About the Book
Cheat Sheet for Running a Startup in Africa is one entrepreneur's journey in establishing and running a technology startup in Africa. The journey travelled from conception to the realization of a tangible business can be arduous in an African environment where the culture of innovation and technology entrepreneurship has yet to fully take root.
In this journey, an entrepreneur faces many odds, including a lack of support from family and friends, gaps in government policy and policy implementation, and the fear of loss of intellectual property. There are also gaps between pronouncements by government officials and actual support for innovators. Even where to pilot technology can be a challenge and when one is fully ready for the market, investment money is usually not assured. As the author demonstrates, the extent to which 'risk capital' exists in Africa is minuscule compared to other parts of the world. And while a number of donors and investors support such startup businesses, the demand far outstrips the investment money available. Moreover, not much of such investment money comes from within the continent, a major indictment for leaders in Africa!
The entrepreneur has to face it all, including poor technology uptake in organizations, and the pressures that come with a lack of or unpredictable income in the face of the ever-increasing cost of living! It is not a wonder that some quit the journey and opt for tried and tested avenues of earning an income: jobs! With such an eventuality, it is the people who lose! In such cases, gone is the potential that innovation holds for creating wealth and opportunities for economic growth, and more!
Cheat Sheet for Running a Startup in Africa, though told from a personal experience, offers insights for one to brave the arduous journey towards realizing one's dream! According to the author, all this should be undergirded by the passion to serve humanity! The book offers practical advice for entrepreneurs, policymakers and investors!
About the Author :
Aaron Ogunde is a co-founder of Damu Sasa, an award-winning Kenyan youth-led start-up keen on saving lives by democratizing and availing real-time health information to those who need it. He is an innovator and entrepreneur who is passionate about providing access to equitable healthcare for all. Aaron's life principles are based on his core belief that each of us has a solemn duty to make things better than how we found them. In his free time, he enjoys reading, watching football, and going on long strolls. He also actively speaks at start-up forums, to share his experience in transforming healthcare systems and social entrepreneurship for African founders. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Information Technology and as a self-taught entrepreneur, he has successfully managed to help scale Damu Sasa's adoption in more than 180 hospitals and counting in Kenya. Aaron is committed to helping save thousands of lives!Twitter: @aaron_haruni / @cheatsheetafric (#CheatSheetForAfrica)LinkedIn: Ochieng Ogunde
Review :
As you read this book, you will experience the "ups and downs" of Aaron's entrepreneurial journey which mirrors well the rugged, and often adventurous, nature of doing business in Africa. Aaron freely shares his experiences such that others can benefit, and does so with a level of maturity and insight that, some may say, is beyond his years. Rob Beyer, Executive Chairman & Co-founder, Villgro Africa.
This is an amazing read for young innovators. The journey of entrepreneurship is like a labyrinth; it calls for determination and focus to achieve the desired goal. Indeed it reinforces the adage that 'footprints on the sand of time are never made while sitting down'. Aaron, you have used technology to transform and save lives through the Damu Sasa platform, making blood available to the thousands in need. Dr. Ademola Olajide, UNFPA
Stories about innovation in Africa are largely documented with very little perspective of the innovator's experience. In the Cheat Sheet for Running a Start-up in Africa, Aaron Ogunde provides a purposeful and systemic guide as experienced through the journey of setting up an innovation enterprise. It provides and explains what start-ups need to know and do to succeed from an African entrepreneurial perspective. Kennedy Ogollah, Ph.D., Snr Lecturer & Editor-in-Chief (DBA Africa Management Review Journal), Faculty of Business & Management Sciences, University of Nairobi
Villgro Africa is proud to have supported Aaron in his entrepreneurial journey. In this book, he documents the challenges faced by entrepreneurs and has advice on how start-up incubators like Villgro can help in confronting those challenges. Entrepreneurship can be a long, lonesome journey with many hurdles and pitfalls. Learning from others experiences is a smart way to help upcoming entrepreneurs to navigate the steep learning curve and avoid making similar mistakes in their endeavours. I encourage anyone thinking of starting or running a start-up business to read this book. Wilfred Njagi, CEO, Villgro Africa
Innovators have a passion for solving problems afflicting society and, in the process, they go through and learn a lot. Aaron's Cheat Sheet for Running a Startup in Africa is an account of a resilient innovative endeavour whose trajectory has been punctuated by hits and misses, and highs and lows. During the journey, there has been an accumulation of lessons worth sharing with curious individuals, nascent entrepreneurs, innovators, start-up entrepreneurs, micro and small enterprises founders as well as academics and policymakers. The book is a must-read for all who have been accorded an opportunity to live. Prof. Vincent Machuki, Assoc. Professor, Faculty of Business and Management Sciences, University of Nairobi
Aaron Ogunde is a brilliant entrepreneur and an inspiring leader whose experiences and insights we can all learn from. His journey, and the challenges he has faced along the way, are a must-read for social entrepreneurs and business leaders. It highlights relevant lessons for managers of early-stage organizations operating in difficult and often bureaucratic environments, while also providing guidance and motivation for those looking to make a difference in society. I am forever learning from Aaron and highly recommend this book! Sahar Jamal, MBA, BCom, BA; Founder & CEO, Maziwa Breastfeeding.
