Maverix calls on African founders to reclaim profit through clarity, structure and insight

From Kenya’s thriving SME sector to Nigeria’s innovation hubs and Zambia’s expanding manufacturing and services industries, business owners consistently share the same frustration:

Sally Palmer

“We’re busy. The business is moving. But where is the profit?”

According to Sally Palmer, leadership coach and strategist at Maverix, this challenge is not unique - nor is it a sign of failure. It is the predictable tipping point faced by many high-growth African businesses whose founders are juggling scale, operations, and strategy without the financial clarity needed to convert effort into meaningful returns.

“Hard work doesn’t equal profit,” says Palmer. “Many entrepreneurs are flying blind financially - not because they’re careless, but because no one has ever taught them how to truly understand what drives profit inside their business.”

Instinct alone isn’t enough in a scaling African market

Across the continent, entrepreneurs often build businesses through vision, instinct, and resilience. But as these businesses mature, intuition alone becomes risky - especially in markets shaped by currency fluctuations, rising costs, supply chain complexity, and shifting consumer demand.

“Founders tell us they’re making decisions based on gut feel, what’s in the bank account, or a quick sense of whether things are ‘up’ or ‘down.’ The danger is that instinct without insight leads to firefighting, not strategy,” Palmer explains.

Maverix emphasises that without a clear profit model and real-time visibility into the numbers, leaders are steering a ship without a dashboard - leaving profit to chance instead of design.

The shift African businesses need: From firefighting to profit focus

Africa is home to some of the world’s most resilient entrepreneurs. But resilience alone cannot close profit gaps. Palmer notes that the turning point for founders comes when they step back, slow down, and start leading with structure and clarity.

This shift requires:

• Understanding how the business truly makes money
  
• Defining and tracking a clear profit and loss model
  
• Identifying performance gaps early and closing them intentionally

“When you have visibility, you stop guessing,” Palmer says. “You start seeing exactly where profit is being created - or quietly eroded.”

Building a financial lens that drives growth

Maverix teaches African leaders to view their numbers not as compliance tools, but as decision-making engines. This means mastering the core building blocks:

• Unit of measure: What drives performance - profit per unit, litre, km, kg, sqm?
  
• Turnover clarity: What is your product mix, volume, and average selling price?
  
• Cost structure: What is fixed vs. variable? What percentage of turnover does each cost represent?
  
• Profit: How many cents in the dollar (or shilling, kwacha, naira) remain as actual earnings?
  
• Cash flow: Is the business generating real cash and funding daily operations sustainably?

“These aren’t accounting concepts - they’re leadership tools,” Palmer notes.

African leaders need numbers they understand and can trust

Too often, financial reports are built for tax authorities, not for founders. Maverix challenges this norm by helping leaders take ownership of their financial visibility.

According to Palmer:

• Entrepreneurs must have simple, reliable reports they understand
  
• Financial dashboards must be live, accessible, and regularly updated
  
• Accountants and bookkeepers must support clarity - not just compliance
  
• Leaders must stop hoping for profit and start building it intentionally

Acumen for Business Leaders: A program designed for African scale-ups

To support founders across the continent, Maverix offers its flagship leadership development program, Acumen for Business Leaders - designed for entrepreneurs who want to shift from operational overload into strategic, profit-focused leadership.

The program has seen increasing interest from Africa’s scale-up markets, with founders from Kenya, Nigeria, Zambia, South Africa and beyond seeking a more structured, insightful approach to leading growth.

“Our mission is to equip African leaders with the clarity, tools, and confidence needed to scale sustainably,” says Palmer. “Because when you understand your numbers, profit becomes intentional - not accidental.”

About Maverix

Maverix partners with founders and CEOs who are ready to scale their impact and evolve their leadership. Through its flagship program, Acumen for Business Leaders, Maverix helps entrepreneurs shift from operating in their business to leading it - with clarity, structure, and purpose.
Visit: www.maverix.co