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10 Minutes with Catherine Lückhoff, Founder and CEO of Nichstreem
[sidebar_widget sidebar_id="sidebar-1" width="1/1" el_position="first last"] [spb_text_block pb_margin_bottom="no" pb_border_bottom="no" width="1/1" el_position="first last"]I was mesmerised from the moment I first heard Catherine Lückhoff speak on stage. An award-winning tech entrepreneur, she defines “local is lekker” with her work ethic, ambition and brilliance. Here, we chat to her about never giving up, finding inspiration in people and using the fact that she is a woman as motivation to work harder and smarter.
Born on a missionNicheStreem is Catherine Lückhoff’s third company. In her 4th year at university in 2003, she started her first venture, Mango OMC, which was one of the early pioneers of online PR campaigns in South Africa. In 2011 Catherine joined Bozza, a Google Ventures and Omidyar funded startup that built an app for talent discovery in Africa. And in 2013, Catherine founded HQ Africa, a business development and strategy firm.Between 2013/14, she served on the board of The Silicon Cape Initiative – a community of tech entrepreneurs, developers, creatives, angel investors, and VCs who are passionate about entrepreneurship and the roles they play in the future of South Africa.Catherine has been named one of the Mail & Guardian’s “200 Young South Africans”; was recognised in the Topco Top Women in Business and Government, and included in the first Old Mutual “Do Great Things” start-up guide. She is a nominated member of the African Leadership Network and a judge for the GSMA Glomo Awards 2015 and 2016.She has spoken across the world on a variety of topics, ranging from how content drives the uptake of technology, to African music streaming services, to innovation in Africa. She is passionate about mentoring and does so for programmes such as TechStars, Sw7, Launch Weekend, Innotech and Spark-Up.For those that still don’t know, what is NicheStreem? Tell us about some of your biggest achievements to date.NicheStreem is WordPress for music and audio streaming. We build and power affordable, audience specific audio streams for untapped markets. Our platform-as-a-service (PaaS) and application platform-as-a-service (aPaaS) enable customers (mobile operators, brands, organisations, artists, etc.) to develop, run, and manage streaming services without the complexity of building and maintaining the infrastructure typically associated with developing and launching a music or audio streaming service.NicheStreem was an FNB Innovation Awards Finalist in 2016 and was selected to participate in the world’s first PeaceTech accelerator, backed by Amazon Web Services, in Washington DC in 2017.I am always very grateful for the lists I have been included in, however, I believe my biggest achievement is having recruited and worked with exceptional people. In any company, your most valuable asset is the team, and I have been fortunate to work with some of the best people in the business.Where and when was the idea for NicheStreem born?The inspiration for NicheStreem was sparked by a number of things however the biggest driver is the underlying belief that there must be a way to make music streaming profitable. Looking at my own listening behaviour, I realised that we all tend to listen to the music we love repeatedly. The idea of 40 million tracks doesn’t excite me. What does make me happy is the idea of having unfettered access to all the music I already love and discovering music I didn’t yet know I would enjoy. Something akin to picking and paying only for the TV channels that excite you. So I decided to build my own music-streaming platform – one that will offer fans a home for the music they love, at a fraction of the cost while still earning enough revenue to pay artists and make a profit.During a four month sabbatical in 2013, I travelled to the UK, US, Costa Rica and Nigeria to meet music label executives, founders of streaming services and startups, and representatives from social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook. I became keenly aware of the wealth of information that is out there, but more importantly how crucial it is that this knowledge is adapted and applied to an African context.I’m Afrikaans, and I also have an innate understanding of how closely Afrikaans culture and music are linked. I realized that the same holds true for lesser-known niches such as “Highlife” (Afro-pop), and the 85 million Christians in Nigeria who listen to “Naija gospel”. There was an opportunity in giving casual music fans a service built with their specific tastes in mind. This was the birth of the idea for NicheStreem – to build a scalable music-streaming platform that can support multiple streams, each branded, curated and promoted to a specific niche audience.Once you have an idea, what is the next step in executing?The hardest part is taking the first step. Once you do though, the rest will fall into place. Remember, an idea is only as good as the execution. Draw up a to-do list and start from the top. First order of business: Go to Shelf Company Warehouse online and buy a pre-registered company. Once acquired, ask your accountant to apply for a name change and submit three possible names for consideration. Make sure that the URLs for those names are available before you submit.What’s your advice to new founders searching for investors and capital?Don’t accept “dumb money”. Startups are only as strong as their ecosystem so make sure you raise partners and not just money.What’s the one thing no one tells you about starting your own business?It’s not that they don’t tell you, it’s that you simply won’t understand how hard it will be until you have experienced the trials and tribulations first hand.How do you think startups can still place emphasis on Marketing, even with a tight budget?Necessity is the mother of invention. As South Africans, we are especially creative. So start by having many ideas, no matter how crazy they may be. Don’t be afraid to think out of the box and use all your available resources online and off. Now read “1000 True Fans” by Kevin Kelly.What’s your attitude to competitors and how do you deal with them?I conform to Peter Thiel’s thinking: “When you’re very competitive, you get good at the thing you’re competing with people on. But it comes at the expense of losing out on many other things,” Thiel says. “If you’re a competitive chess player, you might get very good at chess but neglect to develop other things because you’re focused on beating your competitors, rather than on doing something that’s important or valuable.”What do your responsibilities as business-owner and CEO include?As a startup CEO, I am involved in every aspect of the business from product development to marketing, fund raising to team management and everything in between. My most important role, however, is to guide the vision of the company.What’s next – what are some of your goals for NicheStreem?To be the PaaS music streaming company of choice.What personality traits of yours do you attribute to your success?I don’t give up.Which books or audiobooks do you recommend to any budding entrepreneur?
- Blog: https://theheretic.org/
- Books: Tools of Titans by Time Ferriss and Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth.
- Podcasts: StartUp and Reply All both by Gimlet Media and Girlboss.
What kind of social pressures have you felt being a female entrepreneur in business, and how have you dealt with it?Unfairly, we have more to prove. On the up side it forces us to work harder, be smarter and never take success for granted.What do you think the future holds with regards to women in previously male-dominated industries?The future is female.What impact do you think innovation and evolving technology will have on business in 10 years’ time?Hopefully, we will all be working smarter and not harder.What advice would you give young, aspiring entrepreneurs?Don’t give up.What advice would you give women, who might be wives and mothers, who want to leave their secure jobs to chase their dream of founding a start-up?Everything you want lies on the other side of fear.Who is your inspiration, and why?People with grit and courage. Giving up is easy. To keep on keeping on is the true test of character. You can catch Catherine on stage next at the MEST Africa Summit in Cape Town from 18 – 20 June.[/spb_text_block] [spb_text_block pb_margin_bottom="no" pb_border_bottom="no" width="1/1" el_position="first last"]
About the author
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Cottage industries defined
[sidebar_widget sidebar_id="sidebar-1" width="1/1" el_position="first last"] [spb_text_block pb_margin_bottom="no" pb_border_bottom="no" width="1/1" el_position="first last"]The term "cottage industry" has existed for many generations as a means to create manufacturing operations on a smaller scale. 
In the simplest terms, a cottage industry constitutes a small business, usually related to manufacturing or production, and typically operated from the entrepreneur’s home. These opportunities were appealing in the past because while a community may not be able to economically support a major corporation, most can support a small business. As a result, owners face less financial strain. Over the past decade though, this approach to business presents life-changing opportunities for new entrepreneurs as well as substantial benefits for underdeveloped economies.
"Cottage industries play a significant role in the economies of developing countries. These economies may lack the capital and financial systems to support larger industries. It may be difficult for smaller firms to grow due to a lack of available capital or because of uncertainty relating to private property and legal rights."
One motivation for many cottage industry entrepreneurs is that they can effectively work from the comfort of their own homes. This is especially essential for mothers who need to provide for their families or loved ones.
"The bonus for me is that I can work around my children, who are four, six and 11. Once they're asleep at night I can carry on if there are still things to do."
The flexible schedule is the only option for many candidates who wouldn’t otherwise conform to the needs of a more corporate job. Business owners save on overhead costs like renting an office space or warehouse, and have a built-in community of support. With ‘buy local’ initiatives, neighbours are excited to support you rather than the corporate conglomerates that fill shopping markets today.
"Most states' cottage food industry laws also allow goods to be sold at local farmer's markets and roadside stands, which helps these local business enterprises to prosper. Neighbors get to know their neighbors and derive additional satisfaction from knowing they are helping a local family by purchasing their products."
As the Better Life Program continues to seek out more ways to positively change communities and lead to a more sustainable society, I find more and more interest in the underutilised possibility with cottage industries. For many jobless and unbanked individuals, this might open a door – just knowing that they have a skill and they can expand upon from it the comfort of their own home.[/spb_text_block] [spb_text_block pb_margin_bottom="no" pb_border_bottom="no" width="1/1" el_position="first last"]
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How Nigeria's agriculture can drive development
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I recently worked my way through some notes from speaking engagements to put together my thoughts on my website. In the process, I came across notes on the untapped potential within Nigeria’s agricultural sector - I grew up in Nigeria, so I know the important role agriculture plays in the shadows here. Some of these notes are from years ago, and even then, I was sure that we, as Nigerians, would see the opportunities and pursue them in the near future. While we continue to make progress, I still feel we have so much further to go. Properly harnessed, I feel agriculture has the ability to improve job rates, build the economy and increase stability in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.The problemWe often underestimate farming as a career choice. Our younger generations see it as 'back breaking-labour', with little to no yields. While I want to encourage them to follow their passions, I think they often choose their careers paths based on false information. We don’t properly convey farming as a career to our youth and as a result we disadvantage them and ourselves. As Feyi Fawehinmi says:
While agriculture has been around forever, in the new technology age, the face of it has changed. It's a skill-based field with chances to streamline your work after turning an initial profit. We need to think of agriculture as the business that it is. Over the next few decades, I suspect the agriculture I grew up around will look completely different than the new one chalked full of technology and automation.A wealth of resourcesNigeria sits on a gold mine in terms of farming potential, yet we haven’t seen a rush to the industry. As Ade Adefeko describes it:
We have so much uncultivated potential. Our land and these resources stand as a wealth of opportunity for both people and our Nigerian economy.Recently, I spoke a lot about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and how important I think these are for the success of Nigeria. Equally important, I think we need to consider which industries can buffer these initiatives and which industries we need to further cultivate in order to achieve the SDGs by 2030. When it comes to cultivating the agriculture sector, I think we are on the right track. As Victor Ekwealor says:
The fact of the matter is, this industry, while it may receive a cosmetic makeover, is not going anywhere, because everyone eats. Now as we move toward 2030, let's focus on using these resources and opportunities to our advantage.[/spb_text_block] [spb_text_block pb_margin_bottom="no" pb_border_bottom="no" width="1/1" el_position="first last"]
About the author
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Engineering beyond borders: Creating lasting solutions through innovation
[sidebar_widget sidebar_id="Sidebar" width="1/1" el_position="first last"] [spb_text_block pb_margin_bottom="no" pb_border_bottom="no" width="1/1" el_position="first last"]Have you ever wondered why you freely enjoy a phone call with that friend of yours in South Africa with little / no network interruption? Or have you tried to Skype call that business partner in Rwanda just so you could negotiate a few deals for that upcoming project scheduled for the year? Apparently, your long conversations couldn’t have happened without the intervention of telecommunication engineering making it easier to connect you to the rest of the world.On AgricultureFor a very long time, farmers in the sub-Saharan regions couldn’t track production on their (500 acres) agriculture farmlands. This made it difficult for them to resolve and provide weather information that could have saved their farms from drought or heavy downpour of rain.
Then came some innovations from outstanding young Ghanaians to revolutionising the agricultural industry, making it easier for farmers to deal with these issues.Agriculture is the main driving force behind Ghana's economy. This accounts for approximately 42% of the country's GDP, employing 54% of its workforce. Hence, innovations such as; Farmerline, Sesi Technologies, Farmart Ghana, Sesa Mu, Agrocenta and many innovative solutions are making life easier for farmers.On Renewable Energy Renewable energy has come to stay with us. In Ghana's Northern Region, solar energy is being collected and conserved, and used when the main grid (hydroelectricity) goes off. This has lessened the blackout challenges in most communities in the region, if not all communities. Our energy challenges have pushed our youth to venture into renewable energy social enterprise projects. Projects such as converting waste products into renewable sources of energy, that could be beneficial to many homes, have lessened the burden on some communities that aren't on our national grid. A report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) pointed out that the 2010 Ghana National Energy Policy encompasses cross-cutting plans to manage the major challenge of fast-growing energy needs for the national development agenda. The policy contains three chapters (4, 5, 6) dealing with renewable energy deployment, waste-to-energy management and energy efficiency. These underline the need for improved support policies, and for the private sectors involvement to foster sustainable and efficient energy generation. According to the National Energy Policy, Ghana’s renewable energy development will mainly focus on the vast mini hydro potential of the country. Twenty-one micro- and medium-hydro power sites, with generation capacities ranging from 4kW to 325 kW, have already been identified as suitable for power generation. Ghana also has great potential for waste-to-energy and biomass management; mainly the regeneration of wood biomass resources, while the National Energy Policy places more emphasis on bio-fuel generation projects. Solar radiation also provides substantial potential for power generation, and increased government support for the national solar manufacturing sector will form part of the national energy policy.
Electrical engineers, government officials, policy makers and other stakeholders should consider investing in renewable sources of energy to lessen the burden on the main grid to supply energy to industries, homes and schools across Ghana and Africa at large.On TransportationThe means of transportation in Africa haven’t improved much due to urban growth and economic challenges that make it difficult to move from one place to another within the shortest possible time. The means of transportation from some farming communities in Ghana, coupled with the deplorable nature of our roads, make it difficult for farmers to transport their foodstuffs to towns to be sold. Research shows that, in Kenya, only about 32% of rural people live within two kilometers of an all-weather road. The figures are 31% for Angola, 26% for Malawi, 24% for Tanzania, 18% for Mali and a mere 10.5% for Ethiopia. Expanding rural road networks (in addition to investing in electrification and irrigation) is a strategic investment for rural development and should not be judged against narrowly defined economic criteria.In china alone, the transportation industry has evolved. Most of their major breakthroughs had to do with electric vehicles and solar-powered bicycles. The Chinese government wants 18% of commuters to use bikes by 2020, and bike-sharing programs are key to this effort.
We have made major innovation breakthroughs in health, medicine and software solutions - which have made banking in Africa easier than before. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary we highlight the great works achieved by our young African innovators, while leveraging on their innovations to create lasting solutions to the many challenges around us.[/spb_text_block] [spb_text_block pb_margin_bottom="no" pb_border_bottom="no" width="1/1" el_position="first last"]
About the author
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How technology can empower African women
[sidebar_widget sidebar_id="sidebar-1" width="1/1" el_position="first last"] [spb_text_block pb_margin_bottom="no" pb_border_bottom="no" width="1/1" el_position="first last"]According to Intel's report women and the web, "on average across the developing world, nearly 25% fewer women than men have access to the internet and the gender gap soars to nearly 45% in regions like sub Saharan Africa."Technology and access to the internet are essential to women's empowerment. Information and communication technologies (ICT) are integral tools for advancing gender equality, women and girl empowerment and a developed world. Without access to ICT, women are at a greater risk of being left behind as agents of positive change and leaders in a rapidly evolving global world.Challenges surrounding access to technology and the digital gender gap persist in Africa due to the following factors:
- Affordability: Women are less likely to own technology assets such as computers, mobile phones, etc. Most women have less income than men. There is low purchasing power to get equipment needed to perform tasks in easier ways. High broadband prices scare them away from using the internet effectively.
- Inadequate Digital skills: According to the Web Foundation's 2015 global report on women's rights online, women are almost twice more likely than men to report lack of skills as one of the main barriers to internet use. Women also reportedly have limited opportunities to improve their digital literacy through skills like coding which could help women and girls improve their livelihoods and empower themselves to become innovators.
- Psychological Barriers: Most women and girls have less self confidence in their ability to use technology or they believe that they should not use them at all. They become 'Technophobic'. Gender stereotypes may make the female gender think that technology is reserved for men only.
- Time Availability: The girl child has enormous tasks to be done daily. There is little or no spare time for her to be involved in extracurricular activities such as learning ICT skills.
- Unfamiliarity: African women are known to be industrious, and most small medium enterprises (SMEs) are run by women. Small scale businesses have been able to harness the opportunities provided by ICT and leverage use of the internet in their businesses. Some women don't realize that becoming technologically skilled can play a major role in getting jobs, being competitive in the job market, contribute positively to the society and enabled them to pull themselves and family out of poverty.
Bridging the digital gender gap is a critical step towards the vision of a thriving Africa. The need to tackle the digital gender gap is essentially urgent because technology is such a powerful tool to empower women to address other persistent inequalities. By focusing on incorporating ICT into our lives, we will take a giant step towards development.HOW TECHNOLOGY EMPOWERS WOMEN
- ICT can be used as a tool for women to learn and gain knowledge through access to information. Studies report that digital ICT can provide women and girls with the basic inputs for enhanced decision making power such as new information, learning opportunities and technical/ practical skills. Women and girls' ability to make better informed decisions has been found to increase their control over their education, finances, businesses, safety and health.
- The process of learning to use technology can increase self confidence. It gives them a sense of independence and freedom to pursue activities of their own including those outside their "traditional gender roles".
- Technology may also increase women's ability to control how they use their time. It enables them to fulfill their social obligations and get tasks done quickly; tasks that would probably be done manually. Examples include the use of washing machines, blenders, etc.
- ICT provides a new channel of communication and engagement that can make networking easier, increase social capital and facilitate the creation and growth of women's movement. Women who would not ordinarily participate in traditional media can create blogs and use social media to share their views publicly. Gaining access to ICT provides women with alternative channels for self expression and engagement.
- ICT, used as an advocacy tool, can empower African women to demand true reform that will bridge the gap between their legal rights and their enforcement. It gives women the opportunity to communicate their needs in their own way.
The benefits of using technology are enormous. The African woman must be supported in becoming technologically competitive. They must gain proper understanding of how to use technology safely and effectively. Technology helps women in becoming bold to make positive change. This can result in giants steps to reduce inequality and be at pace with the sustainable development goals.As we celebrate International Women's Day, let's put women at the heart of technology. #BeBoldForChange[/spb_text_block] [spb_text_block pb_margin_bottom="no" pb_border_bottom="no" width="1/1" el_position="first last"]
About the author
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God, motivation and the power of not giving up
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My name is Patience Dzidzeme Mboti, and I am a 25 year old HND Mechanical Engineering graduate of Cape Coast Polytechnic in Ghana. This is my story.
After my senior high school education, I applied to universities to study Mechanical Engineering, but did not gain admission because my grades did not meet the cut off points. Everyone, including friends and family, did not believe I could make it. You know, that “NO UNIVERSITY, NO FUTURE” reasoning. People who had promised to help take care of my tuition fees gave up on me. I was devastated and had nowhere to turn to. However, I did not give up, neither did I give in.
A friend advised me to apply to the Polytechnic since the Polytechnic also offered Mechanical Engineering, so I paid heed to the advice and applied. I gained admission.
Initially, I did not know what I was getting myself into. The first time I entered the lecture room, I realized I was the only lady in the class. When people got to know I was studying Mechanical Engineering, they told me, "It is very difficult and for men only". They also advised me to go and plead with the administration so that they would change the course for me to study a program like marketing or accounting. Amazingly, these negative comments rather motivated me to prove everyone wrong, including those who no longer had confidence in me.
I will not say it was easy, because the first time I went for lectures, I did not fully understand everything. I got this far and decided to learn extra hard.
One important thing is, I never left God out of the equation. My faith in Him grew so mightily that I said a word of prayer before I set off for lectures each day. I'd say; “Lord, You are my wisdom, my knowledge and my understanding and because you live in me, I know everything”.
By the time the first semester ended, I was teaching group members who were all guys. Sometimes other group members would come and join mine to get my clarification on certain topics. It was an amazing experience. At the end of the first semester, I was in the "first class" category and also topped my class.
I went on to graduate with first class honors and still topped my class. On graduation day I received the following awards:
- Best Graduating Female Engineering Student
- Best Graduating Mechanical Engineering Student
- Overall Best Graduating Student in the School of Engineering
- Overall Best Graduating Female Student
I believe you can ultimately be anything you want to be as a person. It does not matter if you are a lady. You can fulfill your career dreams with hard work, determination and with God involved.
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About the author
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