Esther Institute of Entrepreneurial Leadership

Esther Institute of Entrepreneurial Leadership Failing forward

Join the EIEL Hub Esther is an administrative assistant who has worked in multinational companies for over seven years.

Helping African entrepreneurs with the mindset, strategies, and leadership skills needed to build businesses that can grow beyond hustle and create lasting impact. She is skilled in problem-solving, administrative work, HR, bookkeeping, staff and managerial support, and is known to increase productivity. Esther is also a writer, personal development coach, and speaker who helps clients maintain a positive outlook towards a purpose-driven life. She founded the House of Mercy Network Foundation, supporting disadvantaged people in Nigeria and India. Esther has received several awards for her achievements, including an honorary degree in humanity and an ambassadorship at the European Business University Luxembourg.

06/10/2026

From organising, segmenting, keeping an excel list if you don't have a CRM system to asking for feedbacks. These are ways you can retain customers if you are running a small business on WhatsApp.

06/10/2026

Follow the series on why African businesses stay small.

Share your thoughts in the comment section.
Feel free to suggest the type of workshop you would love to attend.

Navigating Through an Unplanned CrisisA few weeks ago, my team and I were waiting for products from a new supplier. I ha...
25/09/2026

Navigating Through an Unplanned Crisis

A few weeks ago, my team and I were waiting for products from a new supplier. I had already shared pictures of the new designs in our WhatsApp group, and we couldn't wait to introduce them to our customers.

Then they arrived. 40% were in bad condition.

I was angry and requested a refund. But that still left us with one problem: our customers needed the products.

So, instead of returning to the same supplier, I searched for another supplier in Lagos, secured the products and introduced a simple offer: buy one and get 5% off the next.

Our customers loved it.

One lesson I am learning as a small business owner trading across Africa is that resilience is not just about enduring disruption. It is about finding a practical alternative quickly enough to keep the business moving.

Suppliers will disappoint. Plans will change. Things will go wrong.

The question is: Can you think beyond the problem and still deliver to your customer?

It has been a minute. I have missed sharing my thoughts and reading your comments.

16/09/2026

Is micromanaging impeding the growth of your business?
A CEO cannot do everything alone

15/09/2026

Beyond sale.

The Reluctance to Invest in People: Why African Businesses Stay SmallOver the past weeks, I have shared different reason...
06/09/2026

The Reluctance to Invest in People: Why African Businesses Stay Small

Over the past weeks, I have shared different reasons why many African businesses struggle to grow.

This lies in the reluctance to invest in people.
Many businesses begin with the founder carrying almost every responsibility.

In the early stages, this may work. The founder understands the vision, makes decisions, manages customers, handles operations, and solves problems personally.

However, as the business grows, the same approach becomes a limitation. A company cannot scale when every important task depends on the CEO.

When leaders remain involved in every detail, they become overwhelmed, strategic thinking suffers, and growth becomes restricted by one person's capacity.

The right people are an investment in the future of the business.

One of the biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make is delaying hiring because they see employees only as costs rather than as capacity builders. The right team creates room for the founder to focus on strategy, innovation, partnerships, and growth.

For businesses that are still growing and cannot yet afford a large team, there are practical options:

• Use technology and AI tools to support customer communication and handle routine tasks.

• Hire strategically by bringing in people who can increase revenue, such as sales professionals who can generate and close opportunities.

• Delegate operational responsibilities so the founder can focus on higher-value activities.
A growing business requires a growing leadership capacity.

You cannot build a strong company by doing everything yourself forever.

I have experienced this personally through my foundation work in Nigeria and my retail business. The support, commitment, and contribution of my team have been essential to building these visions.

The future of African businesses depends not only on great ideas and hard work, but also on the ability of leaders to build strong teams.
The right people do not just help you run a business. They help you build one that can grow beyond you.

A sound mind helps business leaders to make fruitful choices, handle pressures, solve problems faster and adapt to chang...
02/09/2026

A sound mind helps business leaders to make fruitful choices, handle pressures, solve problems faster and adapt to change easily.

Have you checked your mind lately and what is currently a distractions?

Why do entrepreneurs struggle to delegate?Delegation is one of the hardest leadership transitions for a founder because ...
25/08/2026

Why do entrepreneurs struggle to delegate?

Delegation is one of the hardest leadership transitions for a founder because many founders have built their businesses around themselves. Delegation can become a challenge due to lack of trust, ownership mentality, perfectionism and failure to train your team.

For years, while running the House of Mercy Network Foundation, I struggled to let go of certain responsibilities. I wanted to do everything myself. Then tasks pilled up, deadlines became harder to meet. Thats when I realised that if I wanted to make better impact things had to change.

Before you hold on to another task, ask yourself: What is the cost to my business everytime I refuse to delegate? Missed dealines, lost opportunities, burnout.

Growth will never happen if a leader remains the bottleneck. Instead build the capacity to get things done properly.

Ps: Even if you don't have the capital to afford a team you can automate some tasks or outsource them until you are able to build a team.

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