March Startup Hour Review

Attending the Startup Hour by Smugglers Inn last night was probably the highlight of this week so far. So many creatives in one place getting to know each other and sharing ideas.

5 minutes into the meeting, we discovered many people who have full time day jobs, but have bigger dreams on the side. They hope to some day realise those dreams and give their best at what they love with a passion through business.

The featured guest was Pompi who apart from singing, also has an entrepreneurial side to him. He’s involved in a online  job portal project with 3 other people that is soon to take off and it seems like an amazing idea when he explained what he wants to do with it.

We also got to meet a man who works for a bank all day but has a soft spot for photography. You could even tell by the way he lovingly stared at our Canon piece. He explained how he’s always grown up taking pictures but never considered it as a job. And we don’t blame him. Photographers don’t get the credit they deserve in Zambia as much as they do in other countries. The whole point of Startup hour is great because it brings together minds that think alike and are looking to make headway in sectors that are not considered a big deal yet in Zambia.

Then we met a young lady that wants to start an events management company specifically for kids. She loves kids, seemingly it would not really be “work” for her when she finally gets her company together because she’ll be surrounded by what/who she loves all the time. When work feels like play, you have less stress. She emphasizes that most event companies cater to all age groups but she only wants to focus on children and be the best go-to company for them.

Matthew Grollnek, the organizer and founder of Startup Junction, said that he hopes that as a result of people’s new connections, networking will make it easier for them to find the right people to collaborate with in order to come up with the next big thing.

We were proud to be in the midst of it all and can not wait for the next one. It’s every first Wednesday of every month. We estimate that the next one will be on April 2, 2014. So, mark your calendars! We hope that you can come along next time and get connected. Also bring a friend or two.