Third-culture African founder building brands (and a life) across the continent, in public.
MAISHA
The weekly planning system for busy African founders
A week that works does two things: it tells you what matters this week, and it protects the time to do it. This system takes about 30 minutes on Sunday, a 10-minute check each morning, and a 15-minute close on Friday. It is built for a founder whose power, internet, clients and team do not follow a neat calendar.
It's hard.
Moving is emotionally and physically exhausting. When I moved from the United States to the DRC, it took everything I had.
I packed for days, sold my car, listed most of my apartment on Facebook Marketplace, and had to grieve the life I’d built over twelve years. One friend helped me pack. For the rest, I was on my own: long days, aching back, and a few emotional breakdowns along the way.
It's complicated.
I moved during a global pandemic, which is about the worst timing anyone could choose. I had to pack up my entire life and avoid getting sick at the same time.
My situation was unusual, but moving is no less complicated today. Many African countries require proof of vaccination, such as yellow fever, and booking those shots isn’t always simple. Only certain travel clinics may offer them, so plan early.
It's lonely.
Every move comes with a particular kind of loneliness. Familiar things disappear, and the new place is unknown. I moved from a life of independence to one surrounded by family, and it still felt lonely.
I missed the solitude, and I missed the friends who had become my family in every sense. Add a time difference, and the loneliness gets heavier.
Hard, not impossible. Complicated, not insurmountable. Lonely, not isolating.
A move can be the best thing that ever happens to you. Plan for the best, and let life surprise you with the rest. I’m a firm believer in the 80/20 rule: plan for 80%, and leave 20% for the surprises.
The 80%: what to do before, during and after
Three checklists go with this article: before you go, during the move, and after you arrive. Each item notes where it comes from. Where a source is missing, the item is marked as general advice.
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