Talk Takeaways
What better way to bring in a fresh perspective than bringing in a woman all the way from another part of the world, from the majestic rainbow nation, South Africa. From her journey working in an NGO to the establishment of a Venture Capital Fund for women, Sarah Dusek shares the story and the lessons she learned along the way. Jeffery is in for another fantastic episode that will surely inspire everyone in the startup industry, especially for women who also want to change the world, one idea at a time.
Topics discussed:
- Eight Years as an NGO Worker
- Sarah ‘s Life Changing Questions as an NGO Worker
- The Reluctant Businesswoman
- Under Canvas Inc.
- Sarah talks about Scaling as Building Blocks
- Dealing with No’s in the Tech World
- The Need for Experienced Advisors
- Enigma Ventures
- Execution as the key for every Business Idea
- Sarah’s Motivation in her Venture Capitalist Journey
- The Need to Empower Women in the Business World
- The Story of a Successful Female Founder in Zambia
About
Sarah Dusek is a venture capitalist and co-founder of Enygma Ventures, a venture capital fund. She invests in women-led businesses in Southern Africa, creates solutions to wealth disparity, and provides access to capital for women.
In 2017, after successfully selling her company, Under Canvas, for more than $100 million, Sarah launched Enygma Ventures. In that same year, Under Canvas received a spot on the coveted Inc. 5000 list, and Sarah was named to Ernst & Young’s EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women list.
Sarah began her career in the nonprofit world in her early twenties working in Southern Africa and Southeast Asia. After almost eight years, she became disillusioned with the lack of change resulting from her efforts. She realized that the most effective vehicle for driving change and solving big world problems is business. Businesses are sustainable solutions to problems. They drive economies, create self-sufficiencies, and change our world. Business can, and should, be a force for good.
Today, Sarah offers online courses for early-stage entrepreneurs (hosted at www.pranary.com). Over the past year, five thousand entrepreneurs have gone through her programs to become investor-ready and learn how to build valuable companies. She is a regular contributor to Forbes.com, The Telegraph, and TRT World. She is also chairwoman of the Women’s Giving Circle for The Global Good Fund, a social entrepreneurship leadership
development program, and sits on the board of ten (and rising) startup companies in Southern Africa, as well as Under Canvas.
Sarah has an LLB Law degree from Exeter University, UK, and an MA from University of Manchester in Missiology. She divides her time between the US and South Africa with her husband and two children.