Having a Plan is Not Enough

A Message to Young Africans Chasing Dreams on the Continent

You've got a plan. You've probably spent weeks, maybe months, crafting it. You've crunched the numbers, you've even got a timeline. But here's the hard truth: it's not enough.

If you're a young person trying to make something of yourself on this beautiful, complex continent of ours, planning is just the starting line. What happens next is what separates those who make it from those who don't.

The Reality We Face

Let's be honest about what we're up against. When you wake up at 5 AM to chase your dreams in Lagos, Nairobi, Accra, or Johannesburg, you're essentially wrestling with systems that weren't designed for your success.

The challenges run deeper than infrastructure. You've got a brilliant business idea, but who's going to buy it? Most people are struggling to make ends meet, so finding customers who can actually pay becomes your first headache. You build something innovative, but scaling hits a wall because sales are slow and there's barely enough revenue to reinvest, let alone grow. And when you do need that injection of capital to take things to the next level, the banks look at your youth and see risk instead of potential. The investors want to see impressive revenues you haven't generated yet, experienced teams you can't afford to hire, and traction metrics that require the very funding you're seeking.

The X Factor

So what's the secret ingredient? What separates those who make it from those who don't?

It's agility – the ability to read the situation and respond smartly.

This means understanding that while you can't control market conditions, you can position yourself where opportunity meets preparation. While you can't change the banking system overnight, you can start with an MVP, build trust with early customers, and prove your value proposition gradually.

Agility is knowing when to pivot and how to position. It's seeing market gaps in the very challenges that defeat others. That unreliable internet connection? Maybe that's your signal to develop offline-first solutions with a clear go-to-market strategy for underserved areas. Those infrastructure gaps? Perhaps that's exactly the pain point your product should address, with a business model that turns problems into profit.

It's also about building your network deliberately, not desperately. Every person you meet, every relationship you nurture, every mentor you connect with – these become the foundation of your growth. And it's about staying sharp. The world moves fast, technology evolves, and what made you relevant yesterday might not tomorrow. Continuous learning is essential.

Start Where You Are

You don't need millions to start. The most successful people I know, started exactly where you are now – frustrated, hungry, but determined.

That phone in your hand? It's everything. Your storefront, your production studio, your payment system. That market everyone says is 'difficult'? It's also underserved and waiting for solutions. Stop waiting for perfect conditions.

Start small, but start today. Every customer you serve well becomes your marketing team. Every skill you master becomes leverage. Every connection you make becomes a bridge to somewhere better.

The Long Game

Success in Africa isn't just about having a great plan – it's about adapting that plan, building with others, thinking strategically about the obstacles, and playing the long game. It's about understanding that the very challenges that seem insurmountable today are actually shaping you into someone extraordinary.

The world needs what Africa has to offer. We have the creativity, the resilience, the hunger, and the youngest population on the planet. What we need now is the strategic thinking to turn our potential into power.

So yes, you need the plan. But more than that, you need the agility to implement, iterate, and improve as you go. Your time is coming here.