Roelof Oosthuizen’s Post

Every great business story starts with a vision. For us at Back Office Solutions, that vision was clear — to provide quality back-office support to startups and SMEs in Zambia. What began as a small initiative has now grown into a fully formalized business, driven by the belief that entrepreneurs deserve the freedom to focus on growth while we handle the operational details. This growth would not have been possible without the trust and confidence of the SMEs who gave us a chance. Your belief in our services has been the catalyst for our evolution, and for that, we are truly grateful. At Back Office Solutions, our mission is simple: Focused support for focused growth. We are committed to being a reliable partner for businesses that are scaling, ensuring they have the operational backbone they need to achieve their goals. To all our clients, partners, and supporters — thank you for being part of this journey. We look forward to continuing to empower SMEs with the tools, support, and expertise they need to thrive. Here’s to focused support, stronger partnerships, and greater growth ahead! #BackOfficeSolutions #FocusedGrowth #SupportForSMEs #BusinessGrowth #Gratitude #NewBeginnings

You saw it over 3.5 million times and every time it has the same effect on you. You felt: 1. Genuinely curious. Even if your not a fan. 2. Slightly intrreged. The slow motion got you. 3. Overwhelmed with joy. You weren’t expecting that. This is what we call “pleasantly surprised”😳 The play you witnessed was planned out properly. The automation was set. The triggers were careful curated. The top of funnel supported the bottom funnel. The team won because the play was carefully documented and executed, all members knew thier exact roles! Our Virtual Assistant Firm puts things into play. Over the past 14 days we brought in a couple slam dunks for our client. Christopher Senegal and we can’t wait to bring in a couple more. Will be sharing the journey soon. Our vision is to create a global network where talent knows no boundaries, and opportunity is accessible to people from the diaspora. We envision a future where startups and entrepreneurs can tap into a diverse pool of high-agency individuals from diaspora communities, leveraging their unique skills and perspectives to drive innovation and success. Through our Firm, we aim to empower individuals from underutilized countries to thrive in remote work and cultural exchange on a global scale. #blackintech #dispora #africa #Caribbean #va

I recently had an experience that made me deeply reflect on how I carry out my duties. I sent a package through one of the top courier services in the country because they usually deliver very fast, even to other continents. But to my shock, I received a message that my package failed to deliver due to a wrong address and was being sent back to me. I didn’t know whether to cry or scream. I was boiling with anger because I had double-checked that the correct delivery address was provided when it was registered. It turns out that a staff at the courier service office in my city had made a mistake with the address. And the most painful part was the time and funds wasted in the process. As an operations and admin professional, mistakes like this cost a lot, both to the organization and to customers. This experience was a strong reminder of the importance of double-checking information, whether it's emails, physical dispatches, or products being sent outside the organization. Avoiding unnecessary expenses and wasted energy starts with thoroughness and attention to detail. So, dear Ops and Admin professionals, ensure you thoroughly check for errors when sending out information to avoid unnecessary delays and costs. By the way, have you registered for our upcoming webinar? See the link to register https://lnkd.in/dbRyfbGg. And share this with startup founders who would benefit from this. Have a lovey weekend. #OperationsManagement #AdminProfessional #AttentionToDetail #Leadership #CustomerExperience #ArielleForAfrica #Webinar #EntrepreneurshipinAfrica

Here's an unexpected solution to the UK’s chronic skills crisis—outsourcing to New Zealand. Yep - New Zealand. Let me explain. As a British expat living in Auckland, I was shocked to learn about the skills shortage affecting UK businesses. Here in New Zealand, a recession is creating a surplus of highly skilled professionals eager for opportunities, as well as service businesses crying-out for clients. That’s when I had a eureka moment: what if this surplus of Kiwi talent could fill the skills gaps for UK SMEs, boosting their productivity while they sleep? After all, everyone’s used to remote working, and the UK and NZ are practically cousins—we’ve got a long history and a common language, as well as aligned business cultures and legal systems. Initially I thought it was crazy—two countries on opposite sides of the globe with a 12-hour time difference working together. But then I realised, what if that’s our biggest advantage? Imagine your company becoming a 24-hour business, powered by Kiwi expertise overnight. You wake up to completed projects, enjoy higher productivity, faster timelines, quicker market launches—this isn’t a dream; it’s a strategy. That's why I’m excited to launch this bespoke service. I’m looking for just 12 pioneering UK SMEs to partner with me and turn time zones into their competitive edge. Ready to explore how we can transform your SME into a 24-hour business? Let’s connect and make it happen. #24hourbusiness #smallbusiness #entrepreneur #uksme #futureofwork #timezonemagic #ukbusiness

My post about Africans creating Africa-centric solutions last week generated another interesting thread as Ilyich Tetteh Tagoe 🌍 and other colleagues highlighted the importance of favorable business environment. Just few days after Glovo announced its exit in Ghana, rumor circulating over the weekend revealed that Societe Generale is also planning its exit. As a matter of fact, this is not a good sign. Look at the number of people this downsize will affect; employees, family, businesses, etc. Again, over the weekend I had a conversation with someone who runs cookies business and she emphasized how business had slacked. I sincerely sympathize and empathize with all entrepreneurs in this period of difficulties. I believe favorable that business environment is very crucial to draw in FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) and help existing firms to thrive. If businesses prosper unemployment rate will decrease as more hands will be needed to meet demand. Household will have income to spend and save to help the economy to grow. The circular flow of income. Forgive my simple economics analogy. 😂😂 PS. What should policy makers do to improve the business environment? Share your comments. ♻️ Repost if you find this helpful. 🔔 Let’s connect Solomon Idan Have a wonderful week. 🌹

When it comes to business growth, you deserve someone who is not just experienced, but dependable. I’ve been helping businesses across Kenya navigate the challenges of the market, create effective strategies, and drive real results. Why choose me? ✅ Proven Track Record ✅ Tailored Solutions ✅ Constant Support ✅ Local Expertise Whether you’re a startup looking to scale or an established business aiming to evolve, I’ve got the tools, insights, and commitment to get you there. 📞 +254 718 079 866 #BusinessConsultantKenya #KenyaBusinessSuccess #BusinessGrowth

Bonuses form a good proportion of a CXO's compensation. We, at Endeavor Kenya, carried out a survey to understand the market nuances of CXO compensation across 4 major countries in Africa: Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, and Egypt. 📝 Can you guess the range of % bonus over base pay for a CXO in Africa ❔ A. 0-10% B. 10-20% (Correct) C. 20-30% D. 30-40% 📌 Access the summary report  here: https://shorturl.at/ZqKQT to learn more about different aspects of compensation of CXOs in Africa and to participate in the survey for future versions. Cheryl Itemere Maryanne Ochola Rashid Shakombo Alan Nderitu Tabitha Amondi Diana Kinuthia

#SolutionMindset: A Roadmap to a Shared Economy in Africa Africa is full of opportunities, but many of them remain unexplored. As the shared economy grows around the world, I believe Africa can take the lead—if we dare to think differently and reimagine how we do business. Imagine this: A young American backpacker visits Zimbabwe and discovers a simple but brilliant idea. People offer rides for a small fee, turning everyday commutes into a small business. To someone used to wasting hours in U.S. traffic, this was groundbreaking. Inspired, he returned home, partnered with a friend, and launched Zimride, a ride-sharing service. It did so well that a major car rental company bought it. But they didn’t stop there. Six years ago, these same innovators launched Lyft, now worth over $15 billion and competing directly with Uber. This isn’t an isolated story. Think about another young man who wanted to enter the hotel business but didn’t have the money to build one. Instead of giving up, he and two friends created a solution that changed the entire hospitality industry. That solution was Airbnb a concept we’ve long known in Africa, where people rent rooms in their homes to lodgers. Today, Airbnb is valued at around $37 billion, just ten years after it started. This idea, deeply rooted in African traditions, shows that our continent has always been ready for innovation. These stories are a wake-up call. We must look past the challenges we face limited funds, lack of infrastructure, and tough regulations and focus on what we do have: a strong tradition of community and sharing. Our task now is to learn from these global successes and adapt them to our local environments. What if we digitized the way we rent rooms in our cities? What if we rethought how we share resources, like tractors in rural areas or expensive medical equipment in hospitals? The potential to create an African version of Airbnb, Uber, or Lyft is enormous. The only thing stopping us is a lack of imagination. The shared economy offers a way to do smart things with limited capital by leveraging what we already have. Take, for example, in South Africa, a group of young entrepreneurs replaced traditional office messengers with a digital platform called Sendr, which allows companies to send parcels quickly. I was so impressed by this idea that I sought to be invested it! Now, we’re turning every Okada (motorcycle taxi) in Nigeria into a Sendr agent. The message is clear: the shared economy is a new path to entrepreneurial success in Africa. It’s a model that lets us solve everyday problems in our communities, and across the continent with creativity and minimal resources. Africa has always been about sharing. Our challenge now is to find smart ways to digitize and profit from these practices. If we don’t, others will just like they did with Uber, Lyft, and Airbnb. So, what are we waiting for? Let’s rethink our future, seize these opportunities, and lead the way in the shared economy.

Over the past few weeks we have shared some interesting information about the informal sector. What remains the most interesting of all is that the informal and formal economies, despite how physically accessible they are to one other, remain deeply disconnected. This physical disconnection causes value to be disconnected. There are lots of different solutions within both spaces but very few effectively focuses on connecting them both. Maybe it’s that we want the benefit of engaging those who have money to spend but are reluctant to tackle the most real and difficult problems because there is no instant gratification? The macro effect is the increasing disparity of income distribution. From a micro perspective, informal businesses can’t succeed to their full potential, due to the lack of resources, information and market access that is largely concentrated within the formal environment. Some of these businesses even die days after starting. Sandton in Johannesburg is known as the richest square mile in Africa. The township of Alexandra is known as Gomorra (please Google why). These towns are just 4km away from each other, but are actually very far apart. Below, is a picture taken by our Founder, Ashmita Singh from the rooftop of Alexandra Mall after walking the streets of Alexandra and speaking to different vendors about their engagement with the large amount of resources that exists just across Grayston Drive. But its just too "far". This leg of our journey unpacks what SwapVend is, how it works, what we stand for and who we are. Miranda Perumal Ashmita Singh #digitaltaxi #swapvend #formal #informal #economicinclusion #sandton #alexandra #townshipeconomy #southafrica #africa #womenintech #founder #startup #femalefounder #postoftheday

Meet the Innovator: Mike Quinn Mike Quinn, Co-Founder and CEO of Boost Technology, provides insight into their mission to drive growth for the 100 million underserved entrepreneurs in Africa's informal economy who are creating sustainable jobs and income for the future. Boost Technology enables entrepreneurs to thrive in the digital economy and become an engine for job creation and growth. In this interview, Mike discusses how they are helping supply chains run more efficiently and unlock growth for various stakeholders. "We are a company that operates in Africa with the mission to power growth for micro and small businesses in the informal retail space. We work with manufacturers, like Unilever, across several markets in Africa to digitize the last-mile of their distribution and help deliver essential goods and services more efficiently to mom-and-pop shops." #innovation #global #london #fintech #financialinclusion #microfinance #tech #technology #software #thefuturelist