Lebohang Monyatsi: The first South African woman in a wheelchair to be a runway model
[bctt tweet=”The fashion industry ignores diversity and inclusion – Lebohang Manyatsi” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] “The main goal is to break the stereotypes associated with people with disabilities in the fashion/entertainment industry and to pave the way for those to follow and succeed me.” Those words come from Lebohang Monyatsi, the first South African woman in a wheelchair to be a runway model. Lebohang was born and raised in North West Province, in a small town called Vryburg. She is recognized for representing her country in the field of Wheelchair Basketball. Lebohang is extremely passionate about the needs of children, disability inclusion and accessible features for all. Tell us about your journey as a model, what made you fall in love with modelling? I have always loved modeling. As a teenager, I did mostly pageants, but at some point, I gave up. This is because the fashion industry especially in South Africa, ignores diversity and inclusion. In SA, and other parts of Africa, many people have a belief that people who are differently abled are only good for office work or sport. I intend on making people see that we are capable of doing other things. We have other abilities beyond sports activities and office work. I wanted to embark on this from a young age but couldn’t because of lack of opportunities for people with disabilities in the entertainment industry. [bctt tweet=”Lebohang Manyatsi: I am work in progress and on the hunt for who I am yet to become” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What kept you going? “Be the change you wish to see”, that quote keeps me going. I believe that whatever change you wish to see in the world, you should be the first one to act on it, lead by example. As the first South African runway model to do so in a wheelchair, I believe my work speaks a lot of volumes. What are your goals as a model? My goals as a model are to do international modelling, to inspire/be a role model -especially to those who think “it’s not possible”. In addition to those two, I want to open doors for others to follow and surpass me. [bctt tweet=”Lebohang Manyatsi want to open doors for others with disabilities to follow and surpass her” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What have been your greatest accomplishments so far? So far my greatest achievement is being a finalist for Face Of The Globe and of course modelling at Soweto Fashion week which appeared on Selimathunzi. Also, modelling at Maboneng Fashion week and GeeJunction Fashion show. How do you define success? For me, success means being very happy and content with what you do. [bctt tweet=”Success means being very happy and content with what you do – Lebohang Manyatsi” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What do you think needs to be done to make the fashion/entertainment industry friendlier to disabled people? People want to see diversity in the fashion/entertainment industry. The industry needs to keep this in mind and actively work towards being inclusive and diverse at all time. What is your motto in life? Be happy with what you have but never give up on what you want. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Oby Bamidele: The more you conform, the less you become
[bctt tweet=”I predominantly help women dig deep to discover their true self – Oby Bamidele” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Oby Bamidele is an Authenticity Coach and registered Counsellor who believes that a person can only be truly happy when he or she is being true to themselves. Oby started her career as an accountant, and in her book “Finding Purpose”, she shares candidly her challenges and triumphs in breaking out of a conformist life and uninspiring career. Her interest had always been in people and psychology, but at 18 years old, she lacked the knowledge and conviction to convince her parents that studying Psychology would be a wise career choice. After years of struggling to live the fulfilling life she craved, Oby finally took the leap and she certainly is not looking back. Her goal is to empower women around the world to be authentic, self-aware and live purposeful, nonconformist, liberated lives. Tell us a little about yourself and your job as an Authenticity Coach? Although my clients are diverse, I predominantly help women dig deep to discover their true self and the clarity and courage to make the changes that will enable them to live a deeply satisfying life. We live in a world where we strive to fit in and conform to gain approval. We do what is expected of us by our families, friends, society and the world, usually to the detriment of our own needs, dreams, and passion. In our bid to fit in, we lose the essence of who we are, or we hide away the parts of us that we feel do not fit into the ideal standard. However, doing so hinders our ability to embrace our uniqueness and individuality. When my clients come to me, they are frustrated, confused, scared and unsure. My job is to help them, understand who they are, identify the root of their problems and coach them to develop the right mindset, resilience, and resources to achieve their desired change. Before becoming an Authenticity Coach and Counsellor, you were an Accountant. What inspired the transformation? I started my career in Accounting, having studied Accounting and Finance at University. But I was unfulfilled in a career that didn’t play to my strengths, passions or interests, which for me was soul-defying. I wanted to be excited about my work and not dread Monday mornings. [bctt tweet=”Oby Bamidele wanted to be excited about her work and not dread Monday mornings” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I was unhappy and constantly trying to be the person that I thought I should be rather the person I truly wanted and needed to be. As a result of my unhappiness, I made poor choices in my spending, relationships and my eating habits. Things were spiralling out of control, I was engaging in excessive behaviours to numb my emotional pain. I reached a low point where I had to re-think my life; my self-discovery journey began. I started having counselling and mentoring. Through counselling, I began to know me and I liked the new person that was emerging. I learned that not knowing what I wanted was the route to a wasted and frustrated life. I have always been passionate about empowering people and the more self-aware I became, this stood out strongly as the career path for me. It took me 5 years to complete my training in counselling but I thoroughly enjoyed it. After working part time as a counsellor, I finally took a leap of faith and launched my private practice. I love my work and I am extremely passionate about it. I understand the pain of my clients because I have been there. Also, I run self-awareness masterclasses for women and teenage girls, called BARE. Doing the work I love gives me the opportunity to work with schools, organisations, to speak about Authenticity and Mental Health. [bctt tweet=”Having been there before, Oby Bamidele understands the pain of her clients” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I have written two books; “Finding Purpose” and my latest book is titled “Me, My hair and the Rest” -an autobiographical account of my journey to self-acceptance and authenticity, recounted through my relationship with my hair. What are some obstacles you encountered during this transformation? My main obstacles were fear in its various forms, particularly fear of losing my identity. I discovered how much my identity was attached to a job title, despite the fact it was a job title that didn’t excite me. I was still desperately trying to hold on to a status that made me feel validated by others. Why do you think many women are conforming to societal standards lately? What happens to people who conform to societal standards? I think that as human beings; we crave approval and acceptance. Often when we try to follow our own way, we fear we will be rejected, ridiculed, or looked down on. Many are desperate for approval and believe that conforming is the way to earn that validation. Culture and society model the perfect life as having financial wealth, status and possessions, looking flawless and perfect. It is all about the external things. Whilst there is absolutely nothing wrong with having material wealth, many rarely stop to question whether the cultural and societal norms are aligned with their own values. As African women, many of us have had our lives mapped out from a very young age. Before the age of 10, I knew that my life would look like this; go to university; get a good job; get married and have children. For a long time that was as far as I understood my purpose to be. [bctt tweet=”Many African women have had our lives mapped out from a very young age – Oby Bamidele” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] But I lacked self-knowledge to question if I wanted those things and if so, why. Was it out of my own desires or because I had to tick a box? When I ask clients these questions, many don’t know the answer. Some are scared to find
Assia Sidibe: I am building a better Africa for myself and my daughters
[bctt tweet=”Your first husband is your job. It is important to be independent – Assia Sidibe” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] At only 32 years old, Assia Sidibe heads the pool of Francophone countries for the African Risk Capacity (ARC) – a specialized institution of the African Union that insures African countries against the risks of extreme weather events. Assia is from the beautiful land of Mali; she grew up in Côte d’Ivoire but had to leave this second home 16 years later, after a coup in the country, for France, where she lived for a decade. In this interview that took place on a plane, 3 hours away from a Madagascar business trip, SLA contributor Meguy Massoudi attempts to capture just what a trailblazer Assia is. Assia did a great job at answering with candor and a lot of humor. What did you want to be when you grew up? Why? I have no idea. I was not one of those people that knew what they wanted to do. All I knew is that I wanted to work in development and help people. Growing up in Côte d’Ivoire, I could sense the inequalities in society. I wanted to help people that were less fortunate than I was, just not in a charity sort of way. That idea only became concrete when I was around 18 or 19. How did you decide that finance was the route you would take for your studies and later your career? When I was supposed to decide what to study, I had no idea what to do. My parents pushed this idea that finance was the best place to start on me. They believed that it opened a career in everything. So I studied finance in high school. After my Baccalaureate, I did a PREPA (preparatory school) in Superior Classical Letters. I was curious about learning about history, languages, and philosophy. After that, I knew what I wanted to do. So I did a Master’s degree at Science PO Paris in Finance and Strategy. And from then, it opened up a career in development very easily. Have you ever done any volunteer work? If yes, how has it been important to you? If not, would you be interested in volunteer work? When I arrived in South Africa, I gave contemporary dance lessons to teenagers in the Joburg CBD. I wanted to give back to the community. I wish I could volunteer more. If I had more time I would. Have you ever faced problems in the workplace because you are a woman, how have you dealt with them? No. I have faced problems in the workplace more because I am young. Working with African governments however, it has not been as difficult. Being a woman can be challenging, but if the work relationships are based on mutual respect, that is good. [bctt tweet=”Assia Sidibe: I have faced problems in the workplace more because I am young” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I have been pleasantly surprised by the open-mindedness of senior government officials who are willing to work with women of every age, especially in West Africa. Africans are not as closed minded as we are often made up to believe. You have a career that allows you to surpass yourself every day, and meet the game shakers in climate change and in governments. How do you find the confidence to talk to so many high profile people and get them to align with your vision and participate in your work? I am not at all impressed by high-rank people. At the end of the day, we are all working for the continent. I don’t scare easily or get impressed easily. That doesn’t mean I don’t respect them. I also think it is important to share our different views with one another, Minister or not. You would be surprised how friendly and open-minded people on the continent are. Was there a time you messed up and felt like you failed? What did you do to recover? I wouldn’t say messed up. But last year, one of my countries didn’t get on board with ARC. I didn’t feel like I failed because I was on maternity leave. But I felt guilty. It’s a woman thing. When I had to travel after giving birth and leave a little baby, I also felt guilty. I always leave thinking to myself, did I make the right choice? But I wouldn’t be happy staying at home. I tell myself, I am building a better Africa for myself and my daughters. And If I can make that impact, then that’s good. What keeps you going in the most stressful times? The belief in the potential of our continent keeps me going. I believe in what I do. I admit to being a bit of an idealist. But the bottom line is believing in what I do. I meet exceptional civil servants who work in hard situations but they never give up. In hard times, these people inspire me and keep me going. [bctt tweet=”The belief in the potential of our continent keeps me going – Assia Sidibe” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] When we talk about the continent, we don’t talk enough about those that do everything in their power to make Africa better. We only talk about those that are corrupted. What are your success habits? My success habit would be never giving up. But I wonder if I even really have success habits. I am just a person who never gives up. It’s in my personality. Nothing is impossible. So my success habit would be to explore a hundred ways to solve a problem before giving up, in every single thing I do. What advice do you have for women wanting to make advancements or drastic changes in their careers? I will start by addressing the point about drastic career changes. Speaking from experience, I resigned from my job in France. You have to find the courage to do it. When you want to do something, do it. For
Toyosi Ogunmekan: The warrior #MotherlandMogul
[bctt tweet=”Toyosi Ogunemeka is a Sickle Cell warrior whose start-up answers shortcomings in the healthcare system” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Toyosi Ogunmekan is a “warrior”! Yes, she is a Sickle Cell warrior who got involved in business because she noticed shortcomings in the healthcare system. Instead of getting beaten by the system, Toyosi decided to roll up her sleeves and make an impact. She started a business in medical technology, Toyo Medical Techs where she provides a range of healthcare products used to diagnose, monitor or treat a disease or medical condition. It includes medical devices, information technology, biotechnology, and healthcare services. SLA contributor Ugochi Obidiegwu caught up with her recently to understand her drive. What led you to start your business? After my post graduate in biomedical engineering, I fell in love with the idea of applying engineering principles to medicine. As a regular hospital visitor, being SS, I was very dissatisfied with our Nigerian healthcare system. I felt we needed to do a lot more technologically to meet up with foreign standards. Hence, the birth of Toyo Medical Techs. What has been your experience as a woman and SS in your line of business? Every business, especially at the start-up stage is very stressful and challenging. In my business, I have to do a lot of running around and drive long distances. There are days I feel overwhelmed and break down, there are also days I get comments like “I love what you do, keep it up” and that just makes my day. It’s been a bitter-sweet experience so far and I’m excited for what is to come. [bctt tweet=”Nigeria needs to do a lot more technologically to meet up with foreign standards – Toyosi Ogunmekan” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What is the impact of your business activities on your health? Doctors advise their sickle cell patients to avoid all forms of stress, but I don’t know. Maybe it’s an “SS-thing” we tend to be very stubborn and still act like we can do it all. Maybe we are trying to prove we’re not as weak as people think we are. Well there are days I suffer the aftermath of over stretching myself. I also thank God for family and friends who tend to “scold” me when I’m over doing it. Some 2/3 years ago I was diagnosed with avascular necrosis of the hip (it’s a common complication in sickle cell patients). My doctor recommended I do a lot of physiotherapy, avoid standing and sitting for too long, etc. But you know Lagos and all the traffic, sometimes I sit in traffic for hours! And when I get home, the pain I usually experience from that hip! OMG! It’s unexplainable. Still I’ve been able to understand my body and figure out how to balance my health and work. What’s your advice to others with your health challenge? My advice to other warriors is for them to be religious with their medications, avoid as much stress as possible, stay hydrated, understand their bodies; know when to slow down and join support groups. I run an awareness page on Instagram @thewarriorstoryng where I share tips and stories of other warriors to inspire others. I’m also a member of the Sickle Cell Aid Foundation (SCAF). From your entrepreneurship experience, what would you advice someone about to start? Be passionate about your dreams and don’t let anyone make you feel like you can’t do it. When one client says no, it doesn’t mean you should be discouraged, move on. And most importantly, pray. [bctt tweet=”A lot of people are ignorant and think sickle cell warriors don’t live long – Toyosi Ogunmekan” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What myths about Sickle Cell disorder annoy you? A lot of people are still ignorant about the disorder and think warriors don’t live long. There are a lot of warriors that live up to 90+ What are your plans for 2017? Hmmm… to stay healthy, get that beach body, I pray. I want to keep creating awareness on sickle cell disorder and keep pushing my business forward. Want to see women you know featured on SLA? Tell us what amazing things women are doing in your communities here.
Anyiko Owoko: It starts with you
[bctt tweet=”Anyiko Owoko is a writer and PR maven who has worked with many Kenyan & African stars” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] A celebrity publicist, a Public Relations maven, journalist, blogger and all round music and entertainment aficionado -Anyiko Owoko is the perfect definition of more than a triple threat. The young connoisseur is the publicist to award winning East African music group; Sauti Sol. Starting out as their friend and assistant, Anyiko has risen to media success thanks to her work with the boy band. Anyiko also works with many other talented artists on the continent and beyond who have seen her prowess as an influential communicator and brand strategist. Now she intends to expand her growing PR company –Anyiko PR and let SLA contributor, Diana Odero in on her journey to where she is now and why she is fuelled by creative people. You have the incredible role of being Sauti Sol’s publicist. How did this come about? I have always been their friend to begin with. I was initially friends with Chimano in particular, who I met in 2006 at Alliance Francaise where I was studying French. Funny thing is, we weren’t even in the same class so I don’t really recall how we became friends. Chimano would always tell me about his friends and him singing in high school and now that they were done, they were thinking of starting a music group. He wanted my opinion on that. So I sort of became their advisor from back in the day and I encouraged them to take on the music group idea. Chimano and I joined the choir at Alliance and we really liked it but Chimano felt that he needed his friend (from high school) to join in as well. We both convinced the choirmaster to allow his friend -Bien Baraza to join, even though non-students weren’t allowed in the choir. Later on Savara and Polycarp, Chimano’s other friends were brought in and they were a full singing group in a choir. After we completed the French program, we enrolled into University and surprisingly Chimano and I ended up in the same school, in the same course and in the same class. That’s really how it all started and as for me, I’ve always loved writing and communicating. As a friend, that was a great quality I had that was able to help them get their group off the ground. I have been their road manager, an assistant, I got them onto social media and after several years, they realized that I was the main person doing their publicity. I knew they would become big stars from way back in the day and so I did all I could to secure their brand and maintain their presence in the music industry. They of course now have a bigger team; I even have my own assistant as well, so at least we have a lot more help than we did when it was just the boys and I. Did you always want to get into the public relations field? No, I never saw myself doing this kind of work. PR kind of just found me because of the work I was doing with Sauti Sol. My plan had always been to get into writing and become a journalist. PR is part of communications so it still lies in my preferred field but I guess you can say I ended up specializing in it. [bctt tweet=”Anyiko Owoko: PR kind of found me because of the work I was doing with Sauti Sol” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I wanted to do broadcast journalism, which I have been doing actually; I’ve been working in TV for the past seven years. I still write though, I write for DStv, for the Daily Nation, I run my own blog and I also write for the Coke Studio website. So I’m still doing what I always wanted to do and I’m grateful to have found something else that I can do that contributes to the industry. How did you know that it was time to leave the employee life and become your own boss? I recently stopped working in TV this past September because I wanted something new and more challenging and needed a break from my broadcast career. About three years ago, I started feeling this way, I always wanted to leave but it was a bitter-sweet decision to make as that was my first official paying job. I was still in college when I got that job and for a journalism student, landing a job hosting an entertainment show in a national network was and still is quite a big deal. It was a really great show with great content that you don’t get much of nowadays in Kenya. I knew I wanted to leave when I realized I wasn’t learning anything new. People would come on the show and I would train them on hosting, reporting, scriptwriting etc. and no one was teaching me anything new. The producer of the show who discovered me had already left the network and I was now answering to his juniors even though I had more creative experience than they did. In addition, things were really changing fast in the world of media, including social media . The show was stagnant and I started interviewing the same artists all over again due to lack of content so it was getting too monotonous for me. [bctt tweet=”I knew I wanted to leave my job when I realized I wasn’t learning anything new – Anyiko Owoko” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Now I have my own column in Yummy Magazine where I interview all kinds of celebrities discussing food and lifestyle, which is something I never thought I would do. I started my own company and all this has been the breathe of fresh air that I really needed. As a celebrity publicist now, can you tell us which artist has been the most pleasant to work with and which interview has been the
Vuyi Zondi: How I turned my natural beauty hobby into a thriving business
[bctt tweet=”Management consultant Vuyi Zondi started making skincare elixirs for herself and close friends” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Vuyi Zondi is a Management Consultant by profession with experience in strategy consulting to optimize business performance. She is also Founder of Corium Naturals. The spark for her to venture into the natural beauty space started as a hobby, where Corium Naturals was born, an area in which she had an organic interest in. Vuyi had started making skincare elixirs for herself and close friends as a past time. She received good feedback, which encouraged her to start offering these products for money. Vuyi spent a considerable amount of time researching natural skincare and traditional skincare practices of African and Indian people. This is how Corium was born. Vuyi shares with SLA contributor, Anelisa Kasper, her journey in starting Corium Naturals. What was the spark that lead you down the natural beauty industry to start Corium Naturals? Organic interest in beauty and personal care and a generally experimental nature. I love all things relating to personal beauty and the interest was born of that. Are you highly involved in the making of your skincare products? Was it fairly easy to learn the skill? What have been the benefits and challenges of making the products yourself (if you still make them yourself)? Yes I am. I have partners who supply the raw materials and whose guidance we rely on, and who have “trained” us in some areas, such as the new addition of ECOCERT certified preservatives. The products are largely hand crafted and only the black soap is received already fully made from our partner in Ghana. The products are not complex to make. The challenge that we have faced with hand crafted cosmetics is batching; you have to get the measurements and batching identical so that the end user satisfaction is uniform. When we experience a bad batch, it results to wastage therefore we take the utmost pride in making sure that the products are of the best quality achievable. How do you ensure that your products are safe for your customers to use? Our partners provide Certificate of Analysis of the raw inputs and testing dates, as well as expiry dates. Our partners carry SOIL, ECOCERT, FDA and BCS Oeko-Garantie certification and registration. They have the labs and resources which test everything and declare it safe for cosmetic use. This is a highly important part of the business. The shea butter and African black soap are received from Ghana and our supplier is part of the Global Shea Alliance and adheres to Fair Trade principles. You started Corium Naturals while having a full-time profession, how has the journey been from when you started your own business and to where it is now? Has the corporate/start-up balance been smooth? I would still say that I have not perfected the balance and I probably will never feel that it is perfect. However, it works for me –as a professional and business owner. My profession is to assist businesses optimize their performance and to solve business problems. Entrepreneurship is also defined as solving a problem for the consumer. In my head, I see the two easily complementing each other. It isn’t smooth at all times, but what I learn from one, I can transfer to the other. It is a tough journey, and I am not sleeping enough. However, the journey is rewarding. [bctt tweet=”Vuyi Zondi: What I learn from my corporate job, I can transfer to my start-up” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Where do you see Corium Naturals in the next year, or two years? How do you plan to grow it? I would like to see Corium listed in more stores –we have just entered our first listing at Plush Luxury Concept Store in Braamfontein. I want Corium products to be ECOCERT certified in their formal form, rather than the certification of the separate input ingredients. Maintaining the fast growth of Corium Naturals is a great achievement, what keeps you going to ensure that it becomes an empire and who are your biggest cheerleaders that motivate you to keep going? The fast growth of Corium has taken myself and the team by surprise. It has been exponential. That puts us under pressure because we have to perform to that standard and keep the magic formula. What we have done really well is our marketing strategy, especially on digital platforms. What keeps me going is my strong hunger for achievement and my own private ambitions. I also have a great network of friends and supportive family. They are so supportive. [bctt tweet=”What keeps Vuyi Zondi going is her strong hunger for achievement” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What advice would you give to women looking to venture into the natural beauty space? Do your research, read up from credible sources. Reach out to the suppliers of raw materials because they have a wealth of knowledge and guidance. Become a sponge, always soaking in new knowledge and new learnings. Do your market research and find out what the market wants. Corium has grown from the online shop, to being stocked at a physical store in Johannesburg. Please tell us where SLA readers can get hold of your products, the different kinds of products you stock and where the physical store can be found. We have soap, cleansers, serums, facial masks, and body butters. All of these are available on our online store, and our best sellers are found at Plush Luxury Concept Store, 38 Melle Street in Braamfontein, Johannesburg. Want to see women you know featured on SLA? Tell us what amazing things women are doing in your communities here.
Why your ‘I Can’ is more important than your IQ
[bctt tweet=”You can have a high IQ and EQ but still fail to create tangible results without this skill” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] In the journey of entrepreneurship, it’s important that you walk with three necessary companions. They are your Intelligence Quotient (IQ), Emotional Intelligence Quotient (EQ), and the skill of I Can. IQ, which is a measure of intelligence, will tell you how to navigate this interesting but challenging journey. EQ, which deals with the understanding of our feelings and those of others, will make your journey less challenging. It will make your business that ‘person’ whom people are endeared to and are willing to be with no matter what. But you can have a high level of Intelligence as well as Emotional Intelligence Quotient and still find it difficult to turn your business ideas into tangible results. And this happens when you don’t have the skill of I Can. We call it a skill but I Can is a strong inner feeling that you can make anything possible. In running a successful business or building an enviable career, you can only go as far as your inner voice takes you. In fact, you can have an average level of intelligence but with the skill of I Can, you can go on to become a successful entrepreneur. How is this possible? For a very long time, many of us have been made to wrongly believe that having only business knowledge, skills and intelligence can make us become successful entrepreneurs. This article is about getting things right. Entrepreneurs don’t have two heads Entrepreneurs are often portrayed as distinctive individuals who are set apart from the rest of humanity. Not true. As long as you can employ the use of I Can to turn that good idea which you are passionate about into an enterprise, you can become a successful entrepreneur. Entrepreneurship goes hand in hand with failure and risk taking. You cannot hope to run a successful commercial enterprise without failing. In fact, the more you fail the better you become. Each time you fail, you have to pick yourself up. You need more than just intelligence to pick yourself up, you have to turn to the inner strength that you possess —and that’s your I Can. To challenge the status quo with your idea, to change the narrative of the market you’re willing to transform, you must take risk. In reality, the more risk you take as an entrepreneur, the more successful you’re likely to be. [bctt tweet=”Entrepreneurs aren’t distinctive individuals, to run a successful enterprise expect to fail” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Without self-confidence, you’re going nowhere When you have self-confidence, things begin to take shape. To rise each time you fail, to take risk in order to transform your dreams into tangible products and services, you have to have self-confidence. Making the choice of becoming an entrepreneur, as challenging as it is, is an opportunity of a lifetime to make a huge difference. It means you now have the chance of building a great legacy. You’re telling the world that your potential is not a waste. Each time you remind yourself of all these, your self-confidence jumps to a new level. Until you develop the skill of I Can and constantly say to yourself with a strong conviction that you can do it, your self-confidence might be just disappear. [bctt tweet=”Running on the conviction that you can succeed as an entrepreneur will take you nowhere” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Keep your eyes fixed on the ball To be successful at running a business or social enterprise, you have to be focused. Know what you want and where you’re going; set your eyes on the goal. No one understands your business goals more than you, so keep moving in the direction of your set goals. When you take a risk and probably fail, your self-confidence tends to wane. So you have to go back to the drawing board, dwelling on your ultimate goals, saying directly to your challenges that of course I Can. In the face of challenges, which are inevitable if you would become a successful entrepreneur anyway, your intelligence crumbles, your self-confidence is shaken to its foundation; however, holding on to the belief that you can still turn your dreams into tangible results is the only way to go. Nonetheless, having the inner strength and conviction that you can succeed as an entrepreneur will take you nowhere. Turning this conviction into a habit that is used on a daily basis will no doubt take you somewhere. And that’s what the skill of I Can is all about. Your I Can will help you break barriers The journey of entrepreneurship is a tough and long one, no doubt. But having the requisite skills, knowledge and intelligence can make it easy and short. However, having the skill of I Can will make it even easier and shorter. Downplaying the hype about entrepreneurship, building your self-confidence, and of course having focus can help you build the all important skill of I Can. And with it, you can go on to break barriers and build that business or career of your dreams.
Unmarried womenconomics: Managing your finances for the future
[bctt tweet=”You may want to start saving ahead if you plan to marry and have kids in the future” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] So you are just like me. Young, wild and free. In the bloom of youth. No husband has stamped his logo on your heart yet, and there are yet no children to wrap themselves around your legs, displaying embarrassingly in public with cries and tantrums, making you wish they were old and married off already. But we all know someday the story may change. No more Maybelline fit me foundation shades as a priority on the list. Instead diapers, school fees, and their ilk of expenses will be the main components of your monthly and by extension, annual budget. So in the meantime, how do you manage your finances in preparation for the future? Here’s how: Be self-reliant Do not rely on someone else, like a boyfriend or “Sugar Daddy” (yes, we all know they exist) for your financial security. They may or may not be there for you forever, but at least you know that you will always be there for you. Get a job, a career and try to make your own money. Also be open minded about educating yourself on how to manage and invest your money. After all, it’s your money. Trust me, you will rather keep a keen eye on it, than have someone do that for you. There are too many I-trusted-my-money-with-someone stories gone bad and you do not want to be next on that tall list. [bctt tweet=”Like all others, your financial discipline depends on your mental strength.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Budget A budget is simple; it helps you to know how much you have earned versus how much you are spending. Above all, you need to know what you spend most of your money on. It’s as simple as putting down all your figures on that notepad, or downloading Fast Budget or AndroMoney on Google Play Store. Either way, you will know if most of your money is invested in the Friday and Saturday night outings with the girls, or if you are spending more on make-up than you absolutely need to. After such a “divine revelation”, you will know which activities to cut down on and if you need get an alternative yet cheaper means of transport to work. Save Think long term about how you want your financial future to look. One too many Whatsapp chain messages have accused the average African of prioritizing consumption over savings and it is time to prove the outside world wrong. It starts with a mindset change, and for us at SLA, it starts with the woman’s renewed mindset. Unfortunately, statistics has also not been kind to our gender. Per a recent study by mutual fund company, Vanguard, men have 50 percent more money saved for their retirement than women do. Even after earning less, it appears women cannot resist the urge to splurge. so let us prove them wrong. Although this is not necessarily a battle of the sexes, small acts of saving play the most significant role in determining if you can live your desired lifestyle. Let us determine to put a percentage of the salary down, untouched. So walk to that bank, open up a savings account and place a monthly standing order on your current account. Or? “Money, like emotions, is something you must control to keep your life on the right track.” ― Natasha Munson First save, next invest Saving is not enough. It is woefully inadequate. That money cannot just be there breathing. Do your own research on acquiring financial assets; will it be a Treasury bill, a fixed deposit or mutual funds? [bctt tweet=”Let the money make money for you.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] It could even double as your emergency fund for that rainy day. There is a lot of information out there for avenues to invest. This is a great place to start. Better still, you can talk to a qualified investment officer about the options for investing. Learn from your money mistakes. Do not let them sentence you to a life of financial misery. “All the blood rushed from her head to her eyes when she saw that red dress, and in a split second of not weighing the odds, she pulled out her purse, counted that thick wad of stash, and exchanged it for a dress which she will later find out to be one size smaller.” Can you relate? (Yes. That was a hushed whisper, but I heard you.) We simply learn from our past mistakes, and the next time our friend above will think twice about wanting that dress, and purchasing it. She now has the present and future to correct that slip-up. The same should be for you. So what if you are an impulse buyer? Seek counsel. Read a book to help you snap out of it. What if you are the contemporary African female Santa? Learn to control your philanthropic escapades. Examine your spending streak, look at your money mistakes and put measures in place so you do not repeat them. So renew that mind and let us get to the promised land. Similarly, the hackneyed quote says; “if you can dream it, you can achieve it.” Here’s a toast to all the money you will be saving and investing for the future. May you be disciplined to manage your finances now! May interest rates be high so that you earn more when you save and invest!! And above all, may you enjoy spending it!!!
Enny Ethnic: All our products are manufactured in Zimbabwe
[bctt tweet=”Being your own boss means you have to continuously work @EnnyEthnic1″ username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Enny Ethnic is an ethnic fashion online shop run by two sisters from Zimbabwe, Mercy and Matipa Nyamangwanda. They are currently based in the US and their online shop provides unique, stylish and hard to forget pieces for and inspired by every woman. Their target ranges from the ethnic-centric type, to the urban chic, modern classic, vintage-chic to trendy. Named after their mother, Enny Ethnic’s prints can be purchased online and are currently shipped to Australia and the UK with hopes to expand to other African countries. Where and how was Enny Ethnic formed? We started in 2014 by making clutch purses from the fabrics we collected everytime we travelled home. The clothing line started a bit later towards the end of December 2015 after we noticed the amount of attention we got when we rocked our print. We now make clothes, earrings, bags and scarves. [bctt tweet=”Travelling kicks in our creative process we are proudly African & Zimbabwean – @EnnyEthnic1″ username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Tell me about the inspiration behind your design and the process of creation? Travelling kicks in our creative process, we are inspired by everything and the different cultures we see. We go through our creative life as a blank page hence we are able to write on it. We keep an open mind when we do what we do. Also, we are proudly African first and more importantly, Zimbabwean and we are always thinking of how we can represent the African woman. We work with women from Zimbabwe who put the pieces together for us -they are part of the process. We create a sample and they sew, and they have great work ethic too. Because we come home often, it makes the process easier and having people who understand our language is a great creative bonus. It’s really important that we do it in Zimbabwe, not only is it our motherland but it gives us some time to spend with family. What makes you different from other African print labels? We are very modern, and our pieces alternate between modern and traditional. Our line is huge and as we also create beach and office wear. At Enny Ethnic, we fit multiple lifestyles and most of our pieces are one track. You recently showcased at the San Francisco fashion week. Tell us a bit about that? We got an email from the organizer telling us that he wanted us to showcase our line and we were terrified. Enny Ethnic was only in its eight month. We were part of the emerging designers at the week, and we learnt a lot and managed to pull through perfectly well. Showcasing at the San Francisco fashion week really put pressure on us as we had to fly out home in September for two days. Fitting was the following week and a couple of weeks later was fashion week. The models were picked by fashion week so we had Asian and Russian models. We were not sure how their skin colour would look on African print but it came out well. Our line was showcased first and more models were added to make them twelve in total. How has the market responded to your product? Most people have loved it and including white Americans, Asians -this brings so much diversity to the product. Because of this support, we had a pop up shop in New York from the 25th to the 30th of October 2016. This enabled people to come in and physically see the merchandise. There is always something about people seeing the product physically and we wanted to give Enny Ethnic’s clients this opportunity. What type of woman are your creations targeted for? Our creations are ageless and can fit into every lifestyle. So every woman can rock Enny Ethnic, the good thing is that you can either dress them up or down. [bctt tweet=”It means a lot to say our product is from Zimbabwe and to say we are Zimbabwean – @EnnyEthnic1″ username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] In the process of creating your business, what things did you have to do that you had not accounted for? Marketing. We did not think it was a big deal but, hello biggest surprise. Then, we had to sit down and think about the manufacturing. Where is it that we could get this manufactured? We did not want China, so we settled with Zimbabwe. This has huge cost implications as we buy the fabrics from Zimbabwe and get the things made at home as well. However, it is valuable to not just us but to our culture as well. It means a lot to say our product is from Zimbabwe and to say we are Zimbabwean. This gives people an opportunity to connect with our country. What can we look forward to from Enny Ethnic? Things have moved so much faster than we expected. We are really excited as we are already looking at our pastel spring collection. We are looking forward to bringing another show stopper to fashion week. It will be ready-to-wear pieces that people can snatch off the runway. We are also looking at creating a men’s line. Then, there are the physical shops, we want, to bring Enny Ethnic to our clientele in Washington DC and California. We know that by bringing in something physical, we get that connection with our customers. We are also looking forward to shipping our merchandise to African customers. How do you manage the business since you both have jobs? Coffee! Because being your own boss means you have to continuously work especially when you are still starting up. We are always working because the fashion industry is fast paced and it is sometimes mentally exhausting but there is also a certain renewed energy you have when you are doing something that you love. Want to see women you know featured on SLA? Tell us what amazing things women are doing in your communities here.
The struggles of being a stay-at-home mom
[bctt tweet=”A reluctant stay-at-home mom shares her experience and why she came up with an exit plan” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Any time you see a woman who tells you that her main job is to take care of her children 24/7, know that you just met a stay-at-home mom. The definition for this term is someone who stays at home all day to raise her children and manage her household, while her spouse gracefully assumes the position of a provider. This term has become a cliché in some countries —thousands of women proudly wear this badge in a show of their sacrificial parenthood. In many societies outside Nigeria, stay-at-home moms are often seen as good models of motherhood because it is not everyday you meet a woman so selfless and willing to let go of her financial independence. But the question remains; what does a stay-at-home mom do all day? Is cleaning and doing laundry a daily routine or is she watching ‘Zee World’ or ‘Telemundo’? In this part of the world, there is something so ordinary and basic about being a stay-at-home mom. Out of personal experience and data check, most stay-at-home moms in Nigeria take on this role out of frustration of not getting a job after childbirth or lack of zeal to further pursue career goals. It is, sometimes, very easy to give up trying but the consequence of this decision is a grave one. [bctt tweet=”Most stay-at-home moms in Nigeria take this role because they can’t find a job” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] If by staying at home all day and writing occasionally qualify for being a stay-at-home mom then, I label myself a reluctant one. The state of not being able to be financially independent is one of the lowest that I found myself in. Nigeria happens to be a peculiar country where the depth of one’s pocket determines who the boss is. These days, it is not safe to solely depend on one’s spouse for everything —financial independence is a must for every woman regardless of marital status. Nigeria is a patriarchal space, where being a woman is enough trouble, talk less being a jobless mum. Loss of who I am There are three things that I lost in the period of being a stay-at-home mom. I lost myself, my voice and my bravado. As someone who has previously worked in several highly structured organizations, full time motherhood threw me off balance. Day after day, tiny pieces of my self-confidence began to ebb away as I helplessly watched other women excel in their careers be it as entrepreneurs or career women. Nothing robs us of our joy like the helplessness of not being able to determine one’s fate. I would feel inferior every time I heard the success stories of my colleagues. I began to look for excuses to stay indoors and revel in self-pity. Before I know it, I became a recluse instead of the strong, extrovert and go-getter I used to be. [bctt tweet=”I lost 3 things being a stay-at-home mom; myself, my voice and my bravado” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Being a full time mother opens a door of vulnerability; it reduces us to helpless creatures. I had a rude awakening of this in my second year of marriage when an in-law came around and subtly hinted at my ‘jobless condition’. He constantly tore at any suggestion I made during our family discussions. To him, I was just “an entity whose main job was to breastfeed a child”, as he put it then. The mere fact that I wasn’t bringing in any income was enough reason to shut me up. To him, I didn’t exist, likewise my thoughts, in his mind, I was just a human with mammary glands and a womb to frequently push out babies. One day, I decided that I had had enough, I began to outline ways to get out of this pathetic state. Have a time line It sure doesn’t matter what made me a stay-at-home mom, what is important is the time line for my exit. A frustrated stay-at-home mom, like me, definitely needed a detailed plan on how to put an end to the cycle of helplessness. Questions like these should be included in your time line: When do I pull the plug? How do I integrate myself into the chosen career or business? What are my new strengths? These questions will best guide you on the next step to take when considering an exit. Never stop learning Don’t ever be deluded into thinking that motherhood takes all your time and energy. There are millions of women who are beautifully juggling child rearing with careers; so even while you are stuck being a stay-at-home mom, compel yourself to take lots and lots of self-development courses. Nothing stops an online course or even a distance learning course. These courses will one day help to advance your career. I must confess that it is hard to get back into a career or a business after a hiatus, but it is doable. Since I decided to get back to the corporate world, I have constantly learnt how not to take NO for an answer —I don’t get fazed by the number of rejections, I just keep on pushing. Keep on dreaming This is one thing that kept me sane in my five year stay-at-home mom experience. I never for once stopped dreaming about who I would be in my chosen career. This vision kept me awake at night and gave me a clear perspective on how to attain my career goal. [bctt tweet=”Children need to see their mothers in places of strength and independence” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Never allow anything or anyone to rob you the power of dreaming big. I once read online about how children of career women excel in life compared to children raised by stay-at-home moms. Children need to see their mothers in places of strength and independence and let’s be honest, being a stay-at-home mom will never create that reality.