Your ultimate guide to starting and ending the year strong in 2023!
It’s 2023! Whoo hoo… It is not a year to rest on your oars, not a year to be complacent because of the level of success you have achieved so far, it is a year for doing more. There is still much work to be done no matter what your life vocation is. This year is bringing you a new opportunity to start (if you are yet to join the moving train of achievers), and to get better at what we do for our best is yet to come. The following steps will set you on the path of getting more done this year. If you know what you want, you will get it easily: Brain Tracy quote aptly puts it this way, “People with clear, written goals, accomplish far more in a shorter period of time than people without them could ever imagine”. I will put the emphasis here on “clear”-you are very sure what it is you want to achieve, you are not indecisive, thus, when you spot an opportunity that links to what you desire, you grab it with your two hands. Focus: You might have given yourself a pat on the back for the various feats you accomplished last year and this year you have so many ideas and you just want to execute them all at once. This might not turn out well and will slow down your productivity. It is important to balance your creativity with wisdom. Not all your beautiful ideas will fly so focus on your competitive advantage (that which you do so well or makes you stand out). See Success as a journey rather than a destination: When you see success as a destination, not only will you be tempted to wait for it to happen instead of working towards its achievement, but there is also the danger of being complacent. After the achievement of one goal, there should be the desire to get another. So don’t spend all your time trying to achieve one thing. Get it done and move on. Stop procrastinating Most of us are guilty of this habit. We push off what we are supposed to do now to a later time, and before you know it, it’s the year 2024. You don’t want to wake up tomorrow and you are a 105 years old; that dream you had when you were fifteen is still in your heart unaccomplished and you will know you have not lived because you will not feel fulfilled. Start working on that dream now so you don’t have regrets tomorrow. Be accountable: Arese Ugwu the author of the smart money woman in the acknowledgment page of the book mentioned that Steve Harris played a huge part in helping her finish the book in time-he kept checking up on her to make sure she was committed to writing her book. I believe if she hadn’t been accountable to him, she would not have finished the book at the time she did. There is this thing about the right time. If the book had not been published at the time it was perhaps the doors she said the book opened for her would not have happened. Find someone you can be accountable to especially if you are not naturally self-motivated or goal-oriented. Stay close to your inspiration: Life is not a walk in the park so are your dreams or things you desire to achieve. You need to stay inspired to reach the finishing line. Read articles regularly here on SLA, you will find stories that will help you learn from other people’s experiences so you can navigate your world better. Attend seminars and conferences aimed at making you improve the way you do things, watch movies that will motivate you, and surround yourself with people who can talk you up just when you need it. Be flexible: You don’t have to stick to one thing or one strategy if things are not working as expected. This year is for getting things done so don’t get stuck, find a new way for life is full of options. Oprah Winfrey puts it this way “Do what you have to do until you can do what you want to do.” I look forward to a greater you this year 2023!
HGCP 2022 Participants: Oluwatomiisin is fighting new-born malnutrition
It’s interesting how what we think we will be when we grow up changes when we are adults. Growing up Oluwatomiisin Olatunji wanted to care for animals as she couldn’t stand the sight of seeing people suffer in excruciating pain. Today she is the founder of Mamalac Foods Nigeria Ltd and one of the High Growth Coaching Program’s finalists. “My biggest achievement is being able to build a community strong enough that people want to work with us to elevate the brand. I am talking about a community of sisterhood where the members of the community not only look out for each other but see themselves as the brand itself.” – Oluwatomiisin Olatunji What keeps Oluwatomiisin’s motivated is seeing mom’s share their joy at being able to breastfeed exclusively amidst the challenges due to the support received from the Mamalac community. Her greatest desire is to help more mom’s commit to giving their children a healthy start to life especially in relation to nutrition because it’s a very vital need for development of both the child and the country/ world at large Here is what she had to say about her entrepreneurial journey. I hope you get some good advice on how to ensure you build a successful business yourself. What has your experience been like as one of the finalists to the program? It’s been an amazing experience and I have learnt some life skills. I recently raised an issue with my coach and I almost voluntarily left the program but she waded in and helped me view things from another angle. The situation was really a perfect experience for me to learn to always communicate especially with the key players By the end of the 12 weeks, what would you like to have learned from the trainers and coaches? I Learned how to put structures in place so I can run my business with or without my presence. And also Learnt how to grow the business immensely How did you get to this point? I am the first of 3 children. I was born to Mr and Mrs Olakanmi in Ibadan and had most of my schooling in Ibadan. I trained as a veterinarian but was exposed very early to the non-profit/ development sector and it helped me see things differently so I grew up wanting to find a solution to problems around me. What led to you starting your own business? Share your journey. In 2020, when I birthed my child, I had a difficult pregnancy and birth experience which eventually resulted in low breast milk supply. During one of my antenatal visits early in the pregnancy, one of the matrons marketed a lactation supplement to us which I bought. When I had difficulty with my breast milk supply, I used the lactation supplement and realized it wasn’t working like I expected. This double frustration of not being able to feed my child and not getting a solution propelled me to dust my notes as a veterinarian and start doing research on how to increase my breast milk supply. My experiments paid off as it worked amazingly on me as the guinea pig. I had people who paid for samples to test it and I got amazing reviews. This laid the foundation of the business as a standardized the recipes and with time moved forward to have not just one product but at least 7 products at the moment. Introduce your company the way you would to a potential customer? Mamalac Foods Nigeria Ltd helps to fight malnutrition from birth using sugar, and preservative free plant-based supplements such as seeds, spices and herbs to produce lactation supplements and other dietary supplements that helps to ensure the health and vitality of every member of the family. What you would to be remembered for? What impact would you want to make in this world? That I helped reduce malnutrition in children and helped more moms fulfil their primal need to exclusively breastfeed their children. What is your favourite aspect of being an entrepreneur? Being able to take decisions and being able to call the shots with my timing skills What’s the best advice you have received in business that you wish to pass on to our community? Building your business online and staying true to your values as a business owner and for the business. What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur? Resilience Perseverance Integrity How do you handle or manage the stresses of being an entrepreneur? Sleeping is a great therapy for me so once it seems the world is conspiring against me, I try to take a break and sleep. What key activities would you recommend entrepreneurs to invest their time in? Building an online presence. It’s more important now than before. Building structures in place so that even in your absence, work goes on like you’re there. Invest in sales and marketing because they are the life of the business.
HGCP 2022 Participants: Adedamola helps Africans feel good and confident in their bodies
Furthering your studies and running a successful business is not for the faint hearted. Our High Growth Coaching Program finalist, Adedamola Oni, is making it look like a walk in the park. Adedamola was raised by an entrepreneurial grandmother who fuelled her love of fashion and drive for life-long learning. Thanks to the women that came before her and taught her what she knows, she is who she is today; the creative director of Mama Eto Alasooke (also called MEALasooke). “I believe in the ability of the African people to create prosperity for themselves that’s why I am creating one of the fastest-growing fashion manufacturing businesses to achieve this end.” – Adedamola Oni She prides herself in having an upscale fashion brand that promotes African ingenuity and fashion. Adedamola is a leader that’s passionate about bringing significant contributions to humanity, helping Africans feel good and confident in their bodies. We had a chill and chatted with her to pokeHGCP 2022 Participants: Adedamola helps Africans feel good and confident in their bodies her brains. Through telling her story, she shares tips and insights to help aspiring entrepreneurs navigate the rocky terrain of business. Tell us a bit about your family and the relationship you have with them? I am the first child out of 3 children of my parents whom I lived with until the age of 2, before going to stay with my grandmother in Somolu Lagos. My relationship with my family has been a very educational one, my grandmother has always prioritized personal and self-directed learning which has become a habit of mine till this day. I am currently completing my Masters program with the determination to become better, all this because of lessons from my family. My parents are still alive, and together, their union has helped me build self-confidence about the future and what it holds. Have you always been entrepreneurial from a young age? I had always wanted to be a lawyer or an educator like my grandmother, until she introduced me to fabric manufacturing, since then I have always dreamed of becoming an entrepreneur creating a business that produces lots and loads of fabrics What would you like to be remembered for? What impact would you want to make in this world? I will be remembered as one of the most inspiring women entrepreneurs of my time, as someone who has as significantly contributed to the human race and has helped elevate the status of African fabrics as exotic on the world change. I will be remembered for bringing prosperity to local artisans in African space What is your ‘why’ i.e. bottom line, and how do you stay motivated? My biggest reason is Africa. I want to see it become a global giant, to see its people live in prosperity, and I believe a business that employs in the fashion space can help. I am motivated knowing that I can harness technology to create change for the world and ensure the sustainability of African culture What led to you starting your own business? I fell in love with the making of Asooke, when my grandmother introduced me to the space. In 1999, she had an idea to start making her own asooke with young people as her primary focus. I was introduced to her community of co-artisans, we went shopping, did accounting together and loved the smell of newly woven fabric. However, her business failed because she was unable to access a consistent market for her products, hence unable to mass produce. I observed that this was the case for other artisans within the space, whom in addition were growing old. When she passed away during the Covid-19 pandemic, I caught a vision of what world I could create with the skills she had thought me and with a knowledge of modern business and marketing. I decided to revive and start an African fabric company that makes use of technology and digital tools to promote local fabrics Today, we have served more than 150 customers in more than four (4) continents of the world. What is your favourite aspect of being an entrepreneur? I love making the money…but then I love the “Thank you’s” and feedback I receive from customers and also our artisans. We have worked with more than 80 artisans in the last 2 years. I also love the marketing process of my business, and the co-creation with customers. I also love to create strategy and content for business Introduce your company the way you would to a potential customer? A potential customer in this case will be an About-to-be-wedded couple. Hello I am Adedamola from MEALAsooke, and I will make you feel so confident and special for your big day. I am sure you would want to know why. We understand that your wedding day is the celebration of your love journey together and the beginning of a happy ever after, and on this day you would want to have all your loved ones come celebrate you in style. We will make you look so sweet and special by co-creating and recommending the best designs that will paint a story of your journey together. 10 years from now, you’d look at your wedding photos and beam with pride! What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur? The skill of Leadership to lead the organisation to its goal The skill of Never-ending Personal Development The skill of Discipline to do what must be done to succeed What’s the best advice you have received in business that you wish to pass on to our community? The best advice is the one I received from my mentor during the HGCP program, to never give up and consistently refine my products for the final customer How do you handle or manage stresses of being an entrepreneur? I always try to invest in relationship and when I am stressed I find it relieving when I talk to my
HGCP 2022 Participants: Kosi creates content that amplifies businesses’ marketing effort
“Looking back now, I am extremely grateful for my orientation & past experiences because it has groomed me to be resilient, to always bet on myself, to do my best & leave the rest to God. “- Kosi Hey, Motherland Moguls!!! It is time for another HGCP feature!!! Today we have Kosi Ofodile of K21 Media, a boutique creative agency that takes an iterative approach to our media production to ensure that our videos amplify our clients’ voices and appeal to their respective target audiences. We had a chat with Kosi and we promise you mogul, there is so much to learn! Tell us a bit about your background – how did you get to this point? I was born and raised in Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria. The first out of 4 siblings, alongside my twin brother. Growing up, I had a beautiful childhood. Loved playing Sims, lots of dancing and spelling B competitions, was such a girly girl, but still lied in a timid girl next door. Thankfully, with the help of my mother who was/is constantly encouraging me to remember where I come from & with the help of my lesson teacher, Mr. Kehinde, the journey to confident Kosi began. Looking back now, I am extremely grateful for my orientation & past experiences because it has groomed me to be resilient, to always bet on myself, to do my best & leave the rest to God. This has been my mantra since I turned 16 & I have my mum to thank for this. Both my parents have entrepreneurial backgrounds and have been of great influence, so I’m not too surprised I took on this path. What was your dream job or career path when growing up? To be an accountant (even if my math was bad lol) Tell us a bit about your family and the relationship you have with them? (Mention the people you live with, family or kids) I am so generously blessed to have a close-knit relationship and family who truly support my passions and every move. I come from a family of 4, we are all so creative & individualistic in nature. My dad is fearless, no other words to describe him. He fears no one, absolutely no one! My mum is my first friend and there is absolutely nothing I cannot talk to her about. I believe I can weather any storm with her by my side literally. My twin brother is constantly thinking out of the box and is not easily impressed by a lot of things, which challenges me to always be innovative & forward-thinking. He is also introverted and has a very high level of self-awareness which is truly refreshing. My younger siblings (sister & brother) are like my babies, they make us laugh a lot and are equally as independent. They are a vibe! What you would to be remembered for? What impact would you want to make in this world? I want to be remembered for showing love to others and being a solution provider in creative and thrilling ways. I want to be remembered for empowering brands and people with story-telling and positioning them to shoot for the skies What is your ‘why’ i.e. bottom line, and how do you stay motivated? Knowing that I have an appointment to keep by God and that I must fulfill is all the motivation I need. Tell us more about your entrepreneurial journey. When I moved back to Nigeria in 2016, I started working at one of the top broadcasting agencies in Nigeria, which exposed me to production. In 2017, I got an opportunity to work with a client who wanted to start a YouTube channel to share her lifestyle experiences in video content. After this project, I soon realized that many SMEs and personal brands did not have the purchasing power to outsource video production to heavy hitter agencies and big media houses/production companies. I observed this pain point and birthed K21 in 2018 to fill this gap. The rest is history What is your favourite aspect of being an entrepreneur? No two days are the same and seeing the satisfaction first-hand on my client’s face once a problem has been solved Introduce your company the way you would to a potential customer? We are a boutique creative agency that take an iterative approach to our media production to ensure that our videos amplify our clients’ voices and appeal to their respective target audiences. We are very modern in the way that we project the product offerings of our clients, which is why we focus on brand storytelling (i.e., we don’t do videos for weddings, bridal showers, or event videos unless it has to do with the product of the brand or the service that the brand is offering). So that is how we’ve been able to set ourselves apart from the rest. For us, video storytelling is our way of positioning brands to shoot for the skies, and our core goal at K21 is to share brand stories in innovative and thrilling ways. What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur? Resilience, Grit & Discipline What’s the best advice you have received in business that you wish to pass on to our community? You have to know what sparks the light in you, so that you in your own way can illuminate the world. How do you handle or manage stresses of being an entrepreneur? Prayer & mini breaks across intervals during the day. What do you feel are your biggest achievements? At a point when Covid hit and things felt like they were going downhill, our resilience and ability to pivot our offerings and make even larger income than we did pre-covid is a defining moment for me. Amidst the hurdles and challenges faced, we pulled through! What key activities would you recommend entrepreneurs to invest their time in? Market research & Innovation- it
HGCP 2022 Participants: Pamela brings ethically farmed food produce to the market
We are so excited to introduce our motherland moguls to Pamela Orbih, a Petroleum Engineer, an entrepreneur, a mum, a wife, and a 2022 HGCP participant. It was so refreshing speaking to Pamela, her energy for life and her passion for her business Yummly by Nature were inspiring. Yummly Nature sells the best quality ethically-farmed food produce like Sweetcorn, Potatoes, and Bell Peppers, to be delivered directly to your doorstep within 24 hours of harvest. I am sure you are wondering just like we did before we had this interview with Pamela “Why would a Petroleum Engineer in Nigeria choose entrepreneurship over “oil money”? Please sit back and relax and get yourself a drink or a cup of coffee (depending on the time you are reading this) “I do what I do because of the burning passion I have to bridge the gap between the local farmers and the customers. The fulfillment is derived when I know my business is slowly building a healthy populace due to the ethically farmed food products we provide to our customers. I stay motivated by constantly reminding myself that I am making an impact in the life and general well-being of someone out there, by them just purchasing their food products from us.”- Pamela Orbih A bit about her background: Pamela was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria by very intentional parents. Her parents played a huge role in her life and Pamela describes them as intentional. “My love for Mathematics and problem solving influenced my decision to study Petroleum Engineering at the University. Upon graduation, I was opportune to work in a company where I slowly transitioned from Petroleum Engineering to HR Recruitment. Worked in HR for about 4 years” With your background, how did you end up founding a thriving business? “I have never been entrepreneurial. I had thought I’d be a 9 to 5er as I started corporate work quite early. The 2020 pandemic lockdown gave me an opportunity to become an entrepreneur. This ushered me into my new path in the Agribusiness industry where I founded my business, Yummly Nature. I’ll say my core values of honesty, transparency, and putting in the work, have helped me persevere in building my business from scratch to the level it has attained at this point.” Wow! The irony! 2020 was a dark time globally but it also birthed Yummly by Nature. So what would you want to be remembered for? “I want to be remembered for the woman who disrupted her industry and innovated various sustainable solutions in the Agribusiness industry. I want to be remembered as a woman who mentored and helped young ladies step out of their comfort zone and reach their full potential.” What’s the best advice you have received in business that you wish to pass on to our community? Run your business like a proper business. Know your numbers like the back of your hands and create standard operating procedures for activities within your business. What key activities would you recommend entrepreneurs invest their time in? Attending pitching events to boost their confidence in talking about their business, also, Networking with other entrepreneurs What has your experience been like as one of the finalists to the program? It’s been amazing. I love my buddy, Bolanle, and my Coach, Ifeoma. The facilitators have been super amazing. I’m loving it in our community By the end of the 12 weeks, what would you like to have learned from the trainers and coaches? I would love to have learned proper business structuring.
HGCP 2022 Participants: Esther is dedicated to nurturing young minds
“I will like to be remembered for the impact I made in the lives of children from underserved communities and how through the skills set they acquire from the Community Innovation Hub, they were able to rewrite their poverty story/history of their families” For Esther growing up in Akoko, Ondo State was no excuse to dream small instead it challenged her to push beyond her limitations and at the same time create opportunities for underprivileged children to excel. Read our inspiring interview with Esther Ajayi, co-founder of Community Innovation Hub, a Hub that equips children with 21st Century Skills. Who is Esther, where do you come from how did you get to this point? I was born in Akoko in the Northwest area of Ondo state, Nigeria. I grew up in Ondo State. I had no mentor(s) who believed in me or could point me in the right direction. When I moved to Lagos, I found out I was ignorant about so many things and had so much to learn. There was a lot of work to do personally and so I had to buckle down to build my capacity to catch up with some years I felt were wasted. This is the inspiration behind what I do. I set myself on a course to give children from underserved communities the privilege I never had by equipping them through the Community Innovation Hub. What advice or tips would you give your younger self? Thank you for this question, I am a mum of two now and sometimes I reflect on what advice I will give my children as they get older, so to my 15-year-old self, I will say this: “Hey little Esther, You can learn anything you set your mind to learn. Have a possibility and growth mindset. Find a mentor and find opportunities to volunteer because in volunteering you find who you truly are and those who you are called to help.” How do you stay motivated and inspired? I do not want other children to go through what I went through while growing up, that is my why, and I stay motivated by reading the success stories of those that have passed through my incubation So, tell us more about the Community Innovation Hub? The Community Innovation Hub solves the problem of educational gaps. With CIH, my team and I equip young people with 21st-century skills. Our unique selling point, aside from teaching the skills is that we provide children with mentorship and guidance on how to write scholarship applications and they also get registered for local and international competitions in the area of their skills. What’s been the most significant thing you’ve done to grow your business? The most significant thing I have done to grow my business is to tell my business story, rightly. What skills would you say are required in becoming a successful entrepreneur? Marketing- You must be able to sell your business anywhere and anytime. Emotional intelligence- to relate with people, your network is your net worth. Critical thinking skills- it is a jungle out there, especially for entrepreneurs in Nigeria and so you need critical thinking skills to solve unique problems that arise. What do you feel are your biggest achievements? My biggest achievement is seeing children from the Innovation Hub winning scholarships abroad and winning local competitions. What has your experience been like as one of the finalists to the program? The feeling is something I am still basking in. I am excited to be among the finalists and most importantly, the learnings in the program are going to help me take my business to another level. It really feels great to be part of the 2022 Cohort. What is your favourite quote or saying? “We did not come to fear the future. We came here to shape it” Barrack Obama
Managing Employees While Protecting Your Business
Running a business comes with a huge burden of managing people. After all, every business problem they say, is a people problem. The demands of a growing business are burdensome and health draining in some cases where the business owner acts as the finance manager, marketing manager, procurement manager, customer service representative, and so much more. Doing all these and hiring the wrong team members puts you at the risk of losing the business in its entirety. But, when done right, employee management can actually unlock an enormous amount of human potential. Below, we’ll look at some tips on how to set your business up for success. 1. Create functional systems (it’s not as difficult as it sounds). The temptation to micromanage employees can be strong, especially for entrepreneurs who are accustomed to having complete control over all aspects of their business. However, I recommend establishing a set of standards and expectations so that constant supervision is not required. When on boarding and training new employees, your priority should be to halt your input as soon as possible thereby ensuring proper training to help them succeed. That means having clear expectations and channels of communication with people who don’t necessarily need you to function is critical. Set up standard operating procedures for the entire business, beginning with the DOs and Don’ts that form your policy, the expected standard of production and service delivery for each department documented on paper, your mission, vision, and values, your target for the year, month, or quarter, your product description and in-depth value for knowledge selling, and a documented job description. (For example, tell your employees to write down what they do on a daily basis, review them, and add things you want them to do on a daily, monthly, or quarterly basis). The advantage of standard operating procedures is that they allow you to control your service standards, see your business in writing, and make adjustments as things change. 2. Be the type of leader you want to see in your employees Employees look to their leaders for guidance on how to think and act in the workplace. Try to model the behaviours you want to see in your employees and be consistent. Modelling consistency and integrity will earn the respect of your team and show them how they can earn your respect. Your responses to customers, vendors, and employees shape their behaviour, especially when things don’t go as planned. Reacting angrily or inconsistently to customers implies that employees can do the same. Your management approach must be consistent before it can be effective. Employees know when management fails to act consistently or fails to hold themselves to the same standards as their subordinates. Don’t forget, your employees reflect your personality and character. 3. Help your Employees grow The skills that your employees bring to you are merely generic and basic, not streamlined to your business. You owe them training, direction, feedback, and assistance. If they were the best, they just maybe somewhere better. Involving them in the big-picture goals of the company helps them feel like they can grow at your business, no matter how uneducated or inexperienced they are. Don’t be concerned about them leaving after you train; what matters is the quality of service they provide while they are with you. Learn to promote high-performing employees. Keep no one on the same level for too long. Help them see career advancement in your small business and don’t take them for granted. Don’t undervalue what your employees already know about your company and what they can contribute or even do after they leave. 4. Create a workplace culture. Forget the English, Let me explain… When it comes to employee management, developing a strong workplace culture is your best bet for attracting top-quality applicants, retaining great employees, and increasing productivity. It starts with implementing your core values and ensuring compliance. Don’t just pick an employee of the month based on the amount of gossip given to you, or how they are protecting the wrongs of the business. When you present awards, tell all of the employees exactly what the employee did and how it relates to the milestones you want your company to achieve. Make it a habit, and other employees will see how they, too, can make meaningful contributions. Hiding performance metrics because you believe they aren’t paying attention is risky for your business. If there are milestones, let them know, if It’s a difficult time, let them know. Don’t just say it verbally show them evidence. You’re likely to have more committed employees this way. There’s a lot of things you can do: Reimburse people when they spend their money, provide them with tools and resources needed for the job. Buy lunch when you can and sponsor office hours’ activities. These show employees that you don’t just care about the work they do but that you value them. 5. Know the business you’re in charge of Only expertise can win authority. I’ve seen business owners cry because a certain employee took their trade secrets and customers with them. You must understand the business you manage. Be the best hairstylist or nail technician in your store while you have others. This will allow you to review what other stylists have done and retain your customers regardless of what the rest knows. Don’t limit yourself; learn everything, or at least a portion of what you manage, and your employees wouldn’t take you for granted. 6. Protect your business Have you been a victim of your employee leaving with your trade secrets, database, confidentiality information and more? Either converting them for personal use or giving to a competitor? This is a regular situation with small businesses of course MSMEs are not left out but its prevalent with smaller businesses. What can you do? Decentralise your business. Never have one employee take charge of production, operations, finance and customer relations etc. I know you have a slim budget, but you’re safer in the long
HGCP 2022 Participants: Oluwafunmilola gives us the lowdown on growing a business
Our weekly “High Growth Coaching Program Participants” Feature is our way of introducing our amazing SLA audience to the personalities behind this year’s cohort of the High Growth Coaching program, bringing to the forefront what they are doing and helping others who want to follow in their footsteps. We are shining our spotlight on Oluwafunmilola Afolabi, co-founder of Yetar Virtual. We sat down with her and she was gracious enough to share her journey, from how her love for numbers has influenced most of her major life decisions and how she manages to raise her family and grow a business. “While working as an intern at a bank, I saw women/mothers complain about trying to keep the home front and work balanced. I could feel the pain in their voices, hence on completion of my internship, the auditor asked if I would like to come work in the bank in the future and I said “This is not the place for me.” Oluwafunmilola knew she wanted to be present in the lives of her children and working within the four walls of a bank was not going to help her achieve this. In order to still keep up with her standard of living after her resignation, she began to sew baby dresses. However, this business venture was short-lived as playing with and interpreting numbers beats all, hence Yetar Virtual CFOs Limited. Oluwafunmilola is happily married with 4 biological children and 1 adopted daughter. She describes herself as a funky mother who invests in both her children’s formal and informal education. “The things of God are made a priority in my home and my lovely husband has made it a family culture. Some important value ingrained in my home includes Integrity, Humility, Excellence, and Honesty.” Tell us a bit about your background – how did you get to this point? “When I think about my journey so far, I am amazed at the full circle God has brought me especially entrepreneurially. As a first-born daughter, the expectation to be a role model to my 3 siblings made me step into leadership quickly. It influenced my approach to life. Additionally, my parents were intentional in supporting my inquisitive nature such that at age 11, I started my first business selling ice cream to our neighbors. I was born in Lagos, Nigeria, and have lived here all my life. Interestingly, I wanted to be an accountant like my father, but I was admitted to study Finance at the University of Lagos. That didn’t deter me as I am an energetic, passionate and self-motivated person. I enrolled with the Institute of Chartered Accountants (ICAN) and qualified as a certified accountant in 2010, the same year I graduated from the university with a 4.16 CGPA. This launched my accounting career, and I have worked both in Accounting Practices and the Industry since 2010. It was no surprise that in 2020 when a friend reached out to me asking for support on another of her friend’s start-ups that I excitedly offered to help. He needed help framing his pricing and profit model such that his business was tax efficient. Together, we consulted for him. That experience gave us the idea that there are a lot of businesses starting up that are not aware of the accounting and tax implications of owning a business. My friend and I decided that we could serve such enterprises and grow with them on their entrepreneurial journey by providing support in this area at a fraction of the cost of having an in-house financial controller. That was the birth of Yetar!” Introduce your company the way you would to a potential customer? What do you know about Chief Financial Officers? Most start-ups and women-owned businesses do not have financial control as a dedicated role in their enterprises. Traditional Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) play a crucial role in managing a company’s financial health which encompasses financial planning, financial reporting, record keeping and compliance, and management of financial risks. Most companies only hire a CFO when they reach a certain size. However, our company’s founding belief is that the role of a CFO is not limited to large organizations. Small businesses can benefit tremendously from having a CFO. This is where Yetar comes in. At Yetar Virtual CFOs, you can hire a virtual (part-time, online) CFO at a fraction of the cost of a traditional CFO. We measure, analyze, and evaluate the financial performance of our clients, essentially to identify trends in the company’s business model with the primary purpose to provide recommendations on processes to optimize performance and profitability. Our flexibility helps us apply a client-specific as well as an industry-specific approach to each client, optimizing the efficiency of their accounting, finances, and tax obligations according to the nature of their business. Her love for numbers and her passion for interpreting numbers in simple terms for business owners and leaders at large keeps her motivated in this entrepreneurial journey. The most exciting thing about being an entrepreneur to her is having the opportunity to take an idea and inspire other people around me to contribute to that idea. What’s been the most significant thing you’ve done to grow your business? I have invested in more training to the extent of interning at an audit firm even though I had advanced in the industry. I knew humbling myself would help me learn from the grass root. What entrepreneurial tricks have you discovered to keep you focused and productive in your day-to-day busy schedule? Talking to my business mentor. Reconsider my priorities. Save time with better tools and software. What key activities would you recommend entrepreneurs to invest their time in? Find a Mentor! On her journey so far in the High Growth Coaching Program “It’s been educative, sometimes stressful however the end results encourage me to do more. By the end of the 12 weeks, what would you
HGCP 2022 Participants: Abigail is promoting happy periods through technology
From a slum-like community in Bariga, Somolu in Lagos, to running her own business that provides healthcare solutions to women. Abigail Ogunyemi is the founder of Mellopads, and also part of the 2022 SLA’s High Growth Coaching Program. “Trust yourself more, because only you can change your life. No one else will do it for you.” – Abigail Ogunyemi She is committed and dedicated to the advancements of the lives of women. When Abigail had her first period at 13, she had no one to guide her through the new body changes. Little did she know then that she was going to be a changemaker in so many women’s lives. We were privileged to have a conversation with her, and this is what she had to say. What do you enjoy most about running your own business? It is having the opportunity to take an idea and inspire other people around me to contribute to making it better and put it into action. How would you describe your company Mellopads? The Mellopads is a life-changing company that is committed toward bettering women’s healthcare through our various range of easy-to-use products and services. How did the idea to start your business come about? I suffered excruciating menstrual pain to a point that schooling for a full month was a challenge sometimes. At that time, I knew something was wrong, so I decided to solve one of my most difficult health challenges of menstrual pain. I would have continued to pursue a law degree in a Nigerian university, but I got an opportunity to study at the African Leadership University in Kigali, Rwanda. And that was my AHA! moment – when I knew I could really be anything outside conventional and in learned that entrepreneurship was a state of mind. I kept pursuing opportunities in the field of women’s healthcare until I was able to garner enough knowledge to propose a solution to alleviating menstrual pain, the Mello heat pads. It is still in the pursuit of better women’s healthcare that I got through the High Growth Coaching Program of the SLA to secure my business growth. What do you feel are your biggest achievements in your entrepreneurial journey? Raising grants for the business and being in the HGCP program. Share how your experience has been as one of the HGCP 2022 finalists? It has been 200% rewarding. It has been more than I was expecting but durrr, it is very common to see SLA exceed your expectations. I have a wonderfully blunt and knowledgeable mentor (my kinda person) and my fellow cohort members are sweet! What would you like to have learned from the trainers and coaches by the end of the program? Team management, how to raise funds and SLAYYYYYYYYYYYYYY:))))) What are your top 3 traits of a successful entrepreneur? Open-mindedness, resilience and honesty What’s the best advice you have received in business that you wish to pass on to our community? Your business failure does not mean you’re a failure, you need to have a life outside of your start-up. Enjoy the process. What key activities would you recommend entrepreneurs to invest their time in? Eating healthy, prioritizing their health, reading business books, attending networking events and keeping a journal of their entrepreneurial journey. For more information about Abigail please visit: Abigail Ogunyemi LinkedIn profile Interested in contributing for She Leads Africa? Click here.
HGCP 2022 Participants: Bolanle is tailoring African Fashion with love and pride
Sometimes the most extraordinary things are birthed from tragedy. On this edition we feature a doctor who is taking the love and pride of Africa fashion to the world. After Bolanle John Emaimo had a bike accident that fractured her left leg and caused her to be bedridden for 4 months, she used this tragic period in her life to immerse herself in art. She began by doing scribblings to crayons to watercolour pencils to digital paintings on Procreate. “The legacy I would want to leave in this world is that I am the girl who dreamed of it, worked towards it and became all that she wanted to be.” – Bolanle John Emaimo She then moved to making beautiful designs which she was then advised to place on T-Shirts and that’s how her fashion brand came to life. Bolanle is the founder of Africa Arise Clothing Line and one of the 20 female finalists’ part of the High Growth Coaching Program. We had a chat with her, and this is the story of her entrepreneurial journey with tips on how you can be a better businessperson. Give us a bit of background about yourself, where are you from and how you came to be the person you are today? Growing up in a Yoruba and Efik home, I remember that I avoided and despised anything traditional cloth that was made or bought for me. I preferred the English clothes because I felt they looked more stylish and creative. I was someone who always had an eye for fashion since I was young, but I didn’t just believe our African wears were stylish enough maybe due to the colour of fabric chosen then or the combination or the style it was designed into. My mindset went through a major reset and a good reformation when I went abroad. While abroad (Take Russia for example where there was Racism), being African and proud was more than a necessity, it became my identity. I identified with our culture more and valued our African textiles. The way I saw how our textiles stood out and told a great story of our identity as colourful, joyful people and also seeing European people take pride in our African clothing made me value it more. What is your favourite aspect about being a fashion entrepreneur? Being able to create that which I have been ruminating on my mind, representing Africa using our African textiles and changing the narrative about African Fashion. Tell us more about your business? Africa Arise Clothing Line is a Pan-African Fashion clothing line with the aim to deliver the most artistic, creative and Afrocentric fashion pieces that will make you strut into any room with Confidence as you take pride in our African clothing. What’s been the most crucial thing you’ve done to grow your business? Opened myself to challenges, stepped out of my comfort zone and became part of this year’s HGCP training program. What has your experience been like as one of the finalists to the program? It’s been awesome – I live my life daily with a focused purpose. It’s been an intentional moment of growth for me personally and for my business. By the end of the 12 weeks with HGCP, what would you like to have learned from the trainers and coaches? How to delegate tasks and how to inspire other people. How do you stay focused and productive every day? I always put the end result before my eyes. Whenever I lose focus or want to give up, I remember the end goal which I am driving at and keep pushing What’s the best advice you have received in business that you wish to pass on to our community? Stop procrastinating and just start right now. What are some of the things you think new entrepreneurs should invest in to grow their businesses? It’s important to learn new skills. Be willing to always develop, read books about business and marketing. Put yourself out there and network with other entrepreneurs – online and offline. What is that one thing you would like to be remembered for and what is the legacy you want to leave behind? I would like to be remembered as an African woman who represented Africa both locally and globally. One who influenced many other Africans to love Africa and take pride in being African. I would love to use Fashion as a means to achieve that. The legacy I would want to leave in this world is that I am the girl who dreamed of it, worked towards it and became all that she wanted to be.