English
Rose is a refugee who fled the Liberian Civil War in 1989, and as a result, lived in several countries in Africa before migrating to the United States. Her entrepreneurial drive helped her sustain her family in the Ivory Coast by engaging in gold mining and working in a rice mill and pivoting to entrepreneurship from the proceeds of these endeavors. She later began farming while at the same time selling fried dough in Tabou, Ivory Coast to help pay for her children school tuition and provide for the family. When Rose moved to Ghana, she used a $50 US Dollars monthly allowance from her sister in the United States to start another business which she sold on the refugee school campus. She grew that business into a shop that sold basic hygiene items as well as food. When she moved to the United States, she continued her entrepreneurial drive by investing in real estate.
She, along with her son bought her first house in 2006 and lost it during the 2007-2008 financial
and housing market crash. They partnered and bought another investment property which began the family investment
into real estate. She worked at one of Boston’s historic Hotel (Omni Parker House). When the markets and economy recovered,
she partnered with her children and bought a second house in the heart of Boston. This sparked her interest in real estate.
The Septimius Capital Market Women Fund was founded on the principles of backing women founders such as my mother as well as
other early-stage entrepreneurs and also incubating business ideas in real estate, transportation, service sectors and the
hospitality sector which is near and dear to her heart. The Market Women Fund will invest in market
women, as they are known across Africa (women who make their daily living by selling in the urban market).
The strategy is to help empower them with business skills and financial literacy grow their market from
the typical “hands -to-mouth” to a sustainable model capable of moving them up the economic ladder.
The
Rose Petal Trajectory ®.
