We Make Economic Participation Accessible to All
We build economically capable, adaptive and opportunity-oriented people at scale.
We Make Economic Participation Accessible to All
Africa and developing economies do not lack talent.
They lack scalable systems that turn talent into income, agency and opportunity.
Artificial intelligence, automation and unstable labour markets are reshaping how people earn and contribute. Traditional job absorption is no longer enough.
We build economically capable, adaptive and opportunity-oriented people at scale.
This is how.
A Structured Pathway to Economic Activation
Entrepreneurship is not a talent reserved for the few.
It is a capability that can be built, awakened and activated.
Our work progresses across three connected stages.
From capability
to belief
to revenue.
Level One
The Foundation: Entrepreneurial Thinking as a Life Skill
This is where everything begins.
We teach entrepreneurial thinking as a foundational life skill in schools, universities and communities. Through keynote sessions, structured workshops and practical tools such as the Entrepreneurial Thinking Compass, participants learn how to recognise opportunity, act without perfect clarity, solve real problems and take responsibility for outcomes.
In schools and universities, this strengthens
- academic success,
- resilience,
- adaptability,
- employability
- and mental well-being.
Students begin to connect learning with real-world relevance and future participation.
In communities, this shows up as
- increased initiative,
- reduced dependency,
- stronger local problem-solving
- and a visible shift from waiting to acting.
This stage builds the base. It prepares people to participate.
Level Two
The Awakening: Unlocking the Entrepreneurial Spirit at Scale
Across many universities and schools, only a small percentage of students show interest in entrepreneurship (between 1 and 1.5%). Most see it as risky, complex or “not for people like me”, or that it is only for people studying business.
This limits participation before it even begins.
The Side Hustle Success Masterclass and book are designed to quickly change that belief, cost-effectively and at scale. We do this across faculties, fields of study and life stages.
In a single high-impact session, participants learn how to start earning with what they already have. They identify real opportunities around them, design simple income experiments and see that entrepreneurship is not about funding or status. It is about solving problems and creating value.
This dramatically increases participation.
Students who have never considered entrepreneurship begin to explore it. Communities that saw business as distant begin experimenting with income generation.
This stage moves people from
“I cannot”
to
“I can”
Belief expands. Participation grows.
Level Three
The Activation: Building Real Economic Engines in Five Weeks
Belief must translate into income.
Through our Rapid Entrepreneurship Development Programme, individuals build or grow profitable micro-businesses in just five weeks.
Participants move step by step from idea to customer to revenue through structured weekly sessions. They test, adjust, sell and grow without external funding.
We reduce
• The time of job creation to five weeks
• The cost by ten to twenty times compared to traditional models
• And we do it at scale
Each new entrepreneur becomes a small economic engine.
Income is created. Families are supported. Local markets strengthen. Dependency reduces. Community resilience increases.
This is practical economic development from the ground up.
Why This Matters for Africa and Developing Economies
Traditional job creation alone cannot absorb growing populations. Economic participation must be widened.
Our system builds capability at scale, increases entrepreneurial participation rapidly and converts potential into revenue efficiently.
It is accessible
It is designed for developing contexts.
It is scalable
It delivers measurable impact
"This empowering entrepreneurial thinking framework provides essential skills for stress management, resilience building, and solution-focused thinking and action taking that benefits students, workplace teams, and anyone navigating uncertainty and change”
- Ronel Mentz, Clinical Psychologist
ESG and SDG Alignment
Our work contributes directly to:
SDG 4 – Quality Education
SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth
SDG 9 – Industry and Infrastructure
SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities
SDG 17 – Partnerships
We provide structured reporting and measurable outcomes for partners.
This is not awareness work.
It is economic activation.
Partner With Us
If you are serious about economic inclusion, youth activation, supplier development and measurable ESG and SDG impact, now is the time.
The need is urgent. The model is proven. The system is scalable.
Contact us today to design a partnership that builds real economic engines where they are needed most.
Our Founder
The Human Entrepreneur is a non-profit initiative by Willem Gous, an expert on Adaptive Leadership in Action. The Human Entrepreneur is based on one simple belief: people already have what they need to create an income and a future. They just need entrepreneurial thinking and the courage to act.
- Entrepreneur for 25 years
- Master’s degree from the University of Liverpool (U.K.)
- Global speaker - Entrepreneurship and Adaptive Leadership in Action
- Winner - Startup Coach of the Year 2025 - African Startup Ecosystem Builder Awards
- Winner - Startup Mentor of the Year 2023
- Top 50 Global Thought Leader by Thinkers360 in Lean Startup (2022, 2023, 2025 & 2026)
- Top 50 Global Thought Leader by Thinkers360 in Careers (2025).
Organisations We Have Worked With Before
The cost of waiting is rising.
The longer this capability is treated as optional, the more learners are left to develop economic agency by accident rather than by design.
If you are serious about preparing people in Africa and other developing economies to thrive in an uncertain future, then contact us.
Let us explore how this can be.
Book a 20-minute conversation today.
or else complete the form below to send us a message