Book Review
The Art of Acceleration, the groundbreaking new book by Catherine Wijnberg, entrepreneur and founder of Fetola, is a blueprint for entrepreneurs transforming economies. It provides key insights into how small businesses, driven by resilient entrepreneurs, can be the key to fostering economic growth, reducing inequality, and uplifting communities.
As a thought leader with more than 20 years of experience in enterprise development, Catherine Wijnberg shares her expertise on creating thriving small business ecosystems that not only create jobs but also build sustainable wealth. The Art of Acceleration emphasises the pivotal role that entrepreneurs, especially women play in transforming economies, particularly in emerging markets where traditional values still exert strong influence on women’s roles in business and family. The book is structured into two parts: the first introduces the core principles of small business success - mindset, method, market, and money - essential tools for any entrepreneur. The second part showcases proven accelerators and their impacts, particularly the programmes run by Fetola that have empowered hundreds of entrepreneurs. The Art of Acceleration demonstrates how these entrepreneurs are driving significant job creation and revenue growth, even in the face of societal and economic challenges.
Fetola’s accelerators have worked with a wide range of women entrepreneurs, including those in the 35-65 age bracket who, on average, show higher turnover than their counterparts. These programmes have created not only sustainable businesses but empowered women to overcome unique barriers, including balancing business with traditional family expectations. Women entrepreneurs often juggle the double burden of growing their businesses while managing communal pressures that demand they fulfill family roles. Catherine and her team have directly supported more than 1500 SMEs, with more than 55% of businesses being women-led. Over the years, Fetola’s programmes have increased job retention, revenue, and turnover for female entrepreneurs, proving that when women are supported, economies flourish.
As Catherine shares in The Art of Acceleration, creating ecosystems that support women entrepreneurs - from access to funding to mentorship - is crucial for accelerating long-term economic transformation. For those interested in driving real change, investing in businesses is not only an act of social equity but also a sound economic strategy that yields tangible results.
Author Quotes
It's simple really. We help people to grow the economy and create jobs, by building businesses that last.
Small businesses are rightly regarded as the drivers of growth, and as a solution for unemployment, which besets so many communities across the world.
Entrepreneurship for women is about more than just business success; it’s about transforming families, communities, and entire economies. I’ve seen first-hand how women, despite facing additional societal pressures, are thriving and shaping the future.
About the author
Catherine Wijnberg is a renowned entrepreneur and social enterprise leader with over 20 years of experience in enterprise development. As the founder and CEO of Fetola, Catherine has supported hundreds of entrepreneurs, particularly women, in building sustainable businesses that create jobs and foster economic development. She is a passionate advocate for building ecosystems that support small businesses and empower women entrepreneurs in emerging economies.
Linkedin: Catherine Wijnberg
Why LoA loves it…
For any woman entrepreneur, taking a business to the next level of growth and sustainability in order to drive significant job creation and revenue growth can be hard. It requires a higher level of strategic thinking, strong leadership skills, business acumen, and good supporting ecosystems, In her new book, The Art of Acceleration, Catherine Wijnberg offers a blueprint for investors, policy makers and practitioners working with small, micro and medium-sized businesses (SMMEs) to help achieve that growth. Well worth a read! — Melanie Hawken, founder & ceo, Lionesses of Africa