In this episode we talk to Ruvimbo Chikwava, Co-Founder & CEO of African Solutions Private Limited (AfriSol). Afrisol is a pan-African enterprise that enables the enhancement of nutrition levels plus wealth and employment creation amongst small-holder farmers with a bias towards women and the youth in Rwanda.

We discuss Ruvimbo’s journey from working in a Big 4 audit firm to his previous role as a treasury and business development executive, and his latest role at AfriSol where he is helping small-holder farmers increase productivity, efficiency, and the quality of their produce. Ruvimbo speaks on the deepening sense of "conscious incompetence" in entrepreneurship as well as the unexpected joys and growth of learning from students in the Entrepreneurship and Innovation class at the African Leadership University School of Business. 

We also explore why African entrepreneurs might be struggling with collaboration and how we need to commit to have all hands on deck with as many stakeholders as possible if we are to truly Scale Up Africa.

Connect with Ruvimbo on the following platforms: LinkedIn | AfriSol

Connect with Scale Up Africa: @scaleupafricaco | Instagram | Website

In this episode, we talk to Guidione Machava, an entrepreneur, designer and author from Mozambique. Guidione prides himself in being a community builder, is the host of the World Class Designer Podcast, and recently organised the World Class Designer Conference which drew speakers and attendees from a diverse pool of the world’s leading companies to exchange ideas, insights, and lessons with designers across the continent.

In our chat, we discuss Guidione’s journey from studying economics to the design space. We discuss the great potential that Africa has for greater problem discovery that can lead to design of solutions that leverage the great talent on the opportunity whilst addressing the problems unique to the continent. 

Guidione also shares on how collaboration could help scale design in Africa and how at an individual level, the willingness to move to rooms where we may not be the brightest could show us even more possibilities.

Connect with Guidione on the following platforms: LinkedIn | World Class Designer School

Connect with Scale Up Africa: @scaleupafricaco | Instagram | Website

Ojok Okello is a development manager, community organiser, and social entrepreneur who has been using his global experience and education to support a community development project in Okere, his father’s home village in Northern Uganda.

The social entreprise, also known as Okere City, has organically grown to include several initiatives towards education, adult literacy, community sports, health, and the processing of shea butter to create a hub of social and economic activity that allows inhabitants to contribute to and shape the development of their community.

In our chat, we discuss how it all started, the perpectives and beliefs that have powered Ojok’s resilience, and how he believes we could all contribute to the development of our communities.

Connect with Ojok on the following platforms: @OjokOkello_ | Okere City

Connect with Scale Up Africa: @scaleupafricaco | Instagram | Website

Nyeji Chilembo is the Managing Partner of wCap. wCap is a business accelerator hub and private equity firm focused on women owned or led businesses. Nyeji and her partners started wCap to close the funding gap for African female entrepreneurs who were overlooked by financial systems but are building growth businesses for the future.

We discuss how wCap supports female entrepreneurs to setup systems that position them to receive funding and Scale Up. As well, we unpack the abundant opportunities for business on the continent and the importance of setting personal goals and timelines to focus and carry you through difficult seasons, doubt, and discouragement.

Connect with Nyeji on the following platforms: @NyejiC | LinkedIn | wCap

Connect with Scale Up Africa: @scaleupafricaco | Instagram | Website

Claudine Moore is an award-winning US, UK, & African PR & Communications Leader and the founder of C. Moore Media International Public Relations. Aside from that, she also serves as an Adjunct Professor at New York University teaching Global Public Relations, Corporate Social Responsibility and Marketing, and Strategic Communications Writing at the School of Professional Studies!

In our chat we discuss a wide range of topics ranging from the 3 Ts of Communication amidst crisis and uncertainty, the Future is Female Mentorship Program—a PR & Communication Mentorship exclusively for African Female Founders and Entrepreneurs, and why it’s important for Africa to regain its rightful position in the world.

Connect with Claudine on the following platforms: @Claudinemoore | LinkedIn | C. Moore Media

Connect with Scale Up Africa: @scaleupafricaco | Instagram | Website

Simunza Muyangana is a Co-founder and the Director of entrepreneurship at BongoHive. BongoHive is Zambia’s first Innovation and Technology hub which works with great minds to build viable solutions that change the world. 

In this episode, Simunza shares his journey into the tech space, what has kept him going and you have to find out the superpower he wants to share with African entrepreneurs! He explains why it’s critical to be able to have earnest conversations with your business partners and shares tips on how businesses can stay attuned to their customers to get insights on how to continue serving and solving even amidst uncertainty and crisis.

Connect with Simunza on the following platforms: @simunza | LinkedIn | BongoHive

Connect with Scale Up Africa: @scaleupafricaco | Instagram | Website

Janice Sambaza is the Managing Director of Ivhu Advisors, a transaction advisory and enterprise development support firm based in South Africa. Janice is also a Partner and Chief Investment Officer at wCap which provides fund management and advisory services to women-led businesses in Zambia. 

In our conversatiion, we discuss the leadership lessons Janice picked up in her corporate career journey that fueled her passion and propelled her to setup Ivhu Advisors and wCap. We also touch on the use of the principles of Ubuntu in business, bridging the gender parity gap, and Janice's drive to change the African narrative through equipping and transforming businesses on the continent.

Connect with Janice on the following platforms: LinkedIn | Ivhu Advisors | wCap 

Connect with Scale Up Africa: @scaleupafricaco | Instagram | Website

Saray Khumalo is an award-winning Mountaineer who provides world-class Transformational Coaching to entrepreneurs, executives, business professionals, and sales teams all over the world.

In our chat, we discuss the leadership lessons from her extensive corporate career that applied in the mountains and the ones she took from the mountains to business strategy and transformation coaching. She shares on the importance of planning for success just as much as we would for any other risks or failure and why we need to ensure equality in education on the continent.

Listen to this episode on: Apple Podcasts | Buzzsprout | Google Podcasts | Spotify

Connect with Saray on the following platforms: @saraykhumalo | Instagram | Website 

Connect with Scale Up Africa: @scaleupafricaco | Instagram | Website