021: Addis Alemayehou – Ethiopia’s Communications & Media Trailblazer

Addis Alemayehou is the founder of 251 Communications, Ethiopia’s leading communications and branding company. He’s also the co-founder of Kana TV, Ethiopia’s first TV station to dub international content into Amharic. You can connect with him @addisale on Twitter. Born in Ethiopia, Addis left when he was a child after the socialist Derg came to power. He grew up in Kenya and later moved to the US and Canada for his university studies and work. But, he always felt restless and out of place in North America. He itched to be where people wouldn’t ask him anymore, “Where are you from?” Against all advice, he moved to Addis Ababa in 2000, and after working for USAID for many years, he launched 251 Communications in 2011. The World Bank, Coca-Cola, and the Gates Foundation are just some of his clients. “You’re like a kid in a candy store when it comes to business in Ethiopia,” says Addis. Just like that proverbial kid, surrounded by candy, he couldn’t resist the allure of getting into broadcasting. In 2016, he and his co-founders launched Kana TV, which took Ethiopia by storm. Shortly after its launch, Kana TV established itself as a leader in broadcast. We chatted about how Addis comes up with his business ideas, why spending too much time on research is a bad idea, and why he’s scared of the Kenyans. Don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. You can also find Young African Entrepreneur on Soundcloud, Google Podcasts, and Spotify. Without further ado, here’s my conversation with Addis Alemayehou.