This week, I received the honor of being nominated among the “Most Inspiring Corporate Leaders.” Throughout my career, a recurring question has been: “Are you a corporate leader or are you a nonprofit founder?” This query often stems from a limited understanding of what constitutes a corporation.
For the past 12 years, Iโve been building businesses across the African continentโcreating platforms, services, and programs that I knew had value. And yet, one question kept echoing through every boardroom, brainstorm, and budget meeting:
โWhy arenโt we making enough money?โ
โWhy arenโt we sustainable?โ
โWhy isnโt this working?โ
For a long time, I have been met with skepticism and criticism for building a non-profit. In the world of business, especially as a woman founder, running a non-profit is often equated with being “less of an entrepreneur,” as if only for-profit ventures validate business acumen. This semester, however, a business communications course provided an unexpected source of reaffirmationโour class project focused on OpenAI.
If you have been following this blog for a little longer than 5 years, then you know that I was once a travel and food blogger. When I started exploring agriculture at Michigan State University, I thought of it as a natural extension of my work with Kwathu Farmsโan opportunity to learn about modern farming techniques and contribute to food security in Africa. But it wasnโt until a conversation with my classmate Ramy that I fully realized the deeper connection between my past and present.