In this episode of the Criterion Institute podcast, Joy Anderson explores the concept of search funds as a transformative financial tool for entrepreneurship. The discussion highlights the potential of search funds in different contexts, particularly in Africa and the U.S., emphasizing the importance of power dynamics, governance, and the role of impact investing in business ownership. The conversation also addresses the challenges and opportunities of entrepreneurship through acquisition, advocating for a shift in how we perceive and support business ownership.

Episode Highlights

00:00 - Introduction to Search Funds and Power Dynamics

02:48 - Search Funds in Africa: Opportunities and Challenges

06:14 - Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition in the U.S.

09:08 - Rethinking Entrepreneurship: The Case for Buying Businesses

11:59 - The Mechanics of Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition

14:48 - Power Dynamics in Business Transactions

18:05 - The Role of Impact Investing in Business Ownership

20:59 - Navigating the Entrepreneurial Landscape

24:11 - The Future of Entrepreneurship and Ownership

27:02 - Conclusion and Call to Action

Relevant Links

• Criterion Institute website and LinkedIn

• Joy’s LinkedIn

• Eric's LinkedIn

• Allegra's LinkedIn

• Lindsay's LinkedIn

• Joy's

In this episode, Joy Anderson is joined by Entrepreneurial Solutions Partners co-founders Eric Kacou and Charity Kabango to explore what it truly takes to build thriving businesses and markets across Africa. Together, they challenge familiar impact investing narratives and offer a radically different way of thinking that centers entrepreneurs as human beings embedded in complex ecosystems.

The conversation ranges from hope and value creation to the often overlooked power of the service economy, asking what markets need in order to actually work. With insight drawn from years of partnership through the Mastercard Foundation Africa Growth Fund, this episode invites listeners to rethink expertise and imagine what becomes possible when we design economies around dignity, choice, and investable hope.

Episode Highlights

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Criterion Institute Podcast

02:14 The Genesis of Entrepreneurial Solutions Partners (ESP)

06:21 Centering Entrepreneurs in Their Context

10:16 Understanding the Ecosystem and Entrepreneurial Challenges

14:25 The Survival Trap and Systemic Change

18:30 Collaboration and the Role of Service Providers

22:16 Power Dynamics and Choice in Entrepreneurship

26:08 Investable Hope and Capital Allocation

30:41 Pre-Investment Value Creation Services

34:32 The Importance of Service Providers in the Economy

38:04 Investing in Service Businesses

40:54 Building Infrastructure for Productivity

42:56 Hope and Future Aspirations

Relevant Links

• Criterion Institute website and LinkedIn

• Joy’s LinkedIn

• Eric's LinkedIn

• Charity's LinkedIn

• Episode #57:

In this episode of the Criterion Institute podcast, Joy Anderson reflects on the power of letting go—of beliefs, assumptions, and fixed identities that may no longer serve us. Through a personal story about guided meditation, she explores how releasing long-held ideas can create the conditions for more grounded leadership. As we enter 2026, this reflection becomes an invitation to reassess what we think is necessary or unchangeable, and to hold space for discernment, listening, and imagination. Letting go, Joy reminds us, is not about abandoning values—it’s about making room for clarity in a shifting world.

The second half of the episode turns to a live example of that clarity in practice: Criterion’s decision to postpone its 22nd Convergence event. Joy walks us through how this decision emerged from sustained listening and a willingness to pivot. Rather than centering an annual convening, Criterion is shifting toward deeper partnership, extended collaboration, and more focused engagements to address gender-based violence through finance. This change reflects a discipline of responding to what is truly needed—and offering more precise, actionable invitations that align with the urgency and complexity of this moment.

Episode Highlights

00:00 - Welcome to 2026: A New Era of Action

05:51 - Letting Go of Outdated Beliefs

12:02 - Listening and Pivoting: The Power of Adaptation

18:09 - Building Trust Through Change

Relevant Links

• Criterion Institute website and LinkedIn
• Joy’s LinkedIn



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