I was in a business meeting, organized by some young Africans who had big dreams and even bigger ambitions. The room buzzed with energy—bold ideas flying, collaborations forming, and visions taking shape. In the middle of a heated discussion about scaling businesses in Africa, someone raised a question that made the room pause.
“How do you even start when a goal feels too big to handle?”
Silence. Every entrepreneur in that space had faced this moment—the overwhelming weight of chasing something that seems impossible. A young woman finally spoke up, her voice steady but filled with experience. “When I started my business, I thought I had to figure everything out at once. It felt too big. But then I realized something: big goals aren’t meant to be tackled all at once. You break them down and keep moving.”
That’s the mindset of bold African entrepreneurs. They don’t shrink their dreams—they build a method to reach them. Here’s how:
First, start with the end in mind, then reverse-engineer it into smaller, clear milestones. If your goal is to build a thriving business, don’t get stuck worrying about the final vision—focus on the first sale, the first customer, the first step. Small wins build momentum.
Second, stop chasing perfection, start taking action. Too many people wait until everything is “perfect” before they launch, pitch, or expand. Bold entrepreneurs know that waiting is the enemy. Start where you are, use what you have, and refine as you go.
Third, embrace failure as feedback, not defeat. Every setback is a lesson, every “no” is a redirection, and every challenge is an opportunity to grow. Those who succeed aren’t the ones who never fail; they’re the ones who refuse to quit.
Lastly, stay plugged into the right networks. Your environment shapes your mindset. Surround yourself with people who push limits, think big, and refuse to settle. Your circle should fuel your fire, not extinguish it.
The truth is, no great African entrepreneur, leader, or innovator had it all figured out from the start. They took steps—small, imperfect, relentless steps—until the impossible became inevitable.
So, that big goal? It’s not too big. It’s just waiting for you to break it down and go after it. The question isn’t can you do it? The question is will you?
featured image Yuliia Tretynychenko
