Hey Bold Creators!
Entrepreneurs are problem solvers by nature. We see a gap and we want to close it. We see someone struggling and we want to help. We see what needs to happen and make it happen.
That instinct is one of the best things about us. But it can pull us toward a pattern that, over time, keeps the very problems alive that we are trying to solve.
In today's newsletter:
🪣 Why quick fixes become expensive
🚰 What the long investment looks like
🏛️ We met Arkansas’ Governor
Thanks for reading.
The Problem With Problem Solvers
When people see a problem, the most natural response is to solve it.
When someone is thirsty, we want to give them a pot of water.
That has looked like this for decades when it comes to charity in Africa: someone sees poverty, suffering, or an urgent need. They respond by writing a cheque, raising money, or funding a project.
To be clear, all of that comes from a desire to help and does impact people for good.
But traditional aid rarely outlasts the funding behind it. When the funding stops, so does the progress.
The pot runs dry.
The same thing plays out inside our businesses every day.
A new employee is struggling to learn a process ahead of a deadline. So instead of taking the time to teach them, you step in and do it yourself. That solves the problem, until next week, when the same thing happens, and they still don’t know how to handle it.
Cutting marketing when cash gets tight feels like a sacrifice. Costs drop, the pressure eases. But six months later the pipeline is empty and you're trying to fix a revenue problem with less budget than you started with.
Raising prices instead of fixing your cost structure buys a quarter, maybe two. But if the underlying inefficiency never gets addressed, you eventually price yourself out of the customers you need most.
Our tendency as entrepreneurs is to solve problems quickly, but if we aren’t careful, we can develop a habit of trading short-term problems for a long-term burden.
The pot solves thirst for a day. To impact a community for generations, we have to…
Dig the well.
That principle drives the work of Bold Creators.
Uganda holds extraordinary promise: one of the world's youngest populations, a fast-growing economy, and abundant natural resources. And yet, according to Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, 80% of new businesses in Uganda fail within their first two years.
Capital, charity, and training programs exist.
But the missing element is mission-driven mentorship that drives lasting impact.
Rather than only donating money, Bold Creators has focused on closing that gap by pairing young Ugandan entrepreneurs with experienced mentors who can offer what capital alone never can: a guide who has already walked the road they are just beginning.
The future of entrepreneurship is global, and the most powerful thing an experienced business leader can offer is not just capital but mentorship.
The same logic applies inside our own businesses every day.
Take the extra hours to teach the employee instead of just doing it for them. It costs more today, and less every week after.
Invest in the system that lasts instead of the patch that holds for six months.
Stop fixing the symptom and ask what is actually causing it.
Digging the well is always the longer path. But it’s the one that keeps giving.
— Mark Mbayo
Reflection Questions
What problem in your business or your life keeps coming back, and what would it actually take to solve it at the root?
Where are you choosing the short-term fix because the long investment feels too slow or too expensive right now?
Who in your life needs a guide more than they need someone to solve their problems for them?
Community Updates
Last month, we had the privilege of meeting with Arkansas State Governor, Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
We discussed how the Arkansas business community can play a meaningful role in supporting entrepreneurs in Uganda through the Bold Creators cross-cultural mentorship. That conversation kept coming back to one core reality.
Grateful for leaders who are willing to think beyond borders and ask how their experience and expertise in business can serve the world. Excited to see what comes from this.
Pray for Entrepreneurs
"Father, give us the patience to build things that last. Help us resist the pull of the quick fix long enough to ask what is really needed. Give us wisdom to know when to carry the pot and when to dig, and the courage to dig when it matters most."
Urgent Prayers: Join us in praying for those affected by the ebola outbreak in Congo. Because this has affected neighboring countries, like Uganda, we’re monitoring the situation and adjusting dates for our 2026 summer retreat. We’re also considering ways to help individuals and businesses in our community that have faced challenges related to the outbreak.
Our 2026 Cohort is pictured below. Save this photo to your phone and and join us in praying for each of this year’s Bold Creators by name as they lean into this season of learning and development.
Did someone forward you this email? Subscribe here to receive our next email newsletter on the first Tuesday of the next month.