What inspired you to start your business?

I wanted a business that was authentically me – that spoke to my vision and my views about the continent. I spent so many years at different media companies where I learned a lot about how the media business works. I was fortunate to learn behind the scenes and experience the frontline too; and work across the continent and have work sent out to the diaspora. I realized that I kept reaching a cap, and instead of getting upset that the media owners didn’t understand my vision and ideas. I knew it was time to create my own space where I could create the culture, set the vision, and roll out the plans and ideas in my spirit. So, I started She Speaks Africa.

When did you start?

Officially, I would say 2020.

Why this specific industry?

Because my core belief is that the beautifully nuanced story of Africa’s potential is best seen through the lens of culture and creativity, and I want to harness my expertise to do so across diverse sectors. I know the power of media and how it really tells a brand story of a business of a continent, and I hope that years down the line She Speaks Africa will leave this legacy.

What obstacles did you face starting up, and how did you overcome them?

Firstly, it’s probably my own self-doubt. It’s been hard to believe that my ideas and business have something to offer. Thinking of doing this on my own outside of a major organization is daunting, so the biggest obstacle has been and is fighting self-doubt daily. Second to that is finding the right team that believes in your vision, believes in you and really you can trust when you aren’t in the room. Thirdly it’s the finance to carry out your ideas, everything I want to do is big and costs money. Serious money, and while people say start small the challenge is that I come in with a resume of work done and I know the expectations for anything I do are high, whether its self-imposed or not, but I feel I need to curate a certain standard and I am committed to getting better each time. Then of course procrastination, and constantly fighting progression vs perfection.

What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned since starting your business?

That you always have to keep getting up and keep going even when you feel bruised or when what you are doing seems unseen to keep going. Discipline too, because when you run your own business, you don’t really get holidays and days off, entrepreneurship is really so glamorized. You learn sacrifice and commitment. But mostly it's taught me that I never stop learning, running my own business has definitely kept me humble too.

Why work for yourself when there’s stability in working for others?

The question is did I really have a choice? I feel I was thrown into entrepreneurship because I couldn’t find my place and kept reaching capacity. But now that I am in it – as challenging as it is, somehow, I think I am following my correct path. But I won’t lie, I miss the stability!

What is the one characteristic that you possess that has helped make you so successful?

My ability to pray, that is what I would say… I pray all the time through everything. God is really all I have.

What’s your guiding business philosophy?

Follow your own purpose, don't get caught up in what everyone is doing, remember why you started and where you are going and keep on going. That’s it just keep going, through the tears, pain, the mundane, everything. In the good times keep going to stay stuck there and in hard times just keep going, don’t stay stuck there. Always be ready to turn another corner. Just keep going,

At what moment did this venture become real for you?

When major companies started to outsource my company and drew up contracts with me, to have people like Platoon as a client and Canal Plus, is no joke. That made it real. Oh, that and when I started to hire staff and because I was responsible for salary payments, this makes it so real.

What is the most challenging part about being an entrepreneur?

You are responsible for everything; the buck stops with you. Regardless of how you feel you can’t call in a sick day, more often you are working through those days. Gosh honestly let me say ‘being an entrepreneur ‘ is challenging. Period.

What makes it all worth it?

Seeing projects starting to roll out just how you imagined them. Sometimes when you make it through a tough month knowing you made it through.

What advice do you have for someone just starting out?

This will sound strange but if you want to be an entrepreneur so you can be your own boss and you saw some cute hashtag on social media, please don’t do it. Be very clear about what you want and more importantly why, the why will get you up every morning. Also try as far as possible especially in the beginning to have some other money coming in, you will have to work double – build your business while money is coming in too. I know there are so many stories of people who have slept in cars, but I take those as lessons learned you don’t have to do that too. If you have to downgrade your life then do so, but be ready for the financial blows because unless you have amazing seed capital it will come.

How do you define success?

Fulling purpose

What did you do differently from the rest of us?

I don’t know… I feel that I learn so much from so many people that I can probably learn something from just about everyone reading this…

What do you believe is the female founder effect?

Women just know how to get things done with very little. Give a woman rice and tomato and onions she can make you a meal. I equate this to business, giving a woman very little she can build an empire. I am a firm believer that specifically in Africa the informal sector has always been driven by women, whether they were cleaning in peoples houses or selling on the street, or in the markets African women are resilient. We can take our children to school from selling chicken eggs, we make a lot out of very little.

What do you believe is the most impactful and immediate action society needs to move closer to Generation Equality goals?

Just equal opportunity and allow women to be women, after that we will be just fine, watch us change your business, your city, your country, our continent, the world.

Which woman has positively impacted you in your career/business? And what is the one lesson she taught you?

Oddly enough a woman I never met, my paternal great grandmother. She used to sell chicken eggs to get my jajja taata (grandfather) and his siblings through school. He became an artisan and was doing well then was asked to fight in world war and he refused because he as a Ugandan didn’t understand why he was fighting a war for another country. He got blacklisted and started again as a fisherman, got married, had 9 children 7 of them studied abroad, there are doctors, pharmacists and I count in that lineage. He also became the first African to own a shop on Kampala road in Uganda because the rest were Asians. He built a mall, a small one but he built it on his family land and so on. But this all started because he had a mother that sold chicken eggs to get him through school. She is the matriarch of the Kasumba Family and the ability to make a lot from a little, I am inspired by that.

What is your superpower?

I believe God and say yes even when it sounds impossible.

What centers you?

The fact that I feel I am doing what I do with purpose, and I feel that if anyone saw how the cupcakes were being made in my business metaphorically, they might say “oops what a mess” haha. And it is but God is gracious, so God.

What is your next adventure?

Right now, its launching various projects with my company She Speaks Africa,

Best advice for female founders:

If you know you are called to do it – just go ahead you have everything within you to win..