TANZANIA – What does it take to be an entrepreneur? This is the question Africa Report asked Lawrence Byamukama, a professor from the University of Dar Es Salaam. This bright young man offered his opinion on reaching your dreams, shaping your own destiny and transforming business ideas into business opportunities in Africa.

Lawrence Byamukama believes that  “it does not matter who you are, it does not matter where you come from. What matters is your inspiration for life”.  He sums this up with one simple word ‘attitude’. Lawrence believes it is your attitude towards yourself and your circumstances that influence your chance of success.

As a young boy coming from a poor and broken background who is now an accomplished man – a motivational speaker and academic –  he is something of an authority on the subject. He has shaped his life through moving on from his past and building a positive attitude towards his future. Lawrence himself never thought he would be doing what he does now, but this philosophy has kept him motivated all his life. He is convinced that anyone can be in control of their life, if they decide to be. Central to this decision process is taking on responsibility for yourself and your situation.

Taking up responsibility is viewed by Lawrence as one of the best opportunities for young people to empower themselves. For this professional, a key step to accomplishment is fostering an attitude that places the responsibility of your life in your own hands. Once you realise that anything you wish to achieve is up to you, he feels you are in a better position to go out into the world and take on its challenges.

As an entrepreneur, Lawrence Byamukama believes that you must take steps to identify the people you want to work with. Networking and finding partners is a principal part of placing yourself in business. For Lawrence there are so many great people out there and by fostering solid relationships, you can build better businesses together.

To all the students in Africa, Lawrence has a specific message of encouragement. As a graduate himself, he asks fellow scholars to “take up the initiative.” He wants graduates to go out in the working world with self belief and a sense of self worth. He says that part of getting a great job is believing you are the best candidate. He recommends applying for as many positions as possible and keeping up hope. For no matter what happens, you will always learn and grow through every experience.

In Lawrence’s own words “you are just here at this time because of what you planned and what you did in the last five years.” So his advice to entrepreneurs is to plan what you want for the next five years. Nothing happens ‘overnight’, so start adopting the right attitude, becoming responsible for yourself, and with the right people beside you, you “can’t imagine how much you can achieve.”