Ayisha Osori: Demystifying the Idea of African Women in Politics
[bctt tweet=”What is the view of politics amongst young women in Nigeria? Read this article by @OnukoguFavour ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] The right to vote as women was the main demand for the women’s movement in history. Fast forward to 2018, at the eve year of another fast-rising, monumental election in Nigeria, It seems women are less interested in politics, voting and running for office as compared to their male counterparts. It seems another year of time changing decisions will be made and women will not be part of the decision making. Regardless of what the government has done to break that re-occurring malady, women still occupy a mere 19% of every political office in Nigeria, sadly the same is to be said for almost all African countries. There are varied notions women have about politics in all. Politics is the most bizarre part of the public system. What do we know about politics except for the things we see on the news, and how many young African women are interested in politics enough to source out vital news in that field. It seems like the average African woman has given up on politics, she doesn’t believe in her public officers and she has completely washed her hands away from anything concerning politics, calling it brutal, aggressive and bad. So in general what is the view of politics amongst young women in Nigeria? Politics is not for women Politics is not for young women especially A woman cannot be a Public Leader, and a good wife and mother at the same time Politics is for greedy people who want to have a share of the National Cake Politicians cannot be trusted, once you become a politician you lose your trust. Stay away Even if we want to change things, we can never change things by voting or leading a Public office If you have ever had one or more of these myths in your head you’re not peculiar, so does millions of young women in the country. Ayisha Osori, is a writer, activist, lawyer and a fellow from the who ran for the office of the House of Representative in 2014. In her book _ Love does not win elections, she completely destroys all we think about Politics and tells all, beyond emotions what politics in the state of Nigeria really means. Her book is an eye-opener as it details her journey by becoming a member of a politic party, running for an office, experiencing the challenges of Godfatherism, and losing an election. She says from her experience running for a position, she understood that by the election date, 80% of decent leadership is already lost. This because not a lot of people get to vote for the representative of the party at the primaries. From her own words: “Political parties won’t change themselves without pressures from within and without. We’ve been putting pressure from outside. What might work would be going into the party and forcing change from within If young people join political parties several things happen”. “First they become part of the conversation, they can become delegates and they stand a better chance to be elected when they vie of an office,” says Ayisha Osori “Our political parties are generational. Nothing is going to die out. It has become a system, a process, and a culture. I met fathers who are preparing their sons to take their positions bearing the same mentality. Whether we have old people or young people it would be the same if we do not develop a different strategy to make things work” she continues. The 21st century has ushered young women in science, technology, and engineering, in all aspect of the society women are taking pace and leading. When it comes to politics, it seems we are only crawling at snail pace. Nigeria has never had a Female President and it doesn’t look like we will for the next twenty years. Coming down to the grassroots, towards and local government, only 19% of women are in the government. And most of them would be gone with this generation that is they have served for long they’d soon have to hand over. Do we have enough successors that are going to take their place? Do we have enough women right now who are active in political affairs? And why do we have to be interested in politics, after all, we can change the world through entrepreneurship? We can only do so much as entrepreneurs, small business is like small building blocks for a LEGO house, little by little can create a magnificent edifice. Politics is like the bond that binds them all together, if we have a decaying system, people will grow businesses that will only crumble due to forces beyond them. Through politics, we can create better incentives for smallholder farmers, startups, and budding entrepreneurs. All of these will be possible if we have good governance down to our grassroots level. If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your startup story with us.
Webinar with FBNQUEST ASSET MANAGEMENT: The balancing act – managing debt and building long term wealth (Oct 11)
“Staying out of debt is staying out of danger”. We don’t remember who said this, but its true! Not all of us make six figures today, and even when we try hard to maintain financial discipline, this economy sometimes makes it hard to stay out of debt or even pay what we currently owe. If you want to walk in financial freedom, it’s important for you to have a plan on how to manage your finance effectively and tackle your debts. Most importantly, you need to make sure you’re not uncomfortable around your friends if they have RIRI’s song as their ringtone everytime y’all are hanging out. In our previous financial planning webinar’s, we taught you How to make your first investment and how to Save and slay. Now, it’s time to go in deeper as we teach you how to improve your finances by managing your debts and building long-term wealth for yourself. She Leads Africa, in partnership with FBNQuest Asset Management is inviting you to a 45-minute webinar with skilled wealth advisor and financial planner – Emmanuella Ekhaguere, on Thursday, October 11th, 2018 at 3 PM WAT. Emmanuella will be giving some tips on how to balance your finances, how to manage your debts better and how to build long-term wealth for yourself. [bctt tweet=”Join SLA & @FBNQuest for a webinar on October 11th at 3 pm to learn how to manage your debts, build long-term wealth for yourself and how to balance both! ” via=”no”] Some of the topics we’ll cover: Understanding financial fitness and measures Managing your cash flow, budget and time value of money Top 10 ways to live a debt free life. Webinar details: Date: Thursday, October 11th, 2018 Time: 3PM Lagos // 4PM Joburg // 5PM Nairobi Location: We’ll send you the link to join the session once you sign up! Watch the webinar here: About Emmanuella Emmanuella Ekhaguere is Investment Advisor with at FBNQuest Merchant Bank, a subsidiary of FBN Holdings Plc. She has over 15 years of Agricultural banking and financial planning experience from various Financial Service Institutions. Emmanuella started her career at Kakawa Discount house Limited as a Client Relationship Officer. She later moved to Oceanic Bank (now Ecobank Nigeria). In deepening her passion and experience in Wealth and Investment Banking, Emmanuella joined Metro Capital Advisory Group in 2008. She has an MBA from Aston Business School Birmingham, United Kingdom, and is a certified financial Planner (CFP), from Florida State University (FSU) FBNQuest Asset Management is a subsidiary of FBNQuest Merchant Bank, one of the strongest and most dependable financial groups in Africa. They work with individual and institutional investors to provide a strategy best suited to your investment goals and portfolios, from mutual funds to liquidity management etc.
Your blackness is enough on “Jesus and Jollof”: Podcast by Yvonne Orji and Luvvie Ajayi
The levels of hilarity from the Jesus and Jollof will have you spitting out your coffee and drenching your OOTD. By listening to this podcast hosted by two proudly American- Nigerian women – Yvonne Orji and Luvvie Ajayi, you’re let in on the secrets from being highly degreed women to breaking it into Hollywood as top class comedians, they spill the tea on glowing up and stunting on haters to make the best out of your hustle. If you’re about badass captions on the gram and Twitter- you’ll have a whole decade of content with Jesus and Jollof. Facts, no printer. I was introduced to Jesus and Jollof by my sister, after her non-stop giggles got me curious, “What was so funny”, I Thought. She’d just started listening but seemed to really enjoy it so I gave it a try “Couldn’t be that funny”, boy was I wrong. Yvonne Orji and Luvvie Ajayi easily switching between their Nigerian and American accents, talking about how they connected to their encounters with smooth-talking Naija boys, I was hooked. I think it’s incredible that these two Goat queens are out here breaking bounds. In short, listen to the trailer of Jesus and Jollof here Growing up in a whitewashed society, it’s hard finding your voice when you’re forced to think and talk in a certain way and especially when you have African parents waiting on you to finish your masters and bring home a suitable husband. Luvvie Ajayi, otherwise known as the “Professional Troublemaker” has got a lot to say on a lot of topics, as seen on her Twitter and IG, she’s hilarious all around. Luvvie is an award-winning writer, speaker, digital strategist, activist, and comedian- Ajayi is nothing short of a game changer. She has another podcast called Rants and Randomness, where she talks about her most pressing rants, raves, and faves on pop culture and the world right now. I have been a fan of Luvvie Ajayi since her incredible Ted talk on “getting comfortable with being uncomfortable“. Yvonne Orji, 34, received her masters in Public Health but opted to be a comedic genius against her parent’s wishes. I would say she’s the spicy half of the podcast, she isn’t afraid to speak her mind. Fairly new to the scene, this woman is here to break bounds. I listened to Yvonne’s Ted Talk where she talked about on her decision to remain a virgin until marriage. I was so inspired listening to her and kept looking for more. That’s where I found Insecure, where she stars as a headstrong lawyer. Luvvie joined forces with Yvonne Orji, to speak on the challenges of being immigrants, goal-oriented women with a heavy dose of comedy on their days starting up and living out loud, raising consciousness about real women and girls today. Jesus and Jollof is my top-pick for the podcast of the year. It might be a bit of an overstatement but I have never heard anything so raw, inviting and relatable as a young black millennial. It’s like having incredibly supportive besties as you rush through your day. Why Jesus and Jollof, they mentioned them to be “the two things they can’t do without”. I appreciate these amazing God-fearing women for giving me the courage to go for what I’m worth. We need more black voices sharing their stories, I think this podcast is a pop culture staple, If you don’t leave as inspired as I, I don’t know what else can do the trick. Catch Jesus and Jollof every Wednesdays on SimpleCast and do follow these queens on their social media @yvonneorji and @luvvie on Twitter. You won’t be disappointed. If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your story with us.
Ms. Ebba Kalondo: Being a black African woman in leadership is not for the faint-hearted
Ms. Ebba Kalondo is the spokesperson in the Chairperson’s office of the African Union Commission. Prior to that, she has held several senior positions in strategic and Risk Communications at the World Health Organization, Foundation Hirondelle, France24, and Reuters. In this interview, Ms. Ebba talks about her work as a leader in the African Union Commission. [bctt tweet=”Be the exception to the rule. Go to that meeting that no one invites you to, sit there like you belong and speak up – @EbbaKalondo” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What was your ambition growing up? Growing up I read a lot and questioned everything around me. I was always inquisitive and analyzing the information presented to me with a desire to learn more. So upon reflection, I must say that my ambition was always to learn more. Would you say your family environment/childhood shaped the person you are today? My parents’ relationship which each other forged my personality. They were and remain a strong united front. They had five daughters and a son. We were always allowed to ask questions and encouraged to read. My mother was soft-spoken but strong. She was a disciplinarian and my father taught us the importance of family. Did you ever think you would end up in international affairs, or at the AU specifically? Yes, I worked in international news and in development with a strong focus on security and the humanitarian industry. With my desire to constantly learn, I grew a desire to ignore the headline and discover the more nuanced reality behind the story. What was your path to working at the AU? What factors helped you along the way? It is the people I met on this path that I walked and the rich experiences that brought me to where I am. I always knew that I wanted to be of service to my continent and I am very fortunate that I have been able to do so. The AU is the platform to do this, and I will always be grateful for the call to be of service. Can you compare the AU with other organizations you have worked with? The AU is a microcosm of the state of its evolving Union – a 55-member Union of nations with different governance systems, varying levels of socio-economic development on a continent that is home to a third of humanity but that is still fighting for its rightful place in the world as a primary actor of its own development and indeed that of the world. Born of a unique history of colonialism not seen in any other continental grouping in contemporary history, the African Union is also the largest intergovernmental in the world. There is no other organization quite like it, that I know of. The AU is currently undergoing a process of institutional and financial reform. Why is the reform of the AU essential? Our continuing existence in the new world we live and engage with depends on making our Organization more fit for purpose to better serve the needs and aspirations of the people of the Continent. This is not a choice, this is a stark existential reality and an obligation to the founding fathers of our Union. Are the reform’s youth and women targets attainable by 2025? (35% of AU staff as a youth and 50% as women). Why should they not be? Self-belief and the ambition we have set out for ourselves is key. What do you say to critics of the AU who point to its bureaucracy and who doubt its capacity to change? The AU Commission is a bureaucracy like other multilateral intergovernmental organizations such as the United Nations and the European Union Commission. And like all institutional bureaucracies, it is a slow-moving ship. It is not as agile as say a start-up. This is not unique to the AUC. What is unique is that unlike the UN and the EU, the AUC has started to implement its reform agenda. Who influenced you the most in your professional life? Not one person in particular. There have been so many people who have, through their experiences, mentored and supported my journey. Have you ever received a painful rejection in your career? How did you handle it? Not rejection per se, but definitely some occasions where I could and should have acted differently. The first thing is taking responsibility and then fixing it and learning to do better. [bctt tweet=”In case of a rejection, the first step is taking responsibility and then fixing it and learning to do better – @EbbaKalondo” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] When have you felt most out of your comfort zone? On the contrary, I actively avoid comfort zones, I feel most comfortable pushing myself outside of comfort zones. Growth has always been more important to me than comfort has. Having worked in war zones where putting oneself in harm’s way is part of the job, I’ve learned that security comes from within. What have you learned in your career about women in leadership? Any advice for women who aspire to leadership positions? Being a woman in leadership is tough, but being a black African woman in leadership is not for the fainthearted. Be the exception to the rule. Go to that meeting that no one invites you to, sit there like you belong and speak up. Your opinion matters. Even if there are other women there, and none are speaking up, be the one that does. Stay informed about everything around and never take the bait of being treated as the “affirmative action” or “gender sensitive” presence. Your results will not be judged on your gender. You got the job, not your gender, so do it. Never fear ridicule. Ever. [bctt tweet=”I’ve learned that security comes from within – @EbbaKalondo” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Have you undertaken any measures to support women in the professional workplace? There is nothing I can teach, but I can share my experiences truthfully and what has worked for me, and what has not. I find that we
4 important signs you’re in a toxic work environment
Our work environment affects our happiness, productivity, and success. Through my experiences and discussions with colleagues, I understand how different workplaces can affect you positively and negatively. If you’ve been contemplating whether your work environment is the right place for you, here are some key points that could help you: 1. Low Employee Retention If you realize most of the employees at a new workplace are new, this can affect how you fit in. Sometimes, for certain start-up environments, the case of low employee retention is prevalent. The structure in a start-up environment is different. So before you make the decision to join an organization where most of the employees are new, you have to consider what your main goals are and what you hope to achieve at the company. It’s best for you to take this into consideration before you make a decision. You should be prepared for how you can fit into the role and the organization. At one of my former jobs, I noticed that a lot of employees were new. I remember a co-worker told me there was a “revolving door” at the organization. As the months rolled by, I understood why. There was a lot of negativity in the office. After various discussions with my colleagues, I found out that most like myself were unhappy and also seeking other jobs. I eventually left that negative work environment. If you’re about to take a new job, I suggest you ask (in a subtle way of course) how long the former person held the role you’re about to take. Another option would be to ask generally the amount of time their employees stay with the company. 2. Lack of free speech/ expression of ideas One of my favourite work environments was an internship I had back in university. I was an editorial intern for the school magazine. What I enjoyed most about the internship was my experience with my boss. She created a very open environment where I was encouraged to present my ideas and actively participate. Having an encouraing supervisor who supported my progress enabled me to accomplish quite a lot in that job. Now, I’ve also been privy to work environments with a rigid structure, where you don’t feel open to discuss your ideas, and your superiors show no interest in your growth or progress. Though one can still thrive in such an environment, I don’t necessarily believe it helps you be very productive. You may not feel content in your workplace because there’s no good rapport with your colleagues. One way to fix such issues would be speaking up. You will have to make an effort to express your ideas and opinion. This matters because unless somethings are communicated, not everyone will pick up on whether there is a problem or issue to be addressed. Communication is key in contributing to a positive work environment. [bctt tweet=”Communication is key in contributing towards a positive work environment” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 3. Constant Tension in the Office In any workplace, there are going to be high-pressure days and low-pressure days. Pressure in the workplace is normal because different situations arise and demands have to be met. However, if you’re in a work environment with constant tension among co-workers, that is definitely not a good sign. If there is consistent tension in your workplace, it would be best to bring it up to your supervisor or take it to the Human Resources department. The HR department often addresses the communication issues between the management and staff. They can advise you and your co-workers on how to resolve issues. 4. You Always Leave Work Feeling Emotionally Drained Yes, work is just a part of our lives and adulting really isn’t a vibe sometimes, but if you always feel terribly sad, drained, or anxious at the thought of going to work – that’s even less of a vibe and a major issue. This negative work environment can end up seeping into your personal life and take over your mind. If most days at work are causing you depression, you have to consider if that’s the right environment for you. Word of advice: get a new job sis, you can’t come and die just to meet KPIs. Start looking for a new place of work and do intense research on the environments those companies possess, I promise you when you leave and start afresh, you’ll be much happier. Another option, if the specific work is the problem, communicate with your supervisor about a challenge you might be encountering. They could provide you with some resources to make things efficient. If the negative emotions are due to the people around, also be open to communicate that with a mentor or your HR department. They could best advise you on how to move forward. Have you had experience with problems in the workplace? What were the signs, and how did you rectify such issues? If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your story with us.
Learn how to trade and get paid with FXGEOMETRY’s bootcamp for women
The term ‘trading’ has been linked with men since the days of testosterone-filled trading floors. To this day, when online trading is accessible to anyone with an internet connection, the word remains synonymous with the male gender. Today’s preconception of women who choose to trade – and we must clarify they are women because the word traders alone can be perceived as a reference to men – may have to do with the vision brokers set and the audience they’ve chosen to advertise to. Trade smarter with Boost Embolex Pro’s automated strategies boostembolexpro.org More often than not, mass opinions are affected by the media and its reference to a group of people, in this case, the people of the financial industry. Could the general correlation between trading and gender be diluted? [bctt tweet=”The number of women interested in trading has been noticeably increasing – @kenny_simon78″ username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Trading education hub FXGEOMETRY is looking at things from a different angle; it just announced the launch of a boot camp directed specifically at women, despite the fact that the company reaches a broad audience predominated by men. According to founder Kenny Simon, the number of women interested in trading has been noticeably increasing. The birth of this boot camp derived from the observation that more female traders have been showing interest in educational packages and trading mentorships, in addition, Kenny has seen an increase of female followers through social channels. Among approximately 10,000 followers worldwide the percentage of women among the followers has risen from 10% to 37% in the past 3 years. While the number of women who have signed up to personal one-on-one courses has moved up to 45%. Beyond FXGEOMETRY it seems like the entire financial world is moving away from its relic thoughts and gender-based judgment. In 2017, 23-year old Lauren Simmons became the youngest and only full-time female employee to hold the position of equity trader in the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). In June of 2018, Stacey Cunningham became the first female president of the NYSE. Some may view this as proof that women are still not fully welcome in the financial industry or it can be seen as the first steps of progression. Considering Kenny’s background lies within peak performance coaching in trading, it comes as no surprise that part of his mission to expand the Geometric Patterns community includes a focus on the overlooked members of the trading world and whether they can be an equal match to men in the industry. Kenny, however, is not the first to give attention to this issue; many have previously gone out of their way to find out how women could make better traders. In Terrence Odean and Brad Barber’s 2001 study “Boys will be boys: Gender, Overconfidence and Common Stock Investments”, they went on to prove that men’s natural overconfidence tends to work against them. They analyzed account data for more than 35,000 households at a large discount brokerage between February 1991 and January 1997. They discovered that on average, men traded 45pc more frequently than women and that this incentive trading reduced their net returns by 2.65pc a year, compared to 1.72pc for women. [bctt tweet=”FXGEOMETRY’s @kenny_simon78 is conducting an exclusive 3 days FX trading boot camp for women in Nigeria this September. Read more..” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] For those interested to attend whether just for the FREE preview or the 3 days Workshop, simply register here : In simple terms, the study showed that men trade more than women due to overconfidence and that tends to reduce their overall returns. Another interesting story in the history of women in the financial industry is the case of Bloomfield Hills investment club ran by Thomas O’Hara. The male-driven firm had been posting annual losses after 20 years of existence. In 1982 the men let their wives join the group and act as co-decision makers, within four years the club’s stake tripled, jumping from $180,000 to $500,000. Kenny’s latest event has prompted a lot of interest from women in the industry. A large number of women volunteered to join within the first few minutes following the announcement of the boot camp, accepting the challenge to learn a new trading method. The boot camp itself will choose 25 women through personality tests designed by Kenny – based on his big 5 personality traits that make up a good trader. The women will undergo a free 3-day boot camp with Kenny himself where they will learn the rules of trading with Geometric Patterns. The boot camp will be followed up by a trading competition in which all women will participate and compete for one of three prizes – $3,000, $2,000 and $1,000 consequently. If you’re interested, send an email to kenny@fxgeoemtry.com FXGEOMETRY’S boot camp is another effort to shed a bright light on female traders and what they can achieve in the financial world, putting preconceptions aside and shedding general judgment. The era of female traders may have not yet begun but a glimpse of light might be making its way in at the end of the tunnel. This article was written by Deema Osman. Deema is a content writer at 120advertising.com Sponsored Post.
Christine Sesay: Make the right financial choices, choices that you can live with
When Christine Sesay decided to study mathematics, her parents were not enthused, as they believed she would never find a job in Africa in this career field. Christine however did not want to part with her love for Mathematics so she convinced her parents to allow her pursue a career in Accounting and Finance which was an easy sell as they were very supportive of her decision. Upon attaining a Masters in Finance, Christine went on to work with a construction /maintenance company in Dublin as an Account Assistant, then an accountancy practice where she progressed from the Real Estate accountant to the Financial Controller over a 4-year period. At this time, she wanted to move back to Africa but there were not many jobs available so she had to take an Assistant financial controller role with an Irish Organization in Niamey. Within 4 months, she was working in the capacity of the Financial Controller managing €5 million projects then progressed to take charge of all operations within a year. While working on a nutrition and livelihoods project in Niger, Christine was shocked by the abject poverty that people lived and her desire was to change the situation. But as there was a security situation in Niger, she had to move back to her birth country Sierra Leone where she started Africa’s Moneypreneur to bring about financial freedom to all Africans. She believes that individuals would be more interested in talking money and finances when it is made easy and fun. As a determined and driven leader who is passionate about wealth management, she wanted to make sure that her African brothers and sisters started taking money seriously. When she started the financial literacy blog, she hosted a few events for women but no one attended as they were not interested. To overcome that challenge, she moved on to open a facebook page where she featured different women and hosted 12-days of Christmas challenge. These different pieces created traction and landed her some features on a few publications addressing the different areas of finance, a workshop on business finance tips for teenage mothers at the Aberdeen Women’s Center, teamed up with SheVestor for their training materials and wrote several articles in magazines mostly locally in Sierra Leone. Christine hopes to teach others how to implement effective financial strategies that support the lifestyle they aspire and deserve. [bctt tweet=”Christine Sesay’s “@AMoneypreneur” seeks to challenge Africa’s views about money & Poverty, and help individuals enjoy life” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What are your views about Africa and money? Do you believe our way of thinking has forced us into poverty? Like most things in life, if we are not educated, we will tend to misuse it. Financial education is a major part of life in the western world as people are aware that until they make conscious decisions about what they want for their lives and start early, it will be difficult to live fulfilled lives. For example, it’s almost second nature to see that after a man has worked for many years, he could have nothing saved up a pension for retirement. Instead of enjoying old age, they are forced to work for longer and sometimes end up dying miserably. There are also choices that are being made in terms of choosing to make the right choice now, with the future in mind. Personally, I started early! While studying finance, I learned how the multiplier effect works on finance saved over long periods. I made conscious efforts to have pension funds and also started a college fund for my kids (nope they are not here yet!). How can we become financially free? Would you say being financially educated is the first step to financial freedom? There are quite a number of areas that could be covered when we talk about financial freedom. I think even before we get educated, there is the need to have a shift in mindset. The way we think about our finances. People consciously paint a picture of how they want to currently lead their lives and what the future needs to look like. Charting the course of your life, like anything else helps you decide what decisions you may need to make now. Once that picture is clear, then seek financial education. Make the right choices, choices that you can live with. Avoid looking at what others have done and try to emulate those choices. Your risk appetites and pocket sizes may differ. Why do you believe Africa needs a platform to challenge our views about money and poverty levels? I find that at the moment we are comfortable. People are happy to continue working, spend without the future in mind and hope that a family member will eventually foot their bills. Things are changing and as we are emulating the behaviors of others cultures we also need to develop our own culture when it comes to financial planning. At Africa’s Moneypreneur, we want to be at the forefront of those changes. We currently use our platform to: Provide financial advice for youth, start-ups and Women-owned business in Africa Developing communities for youth and women to engage them in making informed financial choices Sharing success stories relating to women in finance and in business Discussing personal stories relating to work-life balance and family, travel etc. to give a personal touch Introducing current events relating to the brand areas, like finance and pop culture events, Lifestyle etc. Embracing African roots and culture as it relates to finance management With these efforts, we hope that the next generations of African families can help pull Africa out of poverty. [bctt tweet=”Knowing exactly what you spend your money on is important to have a solid financial plan and a healthy attitude towards your finances – Christine Sesay” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How do you intend to make discussing money and finance fun? What are you currently working on? I think the first thing we need
A Motherland Mogul’s Reflections from SLA’s SheHive Toronto 2017
As African women, many of us have not had our life path paved with milk and honey. We have witnessed our mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, cousins, and kin put their lives on hold to work tirelessly long hours for little reward. As I get older, I see more and more within us lays a common internal battle. In the midst of enacting the legacies of our lives, many of us are also carrying ideas engrained in us by our families. Holding passions they have never known, we are constantly bombarded by family members pushing us to get into a “real career,” (aka becoming a nurse, doctor, or lawyer). For creative women, with entrepreneurial visions bouncing off their every thought, balancing these two worlds is a beast to juggle. We sit in a unique position, one where we must create the blueprint for our lives, because no one has come before us to achieve our success, and no one will come after us. What often halts us in our journeys is the countless intimate moments we have within ourselves. Moments that cloud our judgment, moments that awaken/terrify us, motivate us, or moments when we wish no one is looking. Most times we feel all of the above. To live out your legacy is soul-shaking work. What we forget is simple, following our dreams is not supposed to be easy. It is supposed to terrify you, wake you from your sleep, and place a fire under you that cannot be ignored. Last summer I had the amazing opportunity to Attend She Leads Africa’s, She Hive Toronto Conference. The conference cultivated a space for African women, ambitious beyond words to surround, empower, and inspire each other. Attending this event shook my soul but, more importantly, it forced me to remember the following: 1) Let your ideas manifest Too many times we hear and feel parts of our ideas, but most of us never actually give them a chance. We don’t nourish them with our energy and allow them to grow. What we do is the exact opposite. We allow them to sit idle, we minimize them with our doubt and create a reality that reinforces that we cannot accomplish them. We tell ourselves we don’t have the resources, money, time, blah, blah, blah! But, once we take that first leap towards our dreams, we allow the universe to become our GPS. 2) Be the energy you need We need to be our own number one fan and our own advocates. Women need to be a friend, sister, and lover to each other! Most times, we expect people in our lives to validate us, support us, and invest in us. But, are you the energy you need? Are you that push you want others to bestow upon you, to yourself? We need to give ourselves the energy we ask of others. Light up that room, be that never-ending inviting spirit, because you benefit from it the most! 3) Ask, ask, ask! Ask the universe. Ask God. Ask friends and family. Ask yourself. Be clear and specific when it comes to your goals and what you need from everyone. PS…. this includes figuring out what you need from yourself! Need I say more? 4) Know the kind of woman do you want to be We need to remind ourselves of what kind of women we need to be. What are you not willing to comprise? Do you have your values written down? What does your integrity mean to you when it is woven into your passion? If we remain grounded in these thoughts we will never regret anything on our path to our dreams. 5) Seek meaningful connections Networking. Yes, networking is essential. You never know who is in the room. You never know who may be able to assist you or how you can assist another person. But, even more, important than this, is understanding what meaningful relationships and connections you want with others. Seeking out meaningful connections means you are living authentically. You are not just thinking about a one-sided benefit. You are considering the person, as a person, a soul to connect with, and not someone who will only be used as a future commodity. 6) With passion, ALL things can be done Passion is our savior. It stirs you and your being. Our passions give us purpose and demands we show up. Our passions unlock our potential if we allow it to. Fulfilling the vision and legacies of our passions is terrifying, it will arise a world emotion from you (as it should). Stand firm in knowing the world is awaiting the gifts you have dug a grave for. Be still, close your eyes, take a deep breath, and remind yourself. “I will accomplish nothing without the taste of fear,” – Zainab Salbi This article was written by Amma Gyamfowa If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your startup story with us.
Christine Jawichre: The journey from intern to CEO
Christine Jawichre at 32 is the newly appointed CEO of Blue Platinum Events. An events agency in Johannesburg, South Africa. Her journey began at the same company as an intern 8 years before and through hard work and dedication. She along with an amazing team at Blue Platinum Events have dominated incredible once in a lifetime experiential events in and out of South Africa. Outside of events, she is passionate about women and seeing more African women step into positions of leadership and having a voice. In this interview with Cindy Leah, Christine talks about managing an events company and developing winning strategies for the business. What challenges do you come across from a management point of view as an events company CEO? We come across all kinds of challenges across the event’ing landscape – being onsite at an event or back at the office. Events are crazy, sometimes you’re and other times you’re just not winning. That is a real onsite challenge. At the office, we can be dealing with anything from sourcing out potential clients and ensuring that you have the right teams to execute the right events. Another thing will be continuous client relationship management and ensuring that we stick to the 18 year standard behind the brand. Keeping abreast if not ahead of the creative curve and ahead of the competition is also very challenging. Blue Platinum is a brand to be reckoned with, I say that with no ignorance, there are always challenges but we rather focus on who we are and what we can do. We put our heads down and let the work speak for itself. [bctt tweet=”Christine Jawichre, CEO of @blueplatevents talks about managing an events company and creating a winning comcept for clients” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What is it like working around your director – Lee Den Hond? Working with Lee is an absolute pleasure. She is a powerhouse, truly an incredible woman and human. She is like a walking billboard of inspiration. You cannot help but be inspired by her story and her positive energy. I believe that she is one of the greatest leaders in this country, a person who truly embodies the idea that nothing is impossible. She saw something special in me when we met all those years ago, a young girl that was hungry for life and till today she remains one of my biggest supporters. Blue Platinum Events is an all-woman events team, was that intentional? The all-woman team was not intentional, but, there is a powerhouse full of incredible women who work for the company. The event industry was one of the most challenging jobs on earth, up there with jobs such as Enlisted military personnel, airport controller, airline pilots, firefighters, and police. One of the hardest challenges is being able to make multiple decisions at the same time or else the whole place burns down….no pun intended. Events are very hard. Period. And on our scale, events are crazy hard. It takes a lot of guts and drives to push yourself through the process. These girls on the team,….they have that! What are the top criteria you look for when hiring someone new to the team? Hard work! Another thing will be experienced in running high-end events. Can they fit in with team and vice versa? We have a small team so our team dynamics are super important. Last but not least, do they embody the essence of our brand. What does it take to create a winning concept? Creative chops. Some concepts come easier than others but there is a lot of work that goes into creating any pitch. We start with team brainstorming session to get onto an initial idea. After that, we bring in relevant partners who assist with bringing the paper idea to life. Especially from a visual and physical perspective. A ton of research follows to ensure that we create a world-class experience for our guests. This process can take weeks or sometimes just a day or so- depending on the budget and the client’s needs Who’s the biggest brand you’ve worked with? We have worked with some incredible local and international brands over the years. Our biggest and best brand to date (after an 18-year relationship) is still Mercedes- Benz South Africa. We have done some incredible events, launches, conference, international trips and endless other events with these guys. We’ve just completed a month-long event series for the C-Class launch. The C-Class is the only Mercedes- Benz manufactured in South Africa (for all the countries in the world) thus it is a flagship product. The event was targeted at Media, Dealer Principals, Sales Execs amongst others and saw us conceptualize and create a World’s First. We created Mercedes-Benz World. Just an incredible once in a lifetime type of event. Do you think there’s a lack of variety or opportunities for women in this industry? There are definitely opportunities for women in this industry. The event industry is a fast growing and ever moving space, I do believe that there is a space for creative people with a real passion for events to succeed What’s your turnover on a crazy successful year? That varies, some years are more industry-friendly than others. Conservative estimate – 50 mill. As a new mother, and a company CEO, what are your hours typically like in a day? The beauty of this industry is that no 2 days are typically alike. We are either on the move, in meetings all day or doing admin at the office. I try my best to stick to a 9-4 on not so busy days, that way I can run home for bath and bedtime with my little one. On busy days it can be anything like 6 am – 2 am or whatever else madness. Like I said, hard work. What inspires you? Happy people. Good energy. Purpose. When a person knows who they are in this life and live in full embrace of their purpose…That inspires me.
Stress what??? Here are 4 ways to practice Self-Care
“Wake up, hustle and grind. The hustle never stops. I’ll sleep when I’m dead.” Few words make me tremble like the ones above. Back when I was a Bachelors’ student in university, I had colleagues who spoke that way. Every time I hear such words, I would panic. Surely, if others were ready to put off sleep until when they died, I didn’t want it bad enough. I definitely was not willing or able to sacrifice my sleep for my academic success? This was bad. Fast forward four years later, and I am thinking about these words, as I write this article on self-care. What comes to mind is this: Self-care should come before anything else. How can one produce the best of themselves, if they are tired, both emotionally and physically The world around us seems to frown upon downtime. We need to go and go fast, in everything we do. It is our duty, however, not to forget our health and well-being. Here are a few ways to do so. Sleep Sleep is not laziness. It is one of the most important and basic acts to take care of one’s self. Any attempt to simply dismiss sleep as laziness feels like a statement that seems to say, I am putting well-being second and success (whatever that may be) first. Society hasn’t always taught us how to take care of ourselves, but you gotta start now! Accept your emotions Back in 2015, during one of the heights of my frustrations and social anxiety, I started practicing yoga. Yoga with Adrienne, on YouTube, to be precise. If I learned anything, it is this: Let yourself be. What we often do, when we are sad, overwhelmed, tired, angry, is judge ourselves about feeling a certain way, thus adding an extra layer of discomfort and unhappiness without even realizing it. Self-care is letting yourself be. Self-care is being gentle with yourself, feeling an emotion, and not judging yourself for feeling a certain way. In a Supersoul Conversation with Oprah, Caroline Myss, American writer, added that a critical step to finding a purpose was letting go of the judgment we hold of our lives. Do what you need to do to preserve your peace While Instagram and social media are highly criticized in general, it has some amazing uses, one of which is finding your self-care/uplifting girl gang! That’s how I discovered Alex Elle. Through her “Hey, girl!” podcast and Instagram posts, author and storyteller, Alex Elle encourages us to take care of ourselves first. On several occasions, I felt like she was talking directly to me, giving me a piece of advice I needed to conquer the day. This week the message was this one: [bctt tweet=”Loving yourself fully may require loving people from a distance – Alex Elle” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Do what is necessary to take care of yourself first. Throughout her exchanges with us, Alex asks an important question: What does self-care look like to you? What does it look like to YOU? Be full of yourself – its okay! Yes, my beautiful ladies, Oprah reminds us that it’s not a bad thing to be full of yourself! She says “I’m full, I’m flowing, my cup runneth over” with love, for herself. It is important here to note that loving yourself is a self-care ritual that doesn’t happen overnight. It is also one of the hardest and worthiest of causes. If not the worthiest. Self-care can also be, learning to love yourself every single day, flaws and all, and forgiving yourself when things don’t go according to “plan”. What does self-care look like to you? Asking for help? Taking a bath? Sleep? Super Soul Conversations? Therapy? Blogging? For me, it is a combination of many things, one of which is therapy, as I maneuver around being a socially anxious black girl. Bisous xx If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your story with us.