You need workplace inspections
Last week, Ada noticed the office photocopier wasn’t working rightly. She thought it was negligible but didn’t say anything to anyone. The office has never had a workplace inspection plan. Yesterday, when Kate started to use the machine, she got electrocuted. Thankfully, Biola saw her and immediately switched off the equipment. Kate did not die. However, she sustained injuries. Now, that was very close! Who wants to waste business funds on scenarios that could have been avoided? These things happen! A lot of potential hazards can be stopped from growing into accidents through workplace inspections. Most times, we take happenings in the workplace for granted. Other times, we create tasks for ourselves and employees wrongly. Regular inspections can expose existing and potential danger. Hazards like a sharp nail, a blown fuse, faulty equipment, poor workstation design, uneven floors have a high potential to cause injuries and illnesses. Someone might be thinking “This is not for me”. Hold that thought. Are some more prone to injuries than others? Anyone can get injured on any type of job. People faint, fires start, people trip and fall, machines malfunction in various businesses. To really get things right, you would need a Safety Professional to help you with safety inspections. However, on your own you can begin to assess the work process (Are there repetitive tasks? Is the task properly designed? Do staff have sufficient break time?), the environment (What is the noise level? Is the workplace too hot or too cold?), the equipment (Does it malfunction? Is it appropriate for the particular task?). Workplace inspections could be done daily, weekly or monthly depending on the scale and nature of business. Workplace inspections are important to start-ups because they help you: Identify existing and potential hazards (danger) Recommend corrective actions Interact with employees and know their concerns as they perform their daily tasks Monitor existing corrective actions So, what have you observed at work that could lead to harm? Do something about it!
Gabby Malope: I have a life toolbox for every challenge
From regaining the ability to walk after an accident left her in a wheelchair to training subsistence farmers in agriculture, Gabby Malope has a lot of life and business experience under her belt. When she spoke with SLA contributor Makalela, Gabby spared no details on how she found her way to becoming a facilitator, her foray into counselling and how she believes she’s walking the footsteps of her role model. Tell us about yourself. I am very bubbly by nature, I love traveling a lot and meeting new people. As a child, I never got opportunities to express myself so growing up, I couldn’t wait to experience life’s challenges and battles. I was always protected by my twin brother. His passing away left me broken and very sensitive. In 2007, we were both involved in a car accident that took his life and left me disabled. My life took a downturn due to the accident. I was declared unfit to work or function in any corporate environment. People always told me I should stay in faith and that I will be all right. I never took them serious until in 2010 when a huge miracle happened. One night, I was sleeping and woke up to go to the bathroom. When I stepped out of bed, I fell to the ground. I was so happy, I screamed with joy because I could walk again. I shouted so loud, neighbours came running in thinking something terrible happened. That was the day I found my favour with God. Since then, I live my life like tomorrow will never come, each day is a gift for me. How did you get into being a facilitator and what has been your experience running a business? In 2006, I was working for an NGO called Siyaphila Youth Support Services. It was led by young people under the leadership of Mrs. Nondumiso Phaahla. The main focus was dealing with HIV and poverty alleviation projects. My strength was with peer education, I just loved talking to my peers because I knew the peer pressure we were facing at that time. Even after the accident, I still went to work while on a wheelchair. That was until 2012 when I was invited to come do some motivational speaking in one of the City of Tshwane Events. Someone after speaking asked me if I had ever thought of being a facilitator because he saw that in me. One day, I decided to register a company that will help me be eligible to offer my facilitation skills. Then I realized that I needed to get trained to be a better facilitator so I shopped around for companies that offer that. I found one, then I enrolled. Shortly after finishing the training, a lady called me to ask if I could speak isiZulu. She was looking for people who can train 500 people in KwaZuluNatal in isiZulu languages. The phone call changed my life for good. Ever since, I have been a training specialist in farming while managing the farm I produce crops from. As for my experience, I had to get equipped to be able to deliver quality work. So I took agriculture courses to be prepared for any challenges. I currently run a training academy of agriculture in Vastfontein in pyramid Hammanskraal. I always have to be on top of the production because if you take your eyes off, you lose a lot. The farm has to produce more and more every year and the training centre has to grow every year. So far, the journey has been quite exciting. Why did you decide to go into counselling ? It was after the ordeals that I went through. When people hear my testimony, they often ask me how I managed to pull through. Mostly, these people were ladies who were troubled by their daughters who were in my age group. They needed answers and I would always counsel them before going to my peers. That grew even more when I joined the Hatfield Christian church to study at the Life Training School (LTS). A few of the courses that I did helped me to grow in the field of couselling. This was combined with the training I got from the Foundation for Professional Development (FPD) and the Department of Health. How do you determine which products to grow on your farm? The market and consumer always guides us on what to produce more than anything. We produce cash crops because as a farm, we must produce what will be able to carry daily running costs of the farm. The farm workers also need to be able to earn a living. We produce big crops such as green peppers, cabbages, onions, chillies, beetroot and potatoes, which takes more time that spinach. The response to market makes it easy for us to farm a lot of produce. Other crops are seasonal and that makes it hard to produce them every season. We also donate some of our products to the care homes and orphanages. That’s more like our corporate social responsibility within our area. What is your greatest strength? I have a toolbox of my life for every challenge. I have a tool that fixes any specific challenge. Also, I grow from the challenges that I come across so I never run. When the beast is in my yard, I stand and carry my cross. Who would you say is your role model? My uncle Mula Peter Malope. He worked for few years then, he took his savings and bought a combie. Ever since, he has been running his business. He has even opened a shop. He never worked but made his dreams come true. To this day, he is still running the taxi business. Most of us in the family no longer have mothers and fathers. Our parents were never there so he had to care for our livelihood. My uncle stood by his words when he said we will never be
4 African beauty bloggers bringing something extra
Before I put fingers to keyboard for this article, I wasn’t sure how I was going to go about this beauty police work. I’m not a total novice to all things beauty but let’s just say I’ll rather watch Crime and Investigation than Style Network. Thanks to man’s new best friend, I was able to get the word for who is hot and who is not in the beauty blogging atmosphere. Some names rang a bell, a few I follow on social media but they were a lot of others I never heard of. After feeding off cyber world, I narrowed down four beauty bloggers I felt had something extra to bring to the table. Ezine Alfa (Nigerian) There is a reason this name came up in most articles and I totally agree with those writers. Anyone who is ready to show me how to do flawless make up, give me details on where to buy them and even the price in my local currency definitely will get me hooked! I put her on my list because she absolutely got the 411 on everything beauty in Lagos, which by the way is the name of her blog. Clare Oparo (Ugandan) What strikes me about Clare is her attention to the details other beauty bloggers don’t usually focus on. The Wolf & Moroko blogger talks about make up ingredients and how it affects different skin tones and textures. I think this is so important because my skin reacts to some make-up brands and i don’t know why this happens. I’m so excited I discovered this beauty with the brains; I can now get useful tips on brands to avoid for my type of skin. What does it profit a girl to wear all this nice makeup, only to get acne or some kind of awful skin reaction the following morning? Simone Stephens (South African) I am a sucker for inspirational women. So, it’s no surprise that this South African lady is on my list. Even as she hands out beauty tips, she motivates and inspires the average woman, lady or girl to boost her confidence and self-image. I also like that she samples very affordable products, so if you don’t want to break the bank just to look good, she’s the blogger for you. Go check her out on Canvas Fashions by Simone Jennie Jenkins (Nigerian) I’m going to be straight with you guys, Jennie is on my list because she is Jennie! Yea I said it! I really like Jennie Jenkins; what intrigues me most about her is the way she transforms into different looks with her hair and makeup. I am subscribed to her YouTube channel and have been stalking following her on IG, Snapchat and Facebook. Watch her YouTube channel beautybyJJ for dashing makeup looks. So there you have it… my own version of African beauty bloggers who are killing the game, completely based on my sentiments and bias ☺
Ellen Vannessa Chironga: Look past the fact that you don’t have enough money
Thirty-year-old Ellen Vannessa Chironga, already has an interesting trail of business ventures. One would think with her own designer handbags (LGS bags), lingerie (Peep Collection) and a day-care center for children (Aayah’s Play Centre in Waterfalls, a suburb of Harare), Chironga has her hands full. But, the young Zimbabwean entrepreneur is also the beautiful brains behind the natural skincare product NaturElle, specifically made for people who suffer from acne. Vannessa, who refers to herself as a skin specialist, is daughter to the prominent business man, Phillip Chiyangwa. Contrary to popular belief, things were not handed to her on a silver platter and her business was not a hand me down from her father. We caught up with Vannessa in Harare to hear about NaturElle. Tell me about NaturElle NaturElle is a skincare product made from natural ingredients, which I started from my kitchen after my battle with acne. It is one of the few products that I have used which has shown results in a short time. Not only does it target acne, it targets other skin conditions like eczema and over time evens out the skin tone. I started making the product at the end of November (2015) and because it was Christmas time, we packaged it as a soap ball in wrapping paper. I started advertising my product and found out that people received it very well and so I officially started distributing in 2016. My target market is mainly teenagers, but I have other clients in their late 20’s and mid to late 30’s who also suffer from adult acne. To date, I can say I have seen 90% positive results from my clients and only 10% were not satisfied, or they were not patient enough to wait for their results. It’s heart-breaking when you have someone tell you that your product is not working. Currently, NaturElle has at least one distributor in the cities and towns of Bulawayo, Kwekwe, Gweru. Harare, the capital city, has two including myself. We have other distributors in South Africa and the UK. NaturElle is the best way to make money on the side as a distributor. What inspired you to start NaturElle? I was going through an acne phase and had resorted to using natural-based products on my face, mixing up things in my kitchen and trying to make something that worked for me. So I bumped into a locally produced ingredient (my secret ingredient) which worked really great on my skin but was too harsh. I decided to create a milder version of it by adding a little bit of aloe vera, honey, and cocoa to the special ingredient and that’s how NaturElle was born. I tried the mixture for two months and I saw a great improvement in my skins texture and appearance. It’s important to understand that we all have different skin types and results differ from one person to the other. Why did you decide to set up in Zimbabwe? I came back from the UK three years ago. I thought about the next best thing and how I can maximise on the environment I was in. So after my wedding, and having quit my job, I decided to go for it. I have always dreamt of working for myself and being successful. Working for my dad was a pivotal foundation for me. I learnt a lot from him about business and life in general. We all can’t run away from Zimbabwe, someone has to stay and make things right. I would consider leaving only for the kids, and because I want the best for them. But if and when things get better, I will definitely be the pioneer of whatever it is that is to come. What is your business day like? Well, we all know that in Zimbabwe you cannot afford to sleep, you always have to think of ways of being innovative. I am always thinking of new ways of being creative. On a typical day, I look at trends, social media and ways of diversifying my product. Especially since I also recently launched the day moisturiser. I introduced this product after noticing that a lot of my clients always asked me what they could apply after using the face wash. Is there anything in your educational background that helps you in managing your business? Definitely. I did a double Major in Drama Theory and Business Management at Bath Spa University and a Masters in Marketing and Advertising at Coventry University both in the UK. These have helped me greatly in doing my business. I believe in quality and producing something fresh. One area that we lack in Zimbabwe is advertising. It’s still very expensive, because not many people do it. One can get a ridiculous price such as $25 per second for adverts in the broadcast media. How do you keep Vannessa grounded? I have an outspoken personality and a drive like my dad, so I need my family to keep me in check. Mostly, my husband reigns me in and he is super humble. Most of all, I remember that God is my source and strength. I realise that without Him, I am nothing and would never have come up with these ideas on my own. What are the challenges of running your own company at such a young age in Zimbabwe? It’s been a long journey and a lot of hard work. People assume that the journey was easy for me because my father is Philip Chiyangwa. But not at all. As soon as I started my own family, I became a woman and had to hustle my way through. There was no backing of finances for me to start the business, I just had to think outside the box. What lessons or advice would you give to other young women wanting to start their business in a difficult economic context like Zimbabwe? Look past the fact that you do not have enough money. Not having starting capital always demotivates people and makes them
Unusual business ideas: Sell your friendship
Friendship isn’t easy. We’ve all been in situations where we needed someone by our side but found ourselves alone. Maybe you want to start gyming but all your friends are too busy to join you. Maybe you’re like me and travel solo but are too paranoid to venture out on your own at night. Who says money can’t buy friendship? Three smart Singaporeans have started a company, Pally Asia which provides friends for hire. Through Pally Asia, people can rent “fake” groomsmen, bridesmaids and sports buddies. Customers can also rent friends, or pallies as the company calls them, to take them for a night out in town and even to meet their parents. Different types of pallies come with different prices from $15 for a 15-minute phone call to $1,000 for 12 hours (and a speech) with a groomsman or bridesmaid. Japan is thought to have been the first to start companies offering this kind of service. Now, such companies are found in countries across Asia and in the U.S. I need them to come to Africa. What’s more, with the help of my friends, I’ve thought of ways a friend-for-hire service could work for us. Shopping for you Imagine you can conveniently hire out friends to go to the market for you. A busy career woman still needs to eat and if you’re keen on local dishes most of the ingredients and spices you need to cook can only be found in the open air market. Through this imaginary company, you can hire a friend who you can trust will get things at the market for you at the real price (the friend has to know how to bargain very well). Moving on, there are some women who don’t trust their sense of fashion, but also don’t have the time/money to get a personal stylist. In this case, why not hire a friend to go shopping with you? She will be the fashionista with a keen eye for things that suit your looks and figure. Dodging marriage Some of us are at that age where uncles and aunties remind us that we’re “ripe” for marriage. This doesn’t mean all of us are ready to walk down the aisle. As an African girl, you don’t want to hire a friend to go on dates with you or pretend to be your boyfriend in front of your family. First of all, we haven’t reached that level. Secondly, that can easily veer into a sugar mommy situation and nobody has time for time. But, what about getting a friend who you hang out with once every four months or so for lunch? This is the friend that can be used as diversion when your parents come calling about marriage. “Ah, but mum, Joe and I are just friends jo, if it happens, it happens.” When Joe is a constant, the marriage-mongers will ease off. This way, hiring out a fair-weather guy friend can be useful. Organise my life Sometimes, you just need someone to organise your domestic stuff. It can be finding help to wash clothes, if you don’t have the space or can’t afford a washing machine. Or it can be getting someone to clean your house if you’re too busy or just hate cleaning. I’ve heard friends and family attest to the difficulty of finding great people to help organise their household. This African friendship company will be the go-to for such services. The company will also have a guy. Everyone has a guy and everyone needs a guy. My car broke down, there’s a guy. My DStv isn’t working, there’s a guy. My sink broke, there’s a guy. I need to navigate the complicated bureaucracy of the system, there’s a guy. A lot of people find themselves stranded when they need help and then have to make several calls to get things done. Imagine if you only had to make one call? An African friend-for-hire company should be that guy that has guys. Information is key Living in any city in Nigeria (and I’m tempted to say in Africa) as a girl is a constant trade of information. You’re only as good as your personal network. “I want to do braids, where do I go?” “I need a natural hair place, which one is the best?” The African friendship company will have at least one reliable person for each issue. It will combine several networks into a master-one. Whether you need a Mr. Solomon that will be the one calling you to hurry you up for work, even though you’re the one paying for the taxi ride. Or letting you know about the lady who is the best loctician in town and only uses honey and shea butter to loc hair. Take me out! This one needs no explanation. I want to know the best place to eat out, new places to eat out and shops that sell great stuff at bargain prices but I don’t know where to start. I’m in the mood for some buka food and want to go to the best buka in my area. I heard there is a new club opening in town but don’t have anyone to go with. A close friend was recently in India and hired a friend to take her to hidden food spots in Delhi. I personally want a food tour of Accra, Nairobi, Luanda, Addis Ababa… This friendship company will not only have the answers to all these questions ready, they will also provide a friend to take you there and make sure you have a good time. Hiring a “friend” through a company is definitely more reliable that doing so through one person. Like Pally Asia, our African friend-for-hire company may want to screen the people whose services are hired out. It’s also necessary to have no-go areas like kissing, sexual services, taking photos of people hired, flights abroad, etc. Will selling friendship work for African? Is there already a friend-for-hire service thriving in an
Regina Opondo: The Kenyan civil society sector is very exciting
Regina Opondo wears so many hats in the Kenyan civil society sector. She is the Executive Secretary of CRECO, a consortium of 23 civil society organisations in Kenya, Co-Convener for the ‘Kura Yangu Sauti Yangu movement, a platform for political dialogue around Kenyan elections, a Deputy Convener for the Civil Society reference group in Kenya, among others. Regina believes that women work best together and dismisses the saying the women are their own worst enemies. She also says women tend to do very well in civil society as compared to other sectors. If you’ve ever considered starting a career in civil society, this one has lots of gems for you. Why civil society and not a different sector? I always knew that I wanted to help people especially on human rights issues, and for me the civil society was the only way. The civil society sector is also very exciting. There is always something new every day, and there is a feeling of family as we all work together towards specific good. Do you think are the barriers to women’s progress in the sector? I would say there is minimal barrier as women with technical expertise in the sector tend do very well as compared to other sectors like the government and the cooperates. To some extent though, there is the social barrier. I think it is sometimes quite a challenge balancing between work, family and the civil society work. The sector is quite demanding as it requires more hours at work, traveling now and then, active activism and advocacy. Most women with families in the sector have had to tone down after on active participation in their work and are not as active as they were before. They are forced to take less work and take care of other social responsibilities. Does being a woman-led organization give leverage in winning donor funds? I would say yes and no. Yes, because it makes it easier when one is dealing with women-led donor organisations. I have always believed that fundraising is about building relationships and how you relate. You see for women, there are so many things to share. We talk about challenges and how to handle them and freely give advice when needed. Hence, it is easier to pitch agendas and ideas to women for funding. With men on the other hand, it is hard to build relations as relating with some can be quite a challenge. No, because the playing field is the same and the quality of work is what matters. What are your views on the relationship between civil society organisations and the government? There is a general feeling of mistrust and open hostility that manifests itself differently in many African countries, and in Kenya to be specific. The current government has not allowed the civil society organisations (CSOs) to operate freely and there is the new bill in parliament to amend the Public Benefit Organisations Act. The PBO Act aims at protecting freedom of association and allows civil society organisations doing public benefit work to operate under one single Act. The Kenyan government though, has refused to put a commencement date on it. Has your ethnicity ever affected your advocacy work? To some extent it has, as others always believe that since one comes from a specific ethnic community, they are automatically inclined to a specific political party. Hence, they do not tend to be keen on important issues raised but judge your actions, as genuine as they are. What do you do in your free time I love art and craft, watching movies, reading fiction and swimming. I have to try keep fit you know 😉 Any advice to upcoming women leaders? I would say, look for good mentors to serve different purposes in life whether career, spiritual, family and even technical. After you succeed, remember to give back that which has been given to you. Want to see women you know featured on SLA? Tell us what amazing things women are doing in your communities here.
Sherifah Tumusiime: I love betting on women
Sometimes, the best reason to start a store is because you’re a shopaholic. At least that’s what Sherifah Tumusiime says. Computer scientist turned entrepreneur, Sherifah’s Baby Store UG is the first specialty retail e-commerce website for baby products and apparel in Uganda. In addition to this hustle, Sherifah is also the CEO of Zimba Group, an AdTech company that provides technical and software solutions for SMEs. When SLA caught up with Sherifah, we learned what skills multi-taskers need to thrive and what retirement looks like for the Motherland Mogul. How did you find your way into entrepreneurship? I’ve always had an affinity for entrepreneurship I think. My first ever venture was selling breakfast waffles to people in my mum’s office. I was 16 at the time. I’d asked her for an increase in my allowance and she challenged me to think of a way to use whatever I had at my disposal in the house to make money. We had an idle waffle maker so I got cooking and she got selling. Tell us more about Baby Store UG. Why start a store selling baby products and apparel? I started the Baby Store in 2012, I have always wanted to have a store —I am a shopaholic. I love shopping. Having a baby informed the decision to make it a baby store. I started out selling on Facebook and delivering out of the boot of my car in 2012, but that got hectic. I was overwhelmed by orders, so I set up a physical store in a mall in the middle of town. I was still fully employed as well. Then the overhead costs of the physical location got too high, I was hardly available, and the shop wasn’t really making money. I closed it and moved everything to storage but orders still came in, so I went back to delivering. Then I had the brilliant idea to move from Facebook to a space I could control, my own website. Why do you think the shop wasn’t making money even as orders still came in? It was a problem of mismanagement. I didn’t have enough time to do things like stock taking and inventory sourcing since I was still working full time. How do you manage running all your hustles? Honestly, extreme multitasking. I am always doing many things at a go. It also helps that most of them are aligned in a way and that I am extremely passionate about them. I believe that if you have the will, there is always a way. What three skills does a woman need to be an extreme multitasker? Time management and punctuality. That is really key. If you are not in charge of your time then everything will fall apart easily. Discipline, ensure that you complete a task when you set out to do it. Attitude, which is not a skill per say but one needs to maintain a positive disposition always. Otherwise, it’s easy to get bogged down by everything that will come your way. What cheers you up during the days when you’re down? That’s a no-brainer. My daughter. As Zimba Women provides business capacity for women entrepreneurs, what have you found women entrepreneurs get wrong when it comes to technology? It is not what women get wrong but rather a lack of awareness. Most women just simply do not know how technology can be used to better their businesses and I’m not talking about complex things. For example, just using excel for your book keeping. There are even templates for all sorts of businesses but few people know this and this is an issue that cuts across both sexes but more so for women. There is also a fear of tech. We are afraid of what we do not understand so most women who don’t understand technology are inherently afraid of it. I think because tech is still a mystery to most. There’s a lot of work to be done demystifying technology and it’s workings to women. When do you see yourself retiring? I don’t think I can “retire” or at least, not in the way most people do it. There’s still so much work to be done. Especially uplifting the women on this continent. I see myself still working with women entrepreneurs. At the end of it all, I’ll probably end up as a Venture Capitalist, investing in women-owned businesses. I love betting on women. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Solving the equation: Work + Life + Family = ?
I have three children ages 4, 6 and 12. I also run three businesses, my legal practice NKS Advocates, Law Query Kenya, an online legal resource portal with an android app and an entrepreneur empowerment company plus online directory with Mpower Limited. Then, I also have a social life. As you can imagine, it is hectic. What surprised me a lot is that the hardest task is attending to my family. The needs of the family are financially, emotionally and time consuming. My family need to be listened to, acknowledged, praised, and identified as individuals. This, I assure you, is quite time consuming. Yet, it is extremely rewarding when the family member feels happy and loved. The number of hugs and kisses I need to dish out per day keep on increasing. I don’t complain because, I brought my children to this world and I must take care of them. They are a priority! Still, the greatest resource they consume is time! The effect of being a mother is that, now, my hours are spent more on the children. My businesses are really affected by this. When it comes to this balance, a woman needs to decide what is important. To me, my family and business are important. And yes, I have friends and social obligations that are important too. So, how can I possibly manage? Focus on important things first I struggle with this because I usually like to get everything done. So, nowadays, I need to balance my day according to importance and urgency. Important means tasks that leave more impact or need more personal input. Sometimes, ME time trumps everything! Make sure your to-do list not a wishlist! How you execute your operations or business may need to be revisited. Do you really need to have physical meeting with a client? This takes up a lot of time in travel and may disrupt (in a positive way) your day. Reducing physical meetings and focusing on deliverables can free up some time. Many companies now have self-help options to reduce physical contact while addressing routine issues. Technology has helped reduce disrupted time and create more time for actual quality work. This should be used optimally as it can also become a disruption in itself or distance you from your customer. Get help Without relinquishing responsibility, consider getting someone else to help you get things done. The domestic help can ensure homework is done so you only need to check it and sign the diary (clearly you cannot delegate this). I rely on school transport and lunches for my children. It saves me two to three hours a day. For my businesses too, I get good help. It costs a lot but the peace of mind is worth it. Of course, I still take meetings but after putting my schedule on my phone calendar, I’m rarely double-booked. Also, I make sure my meeting locations are as near each other as possible or in a logical sequence. One of my top peeves is rushing through traffic. What I have learnt with getting help is you can’t just instruct and wash your hands off it. There is need for supervision and direction. This requires periodic meetings and checking of all deliverables constantly. I manage this through emails and phone calls. I have all my office emails transferred to the email on my phone so that I don’t miss anything. One thing I don’t delegate is strategic planning, and money matters! Also, when there is a crisis you need to show up! Have good systems in place Having standard systems and templates helps to manage quality control and brand equity. The customer satisfaction should be the same whether you are serving directly or through your staff. The system should be linked to your phone or home computer so that you can check on things at any moment. I have installed an internet based management system in one business, and I’m still trying it out. Peer support Talk to people who are successful in your field and get enormous insight. In particular, I realize that they have managed the same challenges I have and succeeded. It is amazing how mentors are ready to answer questions and give practical and workable tips. I used to stumble in the dark until I got a mentor who put on the lights for me. Talk to peers (other entrepreneurs) who can share tips or information on opportunities and are more frequently available. Take thirty minutes out of your day and have coffee with your peers. You’ll always leave re-energized, not just from the coffee but from having learnt something new. Of course, I don’t mean idle chat sessions, that’s for your ME time! Capacity building Learning, networking and growing are key for any progress and success. You cannot know everything, there are new models and concepts coming out every day. Take some time to know current trends and news affecting your industry. Same applies to bringing up children, keep abreast with latest threats and trends. When you have knowledge of what you are doing, it becomes easy and you can teach someone else. An entrepreneur must have knowledge on key aspects of the business human resource, operations, procurement, customer care, marketing, finance and strategic planning. Don’t have time to attend conferences and seminars (this is highly recommended due to the diversity of participants)? No problem, the internet is your university. There are loads of excellent programs online. I personally love TED Talks, webinars, and online courses e.g. Alison, Coursera and EdEx. These are free resources that can build capacity and keep you abreast with latest trends. Me time Schedule ME time to re-energize and refresh. A tired mind is worse than a tired body. I refresh through service clubs, socializing, pampering/exercise, travelling, reading and quiet time. Schedule this and make sure it’s in your list of Things to Do! To have it all, the key thing is, “First things First, Important things First”. It doesn’t have to
Emma Maame Efua Tandoh: Our business only exists because of those we serve
The coolest startups are those that offer services particularly targeted to other startups. Emma Maame Efua Tandoh started Outspoken Edge in 2015 to offer digital marketing services for entrepreneurs looking to scale up their businesses. It gets even better, Outspoken Edge focuses on women-led businesses. Say yes to girl power! Since it’s inception, Emma has guided Outspoken Edge to new heights which she credits to what she learned at SheHive Accra earlier this year. Outspoken Edge has also been part of the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme. We learned about digital marketing in Ghana and what proud moments feel like when you’ve achieved a lot. What’s the digital marketing scene like in Ghana? How does Outspoken Edge fit in (or not)? The digital marketing scene has undergone a transformation in Ghana. Over the years, it’s seeing a lot of new players, including Outspoken Edge, which I founded in May 2015. What differentiates us from the others is our focus on startups and SMEs. We realized that a lot of our competitors were focused on providing services for big businesses and multi-nationals. There was an opportunity for us to make an impact because there are a growing number of burgeoning entrepreneurs who had great ideas and would need help scaling their business. As a entrepreneur myself, I had a first-hand experience of how hard it is to want to stay lean but also market and scale your business as quickly as possible. So, its always easy to understand the peculiar needs of the brands and businesses we manage. Why did you decide to focus on providing services for women-led businesses? Let’s face it, over the last year, we’re hearing a lot about women in agriculture, women in tech, women in business. Clearly, a lot more women have taken up the challenge and are ready to lead in their respective fields and charter their own courses through entrepreneurship. Over the last few years, economists and academics have trumpeted and continue to agree that women entrepreneurs are an under-tapped force that can rekindle economic expansion. So, the question is, why not women-led businesses? At Outspoken Edge, we simply saw a gap in the market and seized an opportunity to make impact. We (women) are the future of business, we’re the future of our respective economies. We believe if we can help one woman effectively scale their business online using digital tools, then that’s progress. If we can help more, that’s success. Why do you think you were chosen to be part of the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme? The 2016 cohort of the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme is made up of men and women from diverse backgrounds in Africa. These are entrepreneurs who are challenging the status-quo and with their exploits, products and services. They are leading a new generation of Africans who have the grit, tenacity and attitude to transform their continent. Outspoken Edge is no different from these businesses. What helps us stand tall is our passion and commitment to our work. Also, our resolve to leave a legacy and inspire others on the same journey to be great and make an impact in our communities and in the world. You mentioned that SheHive Accra helped grow your business. Tell us how SheHive Accra was really a turning point in my career, I must say. I had Outspoken Edge registered in May of 2015 but for several months, I was afraid to take the plunge into full-time entrepreneurship. I knew this was definitely what I wanted to dedicate my life to but there were questions and concerns, lots of them. In January, when I heard She Leads Africa was going to be in Accra, I quickly applied. Over a week, armed myself with so much practical and useful business development, financial and marketing knowledge. It was exhilarating. I met other women entrepreneurs from Ghana and other countries and we shared our experiences and challenges. One of my biggest takeaways was a session on marketing where we were taught how to put together a marketing research survey. We worked in groups and were asked to put our questions to the test by going out individually to speak to potential businesses and clients. This wasn’t just a great way to test the knowledge that had been imparted but also to reach out and speak to real people and with my survey questions. I was able to sign up a new client for Outspoken Edge after just 40 minutes of interviewing a shop manager in one of the malls in Accra. SheHive Accra was that jolt I need to get my business off the ground. The experience was one of my best this year and I’m most grateful for the new opportunities and partnerships. Having achieved quite a lot already, what would you say you’re most proud of when it comes to your work? Proud moments for me are when I get great feedback from clients. Our business only exists because of those we serve. So, it’s always great to receive great testimonials and feedback from the brands we work with. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Hajer Kammoun: I’ve always been engaged in multitasking
You know, sometimes you meet people that just make you want to sit down and reconsider your life’s objectives. Hajer Kammoun is one such person. She’s a medical student, a member of the International Association of Medical Students (Assiociamed), runs a school magazine, has participated in the SUSI program and is aiming at launching a social enterprise this year. It doesn’t stop there. Hajer also plays the lute and is an active member of the Junior Chamber International (JCI) with which she directs the ‘HopiClown’ project which brings clowns to hospitals to cheer up sick kids. Hajer is now trying to revolutionise the Tunisian educational system through her upcoming social enterprise. Read on to get the biggest dose of inspiration you’ll receive this week. Let’s start with the ‘Hopiclown’ project, how did you come to be the director it? I always wanted to be a member of a ‘Clowns in a Hospital’ group. Since I didn’t find one , I wanted to create my own team. I had in my mind a new approach which was to engage youth and give them an opportunity to all experience being clowns. This was to unlock their potential, challenge them, organize them as a team (for many of them, it was their first time preparing and presenting shows in public), show and present them in public and have fun. All while creating happiness and bringing hope and joy of living to patients in hospitals. I presented my idea and strategy to Junior Chamber International (JCI), a nonprofit organization of young active citizens age committed to creating impact in their communities. While some of the members approved the idea of organizing an event that targets children, the majority were against it. They thought the whole idea of us doing clown shows would be ridiculous and that it’d be better to hire professional clowns for this project. They thought it would be impossible for us to cheer up sick children because it requires experience. But, I wasn’t convinced! I was so driven by the dream of being with my clown family and drawing smiles on children’s faces that the only thing I had in mind was to find another strategy to do it. What did you do to overcome this challenge? First, I had to get permission and know more about any challenges we could facing. Then, I wrote a letter asking to the Chief of Pediatric Service. On our first round, I went with my sister, two JCI members and a friend to a hospital. We took with us some gifts and decoration bought from our own money. I also brought my lute with me. Even though we weren’t dressed as clowns, we talked to children and to their parents and made them laugh. I played my lute for them and we sang all together. This experience taught us a lot about working with sick children and their parents. We learnt things we would do again and things we’d have to avoid, the best gifts and the way we should give them… Most importantly, we saw the joy in the eyes of children and the happiness shared between parents as we performed. This proved me again how important my clowns in a hospital project would be. Still, I had to ensure that I, and anyone involved in my project, were able to deal with sick children and understand their psychology without making any unnecessary errors. To motivate and create my team, I organized an open event, a training called ‘HopiClown’ in collaboration with a pedopsychiatrist, Mrs Sarra Bousleh and a comedian actor and producer, Mr. Wissem Slimene. Did the training help with finally establishing ‘HopiClown’? People who assisted loved the first training , many of them got comfortable with the idea of being clowns or at least with being disguised as fairies, cats, etc. I was able to grow my team by many members. We then had another training with Mr. Slimene to show us how to put on a clown’s play. From that day on, we became a large team organizing full clown shows with theatre, music, dancing, storytelling, team games and more. The gift we get each time we put on a show, is the joy we see on the faces of children and their parents. We’ve one put on a show after the death of a baby and managed to change the atmosphere 180 degrees. I love how we create this huge impact while at the same time developing our skills and having a lot of fun too! I now have a large clown family who have put on great shows with their amazing skills. Moreover, they keep asking me each time we meet about the next event. People I’ve never met before have contacted me to ask for my help with putting up shows in carcinology service and the elderly home of Sousse. Why did you decide to start a magazine in your secondary school? There were three things that gave me this idea. First, wherever I am I want to leave my fingerprint. I want to make it so when I leave, I’ve made a change in the environment so it’s not the same as when I entered. So, I had it in my mind to leave something to my school. Second, one month before I started working on the magazine, a group of Belgians came to our school. I witnessed how different their perspectives of us compared to our reality as young Tunisian students. I thought that it’d have been much better to have something to show them. Like a product of our school that informs about us, our culture, our talents, our ways of living, our thoughts etc. Third is that we never had a school magazine before, so I thought it was high time we made one. This is how I got the idea to combine students’ skills to create a product that will last forever in our school, a magazine. We used the income