In this episode, Joy Anderson is joined by Eric Kacou and Charity Kabango, co‑founders of Entrepreneurial Solutions Partners (ESP), to explore what it truly takes to build thriving businesses and markets across Africa. Together, they challenge familiar impact investing narratives and offer a radically different way of thinking—one that centers entrepreneurs not as isolated heroes, but as human beings embedded in complex ecosystems.

The conversation ranges from hope and value creation to the often‑overlooked power of the service economy, asking what markets need in order to actually work. With insight drawn from years of partnership through the Mastercard Foundation Africa Growth Fund, this episode invites listeners to rethink capital, expertise, and systems—and imagine what becomes possible when we design economies around dignity, choice, and investable hope.

Episode Highlights

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Criterion Institute Podcast

02:14 The Genesis of Entrepreneurial Solutions Partners (ESP)

06:21 Centering Entrepreneurs in Their Context

10:16 Understanding the Ecosystem and Entrepreneurial Challenges

14:25 The Survival Trap and Systemic Change

18:30 Collaboration and the Role of Service Providers

22:16 Power Dynamics and Choice in Entrepreneurship

26:08 Investable Hope and Capital Allocation

30:41 Pre-Investment Value Creation Services

34:32 The Importance of Service Providers in the Economy

38:04 Investing in Service Businesses

40:54 Building Infrastructure for Productivity

42:56 Hope and Future Aspirations

Relevant Links

• Criterion Institute website and LinkedIn

• Joy’s LinkedIn

• Eric's LinkedIn

• Charity's LinkedIn

• Episode #57: