Africa: Open for Business

Discover the ABCs of Doing Business in Africa and Why Now Is the Time to Invest in This Continent of Opportunity

By: Deanne De Vries

Narrated by: Dr. Deanne De Vries

Welcome to “AfriCAN” - the can-do continent, the vast, vibrant, and diverse continent offering a wealth of human and natural resources that translate into opportunities for business - your business.

Complicated? Not necessarily. Africa, with all its diversity and largesse, can be difficult to understand and to grasp. Just like most new business ventures. However, successful business in Africa is as straightforward as ABC: Appetite, Bandwidth, and Capital.

It starts with growing an appetite to actually go and build a well-rounded understanding of the reality on the ground today, of who your customers are and what they need, distinguishing between real and perceived risks, and identifying accurate market intelligence.

Then you’ll understand the bandwidth successful companies give their Africa-focused teams to build relationships and to learn how culture and history influence business, the first place to start your business, and to identify the best type of market entry and business setup.

With the right appetite and bandwidth, you’ll make better decisions regarding capital, which is about more than just the money to run the business. Successful companies invest in social capital, cultural capital, and economic capital.

Throughout the book, you’ll find stories of entrepreneurs, local companies, and global companies - some that have gotten it right and others that did not.

Based on the author’s 30 years of wisdom, successes, experiences, mistakes, stories, and friends she acquired working and living across the continent of Africa, this book challenges perceived ideas of Africa. It is a call to go beyond the imagery of the past and to explore, embrace, and invest in “AfriCAN” - the can-do continent.

©2022 Dr. Deanne De Vries (P)2022 Dr. Deanne De Vries

A must-read if you are setting up in Africa

I enjoyed every minute of this audio book. Deanne is full of wisdom and grace and gives golden yet simple advice on doing business in Africa. The prudent will do well to take heed.
Brilliantly written and narrated.

Essential Reading for Africa-Bound Ventures

Dr. Dr Vries' book combines the essential observations of one with her "boots on the ground" with a genuinely engaging style that makes it a pleasure to read (or listen to). Rather than attempting to provide a "connect the dots" primer for making any specific project succeed in Africa (an impossibility, as evidenced by other books I've read), the book is a comprehensive collection of, among other things, reminders that (a) Africa is not a homogeneous, monolithic construct; (b) Africa is neither an untenable wilderness nor a self-actualizing land of milk and honey; and (c) an open mind and ears are your best tools for success. Understanding social cues and respecting local perspectives go at least as far as charts and research and are equally vital. In other words, the book comprises important wisdom to set upon on one's shoulder when venturing into the promising, undervalued, and potentially boundless marketplace that is Africa. Africa: Open For Business is required reading for anyone planning to do business there.

Inspiring and filled with practical insights.

Dr. De Vries not only shares smart pragmatic ideas about investing in Africa, she also helps us understand the nuances, complexities and beauty of its many countries and people. I found the book easy to read and absolutely entertaining. I couldn't stop telling people about the stories she shared - business related but also heart warming, human and inspiring. She has opened my eyes to the possibilities Africa has to offer.