“My journey before joining the programme was filled with passion and ambition, but I often found it challenging to effectively articulate our business KPIs and demonstrate value to stakeholders due to my non-business and non-leadership background. Participating in the Duke International Entrepreneurship Executive Leadership Development Programme, supported by FoodBev Manufacturing SETA, became a transformative turning point in my entrepreneurial journey.
Through this global academic programme intervention, I gained the confidence and skills to run, measure, and track the performance of our sustainable ventures using data-driven decision-making approaches. The programme strengthened my understanding of leadership in sustainability, financial management, strategic operations, and business development – equipping me with tools and frameworks that large corporates use to measure and manage performance.
One of the most valuable aspects of the experience was the emphasis on collaboration and peer learning through syndicate group work, which broadened my perspective on leadership and entrepreneurship. A standout highlight was the international module at Duke University in North Carolina, where Professor Sim Sitkin shared powerful leadership insights that will remain with me throughout my entrepreneurial journey.
Today, we are implementing many of the frameworks learned through the programme within Local Village Africa, particularly in areas such as managing change, financial reporting, and long-term strategic planning. Our future goals include developing a stronger leadership team within the business and pursuing capital raising opportunities through equity investment.
FoodBev SETA’s investment in entrepreneurial development is empowering businesses like ours to think bigger, operate smarter, and build ventures that are sustainable and impactful. I remain deeply grateful for the opportunity and support provided through this programme.”
– Sipamandla Manqele, Local Village Africa