HGCP 2022 Participants: Christianah shares her story of rising up through tenacity to build a business
This year’s edition of the High Growth Coaching Program promises to be very exciting for our founders. The SLA team sifted through over a 1000 applications and after a rigorous application process we selected our top 20 participants. We are so proud of how far they have come. On a weekly basis we will introduce you to our participants, their story and their business. On today’s feature we sat down with Christianah Imole-Ayo Owoeye, co-founder of Trash Monger to share her story on coming from a humble background and rising up through tenacity to build a business that would empower women. “Always be ready to learn, unlearn and relearn.” – Christianah Imole-Ayo Owoeye Tell us a bit about yourself? I was born in Agege Local Government Area in Lagos. I am the second child of six and the first female child in my family. My primary education was in Lagos while my Secondary Education and Tertiary Education were in Ogun State. I am a graduate of Business Administration. Growing up wasn’t fun until I found my Identity in Christ which gave my life a new meaning and purpose. Apart from running Trash Monger. I am a soulful gospel minister, artist, and scriptwriter. During my National Youth Service, I participated in several advocacies through the Community Development Service (CDS). I was an active member of the Federal Road Safety Corp CDS group and often engaged in sensitization projects among women and girls on personal hygiene through the reproductive health CDS group. My work with the Reproductive Health CDS group increased my passion for an impactful life which made me volunteer in a recycling organization where I built my knowledge about the Waste Management sector where I now fully operate and lead. I would say one of the best gifts received growing up was education. What was your favourite subject at school and why? Psychology; I like being able to understand human feelings through what they are saying or not saying. What was your dream job or career path when growing up? Growing up I wanted to be a cosmetologist, but I was not sure if I could study this as a course in a university. I remember that as a secondary student in Nigeria, you had to choose between two or three pathways that determine the subjects you will learn as a senior secondary school student, I decided to choose the “art” pathway because I thought that it would have some connection to cosmetics. I didn’t realize how wrong I was until I was in my second year of high school. I remember crying when I realized my mistake. However, it did not turn out all bad, I realized that I had a knack for writing, acting and playing musical instruments. Tell us a bit about your family and the relationship you have with them? I am married to my friend of over 7 years and it’s being over a year of beautiful communion and friendship. Tell us about the legacy you want to leave in this world? What you would to be remembered for? That I gave hope, that I lived a life that would inspire you to take life as a gift. Have you always been entrepreneurial, what led you to taking that first step and setting up your own business? Right from when I was a teenager, I had always loved proffering solutions and rendering services. When I was younger I helped manage my dad’s pepper soup business. I loved seeing the joy on our customer’s faces after serving them. I also sold jewellery and clothes in school to support myself. Ah! I also had a failed business, it was a recharge card business. As a new entry in the waste management sector the ability to impact the local communities mostly women and youths while contributing to achieving a sustainable environment makes being a social entrepreneur interesting and inspiring. What is your favourite aspect of being an entrepreneur? The ability to impact the lives of local women and youths while contributing to achieving a sustainable environment makes entrepreneurship a journey worth being a part of. Introduce your company the way you would to a potential customer? Trash Monger Limited is a waste collection and recycling social enterprise that is into the collection and recycling of waste into sustainable raw material for manufacturing processes. Since we started the business we have been able to create over 300 green job opportunities for internally displaced women and youths from underserved communities. Also, through our initiative we have carried out sensitizations within local communities on the importance of recycling and how to achieve a sustainable environment. What’s been the most significant thing you’ve done to grow your business? Continually learning through courses, mentorships and growing my network. What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur? Management [money, time, leadership] skills, Strategic thinking skills and A good communication skills What’s the best advice you have received in business that you wish to pass on to our community? Always be ready to learn, unlearn and relearn. Interested in contributing for She Leads Africa? Click here. [mailerlite_form form_id=31]
Dr. Gladys Kalema Zikusoka. Social Entreprenuer and National Geographic Explorer
Dr. Gladys Kalema Zikusoka noticed human health was a contributory factor to maintaining the health of the Gorillas she protected. She then founded Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH) to support the surrounding community. She also founded Gorilla Conservation Coffee, a social enterprise of CTPH. In addition she has been a National Geographic Explorer. We had a chill an chat to hear her personal story and here how it went! You were selected as a National Geographic Explorer. Sounds adventurous! What were you most excited about in anticipation of the experience? I was excited to become a National Geographic Explorer, an organization founded over 100 year ago with a commitment to supporting discovery, exploration, pioneering research and conservation. I knew being a National Geographic Explorer would greatly help me and my team at Conservation through Public Health (CTPH).We wanted to improve our work with the endangered gorillas and local communities, and increase our impact in Uganda and other countries in Africa where CTPH is working or collaborating with other organizations to achieve shared goals. How did you get involved with the National Geographic Explorer program? We submitted a grant to National Geographic to expand our integrated gorilla conservation and human health model at Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH) to other parishes around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, which is home to the endangered mountain gorillas. I was greatly honoured to also be selected as a National Geographic Explorer. You have worked with many international organisations in different capacities from being featured on BBC documentaries to your position as an Ashoka Fellow. To what extent do you think they have prepared you for this position? When I was setting up the veterinary department at Uganda Wildlife Authority, we had the first reported disease outbreaks in mountain gorillas traced to people living around the park, with limited access to basic health and other social services. I realised then that you cannot protect the gorillas without improving the health of the people who they share their fragile habitat with and that prompted us to found Conservation Through Public Health in 2003. It is a grassroots NGO and non-profit that promotes biodiversity conservation by enabling people, gorillas and other wildlife to coexist through improving their health and livelihoods in and around protected areas in Africa. These experiences led to me being featured on BBC, Animal Planet and National Geographic. In 2006 I was greatly honored to become an Ashoka Fellow for merging Uganda’s wildlife management and rural public health program to create common resources for both people and animals. What would be your advice to someone who is just starting out in their career who would love to be an Explorer? I would advise them to follow their dreams and the rest will follow. I was given this advice by Dr. Birute Galdikas, also a National Geographic Explorer, who was the first person to study orang -utans in the wild. What are the top three things you focused on as an Explorer? The top three things I focused on as an Explorer were:- promoting the conservation of gorillas and other wildlife through expanding our work and improving wildlife health, engaging local communities and conducting research on issues that affect conservation and sustainable development sharing my experiences as an Explorer with the general public through giving talks to schools, scientists, practitioners , and having our work featured in documentaries, radio, print media, and online media influencing decision and policy makers from the government, NGO, and private sector, through sharing lessons learned and best practices from our work You are also the CEO and founder of CTPH, how did you prepare yourself to run an NGO particularly with regards to finding staff that believed in your vision and with giving yourself the skills you felt you may have lacked coming from a traditionally scientific background? Setting up a veterinary unit from scratch for Uganda Wildlife Authority (formerly Uganda National Park), exposed me to the fundraising aspects I needed for my job. As a Masters student in North Carolina, I had an opportunity to obtain a Duke University certificate in non-profit management, which prepared me well to set up an NGO. Furthermore, in 2011, I participated in the Social Entrepreneurship Program at INSEAD Business School. I also did an MBA in Global Business and Sustainability – social entrepreneurship track at University of Milan and Tangaza University College in Kenya. What advice can you give us about being fearless and following your dreams especially in STEM careers where new ideas are not always so easily accepted? Don’t let anyone discourage you from achieving your dreams! I have been discouraged because the path I took working with animals and wildlife as a veterinarian and conservationist, is not typical for an African woman. I believed in myself and remained focused and was able to achieve what I set out to do. How important is it for you to mentor younger women? I was mentored by older women in the fields of veterinary medicine, conservation, public health, social entrepreneurship and ecotourism, and therefore feel that I should also give back to other women to also improve gender equity while striving for a more sustainable and healthy planet. Do you believe women can have it all? How do you put into practice work/ life balance? Women can almost have it all when they put their priorities right and choose the right partner. They also need to have supportive family, friends and colleagues to encourage them to achieve their dreams and make a difference. I have a great role model in my mother, Honourable Rhoda Kalema, known as the Mother of Uganda’s Parliament who made significant strides in Women’s Empowerment as a minister and Member of Parliament. Despite the heavy workload and having lost my father when I was 2 years old, she has always had enough time to support my siblings and I in what we feel God has called us to do. My husband, Lawrence is very
Feeling stuck? Invest in your relationships!
“I want to be on the cover of Forbes magazine,Smiling next to Oprah and the Queen” Raise your hand if this song resonates with you, I’m raising my hands and my legs because this song encapsulates my entire life goals! I want to become a phenomenal woman, one who would live a mark on the sands of time, and I’m quite certain this is on your bucket list too! But here’s the catch! The boss-lady life doesn’t come on a platter. In order to attain success in business, career and even in relationship, something has to give! The good news is; although there’s work to be done, it could be done, totally cost-free! The journey to becoming a phenomenal woman starts with investing in yourself. Whether you are looking to become a better version of yourself, make a fresh start or do a complete revamp, it is possible, if you equip yourself with the right knowledge and adopt the right strategy. Let’s just say, you can become anything you want to be, if you invest in yourself. Do you want to start your own business? write a book or become a motivational speaker ? Yes you can, but There are certain things you need to do in order to make your dreams come true! The first step begins with; Accepting personal responsibility for your own growth; accept that no one can do it for you. This means you need to stop letting the relentless drifts of events make your choices for you, instead, set goals and take concrete actions that can help you reach your mark! Thankfully, there are so many free tools that are readily available and easily accessible to you, courses that won’t cost you an arm and a leg, and skills you can acquire without breaking a sweat! If these free tools are properly utilized, they can accelerate your speed and draw you closer to your destination. So Let’s dive Right in! Here are some free ways you can invest in yourself! Read books: Increase your scope of knowledge by reading! I know reading is a daunting task for most people, but the rewards and benefits are priceless. You can go easy on yourself. start by Reading a minimum of one chapter of a book each day, and a minimum of one book a month, and you would be amazed at how your scope of knowledge would increase. Take a free course online: Do you want to become a photographer, graphic designer or digital marketer? There are so many free courses available online that you could take advantage of! Don’t forget to Ask questions, listen, then ask more questions. You will learn as well as help others learn. Get a mentor: Mentors are mostly free, this makes them priceless, the need to have someone who can model the “how” for you, can never be overemphasized. Find a mentor and endeavor to do things with them, they will be supportive of you and you will learn and improve from interacting with them. Look for new ideas: Challenge yourself to learn something new every day. I became a blogger and I’m loving it! Whoever thought I could, I’m not even tech savvy!! There are so many ways to acquire a skill, and a lot of these skills can be learned for free! If you are looking to become a fashion designer or a makeup artist you certainly can, just look around carefully, I’m sure you would find, free training opportunities, seminars and workshops where training is offered. Eat Healthy: Health is wealth they say, so invest in yourself by adopting a good eating habit and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Unfortunately, The Hustle and Bustle of life makes it hard to live and eat right, but a little effort everyday, goes a long way. Prioritize your health, take it seriously. Eating healthy is one of the best investments you can make, because it determines your overall well-being Find your tribe: no woman is an island! Community, communication and connection, is the new mantra! There is so much you can learn simply by belonging to a community of like- minds. Interested in contributing for She Leads Africa? Click here.
5 Tips to Effective Time Management
Time management is one of the most valuable skills you will need in life. We all have 24 hours in a day, but some people get the most out of their time while others don’t. Working as a content marketer has taught me to manage my time wisely. It gets crazy sometimes as projects are thrown your way. Which one do you focus on or delegate? I like this quote from Zig Ziglar: “Lack of direction and not lack of time is the problem. We all have 24 hours in a day.” There are a lot of people juggling multiple jobs and when I ask how they do it, they laugh and say, “It’s not easy.” Below are some simple steps you can take to manage your time wisely: Let’s dive in… Complete the most important tasks first Some people leave the most important for the last. But if you want to be better at time management, you should complete the most important tasks first. This way, even if you fail to get all your work done at the end of the day, you still conclude the day as being a success. Prioritize wisely Group your daily tasks into each category. This will tell you where to spend more time and less time. Important and urgent – tasks that must be done. These, you must do right away! Important but not urgent – tasks that look important but really aren’t. They can wait! Urgent but not important – these are tasks that appear pressing but have little or no value. You can delegate these if you can! Not urgent and not important – these are not urgent and they’re not important either. Learn to say “NO” A lot of us are guilty of this. Out of the goodness of our hearts, it’s almost impossible to say “no”. Want someone to run an errand? They come to you. Need someone to edit and proofread a doc? You’re the go-to girl. Now don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with helping a colleague BUT, saying yes to everything and everyone eats into your time. It’s okay to decline every now and then. And no, it doesn’t mean you don’t have a heart, it simply means you value your time. Organize Yourself There are so many time management and productivity resources you can utilize. Tools like Asana, Trello and Wunderlist help track and manage your projects. [bctt tweet=”Distractions steal your time. When distractions are managed well, it can lead to a balanced life but when not managed, they can keep you from accomplishing your goals. – Judith Abani” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Create a timeline for a particular project I had to learn this. I’ll just dive in and get to work but now I’ve learned to allocate a specific amount of time to a task. Let’s say there’s a blog to write among other things. I tell myself “I’m going to work on this for 2 hours.” What this ‘time constraint’ does is that it pushes you to focus and be more efficient. Time management isn’t something you learn at once. You cultivate it over time. It’s one skill that can help you make the most out of your day. Follow these 5 tips and you’re on your way to working smart. Your turn, What are your best practices for managing your time? Interested in contributing for She Leads Africa? Click here.
The Boss-Level Talk From The Confidence in Action Summit Nigeria
Have you ever started a new job and realized you hate it? Are you finding it hard to get your dream job or even a job? Would you like to know how to position yourself as the best job candidate? The Confidence in Action Summit helped the Nigerian Motherland Moguls discover how to build their professional brands and answer the questions above. It was juiced up with the boss-level talk that elevates careers and took place on the 12th of February 2022. SLA partnered with Darling Nigeria to bring the summit to 3 African countries. It kicked off in South Africa, came to Nigeria and now is headed to Kenya. More than 2,900 Nigerian queens showed up to the free, 3hrs of masterclasses, workshops, networking sessions and the keynote speech ‘Bouncing Back From Rejection’ given by Dr Chinny Ogunro. All attendees had direct access to some of Nigeria’s high profile career experts, and it was epic. The career expert speakers and coaches included Isioma Coker, an HR Advisor Team Lead at Shell. Nwamaka Okey-Aguorun, Senior HR Manager at Diageo – Guinness Nigeria. Toun Tunde-Anjous, founder & CEO of The People Practice. Tiwalola Ogunlesi, international speaker, author and founder of Confident and Killing it. If you missed the South African and Nigerian summits, register for the Kenyan summit taking place on the 19th of February 2022. You wouldn’t want to miss out on another chance to build the professional brand of your dreams and grow your network. Here are the Boss-Lady Conversations You’ve Missed We learnt how to revamp our professional profile, make a strategic career plan and build our network. The attendees had the option to be in a masterclass or networking session each hour before the keynote speaker. They were also coached on how to harness communication skills needed to negotiate job offers, ace job interviews and gain strategies to propel their career forward. Masterclass 1: Getting Unstuck When You Feel Trapped In A Job with Isioma Coker. Masterclass 2: How to Position Yourself As The Best Candidate For The Job with Nwamaka Okey-Aguoru. Workshop 1: Do Things & Tell People: Develop Your Professional Brand to Land Your Dream Job with Tiwalola Ogunlesi. Workshop 2: How To Find A Job That You Actually Care About with Toun Tunde-Anjous. We lit things up with Confidence in Action and showed our boss ladies how to launch powerful professional brands! We were captivated by world-class information, tips and advice on owning our careers and being intentional about our career moves, from the beginning to the end. Here’s to raising a glass to all our boss ladies who showed up for the Nigerian summit. They came out in numbers to take in the career gems we had prepared for them, and it was an experience worth watching again. You can watch the masterclasses and keynote speeches on YouTube to get a snippet of how the summit was.
How to Enjoy Valentine’s Day as a Single Pringle
While having a boo to spoil you silly on valentine’s day is great, we all know that being single on the day of love isn’t a big deal. I know it’s hard not to feel a little sad when you see those “For Him”or “For Her” packages or hear your bestie talk about her Valentine plans with her boo. And that’s totally normal. At the end of the day everyone wants to feel loved and appreciated. In other words, you too can have the best time of your life on Valentine’s day. You have worked so hard and deserved to be spoiled with or without a boo. There are so many activities you can do. Let’s dive in. Have a Spa day Taking a day off to pamper yourself at the spa allows you to relax and manage your stress effectively. It also gives you some fun while getting a good massage. Go ahead and schedule a spa date this Valentine’s day. Host a singles-only dinner There is a good chance that you are not the only single person in your clique. Why not call your friends and host them at your place? It’s going to be so much fun. Binge watch movies You already have Netflix, you might as well enjoy your subscription and binge watch as many movies as you like. I love to call this the ultimate movie marathon. Unplug from social media. Yes, I said it. There is no point stalking your ex on social media to see how they are celebrating with their new found love or getting bombarded with photos of lovey dovey couples. Unplug for the day and read a book or spend time in nature. Try new recipes Do you have a bunch of recipes saved or favorites you’ve been meaning to try out? Valentine’s day is the perfect time to grab those ingredients and create magic. Give someone a gift Choose someone you care about, this could be your parent, sibling, aunt, uncle or friend and send them a really nice gift. Don’t forget to tell them how much you love and value them. Cook a romantic dinner for your parents What better way to celebrate love than to spend some quality time with your parents? Cook them an amazing dinner, set the table, light the candle and open a bottle of wine. Get out in nature Take a walk, or just stand outside for a few moments and get some fresh air. Connecting with nature in whatever way you can may help you center yourself, and a little exercise never hurts either. Buy a gift for yourself Do you have something that you’ve been dying to get, but have been too afraid to buy? Then you should really treat yourself with something you’re always wanted. Go for Karaoke Whether you want to sing on the top of your lungs with your friends or want to do it all by yourself, karaoke is always guaranteed to be a fun time. How would you be spending Valentine’s day? Become a contributor on She Leads Africa website. Apply here.
Motherland Moguls, here’s what you missed from the Confidence In Action Summit South Africa 2022
As a young ambitious woman, your career choice is one of the most significant decisions you’ll ever make. It is important that you equip yourself with the right information to build the professional career of your dreams. Think about it, would you rather spend your days at a job that leaves you feeling empty? Or where you are fulfilled for the better part of your life? This is why we at SLA partnered with Darling Nigeria to bring you the Confidence In Action Summits. That will take place in South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya. The summit series kicked off in South Africa, on February 5th and it was a BLAST! More than 1200 Mzansi queens came together to attend a free learning and networking experience. There were masterclasses, workshops and networking sessions where we saw our SA boss ladies make new connections, and then our Keynote Speaker Nicolette Mashile, made her entrance and taught us all about navigating career turbulence. All attendees had direct access to some of South Africa’s high profile career experts, including Talent Acquisition & Employer Branding Lead at PepsiCo SSA Candice Martin, Market HR Cluster Head at Google SSA Avanti Maharaj, Talent Acquisitions Specialist at Nestlé Lebogang Mashabela and founder of Pam Cherry Coaching and Consulting Pamela Cherry. It was 3hrs of interesting talks, coaching and loads of digital connection fun. Our Mzansi mogul ladies showed up, and showed out! So whether you missed the event, or you want to relive the Confidence In Action Summit experience, you can also attend the Nigerian summit on February 12 and Kenyan summit on February 19. Here is how we took over the digital streets in SA We learnt about career/ personal development, professional networking and practical advice on building a professional career of your dreams. The attendees had the opportunity to pick one masterclass or networking session each hour. They were also coached on how to harness communication skills needed to negotiate job offers, ace job interviews and gain strategies to propel their career forward. Masterclass 1: How To Find A Job That You Actually Care About Speaker with Candice Martin. Masterclass 2: How To Position Yourself As The Best Candidate For The Job Speaker with Avanthi Maharaj. Workshop 1: How to Find A Job That Suits You Coach with Pamela Cherry. Workshop 2: How To Position Yourself As The Best Candidate For The Job Coach with Lebogang Mashabela. We Came, put our Confidence In Action and gave out formulas to elevate careers! The summit had a vibe and more. The moment we went live on Zoom, Google Meet, Youtube and Facebook, we learned, unlearned and relearned, while having an unforgettable experience. So here’s raising a glass to all our SA boss ladies who made the time, energy and resources that went into planning the Confidence In Action Summit South Africa totally worth it.
HGCP 2021 Participants: Seclot Vet co-founder Olasunbo Atekoja shares how Seclot is providing security through address verification
I sat down with problem solver Seclot VET co-founder Olasunbo Atekoja to discuss how she is building the footprint of Nigeria through address verification. Tell us a little about yourself. My name is Olasunbo Atekoja and I am a co-founder of Seclot VET. I graduated with a degree in business Administration and Management 8 years ago. I have worked as an assistant supervisor with a fast food outlet, cash consultant with a Lagos state hospital and I am currently a country manager at Seclot. I spend my free time listening to music, going on road trips and spending quality time with my family. What do you feel are your biggest achievements? My biggest achievement is having overcome the fear of moving from paid employment to self employment, makin the leap to from regular income and structured work t the uncertainties of entrepreneurship such as business regulatory acts and stiff competitions. What is your favorite aspect of being an entrepreneur? My favorite aspect of being an entrepreneur is having the power to dictate how I spend my time, which allows me time to care for my household as well as the vastly available networking opportunities with other businesses and entrepreneurs. What challenges have you faced first as a founder and then as a female founder? The first and major challenge I faced as a founder is managing the team, some of the vetters are older men who find it difficult taking orders from a younger female and thus questioned my credibility as a manager, which is frustrating. Introduce your company the way you would to a potential customer. Seclot Vet is building the footprint of Nigerians one step at a time leveraging physical address and identity verification. We carry out employee verification, guarantor verification, NIN verification, driver’s license verification, Voters card verification, NUBAN verification and BVN verification. We perform physical address verification to confirm the authenticity of the information you’ve received from people you are working with in a seamless and effective manner. After using technological best practices to keep tabs on people we verify for our clients, we also provide after service support for them. You can learn more about us by visiting our website at https://vet.seclot.com/, you can also follow our Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/seclotdotcom/. You may also direct enquiries to vet@seclot.com. How did you come up with the name for your company? Considering the state of insecurity in the country, we created a company that could reduce this insecurity by ensuring there is enough data for security outfits. We needed the name of the company to sound reassuring to our clients, hence the name Seclot which literally means Security for the Lot. How have you carved a niche for yourself in your industry? We have carved a niche for Seclot VET by ensuring we are registered as a security technology company. We do not only verify addresses and identity, we keep a repository of data which can be used to track the footprint of people over a period of time. Where do you see your business in the next 5 years? In 5 years time, we have a vision to have built the footprints of over 10 million Nigerians leveraging physical address verification. What’s been the most significant thing you’ve done to grow your business? The most significant thing we did in growing our business was to increase our customer base to 1,600 while also applying to accelerator programs to scale up the business. What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur? The top 3 skills needed by any entrepreneur are marketing, people management, and bookkeeping. Entrepreneurs should invest their time in these activities (acronym KEN): Knowledge – research on your industry and best practices; Exposure – start marketing early and get feedback from potential customers and; Network – meet with people that are in your field or related field. What entrepreneurial tricks have you discovered to keep you focused and productive in your day-toNday busy schedule? The trick I have discovered is that I have control only over myself and my actions, so I don’t get unnecessarily worked up over other people’s behaviors. Whenever I am feeling overwhelmed, I go to my place of relaxation. What’s the best advice you have received in business that you wish to pass on to our community? The best advice I would love to share is “If you want to go fast, move alone; if you want to go far, move with a crowd”. Olasunbo is currently on the High Growth Coaching Program preparing Seclot VET to build the footprint of Nigeria.
HGCP 2021 Participants: Co-founder Amanda Etuk is solving problems one delivery at a time with Messenger.ng
I sat down with problem solver extraordinaire Amanda Etuk, to get to know her and learn more about Messenger, the delivery business she co-founded. Tell us a little about yourself. My name is Amanda Etuk and I’ve always been inspired to solve problems. I consider myself a full Nigerian, my father is from Akwa Ibom and my mother from Kogi State. I was born in Makurdi, Benue State and grew up in Lagos and Abuja. I am excited by change and being a part of something great and this makes logistics and supply chain a perfect industry for me. During my spare time, I try to create processes that allow me to have maximum time for relaxation. I typically love to stay in bed, watch series and eat a lot of food. I am a published author with two books so far; one is on personnel management for the delivery business space and the other is so far left; an erotica under a pen name. Tell us a bit about your background – how did you get to this point? My background is in Pharmacy from the University of Lagos. After working a few years as a Pharmacist, I went on to get a postgraduate in Global Supply Chain and Logistics managementand then worked at a Supply Chain and Logistics company as the General Manager. After this I co-founded a delivery business with my brother where I manage modern trade supply chain for major household brands. I also work on last mile deliveries focusing on expansion plans for Messenger. What is your ‘why’ i.e. bottom line, and how do you stay motivated? My bottom line is to be able to create a great life for myself and my loved ones. I want to create products and services that would serve people and still be very profitable. What do you feel are your biggest achievements? I have a lot of heart warming moments in my life but my biggest achievements are seeing projects that started as ideas come to life. I am most proud of where Messenger is right now, we are the second largest partner for Jumia Food in Abuja, we have recently ventured into last mile cold chain and have a contract to move COVID samples for Medbury Medicals in Lagos. What is your favorite aspect of being an entrepreneur? My favorite part of being an entrepreneur is creating work place conditions that I wished for when I was working. It is having the power to make decisions and seeing the immediate outcome on my bottom-line. Introduce your company the way you would to a potential customer. Welcome to Messenger.ng, you can absolutely trust us with your deliveries. Messenger.ng is a full-service logistics and dispatch company with key operations cutting across package delivery, cold chain solutions, warehousing and haulage. We provide end-to-end delivery services and serve a wide array of customers including SMEs, corporate organizations and private individuals. Since 2018, we have ensured that clients enjoy smooth, safe and efficient delivery of packages without stress or worry, no matter the volume or location. We are focused on creating value for money and improving the logistics ecosystem in Nigeria. We provide efficient logistics services to support your business. You can find out more about us on our website at www.getmessenger.ng or connect with us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/messenger.ng/ or LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/messenger-ng/. How have you carved a niche for yourself in your industry? We are doing well in the B2B space for last mile deliveries with dispatch bikes. I would say that we are making a name for ourselves as a reliable 3PL partner. What’s been the most significant thing you’ve done to grow your business? The most significant thing I have done to grow the business was to become unafraid to ask for help, especially when raising funds from angel investors within my network to fund operations and expand to Lagos. What’s the best advice you have received in business that you wish to pass on to our community? As cliché as it sounds; PERSISTENCE. You decide your fate, if you quit, what else is there? If you were given $1m to invest in Messenger, where would it go? If I was given $1M to invest in Messenger, I would invest in tech to make it even easier to order deliveries or logistics like you would book a cab and the assets; motorcycles, vehicles etc. Talent would definitely be a part of the budget. What entrepreneurial tricks have you discovered to keep you focused and productive in your day-to-day busy schedule? Scheduling. I love scheduling all my activities in advance, I am centered through the day and it helps me keep track of my deliverables. What business-related book has inspired you the most? I’m currently reading “Leaving the Tarmac: Buying a Bank in Africa” by Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede and I am more inspired to take audacious risks. Amanda is currently on the High Growth Coaching Program preparing Messenger to grow and keep impacting Nigeria’s delivery industry.
HGCP 2021 Participants: Founder of Bakerlicious Titilope Akinola talks about how her love for cake inspired her confectionary business
I sat down with Titilope Akinola, the founder of Bakerlicious to talk about how her love for cake inspired her to start a confectionary business Bakerlicious, which makes tasty treats for all of life’s important occasions. Tell us a little about yourself. I’m Titilope Olubukola Akinola, I’m the Lead Baker and Sugar Craft Artist at Bakerlicious, a ProHire & Craft Company. Bakerlicious is a business I run on the side in addition to my full time job at Ventures & Trusts Limited, a Financial Advisory firm where I practice Human Resource Management. At V&T, I’m responsible for Human Resource Management and Administration. I have thirteen years of HR experience as a Generalist. I am a resourceful, tenacious and passionate person who is crazy about all things craft and beautiful. I enjoy travelling, reading, watching movies, coordinating events, cake baking and decorating, as these are my super powers. What do you do for fun/relaxation? I spend my spare time watching movies, hanging out with my family and friends. I also love travelling and reading. What is your ‘why’ and how do you stay motivated? In everything I do, I always embrace opportunities that allow me to fully maximize my God given talents, abilities and deploy my expertise. I am motivated by my utmost desire; which is to build a wealthy legacy that will outlive me and generations to come after me. What was the inspiration behind your business? Cake baking and decorating was a childhood fantasy (I also wanted to be a lawyer and an actress). I love to eat cake and all kinds of desserts in any shape or form (lol). Growing up, apart from birthdays or other occasions that involved eating cake, the only time I could have cake was when my sister agreed to bake for the family, provided that I would volunteer to manually cream the batter to a dropping consistency because we didn’t have a mixer. So my sister would measure the ingredients and leave me in the kitchen to struggle with the ladle and the cake batter; picture a skinny little girl seated on the kitchen stool in one corner of the kitchen with a mixing bowl on her lap turning butter and sugar in one direction with all the energy that she could muster. As much as I love to eat and enjoy the activities involved in making cake, I never did anything to grow and nurture the passion until I volunteered at Awesome Treasures Foundation (ATF), a faith based NGO where I was inspired and my passion to bake was rekindled. In 2015, two years after my first Cake Baking and Decorating Class, I registered a business in 2015 and started baking for family and friends. This is where I got my first paid order as a home based commercial entity fulfilling orders from the kitchen. Introduce your company the way you would to a potential customer Bakerlicious (by ProHire & Craft Limited) is a Baked Confection, Sugar Craft, Food and Beverage Company. Our luscious treats include a wide variety of moist, yummy, fluffy and beautifully decorated cakes with a wow effect. We also offer scrumptious butter cookies and nutylicious fruity granola. We also produce the best homemade thick, lush and creamy yoghurt drink and Greek yoghurt in plain and sweetened with date fruits (no colors, artificial flavors or preservatives). All our products are homemade from premium quality ingredients sourced from local and international markets. Whatever your order, what you get is balanced indulgence and a treat for everyone! You can see our products or make an order on our Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/bakerliciousng/. You can also visit our website at https://bakerlicious.business.site/ or give us a call or a WhatsApp on +234 81 8399 9299 and to view our WhatsApp catalogue. We’re also on TikTok at http://tiktok.com/@bakerliciousng. How did you come up with the name for your company? When I was naming my business, I wanted a name that speaks for the business without requiring much explaining, and my research for business name ideas led me to Bakerlicious. The name is a combination of two words describing exactly what the business is about (baked goods) and the customers’ experience when they see and taste our luscious treats (deliciousness). How have you carved a niche for yourself? We primarily cater to mothers who would give anything and go the extra mile to celebrate moments, birthdays, milestones, festive seasons, landmark occasions etc.. With our luscious boxed treats specially catered to their needs, and made with them, their children, spouses and loved ones in mind, we have positioned ourselves to be their preferred family baker. Our promise is to stay with them for lifetimes, offering the best luscious treat options for life’s every occasion. What is your favorite aspect of being an entrepreneur? My favorite thing about being an entrepreneur is the joy and sense of accomplishment I get when an order is fulfilled, knowing that the customer is satisfied and will return with repeat orders and send us referrals because they are truly happy with our products. I also appreciate the opportunities that unfold with each step taken towards growing my business. Every opportunity unfolds in layers just like when you peel an onion and I love to experience it. What do you feel are your biggest achievements? Starting my business and staying the course is my biggest achievement. There was absolutely nothing that guaranteed that I could come this far. Although I’m not where I would like to be yet, I am proud of how far I’ve come and excited about the journey ahead. I am also proud of the product categories and variants we are able to serve our customers. We’ll definitely have more products to offer as we evolve. I am also grateful for the learning and development programs I have been privileged to benefit from like She Leads Africa’s High Growth Coaching Program, which has helped me to streamline a path and equip me with useful knowledge and information for the