Entrepreneur Advice from Monica Musonda / Start small and keep learning

January 25, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Monica Musonda, founder, Java Foods (Zambia)

Start small and keep learning!…

“It will be hard, not all pieces will be in place, but believe in yourself and your passion and START!.”

Monica Musonda, founder, Java Foods (Zambia)

Entrepreneur Advice from Monica Musonda: Persist… it’s definitely not easy!

March 30, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Monica's best advice for other African women entrepreneurs....

“Have a vision and passion. Be courageous, focused and disciplined. Lastly, persist… it’s definitely not easy.”

Monica Musonda, founder of Java Foods (Zambia)

Entrepreneur Advice from Monica Musonda: Don’t think you will always be a small business

February 24, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Monica Musonda, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Java Foods (Zambia)

To survive over the long term, bigger is better…

“The reality is that to be a profitable, well-run business, it’s all about scale. I’ve never had an ambition to be a small business. I tell my staff they shouldn’t think like an SME. Don’t think you will always be a small business because then you will always be a small business.”

Monica Musonda, founder of Java Foods (Zambia)

Entrepreneur Advice from Monica Musonda: Networking really can help you

February 4, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Monica Musonda, founder & CEO of Java Foods, Zambia — **Monica Musonda**, founder & CEO of Java Foods, Zambia

Networking is vital....

“It can get you through all the right doors. You need to learn to make new connections all the time. They can help a new business in one way or the other. Be careful of people coming into your inner circle just trying to bring you down. Know who your friends are. Take advice from the right people too.”

Monica Musonda, founder and CEO of Java Foods (Zambia)

Entrepreneur Advice from Monica Musonda: Learn by doing

January 7, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Monica Musonda, founder and CEO of Java Foods (Zambia) — **Monica Musonda**, founder and CEO of Java Foods (Zambia)

It's often best for entrepreneurs to learn by doing....

“I think you have got to learn by doing. You may not have all the answers, you may not know the size of the market, you may not know how much the competition is selling. But if you get into the business, do your initial groundwork as much as you can – but get in there and then start gathering your own data.”

Monica Musonda, founder of Java Foods (Zambia)

100 LIONESSES: Monica Musonda, high-flying lawyer turned food manufacturing entrepreneur

June 8, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Monica Musonda, founder of Java Foods (Zambia) — **Monica Musonda**, founder of Java Foods (Zambia)

Monica Musonda is founder and Chief Executive Officer of Java Foods, a food processing company based in Zambia. Monica's vision is to revolutionize the eating habits of the youth market by offering them affordable and nutritious food options made from local products. Monica is a dual-qualified English solicitor and Zambian advocate with over 15 years of experience in legal practice and corporate management, including being corporate counsel at the International Finance Corporation and for Aliko Dangote of Dangote Industries Limited.

Quote of the Day by Monica Musonda

May 16, 2019 Melanie Hawken

It's okay to start small....

“It’s always good to take baby steps and grow with time. There is no rushed success that lasts.”

Monica Musonda, founder & CEO of Java Foods (Zambia)

Entrepreneur Advice from Monica Musonda: Love what you do

October 1, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Love what you do....

“It is the only thing that will keep you going in your new business venture. If you don’t, you might give up at the very first failure encountered if things don’t go your way.”

Monica Musonda, founder of Java Foods (Zambia)

Entrepreneur Advice from Monica Musonda: Top advice

April 4, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Monica's top advice....

“Have a vision and passion. Be courageous, focused and disciplined. Lastly, persist… it’s definitely not easy.”

- Monica Musonda founder and Chief Executive Officer of Java Foods, a food processing company based in Zambia. Monica's vision is to revolutionize the eating habits of the youth market by offering them affordable and nutritious food options made from local products. Monica is a dual-qualified English solicitor and Zambian advocate with over 15 years of experience in legal practice and corporate management, including being corporate counsel at the International Finance Corporation and for Aliko Dangote of Dangote Industries Limited. Read Monica's 100 Lionesses profile here.

Quote of the Day by Monica Musonda

January 10, 2018 Melanie Hawken

“Have a vision and passion. Be courageous, focused and disciplined. Lastly, persist… it’s definitely not easy.”

- Monica Musonda is founder and Chief Executive Officer of Java Foods, a food processing company based in Zambia. Monica's vision is to revolutionize the eating habits of the youth market by offering them affordable and nutritious food options made from local products. Monica is a dual-qualified English solicitor and Zambian advocate with over 15 years of experience in legal practice and corporate management, including being corporate counsel at the International Finance Corporation and for Aliko Dangote of Dangote Industries Limited.

Entrepreneur Advice from Monica Musonda: Be innovative

December 15, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Be innovative....

"There is no such thing as a free lunch, and there is no substitute for hard work. Be open to new ideas, especially with marketing tools. Choose the best way to sell your business effectively and efficiently. Take advantage of social media as well."

Entrepreneur Advice from Monica Musonda: Watch your pennies

October 5, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Watch your pennies...

"Carefully that is. Learn to manage your finances properly. Account for EVERYTHING. It’s the only way to assess expenditure versus your profit. Plan your cash flows. Get money smart. Always."

Entrepreneur Advice from Monica Musonda: Start at home

September 4, 2017 Melanie Hawken

First focus on establishing your business in your home country....

“Let people know your product in your home market – it has to have a home, it has to be from somewhere – before you start spreading yourself too thin [by] exporting... There are all these nuances once you get your product outside of your country that you might not be able to control. I think build a strong successful brand, a strong successful distribution network, build supply chains which you understand in your country."

Monica Musonda, founder of Java Foods, Zambia wins the African Agribusiness Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2017

May 14, 2017 Melanie Hawken

The Market Matters 2017 African Agribusiness Entrepreneur of the Year Award has just been presented to Ms. Monica Musonda, founder and owner of Java Foods in Zambia. Ms. Musonda and Java Foods’ contribution to Africa’s agribusiness sector and food security was officially recognized during the Closing Banquet of the 2017 Making Markets Matter Executive Training Program for the African Agribusiness Sector in Somerset West, South Africa, on 11 May 2017. Java Foods joins a list of 8 other pioneering African entrepreneurs in receiving this honor.

Quote of the Day by Monica Musonda

May 8, 2017 Melanie Hawken

"But the real question is what are we as Africans doing? Are we going to be active participants in the growth and development of our continent or are we going to be satisfied with being spectators? As Africans, we need to take advantage of the opportunities, create sustainable development and wealth. We need to lead the way and invest in Africa."

100 LIONESSES: Monica Musonda receives Champion of the South Award for her innovative company Java Foods

December 24, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Monica Musonda, funder of Java Foods (Zambia) — **Monica Musonda**, funder of Java Foods (Zambia)

Zambian businesswoman Monica Musonda has been awarded the MEDays 2016 Forum “Champion of the South” award by the Amadeus Institute, an independent Moroccan think-tank, at a ceremony in Tangiers, Morocco. The recognition was for her creation of her innovative company, Java Foods, which is a model for a new generation of business leaders.

Quote of the Day by Monica Musonda

August 31, 2016 Melanie Hawken

“Don’t happily be a spectator in your own economy,”

Monica Musonda: Don't happily be a spectator in your own economy

February 28, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Video: Monica Musonda, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Java Foods (Zambia)

Do you want to be a spectator or a participant in your country? Monica Musonda narrates her journey into entrepreneurship as a Zambian woman. Working for the richest man in Africa, her former employer Aliko Dangote asked “Where are the Zambian Banks & Factories?” Monica reflected on how Nigerians run their economy and this inspired her to actively participate in her own country’s economy.

Monica Musonda shares five key business lessons she has learned

November 1, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Zambian entrepreneur Monica Musonda is the founder of Java Foods who produce the eeZee instant noodles brand. In a recent webcast, ''Secrets for a Successful Start-Up' webinar organised by The Tony Elumelu Foundation, Monica shared some of the lessons she has learnt in business and answered questions posed to her by participants. Below are 5 key lessons she has learnt in business.

Entrepreneur Advice from Monica Musonda: The right time to start a business? The earlier, the better!

September 7, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Aspiring women entrepreneurs should take the plunge sooner rather than later....

“I would have loved to have been younger and have less commitments… At this stage to fail is a lot more painful than if I failed at 20 or 25 or 30, for instance. I think it is a lot harder when you’re older, you have more commitments… I think there is never a perfect scenario for you to start a business – but I think if you are going to take the leap, the earlier the better.”

“It will be hard, not all pieces will be in place, but believe in yourself and your passion and START!.”

“Have a vision and passion. Be courageous, focused and disciplined. Lastly, persist… it’s definitely not easy.”

“The reality is that to be a profitable, well-run business, it’s all about scale. I’ve never had an ambition to be a small business. I tell my staff they shouldn’t think like an SME. Don’t think you will always be a small business because then you will always be a small business.”

“It’s always good to take baby steps and grow with time. There is no rushed success that lasts.”

“It is the only thing that will keep you going in your new business venture. If you don’t, you might give up at the very first failure encountered if things don’t go your way.”

“Have a vision and passion. Be courageous, focused and disciplined. Lastly, persist… it’s definitely not easy.”

“Have a vision and passion. Be courageous, focused and disciplined. Lastly, persist… it’s definitely not easy.”

"There is no such thing as a free lunch, and there is no substitute for hard work. Be open to new ideas, especially with marketing tools. Choose the best way to sell your business effectively and efficiently. Take advantage of social media as well."

"Carefully that is. Learn to manage your finances properly. Account for EVERYTHING. It’s the only way to assess expenditure versus your profit. Plan your cash flows. Get money smart. Always."

“Don’t happily be a spectator in your own economy,”

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