3 years of building...

Yesterday, I joined our amazing Community at #TIVMbarara to reflect on the whirlwind of the past three years; an audacious quest for innovation armed with a dash of innocence and a shot of determination. Our mission? Simple yet profound: to nurture dreams, scale innovation, and empower entrepreneurs to shape their communities.

Picture this: In Jinja, a challenge beckoned us to reclaim the town's former glory. In Gulu, we were inspired to transform what was the most prominent bar into a captivating hub for future shapers. In Mbarara, we witnessed the rebirth of an old dairy building and the city's first nightclub into an entrepreneurial powerhouse!

Then came COVID, a formidable foe. But as is the nature of innovation, our stubborn refusal saw us adapt, evolve, and take a new form and shape.

It's no secret that great ideas often face the wrath of misunderstanding, ridicule, and opposition.

Here are 3 key lessons I carry with me.

1. All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident. You will face all stages as you build. Take heart. Keep your head down, keep building.

2. Rejection? Ah, it will come knocking from the most unexpected sources. Friends, haters, family, strangers and partners will unite in single voice; from those you've aided along the way, those that aided you, and those who don't even know you. But fret not, for tough days are the hammer that forges your strength.

3. Mistakes? Don't even try to avoid them. They are the trusty stepping stones to enlightenment and growth. Embrace failure. Giving up will be always seem better and easier, but that path guarantees nothing but more failure.

While we haven't reached our ultimate destination yet, I am grateful the team we've built with, the partners that have made this possible and especially the 150,000+ entrepreneurs in our community that are riding this journey with us.

We embarked on this wild ride of building The Innovation Village and MOTIV not because we had all the answers but because we dared to venture where others had not.

Our mission is still crystal clear: we'll obliterate barriers and create the most nurturing environment for African entrepreneurs.

I invite you to use our platforms to embark on your own wild ride. Together our collective mission will rewrite the narrative of entrepreneurship in Africa. Where you think we are getting it wrong, may that inspire you to do better than us so that we too can learn from you.

I dedicate the last 3 years to the memory of Richard Ainomujuni, a fallen soldier from our Western Regional Hub, who captured the Vision in this picture. His legacy lives on, inspiring us to dream bigger, aim higher, and leave an indelible mark.

To the next adventure, mine and yours.

May the hustle be with you....