Monday, January 9, 2017

How Much The Most Successful African Entrepreneurs Started With

By Robert Rogers


There is a wind of entrepreneurship sweeping through Africa and the entire world. The youths want to become business owners and job creators other than be employed. While this is the desire for most people, the common excuse you get is lack of capital. Have you ever thought what the most successful African entrepreneurs started with and where they got their money? Here are some of the most inspiring stories on entrepreneurship.

When civil war hit Liberia, Fomba Trawally was forced to seek refuge in Gambia from 1989 until he returned to Liberia in 1991. From his life savings of 200 dollars, he started selling rubber slippers in Monrovia. It has taken him fifteen years within which he has diversified into import of cosmetics from allover the world. He also established a paper and toiletry manufacturing company that it turning-over more than a million dollar every year.

Zenabwork is a poor neighborhood where Bethlehem Alemu grew up. This did not dim her desire to succeed as she has established one of the fastest growing footwear company in Africa called SoleRebels. The products are made from recycled materials with the company having crossed the one million dollar mark in annual revenue. Her capital in 2004 was 10,000 dollars raised from relatives and friends.

IrokoTV is fast becoming a common name in Africa and competing with global movie streaming brands. This is the work of Jason Njoku the co-founder and CEO of the Nollywood movies specializing outfit. The online streaming venture has attracted global attention and investments including the latest 90,000 pounds aimed at turning it into the biggest African brand. The only capital Jason needed was an idea shared with the right people.

Adii Pienaar is the perfect example of bootstrapping. This is where a business starts with practically no coin. The South African serial entrepreneur started WooThemes at age 23 while still in university. He consulted for other companies and used the proceeds to boost WooThemes. The company was recently sold for 30 million dollars to an American tech giant based on the internet.

Most 19 year old are partying, taking photos with hash tags or pursuing mundane courses in university. Patrick used his sunset teen year to set up a Chinese mobile phone selling business. He left for China with 1,800 dollars as capital, that was borrowed from his mother and topped by a friend. Today, the Tanzanian entrepreneur owns the largest solar company in Eastern Africa minting in excess of fifteen million dollars in 2015.

What comes to mind when you see an empty water bottle or disposed plastic container? Lorna Rutto from Kenya saw a remedy for the fast depleting forests in the name of providing wooden poles. With SEED funding, he has built a million dollar company that is in full scale manufacturing, employing thousands and conserving the environment.

Africa has an incredible collection of entrepreneurship success stories. There is the celebrity pig farmer from South Africa called Anna Phosa. Aliko Dangote had to borrow 500,000naira from his grandfather and is now the richest man in Africa. Fred Deegbe knows what bootstrapping is all about, and many more success stories. The above stories only demonstrate that capital is a lame excuse. What is required is passion and hard work.




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