When I embarked on the journey to deliver five Afropreneurs Summits in 2024, I knew it would be a challenge, but we didn’t fully grasp just how difficult it would become. Organising events is never easy, but the task becomes even more complex when you’re trying to pull off five large-scale summits across five different states—all without any funding (the Afropreneurs Summit platform is not funded by any government or external body). Instead, my team and I relied on the power of our vision to generate interest, mobilise volunteers, and build momentum across the country.
LESSON LEARNED
BUILD YOUR NETWORK BEFORE YOU ACTUALLY NEED IT
Despite the hurdles, we successfully delivered summits in five major Australian cities: Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne, and Sydney. This was made possible by two critical factors. The first is the power of a network. Savvy professionals and entrepreneurs understand that, in any Endeavor, social capital is just as essential—if not more so—than financial capital. Since arriving in Australia in 1999, I knew that as a migrant with limited connections, I needed to build a robust network of resourceful people and develop relationships long before I needed their help.
This foresight paid off. Over the years, I cultivated connections that I was able to leverage to set up teams in each state, enabling us to deliver these summits successfully. The Afropreneurs Summit itself is an entrepreneurial project, and without this network, my Melbourne team and I wouldn’t have been able to organise four interstate events successfully. The main takeaway here is to build your network before you need it and continue nurturing it by offering value to others.
THE POWER OF COMMUNITY MOBILISATION
The second factor was the immense power of community mobilisation, especially within African-Australian communities. The Afropreneurs Summit vision resonated widely, and it was through collective effort that we brought people together to create impactful events. This highlighted the potential and entrepreneurial spirit of African Australians. Africa and its diaspora around the world are often associated with poverty, but the only way to change this narrative is for more Africans to embrace entrepreneurship. We must all learn to be more proactive in business as well as social entrepreneurship ventures in order to change our communities for the better.
Community mobilisation enabled us to tap into the diverse skills and talents within our communities. Volunteers, speakers, and participants all contributed their expertise, resources, and energy to make each summit a success. This collective effort not only strengthened bonds within our community but also proved that when we unite around a shared goal, we can overcome significant obstacles.
Ultimately, the Afropreneurs Summits demonstrated what African Australians can achieve when we come together with a clear purpose. Through community mobilisation, we created a platform that fostered networking, collaboration, and growth, while showcasing the entrepreneurial potential within our communities.
C.S Sharady
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You can join the afropreneurs summit network and build useful connections to help you with your business or social entrepreneurship endeavours. You can also add value to the platform if you are already successful and help others to succeed as well. click the following link and join today: https://afropreneurssummit.com.au/membership-benefits/
More information is also available at www.afropreneurssummit.com.au
