FROM MUD HUT TO CHEESE MOGUL
June, 27,Oakland, CA,—Six years ago, Margareth S. lived in a mud brick house in Arusha, Tanzania. Margareth took charge of her life by making and selling cheese in local markets in Arusha. She is like women all over East Africa who have become reluctant entrepreneurs as a way out of poverty. There are many organizations offering humanitarian aid, but one organization offers much more—Global Partners for Development (www.gpfd.org) provides seed capital and hands on assistance in partnership with women’s groups in Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya. Margareth received seed capital from Global partners, and she and three women started the Kijimo Cheese Factory. Today, it is a thriving business with 44 women in the business collective selling a variety of cheeses to restaurants and hotels in Tanzania and Kenya.
Author and long term contributor to Global Partners’ projects, Susan Urquhart-Brown recently visited the Kijimo Cheese Factory in Arusha. “Even though I felt my contribution was small in comparison to the great effort the women in Arusha had made, they took time to create a special ceremony to honor that contribution,” said Urquhart-Brown. “I was inspired by the women’s enthusiasm, work ethic, generosity, and gratitude—and their ability to do so much with so little!”
In the spirit of the occasion Susan gave Margareth S., a copy of her book, The Accidental Entrepreneur: Practical Wisdom for People Who Never Expected to Work for Themselves. “It was so well received by the business women’s collective,” said Peter Verbiscar Brown of Global Partners “that we requested, and Susan agreed, to donate many more copies of her easy to read, A-Z guidebook to other women’s small business projects such as Mama na Dada in Kenya, Katonya Rural Women Development Club in Uganda, and Ekenywa Women’s Group in Tanzania.” “Susan has seen first hand how one small gift can make such a difference in the quality of life for women in East Africa,” Mr. Verbiscar Brown commented.
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The Accidental Entrepreneur: Practical Wisdom for People Who Never Expected to Work for Themselves builds confidence for new entrepreneurs and provides positive how-to’s and practical guidance for taking a business from inception through the first major growth periods while pointing out how to avoid the pitfalls along the way.
About the Author:
Susan Urquhart-Brown started as an accidental entrepreneur in 1995 at age 50. As a small business coach, she is committed to helping others, especially women, build a thriving business. From 1998-2001, Urquhart-Brown wrote Going Solo, an advice column for entrepreneurs for the San Francisco Chronicle. Susan also lectures at John F. Kennedy University, University of California Berkeley Extension, and Santa Clara University in the San Francisco Bay Area in California. As a speaker at professional organizations, conferences, chambers of commerce and community groups, her topics include, “How to Avoid the 5 Biggest Roadblocks to Business Success!”, “5 Simple Ways to Build Your Business with Referrals”, and “Expand Your Business Without Going Crazy”.
The Accidental Entrepreneur: Practical Wisdom for People Who Never Expected to Work for Themselves ©2004, by Susan Urquhart-Brown, is available from Career Steps, www.careersteps123.com, Contact Susan at susanub@careersteps123.com or 510-654-4352.
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Read about going from an Accidental to an Intentional and Successful Entrepreneur with this article from the Bay Area Business Woman by Susan Urquhart-Brown
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