A good product is not enough: AFCC and Ondari set to show why women entrepreneurs need deliberate growth strategies to attract customers and build sustainable businesses.
For women entrepreneurs, building a good business is only half the challenge. Finding customers, turning interest into sales, and persuading people to return requires a deliberate growth strategy, something many founders have little time to develop while managing daily operations. This suggests that digital tools and better customer outreach can make a difference.
A 2024 report by the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women found that 63% of surveyed women entrepreneurs linked digital tools, particularly social media marketing and digital payments, to improvements in their business operations. Meanwhile, 59% reported increased sales and profitability during 2024.
The findings point to an opportunity: growth is not simply about working harder or producing more. It is also about making it easier for potential customers to discover a business, understand its value, and buy from it.
Research by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the World Bank, covering 3,325 microenterprises across seven African countries, including Nigeria, found that businesses using smartphones and computers reported six times the sales levels of non-users. The researchers cautioned, however, that the findings show an association rather than proving that technology alone caused higher sales.
For women-led businesses, the practical challenge is turning these opportunities into consistent habits: identifying the right customers, choosing effective marketing channels, tracking which activities generate sales, and following up with existing buyers.
These are skills that can be learned, but founders often have to figure them out through trial and error.
That is why the Africa Female CEO Conference (AFCC) has partnered with Ondari, a digital business partner, to offer members a practical online workshop focused on attracting customers, improving sales consistency, and identifying growth opportunities.
The two-session virtual workshop takes place on October 30 and 31, 2026. AFCC members can attend free and receive 30 days of follow-up support. Registration is mandatory.
For women building businesses, the next stage of growth may depend not just on what they sell, but on how strategically they reach the people who need it.
Register for the free AFCC membership workshop.
