Find a genuine problem to solve, and use technology to keep costs down. That’s the core advice from Thandeka Xaba, Fellow-in-Residence: Ventures & Capital at the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation, on launching a business with almost no starting capital.
Solve a problem you’ve genuinely experienced
South Africa continues to rank poorly on ease of doing business, and the frustration of dealing with red tape firsthand, from repeated visits to SARS to missing documentation, is exactly the kind of problem worth solving. A low-cost, tech-enabled service that removes friction for other business owners can be built lean, without needing significant upfront capital.
Keep it lean and test your assumptions early
Big feature lists and app ambitions are common, but the harder, more valuable work is validating whether anyone will actually pay for what you’re building. If you can’t point to a few paying, repeat customers, even close friends or family, you likely haven’t tested the core assumption your business depends on. Facing that reality early saves money, time, and years of building the wrong thing.
Budget for years, not months, of difficulty
Building a genuinely resilient business mindset means accepting that meaningful struggle is part of the process, not a sign something has gone wrong. Entrepreneurs who’ve built lasting businesses consistently describe years, not months, of sustained effort before things clicked.
Don’t tie your self-worth to your idea’s success
Even Slack, now a household name, began as a failed attempt at building a game. Separating your own worth from any single idea’s outcome means a failed attempt becomes a lesson rather than a verdict on you as a founder. South African startup culture in particular tends to under-celebrate failure, worth actively resisting in how you think about your own setbacks.
Focus on results, not hype
Magazine features, podcast appearances, competitions and conferences feel good, but none of them equate to a functioning business. Be deliberate about how much time you spend on visibility activities versus actually building and selling.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my business idea is actually worth pursuing?
Test whether a small group of real customers, even friends or family, will pay for it. If you can’t find any, the underlying assumption likely needs rethinking before you invest further.
How long should I expect to struggle before a lean business becomes sustainable?
Plan for years rather than months. Entrepreneurs who’ve built lasting businesses consistently describe sustained difficulty well beyond the first year.
Does media coverage or competition wins indicate a business is succeeding?
Not necessarily. These activities build visibility but don’t substitute for actual paying customers and a working business model.
Building lean, testing honestly
A genuinely lean business starts with a real problem, a tested assumption, and a founder prepared to separate their own worth from any single idea’s outcome. The rest, media coverage, competitions, polish, comes later, if at all.
Further reading: Is My Business Funding Ready? | South African Revenue Service for official business registration and tax compliance requirements
Originally published in October 2019. Updated September 2026 to refresh this lean-startup guidance from the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation. The underlying advice on testing assumptions and separating self-worth from outcomes remains durable.
