Log in
Into Africa
Posted: July 30, 2010
By Bill Cresenzo
In 1996, Eric Sheppard began researching his family's African ancestry.
Ten years later, he made his first trip to The Gambia and stayed at a four-star hotel, where he noticed that the hotel shops were full of western world goods.
"As I went around the country, I didn't see any industry," Sheppard said. "They are importing most of what they have, and they love American products."
As president of Diversity Restoration Solutions of Suffolk, Sheppard uses his experience working with U.S. Department of Defense to help businesses find strategies for exporting into unfamiliar territory.
He hosted a seminar last week in Portsmouth for business owners looking to make inroads into Africa. About 15 people attended.
He said they only need to look at Hampton Roads' port system to see opportunity - Africans already have.
"They come and they fill the containers with stuff from Sam's Club and Walmart" and take it back to Africa to sell, he said. They also ship cars over to the continent.
"There is a lot of money to be made."
But exporting to Africa can be difficult, as Sylvia Estes found.
"I'm looking at the opportunity to be able to help others," said Estes, who, as president of Pipeline & Industrial Group of Virginia Beach, was a seminar attendee.
"There is a tremendous need in Africa for assistance, whether it's infrastructure or drinking water. They are in dire straits. I learned that it's going to take more time, especially exporting from the United States, because there is no normal shipping route. There are a tremendous amount of issues, such as how you get paid. No one seems to know the bottom line of that yet, which makes it very difficult to do business with a country where you are not sure where your money is coming from, so it is very much a gamble. A lot more research is needed."
Paul Grossman, director of international trade for the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, said that it has historically been difficult for U.S. exporters to infiltrate African markets.
"Any organization that is encouraging Virginia companies to sell abroad is a good thing," Grossman said. "There is a lot of education needed and a lot of cheerleading, and I think that is what [Sheppard] is doing."
Grossman said that many companies overlook Africa because of the intricacies involved and that it is simply easier to export to countries that have working relationships with the United States.
"We understand the value of existing business relationships, and many African countries were colonized by European countries so those business ties are with (those countries)," he said. "You go to Senegal and everything is related to the French economy. Those countries that colonized those parts of Africa have a 100- or 200-year head start on the U.S."
Sheppard said that now is the time for the U.S. to catch up.
"They want American products on the shelves," he said.
For more information, visit www.diversityrestoration.com.nib
Eric Sheppard, president of Diversity Resources Solutions of Suffolk, says that "there is money to be made" in exporting to Africa.
