Entrepreneur Advice from Julian Omalla: Find that gap in the market

October 20, 2014 Melanie Hawken

You need to identify a gap in the market....

“My aim was to start a juice processing business, not just small scale like the market vendors, but a real factory. My mother had taught us to process local fruit and I’d done a certificate course in food science, so I had the technical background. I could see there was a gap in the market.”

- Julian Adyeri Omalla is one of Uganda's top female entrepreneurs. She is founder, chairperson and managing director of Delight Uganda Limited, producing the country's most popular fruit drink sold under the brand name 'Cheers'. Julian has diversified into a range of other business activities, including egg and poultry farming, maize-feed production, a flour mill and bakery, a student hostel for 400, as well as coordinating women’s farmer cooperatives that provide food aid into Sudan. Today, Julian employs over 1,000 Ugandans and exports to countries such as Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Sudan and Zaire.

Entrepreneur Advice from Julian Omalla: Don't put all your eggs in one basket

October 20, 2014 Melanie Hawken

Never put all your eggs in one basket....

“As a woman I wanted to show I could have my own business, too. I was doing well until I became too trusting… I transferred all my funds to my business partner to purchase stock and he just disappeared from his place of business. I was back to square zero .... I learnt the hard way not to put all my eggs in one basket."

- Julian Adyeri Omalla is one of Uganda's top female entrepreneurs. She is founder, chairperson and managing director of Delight Uganda Limited, producing the country's most popular fruit drink sold under the brand name 'Cheers'. Julian has diversified into a range of other business activities, including egg and poultry farming, maize-feed production, a flour mill and bakery, a student hostel for 400, as well as coordinating women’s farmer cooperatives that provide food aid into Sudan. Today, Julian employs over 1,000 Ugandans and exports to countries such as Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Sudan and Zaire.

Julian Omalla: 1,000 jobs up for grabs in Nwoya fresh fruit processing plant

October 20, 2014 Melanie Hawken

Source: New Vision | Published October 15, 2012

Over 1,000 locals including homeless young mothers are to get gainful employment following the setting up of a 5,000 acre fruit processing plant in Nwoya district. The ministry of Local Government with support from the United Nations Centre for Development and Nwoya district local government have partnered with Delight Uganda limited to set up a fresh fruit processing factory in Nwoya.

Building a venture from scratch not for the faint-hearted says gourmet tea entrepreneur

October 19, 2014 Melanie Hawken

Source: How We Made It In Africa | May 16, 2013

Cote d’Ivoire-born Swaady Martin-Leke is the founder and CEO of YSWARA, a newly launched African tea company that is targeted at the higher-end consumer market. The company is based in South Africa, but sources its teas from across the continent. According to Martin-Leke, the luxury market in Africa offers increasing opportunities with the steady growth in the African middle class and discretionary income.

Quote of the Day

October 18, 2014 Melanie Hawken

"When you teach a woman how to apply her make-up, you also help repair her self-esteem or re-assure her of her beauty and relevance."

- Tara Fela-Durotoye is a Nigerian-born lawyer turned Africa's leading beauty and makeup entrepreneur. She started House of Tara at the age of 20, from her living room, whilst an undergraduate at university back in 1998. She's since gone on to launch Nigeria's first ever bridal directory in 1999, and in 2004 she opened the country's leading beauty academy. Today, Tara has over 3,000 reps spread across Nigeria and 14 stores to her name and she is steadfastly dedicated to realising her vision of building a globally respected beauty company of African origin. Tara remains an inspirational role-model and mentor to make-up artists and aspiring beauty business owners across Africa.

Lorna Rutto - The startup story of an ecopreneur who is making a difference in the urban slums of Kenya through plastic waste recycling

October 17, 2014 Melanie Hawken

This leading woman eco-preneur is recycling the vast amount of waste plastic in Kenya and turning it into an environmentally friendly alternative to wooden fencing products.

Letter to Business Day: Making SA the Titanic

October 17, 2014 Melanie Hawken

Source: Business Day Newspaper | November, 29 2013

Jenna Clifford has written an opinion piece: "This bad behaviour and no service delivery (by a relative few) has reduced all of our aspirations for a nation with so much promise, a nation so many sacrificed their lives for. When are we going to say 'enough is enough'?".....

Quote of the Day

October 16, 2014 Melanie Hawken

“Most of us will fear to start an income-generating activity because we think that for one to start a business they need a lot of money. That’s why many young people are looking for non-existent white collar jobs.”

- Lydie Hakizimana is co-founder and Managing Director of Drakkar Limited, a specialist reseller and distributor of educational textbooks. It all started back in 2006 when this avid bookworm decided to follow her passion and opened a small bookshop. Before long, her entrepreneurial instincts had her developing relationships with numerous publishing companies. Eventually, she struck a deal that was to be the making of her company with UK publisher, Pearson Education. Drakkar rapidly evolved into a leading educational textbooks reseller in Rwanda, becoming an important enabler of her country's vision for building a knowledge-based economy. Today, Lydie manages 45 employees and thirty part-time distributors covering the five provinces of Rwanda. Lydie has also added exclusive distributor deals with Longman, Heinemann and Penguin to her Pearson contract.

Entrepreneur Advice from Jenna Clifford: What does it take to succeed as a woman entrepreneur?

October 16, 2014 Melanie Hawken

What personal characteristics does one need to succeed as a woman entrepreneur? ....

"I'm a pacifist by nature, but I recognise the need for perseverance, dedication and a killer instinct. I always say: don't miss the target or the dream. Trials, tribulations and a challenging economic environment will always be with us, but you can overcome these hurdles by being single-minded and totally focused on what you want to achieve. Sometimes 'balance' has to go out the door. If you're serious about chasing a dream, sometimes something has to give. During recessionary times one has to focus more on necessities and less on personal needs - what I refer to as "I-me-my" needs."

- Jenna Clifford is a world-renowned jewellery designer, known for her unique designs and superlative craftsmanship. Established in 1992, her company has steadily grown its clientele and improved its profile to institute itself as a powerful force in the jewellery industry. Her bold and dramatic designs are sought after by some of the most recognised business icons and celebrities from around the world. Today, Jenna Clifford Designs employs around 70 people, including some of the finest jewellery artisans and craftsmen in South Africa.

Essential Infographic: Advantages of being an Entrepreneur

October 16, 2014 Melanie Hawken

Entrepreneurship offers you a lot of freedom and liberty. You can hire your own employees and work with the type of people you want to work with. There are some great advantages....

Video: Lydia Hakizimana talks about the effects of corruption on the human spirit

October 14, 2014 Melanie Hawken

Source: Poverty Cure | Published on September 19, 2013

Lydie Hakizimana of Rwanda describes the effects of corruption on the human spirit. The problem of corruption extends beyond dollars and cents. It crushes the entrepreneurial spirit of a people.

Video: Lydia Hakizimana talks about her reading project to inspire the children of Rwanda

October 14, 2014 Melanie Hawken

Source: US AID | Published on February 8, 2013

Lydia Hakizimana talks about a children's reading programme and competition she launched in Rwanda to inspire children to get more excited about reading.

African women in tech: Ethel Cofie on why men are seen as ambitious and women bitchy

October 13, 2014 Melanie Hawken

Ethel Cofie, founder of Edel Technology Consulting (Ghana) — **Ethel Cofie**, founder of Edel Technology Consulting (Ghana)

Source: MeMeBurn | by Mich Atagana | 13 October 2014

Where are the women in tech? Who are the women building technology or working in technology in Africa? These questions and many more are asked on a daily basis. When it comes to technology in Africa, the general consensus is that women are not present. We beg to differ.

Quote of the Day

October 13, 2014 Melanie Hawken

Dr. Ola Orekunrin, founder of Flying Doctors Nigeria — **Dr. Ola Orekunrin**, founder of Flying Doctors Nigeria

"Eighty percent of the world trauma occurs in low-middle income countries just like Nigeria...I feel there should be more focus on the trauma epidemic that Africa currently faces."

- Dr. Ola Orekunrin is a medical doctor, helicopter pilot and the healthcare entrepreneur founder of Flying Doctors Nigeria, West Africa’s first Air Ambulance Service. She's dedicated to bringing trauma care to the most remote parts of Western Africa and her company, an air ambulance service based in Lagos, is doing just that. She was motivated to start the company after her younger sister tragically died whilst traveling in Nigeria as a consequence of their being no medical air service available to transport her to hospital. Ola graduated as a medical doctor from the University Of York in the UK and is a member of the American Academy of Aesthetic Medicine.

Anne Githuku-Shongwe named an African Social Entrepreneur of the Year by the World Economic Forum on Africa

October 13, 2014 Melanie Hawken

Source: World Economic Forum | October 5, 2013

Anne Githuku-Shongwe has been named among five social entrepreneurs as African Social Entrepreneur of the Year at the 2013 World Economic Forum on Africa, taking place in Cape Town, South Africa. The awards were conferred by Hilde Schwab, Chairperson and Co-Founder of the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, in the presence of President Jacob G. Zuma, Donald Kaberuka, Nkosazana Clarice Dlamini-Zuma, David A. Lipton, and Naveen Jindal.

Entrepreneur Advice from Anne Githuku-Shongwe: Your content must be locally relevant

October 13, 2014 Melanie Hawken

What’s the secret to your company's success in tapping the youth market in Africa? ....

"You need to make a combination of on the one hand creating locally relevant content that delivers a message, but also make it fun and attractive. If you make a game that’s boring, you’re dead in the water. We also co-designed the games with the youth users themselves through community based Design Labs to ensure that the games are relevant for the local market."

- Anne Githuku-Shongwe is founder and Chief Executive Officer of Afroes Transformational Games - a company that builds mobile game-based learning platforms out of South Africa and Kenya. Anne's vision is to revolutionise learning in Africa with a focus on delivering positive Africa-focused mobile phone entertainment to the youth market across the continent.

Essential Read: 'Stiletto Network: Inside the Women's Power Circles That Are Changing the Face of Business' by Pamela Ryckman

October 12, 2014 Melanie Hawken

Pamela Ryckman, author of 'Stiletto Network' — **Pamela Ryckman**, author of 'Stiletto Network'

The face of global business is changing, although still rather too slowly, and today more women are running and starting up major companies than ever before. These women are at the forefront of a movement that recognizes the power of networking and collaboration to make opportunities and change happen. Stiletto Network shines the spotlight on the power of savvy, ambitious, intelligent women in business, industry and politics to mine their collective intelligence in order to realize their dreams or champion a cause.