Elevate Her | Start the conversation that could change everything

We are surrounded by negativity! Every day we hear about what is going wrong. The economy is struggling. Business is difficult. Farming is expensive. Funding is impossible to access. Markets are difficult to enter. Jobs are scarce. Opportunities are limited. And yes, many of these challenges are real. But in my view one of the biggest risks we face is not just the challenges themselves, but the conversations we choose to have about them.

By Maphuti Mongatane, business development manager at African Farming

What if we became more intentional about the conversations we start? What if in the middle of all the noise about what is not working, we started talking more about what could work? What if we asked: Where are the opportunities? Who is buying? Who is funding? Who is looking for suppliers? What can I do differently? Who has walked this road before me? And who should I be speaking to?

I believe our conversations shape our direction more than we realise. As farmers and entrepreneurs, we cannot ignore the realities around us. Rising production costs, access to finance, market access, compliance and climate uncertainty are real challenges. But if every conversation begins and ends with the problem, how do we ever get to the solution? Sometimes progress begins with changing the question. Instead of saying, “There are no opportunities,” ask, “Where are the opportunities I have not yet discovered?” Instead of saying, “I cannot access the market,” ask, “What do I need to change in my business to become market-ready?” Instead of saying, “Nobody wants to fund me,” ask, “What are funders looking for and what can I do to become investment-ready?” That one shift can start an entirely different conversation.

Also read: Elevate Her | The power of passing the key

In my experience, many opportunities are missed not because they do not exist, but because the right conversations never happen. A farmer may be producing an excellent product but has never introduced herself to the right buyer. An agro-processor may have something that belongs on supermarket shelves but has never asked a retailer what it takes to become a supplier. An entrepreneur may have applied unsuccessfully for funding several times but has never sat down with someone who can explain what is missing from her application.

Sometimes, the opportunity we are waiting for begins with a conversation we have not yet had. So, make the call. Send the email. Introduce yourself. Ask for the meeting. Tell people what you are building. Ask the question you have been afraid to ask.

And when you discover something valuable, do not keep it to yourself. Tell another farmer. Share the opportunity. Make the introduction. Connect another woman to the buyer, funder, mentor or organisation that could help her move forward.

Also read: Elevate Her | The stage means nothing if no one rises!

We may not be able to change every challenge facing our country overnight. But we can change the conversations happening around us. We can start conversations about possibilities. About solutions. About partnerships. About markets. About businesses that are growing and jobs that are being created. About women who are making things happen despite the challenges.

In my opinion, South Africa needs more of these conversations right now. Because in a world where negative news often travels the fastest, choosing to start a conversation about what is possible is not about pretending challenges do not exist. It is about refusing to allow the challenges to have the final word.

So, what conversation could you start today? You never know, it could be the conversation that changes everything.

Also read: