Page 32 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 10

ECONOMY

our vision is to build an online community. And working together of the day. Having worked with IT
community but we decided first to like this in collaboration we can for some time, I know that many
engage the businesses at a face- actually build a stronger Afrika by things are not hard to learn. We
to-face level, explain to them why building up our cottage industries. need to have a teachable spirit and
it’s needed so by the time we go to a curious mind to learn the new
our business-to-business platforms This is why I’m so excited, the things that come on board. So if
we are talking the same language. more we talk the more I’m think- there are solutions that are avail-
We’ve started bringing clients on ing this is just fantastic. Your able for things you’re looking for
board. Yesterday I was with a client seven years of incubation have or you don’t know what to do you
who does cakes and she was happy. really paid off. can always to consult with people
Within an hour the shop was ready, For me I think the exciting part is to find out something because there
I left her loading things so today we that I now have a solution which are better ways of doing things. We
will connect that shop to her web- can be rolled out very fast and it’s need to try and work smart because
site. She is testing the free plan and very easy to support even remote- at times we don’t even have resourc-
using it currently as a catalog since ly without having to travel to that es for working hard. We don ‘t have
she doesn’t have too many products country to support that client. I’ve the resources we don ‘t have the
and after that she can upgrade if she been doing websites on and off teams but we still have to grow at
wants to. but the biggest challenge is if you the end of the day so let’s try and
You know the other thing that I have three clients on the table you step out into the new horizons of
am seeing for those of you who actually can’t handle that work. That embracing IT because that’s the only
are watching I don’t know if you’re means you have to hire more staff, way we can even sell globally. I see
seeing this, the opportunities open people who will do all those things. people on Alibaba buying things
up for people who do photography, With this, it is almost like the car from China things we can make in
people who do design work to be is 90% done, you come on board Afrika and I get annoyed why can’t
able to support businesses to join and just customize it with your we sell to them our crafts our nice
the OpenEA platform. colors, your brand, your logo and things? Something has to change we
you launch the next day – without have potential for selling to other
So wherever you are in this fine con- excuses. I’m really excited about that people outside also we should not
tinent of ours you have an oppor- part. Even on my side it’s not too be importing only we need to find
tunity to support local businesses much work and that means I can be platforms and systems that can help
in your area who might not be able able to interact with clients and help us showcase what we have and
to access OpenEA but you have them build their stores. actually help people buy.
the information so you become a
go-between between the platform What would you say by way of Visit: www.openmarkets-eastafrica.
and businesses in your area that you encouragement going forward so com to find out more.
know can grow. that people can have hope again
in 2021? YouTube tutorials: https://www.
So what OpenEA does is give you I’d like to encourage people to youtube.com/channel/UCxlFDwqf-
an opportunity also to grow your actually not give up hope because Mu3r2zzn91CVzWA
own business and to grow your there is a way out of this at the end

32 | Heal . Restore . Rebirth . Afrika