#  @ponton_alex Alex Ponton Alex Ponton posts on X about uganda, money, investment, countries the most. They currently have [-------] followers and [---] posts still getting attention that total [------] engagements in the last [--] hours. ### Engagements: [------] [#](/creator/twitter::1415194418370469890/interactions)  - [--] Week [------] -81% - [--] Month [-------] +335% - [--] Months [---------] +53% - [--] Year [---------] -31% ### Mentions: [--] [#](/creator/twitter::1415194418370469890/posts_active)  - [--] Week [--] -49% - [--] Month [--] +148% - [--] Months [---] +105% - [--] Year [---] -26% ### Followers: [-------] [#](/creator/twitter::1415194418370469890/followers)  - [--] Week [------] +0.02% - [--] Month [------] +3% - [--] Months [------] +11% - [--] Year [------] +23% ### CreatorRank: [---------] [#](/creator/twitter::1415194418370469890/influencer_rank)  ### Social Influence **Social category influence** [countries](/list/countries) [finance](/list/finance) [travel destinations](/list/travel-destinations) [technology brands](/list/technology-brands) [social networks](/list/social-networks) [currencies](/list/currencies) [celebrities](/list/celebrities) [luxury brands](/list/luxury-brands) [stocks](/list/stocks) [fashion brands](/list/fashion-brands) **Social topic influence** [uganda](/topic/uganda) #1055, [money](/topic/money), [investment](/topic/investment), [countries](/topic/countries), [zambia](/topic/zambia), [nairobi](/topic/nairobi), [inflation](/topic/inflation), [if you](/topic/if-you), [china](/topic/china), [kenya](/topic/kenya) **Top accounts mentioned or mentioned by** [@kakandealex](/creator/undefined) [@modernlivingea](/creator/undefined) [@tonynatif](/creator/undefined) [@pontonalex](/creator/undefined) [@ugairlines](/creator/undefined) [@nikitahelene](/creator/undefined) [@grok](/creator/undefined) [@kasujja](/creator/undefined) [@wekesaamos](/creator/undefined) [@andykristian](/creator/undefined) [@stoneatwine](/creator/undefined) [@elonmusk](/creator/undefined) [@michaelddavisjr](/creator/undefined) [@ugandainvest](/creator/undefined) [@nahabwe](/creator/undefined) [@ianecox](/creator/undefined) [@hashim11](/creator/undefined) [@odrekrwabwogo](/creator/undefined) [@comradeotoa](/creator/undefined) [@mishi254](/creator/undefined) **Top assets mentioned** [BODA (BODAV2)](/topic/boda) [Alphabet Inc Class A (GOOGL)](/topic/$googl) ### Top Social Posts Top posts by engagements in the last [--] hours "I officially left my job in finance in Toronto [--] years ago to move to Uganda. Why did you leave Canada to come to Uganda I wanted to see what it was to build and invest in a totally different context. That's it No mission or pretention; just curiosity. The journey took me across most districts of the country. From Lira to Kasese there are entrepreneurs that remember Alex from Canada. Everywhere I went I felt welcomed and was often given a local name. I became Mubiru Ochen Tumusiime and Baluku. I have worked and funded SMEs. I have started a few successful and a few less successful businesses." [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1650838574370025474) 2023-04-25T12:26Z [----] followers, 418.6K engagements "@Hashim11 Beside the pants (a first for me and he's my neighbor) it summarizes the situation in our region quite well. On one side you have poorly designed financial products. On the other you have misbehaving entrepreneurs. It's like @TonyNatif with pants it just doesn't work" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1673656871171883012) 2023-06-27T11:37Z [----] followers, [--] engagements "An an entrepreneur or anyone working in high performance environments you need to find your "winning conditions" a bit like an athlete. How much sleep do you need at a minimum to feel good day-in-day-out How much time off do you need every 3-6 months What about hobbies or social interactions outside of work All those variables need to be assessed and optimized. The main reason I have been not drinking for upward of [--] months is to help me deal better with the ups and down of entrepreneurship. It has helped me a lot even if I was not drinking much to begin with. I sleep better & when "shit hits" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1678316211233255426) 2023-07-10T08:12Z [----] followers, 11.2K engagements "I was at the forefront of this story but over the years working with SMEs this is a narrative that is way too common. Ugandan businesses don't have credit cards or lines of credit to stomach delays and stories when payment is due.It's tough" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1679165381297205249) 2023-07-12T16:27Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "Ordering breakfast from CJs is an entrepreneurship lesson in itself. The attention to details is really out of this world. - All beverages are sealed making it impossible for them to spill. - The delivery person comes with a uniform with a clear name tag - Juices and hot" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1685599763381592064) 2023-07-30T20:04Z [----] followers, 38.7K engagements "Some hard lessons from scaling and thinking about capacity: #1 Charge more As entrepreneurs we tend to leave way too much value on the table. I met an entrepreneur the other day. He had just scored a large scale contract for his platform with one of the largest parastatal in the country. Half of his team would have to focus on it. Alex: How big was the contract Friend: $5000. Alex: That's it Is it a nice-to-have or a true pain point Friend: The CFO is super excited about it and he keeps talking about this to the board. We went through the expected value he thinks he would create for them" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1688870748411121664) 2023-08-08T11:12Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "I posted about this. Going to Zambia (800$) is the price of a trip to dubai with food and [--] nights at the hotel. Don't get me going on how much it costs to send a container either way. To build intra-african trade we need to find a way to reduce the cost of transport" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1689394093229506560) 2023-08-09T21:51Z [----] followers, 32.2K engagements "The "capital intensive" story and why no matter what ROI is what matters. It's funny how people will say that traditional businesses are more "capital intensive" and then celebrate the tens of millions of dollars raised by tech startups. Sendy burned through $28M and while it's a tragedy it didn't work out it goes to show that tech oversimplifications can be painful. Mkopa raised $250m. Isn't that the definition of capital intensive Spending $1m per year for [--] engineers in San Francisco is capital intensive. Getting fintech licenses in [--] African countries is capital intensive. Plastering" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1689641529386860545) 2023-08-10T14:15Z [----] followers, 12.3K engagements "I have spent the week in Montreal; my hometown. Here are a [--] things my dear Kampala could borrow: - Close a few streets to cars: One night the weather was perfect and instead of taking the subway back home we walked 5km+. This enabled us to experience the variety of [--] neighborhoods. Some major artery were even closed to cars making it easy to wander across shops sit on a terrasse (directly on the street) for a quick break and enjoy being outside with people. When the road is closed you can easily hop from places to places dance in the street and have a drink with your friends. Junior was" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1694288032558416337) 2023-08-23T09:58Z [----] followers, 21.9K engagements "@KakandeAlex @RugabaAgaba Actually no it says a Real Risk Free Interest Rate. Emphasis on Real here" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1694807555552198808) 2023-08-24T20:23Z [----] followers, [--] engagements "I was reading the story of Treepz who raised 2M+ & bought Ugabus with the mission to improve bus transport. They later pivoted to car rental and it made a big fuss. Fiasco (in the making) What if that funding and those resources went to an operator like Pokopoko with the mission to go regional and then global It's not as sexy as an app but those are the guys that understand their markets and know how to make significant improvements. They don't build tech but they would probably self fund a proprietary app if the issue was big enough. From the article they innovate in how they train drivers" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1695052882662326600) 2023-08-25T12:37Z [----] followers, 21.1K engagements "The reality is that the VC model makes sense in the West. Most sectors are heavily consolidated and early-stage capital is available for small business owners at often subsidized rates. Hence to find meteoric growth and 100x returns you need to go to the fringes and look for the next big thing. In Uganda and East Africa sectors are mostly fragmented service delivery is poor and product offering is limited. You can therefore reach scale build a dominant market share and grow super fast in the most boring sectors as long as you execute better you offer unique products your service is more user" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1695189864902238293) 2023-08-25T21:42Z [----] followers, 11.1K engagements ""Alex you said you are from Uganda right I am from Tunisia. We have been facing the Kampala City football Club a few times. They have good players." The scene was surreal. I was buying fruits with my wife at the corner store near our apartment in Montreal. This made me realize the power of sport when it comes to putting countries on the map or just starting conversations with strangers. - [--] years I have been in Montreal. You must be loving it in Uganda. - Ya it's amazing. It's Montreal Summer Weather the whole year. People are great too. - When I was young my only dream was to go to Canada." [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1695799129090212279) 2023-08-27T14:03Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "Hello UG twitter - What do you guys recommend for an inventory management & POS system with a barcode scanner I don't need anything overly fancy. A few specs: - I want something mobile where I can scan the product and see how many I have in stock and at which branch. - Fancy stores in KLA (Mr P Woolworth etc.) have a very nice POS where you can see the items bought on a screen before you pay. I would love something like that. - Easy to roll-out and integrate with other systems (Quickbook CRM etc.) & if fancy hardware is required not overly expensive" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1697586873512706254) 2023-09-01T12:27Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "My Ssenga truly loved Uganda. My aunt Catherine visited Uganda for the first time at my wedding close to [--] years ago. She was my Ssenga with a capital S. She travelled the world to be there for us. She played along rocked the gomesi and was a calming source of support. In the mist of the wedding preparations as we were running through logistical issues: "Alex you look stressed (I was). Let me help you out." She pulled out her notebook. "Let's write down everything you have to do and divide and conquer". This proved to be calming. She enjoyed the kwanjula in the village and rocked legendary" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1701464818069209199) 2023-09-12T05:16Z [----] followers, [---] engagements "I am told you had [--] French Canadian hikers tag along on your tour Hope they told you all about Poutine and the wonders of Canadian Winter. Congratulations on the climb @LillyAjarova My friends had a blast thanks to the great team @NkwanziTravel. I am convincing them to do the Rwenzori next" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1701470580925501912) 2023-09-12T05:39Z [----] followers, [---] engagements "In mature capital markets the lenders of Biyinzika would have put the company in bankruptcy wiped out the equity holders taken the keys put the business on auction and find a PE / Strategic buyer to buy it as a going concern with a brand new capital structure. If the banks were not willing to be active a distressed debt investor (PE Hedge Fund etc.) would have called the bank offered them 50-60 cents on the $ with some equity upside (as a sweetener) and executed on the above. They would have likely reinjected capital in the business and run with the business. Liquidating assets is usually the" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1702603602278142367) 2023-09-15T08:41Z [----] followers, 95.8K engagements "I am pretty sure UDB would provide pretty attractive financing to a credible group of investors to take the operations over. They might be able to even secure incentives from UIA. Lots of moving pieces and I don't know the full background but there should be a better option than a liquidation notice in the paper" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1702605933245862147) 2023-09-15T08:51Z [----] followers, 10.9K engagements "@daveytr Too much leverage governance issues and mismanagement most likely" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1702607415638692260) 2023-09-15T08:56Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "As is I agree but that's pretty much picking a single tree and missing the whole forest. Why wouldn't a PE touch it if: 1) Management team & board are replaced by high integrity folks with industry expertise 2) Corporate structure is cleaned up (i.e. you have certainty of the assets you are buying) 3) Capital structure is cleaned up (i.e. banks get a haircut and or get refinanced) 4) You get other incentives like tax waivers cheap financing grants etc. 5) You secure waivers or get comfortable on legacy issues (taxes NSSF etc.) 6) You get a good price. I agree there is a lot of "IFs" and sure" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1702634775989661853) 2023-09-15T10:45Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "My post went viral yesterday so I wanted to make a few clarifications: 1) The point of the post was to highlight the mismatch between more mature markets and our markets where liquidation is more often than not the route taken by creditors during episodes of financial distress" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1702964212727791802) 2023-09-16T08:34Z [----] followers, [--] engagements "Potentially controversial opinion of the day: I am much more excited by an entrepreneur attending a trade fair or industry conference than an entrepreneur attending a Startup networking event or a pitch competition. Being obsessed with your clients in accretive to your business. Being obsessed with "summits" "global this global that" & pitch competitions is likely more accretive to your ego than anything else" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1704407857951559909) 2023-09-20T08:11Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "@ja_pirwot That one I have to disagree. @ModernLivingEA derives all of its sales (90%+) from Instagram and Twitter. It is case by case and off course if you deal with small scale dairy farmers for example it is probably not worth it to try to reach them on Insta" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1704460207957450975) 2023-09-20T11:39Z [----] followers, [---] engagements ""Content creation & paid ads are popular but won't be enough to build a VC-backable business in Africa." It won't be enough if you are a B2B or an app but it can be more than enough if you have a B2C / D2C model. Some examples: Hers Uganda has 100k+ followers on Instagram and already exports to [--] African countries + Europe / US. It's not an app but I'd bet my money on them to become a unicorn. @ModernLivingEA Living has 15k+ followers on Insta & Twitter. They are on path to be in [--] countries by the next [--] months (all self-funded) & all sales are online.My followers will know I am biased but" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1704474066868969938) 2023-09-20T12:34Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "It's funny how demographics affect capital markets. People keep saying that there are no exits in Africa. I asked a friend if he wanted me to do a valuation of his business to see how much he could sell it at. He's in his 40s and his business is booming. His answer: For what I am not selling anytime soon. I had a chat with a friend of mine who invests actively in the Quebec (a province of Canada) entrepreneurial ecosystem. He told me that his bank published a report saying that within the next [--] years they estimate that [-----] businesses on their book are going to change hands without a clear" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1704872343393247707) 2023-09-21T14:56Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "The structured to sell bit is fairly new. There are more brokers pipeline developers and an ecosystem pushing for selling but it's a fairly new concept. Most people are not spending their time thinking about selling in the West. Otherwise we wouldn't have that pool of businesses likely closing / winding down" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1704875795557064734) 2023-09-21T15:10Z [----] followers, [--] engagements "Business idea looking for feedback: @ModernLivingEA opens a showroom in London Boston Toronto & Dubai (over time) to serve the diaspora. A lot of our clients have complained about the struggles of building and furnishing a home while in the diaspora. We provide a turnkey solution. No more sending money to your relative that will buy cheap furniture from Nsambya and eat the money. No more "virtual homes" (i.e. building-money that gets diverted). We have an interior designer / project manager at the showroom to work with you directly. We work with a credible building company in UG and manage" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1705821978853065026) 2023-09-24T05:50Z [----] followers, 16.7K engagements "Thanks for putting those [--] on my radar @kasujja I think our East African ecosystem needs to support more brands like these as they set out to conquer the world For ladies I would strongly recommend Hers Uganda (they are only on Instagram). They have dressed many A-list celebrities (Zari Betinah Sheila Gashumbaetc.). Started from a small shop at MM Plaza and shipping to 10+ countries. #UGGOTTALENT @TonyNatif" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1705915441695080631) 2023-09-24T12:01Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "🕯🕯Vision 2024🕯🕯 One little hack I will use more: Doing business planning is helpful. It forces you to think through dependencies gaps milestones funding needs and so on. The key issue is that more often than not the milestones & objectives end up in a report that is" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1706259699102785901) 2023-09-25T10:49Z [----] followers, [---] engagements "@kasujja It seems like the government is starting to take Sports seriously. AFCON and the renovation of MTN Arena are massive steps in the right direction. I am quite hopeful actually" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1707363213187190809) 2023-09-28T11:54Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "Tips they don't tell you at incubators and startup programs - Social Media Edition Close the trust gap: Marketing all boils down to closing the trust gap between your company and your end customer. You are probably in a world where: 1) Your potential customers don't know you" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1707655719439188165) 2023-09-29T07:17Z [----] followers, [---] engagements "It's now less than 500$ and a direct flight to go to Lagos Kinshasa JoBurg and Mumbai and all the neighboring East African Countries with @UG_Airlines. A small detail but it has simplified trade dramatically if you ask me. I pray that direct flights to Guangzhou and the Southern Africa Countries (Zambia Malawi Zimbabwe) are next. Next step: We need visa waivers and more trade missions" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1708112479996219828) 2023-09-30T13:32Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "@JitoKayumba @TheEndre sourcing from Zambia soon" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1708900068940538198) 2023-10-02T17:41Z [----] followers, [---] engagements "I have been quite vocal about one bank charging UGX [---] to get a PDF bank statement and [----] UGX for same-bank transfers. To that you can add to the fact that banks generate the largest interest rate margins in the region and that they don't even bother lending the government funds. The cycle: Small businesses that can access funding are choked through bad terms and fees small businesses default banks reduce lending and blame the small businesses rates and terms are increased / tighten" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1709120975038509536) 2023-10-03T08:19Z [----] followers, 15.2K engagements "I think they charge 10k but if you use internet banking the system has it that you will pay [---] UGX for the system to generate a PDF. I get it if there is a human interaction in the process (though 10k is a lot). When it's a system generated click it's predatory if you ask me" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1709154416656339294) 2023-10-03T10:32Z [----] followers, [---] engagements "I don't know if this is true but if it is that bank should be banned from any discussions around Financial Inclusion.That's obscene" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1709441226871611567) 2023-10-04T05:32Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "Zambia is crushing it these days" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1709927032644423814) 2023-10-05T13:42Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "@nikita_helene It is a pretty big achievement when taking into account where they started from. Unlevered Free Cash Flow being positive is a good sign as you can always restructure your debt / raise equity to clean up your capital structure. Negative unlevered FCF makes it much harder" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1710521851187790007) 2023-10-07T05:06Z [----] followers, [---] engagements "Hey guys - My friends Sirak and Milka are selling those very nice phone cover for independence day. They are doing customized phone covers and have a wide collection. Reach-out to him: +256 [---] [------] Instagram: abc.phonesug Cheers" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1710627468191694881) 2023-10-07T12:05Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "The great arbitrage of African Tech and why African startups should start looking outward and go global: Canvas didn't go out to build for the Australian market. Zoho didn't wake up saying "let's build sofware for Indian SMBs". They might have gotten their first clients from there but ultimately the founders were building a global company. In Africa most founders solve "African problems". There is nothing wrong with that and yes it's very needed Yet I'd argue that in a world where people are increasingly embracing Zoom meetings and remote work our founder community is leaving a lot on the" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1711292135016702461) 2023-10-09T08:06Z [----] followers, 27.2K engagements "I went through all my tweets that did well in the last few months. Some random thoughts: 1) You need a voice and a niche: I didn't tweet about NSSF or the Parish Model. I didn't tweet about Capital Chicken or the Ukraine war. It was hitching but I felt like I had nothing to add. Investments bootstrapping startups and growth-hacking are things I am comfortable with. I have opinions but I try to stay within my circle of competence. I don't shy away from writing what I think and people that read me know that. I am off every once in a while but I try to stay within my niche. 2) Use simple" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1712102885402579217) 2023-10-11T13:48Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "I feel like organising a Twitter Finance / Entrepreneurship Meetup before the end of the year. Who is in @TheEndre we do it at @wildcoffeebar1" [X Link](https://x.com/anyuser/status/1712170274534088792) 2023-10-11T18:16Z [--] followers, [----] engagements "Excelling in a high pressure environment Considering that most banks (including JPM) had to enforce rules to avoid senior bankers from burning their junior staff out this speech needs to be taken with a big grain of salt. During my investment banking interviews associates would ask me "if you work on a big deal and it's your brother's wedding and you can't go because of a last minute deliverable what would you do" The culture of investment banking was and probably still is bad (hopefully improving). The JPM CEO is right though. Work-life-balance and how much you have your "shit together" is" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1714238731916296359) 2023-10-17T11:15Z [----] followers, 21.9K engagements "One of the most successful entrepreneur in the history of Uganda was nicknamed "Mukwano" or "Friend". Remember that next time you are about to be rude to someone. Make no enemies. Uganda is small be kind" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1714952175254642983) 2023-10-19T10:30Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "@TonyNatif China is great and every entrepreneur should spend time there. The product choices the layouts in store the unique branding etc. You learn so much just by spending a few hours in a mall" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1715972744683401585) 2023-10-22T06:05Z [----] followers, [---] engagements "Rwanda and @FlyRwandAir is flying Ugandan influencers to Rwanda to promote the country and the airline. Meanwhile in Uganda we have talks and symposiums about how to empower creatives. Perhaps we should start by giving them the gigs" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1715999437238227291) 2023-10-22T07:52Z [----] followers, 30.4K engagements "Focusing on the world market forces you to nail down a niche. In other words solve [--] problem and solve it really well. In Africa founders end up building companies doing everything (SaaS financing payment solution logistics etc). So many pieces are missing and the African market is small. They end up diluting their unique insight in a portfolio of sub-par solutions. Meanwhile in China I met a company manufacturing exclusively decorative bird houses.The coolest on market. Super niche but if you sell to [--] countries who cares" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1717402756292694456) 2023-10-26T04:48Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "I have not looked at Real Estate as much as @KakandeAlex or @jrkyanda but here are the questions I would ask if I were to seriously build a view on the sector. I use land and Real Estate interchangeably below. Is land a better store of value if currency depreciates heavily Considering the ability to charge rent and sell in USD you have an intrinsic hedge. Does it matter if the currency collapses Is land a better store of value if the government defaults UG is B rated I think so definitely a possibility. Is the capital appreciation potential higher than bonds Real Estate is all about scarcity" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1717859680377323815) 2023-10-27T11:03Z [----] followers, 25.8K engagements "@TonyNatif @KakandeAlex @jrkyanda It's the bank who are not lending and basically raking up fees. The demand is there but the vault is closed" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1717882730829226010) 2023-10-27T12:35Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "What's your angle This is the most important question in active investing. It doesn't matter if you are buying Real Estate stocks in the Airtel IPO or starting a business (which represent significant investment in terms of money and time). Your angle whether in the form of unique insight advantageous situation (more resources reputation ability to move fast etc) or the ability to solve problems / create value is your competitive advantage. Without a unique angle you are destined to average returns. Some examples: - You buy Real Estate from a motivated seller. They inherited it and live abroad" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1718167591661993987) 2023-10-28T07:27Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "JOB Alert: @ModernLivingEA is looking for a production manager to help us systematize our processes and scale production. We are looking for someone that can help us oversee our production process implement systems to scale production maintain quality and keep our team accountable. The ideal candidate should be comfortable implementing systems from scratch proactively problem-solving and leading a technical team. Experience in carpentry is a plus but not mandatory. This is an experience hire (5 years of relevant experience +) and we are also open to international candidates. Kindly share in" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1718660540220772483) 2023-10-29T16:06Z [----] followers, 13.1K engagements "The [--] levels of trading - The framework I use to assess businesses. When I look to invest start a business or pursue the next side-hustle this framework has been incredibly helpful to me. Level [--] - Market and convenience arbitrage. You find local suppliers of products that people like and you deliver them to your end customers. We all have a "shoe guy" on WhatsApp. That's their business. They venture deep downtown to buy or reserve shoes which they then post on their WhatsApp status for us to buy at a mark-up. The same applies to traders buying seeds in Container Village and selling them to" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1718841115149836514) 2023-10-30T04:03Z [----] followers, 15.6K engagements "People who are downplaying AGOA because only a few million dollars worth of trade benefited from it miss the big picture. To put it bluntly it's pretty clear that the Western investment / donor community is reconsidering it's involvement in Uganda. That means deals are stalling or being cancelled. That means programs are being shutdown or downsized. I get the whole Aid vs. Trade and Autarcy vs. Outside Influence debate. That's not the point. Uganda can go in the direction it wants. We are only seeing the hidden costs of some choices and policies. Can we afford them" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1719586802552512873) 2023-11-01T05:26Z [----] followers, 19.1K engagements "On this I am on team @Odrek_Rwabwogo Intra-African trade is a massively underrated. We just need to make shipping a container to Lusaka less than $10k and flying to Malawi less than 800$. @UG_Airlines can help but we need some serious coordination among the countries" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1720478905784496519) 2023-11-03T16:31Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "This week is awfully quiet for a Nyege Nyege week. Is parliament in recess" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1721451205371789801) 2023-11-06T08:55Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "The wasted opportunity of AGOA is that you can sell "African baskets" on Etsy for up to $300 per piece and not more people took advantage of it. We need to build champions. I would walk around the streets of Montreal (yes I know it's in Canada but still we have similar agreements to AGOA) and I would see craft products made in Latin America and other African countries selling for small fortunes. There is a full segment of North American consumers who want to "buy compelling stories" and buy "from the origin." Large chains are taking full advantage of it. I once saw a TV stand at West Elm sell" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1721540373871215099) 2023-11-06T14:49Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "@StoneAtwine The ultimate carry trade last year would have been to borrow in Kenyan Shilling to Lend in UGX" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1722286852189614476) 2023-11-08T16:15Z [----] followers, [--] engagements "I went to the re-launch of @NatnaHair earlier this week. She has built one of the biggest Wig and Hair extension business in East Africa with her husband. She already sells to [--] countries in Africa and is on Amazon. "Re-launch" because she had secured one of the top musician in Ug as her brand ambassador. She was also launching in Ethiopia that day. Hadijja of @ModernLivingEA (on the left) and Natina of @NatnaHair (on the right). Two trailblazers in one shot. #whatsfintech" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1723017650618380441) 2023-11-10T16:39Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "Just now on my way to a function in Lugazi. A truck with the number plate UBB398P just knocked a boda on jinja Road and ran away. @PoliceUg around Mbalala. The boda guy looks fine but his bike is pretty much spoiled. When the truck guy ran away he rolled over the passenger's leg. Flagging it as it happened right before our eyes" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1723236641236459936) 2023-11-11T07:10Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "I sincerely believe that to be a sucessful founder you need to have the following gene deffects: - You don't dwell on things: Life can throw the worse at you (personally business wise etc.) and you won't dwell for more than a few hours or days. Your gene mutation might even make you turn it into a positve "oh that's great that this investor pulled the term sheet last minute we have more time to find the best one." - You can compartimentalize stuff: It doesn't matter if you are about to lose your biggest client or the regulator is on your neck. You maintain a cool and relax composure in front" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1723947331358208467) 2023-11-13T06:14Z [----] followers, 13.2K engagements "Forget Jack Ma of Alibaba Zhong Shanshan is the man. The richest man in China Zhong Shanshan is the owner of Nongfu Spring which has a portfolio of beverages including the famous Nongfu Spring Water. It's pretty much everywhere in China. China through the 90s and early 2000s grew at high single and low double digits. The Chinese consumer emerged and companies with simple business models catering to this new force became empires. You can't really beat bottled water in terms of simplicity. While international brands tried local entrepreneurs were better positioned to navigate the complexity of" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1724731016307446004) 2023-11-15T10:08Z [----] followers, 15.9K engagements "Random thoughts on a Monday morning: I found this year that "not doing something consistently" has been much easier than "doing something consistently". I stopped alcohol this year. It wasn't easy but it sticked despite weddings bachelor parties very tempting terasses in Portugal with cheap wine etc. Going to the gym consistently has been much harder. You are tired you are sored you are overly busy with work or personal stuff you travel etc. Excuses beat motivation while excuses have had harder time against self-control. In a nutshell habits and resolutions exist to help you build a better" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1729032371830194337) 2023-11-27T07:00Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "Below is a repost from a Linkedin post of my colleague Dan @spoutsofwater. Folks don't know but we have the largest ceramic water filter factory in Africa in our backyard. Sometimes next year it will be the largest in the world. This a truly amazing Ugandan success story and we should celebrate it PS: Get yourself a @purifaaya ahead of the festive season you will thank me The post - The Origins of Spouts: The SPOUTS International story started [--] years ago. As I get ready to join the Uganda delegation at COP28 I look back at our journey and feel grateful. We started in a small chicken coop in" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1730118070083944489) 2023-11-30T06:54Z [----] followers, 14.8K engagements "@MichaelDDavisJr In Uganda lenders get contractual equity returns with collateral. Leverage is pretty much dilutive" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1732431269919608921) 2023-12-06T16:06Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "@MichaelDDavisJr The repayment terms are more punitive than the interest rate in my opinion. It's hard to refinance debt so all loans are amortizing over typically [--] years. For an SME to realize value cover the interest rate and take money out of the business that fast is hard" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1732645177271931391) 2023-12-07T06:16Z [----] followers, [---] engagements "I am reading the back-and-forth on URA-Comedy Club between my friends @TonyNatif and @idringp and it reminds me of the famous quote from the late Finance minister of Quebec Bernard Landry. I am paraphrasing but he was basically saying: "A small business that pays taxes in Quebec should probably fire their accountant". Don't get him wrong he was not encouraging tax payers to play games with their accountant (it is quite common in Uganda sadly). He was referring to the plethora of incentives available for small businesses. SMEs are the lifeblood of growing economies. The ROI of a thirving SME" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1734157568631586923) 2023-12-11T10:25Z [----] followers, 34.9K engagements "Going to COP28 under the Ugandan delegation was both overwhelming and eye opening. It was the first time I was at an event where the world converged. For @SPOUTS International the company I represented it helped us reinforce our relationship with partners meet stakeholders of the countries we operate in and build new relationships. Here are [--] pieces of feedback we consistently received: Oh so you guys are actually based in Uganda. This has been part of our DNA since our chicken coop days. We make it a point to be fully entrenched in the communities we work with. Even the expatriates on our" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1734839752958894478) 2023-12-13T07:36Z [----] followers, 11.1K engagements "$5bn went to digitize retail. I keep getting annoyed reading this stat because most of the solutions described hardly beat a mix of Whatsapp Instagram a trusted boda guy an excel sheet and Mobile money. You can play around the permutations but is that it Meanwhile you have companies like Hers Uganda Natna Hair @ModernLivingEA and Double Dees building actual "retail / ecommerce businesses" with very limited funding. I am willing to bet that they grow organically at a faster rate than the vast majority of the businesses quoted. Organically being the key word here. I can only imagine how far" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1735335649316606262) 2023-12-14T16:27Z [----] followers, 11.9K engagements "The tech ecosystem needs more thriving traditional businesses. The traiditional businesses leveraging tech can probably also become unicorn . Otherwise Quickbooks. I would pay a lot for a POS with very slick hardware (say like Square that accepts UGX). I guess our willingness to adopt and pay for tech on the POS side is that scale is the biggest driver to digitization. Underfunded Dukas and mom & pop shops are very unlikely to spend anything on tech solutions. You probably have to give them money or big discounts. The tech ecosystem needs more thriving traditional businesses" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1735341061571051710) 2023-12-14T16:48Z [----] followers, [---] engagements "@Jasielinvests Does that mean you would invest in a fast-growth women-lead traditional business with high potential" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1735517010597986491) 2023-12-15T04:27Z [----] followers, [--] engagements "Time to back some boring businesses I have been posting for all of last year about the need for early-stage funders to start backing fast-growing traditional businesses. It doesnt matter if you are building a fintech or a new grocery store concept. A Startup is growth. I feel like the time has come for me to go beyond the talk and start putting money where my mouth and keyboard is. I have teamed up with @TonyNatif on this. If you are a traditional business with clear evidence of product market fit please reach-out. Tell us your story. Do you have a queue at your restaurant every day Are your" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1735581685066924205) 2023-12-15T08:44Z [----] followers, 87.1K engagements "@MakmotVictor If you know you know haha" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1736988779645137259) 2023-12-19T05:56Z [----] followers, [---] engagements "What about we streamline the process for communities to fix their own roads as citizen initiatives. The steps in a nutshell: - Get the budget and scope approved by KCCA or whatever the designated body. Work with only vetted companies not your neighborhood bricklayer. - Fundraise until you have secured all the funds. The designated body to only allow you to fix the road until all funds are secured. We don't want half fixed or botched roads. Some strategic roads would be excluded for obvious reasons. - People that chip in can use their contribution to offset their income tax or rental income." [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1737837650344857888) 2023-12-21T14:09Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "The secular and the macro story. It's easy to get carried away by headlines especially when they are negative. This year Uganda received its fair share of negative headlinesfrom potholes to mabaati to anti-homosexuality laws to terror threats to embassies closing to "people are broke." I don't have a specific view on the impact of headlines. Some of them are worrisome and have started to trickle down to us business people. While I think the general sentiment is negative that's not the point of this post. What I have been chewing on is "how to navigate the noise." How to stay sane and focus on" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1738107883923861920) 2023-12-22T08:03Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "5. General slowdown in VC funding which means less firms from Kenya Nigeria or other African countries looking to expand into UG. When folks are doing downrounds fire sales and so on in their core market Uganda ends up falling down the priority list. That's my best guess if I were to add something to your list I wonder how material it was or has been. [--]. Climate is the new Tech I would say that this is a tailwind if tech / commercial lawyers can adjust their expertise. A lot of climate startups are popping up and they need advice (regulatory fundraise carbon credit policies land regulation" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1738253727847313911) 2023-12-22T17:42Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "@GillVerd @ChatGPT @perplexity_ai @grok Before Quantum Physics Verdon was a very effective offensive lineman and call-of-duty player. Cheers Very exciting stuff you are doing sir" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1743894884250206496) 2024-01-07T07:18Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "President Museveni has been quite clear on point #3 over the years: "Regional integration because we need a bigger market which is crucial." I totally agree that this should be a priority. Here are [--] ideas as someone who worked on projects in [--] African countries this year. I tried to focus on the micro strategies and remain super practical. While I think reducing trade barriers clearer regulations and better infrastructure are all needed the hill to climb is much steeper. So kindly see those humble suggestions as the day-to-day entrepreneur perspective: Regional expansion masterclass:" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1745353693992566784) 2024-01-11T07:55Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "Can we do a parade on Zoom and use the money for roads We spent all of COVID on Zoom so might as well remember those days that way. KCCA seeks Shs600m to arrange covid remembrance parade. #uganda https://t.co/AfD6cipeiH KCCA seeks Shs600m to arrange covid remembrance parade. #uganda https://t.co/AfD6cipeiH" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1745394883886530622) 2024-01-11T10:39Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "I am going to take a step further from the post of @MarkRuhindi and the responses from @TonyNatif. If we were to organize a grassroots conference for SMEs which topic and which speakers would you like to cover" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1747239841450930422) 2024-01-16T12:50Z [----] followers, 12.4K engagements "@nikita_helene @AlexHormozi I listened to the launch and I wasn't sure. Knowing how acute your B/S meter is @nikita_helene it is quite encouraging and I will add it to my list" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1747596003757187084) 2024-01-17T12:25Z [----] followers, [---] engagements "Mama Zaabu is making moves :) @ModernLivingEA is taking steps to expand all across East Africa. To all my dear followers & friends I rarely ask for favors but if you could help me make this post reach as many people in Nairobi as possible I would be forever grateful. When they say #bubu it also means contributing to build a Pan-African brand. Nairobi people should we come to your city and provide interior design consultations Many of you have reached out already. We want to expand to Nairobi this year and this would be a great start. We are working through the logistics of shipping our" [X Link](https://x.com/anyuser/status/1748634235508777433) 2024-01-20T09:11Z [--] followers, [----] engagements "This graph that I came across a few years ago highlights the greatest opportunity and greatest threat to the Ugandan economy. We need less Scams and more jobs in a nutshell" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1749296561291514010) 2024-01-22T05:02Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "I do want to add that there are still a lot of problems solvable with tech so this is not a tech pessimist post: - Importing from consolidated containers is an opaque mess. There got to be a better way. It is also very limited (Turkey to UG is inconsistent. India and Egypt as well.). The process relies heavily on trust and WhatsApp. - Paying suppliers in China without having access to Alipay or wechat pay is a mess. Its the one missing payment integration. - CRM to WhatsApp is still giving me headaches. My DM are open if anyone wants a Guinea pig to try solutions" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1750244682653659238) 2024-01-24T19:50Z [----] followers, [---] engagements "Based on my experience in Uganda African markets probably have the strongest viral potential in the world. I break it down into [--] main reasons and that's why I am incredibly bullish on eCommerce: Almost every single purchase decision is made on a referral & word-of-mouth: "Can you share the contact of your shoe guy" "Let me call John to get the number of his plumber" Whether you are looking for furniture a nanny new clothes commerce relies on word-of-mouth and once something works the word-of-mouth gets going; heavily Reputation becomes an incredible magnet for customers. Cost of reach is" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1751108248696971675) 2024-01-27T05:01Z [----] followers, 13.4K engagements "@marto_sway I can't find a good service provider" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1751123533604827378) 2024-01-27T06:02Z [----] followers, [--] engagements "@marto_sway So a consolidated container is when you can get a CBM in a container shared with other people. Dubai and China have many firms offering that but not Turkey" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1751135378071838780) 2024-01-27T06:49Z [----] followers, [--] engagements "@GoslinoJ I am basing it from how people buy. There is a strong referral component at play (even in Agriculture). There is a reason why farmers want Massey Furgeson tractors from the UK instead of Mahindra. Their main source of information is other farmers (first)" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1751985576922739188) 2024-01-29T15:08Z [----] followers, [--] engagements "I think the message here is that we need a Social District. Organised with infrastructure to maximise the experience of revellers. Kampala's nightlife is the best in the region and we are barely trying. @ponton_alex Relocate the firms on 5th 6th Street and 7th Street to Industrial parks and make it a social district. Employ the people who live there in these facilities and voila you have an ecosystem. Bandali Rise is a residential area. @ponton_alex Relocate the firms on 5th 6th Street and 7th Street to Industrial parks and make it a social district. Employ the people who live there in these" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1752012015470592232) 2024-01-29T16:53Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "@just_norm It's quite a balanced assessment and it unbundles a lot of the propaganda we are fed from both sides" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1752674687451005088) 2024-01-31T12:46Z [----] followers, [---] engagements "Lesotho for example has become a textile hub as a result of AGOA and the fact that they can free-ride the infrastructure of South Africa. There is a whole chapter on how it became part of the strategy of Chinese textile companies which would push less technical work to their Lesotho counterparts while being able to extract better margins (with duty exemptions)" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1752676060825608560) 2024-01-31T12:51Z [----] followers, [---] engagements "Anyone with good recommendations for books on doing business in Africa. I am looking more for practical stories business trends or epic entrepreneur journeys. I am looking for books that will give me more context or change how I think. The book below helped shape how I think about the role of China in Africa's industrialization journey. I am slightly less interested in the usual "Africa is the future" narrative. @just_norm I can but this book is a great read: https://t.co/NytRdYWkEJ @just_norm I can but this book is a great read: https://t.co/NytRdYWkEJ" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1752756164167639300) 2024-01-31T18:10Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "My idea on Bandali Rise went viral. Here is another one. Let's get our own Central Park in Kampala: Let's have the City partner with the Kabaka and transform his ranch near Kyambogo into our version of Central Park in New York. Many major cities have those parks and nature-focused spots. The ranch is [--] hectares (100 acres) so we would have plenty to work with. It would have to be a partnership between the city and the kingdom. Partnership is the keyword but if our leaders were to pull it off it would be amazing: - An oasis of nature (in the city) to walk jog and enjoy. - A place for kids to" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1752972007556231191) 2024-02-01T08:27Z [----] followers, 65.3K engagements "@TonyNatif I will ask my friends Sirak and Milka to add a bottle of Araki from Eritrea to increase your motivation" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1753022784328908939) 2024-02-01T11:49Z [----] followers, [---] engagements "@Comrade_Otoa You better not be a Maple Leafs or Boston Bruins fan" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1753024176636469271) 2024-02-01T11:55Z [----] followers, [---] engagements "@AtambaAntony I apologise. I misread the tone on your response" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1753025048879739363) 2024-02-01T11:58Z [----] followers, [--] engagements "@Comrade_Otoa Here is the beginning of your education as a new @CanadiensMTL fan. Forget Lewis Hamilton Go Habs Go" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1753448742450033058) 2024-02-02T16:02Z [----] followers, [---] engagements "The key takeaway from my suggestion on creating a Central Park for Kampala: "The Potential is High However Trust is Weak" How do we create more trust so that good ideas can make it That's the missing link. @ponton_alex @cpmayiga @AbbyNkaaga @wekesa_amos @KCCAUG @edtabaro etc etc But I guess that would be far fetched unlike the Lubiri. Potential is high However Trust is weak . @ponton_alex @cpmayiga @AbbyNkaaga @wekesa_amos @KCCAUG @edtabaro etc etc But I guess that would be far fetched unlike the Lubiri. Potential is high However Trust is weak " [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1753472508479553939) 2024-02-02T17:36Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "@Dungumichael Where was it" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1754746503619342446) 2024-02-06T05:59Z [----] followers, [--] engagements "@NeemaIyer @NeemaIyer this is awesome Congrats" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1755136994051535227) 2024-02-07T07:50Z [----] followers, [--] engagements "I agree 100%. In the West to get funded you need to: - Build a great business - Be a good corporate citizen Full stop In Africa to get funded you need to: - Build a great business - Be a good corporate citizen - Solve deep societal problems. Can we give African entrepreneurs a break Two things on this: [--]. When you hear people talk about pathways out of poverty in Africa we should all be leaning in even if it doesn't satisfy the do good itch. *ahem* impact investors. [--]. SA is the canary in the coalmine of the impending youth unemployment wave across Africa. Two things on this: [--]. When you hear" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1755842087457636429) 2024-02-09T06:32Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "In leverage finance it's called a Make Whole which is done to compensate the initial lender in the case of a change of control (which triggers early repayment) or a refinancing. It's the upside for sophisticated lenders if you will. I get it if it's an LBO or a Private Equity Buyout but we are talking of microfinance customers (carpenters mama Shakira at the market John the boda guy etc) I wonder if those rules are not used to cover or make up for dubious activities at the branch. Not cool Pride Microfinance Loan Sharks. They are liable to comply with that directive by UBA. They abuse these" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1756073393240072602) 2024-02-09T21:51Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "@TonyNatif Forgive my ignorance but is there a public library where we can get those gems" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1756716684268753259) 2024-02-11T16:27Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "I hope not. I hope it will be heavily diversified like this with a few tech names. I also hope there will be a generational shift with younger folks dominating the list. Many "industries are only 1% built in Africa" to paraphrase you guys. This applies to tech and non-tech. In [--] years half of this list will be African tech founders. https://t.co/NJy5joblgk In [--] years half of this list will be African tech founders. https://t.co/NJy5joblgk" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1757038946708509060) 2024-02-12T13:48Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "Make Kampala the remote work capital of the world. I listened to an old episode of @TheFlipAfrica earlier today. It was part of their series on the future of work and how remote work plays into it for Africa. If I were in charge of attracting investors to Uganda I would unroll the red carpets for those firms and agencies hiring talent for international outsourcing (BPO). I am talking of @Andela @Era92Media @GrowthAssistant and others. I would ask them point blank: What do you need to set up shop here If it takes a dedicated BPO hub in an industrial park with Starlink internet; it's probably" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1757361669498372481) 2024-02-13T11:10Z [----] followers, 20.3K engagements "@MichaelDDavisJr @UmemeLtd Those things are all fixable. Let's get industrial power a backup generator and let's invest in Starlink or dedicated fiber whatever can do the trick. It takes coordination investment and enablement from our policymakers" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1757368474790252773) 2024-02-13T11:37Z [----] followers, [---] engagements "@solomonking Spyda MC is great. Some other folks like Blessed Sand and Swordsman Kitala had a lot of potential back in the days" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1758518102008946816) 2024-02-16T15:46Z [----] followers, [---] engagements "When they are white we call it foreign direct investment. When they are African we despise them. The Eritrean community invests heavily and sticks together. They support each others businesses invest in each other and employ other members of the community. To whoever wrote this before you let your xenophobia spill all over your keyboard when was the last time you bought a Ugandan product When was the last time you invested in a fellow Ugandans business Eritreans are busy doing that and thriving while you are busy being an anonymous fool Concerns on Foreigners in GABA Kansanga Kabalagala" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1758713762121445762) 2024-02-17T04:43Z [----] followers, 77.6K engagements "Who says they don't respect the law What are the gaps in the "regulation of immigrants and refugees" you mention Perhaps I am missing something so kindly point me to something specific. Muyenga folks complain about the fact that their bars make noise late in the night. The same can be said about Ugandan-owned bars in Kibuye Accacia Avenue or Bandali Rise. What is the issue here really" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1758751870636425305) 2024-02-17T07:14Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "@ebashie In my home country xenophobic people blame immigrants & minorities for drugs and other societal problems because they are the easy target. It's easier to do that than to address the core of the issue. I guess this is not so different" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1758755701323694243) 2024-02-17T07:30Z [----] followers, [--] engagements "Honestly if you can find reliable boda guys (not a given) that will remit the funds consistently it is not a bad business. It's a yield of 5% per month. It crushes the government bonds. It excludes maintenance spare parts and management (which I don't know who covers in this example) but you don't need to build a website an app or do anything complicated to generate cash flow. To be honest if I was unemployed I'd probably look into that. Perhaps start as a boda guy and scale that way. Having a website that generates quality and monetizable content is arguably harder with significantly less" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1759884920397148543) 2024-02-20T10:17Z [----] followers, [--] engagements "The rich are underserved in East Africa. Yes I said it There are around 15000-dollar millionaires in East Africa. Those include the very rich (i.e. Sudhir) and I suspect this number excludes all the folks who have perfected the art of hiding their money. Our Kikuubo entrepreneurs are good at this. I'd argue that we are looking at a much larger number. Add to this the aspirational rich segment between $50k and $1M and you are looking at a sizable market. Yes with $50k of wealth in Kampala or income you can ball. Based on Forbes if you add up the private wealth of High-Net-Worth Individuals" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1759889273019326702) 2024-02-20T10:34Z [----] followers, 128K engagements "@Jalmatek Start a company that meets their needs is a first step. Building an ecosystem that supports you as an entrepreneur regardless of if your clients are smallholder farmers or Subaru drivers. As long as you are a good corporate citizen" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1759895046344642741) 2024-02-20T10:57Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "@cynthiechoco @NatnaHair @ModernLivingEA @ModernLivingEA was started with 7M. Hers Uganda (who dressed the new Queen of Busoga) started in a small shop at MM Plaza" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1759986909147734316) 2024-02-20T17:02Z [----] followers, [--] engagements "@shima_charles Rwanda was definitely part of my thinking. Tickets for the Kendrick Lamar show in Kigali were definitely catering to the higher-end. My examples were more UG specific as I have been based there (originally from Montreal) for almost [--] years" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1760298319912296925) 2024-02-21T13:39Z [----] followers, [---] engagements "When I was working on my previous agritech startup we took the bus to Nairobi overnight. We were broke trying to secure a lifeline to continue going at it longer. All the investors wanted to meet in posh cafs like ArtCaff Cafesserie and so on. We would spend our days there meeting people. To save money we would take turns going outside to buy Smokeys and boiled eggs. Despite the Smokeys we didn't raise. Beside keeping you humble stories like this shape your perspective on the type of businesses you want to build. It makes you understand better what level you need to reach before engaging" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1763519346125537766) 2024-03-01T10:59Z [----] followers, 11.5K engagements "Hey @BasedBeffJezos I'd love to hear your thoughts on how the acceleration movement and the AI revolution will affect the global South. In Uganda where I am based we have massive inflows of young people entering the labor force. Will and most importantly how will tech acceleration work for them. The greatest time to be building AI chips. The greatest time to be building AI chips" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1763824657965199686) 2024-03-02T07:12Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "Who in Uganda could afford to pay Rihana $9m to perform at their daughter's kwanjula Wrong answers only. #bigquestionssunday" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1764288877538181255) 2024-03-03T13:57Z [----] followers, 13.2K engagements "@SCKagaba Cameroon has entered the chat" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1764346238378360954) 2024-03-03T17:44Z [----] followers, [---] engagements "#ParliamentExhibition - I couldn't resist adding my 2cent My mum used to be the Head of Legal at the public transport company in Montreal. Think Subway and buses for one of the largest city in Canada. They had an annual budget in the billions of dollars. She would fly economy and sleep in [--] star Hotels. She would put expenses on her company credit card and provide receipts. She had clear guidelines on meals and what she could expense. Some folks in the public sector in Canada got fired because they expensed chewing gum. I worked for the largest pension fund in Canada. We would fly business" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1765643475125424511) 2024-03-07T07:39Z [----] followers, 56.6K engagements "@SSemstine I mean I'm not acusing anyone. I am sharing best practices I have seen" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1765679435171172675) 2024-03-07T10:02Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "I am going to China next week for a furniture expo. I will be visiting factories and major markets sourcing for hardware accessories and machines. I will be posting the play by play while I'm there. Please send your questions below if you want to learn more about China sourcing. I will do my best to answer all of them 3" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1767072877390495882) 2024-03-11T06:19Z [----] followers, 14.6K engagements "@UgRazor Not a policy expert but from my little reading: - Become the factory to the world - Let the internal market which is massive develop. The Chinese consumer is now a force - Absorb the production locally as wages grow and the export competitiveness reduces" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1767075129693982975) 2024-03-11T06:28Z [----] followers, [---] engagements "@mishi254 @KakandeAlex Yet CJs Meza and Yummies are doing quite well. Could it be that Kenyan businesses take a simplistic approach of applying the model that works in Nairobi without considering local nuances" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1767633841882058818) 2024-03-12T19:28Z [----] followers, [--] engagements "I don't think Planet Yoghurt failed because of the lack rich people. Alternatives are better location was meh product wasn't that great for the price etc. What works in Nairobi doesn't always work in KLA and vice versa. No one is denying the Kenyan market is bigger and richer but to underestimate the rich of Uganda is also wrong. It all depends on definitions but folks with $20k available to spend are many. The 20k is arbitrary but it's still roughly 20x the GDP per capita. It's your job as an entrepreneur to have them spend on your product or service. Going mass market is a rookie mistake" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1767637056753185100) 2024-03-12T19:41Z [----] followers, [---] engagements "When Actis was developing their first mall in Kenya (20 years ago) they had no good data on consumption and spending power. Their big question was "do households in the mall catchment area have enough spending power". You can't look at tax returns or statistical data. They hired a chopper and used the number of DSTV dish as a proxy. "If they can afford DSTV they probably have enough spending power to shop at our mall" It ended up being a hit. That's why I use proxies like the number of harriers or kids at international schools in my market sizing. It leads to very interesting thought" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1767865637806776499) 2024-03-13T10:49Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "100% agree. The only nuance I'd add is that most VC-backed companies won't reach 100x returns so having a sector thesis about what can reach VC returns vs. not is almost useless. You are trying to pick probabilistic impossibilities so VCs should focus on whether or not the team and insight are special. Couche Tard built a $55bn+ convenience store empire. It took them [--] years+ but once again imagine if they had access to VC Capital instead of bootstrapping with bank loans. They revolutionized the most boring business there is. Liquid Death is bottled water with good marketing. Prime is sugar" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1771542041778147477) 2024-03-23T14:18Z [----] followers, 45.4K engagements "Yeaaass A few observations from spending time in China for the last week 1) The coffee culture is growing. Chinese chains are booming they are creative tailored to their market and they embrace good coffee. The Chinese coffee story goes beyond Starbucks and McCaf 2) Nestcafe is still dominant in hotels. Call it an outrage or an opportunity. 3) A Ugandan company or consortium capitalising on [--] and [--] would do extremely well. In a new and growing market (which I think China still is for coffee) Uganda has a unique opportunity to position itself for success. We need to think of our coffee as a" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1771945741499634002) 2024-03-24T17:02Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "China Trade Fair Diary #3 - The Bentley robots and other stories Story #1: Bentley and Kikomando I went to visit a factory in Foshan. The place was massive. B n.On our way out I see a brand new Bentley. The type of Bentley that makes the Rich Gang look like the Kikomando Gang. - The Bentley in front is it for the boss - No actually the boss drives a Ferrari hahaha More reasons to invest seriously in manufacturing. Story #2: R2D2 from Star Wars is doing Kyeyo in China. I love R2D2 from Star Wars. That little robot was always a few inches away from getting crushed. Yet he would always make it" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1772102402382102610) 2024-03-25T03:25Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "Instead of debating homes vs bonds why not talk of Side Hustles that cash flow as well. Consulting AirBnB supplies business coffee farming etc I have seen a lot of successful chaps deploy their capital in such. Also what happened to being able to buy share in US companies through companies like Chipper It provides a much better diversification component. Reading UG twitter makes it sound like homes and bonds are the only options. Last point: The UG bonds look juicy but the biggest issue is inflation / currency depreciation. Investors sill buy homes in Zimbabwe in USD while local currency" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1772889077358244248) 2024-03-27T07:31Z [----] followers, 32.6K engagements "I think Milton Friedman summarized my take very well: "There is no such thing as a free lunch". If you are getting a yield of 15%+ on a bond in any company or country you are taking sizable risks. There might be an arbitrage opportunity (i.e. the market overshoots in fear when looking at Uganda which is reflected in attractive pricing) but getting excited because of a juicy yield is dangerous. Latam Debt crisis recent defaults in Zambia Ghana and Ethiopia etc. This is not riskless. Forget the yield and build a view on the fiscal discipline of Uganda and the currency devaluation. Then let's" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1772926302984499512) 2024-03-27T09:59Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "I don't think that's what your saying but the low interest borrowing is really only part of the story. Eritreans for example operate in a high trust community among themselves. "All Eritreans end up in Uganda (or outside Eritrea) because of someone who helped them" That's the starting point. From there they work in each others business they lend to each other invest and buy from each other. My Eritrean friend was telling that money needs to circulate [--] times within the community before getting out. Also they don't tend to rely on courts for conflicts. They have their own informal community" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1773651336979980506) 2024-03-29T10:00Z [----] followers, 13.5K engagements "@HonAniteEvelyn @mofpedU @ugandainvest @Rwakakamba @mukiza_robert Next stepa visit to the @ModernLivingEA showroom. Folks shouldn't travel to China for furniture. All the items are proudly made in Uganda" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1775611231103074634) 2024-04-03T19:48Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "There is nothing special about Ugandan Coffee. Hopefully my friend @rkabushenga hasn't choked on his coffee while reading this. Please allow me to explain. What's special about Ugandan coffee Is it high-end Is it from the source Is it of good quality Is it affordable Is it the farmers Is it the gorillas the Nile the matooke Is it the cultural institutions that depend on it for ceremonies What's the deal What's special The same can be said about coffee from Kenya or Guatemala. What's so special about it outside of the connoisseur circles I am not a coffee expert but I drink coffee daily." [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1776127125780636032) 2024-04-05T05:58Z [----] followers, 123.9K engagements "@nikita_helene I actually think it's an amazing opportunity of marketing if we can position Ugandan coffee in the mass market as a special coffee. Imagine if it became "a thing" to specifically ask for coffee from Uganda" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1776154706147995898) 2024-04-05T07:47Z [----] followers, [---] engagements "I don't think it matters that investments are lazy or active. What's the opposite of Lazy in this context I do agree with @wekesa_amos though. I think we are overly focused on the contractual return and not enough on the risks when looking at government bonds. We have a parliament exhibition highlighting the excesses of MPs. What does it say about the fiscal discipline required to pay those bonds back We have elections in [--] years a donor community turning its back to Uganda no central bank governor an international slowdown rising rates globally insecurity episodes and so on. This is not to" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1777566414431240201) 2024-04-09T05:17Z [----] followers, 11.9K engagements "That's exactly it. Diversification is the biggest low-hanging fruit when investing. The volatility of your portfolio reduces the more you add uncorrelated assets. I think that a mix of bonds to cover local costs a business that cash flows and international stocks for example when bundled together are great" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1777572683913351583) 2024-04-09T05:42Z [----] followers, [---] engagements "@em_credit_fund what is your take on Ugandan bonds The currency has been stable over the last 5-10 years (in comparison) and macro metrics are also fairing well. There is the oil and gas tailwind which should help the fiscal position of Uganda over time. The 10yr is at 16%. Obviously that's just the "upside case"" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1777662695505842361) 2024-04-09T11:39Z [----] followers, [---] engagements "Last-mile delivery is hard to manage at scale. I have carried TV stands on a boda boda. I would obviously struggle to build a business solely focused on that. It's a commodity with many alternatives and low barriers to entry. When you are a small business it's hard to beat Ali the trusted boda guy. There is something to be said about having the delivery margins (or the lack of it) and the product margins as a bundle. Think of a store offering same-day delivery. This setup is more likely to win. I have my doubts about same-day delivery as a business especially with bad infrastructure poor GPS" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1777700878373282249) 2024-04-09T14:11Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "Can we talk about bank charges finally. UGX [---] to generate a PDF of your bank statements with online banking This is a 99% margin service. Meanwhile you tell stakeholders that you promote financial inclusion" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1777749908998508558) 2024-04-09T17:26Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "@TheMatundaMan @solomonking @StanChartUGA @CentenaryBank And they pride themselves on Financial Inclusion. It's a shame. I wonder if it would pass the reasonable / cautionable test in court to be honest" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1777913615636431353) 2024-04-10T04:16Z [----] followers, [---] engagements "To add a few other benefits to this idea: - Help SMEs build a better credit profile for commercial banks. The thugs and thieves will steal but the genuine owners with a long-term vision will strongly benefit. - The benefits go beyond compliance. There might be short-term costs but in the long-term you have effectively found a way to reduce the due diligence costs for funding. Perhaps the bank will pick a leaf. You have also injected friendly capital to tax paying SMEs. When they grow everybody wins. In the long-term I'm willing to bet that the ROI will far outweigh the defaulters. - You" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1778313877316341866) 2024-04-11T06:47Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "@KakandeAlex @charlesgava_256 @KakandeAlex I'm offended that you didn't reach out to me my friend 😂 Nevertheless this looks like a great lineup :)" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1778424440956531105) 2024-04-11T14:06Z [----] followers, [---] engagements "@kasujja Kampala to Bamako is faster through Paris I confirm because I checked. I mean flying to Goma requires flying to Addis so this is that" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1780615548834894061) 2024-04-17T15:13Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "Mr. President it's time we make East Africa a supermarket for Ugandan products. There is no showroom of @ModernLivingEA in Kigali or Juba. Yet most of the furniture in Kigali Nairobi Bujumbura and Juba is sub-par in comparison despite the growing wealth. We are even getting inquiries from those countries weekly. I am talking about furniture because this is what I know but this is a systemic issue. Hotels in the region still sell Nescaf. Our sunflower cake is loaded onto trucks headed to Kenya where it is transformed into animal feed and then resold to Ugandan farmers at a premium. While CJs" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1782334198079996221) 2024-04-22T09:02Z [----] followers, 22.5K engagements "@StKyamutetera @ModernLivingEA @TonyNatif @Kamu1267 @AyotaPatrick It's all a virtuous cycle. More successful SMEs mean stronger value and over time stronger capital markets" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1782357147721851227) 2024-04-22T10:33Z [----] followers, [---] engagements "My Wish on My Birthday I conducted an investment readiness training in Zambia close to a year ago. It was my first one. After four days of training it culminated in a pitch day in front of investors. The Zambian entrepreneurs there reminded me a lot of the folks I engage with in Ugandadriven but laid back and extremely welcoming. I've posted a few times about how it's such a missed opportunity that traveling to Zambia from Uganda takes around 10+ hours and costs close to $1000 (a topic for another discussion). On the day of pitching I was stressed for my people. Would they perform Were they" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1783392200002322464) 2024-04-25T07:06Z [----] followers, 12K engagements "People might be putting the pieces together as to what I am cooking based on my Twitter questions but which business personality would you like to see live for a talk in Uganda Answer in comments Let's say anyone below the category of @Beyonce and @elonmusk is fair game" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1784601215382262041) 2024-04-28T15:11Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "@MwagaleBettie @Beyonce @elonmusk That would be amazing" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1784859737072304379) 2024-04-29T08:18Z [----] followers, [--] engagements "You look at the results of this poll (majority marketplace and pay-per-use) so far and you wonder if African Entrepreneurs have given up on selling to enterprises. Excluding banking solutions like Interswitch I can't name a VC funded traditional SaaS focused on big companies in Africa. Are the majority of our tech startups B2C or B2SMEs Why I get it that Oracle SAP and so on are present in the enterprise space but it doesn't stop the folks from the valley to challenge them. Is it the lack of IT budget even at big institutions Is it an unscalable and unrepeatable procurement process Is it a VC" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1785677367635034195) 2024-05-01T14:27Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "To visit all of East Africa this year I only have Burundi South Sudan and Somalia left on the list. Help me find a reason to go please (consulting project on investment readiness training a conference a talk at an incubator a sponsorship by Uganda Airline :D) PS: I would love to meet entrepreneurs in those countries (that's the first step so please reach out)" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1785952305478619217) 2024-05-02T08:39Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "That applies to a lot beyond stocks if you ask me Level [--] - Stocks are tickers that go up & down Level [--] - Stocks represent a partial ownership in a business Level [--] - Stocks are speculative instruments loosely tied to the value of the business To be great you have to look past the fundamentals and into the psychology & Level [--] - Stocks are tickers that go up & down Level [--] - Stocks represent a partial ownership in a business Level [--] - Stocks are speculative instruments loosely tied to the value of the business To be great you have to look past the fundamentals and into the psychology &" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1786249805104099531) 2024-05-03T04:21Z [----] followers, [---] engagements "I have been in Goma for the past week. Today is the last day of my quest to see the gems of Congo It's the first time I've been told to "stay in the hotel and limit my movements" for a project. I followed this advice except for some pre-approved errands from the hotel to the client and back. The view of Lake Kivu is unbelievable and I feel nostalgic as I pack. The people were great and the food was rich but I felt confined. I indulged in some "escargot beurre l'ail" that reminded me of home to pass time but that only goes so far. Speaking French for five consecutive days was refreshing. Sorry" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1786698049554673725) 2024-05-04T10:03Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "I know that right now is probably not the right time with the security issues in Goma but it still blows my mind that we don't have a direct flight from Entebbe to Goma. We are talking of a city of 2m+ people. This is especially comical considering the large Congolese population we have in Uganda. Yes yes the Game of Thrones of Congo is tricky I get it. It was cheaper and faster for me to fly to Kigali and drive to the border than taking Ethiopian Airlines (10h+ journey with the layover). Perhaps someone can explain what I am missing. I saw many opportunities for Ugandan businesses to find" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1787406758278746556) 2024-05-06T08:59Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "Can I frame this tweet Agreeing with #HonNsereko. The tax policy of Uganda is weak and taxes are way too high in the context of our economy. If a manufacturer borrows @ 18% + add 30% income tax millions in #UNBS fees import tax on inputs business overheads its near impossible to do business let Agreeing with #HonNsereko. The tax policy of Uganda is weak and taxes are way too high in the context of our economy. If a manufacturer borrows @ 18% + add 30% income tax millions in #UNBS fees import tax on inputs business overheads its near impossible to do business let" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1788089259640901781) 2024-05-08T06:11Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "If I may Ugandan banks are extremely profitable: Step 1: they charge depositors fees left right and center they then Step 2: Lend to government at 16% Step 3: Get grants or government funding to lend to strategic sectors (SMEs youth agriculture etc) which they use instead to lend to government. Add to this the very interesting fact that most bond offers are massively oversubscribed and despite that the rates are not moving. @TonyNatif @TonyNatif the high base rate is because Uganda is a very lucrative place for banking so @TonyNatif @TonyNatif the high base rate is because Uganda is a very" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1788608493055779181) 2024-05-09T16:34Z [----] followers, 22.1K engagements "@KakandeAlex It's multi-faceted. Fiscal discipline broadening the tax base getting more players in the capital markets more consumer protection etc" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1788612619986772218) 2024-05-09T16:50Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "Serve the middle class and above is still the conclusion for me. From the graph below the middle upper-middle and rich class have the same spending power as the poor in aggregate for 5% of the population. They have more disposable income and can afford to test things and play with innovation. There is a reason why the bottom of the pyramid is a low trust market. It's often a matter of going hungry or not. The bottom of the pyramid is distorted with NGOs and "free things" has very little spending power (despite big numbers) and is extremely price sensitive. At the end of the day the number of" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1791047064979132724) 2024-05-16T10:04Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "@sweatystartup Is buying Shepherd a "5 years in [--] months" situation or since you have been through the acquisition rodeo multiple times its more like business as usual" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1791145839953359073) 2024-05-16T16:37Z [----] followers, [---] engagements "@tmukogo I would say it's the same for Uganda. The volume is marginal at best except for IPOs and mergers/special situations" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1792255960892756298) 2024-05-19T18:08Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "@TonyNatif I confirm. This had made discussions with investors increasingly difficult" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1792775369319121197) 2024-05-21T04:32Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "If anyone ever wants to learn more about Zambia and Southern Africa @IBaseden and her team @AgovaSV are legit Happy to make an intro Very excited to be leading a roundtable discussion at ICA Zambia [----] on how agri-MSMEs are trying tackle and adapt to the climate change challenge in Zambia. come and share your views #ICA2024 #MSMEs #climateresilience #innovations https://t.co/619gCuMWcF Very excited to be leading a roundtable discussion at ICA Zambia [----] on how agri-MSMEs are trying tackle and adapt to the climate change challenge in Zambia. come and share your views #ICA2024 #MSMEs" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1793617289998393483) 2024-05-23T12:17Z [----] followers, [---] engagements "9 years ago I was boarding a plane to Uganda for the first time. I left my big finance job in Toronto to join a small impact fund as a fellow. I wanted to be "close to the action" and learn how it was to invest and do business in a totally different context. It was supposed to be a [--] year committment. Life can take you in all directions and [--] years later I am still around. Here are some raw thoughts and learnings from this journey: Jump in the train when it passes: The MD of the investment fund I was joining left to start Pizza Hutt in Uganda the week before I arrived. Luckily I learned that" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1793856950632890702) 2024-05-24T04:09Z [----] followers, 43.7K engagements "I would lie if I told you I don't ask myself those questions every now and then. My friends are now MDs at investment funds and make multiples of what I make in a year. When I scroll down Linkedin I sometimes have a pinch: "oh wow she reached this level and we were university buddies; what am I doing" I am happy though and I am excited about the projects I am working on. I am excited about what I have managed to build so far; the businesses the community the friendships. I am excited about my family which I am co-building here. Zaabu and Mama Zaabu are true rockstars I am excited about the" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1794203935487525109) 2024-05-25T03:08Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "We didn't do eCommerce in Africa. We built rails and marketplaces that tried to compete with permutations of Instagram Tik Tok WhatsApp and a boda delivery guy. They failed. The eCommerce that will succeed and is already succeeding is the one that uses localised content and products to reach the burgeoning middle and rich class. eCommerce in Africa is not an automation efficiency chasing Amazon knock-off play. The eCommerce that works is high quality well branded products with tailored storytelling leveraging existing channels like Instagram X Tik tok and WhatsApp. Less tech based and more" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1796178553999958427) 2024-05-30T13:55Z [----] followers, 252.1K engagements "@manomano256 That's the point. Folks built eCommerce platforms that sold sub-par products. The play is in building and selling great products not the "convenience" or the "digitization" or the "embedded fintech". GOOD PRODUCTS & SERVICES Africa deserves better" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1796183438392717627) 2024-05-30T14:14Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "For most SMEs (less than $1M turnover) we probably don't. Whatever duct-tapped solution they use works well enough because their scale doesn't justify anything fancy. There are some interesting niche cases though. @afrigility is interesting as it allows you to expand in Kenya without the need to setup or invest in any logistics. I might use them for @ModernLivingEA when we expand to Kenya" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1796392112579092702) 2024-05-31T04:03Z [----] followers, [---] engagements "I agree. I have been critical of that model for a while and it's a bit the essence of my original post. My point on logistics is that it doesn't play to the strength of how things are in the region. That being said from what I heard African Queens is a 10m+ turnover distribution business and they haven't raised 1/100 of the funding of Wasoko. Boring wins" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1796412157829005522) 2024-05-31T05:23Z [----] followers, [--] engagements "@danbabbles @ablevenec I would use that" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1796586777161212257) 2024-05-31T16:57Z [----] followers, [--] engagements "Uganda Zambia same problems. Banks need to get serious Meanwhile we celebrate record profits for banks in #Zambia but ask SMEs what they borrow at - and realistically ask yourself if they will survive the load shedding impact of devaluation of currency on raws high fuel/distribution costs & inflation (consumer pressure) 🤷🏽♀ Meanwhile we celebrate record profits for banks in #Zambia but ask SMEs what they borrow at - and realistically ask yourself if they will survive the load shedding impact of devaluation of currency on raws high fuel/distribution costs & inflation (consumer pressure) 🤷🏽♀" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1797220066099859850) 2024-06-02T10:53Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "The most sucessful entrepreneur in Uganda was nicknamed Mukwano which means "friendship" or "my friend". It's quite telling if you ask me. Uganda like many other countries is small especially the business community. I keep joking to people that you are always [--] to [--] people away from meeting the President if you wanted to. Even your security guard might be related or friend with a general. While the US are much litigious Uganda is all about friendship and "who you know". Americans will "sue you" Ugandans will "meet and discuss". Americans get frustrated because they have a view of "how things" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1798580923664834975) 2024-06-06T05:01Z [----] followers, 18.4K engagements "@asemota I also wrote this wondering how it applied to other countries. I have a very strong hunch that it is very similar in Malawi and Zambia for example" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1798621229181730844) 2024-06-06T07:41Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "@asemota I'm not following. Is it worth reading I'm looking for books" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1798630316514619726) 2024-06-06T08:17Z [----] followers, [--] engagements "I have been to Rwanda Kenya and DRC (Goma) in the last [--] months. How many Ugandan brands did I see there Less than the fingers on my right hand. For the record I still have [--]. Ugandans entrepreneurs I meet often are affraid of expanding to neighbouring countries out of ignorance bad experience (often from acquintances) and the fact that they feel like they have to do everything alone. So if we are serious: - Where is the funding to open showrooms in Nairobi - Where is the training on the East African Quality Standards - Where are the workshops to figure out the logistics of opening a company" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1798984782497386648) 2024-06-07T07:46Z [----] followers, 46.8K engagements "@seempaq In Africa go niche first and then mass market only if you need to. WhatsApp and Instagram beats everything else. Quality and storytelling still wins" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1799052764661825822) 2024-06-07T12:16Z [----] followers, [--] engagements "@myleauk @paceidug @psfued Egg Like the one for rolex" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1799082275348631671) 2024-06-07T14:13Z [----] followers, [---] engagements "Nairobi people - I will be in your town in around [--] days. I would be keen to meet. Send me a DM. Also in the comments what are some of the coolest events I should attend I am talking entrepreneur meetups random cool events (culture musicetc.) product launch etc" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1799676732531699994) 2024-06-09T05:35Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "@CedricNdilima @TonyNatif Borrowing in USD also assumes the FX is going to hold or you have pricing power to hedge through revenue increase if the USD goes against you. Frankly we need some base rate reduction if we are to go anywhere. Latam in the 2000s is an interesting case in point" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1799701792915402771) 2024-06-09T07:15Z [----] followers, [---] engagements "Smokies with kachumbari are better than Rolex. Sorry guys I said it" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1803291963115921620) 2024-06-19T05:01Z [----] followers, 34.1K engagements "Where East Africa unites: Smokies Kamchumbari an egg in a chapati. The new official dish of the East African Community Smokies with kachumbari are better than Rolex. Sorry guys I said it. Smokies with kachumbari are better than Rolex. Sorry guys I said it" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1803654169301065850) 2024-06-20T05:00Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "I think people are really underestimating food from East Africa. Sometimes I dream of the late Anthony Bourdain sitting in a kafunda drinking a cold Nile Special and eating Pork somewhere in Kampala. My post on Smokeys showed how much East Africans love their classics. Don't deport me I come in peace. Here are my thoughts on some of the classics: Smokeys -- This was a surprise the first time I came to Nairobi close to [--] years ago. With kachumbari chilli an optional boiled egg in a chapati a piece of bread or on it's own; it's always refreshing and full of flavor. The mama running a good spot" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1803694679713628433) 2024-06-20T07:41Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "People know @TonyNatif the activist. Let me tell you a story. Hadijja was overworked and overwhelmed trying to hold @ModernLivingEA out of the water. Nothing major just the regular hustles and headaches that come from growing a business on those streets of ours. Growing fast is great but your systems your team and your energy also needs to grow. Otherwise you overpush overstretch and break. Hadijja and I (quite frankly) were close to that breaking point. I had just met Tony and I felt it was a great time for Hadijja to meet him. Hadijja turned up [--] hours late as she was on a string of" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1804110980713967867) 2024-06-21T11:15Z [----] followers, 16.9K engagements "@Spartakussug We need to get serious about Air Quality. We have a crisis in the making if we tolerate that stuff" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1806362512688066943) 2024-06-27T16:22Z [----] followers, [---] engagements "Ils appelent a le Gen Z Protest. a a commenc sur Tik Tok quand le prsident Ruto a essay de passer un Finance Bill (hausse de taxes et autres mesures imposs par le FMI). Les protestataires sont surtout des jeunes. Nairobi la capital tait pas mal shutdown la semaine derniere (mort Parliament en feu tear gas rumeurs de mesures de guerre etc). Le bill a t retir mais les protestations continuent" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1807424216637100199) 2024-06-30T14:41Z [----] followers, [--] engagements "There is nothing special about Ugandan Tourism. Yes I said it again. I might make my friend @wekesa_amos choke on his katogo this morning and perhaps I am mistaken. I come in peace. Yet I am saying it again: if we want our tourism to succeed on the global stage we need to focus on what is truly special about our offering and niche down. Kenya and Tanzania have succeeded in positioning the uniqueness of their tourism offerings on the global scene. The Masai Mara Hakuna Matata the Serengeti and the great migration are part of the vocabulary of most would-be travelers. Rwanda on the other hand" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1808017715103215781) 2024-07-02T05:59Z [----] followers, 93.8K engagements "Kigali or Nairobi People in both Kigali and Nairobi have reached out to @ModernLivingEA asking when we are opening there. Both cities have their pros and cons: Kigali: Smaller but rapidly growing with investor-friendly policies. This likely means more buildings more projects and more investment over time which is great for furniture demand. The cost advantage of producing locally is also significant. Kigali is in a landlocked country surrounded by other landlocked countries. Goma is to Rwanda what South Sudan is to Ugandaan opportunity with potential rewards when it works. On the downside" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1810618588744593716) 2024-07-09T10:14Z [----] followers, 54.8K engagements "@TonyNatif @ModernLivingEA Mama Zaabu is finally back on her feet NBO we are coming 3" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1810680860082933827) 2024-07-09T14:22Z [----] followers, [---] engagements "@asemota This reminds me of me sitting alone at a Pork joint in Lira or eating smokeys sipping on chai in Nairobi starring at traffic in the morning" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1810692013949436130) 2024-07-09T15:06Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "I asked my friend @nahabwe how he would go about expanding to Zambia. I picked Zambia because he's never been there and knows little about it. I'm paraphrasing but his answer has stayed with me: "I would send a few of my guys to live there for a few months. They would eat in the local kafundas go out make friends dance to Zambian music and watch football on plastic chairs. Only when I feel like my people have immersed themselves in the day-to-day culture would I make a move." We often see foreign brands entering Kampala. They cover the city with billboards hire the wrong influencers and use" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1810934556750467292) 2024-07-10T07:10Z [----] followers, 21.2K engagements "My post on expanding to Kenya and Rwanda did well. I promised that if it did I would write about expanding to Kigali or Nairobi for less than $1000. As an investor I often see management teams spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to expand to neighboring countries. A company expanding from Michigan to Missouri in the US doesn't face nearly the same amount of red tape as Ugandan companies looking beyond Uganda's borders. Selling to a Fortune [---] company in California from New York is likely easier than selling to a company in Nairobi from Kampala Yet should it be that expensive Putting a" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1816020606585917588) 2024-07-24T08:00Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "How to never have to raise money: Raising money will make your incubator happy. Your mum might think you have finally made it. You have the swag of being on techcrunch. Yet raising money is not an end goal. Ultimately you should never "have to raise money". So how 1) Respect money: This is key. We have a tendency especially when we are growing fast to think that money can solve problems. Most of the time your expensive hire and your space expansion might only be the symptom. 2) Low to negative cash cycle: If your clients pay you for [--] year upfront or they pay a deposit for a sizable portion" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1817817256170025392) 2024-07-29T06:59Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "@TheMutaD @KiiraMotors And they say there is no middle class in Uganda" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1818527838082945035) 2024-07-31T06:03Z [----] followers, [---] engagements "I got [--] prediction right out of [--]. No South Sudan didn't win against the US. It would have been epic but perhaps for another time. I was right though anticipating an amazing time at a local South Sudanese bar watching the game surrounded by fans. It's called Matien on Kibuli road just beside Dana Hotel. Please go and support them Every time South Sudan had the ball they cheered. "That Lebron James guy he's disorganizing our people" - With a big South Sudanese accent There was about a minute in the first quarter when South Sudan turned red hot. Everything was going in and a for a few minutes" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1818901930262835397) 2024-08-01T06:49Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "What if they used the Square Mile to setup a Youth-focused Industrial Park with all the infrastructure to become a hub for creatives makers and entrepreneurs to thrive I am talking top connectivity access to unique tools and machines etc. That would be truly futuristic. Akon was allocated [--] square mile of land to build Akon City in Uganda in [----]. He is yet to develop the [---] acres of land he was given by the Government for Akon City in Senegal. The Senegalese Government has given him [--] month to start developing it or lose 90% of the land. https://t.co/bGK6k927sf Akon was allocated [--] square" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1820685307735359782) 2024-08-06T04:56Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "@salimo_paul I think at an $83bn market cap Howard did just fine" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1821589057023172863) 2024-08-08T16:47Z [----] followers, [--] engagements "Mr President - Monday really feels like a great day for the first edition of the ChepteiDAY. We can get the stadium and the road named after him later and settle for a public holiday for now. Who is with me Uganda Oyee" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1822147208046657614) 2024-08-10T05:45Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "As a baby born at [--] weeks myself the only thing I can say is: This is Great Uganda please take notes Very interesting elements in Rwandas new maternity leave law: -A woman whose child dies after birth has rights to maternity leave benefits. The employer pays the woman a salary of [--] weeks including eight weeks covered by the Social Security Administration (SSA). -Increases Very interesting elements in Rwandas new maternity leave law: -A woman whose child dies after birth has rights to maternity leave benefits. The employer pays the woman a salary of [--] weeks including eight weeks covered by" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1822347046554144940) 2024-08-10T18:59Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "We need the traders and we need to move beyond the headlines if we want to build our local manufacturing Traders Play a Vital Role: You can't simply walk into a factory in China and purchase a few boxes of hinges. Minimum order quantities (MoQs) often start in the thousands. When I was in China some suppliers wouldn't even give me a business card unless I promised to order at least a container. Traders also handle the logistics of moving goods from downtown to uptown suburbs rural areas and beyond. A factory must conduct a thorough cost-benefit analysis before rolling out a new design. In" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1822938495356125652) 2024-08-12T10:09Z [----] followers, [----] engagements "@UgandaBreweries this would be a fantastic opportunty for your team as part of your CSR projects. @bralirwaplc is already going strong in Rwanda. Our mission goes beyond water; its about changing lives. In partnership with @bralirwaplc weve helped [---] households in Munyiginya Rwanda access clean safe drinking water. Together were creating brighter futuresone filter at a time. 💧#CleanWaterForAll #Partnerships4Good https://t.co/Tjru1mO4E5 Our mission goes beyond water; its about changing lives. In partnership with @bralirwaplc weve helped [---] households in Munyiginya Rwanda access clean safe" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1824007611286475236) 2024-08-15T08:57Z [----] followers, [--] engagements "This is my "Kampala hustler's Guide" for Ugandan Companies Entering the Serbian Market While the article by @Odrek_Rwabwogo provides a theoretical framework here's a more tactical "guerrilla-style" approach to entering the Serbian market: #1 Generate leads: Use an outsourcing platform like Upwork to hire a lead generator. Task them with building a list of all restaurants in Serbia and medium-sized businesses in Belgrade. Why focus on Belgrade As the capital businesses there are more likely to speak English and have the financial capacity for exotic products like Ugandan coffee. With a budget" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1826628362820821182) 2024-08-22T14:31Z [----] followers, 27.5K engagements "@TonyNatif I wish I could say he learned everything from me during his [--] months in Uganda. We had a great time haha" [X Link](https://x.com/ponton_alex/status/1826976983915364584) 2024-08-23T13:37Z [----] followers, [---] engagements Limited data mode. Full metrics available with subscription: lunarcrush.com/pricing
@ponton_alex Alex Ponton
Alex Ponton posts on X about uganda, money, investment, countries the most. They currently have [-------] followers and [---] posts still getting attention that total [------] engagements in the last [--] hours.
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- [--] Month [--] +148%
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Social Influence
Social category influence countries finance travel destinations technology brands social networks currencies celebrities luxury brands stocks fashion brands
Social topic influence uganda #1055, money, investment, countries, zambia, nairobi, inflation, if you, china, kenya
Top accounts mentioned or mentioned by @kakandealex @modernlivingea @tonynatif @pontonalex @ugairlines @nikitahelene @grok @kasujja @wekesaamos @andykristian @stoneatwine @elonmusk @michaelddavisjr @ugandainvest @nahabwe @ianecox @hashim11 @odrekrwabwogo @comradeotoa @mishi254
Top assets mentioned BODA (BODAV2) Alphabet Inc Class A (GOOGL)
Top Social Posts
Top posts by engagements in the last [--] hours
"I officially left my job in finance in Toronto [--] years ago to move to Uganda. Why did you leave Canada to come to Uganda I wanted to see what it was to build and invest in a totally different context. That's it No mission or pretention; just curiosity. The journey took me across most districts of the country. From Lira to Kasese there are entrepreneurs that remember Alex from Canada. Everywhere I went I felt welcomed and was often given a local name. I became Mubiru Ochen Tumusiime and Baluku. I have worked and funded SMEs. I have started a few successful and a few less successful businesses."
X Link 2023-04-25T12:26Z [----] followers, 418.6K engagements
"@Hashim11 Beside the pants (a first for me and he's my neighbor) it summarizes the situation in our region quite well. On one side you have poorly designed financial products. On the other you have misbehaving entrepreneurs. It's like @TonyNatif with pants it just doesn't work"
X Link 2023-06-27T11:37Z [----] followers, [--] engagements
"An an entrepreneur or anyone working in high performance environments you need to find your "winning conditions" a bit like an athlete. How much sleep do you need at a minimum to feel good day-in-day-out How much time off do you need every 3-6 months What about hobbies or social interactions outside of work All those variables need to be assessed and optimized. The main reason I have been not drinking for upward of [--] months is to help me deal better with the ups and down of entrepreneurship. It has helped me a lot even if I was not drinking much to begin with. I sleep better & when "shit hits"
X Link 2023-07-10T08:12Z [----] followers, 11.2K engagements
"I was at the forefront of this story but over the years working with SMEs this is a narrative that is way too common. Ugandan businesses don't have credit cards or lines of credit to stomach delays and stories when payment is due.It's tough"
X Link 2023-07-12T16:27Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"Ordering breakfast from CJs is an entrepreneurship lesson in itself. The attention to details is really out of this world. - All beverages are sealed making it impossible for them to spill. - The delivery person comes with a uniform with a clear name tag - Juices and hot"
X Link 2023-07-30T20:04Z [----] followers, 38.7K engagements
"Some hard lessons from scaling and thinking about capacity: #1 Charge more As entrepreneurs we tend to leave way too much value on the table. I met an entrepreneur the other day. He had just scored a large scale contract for his platform with one of the largest parastatal in the country. Half of his team would have to focus on it. Alex: How big was the contract Friend: $5000. Alex: That's it Is it a nice-to-have or a true pain point Friend: The CFO is super excited about it and he keeps talking about this to the board. We went through the expected value he thinks he would create for them"
X Link 2023-08-08T11:12Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"I posted about this. Going to Zambia (800$) is the price of a trip to dubai with food and [--] nights at the hotel. Don't get me going on how much it costs to send a container either way. To build intra-african trade we need to find a way to reduce the cost of transport"
X Link 2023-08-09T21:51Z [----] followers, 32.2K engagements
"The "capital intensive" story and why no matter what ROI is what matters. It's funny how people will say that traditional businesses are more "capital intensive" and then celebrate the tens of millions of dollars raised by tech startups. Sendy burned through $28M and while it's a tragedy it didn't work out it goes to show that tech oversimplifications can be painful. Mkopa raised $250m. Isn't that the definition of capital intensive Spending $1m per year for [--] engineers in San Francisco is capital intensive. Getting fintech licenses in [--] African countries is capital intensive. Plastering"
X Link 2023-08-10T14:15Z [----] followers, 12.3K engagements
"I have spent the week in Montreal; my hometown. Here are a [--] things my dear Kampala could borrow: - Close a few streets to cars: One night the weather was perfect and instead of taking the subway back home we walked 5km+. This enabled us to experience the variety of [--] neighborhoods. Some major artery were even closed to cars making it easy to wander across shops sit on a terrasse (directly on the street) for a quick break and enjoy being outside with people. When the road is closed you can easily hop from places to places dance in the street and have a drink with your friends. Junior was"
X Link 2023-08-23T09:58Z [----] followers, 21.9K engagements
"@KakandeAlex @RugabaAgaba Actually no it says a Real Risk Free Interest Rate. Emphasis on Real here"
X Link 2023-08-24T20:23Z [----] followers, [--] engagements
"I was reading the story of Treepz who raised 2M+ & bought Ugabus with the mission to improve bus transport. They later pivoted to car rental and it made a big fuss. Fiasco (in the making) What if that funding and those resources went to an operator like Pokopoko with the mission to go regional and then global It's not as sexy as an app but those are the guys that understand their markets and know how to make significant improvements. They don't build tech but they would probably self fund a proprietary app if the issue was big enough. From the article they innovate in how they train drivers"
X Link 2023-08-25T12:37Z [----] followers, 21.1K engagements
"The reality is that the VC model makes sense in the West. Most sectors are heavily consolidated and early-stage capital is available for small business owners at often subsidized rates. Hence to find meteoric growth and 100x returns you need to go to the fringes and look for the next big thing. In Uganda and East Africa sectors are mostly fragmented service delivery is poor and product offering is limited. You can therefore reach scale build a dominant market share and grow super fast in the most boring sectors as long as you execute better you offer unique products your service is more user"
X Link 2023-08-25T21:42Z [----] followers, 11.1K engagements
""Alex you said you are from Uganda right I am from Tunisia. We have been facing the Kampala City football Club a few times. They have good players." The scene was surreal. I was buying fruits with my wife at the corner store near our apartment in Montreal. This made me realize the power of sport when it comes to putting countries on the map or just starting conversations with strangers. - [--] years I have been in Montreal. You must be loving it in Uganda. - Ya it's amazing. It's Montreal Summer Weather the whole year. People are great too. - When I was young my only dream was to go to Canada."
X Link 2023-08-27T14:03Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"Hello UG twitter - What do you guys recommend for an inventory management & POS system with a barcode scanner I don't need anything overly fancy. A few specs: - I want something mobile where I can scan the product and see how many I have in stock and at which branch. - Fancy stores in KLA (Mr P Woolworth etc.) have a very nice POS where you can see the items bought on a screen before you pay. I would love something like that. - Easy to roll-out and integrate with other systems (Quickbook CRM etc.) & if fancy hardware is required not overly expensive"
X Link 2023-09-01T12:27Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"My Ssenga truly loved Uganda. My aunt Catherine visited Uganda for the first time at my wedding close to [--] years ago. She was my Ssenga with a capital S. She travelled the world to be there for us. She played along rocked the gomesi and was a calming source of support. In the mist of the wedding preparations as we were running through logistical issues: "Alex you look stressed (I was). Let me help you out." She pulled out her notebook. "Let's write down everything you have to do and divide and conquer". This proved to be calming. She enjoyed the kwanjula in the village and rocked legendary"
X Link 2023-09-12T05:16Z [----] followers, [---] engagements
"I am told you had [--] French Canadian hikers tag along on your tour Hope they told you all about Poutine and the wonders of Canadian Winter. Congratulations on the climb @LillyAjarova My friends had a blast thanks to the great team @NkwanziTravel. I am convincing them to do the Rwenzori next"
X Link 2023-09-12T05:39Z [----] followers, [---] engagements
"In mature capital markets the lenders of Biyinzika would have put the company in bankruptcy wiped out the equity holders taken the keys put the business on auction and find a PE / Strategic buyer to buy it as a going concern with a brand new capital structure. If the banks were not willing to be active a distressed debt investor (PE Hedge Fund etc.) would have called the bank offered them 50-60 cents on the $ with some equity upside (as a sweetener) and executed on the above. They would have likely reinjected capital in the business and run with the business. Liquidating assets is usually the"
X Link 2023-09-15T08:41Z [----] followers, 95.8K engagements
"I am pretty sure UDB would provide pretty attractive financing to a credible group of investors to take the operations over. They might be able to even secure incentives from UIA. Lots of moving pieces and I don't know the full background but there should be a better option than a liquidation notice in the paper"
X Link 2023-09-15T08:51Z [----] followers, 10.9K engagements
"@daveytr Too much leverage governance issues and mismanagement most likely"
X Link 2023-09-15T08:56Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"As is I agree but that's pretty much picking a single tree and missing the whole forest. Why wouldn't a PE touch it if: 1) Management team & board are replaced by high integrity folks with industry expertise 2) Corporate structure is cleaned up (i.e. you have certainty of the assets you are buying) 3) Capital structure is cleaned up (i.e. banks get a haircut and or get refinanced) 4) You get other incentives like tax waivers cheap financing grants etc. 5) You secure waivers or get comfortable on legacy issues (taxes NSSF etc.) 6) You get a good price. I agree there is a lot of "IFs" and sure"
X Link 2023-09-15T10:45Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"My post went viral yesterday so I wanted to make a few clarifications: 1) The point of the post was to highlight the mismatch between more mature markets and our markets where liquidation is more often than not the route taken by creditors during episodes of financial distress"
X Link 2023-09-16T08:34Z [----] followers, [--] engagements
"Potentially controversial opinion of the day: I am much more excited by an entrepreneur attending a trade fair or industry conference than an entrepreneur attending a Startup networking event or a pitch competition. Being obsessed with your clients in accretive to your business. Being obsessed with "summits" "global this global that" & pitch competitions is likely more accretive to your ego than anything else"
X Link 2023-09-20T08:11Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"@ja_pirwot That one I have to disagree. @ModernLivingEA derives all of its sales (90%+) from Instagram and Twitter. It is case by case and off course if you deal with small scale dairy farmers for example it is probably not worth it to try to reach them on Insta"
X Link 2023-09-20T11:39Z [----] followers, [---] engagements
""Content creation & paid ads are popular but won't be enough to build a VC-backable business in Africa." It won't be enough if you are a B2B or an app but it can be more than enough if you have a B2C / D2C model. Some examples: Hers Uganda has 100k+ followers on Instagram and already exports to [--] African countries + Europe / US. It's not an app but I'd bet my money on them to become a unicorn. @ModernLivingEA Living has 15k+ followers on Insta & Twitter. They are on path to be in [--] countries by the next [--] months (all self-funded) & all sales are online.My followers will know I am biased but"
X Link 2023-09-20T12:34Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"It's funny how demographics affect capital markets. People keep saying that there are no exits in Africa. I asked a friend if he wanted me to do a valuation of his business to see how much he could sell it at. He's in his 40s and his business is booming. His answer: For what I am not selling anytime soon. I had a chat with a friend of mine who invests actively in the Quebec (a province of Canada) entrepreneurial ecosystem. He told me that his bank published a report saying that within the next [--] years they estimate that [-----] businesses on their book are going to change hands without a clear"
X Link 2023-09-21T14:56Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"The structured to sell bit is fairly new. There are more brokers pipeline developers and an ecosystem pushing for selling but it's a fairly new concept. Most people are not spending their time thinking about selling in the West. Otherwise we wouldn't have that pool of businesses likely closing / winding down"
X Link 2023-09-21T15:10Z [----] followers, [--] engagements
"Business idea looking for feedback: @ModernLivingEA opens a showroom in London Boston Toronto & Dubai (over time) to serve the diaspora. A lot of our clients have complained about the struggles of building and furnishing a home while in the diaspora. We provide a turnkey solution. No more sending money to your relative that will buy cheap furniture from Nsambya and eat the money. No more "virtual homes" (i.e. building-money that gets diverted). We have an interior designer / project manager at the showroom to work with you directly. We work with a credible building company in UG and manage"
X Link 2023-09-24T05:50Z [----] followers, 16.7K engagements
"Thanks for putting those [--] on my radar @kasujja I think our East African ecosystem needs to support more brands like these as they set out to conquer the world For ladies I would strongly recommend Hers Uganda (they are only on Instagram). They have dressed many A-list celebrities (Zari Betinah Sheila Gashumbaetc.). Started from a small shop at MM Plaza and shipping to 10+ countries. #UGGOTTALENT @TonyNatif"
X Link 2023-09-24T12:01Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"🕯🕯Vision 2024🕯🕯 One little hack I will use more: Doing business planning is helpful. It forces you to think through dependencies gaps milestones funding needs and so on. The key issue is that more often than not the milestones & objectives end up in a report that is"
X Link 2023-09-25T10:49Z [----] followers, [---] engagements
"@kasujja It seems like the government is starting to take Sports seriously. AFCON and the renovation of MTN Arena are massive steps in the right direction. I am quite hopeful actually"
X Link 2023-09-28T11:54Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"Tips they don't tell you at incubators and startup programs - Social Media Edition Close the trust gap: Marketing all boils down to closing the trust gap between your company and your end customer. You are probably in a world where: 1) Your potential customers don't know you"
X Link 2023-09-29T07:17Z [----] followers, [---] engagements
"It's now less than 500$ and a direct flight to go to Lagos Kinshasa JoBurg and Mumbai and all the neighboring East African Countries with @UG_Airlines. A small detail but it has simplified trade dramatically if you ask me. I pray that direct flights to Guangzhou and the Southern Africa Countries (Zambia Malawi Zimbabwe) are next. Next step: We need visa waivers and more trade missions"
X Link 2023-09-30T13:32Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"@JitoKayumba @TheEndre sourcing from Zambia soon"
X Link 2023-10-02T17:41Z [----] followers, [---] engagements
"I have been quite vocal about one bank charging UGX [---] to get a PDF bank statement and [----] UGX for same-bank transfers. To that you can add to the fact that banks generate the largest interest rate margins in the region and that they don't even bother lending the government funds. The cycle: Small businesses that can access funding are choked through bad terms and fees small businesses default banks reduce lending and blame the small businesses rates and terms are increased / tighten"
X Link 2023-10-03T08:19Z [----] followers, 15.2K engagements
"I think they charge 10k but if you use internet banking the system has it that you will pay [---] UGX for the system to generate a PDF. I get it if there is a human interaction in the process (though 10k is a lot). When it's a system generated click it's predatory if you ask me"
X Link 2023-10-03T10:32Z [----] followers, [---] engagements
"I don't know if this is true but if it is that bank should be banned from any discussions around Financial Inclusion.That's obscene"
X Link 2023-10-04T05:32Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"Zambia is crushing it these days"
X Link 2023-10-05T13:42Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"@nikita_helene It is a pretty big achievement when taking into account where they started from. Unlevered Free Cash Flow being positive is a good sign as you can always restructure your debt / raise equity to clean up your capital structure. Negative unlevered FCF makes it much harder"
X Link 2023-10-07T05:06Z [----] followers, [---] engagements
"Hey guys - My friends Sirak and Milka are selling those very nice phone cover for independence day. They are doing customized phone covers and have a wide collection. Reach-out to him: +256 [---] [------] Instagram: abc.phonesug Cheers"
X Link 2023-10-07T12:05Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"The great arbitrage of African Tech and why African startups should start looking outward and go global: Canvas didn't go out to build for the Australian market. Zoho didn't wake up saying "let's build sofware for Indian SMBs". They might have gotten their first clients from there but ultimately the founders were building a global company. In Africa most founders solve "African problems". There is nothing wrong with that and yes it's very needed Yet I'd argue that in a world where people are increasingly embracing Zoom meetings and remote work our founder community is leaving a lot on the"
X Link 2023-10-09T08:06Z [----] followers, 27.2K engagements
"I went through all my tweets that did well in the last few months. Some random thoughts: 1) You need a voice and a niche: I didn't tweet about NSSF or the Parish Model. I didn't tweet about Capital Chicken or the Ukraine war. It was hitching but I felt like I had nothing to add. Investments bootstrapping startups and growth-hacking are things I am comfortable with. I have opinions but I try to stay within my circle of competence. I don't shy away from writing what I think and people that read me know that. I am off every once in a while but I try to stay within my niche. 2) Use simple"
X Link 2023-10-11T13:48Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"I feel like organising a Twitter Finance / Entrepreneurship Meetup before the end of the year. Who is in @TheEndre we do it at @wildcoffeebar1"
X Link 2023-10-11T18:16Z [--] followers, [----] engagements
"Excelling in a high pressure environment Considering that most banks (including JPM) had to enforce rules to avoid senior bankers from burning their junior staff out this speech needs to be taken with a big grain of salt. During my investment banking interviews associates would ask me "if you work on a big deal and it's your brother's wedding and you can't go because of a last minute deliverable what would you do" The culture of investment banking was and probably still is bad (hopefully improving). The JPM CEO is right though. Work-life-balance and how much you have your "shit together" is"
X Link 2023-10-17T11:15Z [----] followers, 21.9K engagements
"One of the most successful entrepreneur in the history of Uganda was nicknamed "Mukwano" or "Friend". Remember that next time you are about to be rude to someone. Make no enemies. Uganda is small be kind"
X Link 2023-10-19T10:30Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"@TonyNatif China is great and every entrepreneur should spend time there. The product choices the layouts in store the unique branding etc. You learn so much just by spending a few hours in a mall"
X Link 2023-10-22T06:05Z [----] followers, [---] engagements
"Rwanda and @FlyRwandAir is flying Ugandan influencers to Rwanda to promote the country and the airline. Meanwhile in Uganda we have talks and symposiums about how to empower creatives. Perhaps we should start by giving them the gigs"
X Link 2023-10-22T07:52Z [----] followers, 30.4K engagements
"Focusing on the world market forces you to nail down a niche. In other words solve [--] problem and solve it really well. In Africa founders end up building companies doing everything (SaaS financing payment solution logistics etc). So many pieces are missing and the African market is small. They end up diluting their unique insight in a portfolio of sub-par solutions. Meanwhile in China I met a company manufacturing exclusively decorative bird houses.The coolest on market. Super niche but if you sell to [--] countries who cares"
X Link 2023-10-26T04:48Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"I have not looked at Real Estate as much as @KakandeAlex or @jrkyanda but here are the questions I would ask if I were to seriously build a view on the sector. I use land and Real Estate interchangeably below. Is land a better store of value if currency depreciates heavily Considering the ability to charge rent and sell in USD you have an intrinsic hedge. Does it matter if the currency collapses Is land a better store of value if the government defaults UG is B rated I think so definitely a possibility. Is the capital appreciation potential higher than bonds Real Estate is all about scarcity"
X Link 2023-10-27T11:03Z [----] followers, 25.8K engagements
"@TonyNatif @KakandeAlex @jrkyanda It's the bank who are not lending and basically raking up fees. The demand is there but the vault is closed"
X Link 2023-10-27T12:35Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"What's your angle This is the most important question in active investing. It doesn't matter if you are buying Real Estate stocks in the Airtel IPO or starting a business (which represent significant investment in terms of money and time). Your angle whether in the form of unique insight advantageous situation (more resources reputation ability to move fast etc) or the ability to solve problems / create value is your competitive advantage. Without a unique angle you are destined to average returns. Some examples: - You buy Real Estate from a motivated seller. They inherited it and live abroad"
X Link 2023-10-28T07:27Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"JOB Alert: @ModernLivingEA is looking for a production manager to help us systematize our processes and scale production. We are looking for someone that can help us oversee our production process implement systems to scale production maintain quality and keep our team accountable. The ideal candidate should be comfortable implementing systems from scratch proactively problem-solving and leading a technical team. Experience in carpentry is a plus but not mandatory. This is an experience hire (5 years of relevant experience +) and we are also open to international candidates. Kindly share in"
X Link 2023-10-29T16:06Z [----] followers, 13.1K engagements
"The [--] levels of trading - The framework I use to assess businesses. When I look to invest start a business or pursue the next side-hustle this framework has been incredibly helpful to me. Level [--] - Market and convenience arbitrage. You find local suppliers of products that people like and you deliver them to your end customers. We all have a "shoe guy" on WhatsApp. That's their business. They venture deep downtown to buy or reserve shoes which they then post on their WhatsApp status for us to buy at a mark-up. The same applies to traders buying seeds in Container Village and selling them to"
X Link 2023-10-30T04:03Z [----] followers, 15.6K engagements
"People who are downplaying AGOA because only a few million dollars worth of trade benefited from it miss the big picture. To put it bluntly it's pretty clear that the Western investment / donor community is reconsidering it's involvement in Uganda. That means deals are stalling or being cancelled. That means programs are being shutdown or downsized. I get the whole Aid vs. Trade and Autarcy vs. Outside Influence debate. That's not the point. Uganda can go in the direction it wants. We are only seeing the hidden costs of some choices and policies. Can we afford them"
X Link 2023-11-01T05:26Z [----] followers, 19.1K engagements
"On this I am on team @Odrek_Rwabwogo Intra-African trade is a massively underrated. We just need to make shipping a container to Lusaka less than $10k and flying to Malawi less than 800$. @UG_Airlines can help but we need some serious coordination among the countries"
X Link 2023-11-03T16:31Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"This week is awfully quiet for a Nyege Nyege week. Is parliament in recess"
X Link 2023-11-06T08:55Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"The wasted opportunity of AGOA is that you can sell "African baskets" on Etsy for up to $300 per piece and not more people took advantage of it. We need to build champions. I would walk around the streets of Montreal (yes I know it's in Canada but still we have similar agreements to AGOA) and I would see craft products made in Latin America and other African countries selling for small fortunes. There is a full segment of North American consumers who want to "buy compelling stories" and buy "from the origin." Large chains are taking full advantage of it. I once saw a TV stand at West Elm sell"
X Link 2023-11-06T14:49Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"@StoneAtwine The ultimate carry trade last year would have been to borrow in Kenyan Shilling to Lend in UGX"
X Link 2023-11-08T16:15Z [----] followers, [--] engagements
"I went to the re-launch of @NatnaHair earlier this week. She has built one of the biggest Wig and Hair extension business in East Africa with her husband. She already sells to [--] countries in Africa and is on Amazon. "Re-launch" because she had secured one of the top musician in Ug as her brand ambassador. She was also launching in Ethiopia that day. Hadijja of @ModernLivingEA (on the left) and Natina of @NatnaHair (on the right). Two trailblazers in one shot. #whatsfintech"
X Link 2023-11-10T16:39Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"Just now on my way to a function in Lugazi. A truck with the number plate UBB398P just knocked a boda on jinja Road and ran away. @PoliceUg around Mbalala. The boda guy looks fine but his bike is pretty much spoiled. When the truck guy ran away he rolled over the passenger's leg. Flagging it as it happened right before our eyes"
X Link 2023-11-11T07:10Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"I sincerely believe that to be a sucessful founder you need to have the following gene deffects: - You don't dwell on things: Life can throw the worse at you (personally business wise etc.) and you won't dwell for more than a few hours or days. Your gene mutation might even make you turn it into a positve "oh that's great that this investor pulled the term sheet last minute we have more time to find the best one." - You can compartimentalize stuff: It doesn't matter if you are about to lose your biggest client or the regulator is on your neck. You maintain a cool and relax composure in front"
X Link 2023-11-13T06:14Z [----] followers, 13.2K engagements
"Forget Jack Ma of Alibaba Zhong Shanshan is the man. The richest man in China Zhong Shanshan is the owner of Nongfu Spring which has a portfolio of beverages including the famous Nongfu Spring Water. It's pretty much everywhere in China. China through the 90s and early 2000s grew at high single and low double digits. The Chinese consumer emerged and companies with simple business models catering to this new force became empires. You can't really beat bottled water in terms of simplicity. While international brands tried local entrepreneurs were better positioned to navigate the complexity of"
X Link 2023-11-15T10:08Z [----] followers, 15.9K engagements
"Random thoughts on a Monday morning: I found this year that "not doing something consistently" has been much easier than "doing something consistently". I stopped alcohol this year. It wasn't easy but it sticked despite weddings bachelor parties very tempting terasses in Portugal with cheap wine etc. Going to the gym consistently has been much harder. You are tired you are sored you are overly busy with work or personal stuff you travel etc. Excuses beat motivation while excuses have had harder time against self-control. In a nutshell habits and resolutions exist to help you build a better"
X Link 2023-11-27T07:00Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"Below is a repost from a Linkedin post of my colleague Dan @spoutsofwater. Folks don't know but we have the largest ceramic water filter factory in Africa in our backyard. Sometimes next year it will be the largest in the world. This a truly amazing Ugandan success story and we should celebrate it PS: Get yourself a @purifaaya ahead of the festive season you will thank me The post - The Origins of Spouts: The SPOUTS International story started [--] years ago. As I get ready to join the Uganda delegation at COP28 I look back at our journey and feel grateful. We started in a small chicken coop in"
X Link 2023-11-30T06:54Z [----] followers, 14.8K engagements
"@MichaelDDavisJr In Uganda lenders get contractual equity returns with collateral. Leverage is pretty much dilutive"
X Link 2023-12-06T16:06Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"@MichaelDDavisJr The repayment terms are more punitive than the interest rate in my opinion. It's hard to refinance debt so all loans are amortizing over typically [--] years. For an SME to realize value cover the interest rate and take money out of the business that fast is hard"
X Link 2023-12-07T06:16Z [----] followers, [---] engagements
"I am reading the back-and-forth on URA-Comedy Club between my friends @TonyNatif and @idringp and it reminds me of the famous quote from the late Finance minister of Quebec Bernard Landry. I am paraphrasing but he was basically saying: "A small business that pays taxes in Quebec should probably fire their accountant". Don't get him wrong he was not encouraging tax payers to play games with their accountant (it is quite common in Uganda sadly). He was referring to the plethora of incentives available for small businesses. SMEs are the lifeblood of growing economies. The ROI of a thirving SME"
X Link 2023-12-11T10:25Z [----] followers, 34.9K engagements
"Going to COP28 under the Ugandan delegation was both overwhelming and eye opening. It was the first time I was at an event where the world converged. For @SPOUTS International the company I represented it helped us reinforce our relationship with partners meet stakeholders of the countries we operate in and build new relationships. Here are [--] pieces of feedback we consistently received: Oh so you guys are actually based in Uganda. This has been part of our DNA since our chicken coop days. We make it a point to be fully entrenched in the communities we work with. Even the expatriates on our"
X Link 2023-12-13T07:36Z [----] followers, 11.1K engagements
"$5bn went to digitize retail. I keep getting annoyed reading this stat because most of the solutions described hardly beat a mix of Whatsapp Instagram a trusted boda guy an excel sheet and Mobile money. You can play around the permutations but is that it Meanwhile you have companies like Hers Uganda Natna Hair @ModernLivingEA and Double Dees building actual "retail / ecommerce businesses" with very limited funding. I am willing to bet that they grow organically at a faster rate than the vast majority of the businesses quoted. Organically being the key word here. I can only imagine how far"
X Link 2023-12-14T16:27Z [----] followers, 11.9K engagements
"The tech ecosystem needs more thriving traditional businesses. The traiditional businesses leveraging tech can probably also become unicorn . Otherwise Quickbooks. I would pay a lot for a POS with very slick hardware (say like Square that accepts UGX). I guess our willingness to adopt and pay for tech on the POS side is that scale is the biggest driver to digitization. Underfunded Dukas and mom & pop shops are very unlikely to spend anything on tech solutions. You probably have to give them money or big discounts. The tech ecosystem needs more thriving traditional businesses"
X Link 2023-12-14T16:48Z [----] followers, [---] engagements
"@Jasielinvests Does that mean you would invest in a fast-growth women-lead traditional business with high potential"
X Link 2023-12-15T04:27Z [----] followers, [--] engagements
"Time to back some boring businesses I have been posting for all of last year about the need for early-stage funders to start backing fast-growing traditional businesses. It doesnt matter if you are building a fintech or a new grocery store concept. A Startup is growth. I feel like the time has come for me to go beyond the talk and start putting money where my mouth and keyboard is. I have teamed up with @TonyNatif on this. If you are a traditional business with clear evidence of product market fit please reach-out. Tell us your story. Do you have a queue at your restaurant every day Are your"
X Link 2023-12-15T08:44Z [----] followers, 87.1K engagements
"@MakmotVictor If you know you know haha"
X Link 2023-12-19T05:56Z [----] followers, [---] engagements
"What about we streamline the process for communities to fix their own roads as citizen initiatives. The steps in a nutshell: - Get the budget and scope approved by KCCA or whatever the designated body. Work with only vetted companies not your neighborhood bricklayer. - Fundraise until you have secured all the funds. The designated body to only allow you to fix the road until all funds are secured. We don't want half fixed or botched roads. Some strategic roads would be excluded for obvious reasons. - People that chip in can use their contribution to offset their income tax or rental income."
X Link 2023-12-21T14:09Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"The secular and the macro story. It's easy to get carried away by headlines especially when they are negative. This year Uganda received its fair share of negative headlinesfrom potholes to mabaati to anti-homosexuality laws to terror threats to embassies closing to "people are broke." I don't have a specific view on the impact of headlines. Some of them are worrisome and have started to trickle down to us business people. While I think the general sentiment is negative that's not the point of this post. What I have been chewing on is "how to navigate the noise." How to stay sane and focus on"
X Link 2023-12-22T08:03Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"5. General slowdown in VC funding which means less firms from Kenya Nigeria or other African countries looking to expand into UG. When folks are doing downrounds fire sales and so on in their core market Uganda ends up falling down the priority list. That's my best guess if I were to add something to your list I wonder how material it was or has been. [--]. Climate is the new Tech I would say that this is a tailwind if tech / commercial lawyers can adjust their expertise. A lot of climate startups are popping up and they need advice (regulatory fundraise carbon credit policies land regulation"
X Link 2023-12-22T17:42Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"@GillVerd @ChatGPT @perplexity_ai @grok Before Quantum Physics Verdon was a very effective offensive lineman and call-of-duty player. Cheers Very exciting stuff you are doing sir"
X Link 2024-01-07T07:18Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"President Museveni has been quite clear on point #3 over the years: "Regional integration because we need a bigger market which is crucial." I totally agree that this should be a priority. Here are [--] ideas as someone who worked on projects in [--] African countries this year. I tried to focus on the micro strategies and remain super practical. While I think reducing trade barriers clearer regulations and better infrastructure are all needed the hill to climb is much steeper. So kindly see those humble suggestions as the day-to-day entrepreneur perspective: Regional expansion masterclass:"
X Link 2024-01-11T07:55Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"Can we do a parade on Zoom and use the money for roads We spent all of COVID on Zoom so might as well remember those days that way. KCCA seeks Shs600m to arrange covid remembrance parade. #uganda https://t.co/AfD6cipeiH KCCA seeks Shs600m to arrange covid remembrance parade. #uganda https://t.co/AfD6cipeiH"
X Link 2024-01-11T10:39Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"I am going to take a step further from the post of @MarkRuhindi and the responses from @TonyNatif. If we were to organize a grassroots conference for SMEs which topic and which speakers would you like to cover"
X Link 2024-01-16T12:50Z [----] followers, 12.4K engagements
"@nikita_helene @AlexHormozi I listened to the launch and I wasn't sure. Knowing how acute your B/S meter is @nikita_helene it is quite encouraging and I will add it to my list"
X Link 2024-01-17T12:25Z [----] followers, [---] engagements
"Mama Zaabu is making moves :) @ModernLivingEA is taking steps to expand all across East Africa. To all my dear followers & friends I rarely ask for favors but if you could help me make this post reach as many people in Nairobi as possible I would be forever grateful. When they say #bubu it also means contributing to build a Pan-African brand. Nairobi people should we come to your city and provide interior design consultations Many of you have reached out already. We want to expand to Nairobi this year and this would be a great start. We are working through the logistics of shipping our"
X Link 2024-01-20T09:11Z [--] followers, [----] engagements
"This graph that I came across a few years ago highlights the greatest opportunity and greatest threat to the Ugandan economy. We need less Scams and more jobs in a nutshell"
X Link 2024-01-22T05:02Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"I do want to add that there are still a lot of problems solvable with tech so this is not a tech pessimist post: - Importing from consolidated containers is an opaque mess. There got to be a better way. It is also very limited (Turkey to UG is inconsistent. India and Egypt as well.). The process relies heavily on trust and WhatsApp. - Paying suppliers in China without having access to Alipay or wechat pay is a mess. Its the one missing payment integration. - CRM to WhatsApp is still giving me headaches. My DM are open if anyone wants a Guinea pig to try solutions"
X Link 2024-01-24T19:50Z [----] followers, [---] engagements
"Based on my experience in Uganda African markets probably have the strongest viral potential in the world. I break it down into [--] main reasons and that's why I am incredibly bullish on eCommerce: Almost every single purchase decision is made on a referral & word-of-mouth: "Can you share the contact of your shoe guy" "Let me call John to get the number of his plumber" Whether you are looking for furniture a nanny new clothes commerce relies on word-of-mouth and once something works the word-of-mouth gets going; heavily Reputation becomes an incredible magnet for customers. Cost of reach is"
X Link 2024-01-27T05:01Z [----] followers, 13.4K engagements
"@marto_sway I can't find a good service provider"
X Link 2024-01-27T06:02Z [----] followers, [--] engagements
"@marto_sway So a consolidated container is when you can get a CBM in a container shared with other people. Dubai and China have many firms offering that but not Turkey"
X Link 2024-01-27T06:49Z [----] followers, [--] engagements
"@GoslinoJ I am basing it from how people buy. There is a strong referral component at play (even in Agriculture). There is a reason why farmers want Massey Furgeson tractors from the UK instead of Mahindra. Their main source of information is other farmers (first)"
X Link 2024-01-29T15:08Z [----] followers, [--] engagements
"I think the message here is that we need a Social District. Organised with infrastructure to maximise the experience of revellers. Kampala's nightlife is the best in the region and we are barely trying. @ponton_alex Relocate the firms on 5th 6th Street and 7th Street to Industrial parks and make it a social district. Employ the people who live there in these facilities and voila you have an ecosystem. Bandali Rise is a residential area. @ponton_alex Relocate the firms on 5th 6th Street and 7th Street to Industrial parks and make it a social district. Employ the people who live there in these"
X Link 2024-01-29T16:53Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"@just_norm It's quite a balanced assessment and it unbundles a lot of the propaganda we are fed from both sides"
X Link 2024-01-31T12:46Z [----] followers, [---] engagements
"Lesotho for example has become a textile hub as a result of AGOA and the fact that they can free-ride the infrastructure of South Africa. There is a whole chapter on how it became part of the strategy of Chinese textile companies which would push less technical work to their Lesotho counterparts while being able to extract better margins (with duty exemptions)"
X Link 2024-01-31T12:51Z [----] followers, [---] engagements
"Anyone with good recommendations for books on doing business in Africa. I am looking more for practical stories business trends or epic entrepreneur journeys. I am looking for books that will give me more context or change how I think. The book below helped shape how I think about the role of China in Africa's industrialization journey. I am slightly less interested in the usual "Africa is the future" narrative. @just_norm I can but this book is a great read: https://t.co/NytRdYWkEJ @just_norm I can but this book is a great read: https://t.co/NytRdYWkEJ"
X Link 2024-01-31T18:10Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"My idea on Bandali Rise went viral. Here is another one. Let's get our own Central Park in Kampala: Let's have the City partner with the Kabaka and transform his ranch near Kyambogo into our version of Central Park in New York. Many major cities have those parks and nature-focused spots. The ranch is [--] hectares (100 acres) so we would have plenty to work with. It would have to be a partnership between the city and the kingdom. Partnership is the keyword but if our leaders were to pull it off it would be amazing: - An oasis of nature (in the city) to walk jog and enjoy. - A place for kids to"
X Link 2024-02-01T08:27Z [----] followers, 65.3K engagements
"@TonyNatif I will ask my friends Sirak and Milka to add a bottle of Araki from Eritrea to increase your motivation"
X Link 2024-02-01T11:49Z [----] followers, [---] engagements
"@Comrade_Otoa You better not be a Maple Leafs or Boston Bruins fan"
X Link 2024-02-01T11:55Z [----] followers, [---] engagements
"@AtambaAntony I apologise. I misread the tone on your response"
X Link 2024-02-01T11:58Z [----] followers, [--] engagements
"@Comrade_Otoa Here is the beginning of your education as a new @CanadiensMTL fan. Forget Lewis Hamilton Go Habs Go"
X Link 2024-02-02T16:02Z [----] followers, [---] engagements
"The key takeaway from my suggestion on creating a Central Park for Kampala: "The Potential is High However Trust is Weak" How do we create more trust so that good ideas can make it That's the missing link. @ponton_alex @cpmayiga @AbbyNkaaga @wekesa_amos @KCCAUG @edtabaro etc etc But I guess that would be far fetched unlike the Lubiri. Potential is high However Trust is weak . @ponton_alex @cpmayiga @AbbyNkaaga @wekesa_amos @KCCAUG @edtabaro etc etc But I guess that would be far fetched unlike the Lubiri. Potential is high However Trust is weak "
X Link 2024-02-02T17:36Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"@Dungumichael Where was it"
X Link 2024-02-06T05:59Z [----] followers, [--] engagements
"@NeemaIyer @NeemaIyer this is awesome Congrats"
X Link 2024-02-07T07:50Z [----] followers, [--] engagements
"I agree 100%. In the West to get funded you need to: - Build a great business - Be a good corporate citizen Full stop In Africa to get funded you need to: - Build a great business - Be a good corporate citizen - Solve deep societal problems. Can we give African entrepreneurs a break Two things on this: [--]. When you hear people talk about pathways out of poverty in Africa we should all be leaning in even if it doesn't satisfy the do good itch. ahem impact investors. [--]. SA is the canary in the coalmine of the impending youth unemployment wave across Africa. Two things on this: [--]. When you hear"
X Link 2024-02-09T06:32Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"In leverage finance it's called a Make Whole which is done to compensate the initial lender in the case of a change of control (which triggers early repayment) or a refinancing. It's the upside for sophisticated lenders if you will. I get it if it's an LBO or a Private Equity Buyout but we are talking of microfinance customers (carpenters mama Shakira at the market John the boda guy etc) I wonder if those rules are not used to cover or make up for dubious activities at the branch. Not cool Pride Microfinance Loan Sharks. They are liable to comply with that directive by UBA. They abuse these"
X Link 2024-02-09T21:51Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"@TonyNatif Forgive my ignorance but is there a public library where we can get those gems"
X Link 2024-02-11T16:27Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"I hope not. I hope it will be heavily diversified like this with a few tech names. I also hope there will be a generational shift with younger folks dominating the list. Many "industries are only 1% built in Africa" to paraphrase you guys. This applies to tech and non-tech. In [--] years half of this list will be African tech founders. https://t.co/NJy5joblgk In [--] years half of this list will be African tech founders. https://t.co/NJy5joblgk"
X Link 2024-02-12T13:48Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"Make Kampala the remote work capital of the world. I listened to an old episode of @TheFlipAfrica earlier today. It was part of their series on the future of work and how remote work plays into it for Africa. If I were in charge of attracting investors to Uganda I would unroll the red carpets for those firms and agencies hiring talent for international outsourcing (BPO). I am talking of @Andela @Era92Media @GrowthAssistant and others. I would ask them point blank: What do you need to set up shop here If it takes a dedicated BPO hub in an industrial park with Starlink internet; it's probably"
X Link 2024-02-13T11:10Z [----] followers, 20.3K engagements
"@MichaelDDavisJr @UmemeLtd Those things are all fixable. Let's get industrial power a backup generator and let's invest in Starlink or dedicated fiber whatever can do the trick. It takes coordination investment and enablement from our policymakers"
X Link 2024-02-13T11:37Z [----] followers, [---] engagements
"@solomonking Spyda MC is great. Some other folks like Blessed Sand and Swordsman Kitala had a lot of potential back in the days"
X Link 2024-02-16T15:46Z [----] followers, [---] engagements
"When they are white we call it foreign direct investment. When they are African we despise them. The Eritrean community invests heavily and sticks together. They support each others businesses invest in each other and employ other members of the community. To whoever wrote this before you let your xenophobia spill all over your keyboard when was the last time you bought a Ugandan product When was the last time you invested in a fellow Ugandans business Eritreans are busy doing that and thriving while you are busy being an anonymous fool Concerns on Foreigners in GABA Kansanga Kabalagala"
X Link 2024-02-17T04:43Z [----] followers, 77.6K engagements
"Who says they don't respect the law What are the gaps in the "regulation of immigrants and refugees" you mention Perhaps I am missing something so kindly point me to something specific. Muyenga folks complain about the fact that their bars make noise late in the night. The same can be said about Ugandan-owned bars in Kibuye Accacia Avenue or Bandali Rise. What is the issue here really"
X Link 2024-02-17T07:14Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"@ebashie In my home country xenophobic people blame immigrants & minorities for drugs and other societal problems because they are the easy target. It's easier to do that than to address the core of the issue. I guess this is not so different"
X Link 2024-02-17T07:30Z [----] followers, [--] engagements
"Honestly if you can find reliable boda guys (not a given) that will remit the funds consistently it is not a bad business. It's a yield of 5% per month. It crushes the government bonds. It excludes maintenance spare parts and management (which I don't know who covers in this example) but you don't need to build a website an app or do anything complicated to generate cash flow. To be honest if I was unemployed I'd probably look into that. Perhaps start as a boda guy and scale that way. Having a website that generates quality and monetizable content is arguably harder with significantly less"
X Link 2024-02-20T10:17Z [----] followers, [--] engagements
"The rich are underserved in East Africa. Yes I said it There are around 15000-dollar millionaires in East Africa. Those include the very rich (i.e. Sudhir) and I suspect this number excludes all the folks who have perfected the art of hiding their money. Our Kikuubo entrepreneurs are good at this. I'd argue that we are looking at a much larger number. Add to this the aspirational rich segment between $50k and $1M and you are looking at a sizable market. Yes with $50k of wealth in Kampala or income you can ball. Based on Forbes if you add up the private wealth of High-Net-Worth Individuals"
X Link 2024-02-20T10:34Z [----] followers, 128K engagements
"@Jalmatek Start a company that meets their needs is a first step. Building an ecosystem that supports you as an entrepreneur regardless of if your clients are smallholder farmers or Subaru drivers. As long as you are a good corporate citizen"
X Link 2024-02-20T10:57Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"@cynthiechoco @NatnaHair @ModernLivingEA @ModernLivingEA was started with 7M. Hers Uganda (who dressed the new Queen of Busoga) started in a small shop at MM Plaza"
X Link 2024-02-20T17:02Z [----] followers, [--] engagements
"@shima_charles Rwanda was definitely part of my thinking. Tickets for the Kendrick Lamar show in Kigali were definitely catering to the higher-end. My examples were more UG specific as I have been based there (originally from Montreal) for almost [--] years"
X Link 2024-02-21T13:39Z [----] followers, [---] engagements
"When I was working on my previous agritech startup we took the bus to Nairobi overnight. We were broke trying to secure a lifeline to continue going at it longer. All the investors wanted to meet in posh cafs like ArtCaff Cafesserie and so on. We would spend our days there meeting people. To save money we would take turns going outside to buy Smokeys and boiled eggs. Despite the Smokeys we didn't raise. Beside keeping you humble stories like this shape your perspective on the type of businesses you want to build. It makes you understand better what level you need to reach before engaging"
X Link 2024-03-01T10:59Z [----] followers, 11.5K engagements
"Hey @BasedBeffJezos I'd love to hear your thoughts on how the acceleration movement and the AI revolution will affect the global South. In Uganda where I am based we have massive inflows of young people entering the labor force. Will and most importantly how will tech acceleration work for them. The greatest time to be building AI chips. The greatest time to be building AI chips"
X Link 2024-03-02T07:12Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"Who in Uganda could afford to pay Rihana $9m to perform at their daughter's kwanjula Wrong answers only. #bigquestionssunday"
X Link 2024-03-03T13:57Z [----] followers, 13.2K engagements
"@SCKagaba Cameroon has entered the chat"
X Link 2024-03-03T17:44Z [----] followers, [---] engagements
"#ParliamentExhibition - I couldn't resist adding my 2cent My mum used to be the Head of Legal at the public transport company in Montreal. Think Subway and buses for one of the largest city in Canada. They had an annual budget in the billions of dollars. She would fly economy and sleep in [--] star Hotels. She would put expenses on her company credit card and provide receipts. She had clear guidelines on meals and what she could expense. Some folks in the public sector in Canada got fired because they expensed chewing gum. I worked for the largest pension fund in Canada. We would fly business"
X Link 2024-03-07T07:39Z [----] followers, 56.6K engagements
"@SSemstine I mean I'm not acusing anyone. I am sharing best practices I have seen"
X Link 2024-03-07T10:02Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"I am going to China next week for a furniture expo. I will be visiting factories and major markets sourcing for hardware accessories and machines. I will be posting the play by play while I'm there. Please send your questions below if you want to learn more about China sourcing. I will do my best to answer all of them 3"
X Link 2024-03-11T06:19Z [----] followers, 14.6K engagements
"@UgRazor Not a policy expert but from my little reading: - Become the factory to the world - Let the internal market which is massive develop. The Chinese consumer is now a force - Absorb the production locally as wages grow and the export competitiveness reduces"
X Link 2024-03-11T06:28Z [----] followers, [---] engagements
"@mishi254 @KakandeAlex Yet CJs Meza and Yummies are doing quite well. Could it be that Kenyan businesses take a simplistic approach of applying the model that works in Nairobi without considering local nuances"
X Link 2024-03-12T19:28Z [----] followers, [--] engagements
"I don't think Planet Yoghurt failed because of the lack rich people. Alternatives are better location was meh product wasn't that great for the price etc. What works in Nairobi doesn't always work in KLA and vice versa. No one is denying the Kenyan market is bigger and richer but to underestimate the rich of Uganda is also wrong. It all depends on definitions but folks with $20k available to spend are many. The 20k is arbitrary but it's still roughly 20x the GDP per capita. It's your job as an entrepreneur to have them spend on your product or service. Going mass market is a rookie mistake"
X Link 2024-03-12T19:41Z [----] followers, [---] engagements
"When Actis was developing their first mall in Kenya (20 years ago) they had no good data on consumption and spending power. Their big question was "do households in the mall catchment area have enough spending power". You can't look at tax returns or statistical data. They hired a chopper and used the number of DSTV dish as a proxy. "If they can afford DSTV they probably have enough spending power to shop at our mall" It ended up being a hit. That's why I use proxies like the number of harriers or kids at international schools in my market sizing. It leads to very interesting thought"
X Link 2024-03-13T10:49Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"100% agree. The only nuance I'd add is that most VC-backed companies won't reach 100x returns so having a sector thesis about what can reach VC returns vs. not is almost useless. You are trying to pick probabilistic impossibilities so VCs should focus on whether or not the team and insight are special. Couche Tard built a $55bn+ convenience store empire. It took them [--] years+ but once again imagine if they had access to VC Capital instead of bootstrapping with bank loans. They revolutionized the most boring business there is. Liquid Death is bottled water with good marketing. Prime is sugar"
X Link 2024-03-23T14:18Z [----] followers, 45.4K engagements
"Yeaaass A few observations from spending time in China for the last week 1) The coffee culture is growing. Chinese chains are booming they are creative tailored to their market and they embrace good coffee. The Chinese coffee story goes beyond Starbucks and McCaf 2) Nestcafe is still dominant in hotels. Call it an outrage or an opportunity. 3) A Ugandan company or consortium capitalising on [--] and [--] would do extremely well. In a new and growing market (which I think China still is for coffee) Uganda has a unique opportunity to position itself for success. We need to think of our coffee as a"
X Link 2024-03-24T17:02Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"China Trade Fair Diary #3 - The Bentley robots and other stories Story #1: Bentley and Kikomando I went to visit a factory in Foshan. The place was massive. B n.On our way out I see a brand new Bentley. The type of Bentley that makes the Rich Gang look like the Kikomando Gang. - The Bentley in front is it for the boss - No actually the boss drives a Ferrari hahaha More reasons to invest seriously in manufacturing. Story #2: R2D2 from Star Wars is doing Kyeyo in China. I love R2D2 from Star Wars. That little robot was always a few inches away from getting crushed. Yet he would always make it"
X Link 2024-03-25T03:25Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"Instead of debating homes vs bonds why not talk of Side Hustles that cash flow as well. Consulting AirBnB supplies business coffee farming etc I have seen a lot of successful chaps deploy their capital in such. Also what happened to being able to buy share in US companies through companies like Chipper It provides a much better diversification component. Reading UG twitter makes it sound like homes and bonds are the only options. Last point: The UG bonds look juicy but the biggest issue is inflation / currency depreciation. Investors sill buy homes in Zimbabwe in USD while local currency"
X Link 2024-03-27T07:31Z [----] followers, 32.6K engagements
"I think Milton Friedman summarized my take very well: "There is no such thing as a free lunch". If you are getting a yield of 15%+ on a bond in any company or country you are taking sizable risks. There might be an arbitrage opportunity (i.e. the market overshoots in fear when looking at Uganda which is reflected in attractive pricing) but getting excited because of a juicy yield is dangerous. Latam Debt crisis recent defaults in Zambia Ghana and Ethiopia etc. This is not riskless. Forget the yield and build a view on the fiscal discipline of Uganda and the currency devaluation. Then let's"
X Link 2024-03-27T09:59Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"I don't think that's what your saying but the low interest borrowing is really only part of the story. Eritreans for example operate in a high trust community among themselves. "All Eritreans end up in Uganda (or outside Eritrea) because of someone who helped them" That's the starting point. From there they work in each others business they lend to each other invest and buy from each other. My Eritrean friend was telling that money needs to circulate [--] times within the community before getting out. Also they don't tend to rely on courts for conflicts. They have their own informal community"
X Link 2024-03-29T10:00Z [----] followers, 13.5K engagements
"@HonAniteEvelyn @mofpedU @ugandainvest @Rwakakamba @mukiza_robert Next stepa visit to the @ModernLivingEA showroom. Folks shouldn't travel to China for furniture. All the items are proudly made in Uganda"
X Link 2024-04-03T19:48Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"There is nothing special about Ugandan Coffee. Hopefully my friend @rkabushenga hasn't choked on his coffee while reading this. Please allow me to explain. What's special about Ugandan coffee Is it high-end Is it from the source Is it of good quality Is it affordable Is it the farmers Is it the gorillas the Nile the matooke Is it the cultural institutions that depend on it for ceremonies What's the deal What's special The same can be said about coffee from Kenya or Guatemala. What's so special about it outside of the connoisseur circles I am not a coffee expert but I drink coffee daily."
X Link 2024-04-05T05:58Z [----] followers, 123.9K engagements
"@nikita_helene I actually think it's an amazing opportunity of marketing if we can position Ugandan coffee in the mass market as a special coffee. Imagine if it became "a thing" to specifically ask for coffee from Uganda"
X Link 2024-04-05T07:47Z [----] followers, [---] engagements
"I don't think it matters that investments are lazy or active. What's the opposite of Lazy in this context I do agree with @wekesa_amos though. I think we are overly focused on the contractual return and not enough on the risks when looking at government bonds. We have a parliament exhibition highlighting the excesses of MPs. What does it say about the fiscal discipline required to pay those bonds back We have elections in [--] years a donor community turning its back to Uganda no central bank governor an international slowdown rising rates globally insecurity episodes and so on. This is not to"
X Link 2024-04-09T05:17Z [----] followers, 11.9K engagements
"That's exactly it. Diversification is the biggest low-hanging fruit when investing. The volatility of your portfolio reduces the more you add uncorrelated assets. I think that a mix of bonds to cover local costs a business that cash flows and international stocks for example when bundled together are great"
X Link 2024-04-09T05:42Z [----] followers, [---] engagements
"@em_credit_fund what is your take on Ugandan bonds The currency has been stable over the last 5-10 years (in comparison) and macro metrics are also fairing well. There is the oil and gas tailwind which should help the fiscal position of Uganda over time. The 10yr is at 16%. Obviously that's just the "upside case""
X Link 2024-04-09T11:39Z [----] followers, [---] engagements
"Last-mile delivery is hard to manage at scale. I have carried TV stands on a boda boda. I would obviously struggle to build a business solely focused on that. It's a commodity with many alternatives and low barriers to entry. When you are a small business it's hard to beat Ali the trusted boda guy. There is something to be said about having the delivery margins (or the lack of it) and the product margins as a bundle. Think of a store offering same-day delivery. This setup is more likely to win. I have my doubts about same-day delivery as a business especially with bad infrastructure poor GPS"
X Link 2024-04-09T14:11Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"Can we talk about bank charges finally. UGX [---] to generate a PDF of your bank statements with online banking This is a 99% margin service. Meanwhile you tell stakeholders that you promote financial inclusion"
X Link 2024-04-09T17:26Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"@TheMatundaMan @solomonking @StanChartUGA @CentenaryBank And they pride themselves on Financial Inclusion. It's a shame. I wonder if it would pass the reasonable / cautionable test in court to be honest"
X Link 2024-04-10T04:16Z [----] followers, [---] engagements
"To add a few other benefits to this idea: - Help SMEs build a better credit profile for commercial banks. The thugs and thieves will steal but the genuine owners with a long-term vision will strongly benefit. - The benefits go beyond compliance. There might be short-term costs but in the long-term you have effectively found a way to reduce the due diligence costs for funding. Perhaps the bank will pick a leaf. You have also injected friendly capital to tax paying SMEs. When they grow everybody wins. In the long-term I'm willing to bet that the ROI will far outweigh the defaulters. - You"
X Link 2024-04-11T06:47Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"@KakandeAlex @charlesgava_256 @KakandeAlex I'm offended that you didn't reach out to me my friend 😂 Nevertheless this looks like a great lineup :)"
X Link 2024-04-11T14:06Z [----] followers, [---] engagements
"@kasujja Kampala to Bamako is faster through Paris I confirm because I checked. I mean flying to Goma requires flying to Addis so this is that"
X Link 2024-04-17T15:13Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"Mr. President it's time we make East Africa a supermarket for Ugandan products. There is no showroom of @ModernLivingEA in Kigali or Juba. Yet most of the furniture in Kigali Nairobi Bujumbura and Juba is sub-par in comparison despite the growing wealth. We are even getting inquiries from those countries weekly. I am talking about furniture because this is what I know but this is a systemic issue. Hotels in the region still sell Nescaf. Our sunflower cake is loaded onto trucks headed to Kenya where it is transformed into animal feed and then resold to Ugandan farmers at a premium. While CJs"
X Link 2024-04-22T09:02Z [----] followers, 22.5K engagements
"@StKyamutetera @ModernLivingEA @TonyNatif @Kamu1267 @AyotaPatrick It's all a virtuous cycle. More successful SMEs mean stronger value and over time stronger capital markets"
X Link 2024-04-22T10:33Z [----] followers, [---] engagements
"My Wish on My Birthday I conducted an investment readiness training in Zambia close to a year ago. It was my first one. After four days of training it culminated in a pitch day in front of investors. The Zambian entrepreneurs there reminded me a lot of the folks I engage with in Ugandadriven but laid back and extremely welcoming. I've posted a few times about how it's such a missed opportunity that traveling to Zambia from Uganda takes around 10+ hours and costs close to $1000 (a topic for another discussion). On the day of pitching I was stressed for my people. Would they perform Were they"
X Link 2024-04-25T07:06Z [----] followers, 12K engagements
"People might be putting the pieces together as to what I am cooking based on my Twitter questions but which business personality would you like to see live for a talk in Uganda Answer in comments Let's say anyone below the category of @Beyonce and @elonmusk is fair game"
X Link 2024-04-28T15:11Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"@MwagaleBettie @Beyonce @elonmusk That would be amazing"
X Link 2024-04-29T08:18Z [----] followers, [--] engagements
"You look at the results of this poll (majority marketplace and pay-per-use) so far and you wonder if African Entrepreneurs have given up on selling to enterprises. Excluding banking solutions like Interswitch I can't name a VC funded traditional SaaS focused on big companies in Africa. Are the majority of our tech startups B2C or B2SMEs Why I get it that Oracle SAP and so on are present in the enterprise space but it doesn't stop the folks from the valley to challenge them. Is it the lack of IT budget even at big institutions Is it an unscalable and unrepeatable procurement process Is it a VC"
X Link 2024-05-01T14:27Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"To visit all of East Africa this year I only have Burundi South Sudan and Somalia left on the list. Help me find a reason to go please (consulting project on investment readiness training a conference a talk at an incubator a sponsorship by Uganda Airline :D) PS: I would love to meet entrepreneurs in those countries (that's the first step so please reach out)"
X Link 2024-05-02T08:39Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"That applies to a lot beyond stocks if you ask me Level [--] - Stocks are tickers that go up & down Level [--] - Stocks represent a partial ownership in a business Level [--] - Stocks are speculative instruments loosely tied to the value of the business To be great you have to look past the fundamentals and into the psychology & Level [--] - Stocks are tickers that go up & down Level [--] - Stocks represent a partial ownership in a business Level [--] - Stocks are speculative instruments loosely tied to the value of the business To be great you have to look past the fundamentals and into the psychology &"
X Link 2024-05-03T04:21Z [----] followers, [---] engagements
"I have been in Goma for the past week. Today is the last day of my quest to see the gems of Congo It's the first time I've been told to "stay in the hotel and limit my movements" for a project. I followed this advice except for some pre-approved errands from the hotel to the client and back. The view of Lake Kivu is unbelievable and I feel nostalgic as I pack. The people were great and the food was rich but I felt confined. I indulged in some "escargot beurre l'ail" that reminded me of home to pass time but that only goes so far. Speaking French for five consecutive days was refreshing. Sorry"
X Link 2024-05-04T10:03Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"I know that right now is probably not the right time with the security issues in Goma but it still blows my mind that we don't have a direct flight from Entebbe to Goma. We are talking of a city of 2m+ people. This is especially comical considering the large Congolese population we have in Uganda. Yes yes the Game of Thrones of Congo is tricky I get it. It was cheaper and faster for me to fly to Kigali and drive to the border than taking Ethiopian Airlines (10h+ journey with the layover). Perhaps someone can explain what I am missing. I saw many opportunities for Ugandan businesses to find"
X Link 2024-05-06T08:59Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"Can I frame this tweet Agreeing with #HonNsereko. The tax policy of Uganda is weak and taxes are way too high in the context of our economy. If a manufacturer borrows @ 18% + add 30% income tax millions in #UNBS fees import tax on inputs business overheads its near impossible to do business let Agreeing with #HonNsereko. The tax policy of Uganda is weak and taxes are way too high in the context of our economy. If a manufacturer borrows @ 18% + add 30% income tax millions in #UNBS fees import tax on inputs business overheads its near impossible to do business let"
X Link 2024-05-08T06:11Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"If I may Ugandan banks are extremely profitable: Step 1: they charge depositors fees left right and center they then Step 2: Lend to government at 16% Step 3: Get grants or government funding to lend to strategic sectors (SMEs youth agriculture etc) which they use instead to lend to government. Add to this the very interesting fact that most bond offers are massively oversubscribed and despite that the rates are not moving. @TonyNatif @TonyNatif the high base rate is because Uganda is a very lucrative place for banking so @TonyNatif @TonyNatif the high base rate is because Uganda is a very"
X Link 2024-05-09T16:34Z [----] followers, 22.1K engagements
"@KakandeAlex It's multi-faceted. Fiscal discipline broadening the tax base getting more players in the capital markets more consumer protection etc"
X Link 2024-05-09T16:50Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"Serve the middle class and above is still the conclusion for me. From the graph below the middle upper-middle and rich class have the same spending power as the poor in aggregate for 5% of the population. They have more disposable income and can afford to test things and play with innovation. There is a reason why the bottom of the pyramid is a low trust market. It's often a matter of going hungry or not. The bottom of the pyramid is distorted with NGOs and "free things" has very little spending power (despite big numbers) and is extremely price sensitive. At the end of the day the number of"
X Link 2024-05-16T10:04Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"@sweatystartup Is buying Shepherd a "5 years in [--] months" situation or since you have been through the acquisition rodeo multiple times its more like business as usual"
X Link 2024-05-16T16:37Z [----] followers, [---] engagements
"@tmukogo I would say it's the same for Uganda. The volume is marginal at best except for IPOs and mergers/special situations"
X Link 2024-05-19T18:08Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"@TonyNatif I confirm. This had made discussions with investors increasingly difficult"
X Link 2024-05-21T04:32Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"If anyone ever wants to learn more about Zambia and Southern Africa @IBaseden and her team @AgovaSV are legit Happy to make an intro Very excited to be leading a roundtable discussion at ICA Zambia [----] on how agri-MSMEs are trying tackle and adapt to the climate change challenge in Zambia. come and share your views #ICA2024 #MSMEs #climateresilience #innovations https://t.co/619gCuMWcF Very excited to be leading a roundtable discussion at ICA Zambia [----] on how agri-MSMEs are trying tackle and adapt to the climate change challenge in Zambia. come and share your views #ICA2024 #MSMEs"
X Link 2024-05-23T12:17Z [----] followers, [---] engagements
"9 years ago I was boarding a plane to Uganda for the first time. I left my big finance job in Toronto to join a small impact fund as a fellow. I wanted to be "close to the action" and learn how it was to invest and do business in a totally different context. It was supposed to be a [--] year committment. Life can take you in all directions and [--] years later I am still around. Here are some raw thoughts and learnings from this journey: Jump in the train when it passes: The MD of the investment fund I was joining left to start Pizza Hutt in Uganda the week before I arrived. Luckily I learned that"
X Link 2024-05-24T04:09Z [----] followers, 43.7K engagements
"I would lie if I told you I don't ask myself those questions every now and then. My friends are now MDs at investment funds and make multiples of what I make in a year. When I scroll down Linkedin I sometimes have a pinch: "oh wow she reached this level and we were university buddies; what am I doing" I am happy though and I am excited about the projects I am working on. I am excited about what I have managed to build so far; the businesses the community the friendships. I am excited about my family which I am co-building here. Zaabu and Mama Zaabu are true rockstars I am excited about the"
X Link 2024-05-25T03:08Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"We didn't do eCommerce in Africa. We built rails and marketplaces that tried to compete with permutations of Instagram Tik Tok WhatsApp and a boda delivery guy. They failed. The eCommerce that will succeed and is already succeeding is the one that uses localised content and products to reach the burgeoning middle and rich class. eCommerce in Africa is not an automation efficiency chasing Amazon knock-off play. The eCommerce that works is high quality well branded products with tailored storytelling leveraging existing channels like Instagram X Tik tok and WhatsApp. Less tech based and more"
X Link 2024-05-30T13:55Z [----] followers, 252.1K engagements
"@manomano256 That's the point. Folks built eCommerce platforms that sold sub-par products. The play is in building and selling great products not the "convenience" or the "digitization" or the "embedded fintech". GOOD PRODUCTS & SERVICES Africa deserves better"
X Link 2024-05-30T14:14Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"For most SMEs (less than $1M turnover) we probably don't. Whatever duct-tapped solution they use works well enough because their scale doesn't justify anything fancy. There are some interesting niche cases though. @afrigility is interesting as it allows you to expand in Kenya without the need to setup or invest in any logistics. I might use them for @ModernLivingEA when we expand to Kenya"
X Link 2024-05-31T04:03Z [----] followers, [---] engagements
"I agree. I have been critical of that model for a while and it's a bit the essence of my original post. My point on logistics is that it doesn't play to the strength of how things are in the region. That being said from what I heard African Queens is a 10m+ turnover distribution business and they haven't raised 1/100 of the funding of Wasoko. Boring wins"
X Link 2024-05-31T05:23Z [----] followers, [--] engagements
"@danbabbles @ablevenec I would use that"
X Link 2024-05-31T16:57Z [----] followers, [--] engagements
"Uganda Zambia same problems. Banks need to get serious Meanwhile we celebrate record profits for banks in #Zambia but ask SMEs what they borrow at - and realistically ask yourself if they will survive the load shedding impact of devaluation of currency on raws high fuel/distribution costs & inflation (consumer pressure) 🤷🏽♀ Meanwhile we celebrate record profits for banks in #Zambia but ask SMEs what they borrow at - and realistically ask yourself if they will survive the load shedding impact of devaluation of currency on raws high fuel/distribution costs & inflation (consumer pressure) 🤷🏽♀"
X Link 2024-06-02T10:53Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"The most sucessful entrepreneur in Uganda was nicknamed Mukwano which means "friendship" or "my friend". It's quite telling if you ask me. Uganda like many other countries is small especially the business community. I keep joking to people that you are always [--] to [--] people away from meeting the President if you wanted to. Even your security guard might be related or friend with a general. While the US are much litigious Uganda is all about friendship and "who you know". Americans will "sue you" Ugandans will "meet and discuss". Americans get frustrated because they have a view of "how things"
X Link 2024-06-06T05:01Z [----] followers, 18.4K engagements
"@asemota I also wrote this wondering how it applied to other countries. I have a very strong hunch that it is very similar in Malawi and Zambia for example"
X Link 2024-06-06T07:41Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"@asemota I'm not following. Is it worth reading I'm looking for books"
X Link 2024-06-06T08:17Z [----] followers, [--] engagements
"I have been to Rwanda Kenya and DRC (Goma) in the last [--] months. How many Ugandan brands did I see there Less than the fingers on my right hand. For the record I still have [--]. Ugandans entrepreneurs I meet often are affraid of expanding to neighbouring countries out of ignorance bad experience (often from acquintances) and the fact that they feel like they have to do everything alone. So if we are serious: - Where is the funding to open showrooms in Nairobi - Where is the training on the East African Quality Standards - Where are the workshops to figure out the logistics of opening a company"
X Link 2024-06-07T07:46Z [----] followers, 46.8K engagements
"@seempaq In Africa go niche first and then mass market only if you need to. WhatsApp and Instagram beats everything else. Quality and storytelling still wins"
X Link 2024-06-07T12:16Z [----] followers, [--] engagements
"@myleauk @paceidug @psfued Egg Like the one for rolex"
X Link 2024-06-07T14:13Z [----] followers, [---] engagements
"Nairobi people - I will be in your town in around [--] days. I would be keen to meet. Send me a DM. Also in the comments what are some of the coolest events I should attend I am talking entrepreneur meetups random cool events (culture musicetc.) product launch etc"
X Link 2024-06-09T05:35Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"@CedricNdilima @TonyNatif Borrowing in USD also assumes the FX is going to hold or you have pricing power to hedge through revenue increase if the USD goes against you. Frankly we need some base rate reduction if we are to go anywhere. Latam in the 2000s is an interesting case in point"
X Link 2024-06-09T07:15Z [----] followers, [---] engagements
"Smokies with kachumbari are better than Rolex. Sorry guys I said it"
X Link 2024-06-19T05:01Z [----] followers, 34.1K engagements
"Where East Africa unites: Smokies Kamchumbari an egg in a chapati. The new official dish of the East African Community Smokies with kachumbari are better than Rolex. Sorry guys I said it. Smokies with kachumbari are better than Rolex. Sorry guys I said it"
X Link 2024-06-20T05:00Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"I think people are really underestimating food from East Africa. Sometimes I dream of the late Anthony Bourdain sitting in a kafunda drinking a cold Nile Special and eating Pork somewhere in Kampala. My post on Smokeys showed how much East Africans love their classics. Don't deport me I come in peace. Here are my thoughts on some of the classics: Smokeys -- This was a surprise the first time I came to Nairobi close to [--] years ago. With kachumbari chilli an optional boiled egg in a chapati a piece of bread or on it's own; it's always refreshing and full of flavor. The mama running a good spot"
X Link 2024-06-20T07:41Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"People know @TonyNatif the activist. Let me tell you a story. Hadijja was overworked and overwhelmed trying to hold @ModernLivingEA out of the water. Nothing major just the regular hustles and headaches that come from growing a business on those streets of ours. Growing fast is great but your systems your team and your energy also needs to grow. Otherwise you overpush overstretch and break. Hadijja and I (quite frankly) were close to that breaking point. I had just met Tony and I felt it was a great time for Hadijja to meet him. Hadijja turned up [--] hours late as she was on a string of"
X Link 2024-06-21T11:15Z [----] followers, 16.9K engagements
"@Spartakussug We need to get serious about Air Quality. We have a crisis in the making if we tolerate that stuff"
X Link 2024-06-27T16:22Z [----] followers, [---] engagements
"Ils appelent a le Gen Z Protest. a a commenc sur Tik Tok quand le prsident Ruto a essay de passer un Finance Bill (hausse de taxes et autres mesures imposs par le FMI). Les protestataires sont surtout des jeunes. Nairobi la capital tait pas mal shutdown la semaine derniere (mort Parliament en feu tear gas rumeurs de mesures de guerre etc). Le bill a t retir mais les protestations continuent"
X Link 2024-06-30T14:41Z [----] followers, [--] engagements
"There is nothing special about Ugandan Tourism. Yes I said it again. I might make my friend @wekesa_amos choke on his katogo this morning and perhaps I am mistaken. I come in peace. Yet I am saying it again: if we want our tourism to succeed on the global stage we need to focus on what is truly special about our offering and niche down. Kenya and Tanzania have succeeded in positioning the uniqueness of their tourism offerings on the global scene. The Masai Mara Hakuna Matata the Serengeti and the great migration are part of the vocabulary of most would-be travelers. Rwanda on the other hand"
X Link 2024-07-02T05:59Z [----] followers, 93.8K engagements
"Kigali or Nairobi People in both Kigali and Nairobi have reached out to @ModernLivingEA asking when we are opening there. Both cities have their pros and cons: Kigali: Smaller but rapidly growing with investor-friendly policies. This likely means more buildings more projects and more investment over time which is great for furniture demand. The cost advantage of producing locally is also significant. Kigali is in a landlocked country surrounded by other landlocked countries. Goma is to Rwanda what South Sudan is to Ugandaan opportunity with potential rewards when it works. On the downside"
X Link 2024-07-09T10:14Z [----] followers, 54.8K engagements
"@TonyNatif @ModernLivingEA Mama Zaabu is finally back on her feet NBO we are coming 3"
X Link 2024-07-09T14:22Z [----] followers, [---] engagements
"@asemota This reminds me of me sitting alone at a Pork joint in Lira or eating smokeys sipping on chai in Nairobi starring at traffic in the morning"
X Link 2024-07-09T15:06Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"I asked my friend @nahabwe how he would go about expanding to Zambia. I picked Zambia because he's never been there and knows little about it. I'm paraphrasing but his answer has stayed with me: "I would send a few of my guys to live there for a few months. They would eat in the local kafundas go out make friends dance to Zambian music and watch football on plastic chairs. Only when I feel like my people have immersed themselves in the day-to-day culture would I make a move." We often see foreign brands entering Kampala. They cover the city with billboards hire the wrong influencers and use"
X Link 2024-07-10T07:10Z [----] followers, 21.2K engagements
"My post on expanding to Kenya and Rwanda did well. I promised that if it did I would write about expanding to Kigali or Nairobi for less than $1000. As an investor I often see management teams spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to expand to neighboring countries. A company expanding from Michigan to Missouri in the US doesn't face nearly the same amount of red tape as Ugandan companies looking beyond Uganda's borders. Selling to a Fortune [---] company in California from New York is likely easier than selling to a company in Nairobi from Kampala Yet should it be that expensive Putting a"
X Link 2024-07-24T08:00Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"How to never have to raise money: Raising money will make your incubator happy. Your mum might think you have finally made it. You have the swag of being on techcrunch. Yet raising money is not an end goal. Ultimately you should never "have to raise money". So how 1) Respect money: This is key. We have a tendency especially when we are growing fast to think that money can solve problems. Most of the time your expensive hire and your space expansion might only be the symptom. 2) Low to negative cash cycle: If your clients pay you for [--] year upfront or they pay a deposit for a sizable portion"
X Link 2024-07-29T06:59Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"@TheMutaD @KiiraMotors And they say there is no middle class in Uganda"
X Link 2024-07-31T06:03Z [----] followers, [---] engagements
"I got [--] prediction right out of [--]. No South Sudan didn't win against the US. It would have been epic but perhaps for another time. I was right though anticipating an amazing time at a local South Sudanese bar watching the game surrounded by fans. It's called Matien on Kibuli road just beside Dana Hotel. Please go and support them Every time South Sudan had the ball they cheered. "That Lebron James guy he's disorganizing our people" - With a big South Sudanese accent There was about a minute in the first quarter when South Sudan turned red hot. Everything was going in and a for a few minutes"
X Link 2024-08-01T06:49Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"What if they used the Square Mile to setup a Youth-focused Industrial Park with all the infrastructure to become a hub for creatives makers and entrepreneurs to thrive I am talking top connectivity access to unique tools and machines etc. That would be truly futuristic. Akon was allocated [--] square mile of land to build Akon City in Uganda in [----]. He is yet to develop the [---] acres of land he was given by the Government for Akon City in Senegal. The Senegalese Government has given him [--] month to start developing it or lose 90% of the land. https://t.co/bGK6k927sf Akon was allocated [--] square"
X Link 2024-08-06T04:56Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"@salimo_paul I think at an $83bn market cap Howard did just fine"
X Link 2024-08-08T16:47Z [----] followers, [--] engagements
"Mr President - Monday really feels like a great day for the first edition of the ChepteiDAY. We can get the stadium and the road named after him later and settle for a public holiday for now. Who is with me Uganda Oyee"
X Link 2024-08-10T05:45Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"As a baby born at [--] weeks myself the only thing I can say is: This is Great Uganda please take notes Very interesting elements in Rwandas new maternity leave law: -A woman whose child dies after birth has rights to maternity leave benefits. The employer pays the woman a salary of [--] weeks including eight weeks covered by the Social Security Administration (SSA). -Increases Very interesting elements in Rwandas new maternity leave law: -A woman whose child dies after birth has rights to maternity leave benefits. The employer pays the woman a salary of [--] weeks including eight weeks covered by"
X Link 2024-08-10T18:59Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"We need the traders and we need to move beyond the headlines if we want to build our local manufacturing Traders Play a Vital Role: You can't simply walk into a factory in China and purchase a few boxes of hinges. Minimum order quantities (MoQs) often start in the thousands. When I was in China some suppliers wouldn't even give me a business card unless I promised to order at least a container. Traders also handle the logistics of moving goods from downtown to uptown suburbs rural areas and beyond. A factory must conduct a thorough cost-benefit analysis before rolling out a new design. In"
X Link 2024-08-12T10:09Z [----] followers, [----] engagements
"@UgandaBreweries this would be a fantastic opportunty for your team as part of your CSR projects. @bralirwaplc is already going strong in Rwanda. Our mission goes beyond water; its about changing lives. In partnership with @bralirwaplc weve helped [---] households in Munyiginya Rwanda access clean safe drinking water. Together were creating brighter futuresone filter at a time. 💧#CleanWaterForAll #Partnerships4Good https://t.co/Tjru1mO4E5 Our mission goes beyond water; its about changing lives. In partnership with @bralirwaplc weve helped [---] households in Munyiginya Rwanda access clean safe"
X Link 2024-08-15T08:57Z [----] followers, [--] engagements
"This is my "Kampala hustler's Guide" for Ugandan Companies Entering the Serbian Market While the article by @Odrek_Rwabwogo provides a theoretical framework here's a more tactical "guerrilla-style" approach to entering the Serbian market: #1 Generate leads: Use an outsourcing platform like Upwork to hire a lead generator. Task them with building a list of all restaurants in Serbia and medium-sized businesses in Belgrade. Why focus on Belgrade As the capital businesses there are more likely to speak English and have the financial capacity for exotic products like Ugandan coffee. With a budget"
X Link 2024-08-22T14:31Z [----] followers, 27.5K engagements
"@TonyNatif I wish I could say he learned everything from me during his [--] months in Uganda. We had a great time haha"
X Link 2024-08-23T13:37Z [----] followers, [---] engagements
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