She Leads Africa

Peace Hyde’s 10 Tips to fighting against the odds – The guide

[bctt tweet=” “Shortcuts never last as long as hard work does” – @peace_hy ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Success doesn’t appear overnight, you have to put in a good amount of hard work and also work hard to overcome any challenges that arise. You work for it by fighting against the odds. Award-winning TV host and Forbes West Africa correspondent – Peace Hyde,  is on a mission to encourage young African women to be bold and break barriers, through her new show  “Against the Odds”. During an Instagram Q & A with us on Tuesday, May 30, she shared some of her personal experiences and how she managed to overcome them. “My biggest obstacle so far was continuing to move forward after the tragic accident I endured on June the 3rd in Ghana”, she wrote during the chat. Some of Africa’s leading female entrepreneurs like Folorunsho Alakija, Bethlehem Tihalun Alemu, Isis Nyong’o Madison to name a few, are women who have fought against the odds in their respective industries. [bctt tweet=”Get @peace_hy ’s top 10 tips to fighting against all odds ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] If you’re going through a hard time now, or you would like to know what steps to take to achieve greatness, then you’ve got to get this guide. Getting access to this guide is easy, just fill out the form below to join our community and get access to this guide, as well our oh so amazing weekend newsletters.

Instagram Q & A with Peace Hyde: Fighting against the odds (May 30)

Day after day, African women keep breaking boundaries and creating an impact in their respective professions. Who says you can’t do the same? Sometimes we might encounter a hitch during our journey, but as Motherland Moguls, we have to keep fighting against all odds and let people know that we’ve got this! Award winning presenter and TV host Peace Hyde is contributing to the narrative of growing female power on the African continent. Through her work, she encourages young African women to be bold and break barriers to achieve their set goals. Join us on Instagram for a Q & A session with Peace Hyde on Tuesday 30th May. Peace will be sharing her entrepreneurial journey with us, and answering all your questions about fighting against the odds. [bctt tweet=”Join @Peac_hy for an Instagram Q & A on May 30 to discuss fighting against the odds” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] We will be giving away a FREE cheat sheet with Peace Hyde’s top 10 lessons for everyone fighting against the odds. Register below to get your copy. Instagram Q & A Details: Date: Tuesday May 30th 2017 Time: 1pm Lagos// 2pm Joburg// 3pm Nairobi Where: https://www.instagram.com/sheleadsafrica/ About Peace Peace Hyde is the Forbes West Africa Correspondent. She is most widely known for her role as host of the flagship Forbes Africa TV show, “My Worst Day with Peace Hyde”. Some of the guests on the show to date included Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote and second richest woman in Africa, Folorunsho Alakija and many more. Peace is scheduled to launch a new show “Against the Odds” which will feature appearances from prolific African women who are recognised for their accomplishments in business or career.

Resources (Guides)

Resources Advice Guides Quick Maths (4): How to build up an emergency fund for yourself with FSDH Asset Management webmaster Quick Maths (3): How to use your salary/business net income with FSDH Asset Management webmaster The GoalGetter’s guide to creating schedules for productivity webmaster Quick Maths (2): How to diversify your funds with FSDH Asset Management webmaster Quick Maths (1): How to generate income to start a business with FDSH Asset Management webmaster Peace Hyde’s 10 Tips to fighting against the odds – The guide webmaster Subscribe To Our Newsletter Join SLA’s community of young, ambitious and vibrant women across Africa

Partner Based Events

Partner Based Events Partner-Based Event Me Time Summit with Mega Growth 1.4K+ Attendees The Me Time Summit successfully united over 1,400 young Nigerian women in a shared pursuit of wellness and self-care. This milestone event marked She Leads Africa’s inaugural Virtual Wellness Summit tailored for young African women. On July 4, 2020, the summit unfolded through the Zoom online platform from 12 pm to 5 pm WAT, creating a virtual haven for participantsThe summit was expertly curated through a collaborative partnership with Mega Growth, amplifying its impact and reach. Dedicated to the well-being of its attendees, the Me Time Summit presented a series of sessions that championed wellness, personal care, and fitness. The summit’s agenda was meticulously crafted to cater to the holistic needs of the participants. https://youtu.be/lpb0P38QySA?si=njUQHa5Nkq1Cp0oeOne of the standout features of the event was the robust community engagement and interaction fostered between the speakers and the eager attendees. This dynamic dialogue elevated the summit beyond mere information sharing, cultivating a shared space of growth and empowerment. In a world where self-care and well-being are paramount, the Me Time Summit emerged as a beacon of support, connectivity, and rejuvenation for young Nigerian women. By providing a platform to connect, learn, and prioritise their personal well-being, the summit underlined the importance of carving out ‘me time’ in the busy lives of these dynamic individuals.Partner-Based Event Darling Confidence In Action Summit “The Confidence in Action Summits” comprised three impactful virtual gatherings, each spanning a single day. These summits were thoughtfully designed to furnish young professionals in West Africa, East Africa, and Southern Africa with actionable guidance and expert connections, nurturing their employability and propelling their career advancement. The summit is a collaborative effort with Darling Africa, these events were meticulously crafted to bolster women’s confidence in their professional endeavours. The intention was clear: to help young African women step into their power and grow their confidence. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UvxXEcKrC4https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eN591L54X5wAcross a concise three-hour timeframe, these events catered to the unique needs of our vibrant communities in Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa with over 5000 attendees. Renowned speakers, and experts in their fields, contributed their wisdom to enrich the attendees’ professional journey. Illustrious Speakers Toun Tunde-Anjous Nwamaka Okey-Aguorun Tiwalola Ogunlesi Nicolette Mashile Candice Martin Pamela Cherry Avanthi Maharaj Lebogang Mashabela Joan Thuo Onyinyechi Anozie Dorcas Nderitu Jane Mutsiya Martha Karimi Susan Kiamba Dr. Chinny Ogunro Isioma Coker Actional Insights & Practical Guidance on Pivotal Subjects Including The summit’s agenda was meticulously curated to deliver actionable insights and practical guidance on pivotal subjects: What To Do When Nobody Will Hire You How To Find A Job You Actually Care About  How To Network For People Who Hate Networking  Through “The Confidence in Action Summits,” collaboration, mentorship, and knowledge-sharing converged to catalyse impactful change in the lives of countless ambitious careerwomen. By fostering a community of growth and empowerment, these events ignited transformation and advancement. Partner-Based Event Netflix Behind the Screen 1K+ Live Attendees “Behind the Screen” was a distinguished digital conference that was dedicated to honouring, connecting, and advancing the pivotal role of women within the entertainment industry. In collaboration with industry leader Netflix, this curated event aimed to raise brand awareness while fostering essential dialogues surrounding women’s accomplishments within the entertainment sector. By spotlighting women creators like Zulumoke Oyibo, Peace Hyde, Nora Awolowo, and Khanyi Mbau, the conference aimed to amplify their voices and inspire the next generation of industry professionals. The conference featured a lineup of distinguished speakers who brought their expertise and insights to the forefront. Zulumoke Oyibo, Peace Hyde, Nora Awolowo, and Khanyi Mbau were among the notable personalities who shared their experiences, knowledge, and journey in the industry. The event covered a range of engaging topics that resonated with both industry insiders and aspiring professionals. These topics included: https://youtu.be/WL1dRI4lRoc?si=dNHpnAV6aMuukZgu One of the core objectives was to encourage women who aspired to pursue roles behind the scenes, guiding them towards fulfilling their ambitions. The event also addressed the challenges and obstacles that women often encountered within these industries, promoting a comprehensive understanding of the landscape.

 “Behind the Screen” was more than a conference; it was an opportunity to acknowledge the achievements of women within entertainment, to engage in meaningful discussions, and to empower future generations to overcome barriers and achieve greatness. Topics #BecauseSheCreated Fireside Chat Session: An interactive session that explored the creative process, challenges, and triumphs of women creators within the entertainment industry. Lessons from Making the Big Screen from Africa To The World: A discussion that highlighted the valuable lessons learned from taking African stories and content to a global audience. Q&A with the Stars: An opportunity for participants to engage with and gain insights from the accomplished speakers, further enriching their understanding of the entertainment landscape. Speakers Zulumoke Oyibo Peace Hyde Nora Awolowo Khanyi Mbau

4 self-care strategies for new career moms.

Adjusting to life as a new mom while balancing school, a job or business can be difficult. It’s easy to forget to prioritize your own needs. When you forget to take care of yourself, it’s hard to give your best to the people you love and the things that matter to you. After 6 weeks of being a new mom, Zimkhitha Mathunjwa shares her personal tips on how to prioritize your mental and physical health as a career mom. 1. Beyond the ‘bounce back’: take time for yourself As a new mom, your postpartum recovery is about more than your body. Along with physical changes, you also deal with mental challenges like negotiating your identity.  Your life is more than work and motherhood. Simple things like taking a lunch break away from your desk, getting my hair and nails done, drinking tea and curling up with a book, help remind you of your own identity outside work and parenthood. 2. Lean on your support system: it takes a village A big kudos to any parent who has ever had to do it with no support. If you’re lucky enough to have people around to assist you, accept the help. Without husbae and my family’s active involvement in our tiny human’s development, I would not be as snatched with edges intact as I am right now.  Use some of your time away to hang out with grown-ups. Focus on nurturing your most meaningful relationships. If you feel a little bit guilty – it’s normal. On my first date night away from the baby, I constantly checked in with my mother-in-law. I eventually allowed myself to relax and enjoy the time out. So can you! 3. Filter out the noise: set boundaries As a new career mom, you become privy to a lot of well-meaning advice that might not be right for you. You must be discerning and accept only the advice you deem resourceful. Filter out the noise by setting clear boundaries. 4. Learn to trust yourself To every mother, biologically or otherwise – you are doing great. Trust the process and most importantly, trust YOURSELF!  Ungazilibali is an isiXhosa (South African) word meaning ‘do not forget yourself’. It’s the word I think about when I’m faced with self-doubt and anxiety in balancing work and parenting. When those moments come, it’s important to have one go-to thought that reminds you of why you are a badass! I think of my mother, grandmother (RIP) and mother-in-law, my role models. Remembering that I come from a line of strong women helps me re-center myself. They did a stellar job, and so can I.  Life as a new career mom is not a walk in the park, but if you can take time for yourself, lean on the support of people who love you, set boundaries and learn to trust yourself, you’ll be physically and mentally okay.  When all else fails, ungazilibali. Don’t forget (or lose) yourself on this journey! Are you mentally exhausted? Get Peace Hyde’s free tips for fighting against the odds here.

Are invisible scripts ruling your life?

Scripts are stories that are created from the perceptions of people we interact with on a daily basis. They range from our families, teachers and colleagues to the general community we live in. Scripts can also be developed through our experiences and culture. If you grew up in a community where finishing school was unheard of, then you might think that finishing school is out of limits. We unconsciously allow our lives to be led by invisible scripts some of which are imposed by other people, while others are self-imposed. The first time I went for a driving test, everyone I tested with passed. I failed. The instructor told everyone who was willing to listen that some people are just too bad with machines to handle driving. It was quite a frustrating experience but I chose not to believe him. Instead, I improved my driving skills for a few more weeks and I passed my driving test the second time around. I got my driving permit two weeks later. If I had believed the instructor’s words, I would never have got the courage to sit behind the driver’s seat again. I would have let someone else tell me that I could not never drive and as a consequence, lived my life according to a script that someone else had written for my life. Now that has been said, let’s bust some negative scripts. Script 1: Perfection How many times have you failed to do something just because you thought you could not do it perfectly? You wait for the best idea to execute yet, the people who are able to do great things execute ordinary things in an extraordinary way. You don’t have to read all guides about starting a business. There is nothing like a perfect guide out there. We often let lack of experience or education deter us from achieving what we want in life. By focusing on perfection, we are not able to make much progress. Script 2: There are no opportunities in my country The most exciting thing about Africa is that not everything has been done. There is a lot of capacity for new ideas but you keep putting everything you want to do off just because you think there is no capacity to do what you want to. If you don’t do something, someone else will. So, would you rather take baby steps and see yourself prosper or would you rather wallow in self-pity? You can find ways of how to connect to your dream. The internet has made almost anything achievable whether it’s learning computer programming or starting an online business. You can achieve your dreams in your country. Script 3:  I don’t have the time to pursue my passions We have all used this line at some point in our lives. It’s the perfect excuse when there is something you have always wanted to do but you just have not got down to doing it. Somehow, we can’t do the things we are truly passionate about. It could be writing a book, pursing a hobby, singing in a music band, or even going for further studies in a field you care about. The way you spend your time really tells a lot about what you value in life. Now that we’ve busted these scripts, here are steps to rewriting your life script. Understand the scripts that you have put on your life Understanding the life scripts you have placed on your life is the first step to changing them for the better. Be attentive to your thoughts. Listen to how you speak to yourself and to what you say. Any thought that starts with “You can’t do that” is a red flag.  Write them down and get to the root of them. Ask yourself what could have caused them and how they are impacting your life. For example, you might think that you will never reach top management level at your company because of a boss you had who broke your self-confidence through very harsh criticism. This could be impacting your relationships with leaders who are capable of limiting your upward mobility in the company. Make a conscious decision to break free from negative perceptions of yourself. This will take some time but the most important thing is to take steps every day. Create systems for the life you want Systems make your life easy and they are what every organization needs in order to be successful. So, why not implement them in your life as a way of breaking free from negative scripts? Say you want to retire by 35 but everyone else around you says you should work till you’re 60. You could create systems that help you save your money, pay your bills, budget and invest. These will make your goal much easier for you as you will concentrate on other harder aspects of reaching financial independence like earning more money. If you have heard of the Pareto law, you know that 20% of input will account for 80% of output. You can drown out the noise from negative perceptions by creating deliberate systems.  Every day will be productive, taking you one step closer to achieving your goals. What scripts have you allowed others or yourself to place on your life? What internal rules have you subconsciously ingrained in your mind and embraced as your reality?

Business Alchemy: Creating the extraordinary from the ordinary

the alchemist alchemy business

In its simplest form, alchemy is the process of taking something ordinary and turning it into something extraordinary -sometimes in a way that cannot be explained. Alchemy is seen in the way an artist can, quite magically, transform a heap of scrap metal into a breathtaking piece of art. I believe that in the business world, we are all trying to create alchemy. We want to take something ordinary and turn it into the extraordinary. Whether you are social entrepreneur Patrick Awuah, taking tertiary education through it transforming lives so that students learn to shape their societies in remarkable, unique ways. Or whether you are Mo Abudu, CEO of Ebony Life TV, Africa’s first Global Black Entertainment and Lifestyle network, taking up the challenge of owning an African TV network where Africans can demonstrate their artistic skills and creativity in a relevant way. Lessons from Coelho’s “The Alchemist” One book that continues to have a profound effect on me is “The Alchemist”, by Paulo Coelho. A simple fable about pursuing your dreams, “The Alchemist” has enough wisdom in it to inspire and motivate you. It can push you to pursue and take charge of your business aspirations as much as any work you will find in the Harvard Business Review –the story is that good. It starts in Spain, where a shepherd boy, Santiago has a dream. He literally slept one night and had a dream that he travelled and found a treasure in Africa, Egypt to be precise. The dream was so compelling –just as your business aspiration might be– that Santiago could not let it go. He had to actualize it. Selling all his sheep, he set off across the ocean to find his treasure. Where your treasure is, there your heart will also be Much of “The Alchemist” is about the Santiago’s odyssey. His adventures, the people he came in contact with (the good, the bad and the ugly), his new learning, love, and eventually finding his treasure in the most unusual place. This reminds us that as we pursue that compelling vision, that business aspiration, we must be aware of the dynamic world we live in. We need to be flexible to succeed at alchemy. Now to connect “The Alchemist” to Patrick Awuah and Mo Abudu. It may have been on a CNN’s African Voices interview, that Patrick recalled that he was driven to leave his work and life in the US. What pushed him was his vision of starting a first class tertiary institution founded on strong leadership principles in Ghana. He was further motivated by that most famous quote from Goethe; “Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.” Like Santiago in “The Alchemist”, I imagine that the dream was so compelling for Patrick that he could not let it go. And similar to Santiago who sold all his sheep and set off to find his find his treasure, Mr Awuah forfeited an assured life in the States and came to Ghana to start something new and risky. And what genius and magic that boldness has delivered through Ashesi University, Patrick’s creation. The first lesson that you learn from “The Alchemist” is that business, often requires us to leave our comfort zone and take risks, but wherever your heart is, your treasure will be. For Mo, she was a succcessful HR consultant who left a fabulous international career to host a talk show. Many people asked why, let them wonder. Like Santiago, Mo was drawn to her dream and focused on her purpose. She perfected her art by raising and talking about pertinent national issues. She gave visibility to the work and lives of remarkable Nigerians and international personalities on her show Moments with Mo. Her show may have awakened Mo to the opportunity of creating something bigger than Moments and giving Africans an opportunity to display and demonstrate their own creative skills through the platform of a global entertainment and TV network. Today, EL TV is a testament to not only Mo’s hard work, resilience and vision. The network has also become a channel through which many other African creative entrepreneurs and story tellers can effect and build their own creative dreams. That is alchemy. Transforming the ordinary to extraordinary.