Strategic Direction vs Daily Firefighting in Ugandan SMEs
In many Ugandan SMEs, the managing director is also the sales lead, finance controller, HR manager, and chief problem-solver. This level of hands-on leadership is admirable and often necessary in the early years. But as businesses grow, a quiet tension emerges: strategic direction competes with daily firefighting for leadership attention. One of them always wins. […]
10 Pain Points Every Ugandan SME Owner Knows Too Well
10 Pain Points Every Ugandan SME Owner Knows Too Well Introduction If you run an SME in Uganda, you know it’s not just business, it’s survival, creativity, and courage rolled into one. One day you’re a strategist, the next you’re your own accountant, HR manager, and crisis fixer. The terrain shifts fast, and you learn […]
Unlocking Capital- What makes a Business Attractive to Funders?
Attracting funding is a crucial step in the growth journey of any business. However, securing equity investment or debt financing can be a challenging task, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). To unlock capital, businesses must demonstrate to funders that they have a well-structured and sustainable model that can generate returns on investment. This […]
Is Succession Planning Still Relevant?
The relevance of succession planning often depends on the type of organization in question. In this discussion, we will consider three categories of organizations: Private sector, Government, and SMEs. Government Organizations From experience, government institutions typically recognize succession planning in theory but rarely practice it effectively. Even when investments are made in grooming potential successors, […]
HR is Not Just for ‘Big’ Organizations
Recently, we had a conversation with a small business owner who was frustrated with people-management issues, missed deadlines, underperformance, and high staff turnover. They said: “I don’t know what’s wrong with employees these days. When they’re applying for jobs, they make it sound like they’d move heaven and earth. But once they’re hired, they stop […]