On this episode of "Into the Unknown" When Valerie Bowden left her Midwest roots behind and bought a one-way ticket to Africa, she had no idea how profoundly it would reshape her life and career. What started as a solo backpacking trip across 13 countries eventually led to eight years living in Ethiopia, where Valerie discovered both the continent’s extraordinary talent and the structural barriers keeping millions of professionals from global opportunities.

Valerie shares how those eye-opening experiences inspired her to launch Cradle, an outsourcing company that now employs 120 African professionals for U.S. clients. She opens up about the challenges of leaving behind stability, the misconceptions surrounding outsourcing, and the lessons she’s learned about resilience, opportunity, and building businesses that create real win-win impact across borders.

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Follow Valerie Bowden:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/crdleafrica

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/valeriebowden/

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