Welcome to African Hustle! Your bi-weekly dose of inspiration and smart insights into African entrepreneurship — featuring real stories about tech, culture, startups, founders, and innovations shaping the future of the continent.

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Last week I touched a nerve!

The post The Waiting Wicked! led to the highest number of unsubscribers ever in the history of our newsletter. It seems writing about corruption and how we are complicit or can end it as African hustlers was not the insight that the 33 entrepreneurs who left were looking for.

Well, be that as it may, I still maintain that you should not be part of the Waiting Wicked — waiting for a corrupt deal or tender to help you into the big leagues.

We once had generational wealth as Africans. Our ancestors would pass down land, cattle, and indigenous knowledge systems. But that all changed when we adopted modern systems.

Now most of us do not have cattle to pass down, let alone the land on which to breed them. We are, in fact, too broke to pass anything except our surnames down to our children. And that is something we are trying to change at African Hustle.

Generational wealth is created through honest, smart, and meaningful labour. Not through the machinations of opportunistic and lustful hearts with proclivities for corruption.

That is that. Before we delve into today’s topic, hear this short story about Thabo …

There are few things as comforting as ignorance. As the saying goes, ignorance is bliss.

And what better way to showcase that bliss than on social media?

Thabo logs onto Facebook and stumbles upon a post by Noma, who shares her experience vaccinating her children. Without hesitation, Thabo jumps in, confidently declaring that vaccines are a conspiracy designed to wipe out the continent. No research. No facts. Just vibes.

Moments later, he finds a legal discussion. Nigel, a respected lawyer, has just broken down a complex case. But Thabo, whose only legal education comes from eavesdropping on arguments at the local tavern, disagrees. Loudly too.

Blissfully, he shares his unsolicited wisdom, peddling unverified theories and half-baked opinions.

Don't be Thabo. Nobody respects an ignorant hustler.

Social media is your CV; write it with knowledge, not ignorance.

You may be entitled to your opinion, but no one is entitled to ignorance.

That is today’s advice to entrepreneurs. And now to today’s offering!

Have you ever heard of disruption? Stupid question! Disruption is spoken so much of, but what does it mean to you?

The False Standard of Disruption

You need to disrupt this or that to make it in business!

For years, the media has pushed the idea that to be a successful entrepreneur, you need to be disruptive, revolutionary, or a game-changer. This dangerous narrative suggests that unless you are creating the next Uber, Airbnb, or Tesla, you are not doing entrepreneurship right. This myth has discouraged thousands, if not millions, from pursuing their dreams of starting a business.

Startup culture over-glorifies disruption. The biggest companies today are praised for “breaking the mould” and “changing the game.” But here’s what is often ignored: The vast majority of successful businesses were not born out of some radical new idea. They were simply solutions to everyday problems.

Which African millionaire are you acquainted with? The majority of rich entrepreneurs never disrupted anything. They did the boring stuff that others were not interested in doing. They met needs that the geniuses overlooked.

Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, built his wealth by producing essential goods like cement, sugar, and flour — staples needed in every household and economy.

Strive Masiyiwa did not disrupt the telecom industry. There were already established telecom providers before he launched Econet Wireless. Instead of reinventing the wheel, he focused on providing reliable and affordable telecommunications, solving a fundamental problem without shaking up the entire industry.

Patrice Motsepe identified the opportunity in mining, focusing on gold and precious metals — resources Africa has in abundance. He built his empire by efficiently managing operations, not by disrupting the industry.

Koos Bekker expanded Naspers from a traditional media company into a global internet giant by investing early in tech companies like Tencent. His success came from strategic investments rather than industry disruption.

We are losing a lot of entrepreneurs because we are asking them to prove they are different, unique, disruptive, and so forth. A good friend of mine contends that he is not an entrepreneur but is a good foot soldier — he can get things done. That's the best form of entrepreneur for me — people who are not looking for mystical elixirs or novel ideas but who are grounded, down to earth, and anchored in reality. People who get things done. Foot soldiers, not proverbial disruptive entrepreneurs coming with world-shattering, hell-closing, and heaven-opening ideas.

Think about the local grocery store owner, the plumber, the baker, the tailor, and the accountant. These businesses may not make the front page of Forbes, but they serve a critical role in society. They solve problems that people face daily, and they thrive because of it. But because they are not labelled as “disruptive,” they are often dismissed as uninspiring or “lesser” forms of entrepreneurship.

This mindset has created a damaging effect. Many aspiring entrepreneurs feel they are not good enough or smart enough to start a business unless they have a groundbreaking idea. They waste years searching for the next “big thing” instead of simply looking around and solving an existing problem within their communities.

Entrepreneurship, at its core, is about identifying a need and providing a solution. It does not matter if that solution is a new mobile app, a better version of an existing product, or an improvement in customer service. The most successful businesses are not necessarily the ones that “change the world” but the ones that make life easier, better, and more efficient.

Execution Over Disruption

A friend, who is an avid reader of our newsletter asked me to put examples of my experiences and applications of some of the insights and concepts we share. And I am happy to oblige with my recent entrepreneurial overture.

In 2024, I bought a cup for my wife for Valentine’s. It was nice with all forms of love emojis. Then my 2-year-old son, in a childhood frenzy, broke the cup. Wifey said I had to get the same cup. For some sentimental reason, she was endeared to it. I searched as hard as I could, but I could not find it.

Then I asked myself, why don’t I just make one? I could make one for my wife and perhaps sell to others too. And there I went, bought an Epson L1250, converted it for sublimation, headed to JG Electronics, and got myself a craft press for mugs and a couple of different cups and tumblers.

After buying the printer and craft press I spent a whole day on YouTube learning how to print. YouTube is jaw-dropping, like African magic. Got myself Corel Draw 101 lessons on YouTube again and downloaded a few Canva templates for mug designs.

And I was set to make this a business. All this transpired in less than a week. I approached my local Mall and negotiated to open a booth for Valentine’s where I would be branding personalized mugs. I was eloquent too — I have to give myself credit. As an entrepreneur, I advise you to learn negotiation tactics and public speaking. Maybe we should explore these in one of our future editions, what do you think?

I got the space in the passage just in front of PicknPay for free. Yes, you read that right — free! Bonkers, right? My dates of operation were set from 8 to 16 February. I realized I could not do this alone, so I got a professional graphic designer I knew well and roped in a lad from my neighbourhood who at one time I had fired from one of my companies. He had not been suitable there, but in this venture, I needed his tendency to talk a hyena into being vegan.

On the 8th, we started. I priced every commodity we were branding at 3x the stocking price. The sales tell a story:

So I made revenue of R21 340 selling personalized mugs in one week. A business that I had not registered, made logos for or created business plans. With no website. Zero marketing budget.

Just an idea tried out.

I could have failed, and I was ready for that outcome too. Now I am looking to have a pop-up on Easter, Mother’s Day, and Christmas — or, if I convince myself, just open a kiosk specializing in sublimation. But all that could be thinking small still, I can leverage social media and sell nationwide, only if I sit and get the delivery logistics right.

Did I do something world-changing? No.

Was I disruptive? I’d think not!

People have been branding cups long before my wife broke hers and I thought of making a replacement for her.

And I even branded some for myself …

Forget the Hype, Focus on Execution

Do not get caught up in the pursuit of fancy terms. All you need as an entrepreneur is an aptitude to try things. You will fail — God knows how many times I failed.

But I often ask myself, if I am 20 failures away from being the next Dangote, how fast would I want to fail?

Maybe it’s just me but I am willing to fail fast. Hopefully, all that failure is just lessons and data, not a cause of future trauma. And even if it is trauma, I’d rather cry my eyes out in a Mercedes than console myself that money doesn’t buy happiness while at rock bottom.

Be disruptive if you can, but that is not the only means to success. You just need to solve a problem or meet a need. And that’s what real entrepreneurship is about.

The person who starts a laundry service in a community that lacks one is solving a real problem. The entrepreneur who opens a quality restaurant in an area where food options are limited is making a tangible impact. These businesses are as valid and important as any so-called disruptive startup.

Why the “Disrupt or Die” Mentality Is Dangerous

The obsession with disruption has led to several negative consequences:

Paralysis by Overthinking: Many potential entrepreneurs feel stuck because they believe they must come up with something revolutionary before they can start. As a result, they never take action.

Ignoring Local Opportunities: While people are busy trying to invent the next big tech startup, they overlook everyday business opportunities that could be both profitable and impactful within their communities.

Unrealistic Expectations: The belief that a business must scale to a billion-dollar valuation to be considered successful causes many entrepreneurs to give up prematurely when they don’t achieve overnight success.

Short-Term Thinking: Chasing trends rather than focusing on long-term sustainability often leads to businesses that fail as soon as the hype dies down.

How to Start Thinking Like a Real Entrepreneur

If you have been waiting for a “disruptive idea” before starting your business, it’s time to shift your mindset. Do this instead:

1. Look for Everyday Problems

The best businesses often stem from simple observations. What inconveniences do you or people around you experience regularly? What service or product do people wish they had access to? Start by identifying these pain points.

2. Solve for Your Community First

Many successful entrepreneurs started by serving a local need. Instead of aiming for global dominance from day one, focus on providing value to the people closest to you. The big opportunities often emerge from small, consistent efforts.

3. Forget the Hype, Focus on Execution

Having a “disruptive” idea means nothing if you cannot execute it properly. Meanwhile, a well-run, simple business can outperform a flashy startup with poor management. Focus on excelling at the basics, which are customer service, efficiency, and consistency.

4. Embrace Incremental Innovation

You don’t have to invent something brand new. Making an existing service more accessible, affordable, or reliable is just as valuable. Many great businesses succeed simply by improving on what already exists.

5. Measure Success by Impact, Not Headlines

A business that serves 1,000 loyal customers and generates steady profits is just as successful —if not more— than a startup that raises millions in funding but collapses within a few years. These days, raising venture capital is more lucrative than running an enterprise. (75% of venture-backed companies never return cash to investors, with 30-40% of those liquidating assets where investors lose all of their money) Measure your success by how well you solve problems, not by how much media attention you get.

You Are Already Enough

You don’t need to be a genius, a disruptor, or a world-changer to be a successful entrepreneur. You just need to find something you can sell - because ultimately we are all selling something to someone — it might be our time, knowledge, service or product.

And you might not end up on the cover of Forbes, but that doesn’t really matter, does it? We have seen people buy fake doctorates, and falsify innovations, financials and impact to be on the cover of magazines so please do not feel pressure!

If you have been waiting for permission to start, consider this your signal. You don’t need to build the next Amazon or invent a new industry. Start where you are, with what you have, and serve the people around you. That’s real entrepreneurship.

Your idea doesn’t have to be disruptive. It just has to work.

P.S. Do not look down on yourself or assume that the so-called "fancy entrepreneurs" are better than you. When you finally sit at the same table with them, you'll realize — ahh, we’re actually all the same.

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