NEWSLETTER
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ABOUT OUR WORK
WHERE WE WORK
StartHub has programs across East Africa and physical presence in Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania.
Join Our Pool of Expert Business Coaches
StartHub works with early-stage and growth-stage businesses across multiple sectors. We deliver business coaching, incubation, training, and growth programmes that connect entrepreneurs with the expertise, capital, and networks they need to scale.
We are building a pool of Business Coaches deployable across programmes and partnerships; coaches who can go deep with a business and drive real commercial growth.
A StartHub Business Coach works directly with entrepreneurs to diagnose their challenges and drive measurable growth. You are not a facilitator of group sessions. You are a temporary co-founder inside the business, working on its real problems.
The question that drives every engagement: “What is stopping this business from making more money today?”
Engagement types
✅ Short term: Focused workshops, bootcamps, diagnostic sprints, or industry sessions. High intensity, defined scope. Ideal for sector specialists who can commit to structured windows.
✅ Long term: Sustained one-on-one coaching of 6 – 10 businesses. Regular sessions, rigorous documentation, active accountability. Ideal for practitioners with bandwidth for deep ongoing work.
Eligibility and Who Can Apply?
We are looking for people who have been inside a business, not people who have studied them.
You qualify if you have:
✅ Owned, co-founded, or operated a business or worked closely enough inside one to understand its commercial reality.
✅ Direct experience in at least one sector: Agribusiness & Food Processing, Manufacturing, Trade & Retail, or Services & Technology.
✅ Demonstrated coaching or mentorship experience with evidence of outcomes, not just process.
✅ The ability to create practical, industry-specific content such as case studies, session guides, or written sector insight.
✅ Genuine passion for supporting business growth.
Core Responsibilities
🟢 1. Conduct structured business diagnostics to identify supply- versus demand-side constraints and the root causes of growth gaps.
🟢 2. Deliver focused coaching and mentorship sessions that are action-oriented, outcomes-driven, and tailored to the specific realities of each business.
🟢 3. Create industry content such as case studies, session guides, and practical materials grounded in real sector experience.
🟢 4. Hold entrepreneurs accountable through follow-ups between sessions, track commitments, and drive milestone achievement.
🟢 5. Support grant and budget processes, including budget development, recommendations, and disbursement accountability.
🟢 6. Document and report by updating session notes after every interaction, tracking progress, and submitting reports on time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to have owned a business?
Not necessarily. Close operational experience, as a senior manager or long-term collaborator deeply embedded in a business, qualifies. What we need is genuine first-hand understanding, not a business registration certificate.
Can I apply for both short and long-term engagements?
Yes. Tell us your preference in your cover letter. Many coaches on our roster take on both depending on availability and programme fit.
Do I need a formal coaching qualification?
No. We look for evidence of coaching outcomes, businesses you have helped grow, not certificates. Formal training in coaching is a bonus, not a requirement.
What sectors do you work in?
Our main tracks are Agribusiness & Food Processing, Manufacturing & Crafts, Trade & Retail, and Services & Technology. Cross-sector experience is a strength.
I have training experience but also ran a business. Can I apply?
Yes, if you can demonstrate substantive business experience alongside your training background. Lead your application with the business experience, not the training.
What happens after I apply?
We review applications on a rolling basis. Shortlisted candidates are contacted within 14 working days for a screening conversation. Strong applicants may be added to our coach pool for future deployments.
Are engagements paid?
Yes. All engagements are paid on a consultancy basis. Rates are results-linked and agreed per engagement before commencement.
Do I need to be based in a specific location?
Location requirements vary by programme. Some engagements are fully virtual, while others are field-based. Specific requirements are stated in the engagement brief.
What falls under Agribusiness & Food Processing?
This category covers businesses that grow, raise, harvest, or transform food and agricultural products. The defining characteristic is that the primary value comes from what is produced from the land or processed from raw agricultural inputs. A business belongs here if its core activity involves farming, animal rearing, post-harvest handling, milling, food production, or value addition to crops and livestock.
What business falls under Manufacturing category?
This category covers businesses that make physical, non-food products through a production or fabrication process. The business takes raw materials and transforms them into a finished or semi-finished product for sale. It belongs here regardless of whether it operates from a workshop, home, or small factory.
What business falls under Trade & Retail category?
This category covers businesses whose primary activity is buying and selling goods rather than producing them. Value is created through sourcing, stocking, and making products accessible to customers. The business belongs here if it operates as a shop, market stall, kiosk, distributor, or wholesaler.
What business falls under Services & Technology category?
This category covers businesses that sell skills, expertise, access, or digital solutions rather than physical goods. Value is delivered through what the business does or enables, not what it makes. It is the broadest of the four categories and includes both traditional service providers and tech-enabled ventures.
