Host Joy Anderson is joined by Entrepreneurial Solutions Partners’ Eric Kacou and Charity Kabango to explore what it takes to build thriving businesses and markets across Africa. Together, they challenge familiar impact investing narratives and offer a radically different way of thinking that centers entrepreneurs as human beings embedded in complex ecosystems.
Episode Highlights
- 00:00 – Introduction to the Criterion Institute Podcast
- 02:14 – The Genesis of Entrepreneurial Solutions Partners (ESP)
- 06:21 – Centering Entrepreneurs in Their Context
- 10:16 – Understanding the Ecosystem and Entrepreneurial Challenges
- 14:25 – The Survival Trap and Systemic Change
- 18:30 – Collaboration and the Role of Service Providers
- 22:16 – Power Dynamics and Choice in Entrepreneurship
- 26:08 – Investable Hope and Capital Allocation
- 30:41 – Pre-Investment Value Creation Services
- 34:32 – The Importance of Service Providers in the Economy
- 38:04 – Investing in Service Businesses
- 40:54 – Building Infrastructure for Productivity
- 42:56 – Hope and Future Aspirations
Relevant Links
- Criterion Institute website and LinkedIn
- Joy’s LinkedIn
- Eric’s LinkedIn
- Charity’s LinkedIn
- Episode #57: Investable Hope: A Conversation with Susie Pan on Financing the Future
- Investing in Africa’s Future: A Roadmap to Dignified and Fulfilling Job Creation