Why We Travel: Building Business, Community, and Understanding in Senegal
May 20, 2025
Amadou and Manyo - NBA Africa
For us, travel isn’t just about seeing new places-it’s a core strategy for building our company, expanding our network, and deepening our understanding of the world’s most dynamic markets.
Openness Leads to Opportunity
Our decision to visit Senegal began, as so many of our journeys do, with a simple “yes.” At the NBA All-Star Technology Summit, a conversation with Amadou Gallo Fall, President of the Basketball Africa League, sparked the idea. Encouraged by friends and colleagues already on the ground, we booked our tickets-knowing that every trip is a chance to build new relationships and discover new opportunities.
Intentional Encounters, Lasting Connections
From the moment we landed, Senegal welcomed us with its spirit of Taranga-a Wolof word for warmth, generosity, and genuine openness. Our driver’s greeting set the tone for a week filled with heartfelt connections and shared experiences.
Serendipitous Introductions: A chance message from a new acquaintance led us to Aisha and James, owners of a local coffee shop. What started as a quick visit turned into deep conversation, a dinner invitation, and the launch of new friendships.
Business Networking: At the Basketball Africa League games, we reconnected with NBA colleagues and met government officials, entrepreneurs, and creative leaders. The arena was electric-packed stands, drummers, dancers, and a dramatic overtime win by Cape Verde’s Kriol Star over the defending champions from Angola.
Learning by Doing: We joined locals for evening workouts along the Corniche, visited historic Gorée Island and the African Resistance Monument, and experienced the Ataya tea ceremony-a ritual of patience, conversation, and connection.
Aisha and James
Savoring Senegal
Beyond business, we immersed ourselves in Senegal’s rich traditions:
Soupe Kanja: A flavorful Senegalese gumbo, enjoyed at a seaside café in Saly.
Bissap: A tart, refreshing hibiscus drink, perfect after a day exploring Dakar.
Ataya: The Senegalese tea ceremony designed to slow your pace, where each round of tea grows sweeter and the conversation deeper.
At the BAL
A Country on the Rise
Senegal is transforming before our eyes. Ambitious infrastructure projects-a new international airport, expanded highways, the Dakar-Diamniadio rapid train, and a soon-to-launch bus rapid transit system-are laying the foundation for sustained growth. The burgeoning oil and gas sector and a visionary 25-year development plan signal a future full of promise.
Our Strategy in Action
Every trip is intentional. We stay long enough to truly learn, connect, and grow-not just to visit. By being present, curious, and open, we turn travel into a catalyst for business growth, global friendships, and lasting insight.
Next up: Cape Verde and The Gambia, as we continue our African education for the third year in a row-deepening our understanding of the continent’s vibrant cultures and opportunities.