From Trading Intern to Successful African Entrepreneur: Shaun's Inspiring Journey - Part II
By Chris Owusu-Barfi
How has your experience as an African entrepreneur influenced your approach to business and leadership?
Honestly, I had to grow a thick skin; it made me more resilient and persistent because before you'd enter any space, unfortunately, people would already have a "negative" preconceived notion of who you are. As the saying goes, you're going to have to work twice as hard to get half as far, but it is what it is; what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, I guess?
What role do you think technology can play in helping to drive economic growth in Africa?
It can help reduce the barriers for our startups to compete globally. It also helps create an alternative path for people like me who didn’t want to conform to the traditional school-to-job path/system to find their way to contribute positively to society.
How do you stay up-to-date with the latest trends and developments in the tech industry?
I spend an unhealthy amount of time in the crypto and finance communities on Twitter, always trying to keep my mind open and fresh to new opportunities.
What do you see as the biggest opportunities and challenges facing African entrepreneurs today?
I'm not sure I can give a leveled take on this because I have not lived in Africa (Ghana) for about five years now but comparing my entrepreneurship experience when I was there to now, I can say there are more startup resources available for anyone back home to attempt to build an MVP for an idea they get. The only challenge I do often see, though, is sometimes founders in Africa copy and paste startups they see in the West blindly to fit into their countries in Africa without considering the differences in culture and infrastructural development.
What are your plans for the future, and do you see yourself starting another business in the future?
I already have two projects I'm working on; Handys.ca and Primebridge.io. I plan to take my time and enjoy the process of building these startups while also enjoying life; I've sacrificed a lot to get to where I am today, so it's time for me to stop a bit and smell the roses.
