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Emerging entrepreneur, Ilke Platt inducted as member of the Namibian Business Hall of Fame

Emerging entrepreneur, Ilke Platt inducted as member of the Namibian Business Hall of Fame

The Namibia Business Hall of Fame in November honoured emerging entrepreneurs that have displayed ingenuity to the broader public and are community-minded.

One such recipient was Ilke Platt, founder of Poiyah Media, who was inducted as an emerging entrepreneur. In October Platt also bagged Africa’s World Woman Leader accolade, which took place virtually.

Upon receiving her award, Platt said, “There needs to be more emphasis on emotional and mental support for an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurs would often work in isolation, and the side effects, if not managed properly, can be devastating,” she expressed.

Furthermore, she said, “This can easily result in the closure of business, slowing down of creativity, and a lack of passion. Entrepreneurs should be guided towards a financially free environment. There’s nothing more depressing than worrying about finances and losing your focus on providing a service to fill the gap. With these two aspects and also through more awareness around and mechanisms on how to cope mentally, a lot of entrepreneurs can easily avoid major pitfalls,” she concluded.

Managing Director of Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) and Founder of Namibian Business Hall of Fame, Johanna Cloete, has been curating this ecosystem of entrepreneurs with criteria based on who has been making and/or made immense contributions to our Namibian economy, during the COVID 19 pandemic.

At the virtual ceremony, Ms Cloete thanked all entrepreneurs and alluded to the pandemic having devastating effects but also many opportunities.

“This year we decided to host our event virtually due to the pandemic and despite various setbacks, technology has greatly assisted us to still host this event,” she added.

Meanwhile, all entrepreneurs inducted into the Namibian Business Hall of Fame are recognized and encouraged to pursue in their various businesses despite many reasons to close their business. Events as such are a reminder that hard work pays off and that perseverance prevails above all.

Previous well-known members of the Namibian community that have been inducted as laureates include the Late Mr Werner List, Dr Frans Indongo, and Namibias’ First Lady Madame Monica Geingos.

All winners for 2021 can be viewed on GEN Namibia social media platforms.


 

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