Warning: This article may give you a high level of excitement…or leave you with a lot of FOMO
Being an ambitious woman can be overwhelming, and we all need support sometimes. That’s why it’s comforting to have a community of like-minded ladies, whom we can lean on, and find the strength to power through life
SLAY Festival Johannesburg is only a few days away and we have a hundred reasons to be hyped about it. For one, it’s a day of learning, culture and networking with our tribe of boss ladies. Secondly, the experiences! Glade will be there, with one mission – to support our Mzansi queens with all they need to bloom and give them an unforgettable experience.
All day long, Glade will be celebrating the women of South Africa, past and present, honouring these brave and beautiful women, by creating a sensorium where they can breathe in strength – can you believe it? Don’t leave SLAY Festival without enjoying the Glade experience.
Between 12:15 pm and 12:45 pm on the mainstage, join Glade for a conversation on the strength, beauty and resilience of African women, with Poppy Ntshongwana and a line-up of other inspiring Motherland Moguls.
If you are a young and ambitious Motherland Mogul, who needs a safe space to connect, be inspired, and feel invigorated, then come through because Glade will be there to bring those positive feelings to life.
See you in Jozi on 7th March, 2020 – ngizokubona lapho!
SLAY Festival is coming to Johannesburg, South Africa for the first time on 7th March 2020, and we are getting ready to have an absolute blast and unforgettable experiences.
Want to know what experiences to expect at SLAY Festival Joburg 2020? Here’s your ultimate checklist so you know when and where the magic is happening. You’re welcome sis, you know we always got your back!
Upgrade your skills with AUDA-NEPAD
AUDA-NEPAD is the development agency of the African Union with a deep commitment to providing economic opportunities for Africa’s next generation.
At SLAY Festival, AUDA-NEPAD is coming through for all the ambitious Motherland Moguls with training and skills development opportunities. So if you’re coming for a mix of fun and learning, AUDA-NEPAD has you covered.
Join Glade in conversation and celebration of South African women
Glade South Africa will also be bringing a breath of fresh air with an exciting discussion celebrating how women make Africa bloom. So make sure to look out for Glade’s sensorium and enjoy an experience you won’t forget in a hurry.
Slay your crown with Dark and Lovely
It’s okay to be obsessed with your hair and want all the details on how to keep it healthy and slayed all year long. Get all your hair tips and tricks from Dark and Lovely at SLAY Festival, so you can make a bold hair statement all through 2020.
Unlock new levels of growth with Women Will
Get the upgrade you have been looking for with Women Will. If you’re looking for the perfect opportunity to learn new digital skills and connect with other young professional women like you, then don’t miss Women Will, a Google initiative at SLAY Festival.
Engage with Global Citizen on global issues
You can be a part of the change with Global Citizen. If you’re looking for an opportunity to have important conversations about ending world hunger and other topical issues, then join Global Citizen in conversation at SLAY Festival.
Get your groove on with Trace
Grab your dancing shoes and get ready to vibe all day because Trace will be at SLAY Festival, bringing music, positive vibes and fun for all the queens looking to unwind and have some fun.
There you have it girl. This has been your ultimate SLAY Festival Joburg 2020 experience checklist. So if you’re still wondering whether or not to attend, we just gave you 5 reasons plus one, why you should.
We can’t wait to meet you at SLAY Festival Joburg 2020 queen, so until then, make sure you stay glued to our Instagram account, so you can see the updates as they happen.
As Sub-saharan Africa lags behind in the World Bank’s 2020 ease of doing business report, one woman-led startup thinks it can help entrepreneurs grow their companies in this tough environment.
After years of mentoring startups and running businesses in Ghana and Nigeria, Munachim Chukwuma started IB Consultingin February 2019 to help founders overcome operating challenges she also had to face as a young entrepreneur.
According to experts from Harvard University, startups that want to stand the test of time must learn new ways of operating and behaving. This is difficult for a lot of entrepreneurs because these new ways tend to be completely different from their start-up roots.
Most startups struggle to grow and scale either because they do not know how or lack the proper structure and strategy. This is where we come in.
Munachim Chukwuma – Founder, Ibobo Consulting
IB Consulting believes that African entrepreneurs struggling to grow their businesses must realize they are in a different phase of their business life cycle, and therefore must change.
IB Consulting’s growth recipe for startups.
To help entrepreneurs struggling to scale, Munachim and her partners created a service model that combines strategy consultation, negotiation, and content creation.
IB Consulting bets its 3 service tentpoles are what entrepreneurs need to grow faster despite the difficulty of doing business in Africa.
We decided to focus on strategy consultation, negotiations and content creation as a company because we realized most of the challenges most businesses face in today’s society are tied to those three areas in one way or another.
Munachim Chukwuma – Founder, Ibobo Consulting
In addition to its unique service model, IB Consulting promises clients efficiency, personalization, and great service.
Why you should watch out for IB Consulting.
In less than a year, IB Consulting is proving it is not just all talk. The company reports that since February, it has helped over 10 business owners rebuild their structures and execute action growth plans.
It’s also not just about the money for this company this woman-led company. They have done some pro bono work for new entrepreneurs who could not afford to pay for some of our services.
In 2020, the company plans to expand aggressively to reach, help and educate help businesses across Africa.
We intend to grow over the next year of business and reach more people across the continent, as we also reinvent our business and launch more products that can meet the needs of our prospective clients.
Whether you are looking to make some extra income or start a business while working, side hustling is no small feat.You must learn to balance your commitments, stay consistent and grow while you’re at it.
Temi Ajibewa, founder of The Millionaire Housewife Academy – an online platform that has helped over 5,000 women start their online businesses, shares her golden rules for side hustle success.
Rule 1: Discover Your Passion
Your passion could be an issue you feel strongly about or something you do effortlessly.
Side hustles based on passion tend to be more sustainable because you are self-motivated to go on even when things get tough.
If you are not sure what your passion is, here are 3 ways to get started:
Look out for things you do well without incentives and recognition.
Ask people who know you what they think you are passionate about.
Consider problems people often ask you to solve because you find them easy to solve.
Rule 2: Turn Your Passion into Profit
Doing what you are passionate about is one thing. Knowing how to make money from your passion is a whole different ball game.
Here are 5 basic steps I teach my clients to monetize their passion.
1. Find the problem your passion solves
Your passion cannot bring you money unless it solves a specific human problem.
For you to monetize your passion, you have to discover the hell your passion can get people out of. If you cannot find a hell, you might not have a monetizable passion. It is best as a hobby.
2. Find your money tribe
The next step to monetizing your passion is finding people who are willing and able to spend money on solutions to their problems. These people are your money tribe.
If you are not sure how to identify your money tribe, ask yourself this question – If I throw a concert, who will be first in line for tickets?
3. Turn your passion into a skill
To have a passion valued by other people, you must be able to do it competitively well. When this happens, your passion becomes a skill.
You can prune your passion by volunteering, learning through a mentor or taking online classes.
4. Create a product from your passion
Your passion must become a product or service for you to make money from it.
A great way to turn your passion into a product is by teaching people what you know for a fee. When I started to monetize The Millionaire Housewife Academy, I created e-books, DVDs and online classes to teach people what I knew about starting and growing an online business.
I always recommend starting off with digital products because they are easier to maintain and become lifelong assets people all over the world can buy.
People pay for products and services, not passions.
5. Promote your hustle
You must shamelessly promote your passion if you want to make money from it.
You can’t afford to be shy if you want your passion to be more than a hobby. If you are nervous, start off by promoting your hustle to people in your network.
Price is only an issue where value is in dispute. Once people realize the value they’re getting from you, paying you becomes non-negotiable. It all starts with finding and monetizing your passion.
SheaMoisture is the enduring and beautiful legacy of Sofi Tucker. Widowed with five children at 19, Grandma Sofi supported her family by selling handcrafted shea butter soaps and other creations in the village market in Sierra Leone.
Sofi became known as a healer who shared the power of shea and African black soap with families throughout the countryside.
She handed down her recipes to grandson Richelieu Dennis, who founded SheaMoisture and incorporated her wisdom into the brand’s hair and skincare innovations.
SheaMoisture products and collections are formulated with natural, certified organic and fair trade ingredients, with the shea butter ethically-sourced from 15 co-ops in Northern Ghana as part of the company’s purpose-driven Community Commerce business model.
SheaMoisture has partnered with She Leads Africa to support and showcase Nigerian women who support their communities.
Meet Lynda Odoh
Lynda Odoh-Anikwe is the CEO and founder of Healthify Africa.
She is a Medical Doctor from the University of Nigeria and started Healthify Africa. Healthify Africa is an enterprise that strives to tackle the dietary risk factors for non-communicable diseases.
In the course of her daily interactions with patients, she realized that people were most driven by convenience and availability when making healthy lifestyle choices.
Lynda decided to start a fruit delivery service. She hopes this will create an enabling system for busy urban dwellers, to conveniently meet the World Health Organization’s daily fruit recommendation for a healthy life.
Her vision is to see an African continent where adopting a healthy lifestyle is easy, practical and sustainable.
When I began to practice as a medical doctor, I saw that there were so many instances of non-communicable diseases that could have been avoided by a simple dietary change.
I started Healthify Africa because I wanted to create a solution to the problem of non-communicable diseases. My goal with Healthify Africa is to address dietary risk factors.
I do this by providing a service that helps busy people adopt healthy eating habits. This is done through a simplified system and healthy lifestyle advocacy.
At Healthify Africa our focus is on increasing the consumption of fruits for busy urban dwellers through a delivery platform. By providing affordable fruit boxes, fruit cups, fruit and dip platter to school children, homes and offices, we’re building a healthier Africa one person at a time.
What was your motivation for finally starting your business?
For me, it was because I had been in similar situations and I understood the challenges people face in trying to adopt and sustain healthy dietary habits.
I grew up in a health-conscious family and I grew accustomed to having a very healthy diet. However, when I became a young adult and my schedule became tighter especially during my internship, it became extremely difficult to eat the right things.
It was a situation of knowing the right thing to do, but being unable to do it. I knew then that there must be other busy young people like me, men, women and even mothers who wanted their children eating fruits but were pressed for time as I was.
That for me was a huge community need that I passionately wanted to see addressed. So I made the decision to become the change I desired by creating an enabling platform. A platform that supports healthy food choices so as to help myself and others with the same challenge.
What makes your brand stand out?
Healthify Africa is not just another food company, that caters to only satisfying hunger. Instead, my brand is particularly focused on ensuring that everyone has access to the daily consumption of 400g of fruits, as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The vision is to create a world where healthy eating is most practical and the dietary risks of non-communicable diseases reduced to the barest minimum.
That, as well as our commitment to healthy lifestyle advocacy, has been a huge attraction for our clients because they can see it.
What are three things you struggled with when your business kicked off and how did you overcome them?
When I first started my business, a lot of people did not understand what we were trying to do and that equated to zero orders. We had to create a lot of awareness about the health benefits of patronizing our convenience-based service.
Also, through our follow-up and feedback system, we tried to encourage our clients to make referrals and this has continued to help our brand.
Secondly, being a fruit delivery service, food hygiene, presentation and safety during transit were some of my topmost priorities. It was a challenge finding the ideal packaging that met all the criteria and would still fit into our production cost.
I did my online research and eventually was able to find a reliable supplier that we now work with.
Finally, it was important that our fruit packs get delivered in a cold temperature range for a great client experience. This was a challenge when we had to deliver long-distance orders. This was an issue because there is currently no thermostat equipped delivery services operating in Abuja where we operate from.
To overcome this, we currently partner with a reliable express delivery service and improvise with ice packs in the chillers for long-distance deliveries. Hopefully, in the near future, we can have our very own thermostat equipped delivery bikes.
How do you stay above the noise in your industry?
We made sure to implement a system of receiving and acting on feedback, from early on in the business so that we know what exactly our clients want and tweak our approach to offer them that.
This has been really helpful in building a business that our clients love and customer retention as well.
Did you have any personal experience that taught you a business lesson?
Before I started my business, I had a few unpleasant experiences with logistics. On one occasion, I was to make a trip and I had made an earlier arrangement with a cab driver. However, on the morning of the trip, he was a no show, which made me have to find another one. To cut the long story short, I ended missing the bus I was to get on.
When I began my business, I took that experience with me and created a better delivery structure. I ensure that all delivery arrangements are made on time to avoid communication-related challenges. As a second step, I also make backup plans to ensure that I don’t disappoint my clients.
Can you tell us of any impact have you made in your community since you started your business?
As a medical doctor, I am really passionate about helping people live healthier lives and I made sure to infuse this into my business.
Through my brand, I have been able to raise awareness about the prevention of non-communicable diseases. Also, we have encouraged people to sustain a healthy lifestyle by organizing health and fitness challenges.
Most recently, we actively participated in the 2019 global week for action against Non-Communicable diseases. We engaged in a social media awareness campaign (#enoughNCDs #healthifyafrica) and an educational video series with a team of Doctors.
Can you share your 2019 goals with us and what you’ve done so far to achieve them?
Since we had already introduced our business, our 2019 goal was to broaden our client base. Our method was to strictly implement feedback from clients. Also, we started building partnerships that will ensure quality product delivery and unforgettable customer experience.
After doing this for some time this year, we have recorded an increase in the number of clients that have requested for our service. This is something we are going to keep doing since it’s bringing positive results.
We believe it has laid a great foundation for more successes with so many growth possibilities ahead and we are optimistic about that.
What are three interesting things about you?
The first is that I love DIY’s. I have actually painted my room from start to finish on two different occasions just for the fun of it. The last is that I love the power bikes but I’m too scared to get one yet.
What’s your favorite self-care routine?
I like to get soaked in a warm bath after a stressful day. I simply light my candles and toss in some petals. After that, I take a mental trip to wherever the CALM Meditation App takes me to, preferably the waterside.
How do you feel about this opportunity to promote your brand on SLA, sponsored by SheaMoisture?
I feel absolutely ecstatic! When I first saw the email from SLA and SheaMoisture, I was so excited. I had to read it over and over again to make sure it was really for me. Thank you so much She Leads Africa and SheaMoisture for this opportunity.
What is one word that should come to people’s minds when they think about your product/ services?
Authentic!
You can find SheaMoisture products at Youtopia Beauty stores nationwide and on Jumia.
Anyone can be a freelance writer. You don’t need any experience or degree.
So, you want to dive into freelance writing?
I get a lot of emails and DMs (on Instagram) from people asking me how to successfully start a career in freelance writing.
With the fact that there are tons of wrong advice out there ranging from excuses like the need for formal training to owning a website or blog, I thought to share my experience and sales strategies on this platform!
Here’s one thing though! If you think that you can’t begin a career in freelance writing as a result of no experience; well, it’s about damn time someone told you that: IT IS POSSIBLE!
My Story
It’s been almost four years since I became a freelance writer.
When I first learned how to become a freelance writer, I made the mistake of thinking that I needed a blog or website. I also thought that the only way to get gigs was to sign up on freelancing sites such as Upwork, Fiverr, Guru, etc.
Content mills provide cheap content jobs and they usually batch orders. Their goal is to get a lot of content for cheap. After a series of unsuccessful attempts to sign up on these platforms, I gave up.
Then, I switched to scouting for gigs on Nairaland. Most of them paid peanuts. Three years down the line earning little to nothing, I realized that this wasn’t for me!
I was worth more than that! I felt like giving up!
But, I didn’t. I re-grouped and started afresh. I signed up for training, pitched for freelance writing jobs; and gradually began to land high-paying clients. The rest, they say, is history!
The form you have selected does not exist.
If you want that for yourself, here are the steps on how to become a freelance writer you need to get started.
1. Research About Freelance Writing
When I first started, I did a lot of research. I found other freelance writers, read their blogs and learning as much as I could about this business.
While I had some clues about how to write blog posts, I didn’t know the kinds of jobs for freelance writers.
2. Become Familiar With the Writing Skills and Tools Required
While I’ve mentioned that you can start a career in freelance writing with absolutely no experience, you can increase the odds of success by learning a few skills and tools.
Some skills you should definitely have for freelance writing include:
> Organizational Skills
Having a system in place for your projects is key to growing your business. You don’t want to make a mistake or forget to do something.
I use my calendar to keep track of events, Evernote or my phone’s memo to jot down ideas and a list of things I want to do.
> Writing Skills
Writing for an online audience is different than writing in your diary or texting a friend. Know how to captivate readers with your blog topic and introduction.
You need to be able to create insightful, entertaining and educating posts.
> Confidence
Putting yourself out there and trying to land writing gigs is tough. You’ll get rejected, turned down or you may have a client walk all over you.
To become a successful freelance writer, you need to be confident and overcome your fear of pitching (I can’t begin to count how many clients I’ve landed via cold-pitching!)
> Graphics & Design skills
There is no excuse for ugly photos, therefore this skill is very important to have. My favorite image editing app is Canva.
> Proofreading
While I offer proofreading services as well, it doesn’t hurt to use Grammarly or Hemingway app to give that document a final polish before it gets sent to your client.
3. Practice Writing
While you don’t have to be the best writer to become successful, you need to be able to write sentences and get your message across.
Improving your writing will not only help you become a better writer, but it will also help you market your freelance writing business because it makes you more credible as a professional writer.
4. Create a Portfolio of Your Work
Most job ads you’ll apply for will ask to see your work. They want to see samples of published work. If you’re new, you won’t have any published work – unless you already have a blog.
So, how do you show prospects you can actually write? Besides starting a blog, you can create samples.
Draft up a few pieces and either upload them as a Google Doc or publish them on Medium, LinkedIn or Quora.
Another alternative is to guest post. Search for blogs or websites in the niche you’d like to write about and pitch your blog idea to them.
Don’t think it’s possible? What do you think I’m doing here? Guest posting on She Leads Africa, of course!
5. Start Pitching to clients
Now it’s time to actively search for freelance writing jobs. But where do you go and how do you do it?
Go check out job sites like NG Careers, Jobberman, MyJobMag, etc for content writing positions.
When you find a job you are interested in the important thing to remember is to be one of the first few to apply and make sure your pitch stands out.
Are there other ways to find freelance writing jobs? Yes, there are tons of ways!
6. Hustle Queen!
Being a freelancer means you gotta hustle for work. But, this doesn’t mean you ALWAYS have to hustle. The goal is for clients to come to you.
However, when you’re new in the business, you have to get your name out there.
Get on social media and network. Guest posting not only to builds your portfolio but attracts potential clients as well.
7. Stay Learning!
The best thing you can do as a new freelance writer is to continue to learn. Whether it’s writing tips, business tips or pitching tips, hone your skills by learning from those who have done it before.
Are you interested in freelance writing? Connect with me on Instagram via my business page TheCopyWritingChick.
“We’ve spent the last three years coming together every Wednesday to connect over our future plans and our shared love for beautiful experiences – always in the presence of wine. From this, Wine-ish was born.”
Wine-ish is a dynamic group of 4 black women occupying the world of wine, one glass at a time.
Palesa Mapheelle, Obakeng Monamodi, Buhlebezwe Ndaba and Hlumelo Williams came together as friends on a casual Wednesday, also known as ‘Winesday’, to share their goals, dreams and everyday experiences.
156 Winesday’s later, they decided to form Wine-ish; a platform that has become a hub for all things wine and business, soon to disrupt the industry.
Wine-ish takes you on a visual journey of South Africa’s rich world of wine and related experiences through the lens of young, vibrant women of color.
The name choice is quite unique and has an interesting meaning behind it. Not only does the team focus on the technical understanding of viniculture and “Wine”, but the “Ish” in the name is also just as important to them; representing the side of them that is simply 4 young women navigating life together with all of its ups and downs.
Wine-ish is deeply rooted in and propelled by the connection the four of them share as friends, before anything else.
As a business, Wine-ish aims to debunk wine and the drinking of it, all while making it more accessible to an emerging market who want to learn and experience more about it.
They don’t want to be seen as experts, but as people who are constantly learning and challenging the norms of the industry.
The zestful, youthful and vibrant energy of the team has always been what differentiates them from the firm and rigid industry they’re trying to create a space in, and it has been nothing but refreshing.
Infiltrating the industry has had its challenges but seeing the growth of people of color creating their own brands and wineries has left the team hopeful in making sure they will transform and create a positive disruption for themselves and in partnership with like-minded, forward-thinking collaborators.
“We remain true to a core mission of ours which is to expose ourselves and people like us to the world of wine”
So, watch this space, because Wine-ish is going to be coming in strong with a lot more to show you.
For more on Wine-ish, their incredible brand, and upcoming projects; follow them on Instagram and Twitter.
Cynthia Mothelesi is blazing a trail and carving out a unique space with bespoke experiences in the tourism landscape of Botswana.
She is somewhat of an ‘evolving soul’, constantly seeking out ways to deepen her life experiences and provide an opportunity for others to do the same with her travel agency, Happy Soul Adventures.
Trained as a graphic designer, she spent three years lecturing before deciding to expand her horizons. She applied for a job at the Botswana Tourism Organisation (BTO), where she served as Marketing Manager for seven years.
Her experiences at BTO were an opportunity for her to travel, sharpen her marketing and PR skills and forge valuable relationships.
She then realized that there was a gap in the tourism sector, which became the catalyst for her foray into business.
Cynthia Mothelesi uses her creativity and business savvyness to create bespoke experiences that allow her guests to engage with the soul, beauty and people of Botswana in an unimposing, intimate way.
While I was at BTO, I followed the AirBnB culture because I love hosting. Then in 2017, I decided to venture out on my own because I realized that I could grow. It could be enough for myself and I could do more with the experience and passion that I have.
How did you come up with the idea for Happy Soul Adventures?
I began by focusing on my Airbnb listing, and every week I would have guests from all over the world coming to stay with me. Most times, I would host them at my house, but I didn’t just want to give them accommodation.
I wanted to tell them my Botswana story, especially in terms of our people. Not wanting them to just see Botswana as wildlife and safaris, but rather for them to come away knowing that we were more than what the Western media depicts us to be.
That experience taught me a lot and I decided that I would focus 100% on Happy Soul Adventures.
What kinds of tours / experiences do you offer?
Sometimes I take my guests on a city tour. It would include going to nightclubs like Zoom, or to a local pub, George’s, for karaoke night. We may go to Kilimanjaro, which has a place that sells really amazing local food.
I also have clients who come to learn how to milk a goat or bake bread the traditional way. Guests can learn how to do pottery or make a tapestry. It really goes to show that we have a beautiful story to share and that there is value that can be found in it.
What do you keep in mind when you design your tours?
I really want my guests to immerse themselves in our stories. I feel like we Africans can do more to celebrate who we are as people. We tend to shun our own culture and I want to rather celebrate what makes us unique.
Happy Soul Adventures also engages with communities. I don’t want to run a company that is only about me making a profit. So it is more of a collaborative effort.
With collaboration, we are able to build and grow more. Happy Soul Adventures is about connecting people.
What is the most important thing that you want your guests to take away from your tours?
I want my guests to be able to experience this. I realized that people are looking for something new for the soul. People love simple, soulful and enriching experiences and I am happy that the responses have been great.
What does Botswana have to offer the world that is unique?
I realized that what we at home think is ‘backward’ or ‘unsophisticated’ is actually something that is unique about us. The fact that we take things slow, and keep things organic is something that people actually love about Botswana.
Guests who visit Mogobane village for example, really love the peace and quiet because it isn’t something that they get to experience often. They really get time to connect with themselves.
So, the most unique selling point about Botswana is that we are very peaceful, quiet and laid-back. It gives people the opportunity to reconnect with their soul and really get to love themselves even more.
Botswana is one of Africa’s success stories, from one of Africa’s poorest countries to a vibrant, developed, middle-income African state.
Amma believes that as the continent’s influence is experienced worldwide through food, music, and fashion, it is no surprise that various sects of blackness such as Africans, Caribbeans, Afro-Latinos, African Americans, Afropeans share similarities.
With the objective of addressing market inefficiencies, The Afropole is a brokerage that connects African and Afrodiasporan businesses within the food, beauty, and creative industries.
Through events, communications, merchandise, and business advisory, The Afropole aims to build trust and community, develop resources and enrich value chains to Build Black Globally.
It has now become more obvious to tap into said similarities and likeness and celebrate our differences while encouraging unity through shared economics.
About the Wax Print Festival…
The Afropole’s Wax Print Festival is an event that provides an opportunity to showcase the creativity of African and Afrodiasporan businesses across the textile value chain in order to build those connections. The Wax Print Festival showcases all of the elements that The Afropole believes can Build Black Globally.
With the recent controversy with Christian Dior, it is reaching a point where Africans and Afrodiasporans are unable to claim ownership or worse still claim inspiration about their own wax print industry: there is a continued surge of big brand names claiming ownership through trademark legalities.
African or African-inspired textiles have key attributes that reflect our identity, heritage, ancestry, and dynamic cultures thereby making it hard to pass off these textiles as someone else’s. As it happens, there is an ongoing conversation about wax print that has people asking:
Is Wax Print African?
Through the Wax Print Festival, we hope to unpack prejudice and uncertainty about the topic, create informative experiences, and encourage new opinions about Wax Print and African textiles overall, in order to foster ownership and coordination in the industry.
What to expect…
Attendees of the festival should leave the event with informed answers to the aforementioned question that will spur them to take decisive actions to develop and innovate within the local textile space.
The Wax Print Festival will be a three-day, cashless event powered by over 30 partnerships meant to add range and texture to the authentic African and Afrodiasporan experience attendees will have.
This includes giveaways and other fun activities leading up to the event days. The festival will also feature the following:
Exhibitions divided into four bits dubbed, The Past, The Present, Intersections, and The Future.
Live demos on kente weaving, batiking and bead making
The best food and other vendors across the region within the marketplace
Music concerts each night
Film
The Quick Stitch Station which will be a fashion design kiosk where attendees can have clothing made from a menu within the duration of the time spent on the grounds
Open Spaces described as good-natured conversations done in “un-panel style” about the African wax print industry.
All this excitement is happening within the milieu of containers that make the artistic setting of The Untamed Empire.
It will make its mark as part of the official “ Year of the Return” celebrations being promoted by Ghana Tourism Authority under the Ministry of Tourism and Culture and is an opportunity for diasporans to also engage in this meaningful work.
The Wax Print Festival will be a positive step and mark made towards Building Black Globally.
Need Tickets???
The Wax Print Festival tickets are categorized into three types: Daily tickets, All Access tickets, and VIP All Access tickets.
The SLA team will be at the Wax Print Fest, so ensure to get your tickets now to save big. See you there.
Whether the wax print is African or African-Inspired, The Afropole’s Wax Print Festival is an event for Ghanaians, Africans and Afrodiasporans alike to claim and celebrate what African textiles mean for us culturally and economically.
I was born in London in the 80s to Jamaican immigrants who arrived in the UK as young children in the 1950s.
My mum studied and worked as a nurse for the NHS (UK’s national health service) specializing as a midwife before becoming a health visitor. My dad was a Ph.D. educated engineer, physicist, and researcher working for MI5 (the UK government security and intelligence agency). He was also an Open University lecturer.
My early ambition was to be a lawyer. I began a Law degree at London Metropolitan University but discovered pretty early on that it wasn’t for me.
I changed to Marketing and Spanish with the ultimate aim of working internationally.
After university, I worked in a number of traditional PR and marketing roles and in the early 2000s, transitioned to a more digital focus.
More recently I have been making my mark within the UK digital retail space leading award-winning teams, projects, and campaigns.
I developed the content for the Mothercare (UK Mother & Baby Retailer) app – Winner of Best App at Paypal E-tail Awards – 2013 & 2014. I managed the social media team shortlisted for Best Social Media.
In 2017, I was a Tech50 Women award nominee which acknowledges emerging UK female tech talent.
“But I’m leaving London for Equatorial Guinea”.
Why Leave?
In 2014, I met my now fiancée – a self-taught digital designer and animator who had worked for companies including Google and Amazon.
We would often get requests to design leaflets and websites – many from DRC and Angola where my partner originates. There was a clear demand for digital and design services but no-one local to fulfill. My partner went to DRC to explore the market and landed an opportunity in Equatorial Guinea where he teaches animation at a local school, has built their website and is working on other marketing collateral.
Africa’s potential as a global leader in the world’s digital economy grows significantly every year.
A growing population, increasing internet penetration and mobile adoption, already goes a long way towards overcoming infrastructural barriers to digital transformation and connecting people and services online.
That’s why we’ve created Dimax – a digital agency helping businesses in Western Africa become more digitally focused to drive growth.
Here are my top 5 ways to prepare for a huge transition such as this…
1. Visit the region multiple times.Read, research and understand the cultural and business landscape. Upskill if necessary.
Current reads: “How We Made it In Africa” – compiled by Jaco Maritz & “Africa’s Business Revolution – How to succeed in the world’s next big growth market” by Acha Leke, Mutsa Chironga and Georges Desvaux.
I’m also a student at the Oxford University Fintech Programme learning about how technology is disrupting financial markets.
2. Network. Get yourself known. I attend at least 2 networking events per month and am working on elevating my online personal brand
3. Get your finances in order. Reduce expenditure, increase passive income and have a plan for how your assets will be managed whilst you’re away
4. De-clutter – I didn’t realize how much stuff I had – most of which I don’t need or won’t be able to take with me
5. Focus on your physical and spiritual health. Your mind and body will be tested with all that you have to do, so step up your exercise and healthy eating regime.
What am I looking forward to?
Playing my part in Africapitalism. Driving financial returns and long term sustainable economic growth with social and environmental responsibility, education and community enrichment at the core.
Living and working side by side with my partner in life and business
Sounds cliché, but the weather – anyone who has ever lived in London knows the struggle!
I will however definitely miss my family, friends and the fast-pace of London.
Looking to make a similar transition? Follow these steps…
Preparation is key. I’ve hired a business coach to help me plan and prioritize which has been so helpful because at times I get overwhelmed with what I need to do including holding down my day job whilst I’m still in the UK!
Be patient. You’re going to want everything to happen quickly – know that everything will happen when it’s meant to.
Allow yourself to be vulnerable: No need to always know your next move. Whilst we have short, mid and long-term goals, we still don’t have everything figured out. It helps not to overthink things. Once we made the decision to make the big move, things just started to fall in place.
Tell people about your plans:you’ll be surprised how many people are willing to help you or connect you with someone that can.
Be flexible:Whilst I aim to be in Equatorial Guinea by the end of 2019, nothing happens before its time. Following my most recent visit,
I have been invited back to host a workshop and participate on a panel at TegCampus – an annual tech initiative for young people organized by telecommunications company GITGE in May. So, I will be back sooner than I had anticipated. Watch this space!
