How to land the media job you want: Tips from Isis Nyong’o Madison
[bctt tweet=”Get inspired and land the media job you want with lessons straight from Isis Nyong’o Madison” via=”no”] Isis Nyong’o Madison is a well-known media and technology leader in Africa. She has held leadership roles at Asphalt & Ink, InMobi, Google and MTV. Over the past decade, she has made her mark scaling media and digital businesses across the continent. Isis holds degrees from Stanford University and Harvard Business School and is the CEO and Co-founder of Mums Village an online start-up dedicated to enriching the lives of current mothers and mums-to-be in urban Kenya. Accolades awarded to her include being named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and one of Africa’s most Powerful Women by Forbes. Isis serves on the boards of two technology companies and it can’t hurt to add that her family boasts of greatness with Academy award winning actress, Lupita Nyong’o as her cousin. As someone with great experience in media and technology – all the while ensuring career longevity, below are some takeaways we can learn from her as she tells us how she got to where she is now. Network, network, network and be persistent “I networked incredibly hard to get into MTV in 2005. They were just getting ready to launch in Africa right as I was graduating from Harvard Business School -I was very excited about media at the time and absolutely obsessed with working there. I didn’t know if they had any vacancies but I did everything I possibly could to find myself space there as it was logical to me that they would need to put a team together. The person leading the MTV Africa venture was Nigerian so I reached into my network asking every single Nigerian I knew if they knew this guy. None of them did but with more digging I got the phone numbers I needed that finally connected me to him. This took about six months to get to him and get him to hire me as their first sales person. Today, I wouldn’t recommend spamming a potential employer with too many emails and cold calling them but you should do your best to get noticed. For example, attend events that they host, engage with them online and meet employees to better understand what it’s like to work there. Never give up on something that you feel is right for you but also use your judgement on optimal approach.” Some key points to help with landing the job you want: 1. Network Again, this is very important and is a skill that young people should have. There are more forums to network nowadays and a lot of networking opportunities as well. The reality, particularly here in Kenya, is that people feel like only certain people get jobs because they have access to certain networks. There is some truth to that but not to say that one cannot build their own networks no matter where you are starting from. Your networks don’t just happen to you, you build on your alumni institution, your church, and many other avenues. That’s something I became very good at over time and it’s something that is important not just for jobs but for business in general. [bctt tweet=”The importance of your network in landing the job you want in the media is very real ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 2. Throw your hat in the ring When applying for jobs in big companies, I think there’s a view that you can’t just apply on their website and expect your CV to be reviewed. I applied to Google at a time when they had 1,000 people at least applying per week and every single CV was screened. Also, particularly for women, there’s a lot of research that shows that women will go through an entire list of requirements and if they do not have one of those things that the company is looking for, they won’t apply. Yet men tend to apply regardless of meeting all the requirements or not. I think that women definitely need to have a much more controlled view of this and apply for the job they want despite missing one or two requirements. The only way to ensure you don’t get a job is to not apply. 3. Preparation matters – a lot. Ensure you have an engaging, updated LinkedIn profile as that is where your professional visibility matters and be mindful of everything you put online. Typos in CV’s and any other communications are inexcusable and reflect a cavalier attitude which makes it easy for employers to pass on. When you reach the interview stage, do thorough research in preparation for it. You can never over prepare -you should definitely never walk into an interview unprepared as you’ll be wasting everyone’s time including your own. Understand what the role is, what you think they’re looking for, what questions they are likely to ask you, what questions you’ll ask them and find out what’s happening in that industry that you want to join. There’s no excuse not to be prepared. How to ensure career longevity “If one finds their life passion, it becomes much easier to have career longevity. Things fall into place when you find your passion. There’s always more you want to do and there’s more opportunities that find their way back to you. [bctt tweet=”If one finds their life passion, it becomes much easier to have career longevity” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] For those who are unfortunately stuck in a career path that’s not for them, make it a mission to find a way to get out of that situation instead of trying to create a long-term career.” Finally, what matters more between education and experience? It depends on the individual “Education and experience are both very important and I do think that I vacillate myself on whether one matters more than the other. A good education gives you a foundation to build knowledge, working in teams, critical thinking skills and the discipline of simply
Twitter Chat with Osayi Emokpae Lasisi: Finding Your Entrepreneurial passion as a new mom (Mar. 31)
Becoming a mother may be the most amazing experience ever. But that being said, what’s next for you? It’s about time you got your groove back and attain those future goals you’ve been dreaming of, by finding your entrepreneurial passion, and most importantly, making money from it. Join us on Friday, Mar. 31st for a Twitter chat with money making mom and virtual summit queen, Osayi Emokpae Lasisi as we discuss ways young moms can find their entrepreneurial passion and be at the top of their game. Osayi helps moms gain the knowledge and experience they need to start and build a successful business through her blog Follow She Leads Africa on twitter and use the hashtag #SLAChats to ask your questions and participate in the discussion. Topics that we’ll cover: Finding your entrepreneurial passion Monetizing your passion Overcoming challenges Figuring out work/life transitions Twitter chat details Date: Friday 31st March Time: 12pm Lagos// 1pm Joburg// 3pm Nairobi Location: Follow She Leads Africa on twitter and use the hashtag #SLAChats Help us spread the word: [bctt tweet=”Join @SheLeadsAfrica & @OsayiLasisi for #SLAChats on Friday Mar. 31st at 12pm GMT+1″ username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] About Osayi Osayi is the Queen of Virtual Summits (online conferences). She is the convener of the MoneyMaking series of Virtual Summits, MoneyMaking Transition, MoneyMaking Book, and the MoneyMaking Blog Virtual Summit. Her book is one of the best resources for those interested in creating their first virtual summit- “Your First Virtual Summit: Everything you need to know.” You can find out more about her and get her free resources. Osayi is also the mommy of the most amazing Toddler, Princess.
Zimkita Nogela: Continuous progress is better than delayed perfection
[bctt tweet=”Our passion is merging the latest technology in marketing science with strategic thinking” username=”RoundSquareSA”] 23-year-old Zimkita Nogela, founder of RoundSquare, is passionate about entrepreneurship, social development and mental wellness. RoundSquare is a boutique studio founded in 2015 based in the heart of East London. The studio crafts cutting edge ideas into delightful software and provides marketing strategist to software-based tech companies. The company’s functional practice areas include UX design and development, strategy, process, app analytics, and growth. RoundSquare’s mission is to help clients create, manage and grow their visions, nurture their brands and provide an unrivaled user experience. Besides being mostly occupied with running RoundSquare and her accounting studies, Zimkita lives on books and enjoys rambling about life and food on her blog. In an interview with SLA contributor Jeanette Nkwana, she shares her lesson-filled journey with us. What gap did you spot in the market that you feel Round Square fills? We provide proper targeted marketing for software based companies and affordable software development. Tech people are amazing at crafting awesome code but not communicating what their creation does in a way that speaks to their prospective users, as well as that getting any type of software from as small as a website to complex intranets or apps tends to cost an arm, this is where we come in. What skills does it require to service your clients and how did you acquire these? I actually studied and am studying accounting which might seem odd being in the tech field and all. I learnt coding and design online (perks of being a curious being). Both of these skills not only build a proper business but service our clients well. Again, all this is a team effort and having the right team with diverse skills from an array of industries adds and enables us to craft the work we do. How do relevant technological advancements or innovations impact on your business model? They impact it tremendously and more often than not positively. We are for all things innovative and love incorporating the newest tech in both our work and the running and growth of the company. What are 3 marketing strategies that start-ups can try out? It is vital to develop a vibrant, content filled social media presence. It is one of the strategies we use ourselves. Partner with organisations who have the same or similar interests as your own to drive both sales and marketing reach by leveraging on each others already established networks/client bases. Lastly, (and yes I might be a bit biased) get a delightful website/app that speaks to both your current and prospective clients/customers. [bctt tweet=”Partnerships are a good way to drive both sales and marketing reach.” username=”ZimkitaNogela”] What are ways to increase reach with zero funds? The simplest way for free marketing has to be using online platforms and leveraging on one’s current networks. How does one choose a market for their product? Choosing a market is inherent to the problem one is solving or the need they are addressing, whether that is a feasible market or not is another issue. What has been the most important lesson your journey taught you and how did it help you grow RoundSquare to its current glory? My greatest lesson has to be that continuous progress is better than delayed perfection. As a recovering perfectionist, I often let this curb my progress because everything I did had to be just right. I am learning that nothing will ever be perfectly perfect. What do you do for fun that you believe contributes to the successful running of RoundSquare? I love reading, both for recreational and learning purposes so this consumes a chunk of my free time. I also enjoy cooking and being around people albeit I’m an introvert. This balance contributes greatly as it keeps my mental health sound which is vital for the running of my business. What are some of the quotes you live by that have shaped how you manage your life and business? “Never live in fear of people’s opinions,” – unknown author and; “Whether you were born by, bore or born with a person, never let how they live their lives dictate how you live yours,” – my mother. [bctt tweet=”Never live in fear of people’s opinions shapes @ZimkitaNogela’s business management” via=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What is your vision for RoundSquare and how do you plan on forging closer to realizing it this year? My vision is for RoundSquare to be a leading global tech firm both in software development and software marketing. I think my main focus this year is getting over the start-up slump and mindset and going for the big project I’ve been a bit hesitant to go for. In addition to this, developing a great company culture and team to attract top talent is another focus for this year. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Janine Gaëlle Dieudji: I like changing and renewing myself
[bctt tweet=”We don’t have to be afraid to share ideas with people, this is how beautiful things happen” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Janine Gaëlle Dieudji is a bi-national French and Cameroonian graduate of Culture and International Relations from Lyon 3 University in France. She also holds a Master Degree in Political Science from Paris 2 Panthéon Assas University. She’s been living in Florence, Italy, for the past six years, a city she has since fallen in love with. This is how Florence became home to her and the place where she started to build her career as an art professional. She considers herself as a ‘multilocal’ by believing that we belong to all the places we have lived in. Home is where the mind can create and feel rested at the same time. This is what the life journey is made for, exploring to become the person we decide to be. Janine, what is an art agitator? I consider as an art agitator to be a person who makes the difference. For me, it’s a person who makes the art scene move and is committed to it. It could be a curator, an artist, an art dealer, a gallerist or a collector. The ability to inspire others by your achievements and the way you humbly contribute to the dynamism of this versatile field. What gave you the sparks to follow this career path? Well, I truly love what I do which helps a lot. The absolute truth is that this path in a certain way chose me, actually. First when I landed six years ago in the renaissance city, Florence. I was there for a year through a study exchange program (Erasmus). I had no idea six years later I would still be here, but I fell in love with this city, and every time I tried to leave (I have tried three times), I always come back after a couple of months. The second time (in 2012) I was about to leave Florence because I wasn’t happy professionally. Then, randomly, I met the artist Clet Abraham. We quickly got along and I think he saw something in me, which became a working relationship. After six months in Lyon to complete my Master’s degree, we started a three year, beautiful and enriching collaboration. Two years before Clet, I had a two month internship at the city hall of Rosny-sous-Bois in France where I assisted the Director of the Cultural Department in the organization of Beninese artist Zinkpè’s exhibition. At that time, I wanted to be a journalist or work in a cultural department of an international organization like the UN, La Francophonie or a French Institute abroad. What’s the best way for one to make a name for themselves? It may sounds cliché, but I would say to be yourself, stay humble and always be curious to learn something new. I believe that these ingredients make people excel at what they do. Humility and originality are the key, but also the hard work you put on it. One can not forget that fears and struggles are important in ones daily development. [bctt tweet=”Humility and originality are key to making a name for yourself – Janine Gaelle Dieudji” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How is it like working with talented people such as Johanne Affricot of Griotmag.com? It’s definitely inspiring. Johanne Affricot is one of a kind and I’m very grateful to work with her. She’s multi-tasks, a great mom, a wife and a do-er with no fear. She created Griotmag.com two years ago, the first Italian webzine celebrating an aesthetic, creative and cultural diversity in and from Italy – African Italians – and the African diaspora. From this project, she pushed forward by creating a webserie, The Expats – a a documentary web series exploring the lives of African Italian creatives living abroad in the search of new opportunities. Two new episodes filmed in London will be released by the end of this month. The use of the term in the title of the series is meant to be provocative and encourage reflection not only about the idea of black Italians in Italy and abroad but also Italians who do not know this “different” or “diverse” Italy. I was very excited when she approached me a year ago, we immediately clicked the first time we met, we have a lot in common and work well together. [bctt tweet=”I realized that together we do better and we go further – Janine Gaelle Dieudji” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] You have a lot of experience as a contributor. What is the most valuable thing you have learnt so far? I realized that together we do better and we go further. I like changing and renewing myself so being a contributor on different projects makes me do different things and it’s exciting. I recently collaborated with Justin Thompson on the organization of the Black History Month Florence, we had at least 50 events all over the city, in only one month. My main satisfaction was the Clay Apenouvon’s installation “Film noir, danse de survie” which I curated in collaboration with the City Hall and Institut Français Firenze. I met Clay almost two years ago at 1:54 art fair in London where I discovered his work and I love how down to earth the artist was. After that, we decided we want to collaborate, so we started in Florence, and hopefully will do more in the future. My point is we don’t have to be shy or afraid to share ideas with people, this is how beautiful things happen, by putting our strengths, capacities, and inspirations together. With this philosophy, I’m actually doing a collaboration with Wires eyewear on the Italian and French market, and I’m planning to organize a Street Art Festival in Cameroon for 2018, as soon as I find some partners to fund it. So Janine is also a translator. Is there a code of ethics when it comes to translating? I’m new in this field actually; I started a couple of months ago in a
Presence and Poise Web Series in collaboration with Dark and Lovely Africa
Have you ever wished that you had a fairy godmother that would come and bless your life with glitter, money and Versace? In the hyper competitive business world, we often only have 3-5 seconds to make a great first impression. Even if we don’t want it to be the case, the way we present ourselves can have a major impact on whether or not we get that job interview, business deal or media opportunity. Our mothers have blocked us from casting any spells (AMEN) but we have been able to pull together an amazing collaboration to help you upgrade your style, confidence and business in one quick swoop! We’re proud to introduce Presence and Poise, an exciting new makeover series to help improve the business skills and confidence of up and coming women in our community. In collaboration with global beauty giant Dark and Lovely in Africa, Presence and Poise will identify five women who are working hard to build a business but need coaching and support to get to that next level. Selected participants will win a complimentary trip to Johannesburg, South Africa, business coaching from a seasoned expert and a beauty and style makeover by Dark and Lovely Haircare Experts. After the makeover they will also be introduced to potential business partners, mentors or investors who can help support their business moving forward. To be considered for a makeover, follow these simple steps: Upload a video onto Instagram on why you deserve a business makeover and use the hashtag #PresencexPoise Include your City and Country in your caption Follow @DarkandLovelyAfrica and @SheLeadsAfrica Applications close on 14 April 2017 at 11:59pm WAT. After your makeover, you’ll be walking into your next meeting like this. Terms and Conditions INTRODUCTION: The Presence and Poise Makeover Web Series will provide young women with a business makeover including a new hairstyle, outfit and coaching to get their business to the next level. The goal of the show is to encourage young women to overcome obstacles and achieve their goals. The Promoters for The Presence and Poise Makeover Web Series (“the competition”) are Devorent Nigeria Limited (“She Leads Africa “) and L’Oreal South Africa (Proprietary) Limited (“Dark and Lovely Africa”) (collectively, “the organisers”). APPLICATION PROCESS: Open to Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Ivory Coast and South Africa residents aged 18 or over only, who are in possession of a valid identity document except employees and directors of She Leads Africa & Dark and Lovely Africa, and their associated, affiliated or subsidiary companies, their families, partners, agents or any other person(s) connected with the competition, including third party promotional partners. Competition opens at 12:00am WAT on 29 March and closes at 11.59pm WAT on 14 April 2017 (the Closing Date). Entries received after the Closing Date will not be counted. One entry per person. Bulk, automatically generated or third party entries are void. Each entrant must make a 60-second entry video uploaded on Instagram where they give a brief personal introduction and explain why they deserve to win the makeover. Each entrant must follow Dark and Lovely Africa on Instagram and use the hashtag #PresencexPoise for their submission to be valid. The Organisers reserve the right to publish entries (including parts of entries) other than the winning entry and publication does not necessarily mean the entrant has won a prize. Entrants will retain copyright in their submitted entries, however, by entering, all entrants give consent and provide the Organisers a worldwide royalty-free perpetual licence to edit, publish and use each entry in any and all media (including print and online) for publicity and news purposes. The Organisers reserve the right to publish entries (including parts of entries) although publication does not necessarily mean the entrant has won a prize. Applicants can opt out to this consent at any time by contacting the Organisers via written request at info@sheleadsafrica.org. Up to five Selected Participants will be selected by the Organisers at its complete discretion based on the uniqueness of the entry, need for the makeover and the business. Selection decisions will be communicated publicly via Instagram on the She Leads Africa and Dark and Lovely Africa pages by 5 May 2017 The Organisers reserves the right not to select any Participants if there are insufficient entries or if the quality of the entries is poor. The Organisers selection decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. By entering, all eligible entrants agree to abide by each and all these terms and conditions. Misrepresentative or fraudulent entries will invalidate an entry. Where a competition involves a voting process: offering or receiving any incentive for voting is not permitted and will invalidate the vote, and may disqualify the recipient of the vote. The Organisers reserve the right, with or without cause, to exclude entrants and withhold prizes for violating any of these terms and conditions. The Organisers reserve the right to amend these terms and conditions. Any amendments will be published on the Organiser’s website (the Website). THE PRIZE The Prize is a trip to Johannesburg, South Africa, a new hairstyle, a makeup session, a wardrobe styling session and a business mentorship session. Those outside of Johannesburg, South Africa will receive assistance with their visa application, an economy class round trip ticket, transportation within Johannesburg and feeding. Selected Participants within Johannesburg will receive complimentary transport from their homes to the filming location. The prize is non-transferable and there are no cash alternatives to the prize in whole or in part. Each Selected Participant must be available to travel to Johannesburg, South Africa for the makeover and video shoot between May 1 – May 30 2017. Each Selected Participant must have a valid passport. Each Selected Participant consents and agrees that they will, if requested by the Organisers, make themselves exclusively available for any publicity and promotion at venues, dates and times designated by the Organisers. The organisers will contact the Selected Participants telephonically by 28 April 2017 via the Instagram handle they have applied with. Should the winner not be contactable by the
Trecia Makhubele: It is ordinary South Africans that will create jobs in SA
[bctt tweet=”Bohochic was born from a desperate need for financial stability” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Born in rural Mpumalanga in a small town called Bushbuckridge, Trecia Makhubele, co-founder of Bohochic, is a graduate from the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for girls. In 2016, she went on to achieve her undergraduate degree in Politics and international studies. Trecia is currently a Penultimate year law student at Rhodes University where she tutors law first-yearear students and works as a law library assistant. Trecia is passionate about entrepreneurship and believes that it is ordinary South Africans that will be able to create jobs in SA. SLA contributor Jeanette Nkwana interviewed this young South African entrepreneur, this is how it went. How did Bohochic and your partnership with the co-founder come about? Bohochic, like most black owned businesses in SA, was born from a desperate need for financial stability. Rue, my friend and co-founder, and I found it difficult to go to residence trips to buy appropriate clothing for court visits and textbooks because our parents were just not able to provide us with everything that we needed. Instead of accepting our financial situation, we each started our own businesses, mine being Spiritus Mundi designs and Rue’s being Rude-soul chains, making jewellery. However,separately we were not making enough money to sustain ourselves. We then looked at trends and realised there was a growing fascination for crochet clothing. Having had basic crochet skills, we read blog posts and watched YouTube videos and soon we had a couple of designs. Once we were confident enough with the idea, we abandoned our businesses and used their respective profits to start Bohochic. What are some of the challenges of working with a partner and how do you personally deal with them? For some reason, we both work really well together and have never had any major fights to date. I think it’s all about finding someone you have a good chemistry with. Both Rue and I luckily found that in each other. [bctt tweet=”‘Good chemistry is important in a partnership – Trecia Makhubele’” username=”Spiritus_Mundii”] Another reason we hardly face any challenges in this partnership is the consistent brutal honesty between us. If for example, someone makes something ugly, the other is not afraid to speak up. The receiving party does not take it personally either. It simply becomes a laughing matter! This is perhaps due to the fact that we are also friends and thus know each other well. You value your academic career, how do you deal with the pressures coming from school and entrepreneurship? We made a pact that no matter how big Bohochic gets, we would not let it take up more space in our lives than our academics. At the beginning our timetables allowed us to split our times to ensure our academic lives did not suffer. Of late, the business has become too big as we are now doing post-graduate studies which requires more of our time. This has. undoubtedly, put a lot of pressure on both of us. We have decided to start a skills development programme in Grahamstown which allows us to teach a number of people how to crochet so that they can eventually come on board as our employees and do the actual crocheting. This will lessen our burden of making each order and help families like our own by way of job creation. [bctt tweet=”Bohochic is more than a brand dedicated to making money, we want to uplift our communities” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] You are also a YouTuber, how has this helped with the success of Bohochic? Bohochic is more than just a brand dedicated to making money. It is about showing young people like ourselves that social media can be used to uplift ourselves and communities. Through our tutorials and videos, we hope to get people thinking. We want to show them that there are awesome business ideas that do not require large sums of money to execute. We have been able to fulfill this mandate through our YouTube channel as most of our viewers are students like ourselves. What is the most fulfilling thing about what you do? The financial independence. Nothing is more fulfilling than being able to buy a bus ticket to school or that ridiculously expensive textbook without having to put pressure on our families. What do you think your customers value most about Bohochic? The creativity that goes into the products we make. We do not just make crochet tops, we take the time to research and see what people are into and translate that into each crochet item. [bctt tweet=”Bohochic looking to expand from crochet tops and chokers to Bohochic Kids and Home.” via=”no”] What can we look forward to from Bohochic this year? Growth, lots of it. We have dedicated so much time to improving our craft. This year we will see the finalization and launch of Bohochic Kids and Bohochic Home. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Become a #SheMeansBusiness Trainer!
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column 0=””][vc_gallery type=”image_grid” images=”28412,28414,28553,44474″ img_size=”275×250″ onclick=”img_link_large” custom_links_target=”_blank”][vc_column_text] How do you feel about dropping bombs of knowledge and helping empower your fellow #MotherlandMoguls? If this was your reaction, we’ve got a program for you to consider. In 2018, because this is the year we live our best lives, we’re continuing our digital marketing training with support from Facebook! We’re going to be delivering free training to 4000 women across six different cities in Nigeria. To do this we’ll be recruiting 24 rock stars who’ll become SLA certified – #SheMeansBusiness trainers who’ll work with us to deliver an exceptional training program. Interested? [/vc_column_text][vc_separator border_width=”5″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row 0=””][vc_column 0=””][vc_column_text]Here’s the process Send in your application – the link is at the bottom of this page If selected, you’ll be invited for an intensive 1-day training courtesy of She Leads Africa and Facebook on March 27. You’ll be trained on: – How to use Facebook products to grow a business – Finding your presentation style – Business strategy frameworks Now you’ll be ready to spread your knowledge and help people do amazing things. And we’re gonna put you straight to work helping us train 4000+ entrepreneurs and professionals. 4. The SLA team will organize most of the logistics behind the trainings. We’ll find the space, make sure there are chairs and pray the folks at NEPA come through. We’ll work with you to spread the word, make sure the training is well attended and have someone there on the day to help you set up. And then it’s over to you to wow the audiences with your expertise.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column 0=””][vc_row_inner 0=””][vc_column_inner 0=””][vc_column_text] Why would you do this? If some of the traits below sound like you, then apply now now. You’re interested in digital media and want to share your expertise and experience with entrepreneurs and professionals who are eager to learn You’ve always been interested in mentoring and helping people develop new skills You’d like to build your brand as a business strategy expert Money may not be your motivation but the extra pocket money of N20,000 per training you host would be a nice addition Any restrictions..? Unfortunately …. Yes. You need to have at least 2 preferably 5+ years of work experience to qualify You need to be based in one of these cities: Aba, Lagos, Abuja, Kaduna, Ibadan, Port Harcourt. You need to have the time to lead 1-3 trainings per month (6hrs per training). Training will most likely take place on Fridays and Saturdays. [/vc_column_text][vc_separator border_width=”5″][vc_btn title=”Click here to apply now! ” style=”classic” shape=”square” color=”turquoise” align=”center” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fsheleadsafrica.typeform.com%2Fto%2FQQ2Mt1||target:%20_blank|”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text]FAQs Do I need to be a digital marketing expert to apply? No. We’ll be delivering business as well as digital marketing training so we’re excited to have trainers from a range of backgrounds. I don’t live in one of your target cities, can I still apply? Unfortunately not. We hope to expand to other cities and countries soon but for now you must reside in Aba, Lagos, Ibadan, Abuja, Kaduna or Port Harcourt City in Nigeria. I’m not a woman, can I still apply? Of course! This opportunity is open to everyone though the majority of people being trained will be women. What will my schedule look like? After we get you trained, you’ll work out a schedule with the SLA program coordinator. Trainings will run between the April 7th and Sept 29 (~6 months). You’ll be required to lead 1 – 4 trainings during this period. How many entrepreneurs will I train? Initially, you’ll lead a training with about 50 -100 entrepreneurs. Based on your performance and feedback from trainees, you’ll be called to lead follow on trainings. Will I be able to host training outside of the ones you organise for me? If you’d like to host trainings outside of this program, you’ll need to get permission from the SLA team if you’re using content from the program.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row 0=””][vc_column 0=””][vc_btn title=”Click here to apply now! ” shape=”square” color=”peacoc” size=”lg” align=”center” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fsheleadsafrica.typeform.com%2Fto%2FQQ2Mt1|||”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Bamisaye Folasade: I want to promote menstrual hygiene for girls and women
[bctt tweet=”I realised that I can impact my community without being rich – Bamisaye Folasade” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Meet Bamisaye Folasade, a social entrepreneur who is passionate about menstrual hygiene for girls and women of reproductive age. She is an example that you can effectively do business while solving social problems. Bamisaye has over 8 years experience improving psycho-social wellbeing of girls and women at the grassroots. She is the founder of Young Women Arise an organisation with the goal to give power to girls and women. It’s meant for them to be able to make right and informed decision about their Sexual and Reproductive Health and Right (SRHR). Through this project, Bamisaye has trained over 1600 girls and young women at the grassroots. She is also the curator of Ablaze Ladies Camp which provides participants with the needed skills for them to make informed decision about their SRHR. Bamisaye is also the brain behind MyPeriod Kit, an innovative product that aims to increase access to menstrual hygiene and help keep girls in school during their periods. How did you get involved in women health advocacy? I am driven by my passion for community and human development, as well as a strong desire to make a positive change. Right from childhood, I have always wanted to be a philanthropist so I can help the vulnerable people in the area of education, health, and poverty. But I reasoned that I could only do so when I get wealthy. As I grew older I began to gather information on how I can start impacting my community without being rich. I then began to understand what volunteerism is all about. In 2009 I became a full-time volunteer, working on issues of women and young people’s sexual and reproductive health and rights. My first major experience was on PACT/USAID supported REACH project in Ekiti State. You recently launched a new product, MyPeriod Kit, tell us about it? Yes… that is MyPeriod Kit and I am so excited about it. MyPeriod Kit is the first product with a compilation of sanitary materials for young girls and women of reproductive age in Nigeria and the West Africa sub-region. The product aims to promote menstrual hygiene and healthy transition into womanhood for girls and women of reproductive age especially those residing in under-served communities. The justification for having MyPeriod Kit is that girls and women residing in under-served areas around Nigeria are faced with huge challenge of coping with their menstrual period hygienically. Women and girls’ capacity to manage their periods is affected by factors, including limited access to affordable hygienic sanitary materials and disposal options. This has led many girls and women to manage their periods ineffectively, uncomfortably and unhygienically. Young girls and women in rural areas tend to opt for natural materials such as mud, leaves, dung or animal skins to manage the menstrual flow due to inadequate knowledge about puberty education, access to affordable sanitary materials as well as poor menstrual hygiene management. This is in addition to insufficient access to safe and private toilets and lack of clean water and soap for personal hygiene. As a result, menstruating girls and women often feel ashamed and embarrassed. How have you been able to manage entrepreneurship and advocacy efficiently? My sister, I will say it has not been an easy task. This is especially when coupled with the fact that I am also an employee. But you know what happens when determination meets passion and grace, then you can consider challenges as a piece of cake. My passion for girls and women’s general well-being keeps me going. [bctt tweet=”When determination meets passion and grace, challenges are a piece of cake” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Can you share a story on your toughest day/period? Hmmm… the life of a development worker coupled with being an entrepreneur cannot always be a bed of roses. Each day comes with its own unique toughness in different forms. So it is really difficult for me to isolate a day out as my toughest day. However, if we say period then I can say the toughest period in my life was between 2014/2015. I was running my Masters degree full-time, working full-time and also setting up a new NGO in a new environment in that period. I only had a few staff to work with, so the work was so enormous. And I still had to study hard to have good grades. That period was so challenging but grace and passion were at work in my life. What do you recommend to other women based on your experiences? It is never too late to start being productive and resourceful. Whatever positive things you dream of doing, believe me, you can achieve it. Seize the moment now that international organizations are advocating for huge investment to be made in girls and women. Try to make something meaningful out of life, invest in yourself and in others. What are the misconceptions/myth on women’s health you’d like to debunk? That menstruating is a taboo or a dirty process. This myth has for long put girls and women in a position of being discriminated against to the extent that in some society menstruating girls and women are barred from participating in religious exercises. Also, girls in school are forced to stay at home while their male counterparts stay in school to learn. Menstruation is a biological process that girls must undergo. It is the onset of womanhood and thus must be appreciated and treated with dignity and the highest level of hygiene. Menstruation in itself is not dirty, but the process must be undergone hygienically. What are your plans for your product/business? MyPeriod Kit is a work in progress. In the coming years, we plan to reach more girls and women of reproductive age with menstrual hygiene supplies that are hygienically packed to meet their specific needs at an affordable rate. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and
Facebook Live with Mapalo Makhu: Planning your personal finance and investments (Mar. 28)
Are your expenses greater than your revenue? You may have all the designer cloths and bags right now, but if your bank account balance is flashing red, then now is the time for you to start investing and planning towards your future. Join us for a Facebook Live session on Tuesday 28th March, with one of South Africa’s finance experts – Mapalo Makhu, founder of Woman & Finance. She’ll be talking extensively about planning your personal finance and investments. [bctt tweet=”Join @WomanAndFinance to discuss personal finance and investments on Facebook Live (28 Mar)” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Some of the the topics we’ll cover: What you need to understand about investments 3 financial questions every woman should ask herself Planning a budget Top 3 things to look out for when selecting an investment advisor Identifying your investment goals (safety, income and growth) Date: Tuesday 28th March 2017 Time: 1pm Lagos// 2pm Joburg// 3pm Nairobi Where: facebook.com/sheleadsafrica/ About Mapalo Mapalo is a financial planner, wealth coach and founder of Woman&Finance , a platform that empowers and educates women to make the best financial decisions for their current and future selves. Having completed a Bcom finance degree from the University of Johannesburg and recently obtaining her post graduate diploma in financial planning, Mapalo created Woman&Finance to educate and inspire women to take charge of their finances and make the best financial decisions for their current and future selves. Woman&Finance was established with the goal of giving power back to women and showing them how to have control when it comes to managing their personal finances.
Mweshi Ng’andu: I was looking for a way to be more and do more
[bctt tweet=”With every little bit that you try, you gain more wisdom – Mweshi Ng’andu” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] If passion had an alternative spelling, it would be spelt Mweshi. As a Global Shaper (a World Economic Forum initiative) and alumna of the Young African Leaders Initiative Regional Leadership Center for Southern Africa and the Mandela Institute for Development Studies (MINDS), Mweshi Ng’andu has done a lot of work focused on engaging youth to uplift underprivileged and at risk children within her community. She has used her skills to mentor, give leadership talks, and mobilize resources to assist various shelters for children, orphanages, and schools. Recently, she started Bloom, her own company working in the space of events management and marketing consultancy. Bloom focuses primarily on corporate and educational events and digital marketing. In this interview, this passion driven #MotherlandMogul takes us on a walk through her amazing journey so far. Take us on a tour of what Bloom Events Management stands for. Bloom is a young and innovative events management and marketing consultancy company. Our focus areas are corporate events management (everything from providing ushers, to catering, to sourcing speakers/industry experts, to venue scouting, to sponsorship engagement) and educational events. We create events for young professionals and students to learn how to advance their careers and to link them to the right people to help them create opportunities. We also develop innovative marketing techniques for companies through social media management and product promotions to name a few. The events and festival industry has grown significantly and Bloom recognises this. What we offer is fresh and exciting as we aim to create distinctive and memorable events. Bloom is an expression of growth, a way to look back at where you’ve come from with a sincere admiration for the person that you have become today. Bloom will be an example of what you can expect to happen when young people come together to showcase their talents and ability. What were the greatest challenges in building your business? We are still in the first year of our business and as such, we are working on finding our ‘groove’. However, immediate challenges that come to mind are gaining the confidence of corporates. When two unknown young women walk into an office to pitch their services to a well-established bank or firm, you can always sense that the person you are pitching to has a little bit of doubt in your ability to actually deliver. Then there’s the competition. Bidding for tenders is tough! Finding our unique selling point was extremely difficult, particularly in an industry where there is only so much you can offer. We realized that it is not so much about the services, but more about the way you deliver. And there’s finances; the first event we had, boy were we broke! So even completing it was a HUGE victory for us. Although it’s great to invest money into your business, you need to set boundaries as to how much of your personal resources you are putting in. You are very passionate about young people, what are you doing to be better and get more young people involved. Bloom offers opportunities for university students to learn a thing or two about what it means to manage tasks and to work with corporates. We specifically target enthusiastic young people who are looking to gain work experience and ask them to join our team on specific projects; this worked very well when we organized a TED event. One of the best things you can do for young people is to support their businesses! Whenever we are working with a client and there is need to outsource, we try as much as possible to look for companies that are run by young people to offer services like photography or sound equipment. For educational events, whether it is a breakfast meet up or a seminar, we try as much as possible to cover topics that are relevant to the reality of being a young, Zambian professional. We make our events interactive and encourage lots of networking. [bctt tweet=”It is not so much about the services, but more about the way you deliver – Mweshi Ng’andu” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] As an avid traveller, global shaper, and emerging young leader, how has your experience reflected on your business style? I joined the Global Shapers Community at a time in my life when I was looking for a way to do more and be more. The Community changed my life in ways I cannot even express. I became connected to a group of ambitious, hardworking and innovative young people. What I noticed about myself almost immediately is that my mindset dramatically changed. It was because of this community I quickly realize how as a proudly Zambian woman, I can have dreams to take on the world but still be so deeply rooted in where I am coming from and what I can do to add value. Attending the World Economic Forum on Africa in 2015 and rubbing shoulders with some of the continent’s biggest power players made me think, how dare I not dream BIG? As a Shaper, I contributed to a book project featuring 80 incredible young Africans, offering their perspectives on entrepreneurship, leadership, culture, and ways in which we can transform the continent. It is because of experiences like this, that I am bold in my approach and I have a tendency to continuously ask myself how I can improve my business model and make it more relevant. What has been the most difficult phase in your career and how did you scale through? The most difficult phase was pinpointing exactly what I wanted to do and being confident in my capabilities. I could easily tell you that in ten years I wanted to be successful and financially stable. But I had a harder time telling you how. I overcame this in two ways. Firstly, by establishing what it is I am passionate about. My answer is simple: it is people.