GLOBAL EXPOSURE
Creative Business Cup (CBC) Botswana national winner, Bonolo Tabona has just returned from Copenhagen, Denmark where she competed in the CBC global finals for her innovative service, Perfect Order.
Creative Business Cup is a global initiative for entrepreneurship and innovation empowers entrepreneurs in the creative industries, connects them to investors and global markets and strengthens their innovative capabilities to the benefit of industry and society.
Here in Botswana, it is led by National Partner Nicolette Chinomona.
Tabona has big plans to make Perfect Order, her innovation, a transformational tool for small local businesses. Her idea was to come up with a service after she realised that most small businesses in Botswana are not part of the e-commerce ecosystem.
The innovation, which is currently at prelaunch stage will allow small business owners to create their own trading stores online through a partnership with Orange Botswana.
“A business owner would be able to list their products, either event tickets or live goats on the platform and buyers would be able to pay through Orange Money.
“We are trying to create something that will help small businesses run professionally and thrive,” Tabona said, adding that they are also working on enabling payment through debit and credit cards.
This is also in light of the fact that Botswana has a limited market and such a platform would allow small businesses to become part of the global economy.
In Denmark, Tabona’s aim was to pitch to investors and secure funding or investment to expand Perfect Order across Africa.
“My pitch to the jury went well as I managed to convey my message within the three minutes that I was allocated. We were divided into different rooms to present our ideas.
“I was a challenge conveying a no Internet solution to a European audience, as they have abundance of Internet unlike in Africa,” Tabona said.
Further, that the jury asked questions around finance, competition and interoperability of the service between countries.
“Overall the feedback was invaluable to the growth of our enterprise,” Tabona said.
Tabona also had an opportunity to showcase their innovation during the exhibition, where they also distributed their flyers and demonstrated how Perfect Order works.
Tabona says participating in the Creative Business Cup provided invaluable insights and learning experiences that will significantly influence their future trajectory with Perfect Order.
Her key takeaways include meeting national finalists from various countries, highlighting the diversity of entrepreneurial approaches and innovations worldwide.
“The connections made are not only potential collaborations but also sources of inspiration and new ideas. Networking with peers who are also addressing unique challenges in their regions provided fresh perspectives on our own business model and strategies,” Tabona said.
Another key takeaway is the jury’s feedback. Tabona believes that the feedback was instrumental in refining their value proposition. She said the suggestion to incorporate micro-financing options into Perfect Order opened up new avenues for enhancing their service.
“This feedback emphasises the importance of adaptability and continuous seeking improvements based on expert advice.”
She also took notice of a significant gap between their target market’s needs and the technological infrastructure in more developed countries.
This reinforced their mission to cater specifically to low-tech users in Africa who lack constant Internet access. Further, this underscored the uniqueness of Perfect Order and the importance of staying true to their target audience.
Tabona said reaching the top 10 finalists was a strong validation of Perfect Order’s potential. While they did not make it to the top three, the recognition affirmed that their service has a compelling value proposition, and has motivated them to push even harder to achieve their goals.
“The CBC was more than just a competition, it was a comprehensive learning experience that provided critical insights into improving and scaling Perfect Order,” she said.
Besides the business, Tabona had a great time in her first trip to Europe. She had a chance to experience and appreciate the local culture and people.
“My favourite adventure was visiting Tivoli Gardens, where I enjoyed the beautiful attractions and thrilling rides. I also indulged in local foods, which added to the richness of my cultural experience,” Tabona said.
Creative Business Cup is a global initiative for entrepreneurship and innovation empowers entrepreneurs in the creative industries, connects them to investors and global markets and strengthens their innovative capabilities to the benefit of industry and society.
Here in Botswana, it is led by National Partner Nicolette Chinomona.
Tabona has big plans to make Perfect Order, her innovation, a transformational tool for small local businesses. Her idea was to come up with a service after she realised that most small businesses in Botswana are not part of the e-commerce ecosystem.
The innovation, which is currently at prelaunch stage will allow small business owners to create their own trading stores online through a partnership with Orange Botswana.
“A business owner would be able to list their products, either event tickets or live goats on the platform and buyers would be able to pay through Orange Money.
“We are trying to create something that will help small businesses run professionally and thrive,” Tabona said, adding that they are also working on enabling payment through debit and credit cards.
This is also in light of the fact that Botswana has a limited market and such a platform would allow small businesses to become part of the global economy.
In Denmark, Tabona’s aim was to pitch to investors and secure funding or investment to expand Perfect Order across Africa.
“My pitch to the jury went well as I managed to convey my message within the three minutes that I was allocated. We were divided into different rooms to present our ideas.
“I was a challenge conveying a no Internet solution to a European audience, as they have abundance of Internet unlike in Africa,” Tabona said.
Further, that the jury asked questions around finance, competition and interoperability of the service between countries.
“Overall the feedback was invaluable to the growth of our enterprise,” Tabona said.
Tabona also had an opportunity to showcase their innovation during the exhibition, where they also distributed their flyers and demonstrated how Perfect Order works.
Tabona says participating in the Creative Business Cup provided invaluable insights and learning experiences that will significantly influence their future trajectory with Perfect Order.
Her key takeaways include meeting national finalists from various countries, highlighting the diversity of entrepreneurial approaches and innovations worldwide.
“The connections made are not only potential collaborations but also sources of inspiration and new ideas. Networking with peers who are also addressing unique challenges in their regions provided fresh perspectives on our own business model and strategies,” Tabona said.
Another key takeaway is the jury’s feedback. Tabona believes that the feedback was instrumental in refining their value proposition. She said the suggestion to incorporate micro-financing options into Perfect Order opened up new avenues for enhancing their service.
“This feedback emphasises the importance of adaptability and continuous seeking improvements based on expert advice.”
She also took notice of a significant gap between their target market’s needs and the technological infrastructure in more developed countries.
This reinforced their mission to cater specifically to low-tech users in Africa who lack constant Internet access. Further, this underscored the uniqueness of Perfect Order and the importance of staying true to their target audience.
Tabona said reaching the top 10 finalists was a strong validation of Perfect Order’s potential. While they did not make it to the top three, the recognition affirmed that their service has a compelling value proposition, and has motivated them to push even harder to achieve their goals.
“The CBC was more than just a competition, it was a comprehensive learning experience that provided critical insights into improving and scaling Perfect Order,” she said.
Besides the business, Tabona had a great time in her first trip to Europe. She had a chance to experience and appreciate the local culture and people.
“My favourite adventure was visiting Tivoli Gardens, where I enjoyed the beautiful attractions and thrilling rides. I also indulged in local foods, which added to the richness of my cultural experience,” Tabona said.
