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EntrEprEnEurship In conversatIon Start-ups reach out available to independent travellers. “that Aiming for big impact to an underserved is what a start-up does – reach out to an audience that is being underserved.” market segment But there are still many challenges standing in the way of entrepreneurs in in a small market africa. each government is different; each has fees and, just as likely, regulators and Chika umeadi, nigerian community others who expect to be paid under-the- Prominent Namibian marketer, Margareth Gustavo, speaks to manager for e-commerce marketplace table tips or bribes. then there is the Strategic Marketing Africa about the state of marketing in Namibia Cont3nt.com, has a similar view. problem of the power grid that shuts and the challenges of working in a tiny and far-fung market More and more people in africa have down at an alarming rate in some areas, mobile technology and are itching to a disaster for a technology start-up at a communicate with it, noted umeadi, crucial moment in its development. You’re now Managing Director of What made you start your own brand whose site allows people to upload photos the key, the panellists agreed, is to get Cornerstone Joe Public in Namibia management consultancy? and video they believe are newsworthy. to know each market. there is no short cut and hold a Master’s degree in Once I had my Master’s I felt I needed Cont3nt.com then markets the footage to for that, especially for a niche business. business leadership (MBL) from the more experience. Until then I was commercial outlets, including global media nwaneri noted that a businessperson University of South Africa (UNISA). predominantly handling marketing for companies like Cnn. cannot just go into a nigerian village and What made you get into marketing? NGOs. I joined a company called Namib “people believe their video is valuable, show a man how to use an ipad to buy I’ve always been interested in Mills in the FMCG industry (the equivalent but they cannot figure out where it can go shirts, simply because he or she has a marketing, but until I studied my of South Africa’s Tiger Brands) as its – where they can have that accessibility,” feeling that there is a market there. “first Master’s degree my experience was Marketing Manager for Namibia and a said umeadi, whose company takes of all, will the man run away when he limited to advertising. It was at UNISA new world opened up to me. This drove a 5% cut of the profit from arranging sees an ipad?” nwaneri asked. “does he that my lecturer, who really believed in me to wanting more: more ideas, more deals between photographers and media really need another shirt? Who is going to marketing, drilled into us that marketing strategy and more customer service. companies. “once it is created, how can deliver that shirt? there is no substitute for is all about strategy and how it covers I was also deeply motivated to take they get it to Cnn or the like? ultimately, knowing the culture.” the full spectrum of any business. It was marketing in Namibia to a new level. In Above: Margareth Gustavo. Below: Farai Gundan of FaraiMedia … as Africa Big distances and a small population opens up to the world, you need to have africans, like people everywhere, want to according to Bomani, it may be better then that my interest in marketing and my view, Namibia was heavily focused create marketing challenges African voices directing your start-up interact with their technology – and they to have local people run the businesses, brand management developed. on advertising and what was lacking was would like to make money doing it.” which is how she structured Made from Gundan added that african consumers Cloth. she discovered a great interest also want to spend the money they make in fashion across africa, so she decided but not encouraging creativity and on travel, which she hopes her start- that her tech business would act as more entrepreneurship. Colleges seem to be up will give them a chance to do. even of a middleman, helping designers and preparing students to take jobs working for with mobile technology, she said, only manufacturers to market their wares big corporations rather than encouraging top-tier hotels and spas in africa have a around the continent and the world them to find ways to be innovative. significant Web presence. “expedia (an through the internet. nekpen osuan, who grew up in the internet-based travel website company “We are not doing the glitz and glam, us but has african roots, has helped with localised sites for 29 countries) has but getting down to where every designer launch Beni american university something like 4 000 hotels, but there are has a connection to the business world,” headquartered in abuja, nigeria, which 10 000 in south africa alone,” Gundan she noted. “What is wonderful about a offers online courses in information pointed out. “We just found that a lot start-up is that you see the infrastructure technology and business management, of travellers could not find the two- and getting built up. anything can be a and is now starting a new course in social three-star hotels that depend on word of revenue-generating business. if we get entrepreneurship. “the governments do mouth. Lonely Planet (the travel guide) fashion businesses started, then there not have enough money to build up the would have a few reviews, but nothing will be lots of jobs and lots of revenue. it infrastructure, so private business has comprehensive.” will take time, even with african mobile to step in and invest,” osuan said. “as her site targets consumers in the us technology booming, but all the effort will more and more africans have mobile and europe who have “some money, but be worth it.” technology, we see an opportunity. roads are still looking for deals”, she said, noting are bad, so they can’t physically get to that the company has to visit hotels one First published 2013. Reproduced with PHOTOS: THINKSTOCK, SUPPLIED classes. for us, there is no need to build by one to convince owners to trust the permission from Knowledge@Wharton campus housing. no one has to move to a internet for marketing and payments. the (http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu). city if they do not want to. all they have to company is licensing the information to © 2013 The Trustees of the University of do is get our courses online.” travel agents, but also wants to make it Pennsylvania. All rights reserved. 30 strategicmarketingafrica Second quarter 2014 Second quarter 2014 strategicmarketingafrica 31