Bulls n Bears Entrepreneurship Zone :: Andela co-founder on why entrepreneurs should “get obsessed” with the problem they’re trying to solve

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Andela is a company that trains African software developers and hires them
out to global tech companies. In an interview in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt,
Christina Sass, co-founder and president of Andela, talked about the future
of Africa’s tech sector and why entrepreneurs should “get obsessed” with the
problem they’re trying to solve.


What’s your view of Africa’s tech sector?


I’m so excited about the next five to ten years. I think it’s an incredible
time to be working on the continent of Africa. It’s the largest untapped
pool of talent in the world. It’s also the youngest continent. We see [tech]
talent coming of age and they have the possibility to scale solutions in
every single industry that’s desperately needed – in global health, in
agriculture, in energy and environment.

I see an Africa where technologists and people who are passionate about
their home communities are solving problems locally and then spreading those
technologies elsewhere. I also see an Africa that is leapfrogging a lot of
the challenges that other tech sectors have had. The tech sector in Africa
is one of the greatest ways that we will create a lot of employment and
create a lot of solutions.


What opportunities do you see for women?


One of the greatest opportunities is to have a much more equal and
sustainable tech sector by bringing women into the workforce much earlier.
At Andela we have a companywide goal of having 35 percent women software
developers. In Lagos, Nairobi and Kampala right now we’re at about 23
percent. The global average is 6 percent. So, if we can do that in Lagos,
Nairobi, Kampala and soon Kigali, we can most certainly do that in Silicon
Valley and other places. I see Africa really leading the way on having a
much healthier and more equitable tech sector from the beginning.


What do you love about your job?


I love the opportunity to connect with young people across the continent
that are full of energy and really want to create a better world and a
better Africa. They really inspire us to work harder and better every day.


What’s your number one tip for new entrepreneurs?


Entrepreneurs that I know and deeply respect are obsessed with the problem
that they’re trying to solve. They’ve usually tried to solve that problem
many different ways before the current iteration of their business. I would
tell young people who think they want to start something that it isn’t so
much about having your name on the door. It’s about chipping away at how you
solve that problem. Get obsessed with the problem you’re trying to solve.


What scares you?


Being an entrepreneur is terrifying in the early days. You have to be ready
to knock down every single wall and sort of get over yourself, get over your
own fear. There are challenges on a daily basis –- am I going to be big
enough, am I going to be good enough, what if I fail? And you are most
definitely going to fail. The question is, what are you going to do with
that?—Howwemadeitinaafrica 



Christina Sass

 

 

 

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