How To Start A Successful Business In Africa

For business, Africa offers vast potential markets, and significant natural and human resources. But the continent now accounts for only two percent of global economic activity and encounter serious financial difficulties. As a result, millions of people continue to face hunger and lack of opportunity to improve their lives in our beloved continent. In previous articles: Article 1 and Article 2, I talked about the importance of entrepreneuship for economic growth and have also shown how this was achieved by countries like China, India and Brazil. In this article, I will highlight some fundamental principles and best practices for business creation in Africa.

How to start your own businessAlthough the idea of entrepreneurship can be exciting, it can also be intimidating and this even for someone who already has a successful career behind him. But nevertheless, by following some basic principles, starting a business is simpler than you think. It is a simple process, but not easy at all. It’s simple because the steps you have to go through are known, but each step in itself is complex and difficult to implement and complete.

You have an idea or a project more or less precise about your future business and want to get started, here are the general steps for starting a business in:

• Choose a niche or a product: Business creation is a task that requires perseverance because you probably will encounter many difficulties along the way, it is important to choose a niche that fascinates you, so that your love will overcome the difficulties and tedium of hard times. It is not necessary to be an expert in the field or sector in which you want to create the company. But one must know enough to have the necessary perspective to manage and direct your business and your employees. 
• Do market research: Market research does not need to be complicated, but it is important to ensure that there is a need for the product or service you are intending to sell because it is useless to invest money and ressources in products that no one will buy. Depending on the chosen area and your product or service, you may be face competition. But if your offer is unique and fills a particular demand in the market, you have a good chance of success. For example, you may be able to offer a transport service in an academic area off the road or public transport to develop a new kind of healthy snack when there is demand but no supply. 
• Make a business plan: Writing a business plan is the designing of a roadmap, a kind of route. Because you are not likely to reach your destination if you do not know where you are going and what you'll need to get there. You need three or four pages of detail information that will give your company operational and financial direction to follow.  
• Choose an investor: When looking for investments, choose a company that has specialized knowledge of the challenges faced by entrepreneurs in the community and the industry in which you intend to work. This could be one of the most important decisions you’ll have to make for you and your business. 
• Have the right people: Not all start-ups recruits from the beginning, but if you do, it is important to wisely choose your employees. In a small business, people spend much of thier time together, if you need to have employees that you feel you will be able to work with. Also, choose the people who have experience in the area of your business. This will give you a valuable support system. But remember that as a leader, you have to be able to engage and motivate your work force continuously. 
• Promoting Your Business: Marketing is the most important aspect for the success and prosperity of a business, because you can have the best product of the world, but if nobody knows then nobody will buy it. Even the smallest business needs marketing to promote its goods and services. We can therefore for example, place ads in local newspapers, distributibute leaflets, display ads in malls, recreation centers and schools and develop special offers for special needs or opportunities.

          But the points above are only recommendations for starting a business, but in the reality of business in Africa, the process of finding good customers is a very tedious process. Being such a big continent, with more than 53 countries, marketing products and services in African markets is indeed a difficult task. However, for a successful marketing effort, it is imperative to identify and partner with business partners reliable and effective in key African countries. This marketing should also be very focused to be effective, taking into account the needs of the prospects and respond to a specific problem or a special fustration.

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