Valerie Bowden's Journey from Social Work to Conscious Capitalism in Africa

Send us Fan MailValerie Bowden shares her incredible journey from social worker to entrepreneur, transforming her life through a seven-month solo backpacking trip across Africa before building a business connecting African talent with global companies.• Left a 9-to-5 social work job to backpack the Cape to Cairo route through 13 African countries• Lived in Ethiopia for eight years, where she met her husband and started a family• Experienced the heartbreak of a failed startup that led to personal withdrawal and identity crisis• Learned that taking the first step without knowing the outcome is essential for growth• Founded Cradle to provide virtual assistants, marketing support, and cold calling services with staff in Africa• Overcame a $30,000 loss from an unpaid client early in her business journey• Creating win-win opportunities where African talent gets meaningful employment and US businesses get affordable support• Discovered that personal transformation—becoming someone who doesn't quit—is more rewarding than financial successTake the first step without knowing what's going to happen. It will be messy, but that helps you take your next step. If you're in a hard spot, don't withdraw from people who love you. And consider choosing Africa—for travel, hiring talent, or even grocery shopping—the continent will surprise you.Support the show