BUILDING A STARTUP IN AFRICA – Team Work & Trust

The Harsh Reality (Part 1)

Africa has a huge potential, with all the natural resources to backup any form of Tech Startup venture beyond what you and I can ever envision. Despite the opportunities, there are so many challenges that have led to a low startup culture within our continent. Change is underway but it is moving at a snail pace. So slow, more especially for us locals with lack of exposure to the diaspora, having not visited the world’s famous tech innovation hubs like Silicon Valley (USA) or Shenzen (China) to mention just a few.

It is my hope in this article that we can lightup more candles to spread the light and enlighten more Africans, more especially youths and women to jump onto the band wagon to help bring innovation, foster growth and contribute to the future of the Africa. We can build great startups but we have barriers to get out of our way.

1. Lack of Trust

There is this super hero kind of belief where one man is able to save the world alone without needing help. This detrimental notion which is part of what our primary and secondary education, makes us believe is the way to go. At this level of school, we are told there should be only one number one. And who ever can’t perform at school is dull therefore can not achieve anything in life.

In contrast, building a startup, an enterprise or anything of value requires various complementary skills to accomplish a big enough vision or goal. Without trust you can not build a team. Without a great team there can never be startup nor corporation that can run from generation to generation. Everyone has a part to play just like in a band. Not everyone can sing nor play an instrument but they all contribute to the success of a brand (a team).

The day we will learn to trust each other, is the day we will begin to build bigger brands at fast rate. We have the talent and resources, but trust is letting us down. Most africans can not support a fellow african. In Zambia we can see this in form a neighbours not wanting to buy a commodity from a neighbour’s shop but will happily spend more more money to a distant shop for something of equal value. I am no encouraging us to suggregate but here, we are talking of beginning to work for a cause, with trust as a team. If we can not collaborate no one investor wants to invest in an individual no matter how talented. With a team comes opportunity but with trust, success is guaranteed.