Hello and welcome to Business Daily Meets on the BBC World Service. I'm Rob Young.

Today's guest is one of the most prominent businesswomen in Guinea, Tigidankay Kamara,

a former model who swapped the world of high fashion for a career extracting gold and diamonds.

We hear what inspired her to make the leap from runways in the US

to founding her own multi-million dollar mining company. I have the wheel to make a change.

I wanted to develop the mining sector so that it could benefit me first as a business person,

of course, and also benefit the community.

Also how she's carving a new pathway for more women to join the industry.

I didn't have the know-how. I'm still learning. I want to build a legacy with the African version.

And navigating the challenges of the sector. I was among the people that had to find a better strategy,

like you use of drone instead of having your team on the field.

That's TIGI Danke, Kamara, the chief executive and founder of TIGI Mining Group,

here on Business Daily from the BBC World Service.

TIGI Danke was born and raised in Conigree, the capital of Guinea on Africa's Atlantic West Coast. Poverty in the country is widespread, but Tigi Danky's childhood was

different to most. She comes from a tribal royal family, and growing up, her parents were

deeply involved in politics and business. Tell us where you grew up, what you liked doing

as a kid, what your dreams were. I am born into a political family in Guinea. My family also is royal

and religious. The way my parents

educated us, it was like, we were very free. From a very young age, they showed us leadership.

So I've always been a dreamer, and my parents allowed me to actually pursue those dreams because

they were very supportive from childhood to today.

You said you grew up royal.

...