Recently, I had the pleasure of exchanging dialogue with a world renowned author who has written two popular books about entrepreneurship in Africa. His name is David S. Fick. Because this interview is so detailed and filled to the brim with facts and information, the interview is broken into two parts. The first part we are premiering here on beninmwangi.com. The second half, which provides instruction from Mr. Fick on how you can participate in the launch of his upcoming book will be premiered on the African Path.
How did the concept for this book come about?
I found myself becoming interested in the opportunities for entrepreneurs in Africa during our 2000 visit to East Africa. Upon returning to the United States, I began searching for successful entrepreneurs who were creating jobs and improving the quality of life in Africa. In my search for successful entrepreneurs in Africa, I became aware of the opportunities and roadblocks that the cultural, economic, social, political, and physical environments provide in Africa. This newfound awareness led me to also search for actual or proposed projects and policy changes that are or could be of great benefit for the people of Africa and the entrepreneurial environment.
Why did you feel the need to focus on the successes in Africa, rather than the failures?
I wanted to be able to share the stories of successful entrepreneurs in Africa so that other potential entrepreneurs could learn from them.
I have read that this is one of the best selling books on Amazon.com, concerning microeconomics and entrepreneurship in Africa, what do you think is the reason? How do you think that this book compares to its competitors?
I have searched for books to read concerning microeconomics and entrepreneurship in Africa, there are very few.
I would recommend:
Viva South African Entrepreneurs (1995) by Peter Bagshawe Also see, Gordon B.K. Wavamunno: The story of an African Entrepreneur (2000) by Gordon B.K. Wavamunno .
I would appreciate your recommendations for my reading list.
As of this writing where is this book in terms of sales?
Did well in the United States.
What type of people would you say typically buy this book?
Professors of economics interested in the future of Africa, entrepreneurs doing business in Africa, non-governmental agencies involved with the economic development of Africa, and journalists and people in general, who are interested in Africa’s development.
In writing this book were you able to make any conclusions as to what type of policy changes would help to further bolster entrepreneurship in Africa?
Please see Chapter One of my second book Africa, Continent of Economic Opportunity which is published in South Africa (www.ste.co.za and is available thru Amazon.com in Africa, Europe, and North America Africa Continent of Economic Opportunity Who does entrepreneurship benefit in Africa benefit?
It is the SMME’s (small, medium, and micro enterprises that create the majority of jobs in Africa, Europe, and North America.
Is there anything, in particular, that you want readers of this book to think after completing the book? Is there anything that you hope that we do after reading it?
Please read my second book, Africa Continent of Economic Opportunity Africa: Continent of Economic Opportunity (November 2006)
The title of this book suggests an abundance of opportunity in Africa. What type of people will get to take advantage of this opportunity?
In Africa, entrepreneurial opportunities are getting better for Africans, Arabs, Europeans, Asians, and Americans, but these opportunities are still not nearly what they could be. Hopefully, in the future, continued and even greater improvements will be made in Africa’s entrepreneurial and social environment.
What is the difference between this and your first book?
Covers all 53 countries of Africa, plus more pages.
How did you select the entrepreneurs, professors, NGO spokespersons, and journalists that you interviewed in this book?
I searched through Web sites, books, newspapers, and periodicals for entrepreneurs who have been successful in Africa, for the projects and policies that improve their road to opportunity, and for expert commentary on the best ways to accomplish the economic and social development of Africa.
What role do Africa’s small and medium sized companies play in both the economies and the overall wellbeing of Africa? How is this different from the roles of Africa’s larger companies?
It is the SMME’s (small, medium, and micro enterprises that create the majority of jobs in Africa.
In paraphrasing something that I recall reading in this book, you said that encouraging dialogue and new ideas about Africa would help not just Africa, but also the rest of the world too. Can you elaborate please?
The world can learn from African entrepreneurs, just as African Entrepreneurs can learn from entrepreneurs in Asia, Europe and North and South America.
One of the things that you seem to emphasize in your writing is the importance of education and training for Africa’s entrepreneurs. What types of training and education are you referring to and why do you feel that it is so important?
Good education and good health should be available to all children so that they will grow up and contribute in a responsible way to improve the quality of life in Africa. We then need successful entrepreneurs to create jobs for them.
After interviewing the African entrepreneurs that you cited in this book, were there any hurdles that were more predominant than others?
I would say that basic infrastructure like roads and electricity are important so that business can produce in a dependable way for the markets of the world.
What type of advice would you offer to American entrepreneurs or any entrepreneurs from outside of Africa who were considering doing business there?
Move to Africa for a period of time, work there and get to know the culture and the people. Then become partners with an African entrepreneur.
Based upon the feedback that you received from the professors and journalists, mentioned in this book, would you say that there are some countries in Africa that offer better opportunities for foreign investors and business people than other countries? If so, which countries?
Those that have better infrastructure have an advantage, however, the opportunities might be greater in a less developed country with progressive leadership and freedoms.
How did you choose the book’s cover?
My friend Nuwa Nnyanzi, a successful and talented artist from Uganda, painted the batik “African Connection” that was used for the front cover art. Nuwa presented “African Connection” to my wife and me as a present during a June 2005 visit to our home in Kansas.
To learn more about this author, visit Benin Mwangi's Website.
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Benin Mwangi
(Visit Benin's Website)
A credit analyst by profession, Benin
Mwangi is one of the world's foremost
experts on the topic of entrepreneurship
in Africa. He is the founder of Benin
Mwangi Enterprises, a consulting firm that
specializes in promoting trade in Africa
as a means to achieve self-empowerment and
community development. His blog, BeninMwangi
.com, serves as one of the most
popular online destinations for those
looking to learn about and discuss
business and entrepreneurship in Africa.
He is also a regular contributor to Global
Voices Online and Kenya Empowerment News.
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