Why So Many African Businesses Fail Early

After ten years of working hands-on with African businesses — from small shops to large enterprises — I’ve seen it all: the hustle, the growth, the excitement, and unfortunately, the collapse.

What’s most painful? Most of these businesses didn’t shut down because of economic instability or political issues. They collapsed from within — undone by internal chaos, not external challenges.

Here’s what I’ve learned from the trenches.

The Hidden Killers Inside Businesses

The truth is, many businesses across Africa die young because they aren’t built to last. Founders often burn out trying to carry everything on their backs. They start with passion but fail to evolve with structure.

The real enemies aren’t outside the building. They’re in plain sight:

- Poor or non-existent systems  

- Leadership driven by ego, not vision  

- Reluctance to delegate  

- Outdated mindsets  

- Chaos disguised as hustle

These are the silent killers. They creep in quietly and eat away at the foundation until everything falls apart.

The Founder Who Does Everything

In Zimbabwe and beyond, I’ve worked with hundreds of SMEs. Most of them began with the same story — a determined founder who did it all:

- Opened the shop at dawn  

- Took customer calls  

- Made deliveries  

- Chased unpaid invoices  

- Ran social media campaigns  

- Sold face-to-face  

- And wore the CEO title on top of it all  

That kind of grind was necessary in the early days. But years later, many of these founders are still doing the exact same things. They’re stuck in the startup phase, even though their businesses are no longer new.

And here’s the harsh reality:  

You can’t scale a business if you’re still stuck doing everything yourself.  

You’ve got to fire yourself from daily operations if you ever want to become a true CEO.

The Five Core Systems Every Business Needs

No matter your industry — from selling tomatoes to tech — every business that wants to grow needs five core departments:

1. Sales – Without consistent revenue, your business is just a dream.

2. Marketing – People can’t buy what they don’t know exists.

3. Finance/Accounting – If you don’t track your numbers, you’re flying blind.

4. Human Resources – Your team will either push your dream forward or pull it down.

5. Operations – The systems and processes that keep everything running.

Most businesses I’ve worked with don’t have any of these set up properly. What they run isn’t a business — it’s a solo hustle on life support.

How Our Approach at M&J Has Changed

At M&J, we started out offering services like payroll, taxes, and sales training. But over the years, we realized something deeper: fixing surface problems wasn’t enough. We needed to build real systems — the kind that outlive founders.

Today, our mission is to help entrepreneurs create businesses that don’t just survive, but thrive — even when they step away. Because Africa needs more than quick wins. We need companies that:

- Last for generations  

- Employ hundreds  

- Contribute to national growth  

- Continue without the founder  

If You’re a Business Owner, Please Hear This

If your business can’t function without you, you don’t have a business — you have a job with a fancy title.

You shouldn’t be proud of working 18-hour days. Be proud when your company can run for a week — or a month — without you, and still grow.

That’s what real entrepreneurship looks like.

A Message to Every African Entrepreneur

You are vital to this continent’s future.

You are the key to solving unemployment.  

You are the foundation of tomorrow’s economy.

But you can’t build a lasting legacy by doing everything yourself.

Structure your dream.  

Systemize your processes.  

Empower your team.  

And most importantly, learn when to step back.

Let’s stop watching promising businesses crumble too soon. Let’s build companies that your children won’t inherit as burdens, but as blessings.

That’s the mission I’m committed to. That’s the future I believe in.

And that’s why I wrote this.