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Ghanaian Startup Hurupay Helps Businesses and Individuals Combat Currency Fluctuations

Hurupay, a Ghanaian startup that offers a crypto wallet for stablecoins, is helping businesses and individuals across Africa overcome the negative impacts of fluctuating local currencies. Stablecoins are non-volatile cryptocurrencies pegged to the value of the US dollar at a ratio of 1:1.

Hurupay’s platform allows businesses to accept stablecoin payments from customers simply by scanning QR codes and paying suppliers with zero fees. Individuals can also use Hurupay to save money in dollars and stablecoins, send and receive money across borders with very low fees, and pay at shops.

The idea for Hurupay came to co-founder and CEO Philip Mburu when he relocated to Ghana in September 2021. He was frustrated by the high fees and slow processing times of traditional cross-border money transfer services and by the depreciating value of the Ghanaian cedi.

“Hurupay is designed to help businesses and individuals mitigate the negative impacts of fluctuating local currencies on their income and growth,” said Mburu. “By providing a more stable and reliable payment method, we can help people save money, grow their businesses, and access better opportunities.”

Hurupay is still in its early stages, but it has already seen significant growth. Within two months of going live in Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria, Hurupay has onboarded over 1,500 active users and processed transactions worth over US$100,000.

Hurupay is a promising example of how blockchain technology is being used to solve real-world problems in Africa. By enabling stablecoin-based payments, Hurupay is helping to reduce the costs and risks associated with cross-border money transfers and to provide people with a more stable way to save and spend their money.

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Business

Design thinking: The 5 processes.

My secondary school teacher once said something. He said, “ If you want to understand a term, break that into two syllables and get to understand each word; once you get the understanding of both words, put them together, and then you get the meaning of that term.”

So, we will be breaking down the term “design thinking” into two to get a better understanding of what it means.

Let’s take the word ‘design.’ Design, or to design, simply means to create or to make something.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, to design means to devise a specific function or to conceive and plan out.

The word ‘ thinking’ in layman’s terms means to reason.

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, thinking means the activity of using your mind to consider something.

Putting both definitions together, we have design thinking as using your mind to devise a specific function according to the layman.

Design thinking is defined as the iterative process used for practical and creative problem-solving.

Now that we’ve understood what design thinking is, let’s talk about the processes involved in design thinking. There are five processes of design thinking, which include: empathy, define, ideate, prototype, and test.

The first stage is empathy. Empathy simply means understanding the feelings or needs of someone. In this stage, you need to be in the users’ shoes, and for you to do that, you need to get to know the user and understand his or her wants and needs, as well as his or her objectives. There’s no assumption at this stage; you need to gather real facts about the users.

Let’s take Daavi’s G)b3 as an example. Before she starts with her G)b3 business, she has to engage with the people in her community to know if they like G)b3 and how they would like it to be. She gets the customer’s pain points and begins to work with them.

From the empathy stage, we then start to define In this stage, you begin to define the problem based on the information you’ve acquired in the empathy stage. You begin to analyze the information you have acquired.

Back to Daavi’s G)b3, she will be able to identify her target market based on the information she has. With all this, she may come to a consensus that the other G)b3 joints within the community do not provide the kind of service the people want. Then she leverages that.

The third stage is to Ideate. In this stage, you have information from your users and the problem statement, and now you will need to brainstorm on the information gathered.

In Daavi’s case, after analyzing the information she has acquired, she will know how she will prepare the G)b3 to suit her customers, how the packaging will be done, and how her pricing will be based on the information gathered as well as the time she should prepare the food.

After Ideation, Prototype. The prototype stage is basically an experimentation stage. You create a mockup, give it out to a couple of friends and family to try out, and expect feedback and work on it.

Daavi will prepare a sample of her G)b3 and give it out to family and friends to taste for feedback.

Lastly, the testing stage. The testing stage means taking measures to check the quality, performance, or reliability of something, especially before putting it into widespread use. After prototyping your product, you test for feedback, and then this feedback is taken into consideration and worked on.

In Daavi’s case, she will begin by preparing a small quantity of food and give it out to random people within the community for honest feedback. Some may want the G)b3 in plantain wraps, others in packs, and others in plastic bags. Some may want some pepper in their beans; others may want rice with their beans aside from the riped plantains; and others may also want pepper in their beans. From the information gathered, she can improve her services and then scale up her business.

In conclusion, design thinking is a repetitive process; it’s like a never-ending cycle. And it is argued by many that it is not really a linear process. Others may prefer to test their products before building a prototype.

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THE ENTERPRISE VILLAGE HUB LAUNCHES ‘HER TECH INITIATIVE.’

In the era of digital transformation and agile methodologies, the demand for skilled professionals in Scrum is rapidly growing. However, one persistent challenge remains the gender gap within the Scrum community. To address this pressing issue and empower women in the world of Scrum, The Enterprise Village Hub proudly announces the launch of the “Her Tech Initiative” for Scrum Training.

“Her Tech Initiative” is a pioneering program that aims to bridge the gender gap in Scrum by providing women with the necessary training, resources, and support to excel in this dynamic field. Recognizing the immense potential and untapped talent among women, The Enterprise Village Hub is taking a proactive stance in fostering gender diversity within the Scrum community.

Through this initiative, women will have access to comprehensive scrum training programs that cover the core principles, methodologies, and best practices of agile project management. The training offers hands-on workshops, mentorship opportunities, and networking events specifically tailored to the needs of aspiring female scrum practitioners.

The idea behind this initiative is to train young women in scrum where they develop a documented system to help working teams track their activities according to the AGILE methodology. Scrum is a framework that is widely used in software development and project management. The primary goal of scrum is to improve collaboration, communication, and productivity within a team. It emphasizes adaptive planning, self-organization, and continuous improvement.

Successful participants will be taken through the key components of scrum. These include, Product owner, Scrum master, Development team, Sprint planning, and Daily Scrum among others.

This training targets unemployed young women between the ages of 24 to 35 years and it will last for 4 weeks. After the four weeks of training, the next phase of the project will be incubation where participants will develop their ideas for incubation. Through incubation, their ideas will be moved from just ideas to actionable steps in building businesses.

Some of the benefits participants will derive from this training will be to understand Agile principles. This training will help trainees gain a solid understanding of agile principles, practices, and the scrum framework. Another benefit trainees will derive from this training will be enhanced productivity and efficiency. This training will equip individuals with techniques to manage their work more effectively.

With this training, The Enterprise Village hub intends to capture the story of two entrepreneurs developing a product through Scrum.

The Enterprise Village hub is a community that helps creatives and entrepreneurs bring their ideas to life. At EV, we are committed to identifying, training, connecting, and funding early and growth-stage entrepreneurs while developing thriving talent for entrepreneurs and businesses.

The Enterprise Village Hub extends a warm invitation to all Scrum enthusiasts, professionals, and advocates of gender diversity to join forces in supporting “Her Tech Initiative” for Scrum training. Let us unite in creating a future where women in Scrum are empowered, celebrated, and given equal opportunities to shape the digital landscape through agile project management. Together, we can build a more inclusive and prosperous scrum community for all.

#scrumtraining #HerTechInitiative #EVtraining #EnterpriseVillage

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Breaking Barriers: Women in Tech Paving the Way for Innovation

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is pexels-andrea-piacquadio-3769021-1024x683.jpg

Introduction: In recent years, the technology industry has undergone a significant transformation. As digital innovation continues to shape our world, the contributions of women in the tech sector have become increasingly recognized and celebrated. Breaking through societal and gender barriers, women are making their mark in various domains of technology, driving progress, and inspiring future generations. This article explores the pivotal role of women in tech and highlights the challenges they have faced, the progress made, and the importance of continued support for gender diversity in the industry.

  1. Overcoming the Gender Gap: Historically, the tech industry has been predominantly male-dominated, with women facing numerous barriers to entry. However, women have been steadfast in their pursuit of technological excellence, overcoming stereotypes and biases. Initiatives promoting gender equality in STEM education and professional development programs have played a vital role in narrowing the gender gap and encouraging more women to pursue careers in tech.
  2. Empowering Tech Trailblazers: Today, women in tech are leading groundbreaking advancements across various sectors. From artificial intelligence and data science to cybersecurity and software engineering, women are spearheading innovative projects and disrupting traditional norms. Their unique perspectives and diverse experiences bring fresh ideas, creativity, and problem-solving skills to the table, resulting in more comprehensive and inclusive technological solutions.
  3. Fostering a Supportive Community: Recognizing the need for a supportive community, women in tech have established networks, organizations, and mentorship programs aimed at empowering fellow women and nurturing their talent. These initiatives provide opportunities for networking, knowledge sharing, and professional growth, ensuring that women in tech have the support they need to thrive in their careers.
  4. Advocating for Diversity and Inclusion: The push for diversity and inclusion in the tech industry has gained momentum, with women at the forefront of this movement. By championing equal opportunities and challenging biases, women in tech are reshaping corporate cultures and fostering environments that celebrate diversity. Studies have shown that diverse teams lead to more innovative and successful outcomes, making gender diversity a crucial component of a thriving tech industry.
  5. Inspiring the Next Generation: As trailblazers, women in tech serve as role models for young girls and aspiring technologists. By sharing their stories and experiences, they inspire the next generation to pursue careers in technology, dismantling the notion that tech is a male-dominated field. Mentorship programs, STEM initiatives, and educational outreach efforts are crucial in encouraging girls to explore their passion for technology and equipping them with the skills necessary for success.

Conclusion: Women in tech have made remarkable strides, breaking down barriers, and reshaping the landscape of the technology industry. Their contributions are driving innovation, fostering diversity, and creating a more inclusive and equitable future. By continuing to support and empower women in tech, we can unlock the full potential of diverse perspectives, accelerate progress, and ensure that the technological advancements of tomorrow are driven by a truly inclusive workforce.

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Announcing Accra Pitch Perfect Bi-Monthly Series by Bloop and The Enterprise Village

Learn how to pitch your business for investment at Pitch Perfect.

The Enterprise Village & Bloop are excited to announce their upcoming event, Pitch Perfect. This will be an opportunity for startups to learn how to pitch and tell the story of their business in a very friendly setting. Attendees can expect to gain valuable insights from experienced entrepreneurs and investors who will provide feedback on pitches and answer any questions you may have about the funding process. If you’re looking to take your business to the next level, don’t miss this event!

Pitch Perfect is unlike any other pitch event out there – it’s designed specifically for startup founders who want to learn, grow and connect with others in the community. Unlike traditional pitch events, at our event, the focus is on the founders. This approach guarantees a successful, enriching and powerfully informative experience for the founders who attend. Participants will have 3 minutes to pitch their business idea/venture/venture and we’re looking for people with great ideas, strong passion and poise.

Attendees can expect to see a variety of businesses pitches, ranging from technology startups to brick and mortar businesses.

Be ready to have an open conversation about your vision, and leave with insight and leads for funding and partnership opportunities.

Join us at the Enterprise Village for the Pitch Perfect Event this Thursday, 3rd February 2022 at 5:30pm prompt. Whether you’re a founder looking for early stages funding, or a founder looking for validation, this is the perfect opportunity to pitch your idea and find partners

If you are interested in pitching your business or attending, please visit our website https://theenterprisevillage.com/event/pitch-perfect/ for more information.

We look forward to seeing you there!

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ENTERPRISE VILLAGE TO HOST MAIDEN LOCAL STARTUP SUMMIT

The Enterprise Village in partnership with Ghana Tech Lab under the Pathway to Sustainable Employment Program is organizing its maiden local startup summit. The theme for this year’s summit is, “Sustainable Business Development and Job Creation in Accra using mobile technologies”. The event will be held at The Enterprise Village Hub in Dzorwulu.

The local startup summit is geared towards providing an avenue for our trainees from the Ghana Tech Lab Base Program to pitch their business innovative ideas to seasoned business people and serial entrepreneurs. The trainees under the Base Program have gone through a six-week training on Mobile Application Development and this summit is a space where they get to showcase their expertise in the past weeks.

Successful teams during the pitch event will then proceed to the incubation phase of the Base Program to develop their ideas into businesses while the rest who didn’t make it, will also proceed into the employability phase of the program.

The aim of this summit is to serve as a means for young Ghanaians to create and build their own businesses to curb the rate of unemployment in the country.

The summit will be attended by entrepreneurs, investors, and other businesspeople within the ecosystem. It is also opened to the public.

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News

ENTERPRISE VILLAGE TRAINS YOUNG GHANAIANS IN MOBILE APPLICATION

Enterprise Village in partnership with Ghana Tech Lab under the Pathway to Sustainable Employment has commenced a nationwide training in Mobile applications with flutter for young Ghanaians.

Weeks ago, Ghana Tech Lab opened applications for young Ghanaians to apply for the free mobile app development training. After the application phase, shortlisted applicants went through interviews where they were finally selected to participate in the training.

An orientation session was held for the selected applicants to get them acquainted to the training curriculum, the rules regarding the training and were taken through the PaSE portal. Participants signed a code of conduct at the end of the orientation session.

The Pathway to Sustainable Employment (PaSE) has been designed to give trainees the business, communications and technical skills needed to start and scale a successful startup.

The training is a six-week long training during which trainees will be taken through modules like, Introduction to dart language, Beautiful Mobile Mockup designing, Basic Mobile App Development, REST API development with Nodejs, Google Firebase Integration and usage, and Simple animation in flutter.

As a hub, we are positive trainees will complete the training as innovative mobile app developers.

This training is in collaboration with Ghana Tech Lab with its partners, Mastercard Foundation Young Africa Works, World Bank and Ministry of Communications and Digitalization Ghana.

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Business

How to generate new winning business ideas

My mind is regularly busy, moving across various spectrum joggling different images of past happenings, fears, present day realities, forging assumptions of future realities and constantly creating new theories.

I feel like i have burdened myself with so many ideas many of which have gone through various stages of experimentation and implementation, some however could not see the light of day. But i enjoy the adrenaline rush that comes with generating new ideas. Ideas are how we make improvements or solve problems.

How do you generate a winning, thought provoking, disruptive and solution oriented idea?

  1. Come up with questions. What is the product or service going to do?. At this stage you just want to have a bird’s eye view and not necessarily about the nitty-gritty details. Idea generation and collection stage.
  2. Find out what others have done. Explore what your potential competitors are doing, learn about best practices.
  3. Review your idea and come up with a concept
  4. Start sketching on paper. Sketches are quick and cheap way to start implementing/testing the validity of the idea. Draw, write, dream. Boxes, circles, maps, lines. anything really. The goal here is to convert concepts into rough interface designs. This step is all about experimentation. There are no wrong answers.

Some tools to help with out-of-the-box thinking

Opposite Thinking

Opposite/reverse thinking is a technique that can help you question long-held assumptions related to your business. It’s a useful tool to consider if you feel your team is stuck with the conventional mindset and coming up with those “out-of-the-box ideas” seems to be difficult.

Often, finding the best solutions aren’t found through a linear thought process. Although our brains are wired that way, opposite thinking can help us question the norm.

With this type of thinking, you consider the exact opposite of what’s normal. You can even think backwards to find unconventional solutions.

Analogy Thinking

Analogy thinking is a technique for using information from one source to solve a problem in another context. Often one solution to a problem or opportunity can be used to solve another problem.

Analogy thinking can, for example, be used for analyzing a successful business, identifying what makes it great, and then applying those same principles for your business. This is an effortless method for coming up with new ideas that are pre-validated.

You’ve probably heard of the countless start-ups that are the “Uber for [insert industry here]“. This is exactly the method every one of those companies has used. However, although this is such an easy and intuitive tool to use, the obvious combinations are likely to be very competitive.

Originally posted on medium June, 2019

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Business

5 Ways to Treat Your Customers Like VIPs and Deliver “Wow” Moments

Learn to deliver more than your customers expect and you’ll win them over and create a loyal fan base.

Customers expect good service, but what if you wow them with exceptional service, going above and beyond what they expect? This white-glove service will keep customers coming back and make them shameless fans for life who’ll recommend you to more clients.

To create “Wow” moments, you need to make customers feel like the most important people in your world. Let them know you’ll bend over backward to make their day better. It’s all about the overall customer experience — and the details in between.

Think about the last time you experienced a “Wow” moment at a business, one where you were really impressed. You probably did a lot more business there and told your friends and business associates about it, too.

The following are five ways you can “Wow” every customer by going beyond expectations and providing the additional value they don’t expect, at no additional cost.

1. Do what you say you’ll do, without exception

Doing what you say you’ll do becomes easy when you’re dedicated enough to build systems around “Wow” moments. When your goal is to impress customers, you look for ways to go the extra mile every time. The key is to get your entire team onboard to ensure that they all follow up and meet their deadlines so details don’t fall between the cracks.

Giving customers more than they expect can also come in the form of a free gift or more help and support. Everyone loves to get exceptional value. Even little things can create special WOW moments. Everyone loves to feel appreciated!

2. Admit mistakes and fix problems when things go wrong

Face it, mistakes and problems happen. However, if you don’t know how to handle them, they’ll hit your customer satisfaction, retention and business success hard.

Nightmare customer service is rampant in the marketplace. We’ve all experienced it. In fact, we’ve encountered so much poor service, we tend to take it for granted at times. That’s crazy! Why give money to a company that doesn’t care?

Some of the biggest customer-service mistakes include over-promising and under-delivering, hiring the wrong people, not empowering and training your team, giving customer policy more importance than customers, and not asking customers for feedback. Don’t make these mistakes at your business!  

3. Gain respect from customers with feedback

To gain respect from your customers, you need to earn it. Everyone within your organization must be on top of their game at all times to improve the customer experience. That includes accepting responsibility for your mistakes. Customers prefer businesses that own up to their mistakes and take the necessary steps to correct them.

In fact, customer relationships often get even stronger when a problem is handled well. To continually improve, look for feedback. Survey your customers on a regular basis, and reward them for taking the survey. After all, the feedback supports you and the decisions you make. Customers want to help you improve if you respect their time and value their opinions.

Getting customer feedback helps you gain a better understanding of your market and the competition. Customers are a great source of information, and they can help you, even more, when you ask the right questions. For example, ask “What can we do to serve you better?” Or ask the same question in more detail: “Tell us about the favorite experience you’ve had with us.” Instead of “How is our team doing?” ask “Who on our team made your customer experience special?” or “How did our team create an exceptional experience for you?”

4. If customers aren’t a good fit, let them go

You can get customers who are a nightmare to deal with because they lack respect for your value. When this happens, you need to know when to let them walk away. You may even have to fire a client, which is a difficult decision since your business depends on the income from that client.

Most business owners find it difficult to let bad customers or clients go. They fear the loss of income or suffer from feelings of failure. A business owner might try to stick it out with a bad client, hoping things will get better. But they rarely do. You need to know when to walk away from these types of people. Don’t let your business be held hostage by bad customers or clients.

Many self-employed people have trouble saying “no” to opportunities that don’t serve them well. But turning down opportunities allows you to walk away from people who don’t treat you and your work with the respect and dignity you deserve. It’s hard to say “no” when you need the money, but it will cost you much more in the long run when you agree to work with a customer who’s the wrong fit or who takes advantage of your goodwill. You don’t have to be everything to everyone. Focus on the top 20 percent of your ideal market to gain the best and most valued customers.

5. Always follow up and follow through

Many businesses spend a lot of time, money and effort chasing down new customers, only to lose them after the first or second transaction because they don’t follow up or follow through after the sale. If customers don’t feel appreciated, they’re likely to go to your competitors instead of making you their choice for repeat business.

Following up with existing customers is where the money is! When customers have had a good experience doing business with you, it’s a heck of a lot easier to get repeat business from them than to chase after new leads.

Always give customers more than they expect, especially after the purchase, to show your appreciation for their business. Following up makes customers feel special and gives them a chance to be heard and engage effectively. Existing customers who receive a follow-up are more likely to purchase more products or services. So make follow-up and follow-through a consistent mission for everyone on your team.

Source: Entrepreneur.com

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Business

3 Cold Call Tips That Will Help You Book 15 Appointments a Day

The daunting task can actually be fruitful if you follow these rules.

Cold calling can seem daunting. You have a list of numbers to call each day, and you may find that your calls go to voicemail more often than to an actual person. You can’t seem to get someone on a call, much less set up an actual appointment. You try to call more people, but get the same results.

When I first started cold calling, I struggled to get prospects on the phone. I diligently worked through my list of numbers, often with little success. Then I changed my approach, and for six straight months I booked at least 15 appointments each day. After learning these three cold calling rules, you can use them to help you meet your goals:

1. Get a “yes, yes”

This concept originates from the book How to Win Friends and Influence People, which teaches readers how to connect with people by being more likeable.

Getting a “yes, yes” is about attaining agreement. This strategy is not the same as tricking the prospect into saying yes by asking open-ended questions that are not related to what you are calling about. You want to obtain agreement on key principles that are relevant to the topic at hand. Start with small things that are principle-based and then build on those. You want to create a shared viewpoint by agreeing on things you have in common.

Most prospects you call are going to say that they’re happy with the services or products they currently have, so begin with that. If you are selling insurance, for instance, begin by saying, “I’m sure you have an insurance plan that you’re happy with.” The prospect will most likely agree that they do, but because you understand their position, they will instantly feel more comfortable with you.

Then move the conversation along using questions about things you will continue to agree on: Can we agree that time is money and that anything is possible? Is it possible that there is a better insurance offer out there?

Once you have the prospect agreeing with you, you begin to transition to the process of setting up an appointment with them. It’s important that you never disagree with the prospect because this can be seen as arguing. You can acknowledge their objections and agree with their viewpoint, but not their conclusion.

2. Cold calling is not a numbers game.

There is a long-held belief that the more people you call, the more appointments you’ll be able to set up. This method doesn’t account for the reality of the world we live in today.

Think about your own workday. You might be in meetings in the morning, running errands over your lunch break and taking your kids to a doctor’s appointment in the afternoon. It could be that you are only at your desk for a couple hours on a given day. If I only call once before moving to the next number, it’s highly unlikely that I will connect with the prospects on that call. But if I missed you in the morning, I may be able to reach you in the afternoon.

The key is to call fewer prospects each day, and instead call those prospects more often. I recommend calling each lead three to four times a day for up to three to four days. As an example, I was making 40 contacts each day to get 15 scheduled appointments. But don’t leave a voicemail since this will put the ball in the other person’s court. Only leave a voicemail after you’ve exhausted trying to get ahold of them as a last resort.

3. You can sell more to prospects who don’t have a need.

Most people fail at cold calling because of this one mistake. The mantra that we have all heard is that you must first identify a need when prospecting on the phone. This old way of thinking has you only focusing on prospects who have a demonstrated need. By doing this you have limited your potential prospects to a small percentage of any B2B market.

This is because 95% of all prospects will tell you that they are happy with what they have. They don’t have a need. They’re happy with what has worked in the past. If you’re only focusing on those who have a need, it can make your cold calling efforts frustrating and akin to trying to find a needle in a haystack.

The company Febreze was almost pulled from the shelves for this exact reason. According to The Power of Habit, Febreze advertised exclusively to people they felt had a need: people with pets or who smoked. But, these people were desensitized to the smell of their home and didn’t know it smelled bad. The market audience was actually with people who preferred their home to smell fresh and clean. Had Febreze only targeted people they felt had a need, they wouldn’t have survived as a company.

People are used to what they have until they are shown something different, so don’t eliminate this population as potential prospects. They are your best target market.