On Sunday, February 6, Senegal joined the list of other 15 African Cup of Nations (AfCON) winners, after defeating Egypt 4-2 on penalties in Olembe Stadium, Yaoundé Cameroon.

It was a moment the West African country has waited so long for, having got so close many times. It was Liverpool player, Sadio Mane, who kicked the winning ball from the penalty spot past Egyptian goalkeeper Mohamed Abou Gabal (Gabaski.)

Senegalese coach Aliou Cisse finally got a poetic justice. The former Teranga Lions player was the captain of the 2002 squad who lost to Cameroon in the final following a penalty shootout. Cisse missed his penalty. The loss was compounded in 2019 when Senegal lost to Algeria in the final.

Having lost in 2017 to Cameroun, Egypt was hoping to clinch its eighth title on Sunday, but was outplayed by Senegal who had 57% ball possession.

Mane, who was up against his Liverpool teammate, Mohammed Salah, missed a penalty that would have given Senegal the lead during regular time. It was a burden of guilt that could have hunted him for long had the penalty shootout ended in favor of Egypt.

“I won the Champions League and other trophies. But this is a special one for me. This is the most important,” Mane said.

Egypt was first to miss a penalty kick when Abdelmonem hit the post, giving Senegal a 2-1 lead. But the North Africans leveled up when Gabaski saved Bouna Saar’s kick. The game was left to be decided by Senegal when goalkeeper Edouard Mendy saved Egypt’s fourth kick by Lasheen. Salah didn’t get to take his kick after Mane sealed it for Senegal.

Senegal has been recently consistent in AfCON tournaments more than any other team, keeping the hope of fans high that someday the Teranga Lions will bring the trophy home. Cisse, who has been managing the team since 2015 was applauded for building a resilient national side, making a case for other African countries to give indigenous coaches a chance.

Though it took about eight years filled with waits and disappointed hopes, the result of Senegal’s last two-hour match has inspired overwhelming jubilation that has eclipsed the long wait and disappointments. The Senegalese president, Macky Sall, has declared Monday a public holiday, highlighting a vital lesson in resilience: once you win, it would no longer matter how many times you failed.

Welcome to Tekedia Institute, I am truly honoured to welcome you. This is an academic festival which has shaped the perspectives of many, for good.. We graduated more people than any university in Africa last year. And we’re the most diverse academic community in Africa.

As you go through our courseware, you will see the African nativity of entrepreneurial capitalism and business systems. We’re a school from Africa and we’re proud of that heritage. We make that evident even as we deliver global viewports, driving that glocal playbook.

I welcome the world to the 7th edition of Tekedia Mini-MBA. Registration continues here

Welcome Tekedia CollegeBoost

Let me also welcome Tekedia CollegeBoost students from universities across Africa. I am yet to get one of those t-shirts though. Thank you all for believing in our mission to make those t-shirts. We welcome all students as you begin your journey at Tekedia Institute. This is Tekedia Institute, a home for schools, companies, students and professionals.

Schools, to get your students into Tekedia Institute, connect with Eyitayo Adeleke or email tekedia@fasmicro.com. He manages our campus programs across Africa. We designed a program for college students to introduce them to business education, taking into consideration that they’re students, and may be from different majors, outside business education. They like it.

We want your school here.

Thanks Tolu Alao for joining us at Tekedia Mini-MBA. And thanks for the kind words.

You have achieved your milestone, decided how much funds you want to raise and what stage you want to hit next. What else do you need to do? Technically, nothing else. Most first-time founders will simply jump to the chase and start going after the investors, and probably spend long frustrating months getting refusals after refusals. Whatever else you have done, try to add these six things before you start the hunt.

Discuss with other startup founders who have recently raised funds. I have explained the importance of a good network system to fundraising. But your network should consist of other startup founders too with whom you can share experiences. Find out from them what their experience was like, what they learned from it, and what they would do differently now that they know better. You can also get some advice on determining what is the right sum to raise.

Speak to a legal expert. No matter how ready you think you are, a good way to set yourself up for success would be to get guidance from a legal expert (preferably one specialized in startups within your space). You need to know what to do from a legal standpoint. It is also necessary to know if you are required to apply for patents or get some form of Intellectual property (IP) protection before you go pitching to investors. Other startup founders might make a recommendation or two for you, based on the expert they worked with.

Research and pool sufficient data. This is something you would normally do before raising funds. Get the right metrics for presenting your company’s progress and growth potential. Know why you spend every money you spend, and why you need the injection of more funds.

Prepare your pitch. You know that you will need a compelling pitch deck that is both clear and concise. In as little time as possible, you should be able to explain who you are, what problem your company is solving, and why investors should care. If you want, you can refer to the earlier post on what a three-minute pitch should be.

Get experts to double-check your valuations. You may find your potential investors regarding you suspiciously if you get your valuation wrong. You need to be sure that you have neither undervalued nor overvalued your business. Another thing your investors will look at is the plan of how you want to spend the money you raise. Ensure to make the right projections for spending, operations, and the rest of them.