Many successful businesses start with an ‘A-Ha’ moment

At our Young Lioness Lean In events across the African continent, I meet so many young women who dream of becoming an entrepreneur. The problem is, they have yet to find a business idea that could work. Often, I share with them the stories of successful entrepreneurs who experienced an unexpected  ‘A-Ha’ moment that led them to business success. That moment when you suddenly experience a problem that needs to be solved, or a gap in the marketplace that needs to be filled. If you are in need of some inspiration for your own entrepreneurial idea, here is how some of the most famous entrepreneurs found theirs. The founder of WhatsApp, Jan Koum, could not afford to telephone his family in Ukraine, and the rest is history. Ingvar Kampard, founder of Ikea, couldn’t fit a table into his car, so he removed its legs, and the most successful flatpack home furnishing company in the world was launched. Sara Blakely was getting ready for a party when she realized she didn’t have the right underwear to provide a smooth look under white pants, and so her multi-billion dollar company Spanx was born. And Brian Chesky, founder of Airbnb, rented out his air mattress to make some extra cash, and a revolution in travel and tourism was born. So, when your ‘A-Ha’ moment happens, make sure you are ready to turn it into a great business idea.

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie