Unlocking Growth: Why Small Businesses in Rwanda Need Coaching and Customised Training

While Rwanda has made significant strides in improving access to finance, infrastructure, and technology, one critical gap persists: entrepreneurs are not receiving the personalized support they need to grow their businesses sustainably. The reality is, general workshops and theoretical training are not enough. What small businesses truly need is hands-on, context-specific coaching that speaks to their unique realities.

The Problem: One-Size-Fits-All Doesn’t Fit Anyone

Most training programs delivered to small business owners are generic. They cover broad business concepts but fail to address the specific challenges an entrepreneur in Nyabugogo market or a carpentry shop in Gisozi might face.

For example:

• A shoe vendor in the Kigali Central Market may be struggling with pricing strategies but receives training focused on e-commerce — which doesn’t yet apply to her informal retail model.

• A tailor in the udukiriro cooperative in Musanze might be excellent at production but lacks guidance on branding and market positioning, limiting their ability to attract premium clients.

• A small agro-dealer in Rwamagana may need help managing inventory cycles and cash flow but ends up attending a course that mainly focuses on long-term business planning.

While knowledge is valuable, relevance is crucial. Small businesses need support where they are, not just where we hope they’ll be in the future.

The Importance of Coaching and Customised Training

Tailored business support can make the difference between stagnation and scale. Here's how:

1. Coaching Builds Confidence and Clarity

Coaching offers one-on-one guidance. It helps entrepreneurs reflect on their operations, identify blind spots, and build step-by-step strategies.

Example:
A young woman running a mobile money and electronics shop in Nyagatare partnered with a local coach through a youth entrepreneurship program. With weekly coaching, she learned how to track her sales, manage suppliers, and create seasonal promotions. Within six months, she doubled her daily revenue and hired her first employee.

2. Customized Training Addresses Specific Needs

Generic training teaches concepts. Customized training solves problems.

Example:
In Rwamagana’s udukiriro, a group of women artisans making traditional home décor struggled to price their products competitively. A targeted training module on value-based pricing, taught in Kinyarwanda with real-life examples, helped them revise their pricing and understand their cost structure. They soon began accessing higher-value markets in Kigali.

3. Localized Mentorship Fosters Long-Term Impact

Having access to local mentors who understand the market dynamics — such as customer behavior, competition, and cultural norms — helps entrepreneurs make better decisions.

Example:
A tomato wholesaler in Musanze received mentorship from a successful agribusiness owner who helped him reduce post-harvest losses through cold storage solutions and better supply planning. The mentorship helped him increase his net income by 40% in under a year.

Where the Gaps Lie

Despite the proven impact of coaching and personalized training, these services are not yet mainstream for small businesses in Rwanda. Some of the barriers include:

• Cost: Many SMEs cannot afford professional coaching.

• Access: Most quality support is concentrated in Kigali, leaving entrepreneurs in districts like Rwamagana, Musanze, and Nyamasheke underserved.

• Language and delivery method: Training programs are often too academic or delivered in English/French, making them inaccessible to grassroots entrepreneurs.

The Opportunity: Scaling Impact Through Targeted Support

Rwanda has a growing ecosystem of entrepreneurship hubs, NGOs, and government-led initiatives. The next step is to embed customized coaching and training into all business development services — especially for the informal and small business sectors that form the backbone of local economies.

Here’s what we can do:

• Create district-based coaching networks that deliver mentorship directly to market vendors, artisans, and micro-retailers.

• Develop modular, sector-specific training programs (e.g., for tailors, food processors, carpenters) delivered in local languages with practical exercises.

• Offer business clinics in community spaces like markets, churches, and women’s cooperatives to ensure accessibility.

• Promote peer-to-peer learning and alumni support groups to maintain momentum beyond training sessions.

Conclusion: Invest in Entrepreneurs, Not Just Enterprises

Small business owners in Rwanda are resilient, creative, and ambitious. What they lack is not motivation — it’s guidance. By shifting from generalized training to tailored coaching and mentorship, we can unlock the full potential of Kigali’s tech startups, Musanze’s agribusinesses, Rwamagana’s artisans, and thousands of other SMEs across the country.

If we want to see Rwandan businesses grow, formalize, and scale, we must start treating entrepreneurs as individuals — not statistics. Empowering them through customized support is not just good for business — it’s good for Rwanda’s economic future.

Are you an entrepreneur in Rwanda looking for tailored business support? Or part of an organization seeking to build practical training models for SMEs? Let’s connect and explore how we can create lasting impact — one business at a time.