A social enterprise, ‘Bridges,’ has kicked off with the objective of facilitating better networking, sharing of information, and co- mentorship as a growth springboard for African Start-ups and businesses.
Founded by Jane Oma, Bridges kicked off officially with an exclusive Business Mixer cum formal dinner in July, the campaign sought to bring together three generations of business leaders (20s/30s, 40s/50s, and 60s/70s) in the same room.
Oma, who is fondly called the Mother Eagle by her mentees said, “In my years of working with businesses and top executives, I have noticed that there is a remarkable similarity in businesses that succeed and the ones that fail. The factors and policies that determine organisational outcomes are rather universal and when applied well, the chances of building cross-generational successful business are better.
“This is why it was important for me to come home and gather bright minds under the same roof with experienced business leaders who will share valuable nuggets for their growth and for a better life/business structure.”
She said the response gotten during the first edition further confirms the need that businesses and business leaders have for a trans-generational platform through which mentorship, ideas, lessons and opportunities can be shared while creating mutually beneficial collaborations for all parties.
The dinner which had in attendance 50 carefully-selected business leaders, eventually paved way for Growth & Structures, a three-edition business Roundtable that took place in Onitsha, Abuja and Lagos respectively.
Growth & Structures is a spin-off of the Bridges Project which is designed to provide young startup founders and career professionals with all the necessary tools needed for business growth and proper structure to ultimately enable African businesses to survive the five-year jinx and transcend generations.
The Onitsha edition was co-facilitated by Olusegun Sogbesan, DG, Onitsha Business School alongside Jane Oma in partnership with Anambra State Emerging Entrepreneurs Network. The program, which was held in August at Soprom Hotels 3-3 Onitsha, had a cross-section of Anambra’s finest young business owners in attendance.
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The Abuja Edition was next, and had Olajide Abiola, Co-founder and CEO Smart Residences Ltd speaking alongside Jane Oma to over 30 business owners and young start-up founders who gathered at Glasshouse Residence on the 7th of August, to learn how to build proper business structure and thrive in the ever-growing business space.
Finally, the Roundtable tour ended with the Lagos edition co-facilitated by Babatunde Akin-Moses, CEO/Co-Founder, Sycamore NG who brought experience and practical nuggets to the table to help young startup founders get off on the right foot.
The well attended programmes across the country had founders across multiple sectors and ages.
The Mother Eagle Academy is a recognised, enthusiastic instructional/executive coaching and consulting company that provides Management consulting, Business advisory, Corporate Governance Interventions, Business Coaching and mentoring to business owners and organisations.
