Adnane Addioui, is in his late twenties, but has his goal clearly in focus: to help entrepreneurs develop long-term business models that are geared toward social good. Adnane’s first visit to India was at last month’s Tedx Bangalore event. Co-founder and chief visionary officer at the Moroccan Center for Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship, Adnane was one of the speakers.
There are several thousand graduates every year, the challenge is not just to provide them jobs, but also to make full use of their potential. This may seem idealistic, but Adnane offers a practical solution. “Jobs aren’t created fast. The idea is to create a common wealth, by that I don’t mean the British Common Wealth (laughs) , but a system of inclusive wealth. It is about empowering individuals. About four million people in India graduate every year, what are they going to do? You have to create a generation of entrepreneurs,” says Adnane.
Starting one’s initiative is a dream most would like to achieve. But some hesitate to start their own initiatives because it might not generate much income. Adnane disagrees. “It is wrong to associate entrepreneurship with money. There are people running cultural magazines, educational institutes. It is about making the wealth happen anyway. It is also important to develop projects that solve social issues.”
Then how does someone overcome the nagging thought, ‘What if it doesn’t succeed?’ “That means you haven’t thought over it. If you think something will work, it will. India has the skills, but you need the will to learn and to try. What needs to be done is to create a support system. Like-minded individuals can come together and create that system.”
Over the last five years Adnane has observed that the level of interest among young people in Morocco to start their own initiatives has increased.
“But you need a legacy. You need to give at least 20 years. Most expect a fast-food delivery service of quick results.” People often associate proficiency with the number of years of experience.
But Adnane says: “It’s not about the years of experience. What matters are the skills you’ve developed. What counts is an exposure to various experiences with different people.”
But what about those who have family commitments and cannot devote as much time to an entrepreneurial venture?
“Supporting a family is in itself an entrepreneurial creation. When you choose to do something, you allow yourself to let go of something else.” What really matters, says Adnane, is taking risks.
“The more you risk, the more successful you get. It takes a lot of self confidence.” In Morocco, the entrepreneurial spirit is among women as much as it is in men, concludes Adnane.
