Participants from Otavi in the Be Your Own Boss Initiative launched their businesses after undergoing training aimed at helping them become successful entrepreneurs.

Be Your Own Boss is an initiative under Loyalty Empire Investment that focuses on training small and medium enterprises on how to run businesses shaped by vision, perseverance and commitment.

15 business owners from Otavi were transformed through a nine-month training into equipped entrepreneurs with the skills, mindset and tools to succeed.

Founder of Loyalty Empire Investment, Cathy Kambanda, is a business and mental health coach and conducted the training.

"We began with the foundation of mental health; as entrepreneurs, our minds are the most powerful tools we possess. We focus on building mental resilience, emotional intelligence, and clarity of purpose."

Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts, and Culture Dino Ballotii said the trainees took the risk of fully immersing themselves in entrepreneurship.

"We can not have a side hustle, and everything is a side. You have to be fully dedicated to it for it to succeed, but those risks, for most of us sitting in this room, make us a bit cautious about immersing ourselves in entrepreneurship."

The training was funded by B2Gold Namibia, while Otavi Town Council and Ohorongo Cement also funded some trainees.