– In Egypt, you usually finish your college degree and then you go for a full-time job relevant to your studies. As a student, me and my co-founders wanted to do something in our free time and earn money. That is when we decided to create the job that we wanted, says Amira Elgharib.
Along with her co-founders, she started the company Orcas, a babysitter agency that helps parents and tutors to connect. The business started off as a telephone service, providing babysitters to parents in the area.
– We were not looking for an idea to start a business only to make profit from it. Our goal was to solve a problem in the society through our business. I have always been driven to make an impact as a social entrepreneur.
By developing a mobile application, the company was able to scale. The app made it possible for parents to choose an area and more easily get connected with all the tutors and babysitters available.
– In Egypt it is usually difficult, mainly for young women, to find a job during their studies or after they have graduated. Our company enables a lot of people to find a quick job right away. It catalyzes in youth employment, creating jobs for young adults.
This year she was chosen to be of the participants in the She Entrepreneurs-program provided by the Swedish Institute.
– It’s been clear to me during my days in Stockholm that there are two ways of running your business. You can either focus on profit, growth and numbers, or you can have a management that focuses mainly on impact – then the numbers will come.
What do you like the most about the program?
– I love that the program really focuses on the why. Sometimes you just keep going on with your business and forget to focus on why you are doing it. If you lose the why then you will suddenly turn into any other business, not caring about quality or impact, just about profit and expansion, Amira says.
Also, it’s about the networking.
– Making contact with other entrepreneurs, exchanging experiences and knowledge with each other and making valuable contacts for the future is one of the best parts. Even if you´re in a later state with your company you could have a similar problem as someone running a business in the early state. It’s such a good exchanging value.