Since history’s first advertisement (we’ll leave the product to your imagination), marketers have spent almost their entire budget chasing new prospects. However, like the proverbial dog who chases cars, the chasers-of-prospects don’t necessarily know what to do with them once caught. Well, you definitely know what to do, which is to convert them into customers. How to do that is outlined below. Here are 8 tips to help you close more sales. Continue reading →

Imagine you wake up in a foreign town in some exotic country with no idea where you are or how you got there (If you’ve been watching movies, this shouldn’t be too hard to imagine). Your stomach is rumbling and you feel hungry... but it's dirty and you seem to be stranded in the poorest region of the city. You walk outside the dingy hotel room you woke up in, and look around. Across the street are two run down-looking restaurants, except that one is full of people, and the other one doesn't have a soul inside. Which one do you go try to get a meal at? Continue reading →

Social media is an effective marketing tool that can really help your brand get noticed. Facebook, Twitter, Vimeo, LinkedIn, Instagram and Snapchat (the list goes on and on) keep increasing in popularity. One would think that their membership numbers would have plateaued by now yet their numbers keep rising with each new milestone announcement. Social media is the new water cooler. It is where people go to voice their opinions, post reviews (and spoilers) about the new Game of Thrones episode, pass along viral info or read up on news. Continue reading →

  Getting funded by a VC isn’t the only definition of success in business. Neither is doing a series A, B or Z. We know it’s hard to believe especially based on the prevailing narrative by the media on VC backed companies in tech hubs around the world, but it’s true. Success as a startup comes in various formats but it usually means becoming profitable, scoring more and more customers and a rising revenue base. It’s quite refreshing, and encouraging, to know that there are quite a number of companies that refused to take external investor money, preferring to bootstrap their companies to success. Continue reading →

“More money is a bad idea.” Unless you’re a monk, chances are slim you’ll say that sentence out loud. No matter where your business stands, you’ll want to take it further by growing your customer base, strengthening your brand and increasing your revenue. Besides, the best way to ensure your business survives is to keep growing, keep expanding and keep pushing yourself out of your comfort zone (after securing the comfort zone of course). Here are ten ways to ensure business grows fast. Continue reading →

So you’re a Startup CEO. Our condolences. It’s not easy being tasked with having to build a company from the ground up. Not only that, but you’re doing it in perhaps the harshest startup environment in the world - Africa. Your life must be pretty fun. No? Yeah, we know. Your job description means you have to be pretty hands-on with your business and the workload is massive. To deal with this, the best entrepreneurs figure out tricks that help them manage their time and maximize their efficiency. We’ve compiled some of these hacks and put them into a handy list. Continue reading →

Startups aren’t built by fairies. They are built by people. Smart, focused and passionate people. It’s foolhardy to focus entirely on your idea or product and neglect your team or treat it as an afterthought. In fact, the more important your idea is, the better the kind of team you have to build. Because there’s no such thing as a slam dunk idea. Continue reading →

So you have a startup idea and need capital. Starting and running a new business is not easy. It may also requires a lot of money to grow and scale the business. What options are available to a startup founder? Take a look below Continue reading →

You have a great idea. So what? No matter how awesome your idea is, if you can’t convince people to buy into it, your business is as good as dead in the water. And one of the major people you’ll be selling the idea to is an investor. Say hello to the art of the pitch deck. A pitch deck is a brief presentation (usually based on slides) that provides your audience an overview of your business. When you remember that the audience are most likely investors, and you’re trying to raise either $5,000 or $50 million, it’s possible you get cold feet and scattered brain. Continue reading →