Meet the founder of Brand Africa, Dr Thebe Ikalafeng.

Once decked out in immaculate corporate suits, he is now a walking celebration of African creativity and haute couture, a mentor to many a young talented creative bubbling up through the entrepreneurial ranks and a passionate promoter and protector of all things branded African.

Much is written and broadcast about this award-winning marketer. But now he has written a book in which he is the teller of his marketing tales and his turn away from corporate and big brand marketing towards marketing an entire continent. This episode delves into some of the key moments that marked this journey.

We cover his pursuit of excellence from an early age, his 'almost career' as an accountant, studies in the United States before South Africa became a democracy and why when destiny calls, your only job is to listen and follow.

We explore his time as Nike's Chief Marketing Officer for Africa, and why he turned his back on some big money in the corporate world to focus solely on promoting African brands.

We then dig deeper into what a brand-led African Renaissance means, how you can market a continent through brands, and why it is so important for African leaders to 'put Africa first'.

We also cover the founding of his organisation Brand Africa, and the insights of its flagship programme, the Brand Africa 100 survey (and how he created it from scratch) and why the survey consistently has shown 'how Africans say one thing, and do another' instead of buying African products.

He emphasizes the importance of visiting African countries for oneself, and why he decided to visit every single country on the continent following a conversation with Samsung Africa CEO KK Parks.

Thebe does not suffer fools lightly and looks to a future filled with action, rather than backward, in regret. Asked about where he gets the energy from to do what he does, he laughed and said, 'You sleep when you're dead.' He is a whirlwind of action, who epitomises his own mantra.

Through his travels, his organisations, his insights and regular talks, Thebe has shown us all another side of what happens up and down the continent, and is one of the most passionate and knowledgeable advocates for African brands you will ever meet.

Settle in for a fantastic listen to the life of the African Traveller, Dr Thebe Ikalafeng.

For more info on Thebe, a transcript and show notes, visit Thebe's guest page on the africanoptimist website (africanoptimist.co.za)

Time Stamps:

00:00 Introduction to the African Optimist Podcast

00:25 Meet the Guest: Intro to a Marketing Icon

01:33 Affirmations of African Identity

02:25 The Journey of Self-Discovery

02:55 The Book: A Different Perspective on Africa

03:31 Marketing Mastery with Nike

05:16 Iconic Campaigns and Creative Risks

07:41 A Passion for Marketing

09:32 Life and Studies Abroad

11:04 Returning to a New South Africa

12:36 Following One's Destiny

16:39 Corporate Offers and Entrepreneurial Decisions

20:23 Building African Brands

26:06 Branding Africa: The World Cup and Beyond

27:06 Redefining Africa's Agenda Through Branding

28:20 The Power of Brands in Shaping National Identity

29:54 Challenges and Opportunities in Branding Africa

32:11 Establishing the Brand Africa 100 Metric

34:51 The Gap Between Trust in African Products and Buying African Products

37:58 The Importance of Intra-Africa Trade

40:00 Learning from Global Branding Success Stories

43:21 The Role of Intellectual Property in African Branding

45:11 Personal Contributions to African Branding

48:28 The Need for Political Will and Local Agenda-Setting

56:03 Thebe's Journey Across Africa and Its Impact on him

59:53 Countering Negative Narratives with Optimism

01:01:51 Conclusion

#11 Sarah Dusek - on becoming an entrepreneur who thinks BIG, and a venture capitalist who helps African women think BIGGER - an insider's guide to scaling and pitching your business.

Take a wild entrepreneurial ride with Sarah Dusek, entrepreneur, venture capitalist and author of Thinking Bigger, a powerful guide to growing a business, scaling a business and pitching a business for more money than most women dare to imagine.

In this episode, Sarah shares tactical advice on the shift in mindset that is required to grow big businesses as a female entrepreneur, and candidly speaks about how she had to come unstuck from outdated notions on motherhood and a woman's traditional 'helper' role in order to build her business - which she sold for a whopping $100 million ten years after she launched it.

In her book, Sarah highlights the fact that currently less than 2 percent of women-owned businesses do more than $1 million in revenue annually and only 2 percent of all venture capital dollars yearly goes towards funding female entrepreneurs. The book, and this interview, are part of Sarah's mission to demystify the world of fundraising and the basic building blocks needed to systematically and tenaciously pivot and push until a minimum viable product is created that can ultimately scale.

If you read one entrepreneur book this year, let it be Thinking Bigger, and if you only listen to one entrepreneur's intrepid and inspiring journey, let it be this episode. Sarah masterfully weaves her thoughts on why female entrepreneurs play too small, with practical advice on how to draft a winning pitch deck for something big, all the while sharing her personal success story of growing a business from four tents on a family farm to an international luxury lifestyle brand known for pioneering glamping.

For more information on Sarah Dusek, visit her page on the AfricanOptimist website, where you can find her bio, show notes and episode transcript.

Never want to miss an episode? Visit our website and subscribe to the AfricanOptimist newsletter.

Time Stamps

00:00 Introduction to the AfricanOptimist Podcast

01:18 Sarah Dusek's Journey: From Zimbabwe to Montana

06:00 The Birth of Under Canvas

09:57 Challenges and Pivots in Entrepreneurship

20:16 Overcoming Doubts and Embracing Risks

29:24 The Tent Rental Business

33:10 Creating a Tented Hotel Experience

36:57 Overcoming Initial Challenges

37:48 Living Conditions and Staff Dynamics

38:37 Realizing the Business Potential that Can Scale

41:14 Understanding Venture Capital

42:47 Shifting Mindsets and Building Value

49:56 The Importance of a Pitch Deck

54:44 Facing the VC World

01:02:02 Embracing Thoughtful Capitalism

01:05:41 Empowering Female Entrepreneurs

01:11:58 Conclusion

AfricanOptimist Episode #10 Gus Le Breton - On influencing EU law, the challenges of processing wild-harvested fruit, the future power of baobab harvesters and the need for 'courage, my son'

It is hard not to think of the Greek myth of Sisyphus when you listen to Gus le Breton tell the unfolding story of the production and sale of the African indigenous baobab fruit. Much like the Greek king Sisyphus who was condemned by the Greek god Zeus to keep rolling a stone up a hill only to see it roll back down again when he reaches the top, Gus seems to face a new challenge just as he deals with an old one in this telling of his baobab tale.

At face value, this episode seems like an entrepreneur's story of how to create and export an indigenous food. But it is so much more than that.

It is the open account of the struggles and successes of an almost 30-year journey to make the unique African baobabs (a keystone species of the planet) economically viable, in the hope that this can reduce poverty for its wild harvesters and lead to the long-term preservation of this ancient resource. It is also a masterclass in the details of what it takes to get to market, influence legislation and create demand for what nature has to offer, but many take for granted.

And unlike Sisyphus, Gus did manage to successfully push some big boulders over the hill, and also loves his work and does not see it as punishment. But his cautionary tale still holds. Perseverance is key.

For more information on Gus Le Breton, visit his page on the AfricanOptimist website, where you can find his bio, show notes and episode transcript.

Never want to miss an episode? Visit our website and subscribe to the AfricanOptimist newsletter.

TIME STAMPS

00:00 Introduction to Baobab and Initial Reactions

00:38 Welcome to the African Optimist Podcast

00:51 The Baobab Tree: A Natural Marvel

02:06 Gus le Breton: The African Plant Hunter

03:52 Challenges in Commercializing Baobab

05:23 Early Efforts and Setbacks

07:11 The Struggle with Industrial Agriculture

10:31 The Journey to Market Baobab

20:16 Navigating Regulatory Hurdles

31:46 The Importance of Wild Harvesting

34:04 Processing Baobab: Challenges and Solutions

38:36 Challenges of Traditional Baobab Processing

39:43 Ensuring Quality and Standardization

40:35 Formation of the African Baobab Alliance

42:11 Collaboration vs. Competition

44:11 Creating Demand for Baobab

48:14 Marketing Challenges and Success Stories

54:37 The Superfood Debate

57:13 Importance of Research and Consumer Awareness

59:25 Fair Trade and Value Distribution

01:07:29 Future Prospects and Investor Insights

01:08:38 Final Thoughts and Encouragement