Rinchi
TechInAfrica – Sandras Phiri is a role model of a successful businessman who is also a leadership expert and international speaker. He is the CEO and Founder of Africa Trust Academy that is based in Cape Town, South Africa. He is also the director of Startup Grind South Africa, aiming at educating and inspiring entrepreneurs. The program is focusing more on connecting small business owners and sharing entrepreneurial skills.
Phiri was interviewed about his thoughts and insights, as a leadership expert as well as an entrepreneur, on entrepreneurship sphere in South Africa and Africa as a whole.
While being asked about connecting South African entrepreneurs, Phiri explained that Startup Grind, a program he runs, helps South African entrepreneurs to be connected. Through the program, entrepreneurs can find solutions for challenges they face by sharing their experiences with one another.
As Startup Grind focuses more on small businesses, Phiri found that they are potential to become bigger and can employ thousands of people. Based on statistical data, small businesses make up 98.5% economy of the country. In fact, they are more innovative than most of bigger businesses.
Phiri said that being an entrepreneur is difficult as you have to face uncertainty. Even more, it has a high risk of failure. In order to boost the success level, entrepreneurs should be equipped with sales and marketing skills and established fund. However, obtaining fund can be very difficult sometimes as you have to ensure investors that your startup has potential.
When he was asked about tips to become a successful entrepreneur, Phiri said that loving what you do and have faith in it as the key.
“You need to strive to serve more and more people. You need to balance determination with being teachable as there is a thin line between being visionary and being crazy. This is important so that you don’t burn through your personal and investors’ money without generating any returns. You need to always update your goals and adjust your business to move with the times,” he concluded.
