Ndidi Nwuneli is the Founder of LEAP Africa, a leading youth leadership nonprofit organization, and co-Founder of AACE Food Processing & Distribution, an indigenous agroprocessing company that was founded in 2009 to fight malnutrition, reduce postharvest losses among smallholder farmers and displace imports. She is also the managing partner of Sahel Consulting & Advisory Ltd., a firm focused on the agribusiness and nutrition sectors in West Africa.
She started her career as a management consultant with McKinsey & Company, working in their Chicago, New York and Johannesburg Offices.
Ndidi holds an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and an undergraduate degree with honors in Multinational and Strategic Management from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Ndidi was recognized as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and received a National Honor – Member of the Federal Republic from the Nigerian Government. She was listed as one of the 20 Youngest Power African Women by Forbes. Ndidi serves on numerous international and local boards including Nestle Nigeria Plc., Nigerian Breweries Plc., Globethics.net Switzerland, Godrej Consumer Products Ltd. India, Fairfax Africa Holdings Canada, and Royal DSM Sustainability Board, Netherlands.
Ndidi is the author of “Social Innovation in Africa: A Practical Guide for Scaling Impact,” published by Routledge in 2016.
Sneak Peek Into What You’ll Learn…
02:12 – Ndidi provides insight into her interesting entrepreneurial journey that led her from McKinsey to being the founder of two companies.
07:00 – We learn about the inspiration Ndidi had for starting a leadership organization focused on Africa.
09:52 – Ndidi shares the challenges of working with your spouse with you are an entrepreneur.
11:30 – Ndidi outlines at what age kids really need their parents’ direct involvement and why.
16:47 – Ndidi talks about why someone should become an entrepreneur (and why others should not) and what concrete steps to take to get started.
20:15 – As a sought after speaker and business leader, Ndidi shares the key questions she asks herself when weighing opportunities.
25:44 – Ndidi discusses the sacrifices and challenges she and other women face because of their roles as mothers as well as leaders.
29:24 – Ndidi shares how she takes care of herself and the importance of spending time with other women.
31:50 – Brass Tacks— The lightning round of concrete advice and tips.
Quotable quotes:
- “Become an entrepreneur because you feel passionate about solving a problem or adding value in a way nobody else can and that you’ve seen a gap in the market that you think you’re uniquely qualified to fill.”
- “No business will grow at scale if you give it a half efforts, you really have to go full hog.”
- “I think the ability for women to get comfortable saying no and to get very deliberate about what they choose to do or not do is really important.”
- “The whole concept of becoming a super woman is something I’m very comfortable not being.”
- “…your desire to die empty, your desire to fulfill purpose, your desire to complete God’s call on your life and to give your best and serve as a change agent…for many of us we temper that because of society’s expectations….that struggle is real.”
- “You can have it all, just not at the same time so you have to be willing to make some trade-offs in the short term and in the longer term you’ll have those opportunities.”
- “Everyone needs three people in their lives: a champion, a critic, and a role model. I have actively cultivated those three individuals.”
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