Unlocking Africa

Episode 138 with Yonas Ademassu Alemu, an investment banker turned entrepreneur who founded Lovegrass Ethiopia. As the Managing Director of this innovative health food company, Yonas has been instrumental in bringing the rich heritage of Ethiopian grains to the global stage. Lovegrass Ethiopia specialises in creating a diverse range of products, including pasta, breakfast cereals, pancake mixes, powdered beverages, and snacks, all crafted from teff and other traditional Ethiopian grains.Teff, a tiny ancient grain native to Ethiopia, has been cultivated for over 4,000 years and is best known as the key ingredient in ‘injera’, a flat, spongy sourdough bread that is a staple in Ethiopian diets. This nutrient-packed superfood is not only gluten-free but also a rich source of iron, magnesium, calcium, and essential vitamins. Yonas is on a mission to share the incredible benefits of teff with the world and how Lovegrass Ethiopia is making a mark both locally and internationally.What We Discuss With YonasReturning to Ethiopia despite scepticism from his friendsForming relationships with farmers and investing in farms to guarantee a consistent, good-quality supply of Teff.How Yonas has managed to successfully export his products to the UK and other European markets.The challenges of building the factory in terms of financing, finding the right machinery, quality standards, and control.What key tips and advice would Yonas give to aspiring agriculture entrepreneurs in Africa?Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss Rethinking Economics and Impact for Music Festivals in Africa? Make sure to check it out!Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps!Connect with Terser on LinkedIn at Terser Adamu, and Twitter (X) @TerserAdamuConnect with Yonas  on LinkedIn at Yonas Ademassu Alemu, and Twitter (X) @thelovegrassDiscover how Verto’s solutions can help you accept payments, manage expenses, and scale with ease here

Episode 137 is with Walter Wanyanya, a Zimbabwean creative and tech entrepreneur. He's the founder of Apple gadget retail company TechTools Technology as well as the founder of Ngoma Nehosho, a music promotion and marketing company. In the music industry, he is commonly known for his work as the manager of the late popular musician, Oliver Mtukudzi. He is also the Founder and Artistic Director of the Jacaranda Music Festival, the Jabulani Jazz Festival, and the Flame Lily Rock Music Festival in Harare. Walter is also a board member of African Cultural Connections.What We Discuss With WalterThe transition from being a musician to becoming an event organiser and music promoter.What is the crossover between the Tech and the event management work that Walter does?How has the success he has had in the tech business influenced the way that he operates in the music industry?What are some of the challenges you face when organising such a large-scale music event in Africa?How does the festival impact the local community in Harare, both economically and culturally?Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss Locally Led Development: The Importance of Local Leadership in International Development? Make sure to check it out!Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps!Connect with Terser on LinkedIn at Terser Adamu, and Twitter (X) @TerserAdamuConnect with Walter  on LinkedIn at Walter Wanyanya, and Twitter (X) @wanyanyawalterDiscover how Verto’s solutions can help you accept payments, manage expenses, and scale with ease here

Episode 136 is with Gretchen Villegas, a global development executive with a passion for transformation—disrupting poverty and empowering vulnerable populations.Gretchen began her career as a Peace Corps volunteer, where she experienced firsthand the challenges of living in poverty without access to basic resources or education. This experience inspired her to work with global development organisations, partnering with local communities to identify innovative and creative programming that can break generational cycles of poverty. Gretchen has an impressive track record as a collaborative leader, skilled facilitator, and team builder, bringing together a variety of stakeholders, including the private sector, to achieve common goals.What We Discuss With GretchenThe key challenges you encounter in implementing development initiatives in African countries.Effective strategies for ending the cycle of poverty and building wealth.What is the Triple Win Strategy and how does it ensure long-term social impact?Main challenges faced when bringing together for-profits, non-profits, and government entities.What is the importance of having local organisations and people fully involved and integrated into social development initiatives in Africa?Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss How High-Quality Branding Enables African Businesses to Compete on the Global Stage? Make sure to check it out!Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps!Connect with Terser on LinkedIn at Terser Adamu, and Twitter (X) @TerserAdamuConnect with Gretchen  on LinkedIn at Gretchen VillegasDiscover how Verto’s solutions can help you accept payments, manage expenses, and scale with ease here

Sydney Scott Sam, a celebrated leader in Africa’s marketing and entrepreneurship landscape, notably recognized as a Forbes 30 Under 30. Over the past decade, he has been at the forefront of a mission to assist African entrepreneurs in establishing robust brands through his tech platform, Workspace Global. Workspace Global has revolutionized access to top-notch creative services and created remote work opportunities for countless African freelancers across Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, and South Africa.Workspace Global is a tech-oriented brand engagement firm focused on solving problems for local and international organizations operating in Africa, using mainly visual & digital communication. They believe that every founder deserves to show up and compete fairly on the global stage. They achieve this by making high-quality branding, product and marketing accessible to startups.What We Discuss With SydneyHow do high-quality branding and marketing allow African businesses to compete fairly on the global stage?What are the specific strategies that Sydney has used to scale Workspace Global across diverse African markets?What is the current state of the creative industry in Africa?The main obstacles that African creatives face in gaining recognition and securing high-profile clients.How does Workspace Global leverage technology to boost creativity and deliver high-quality services at scale?Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss Using New Media-Tech to Discover and Champion Young African Voices All Over the World? Make sure to check it out!Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps!Connect with Terser on LinkedIn at Terser Adamu, and Twitter (X) @TerserAdamuConnect with Sydney  on LinkedIn at Sydney (Scott) Sam, and Twitter (X) @sydneyscottsamDiscover how Verto’s solutions can help you accept payments, manage expenses, and scale with ease here

Episode 134 is with Claude Grunitzky, a Togolese-American journalist, editor, and entrepreneur, renowned for his work in media and investment. As the founder of TRACE TV, Claude has built a career on elevating diverse voices, particularly women and people of colour. He's also committed to nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs in his home country of Togo through specialized training programs.A MIT Sloan Fellow and the subject of a Harvard Business School case study, Claude’s influence extends across multiple domains. He's the host of Limitless Africa, the TRUE Africa podcast, which reaches audiences across more than 15 African countries, including Nigeria.TRUE Africa is a new media-tech platform that explores the latest trends in culture, music, sports, lifestyle, politics, fashion, and technology within Africa and its diaspora. Its mission is to discover and amplify the voices of young Africans globally.What We Discuss With ClaudeFrom venture capital to media and tech. What motivated Claude to launch media ventures like TRUE Africa?How TRUE Africa is reshaping the narrative around black culture and African identities.The process of curating content for TRUE Africa and the types of stories that they prioritise.What role do media and storytelling play in the broader movement for social justice and equity in Africa?The impact African stories can have on a global scale, and how are they working towards achieving global recognition for these stories?Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss Boosting Government Revenue Without Raising Taxes. How African Governments Can Finance New Projects Through Governance Technology? Make sure to check it out!Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps!Connect with Terser on LinkedIn at Terser Adamu, and Twitter (X) @TerserAdamuConnect with Claude  on LinkedIn at Claude Grunitzky, and Twitter (X) @claudegrunitzkyDiscover how Verto’s solutions can help you accept payments, manage expenses, and scale with ease here

Episode 133 is with Prakash Sabunani, Senior Vice President & Partner at N-Soft, a company that uses its advanced solutions to generate extra Government revenues without raising taxes. In ten years of working with emerging states, N-Soft has built substantial expertise in creating innovative technological solutions providing essential support to national budgets. Our solutions allow governments to see where income is leaking away, improve their credit standings and their ability to govern effectively. N-Soft's mission is to become a vital long-term partner for governments in emerging countries. They enable them to develop their economies by increasing their tax revenues through the flourishing activities of each country's ecosystem, telecoms, mobile money, customs, utilities, finance, and governance.Learn how N-Soft’s cutting-edge technologies help governments:Identify and seal revenue leakagesImprove global financial and credit standingsEnhance overall governance and financial controlWhat We Discuss With PrakashHow do N-Soft's solutions help governments increase their revenues without raising taxes?How do they gain the support of African governments in order to have access to highly confidential and sensitive information?What are the biggest challenges N-Soft faces when working with emerging markets?How do they overcome resistance or reluctance from governments to adopt new technologies.What metrics or indicators do they use to track the effectiveness of their implementations?Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss Boosting Revenue and Solving Payment Failures in Africa: Payment Orchestration Explained? Make sure to check it out!Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps!Connect with Terser on LinkedIn at Terser Adamu, and Twitter (X) @TerserAdamuConnect with Prakash  on LinkedIn at Prakash Sabunani, and Twitter (X) @NSoft17Discover how Verto’s solutions can help you accept payments, manage expenses, and scale with ease here

Episode 132 is with Nader Abdelrazik, Co-Founder and CEO of MoneyHash, a company that addresses all payment needs, helping businesses build, optimise, and scale their payment infrastructure at any stage of growth.MoneyHash recently raised $4.5 million to combat payment failures across the MEA region, despite a significant funding slowdown. They achieved this remarkable feat by tripling their revenue and increasing transaction volume by an astonishing 3,000% post-beta, making them a highly attractive investment.Unlike many companies in the Middle East and Africa that replicate successful Western models, MoneyHash competes head-to-head with international players, standing on equal footing with their Western counterparts.Nader is also passionate about the pressing issue of brain drain and the need for more category-defining companies in the region to retain top talent. What We Discuss With NaderIdentifying the need for a payment orchestration platform in the MEA region and the challenges initially faced.What differentiates MoneyHash's platform from other payment gateways in Africa?How does MoneyHash address payment failures, and what impact does this have on businesses in Africa?How businesses can expect to see a 10–20% increase in revenue through MoneyHash's solutions.What factors contributed to the tripling of revenue and the 3,000% increase in volume post-beta?Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss Resilience, Creativity and Building Tech for Real Sectors: The Story of a Serial Entrepreneur Building in Africa? Make sure to check it out!Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps!Connect with Terser on LinkedIn at Terser Adamu, and Twitter (X) @TerserAdamuConnect with Nader  on LinkedIn at Nader Abdelrazik, and Twitter (X) @naderfahim87Discover how Verto’s solutions can help you accept payments, manage expenses, and scale with ease here

Episode 131 is with Onyeka Akumah who is a serial entrepreneur. He is the Founder and CEO of Treepz, Africa’s leading corporate mobility solutions startup, with more than 5 million customer journeys completed across Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and Uganda.As a seasoned executive with a background in agriculture, real estate, mobility, and e-commerce, Onyeka has founded four startups and exited two. His work includes founding Farmcrowdy - the largest agriculture crowdfunding platform that came from Nigeria; SmallSmall Technologies - Nigeria's number one proptech platform; and exited QwikGist - a social news aggregator that grew to 300,000 users in 2013 within 6 weeks after launch.Beyond building Treepz, Onyeka currently mentors entrepreneurs through Techstars, teaches entrepreneurship at Rome Business School, and invests in early-stage startups with more than 15 portfolio companies under his belt. What We Discuss With OnyekaOnyeka's transition from a tech career to become Director of Marketing and Partnerships at Jumia Nigeria, Africa's first unicorn and largest e-commerce store.What are the key learnings from his experiences at Jumia and Konga that he has applied to the startups he's launched?What was the inspiration behind Farmcrowdy, and what were the challenges that he faced at Farmcrowdy?What lessons did he take away from his experience at Farmcrowdy that he has implemented in Treepz?Given his notable successes in Africa's tech space, what advice would he give to young entrepreneurs beginning their journey on the continent?Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss How a Ghanaian Entrepreneur Is Thriving in a Male Dominated Shoemaking Industry? Make sure to check it out!Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps!Connect with Terser on LinkedIn at Terser Adamu, and Twitter (X) @TerserAdamuConnect with Onyeka  on LinkedIn at Onyeka Akumah, and Twitter (X) @treepzglobalDiscover how Verto’s solutions can help you accept payments, manage expenses, and scale with ease here

Episode 130 with Edna Frimpong who is an award-winning entrepreneur who is making remarkable strides in the shoemaking business. Affectionately called the "shoemaker girl," Edna is breaking barriers and inspiring others to pursue their passions, regardless of societal norms.Edna's journey as an entrepreneur began while she was a student at Adonten Senior High School. She had always been interested in fashion and started making slippers as a hobby. However, as she began to receive positive feedback from her peers and family, Edna realised that she could turn her passion into a viable business.With this realisation, Edna co-founded Ahofade, a popular classic fashion brand in West Africa that specialises in creating unique and affordable made in Ghana designs from Ghanian fashion designers. What started as a small-scale operation has since grown into a successful enterprise, with Edna gaining global recognition as a talented and innovative shoemaker, fashion designer, and entrepreneur.  What We Discuss With EdnaEdna's inspiration to pursue a career in the shoemaking industry, especially being a woman in a male-dominated field.How has Edna used her background in public relations and communications to craft her unique story and build her brand?What motivated Edna to write her recently released book, "The Shoemaker's Girl?"How does Ahofade support local entrepreneurs in the fashion industry and help them grow their businesses?What is the importance of mentorship and coaching in empowering the next generation of African entrepreneurs?Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss Trust, Metrics, and Impact: A Blueprint for Success in Africa’s 2024 Startup Economy? Make sure to check it out!Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps!Connect with Terser on LinkedIn at Terser Adamu, and Twitter (X) @TerserAdamuConnect with Edna  on LinkedIn at Edna Frimpong, and Twitter (X) @EdnaFrimpong7Discover how Verto’s solutions can help you accept payments, manage expenses, and scale with ease here

Efayomi Carr from Flourish Ventures discusses the role of mission-driven entrepreneurship in Africa's financial system. They delve into providing patient capital to startups, navigating regulatory frameworks, and avoiding common pitfalls. The podcast highlights challenges faced by African startups, lessons learned, and the importance of resilience and collaboration in the entrepreneurial journey.