What do you do when you hit rock-bottom? What do you do when faced with a situation to compromise your integrity in business? Faced with a choice to give up, Jo Pope and Joseph Nakaanga, both top entrepreneurs in Zambia share their journey of how they rose to becoming industry leaders in Zambia’s entrepreneurship ecosystem. Though operating in different industries, theirs is a story of persistence, sincerity and integrity. They spoke to our Zambia cohort last week providing insight on how they have applied effective leadership to steer their businesses.
Jo Pope, the Co-founder of Robin Pope Safaris
Jo Pope, the Co-founder of Robin Pope Safaris and former Managing Director of Profilght perspective on leadership seemed at odds with conventional thoughts on leadership. Her story was one about vulnerability and honesty in leadership. Jo has committed to helping young Zambian entrepreneurs avoid the pitfalls that she went through running her businesses and though she has exited both the airline and safari tours industry she is involved in the background of half a dozen businesses in Zambia.
Joseph Nakaanga, is a businessman that personifies integrity in in work. He insisted that no matter what your job is, even if it is literally picking up peoples’ garbage, you must uphold integrity. He has run Citimop, his waste management business for the last 19 years guided by the principles of integrity and honesty in work and has grown his business from one rickety truck nicknamed ‘Tugende’ to a fleet of over 50 state of the art trucks and a team of 200 staff. ‘The most important thing in business is to remember your team and acknowledge the hard work that they do to keep your business going. “After 19 years I am still grateful that everyone shows up to work.” He stated.
