| Entrepreneur Profile features dynamic business personalities, fledgling inventors and innovators, environmentally conscious industrialists and other entrepreneurial leaders and role models, and is one of CAPITAL’s most popular sections.
Microsoft was founded with a few hundred dollars loaned from Mrs. Gates, bless her. Henry Ford could hardly afford a spare pair of overalls when he started out.
The common traits of Bill Gates, Hewlet Packard, Henry Ford and other highly successful business leaders is an unshakeable faith in their ideas, hard work and a belief that it does not take a fortune to make a fortune.
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In addition to managing his three companies - Ethio-Flora, Ethio-Vegfru and Highland Farms, Ato Tsegaye Abebe also chairs the Ethiopian Horticulture Producers/Exporters Association.
The sacrifices paid by two other farms owners and himself to introduce horticulture industry to Ethiopia is quite high, he says. “There were times when I did not have a single birr in my pocket, but I never gave up. I overcame the difficulty and here I am expanding my business after all these years.” Tsegaye has launched a pilot program assisting farmers living nearby his farms with seeds they can use to produce flowers in off season, which creates new income opportunity.
BIG PICTURE
Reason for starting business – Inspired by farms in neighboring Kenya
Biggest drawback –
Lack of awareness and finance in earlier times
Main worry –
Consequences of uncertain decisions
Most challenging task –
Convincing the society and the government
Stress reducers –
Work.
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