Our everyday lives, our jobs and our hobbies often reflect who we lend to. Take for instance investor Claus Rudbeck who’s has been investing on MYC4 since 2007. As with earlier Investor Testimonials I told Claus that he could emphasize exactly what he wanted for this post, and after reading the short text in his MYC4-profile, I thought it all made sense. Try see for yourself, if you can find the link between Claus’ professional background as an engineer, specializing in thermal performance of buildings, and his answers in the interview.
Why do you invest on the MYC4 – what’s the first thing that comes to mind?
– I invest on MYC4 because I like the idea of “business angels” and because in Africa I can be a “business angel” with a lot less money than what it would take in a western society. Years ago I had the opportunity of spending some time in Africa (a family member was a volunteer in Botswana), and enjoyed my stay there. Investing on MYC4 is a way of paying back for my fantastic experience back then. Furthermore I try to make a small profit; and succeed when currency fluctuations are not against me.
If you could tell all the readers on the blog about one single aspect in relation to MYC4, critical or positive, what would you tell about?
– I miss businesses in the Energy and Environment sector. There were two providers (AE&I and Daima Energy Solutions) which were announced mid-2010 of which I had big hopes. Unfortunately we never saw any activity from them.
– Besides that MYC4 is about improving life in Africa – and improving it by doing business. By improving the life of Africans I hope that the population growth will slow down so we can ease the impact of humans on the environment.
Name the best and worst thing about the MYC4-concept.
– The best thing about MYC4 is that I can freely choose what to invest in – whether it be women’s businesses, manufacturing, businesses with focus within energy and environment etc.
– The worst thing is when I do not feel informed by providers whenever businesses are not repaying their loans. I know providers have a lot to see to – and I believe that they are doing a good job – but feedback on investor’s questions is lacking from time to time, that’s frustrating.
If you should tell somebody about MYC4, who had never heard about the website/concept before, how would you present it and what would you emphasize?
– It is easy to start, and you can start with a low amount. You, as investor, decide whether you want to be philanthropic or whether you want to max your return of investment. You choose investment opportunities based on your own priorities.
If you could have a peak into the future, let’s say 10 or 20 years ahead, what do you think MYC4 would look like then?
– By then I think MYC4 will have spread to more countries and more sectors. Institutional investors will be part of the MYC4-setup as they manage more funds than what we (private investors) have in our pockets.
I would like to add that we currently have a few open loans in the Energy and Environment sector. For instance Ann Wanjiku Ndungu who sells charcoal.
Concerning this specific sector I find it interesting that the word ‘sustainable’ as a terminology used in developed countries implies that a business is environmentally sustainable. If you see the same word used in developing countries, for instance in the Kenyan newspaper The Daily Nation, it implies financial sustainability. ‘Sustainable’ remains a buzzword in either society, but it emphasizes that financial sustainability is a necessity before you can focus on environmental sustainability. In other words, if you live in a slum (like Kibera in Nairobi) and have to struggle each day to get food on the table, you probably don’t care whether your nyama choma or ugali is organic or not…
A warm thanks to Claus. And once again: I’d love to tell your story too. It’s still –> rasmus@myc4.com
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