries, Trade & Commerce.
So if you have lost direction or you are not convinced you are making the right choices, start with a new clean canvas. Put a few evenings or a weekend aside, create the two lists where you align Africa’s top emerging industries and your personal top wants – then work on the brainstorming paper displaying a range of results. And among them, you will find your most powerful Africa business idea tailored for you!
How did your Africa business idea come to you? Or are you still searching?
And still. Let’s be defined what dosage in this case approaches most of all. There can be it cialis 20mg or something another. To me I think it isn’t necessary to choose for you necessary. Think. Perhaps suits you cialis 20 mg It is much better.
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Harnet! You are a pure genius! Those sectors and aligning them to your passion and skills is direct and profound. It may be simple but most are too engaged in the process and downplay the mission purpose of SUCCESS. There is too much competition out there to leave it to amateur thoughts! You are the PROFESSIONAL and your guidance will get us all there if we only follow! Keep shining the wisdom of the light and they will follow! #AFricaJumpstart will be that beacon leading the Renaissance!