Interview with the founders of CokoDeal | Africa’s largest locally produced goods marketplace ecommerce
Cokodeal is a marketplace E-commerce service that connects traders in Africa to the world. headquartered in England with reg no: 08719676. The Cokodeal service helps connect African traders and customers.
First of all, kindly tell us something about yourself? (things like your hobbies, educational background, interests etc.)
- From an early age I have enjoyed creating, mostly by trial and error process. Had a Master’s in Business Administration and project management professional while studying in Wales. Mike Dola is a Golfer with handicap 14, and enjoys the technical knowledge and network the game provides.
What was your career before CokoDeal was founded?
- Before cokodeal was founded in 2012 was managing businesses, running a sourcing business in China Hangzhou, we had a company in China that help Africans to create product brands from scratch, sourcing products and exporting to clients in Africa. Also worked with UNICEF charity in the UK.
Can you tell me a little more about CokoDeal?
- cokodeal is Africa’s largest locally produced goods marketplace ecommerce. It serves as a market linkage for global buyers sourcing for goods in Africa. It host multiple currency that allows countries in Africa to upload goods in their local currency, while other users see the goods in their own currency in real time conversion. To enable an effective trade across multiple currencies in Africa and the west understanding the product price in british pounds (£) United States ($) and other currencies as such with a location IP detection.
Who is/are part of building/founding it?
- Femi Aguda is a co-founder at cokodeal, as the chief operating officer. Managing daily operations while Simeon Nofa is the marketing manager that coordinates our marketing activities. The platform was built in the UK by our digital partners.
What was technically the most challenging part of building the platform?
- It is not having a 100% clear overview of what the software will achieve, as we developed we pivot, to re-direct business to a niche that will be profitable. This created more work and change in schedule.
How did you get the funding? Is it just from your funds? or you have partners?
- Funds was sourced from founding partners of cokodeal
So far, how was your CokoDeal doing? How many traders do you have right now? Just an estimate may do.
- We are consistently growing and now we have about 200 merchants on the platform, taking note that we have not ran any major ads campaign.
Africa exporters, connecting traders, this is cool, how did you come up the idea of building it?
- The idea came up from the notion the west have about Africa as a predominantly consumer continent with little to offer the world. Africa houses some of the best commercial volume of minerals, Agricultural products and crafts. This is what we want the world to know that Africa is rich in its own way. Creating a market access to showcase goods available, in what quantity at what location. While cokodeal manages the trust and trade facilitation for a successful transaction.
How do you handle stress like during the times that you need to meet deadlines, some unexpected problems, technical issues etc.?
- We slow down a bit, and deal with it according to level of importance. Itemize it and sort it in bits without overworking to kill it all at once. Our finding shows that clarity on task to accomplish with a consistent small works to improve it solves most problems. Without getting tensed up or stressed.
What are your plans in the future? Do you vision to introduce CokoDeal worldwide?
- We are planning to Grow Cokodeal across major commerce countries in Africa. As cokodeal is a platform for strictly African products. We will focus to house the largest goods available in Africa on the platform for the world to trade with Africans, hereby making Africa a global trade hub
In one word, how would you describe CokoDeal?
- Trade
In one sentence, how would you market CokoDeal?
- cokodeal.com is a premier marketplace solely for African products that connects Africa resources to the world.
Originally published at www.millionrising.com.
