Startup Story
Rebecca C. Sani is the Founder, Managing Director, and Chief Consultant of Resani Consulting in Malawi. The name Resani incorporates her first name and her father's name as a tribute to his contribution to her professional development. She started off as an independent consultant who realized that she could not achieve the mission of Resani alone and therefore expanded her team. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Marketing Management (USA), an MBA in Finance (USA) and a Master of Management (DISTINCTION, USA). She is passionate about building teams and helping organizations run more efficiently. She is also the Financial Director and Board Member of Good Shepherd International School.
LoA spoke to Rebecca C. Sani about her entrepreneurial journey and her vision for the future growth of her consulting business.
What does your company do?
We are Organizational Development Consultants, we solve Organizational problems by providing HR Support Services, Corporate Trainings, Business Advisory, Coaching and CV & Interview skills.
“Our slogan is we aim to leave an organization better than we found it.”
“Any organization that is committed to saving money, developing a positive, vibrant corporate culture with a team that is well trained and working in an environment that follows Best Practices, would benefit from our services.”
What inspired you to start your company?
Before I completed high school, I knew that I eventually wanted to start a consulting firm that taught women business skills so that they may be financially independent. In fact, while in High School, I wrote a draft of the services we would be offering. At that time, I called it a Marketing Management Consultancy. Upon completing High School, I had wanted to go straight into business but my mother felt otherwise and she was right. I was not ready. So, I went to college and pursued a degree in Marketing Management with the intention that it would give me the foundation needed to consult. After getting my second master’s degree, I returned home to Malawi from the USA and felt I finally had the necessary experience and education to start my own consulting firm.
Why should anyone use your service or product?
Our slogan is we aim to leave an organization better than we found it. Any organization that is committed to saving money, developing a positive, vibrant corporate culture with a team that is well trained and working in an environment that follows Best Practices, would benefit from our services, as we would provide support to ensure the above. Trial and error is costly and in this business environment which is becoming more and more competitive it is imperative that organizations put their best foot forward – and we do just that, help them put their best foot forward.
Tell us a little about your team
My team consists of 5 people, Lauren Bargas-Malila, Maya Ngombe, Chawa Kasinga, Alinafe Mtukula and Nelson Phiri. They come from a diverse experience and background, ranging from marketing, entrepreneurship, finance and human resources. They are talented, passionate, and driven. As someone who is passionate about developing teams, I put a lot of thought into our team. Each team member has a strength that compliments the other, including myself.
Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And do you come from an entrepreneurial background?
Growing up, my father was in the foreign service and he held different posts in different countries, so we moved around a lot. To give us some stability, my parents put me in boarding school in Swaziland – Waterford Kamhlaba. Soon after, we returned to Malawi permanently. After his early retirement, my mother who had been a housewife for the most part since getting married, decided to pursue her dream of opening a school. Her dream is also quite interesting. Due to the “class” of the family she grew up in, they had household workers whose children were not allowed to go to school. One day my grandfather found my mom teaching one of the children and he beat my mother for that. My mother promised herself that she would one day open a school.
She opened this school in 1995 as a nursery school and the funny part is she had only 1 student and my siblings and I begged her to close it. We kept saying no one would come to her school. But today it has 400 plus students and runs from Nursery School to Year 11. My mother always ensured that we spent our holidays working at the school and gaining an understanding of the different aspects of the business. I covered the business office whilst my sister covered the education side.
At the back of my mind, I always knew that the school would be a part of my life but I figured it would happen when I was well into my 40’s, which would be the same time I intended to set up Resani Consulting (a name I first thought of in my second year of university). Life has its own plans and 6 months after graduating with my first degree my parents died in a car accident. I returned home with my siblings to run the school. After 5 years of holding the role of Financial Director & Board Member, I took time off to return to the USA to get my MBA in Finance and my Masters in Management. Soon after graduating with my masters in management, the time felt right to return to Malawi to launch Resani Consulting.
“To me true freedom is being able to manage your own time – so managing my own schedule (to an extent) fills me with joy. Additionally, I want the freedom to explore ideas that I may have without limitations.”
What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?
I have one weakness or maybe it’s a strength, I guess it depends how you look at it. I dream in HD color. So future plans – becoming an internationally recognized consulting firm that does not compromise on our core values, honestly, trust, integrity. We intend of having a presence in various countries across Africa, Europe and America, and to contribute in shaping and molding the HR sector in Africa and on the international market – being a Malawian brand that competes on the international market.
What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?
I have always been picky about how I spend my time. To me true freedom is being able to manage your own time – so managing my own schedule (to an extent) fills me with joy. Additionally, I want the freedom to explore ideas that I may have without limitations. For example, 2 years ago I worked with a software developer to design a portal for Resani Consulting. The ability to use something that I was able to put together gives me pure joy.
What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?
Start now. Don’t wait for that perfect day because chances are it might not come. You may not have all the answers and that’s OK. Start and learn as you go. The biggest obstacle between you and your dream is yourself. Be determined. Be persistent. Know that challenges may come but believe that every problem has a solution. When a problem appears focus on the solution. Have short and long-term goals and do your best to ensure what you are doing today is along the path that will lead you to your long term goal.
Contact or follow Resani Consulting
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | EMAIL mayajere2013@gmail.com
Why LoA loves it…
Rebecca C Sani’s entrepreneurial story is one that will resonate with everyone who starts out with a plan for their lives, but who then have to adapt to what life throws at them. Today, she is fulfilling her business building dreams, having learned so much along her journey, and is making her long-term goals a reality. — Melanie Hawken, founder & ceo, Lionesses of Africa