Magate Wade is one of Africa’s most notable and respected female entrepreneurs. She first founded Adina World Beat Beverages, a beverage company that manufactures tea, coffee and fruit juices from indigenous traditional beverage recipes from across the world.
In five years, Magatte raised $30 million in venture capital funds for the company but later left to start Tiossan, a company that produces luxury organic skin care products based on traditional Senegalese skin care recipes.
In her own words, “I created Tiossan as a fun and value-creation oriented way to positively change the perception that the world has of Africa.”
In 2011, the World Economic Forum named Magatte as one of the Young Global Leaders. Forbes has also named her as one of the 20 youngest power women in Africa.
Her advice to young entrepreneurs is this, “Focus on building your skills and relationships while you are young, then as you develop a concept begin looking for highly aligned partners, investors, and supporters. Realize that it is ultimately more about you, your positioning, and your persistence than it is about access to capital.”
With her long and successful years in business we suggest you take her advice seriously.
