Afripreneur
Women in Tech: Interview With Tina Fisher, Co-founder & Growth CMO SnapnSave
Tina Fisher
Focus on economic empowerment digital innovations, diversity in tech and business leadership
Tina Fisher is the co-founder and growth chief marketing officer for SnapnSave. A seasoned business woman with extensive experience in pharmaceuticals, healthtech, financial services, and marketing services. Fisher’s exceptional knowledge of strategic marketing including product positioning, brand plan development, growth hacking and launch excellence within B2C and B2B sectors positions her as a leader in the space. Here are excerpts from an interview with Heath Muchena of Business Africa Online, author and founder of Block Patrol
Heath: Do you consider SnapnSave an economic empowerment technology and do you think we have enough customer-centric innovations dominating the tech industry?
Tina: We do consider SnapnSave as a tool to aid in economic empowerment of consumers. SnapnSave helps supplement and increase consumers’ purchasing power by making groceries more affordable. Every little bit helps in a country where the cost of bread has increased 200% more than inflation. Basic food items are becoming unaffordable and SnapnSave can help consumers’ money stretch farther by getting 5-25% cashback on items. Every little bit helps.
I don’t think that there are enough customer-centric tech innovations helping consumers with the increased cost of living.We welcome and would love to partner with other organisations that help augment and supplement the average South African’s income – the more in this sector, the better. There are plenty of fintech businesses in South Africa, but how many actually have an impact on consumer economic empowerment? On pay day there are still very long lines at ATMs and banks with people taking out their monthly wages in cash. Clearly not enough has been done to enable the average South African to manage their money digitally.
Heath: How important are PPC, SEO, social media, email, and newsletter marketing in driving growth for digital businesses?
Tina: The channels a business uses to drive growth should depend entirely on how the purchaser and/or the end user of the business consumes information. Good marketing practice dictates that you market your service or product using the channel that your intended audience or customer uses to consume information. Based on this, not all channels will be relevant, nor the best use of resources. Too often businesses rely on channels such as PPC to drive demand generation, however, its not the most efficient nor most cost-effective channel.
For SnapnSave, we’ve found that social media works best for growing our business. The best advertising is a user recommending our businesses to their friends and family. Our growth has come from customer retention and putting an emphasis on keeping our customers happy so that they endorse it to others.
Heath: At SnapnSave do you build your software in-house or do you outsource?
Tina: Our platform has been built in-house.
Heath: Women in the field of technology are definitely in the minority, so why did you decide to pursue a career in tech?
Tina: Since the early 00’s, I have been passionate about how tech can have an impact on consumer behaviour. Living in London during this time, I saw the impact that digital vouchers had on my own purchasing and shopping behaviour. This is how the idea for SnapnSave was born.
Heath: As one of the speakers at the Women in Tech event in Cape Town, do you think the public benefits from having female leaders to identify with the problem of equality and diversity?
Tina: Absolutely. Its not just about highlighting the lack of women and diversity in tech, but also to highlight the fact that we need more products and services geared towards women and other diverse populations. Overseas investors are looking to grow businesses that have an impact on society, and I think this is where tech is going to take us. It is going to create opportunities and solve problems for those that need it the most.
Heath: As someone in a management position, how have you found it best to promote and nurture women in the workplace?
Tina: I work with and mentor women just starting their careers and try to give them a sense of confidence that their voice should be heard. I try to show them that their different point of view is a blessing and gives them an edge up on their colleagues.
Heath: Do you think there is a diversity issue in the tech sector? Has it affected you in any way?
Tina: There needs to be more businesses and investors focused on supporting and growing companies that improve and enhance the lives of South African women and underrepresented population. Too often I am the only woman in the room having to convince a mostly male panel the impact that SnapnSave can have on a family’s life and the fact that the majority of South Africans are living hand to mouth and struggle to make ends meet.
The trend overseas is to invest in businesses that not only make profit, but also have a social impact. Given the difficulties that we have in South Africa, its important that we create and grow businesses that can have an impact on society. Having a more diverse pool of tech founders will create businesses that solve problems for a wider portion of society, thereby creating the norm that more businesses should have an impact on society.
Heath: What do you think are the biggest misconceptions about working in the Tech sector as a woman today?
Tina: The biggest misconception is that in 2020 the tech sector is diverse enough and we don’t need to focus on it anymore. Teams made of up diverse members i.e. different genders, races, cultures, backgrounds, etc foster the best environment for creativity. By looking at the same issue from different perspectives, creates the best possible situation to solve a problem.
Heath: What influences your leadership style and what values are important to you?
Tina: My team influences my leadership style. You can’t manage everyone the same way, as not everyone needs the same type of guidance or structure. Above all, I value passion and the desire to do a good job as essential traits for our new hires. Employees may not have had experience or education, but if they have the desire to do good work, then that attribute will make them an essential member of the team.
Heath: How important is it to be exposed to all areas of the business in order to be an effective leader within your business?
Tina: It’s really important to be exposed and involved in all aspects of the business which then helps inform your decisions, especially in a small business. If you understand other functional areas such as finance and operations, it allows you to make better decision on the direction of the business.
Visit: SnapnSave
Afripreneur
Embodiment Healthcare: Leveraging artificial intelligence to revolutionize patient care
Embodiment Healthcare is transforming the Nigerian healthcare landscape with an AI-powered telehealth revolution. It’s innovative platform slashes wait times, accelerates clinical decisions, and delivers personalized treatment plans right to your doorstep. In this exclusive interview with Alaba Ayinuola of Business Africa Online (BAO), the Co-founders and Co-CEOs Johnbosco Ifeanyi Chigbo and Peter-Paul Ihenagwa, both trained pharmacists share more insight on embodiment healthcare and it’s solutions. Excerpt.
Can you tell us about your startup, Embodiment Healthcare, and its mission in the healthcare industry?
Embodiment Healthcare is a health-tech startup that leverages cutting-edge artificial intelligence to revolutionize patient care. Our mission is to democratize healthcare by making it more accessible, efficient, and personalized. We are committed to bridging the gap between medical services and patients who need them, using technology to create a more equitable healthcare landscape.
Could you explain your AI platform’s key features and capabilities, and how it sets you apart from other healthcare startups?
Our AI platform is designed with several key features that address the needs of modern healthcare providers and patients. These include:
- Personalized treatment recommendations based on patient history and current health data
- Natural language processing for improved patient engagement and automated documentation.
What sets us apart is our focus on not just one aspect of healthcare but the entire ecosystem, ensuring that our platform can scale with providers and adapt to the changing landscape of health tech.
What specific challenges or pain points in healthcare does your platform address?
Embodiment healthcare is solving the 3 most vicious problems that bewilder healthcare in Africa: Accessibility, Affordability, Convenience and the one-size-fits-all approach that overlooks individual patient needs.. The average Nigerian spends at least 3 hours in the waiting room just to see a GP. It can take weeks to months to see a specialist. We believe that for healthcare to be effective, it has to be convenient.
Existing healthcare is expensive due to scarcity and securing basic healthcare in Nigeria is a daunting task. Our platform streamlines administrative tasks, supports telehealth services, and promotes personalized medicine Our vision is to build an Africa where healthcare is accessible for all, irrespective of insurance or socio-economic status.
How do you work with healthcare organizations to ensure the affordability and accessibility of your platform?
Currently, we are working on partnering with health insurance companies to increase the accessibility and affordability of our services. We also partner with specialist clinics to bring the best treatment portfolio closer to our patient door step. Currently we are working on partnering with a dermatology clinic to increase our treatment plans for dermatology conditions. We partner with healthcare organizations through various models to ensure our platform is both affordable and accessible. This includes subscription-based models, pay-per-use, and even custom partnerships depending on the organization’s needs. We’re committed to working with these organizations to find sustainable financial models.
What measures do you take to ensure the security and privacy of patient data when using your platform?
Patient data security and privacy are our top priorities. We adhere to strict data protection standards. We employ end-to-end encryption, regular security audits, and access controls to ensure data integrity and confidentiality. We employ highly advanced cyber security measures to ensure that our patient data safety is guaranteed. We also vet our doctors and ensure they adhere to strict professional and regulatory standards while handling our patient data.
Could you share the innovations that Embodiment Healthcare is working on?
We are continuously innovating, and some of our upcoming projects include further integration with IoT devices for expanded remote monitoring and implementing blockchain for secure patient data exchange. We’re also exploring the use of AI for genomic data analysis to advance personalized medicine. As well as integrating wearable technology for real-time health monitoring.
In addition, we are working on a partnership with a major telecommunication company in Africa to provide doctor on-call consultation using advanced technology. This will enable our patients to speak to a doctor by just dialing a unique code. We are also working on incorporation Natural language processing NLP, to enable users interact with a doctor in their local language using their mobile phones
What would you say about the growth of health tech-enabled solutions in Africa? And what are the recommendations
Health tech-enabled solutions in Africa are experiencing rapid growth, leveraging mobile technology and AI to improve healthcare accessibility and delivery. Early startups should prioritize user-centered design, understand local contexts, forge partnerships with healthcare providers, and focus on scalability and sustainability to maximize impact and address unique challenges in the region.
Afripreneur
Claire Rutambuka: Showcasing the beauty of diversity
Claire RUTAMBUKA is an entrepreneur and the creator of Akâna Dolls. Beyond her professional background in International Trade, she has always been passionate about the creation of small and diverse objects. During her early childhood in Rwanda, she was fortunate to have toys and in particular a doll that she cared very much about. It was not only a privilege to have a doll but even more so to have one with her skin color.
When Claire Rutambuka became a mother years later, she was surprised that she couldn’t easily find such a doll for her children that would showcase the beauty of little black girls. That’s how the idea of creating “Akâna Dolls” came about. Akâna is a word of Rwandan origin that can be translated as “little child”. It’s also a nod to the founder’s origins.
The brand was born from a mother’s desire to meet a need; namely, giving all children the opportunity to choose a doll they can relate to and adults an additional choice when it comes to gifting. After the first realization of the “Kaliza” doll, the ambition is to gradually expand the collection to include more skin shades and hair textures, so that every child feels represented.
Afripreneur
Hakeem Abogunde: Building Slash, a solution for Africa B2B market
Hakeem Abogunde, CEO Slash Africa. SLASH is a decentralized B2B marketplace where buyers and sellers meet to facilitate and protect their transactions. Buyers can place orders and make payment into “Slash Account”. Slash will hold the fund until item(s) is delivered. In this interview with Alaba Ayinuola of Business Africa Online (BAO), Hakeem shares his journey into tech entrepreneurship and how he is building the solution for Africa’s B2B marketplace with Slash. Excerpt.
Alaba: To start with, could you share your journey into tech entrepreneurship?
Hakeem: Growing up as a kid, I was the type of guy who loved the internet. I spent most of my time reading, studying, and researching information and news on the internet. Most times, I would be on my computer from night till the next morning; that’s how attached I was to the internet space.
My journey as a tech entrepreneur started in 2005 when I dropped out of school to pursue my career as an entrepreneur. I joined my sister in her wholesale business at Lagos Island. During this period, I witnessed how people traveled from different parts of Nigeria to Lagos just to purchase products and resell them in their various locations. This journey was usually stressful, time-consuming, and costly. As an internet expert, I began to think of how I could use the internet to connect with these people and stop them from traveling to Lagos. Unfortunately, the internet wasn’t as popular then, and the only functioning platform available was Nairaland. On Nairaland, I would post some of our products and connect with a few people who were online at that time.
After a few years in the business, I joined a Multi-Level Marketing company where I led a team of over 500 sales reps. In the Multi-Level Marketing company, we usually went offline to meet with customers, sell our products to them, and get paid based on the sales volume. As an internet expert, to increase my team’s sales volume, I started selling the products online using different social media platforms. However, I later realized that most of these platforms were not efficient. It was then that I decided to build my own e-commerce website. Unfortunately, I didn’t know how to write code then.
So, I enrolled in a web programming course online, and as a fast learner, in less than 3 months, I was able to build our own e-commerce site from scratch. That actually increased our sales volume by 10 times. I started falling in love with programming and became a freelancer. I worked as a freelancer, developing mobile and web applications for both individuals and companies for 5 years. After, I decided to build a startup.
Alaba: You are currently building a solution for Africa’s B2B market through your venture, Slash Africa. Kindly tell us more and the inspiration behind it?
Hakeem: Slash Africa is a decentralized B2B marketplace that connects African retailers with suppliers globally and enables them to carry out secure transactions without any intermediary.
I got the inspiration when I was working with my sister in her wholesale business. I discovered a huge economic inequality between suppliers and retailers. For instance, one of the biggest problems Nigeria is currently facing is artificial scarcity perpetuated by most suppliers in other to increase the price of their products. This creates a market environment that heavily favors them, leaving retailers at a disadvantage. Having experienced this myself, I think now is the best time to democratize Africa’s wholesale market. This will give retailers access to varieties of quality products at very competitive prices and also save them more money and time.
Alaba: What sets Slash Africa apart from other Africa B2B market solutions, and how are you positioning it to become the go-to solution for Africa’s B2B market?
Hakeem: We are the first decentralized marketplace in Africa. We allow both small and big suppliers to list their products and enable direct interaction between suppliers and retailers, allowing them to define their terms and conditions of transactions without an intermediary. This will increase the level of trust and transparency and also gives everyone equal access to the market. Additionally, by operating on a decentralized fulfillment management system, we make our operation faster and minimize cost.
Alaba: What have been Slash Africa’s biggest challenges, and how do you overcome them?
Hakeem: Initially, our intention was to build a platform that enables everyone to create their own independent online store in minutes without coding. But we later realized that most suppliers/sellers, after creating their stores, didn’t have the money and skills to promote their stores. As a result, they didn’t make any sales and they would abandon their store. At that point, we decided to convert it to a marketplace, this enables them not just to create their stores but also connects them with potential customers.
Alaba: Raising capital has been one of the major challenges entrepreneurs face. How are you currently fundraising?
Hakeem: Raising funds as a local founder is very difficult if you don’t have any investor connections. Most African investors are not helping the situation either. Imagine this: because an African investor doesn’t know you, they won’t want to have anything to do with you. They also like to copy the US model. Technology in Africa is still at a very early stage, and the level of adoption is still very low compared to the US. Without local experience, getting people to adopt your solution will be very difficult, and this is where local founders have the advantage. So far, we have been funding our project through bootstrapping and support from families and friends.
Alaba: Can you tell us your impression of the current entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem in Africa? How have you seen it transform in the last 5 years?
Hakeem: In the last 5 years, the entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem in Africa has been growing rapidly. I see a lot of young entrepreneurs solving problems by leveraging modern technologies. But we need to work more in the area of getting people to adopt these solutions, and that is where local expertise is needed.
Alaba: What are Slash Africa’s priorities/plans for the year, and where do you see this venture in the next 5 years?
Hakeem: This year, our priorities involve raising funds, strengthening our team, scaling in Nigeria and reaching $1 million in monthly sales. In the next 5 years, we are projecting Slash Africa to hit $200 million in monthly sales and become the largest B2B marketplace in Africa.
Alaba: What is your advice to budding entrepreneurs aspiring to go into tech?
Hakeem: My advice to entrepreneurs aspiring to go into tech is to come with the pure intention to solve a problem and not just for the money. Because when you prioritize money, you won’t have the drive to build the business, and eventually, you will fail. Secondly, you also need to love the people you are building the project for because this will also be your driving force.
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