Five inspiring facts about Jacqueline Dube.
In the next five years, we should be the biggest local producer of textile garments and be able to compete with imported finished garments so that we contribute towards the government's import substitution. We should have created over 500,000 direct and indirect jobs and set up another textile factory in another town.
Jacqueline Chipasha Mutale Dube, Vice Chairperson,
Zambian Federation of Associations of Women in Business (ZFWAB)
What inspired you to join the ZFWAB network, and why the interest in textile?
Having worked for 27 years in the Banking sector, the first project I started was poultry farming, and then I set up a Financial Services Consultancy Business. Reading the mission of ZFAWIB, I was encouraged to join the organisation. First, to grow as a businesswoman in my own right, network with other businesswomen, build linkages and learn from other women who had been in business longer than me. I also immediately realised that this would be an opportunity for me to use my Banking experience to contribute to the advancement of one of the ZFAWIB objectives of bringing women into mainstream economic activities. I found myself in the Textile Sector because I wanted to learn a new skill, and because of the interest and passion I exhibited right from the beginning, I was voted in as the Vice Chairperson of the ZFAWIB Textile Cooperative when it was set up.
What is the best business advice you have received that you continue to use in your business today?
Money has to work for you and your business because money does not grow when it is just sitting in the bank, but take calculated risks when investing your money." Before venturing into business, she wishes she knew that running her own business needs total commitment if one has to succeed. Affordable funding for working capital and capital expenditure is critical, and experienced and reliable labour is a key success factor.
What critical success factors do you use that are typically ignored by some entrepreneurs?
Developing important habits and strategies for managing finances to be a successful entrepreneur is critical. Keep a record of all transactions and maintain a Bank account through which all the transactions should be done. You should be able to track your income and expenses and monitor the business's profitability to take timely, appropriate action, change your strategy, and focus when the need arises.
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Biggest barriers to women-owned businesses in accessing finance?
The biggest barrier is access to affordable finance to grow or expand their business. And where it is available, most women do not own assets they can pledge as collateral. Even though the attitude towards financial inclusion is changing, it is not significant and remains verbal.
What inspired you most about Graça Machel's visit to your textile factory?
The very fact that she took her time out of her very busy schedule to come and visit the ZFAWIB Textile factory. For me, it shows that she is interested in the practical things that women's organisations are doing and understands the impact of those activities. This was a real challenge, and my takeaway was that as a women's organisation, we need to focus on doing things that make a meaningful difference in women's livelihoods and have long-lasting tangible benefits and impacts on future generations. In that vein, she challenged us to bring on board young people who will not only learn from us and guarantee continuity but also bring the energy and open-mindedness that will enable us to expand our horizons.
