Jessica Layado: I had to tough up and take it like a woman
I was barely done with my secondary school education when I found out I was pregnant. I clearly had no business having sex. Yet there I was, at the start of my long holiday, finding out I was pregnant. My first stop on finding out, was the house of the responsible other party. I got the shock of my life when he frankly told me that he wanted no part in the drama of unexpected parenting. So, here I was, fresh out of secondary school with no idea what was next for me. Watching people parent was one thing but being a single, young parent was a whole other thing. I could either decide to be a child and cry about how unfair the world had been or tough it up and take it like a woman. I cannot dispute the fact that I was very scared but one of us had to be the grown up and seeing as this miracle was growing in my womb, that person had to be me. I found a job and started to plan for both of my baby and I. Fast forward to a few months after, my dear little princess was born. Working with Family Life Network After that, I decided that I wanted to work with NGOs that focused on family planning and sexual awareness. That was how I got started with the Family Life Network. Five years and so many workshops later, I cannot even begin to say how remarkable a journey it has been to impact the lives and choices of youth. We encourage kids to know and understand their individual worth at such a crucial stage that is often subject to peer pressure. It is very rewarding for young girls to look up to me for mentorship, guidance and counsel. It is such a big deal to have the kind of power to influence their choices for good, to cry with them in their hard times and assure them that despite the storm and the pressure, in a little while, they will be just fine. Moving on to Lamera Over time I realized that my circle of influence was growing and a lot of the would-be young girls had grown into fine young women in the work force. Now, my focus has also grown to helping them maximize their financial ability and as much as possible, learn to be independent. A year ago, I started Lamera, a project that seeks to empower young women with as many necessary skills as they need to survive in this era. Some of the practical skills include jewellery making, knitting, cooking skills particularly making and packaging peanut butter better known as odi in Northern Uganda. The essence of Lamera is to empower women to know that their worth is determined by them and the world will only value them based on how they value themselves. I strongly believe when a woman realizes this fact, the world then becomes her stage. She becomes a force to reckon with and can do pretty much anything that she sets her mind to! Balancing my initiatives with being a single mum Starting Lamera is a dream come true for me. My biggest challenge was and still is breaking through to the woman at the grassroots. A lot of the women that have zero access to these skills are hidden in rural Africa. To work my way around this, I am building relationships with churches and individuals who have access to these women so I can assess their needs in order to be relevant to each set of women. None of my passions were negatively affected when I chose to have Stephanie. If anything, being a mother awakened my creative juices causing them to flow much better and faster. I kid you not! Amazingly, Stephanie is the split image of me. She loves singing, dancing, reading and always actively participates in her school productions. She is such a brilliant child! She recently reached the finals in her class spelling bee competition and I cannot begin to tell you how proud of her I am. Never give up I reckon my work is cut out for me and I’m enjoying the thrill of the challenge. I have been told that I cannot be relevant to all women but I believe in starting one woman at a time and that ultimately is my strategy. To work with one woman at a time and knowing how much women like to share, the knowledge will spread one way or the other. My biggest belief is that to start a thing is more important than to say you want to start it. Sometimes you’ll be the only person who believes in what you’re doing but keep right at it. If one way doesn’t work, don’t quit! Try it another way and if that doesn’t work, try another way! Keep at it until you find your way to what works for you. Believe in yourself even on the bad days, especially on the bad days and keep your head up knowing that it only gets worse before it gets better and surround yourself with positive people.
Make yourself stand out: How to build your public profile with Imad Mesdoua
Big news, our first #SheHiveLondon event took place over the weekend. As with all our #SheHive sessions across the world, we were joined by inspiring speakers who are making waves in their industry. One of those speakers was Imad Mesdoua, a political risk analyst, senior manager at Africa Matters, TEDx speaker and the list goes on. He’s spoken on major channels like the BBC and rubbed shoulders with some of Africa’s most influential policy makers. Safe to say, he’s mastered the art of building his profile and becoming a known name in politics. If you missed Imad’s session in the flesh, we’ve summarised his top tips on how to make your public profile stand out like his. You’re welcome. 1. Twitter and LinkedIn are your friends Social media is one of the most powerful tools of recent generations. The question is, are you using them well? For Imad, engaging in social media opened up opportunities to speak to politicians, journalists and other influencers who may have been difficult to contact in the past. It even landed him a mentor -all he did was reach out and express his desire to make an impact in his field. Imad reminded us to never underestimate the power of Twitter. Instead, follow the movers and shakers in your industry and share your opinions on trending topics. Embrace popular hashtags, be fun and relevant but remember to keep it professional. Stay away from Kanye-style rants and you’ll be fine. Remember, at the end of the day it is all about trial and error, so don’t be afraid to experiment. LinkedIn is a powerful tool for making those all-important professional connections. It gives you the chance to showcase your education, your work achievements and your interests all on one page. It’s the perfect way to make a strong first impression online, so make sure it’s up to date and includes enough detail to keep people interested. 2. Be a social butterfly and become a familiar face at events This one isn’t just for the extroverts of the world. Even if you’re a little more introverted, heading to events specific to your sector or industry can do wonders for your public profile. Getting out there to events like #SheHive and others is the best way to learn from industry leaders, gain knowledge and establish lasting relationships. If you go to enough events, you’ll start to see familiar faces and become known as someone who knows what they’re talking about. For every person you meet, think of how you’ll describe yourself in 20 seconds and how you can add value to your new found contact’s life. We know, we know, networking can be scary, so here’s how you can make the most of it. 3. Be a student of life and escape the comfort zone Never rest on your laurels. One thing Imad noticed is that sometimes we establish our skills and talents and then get too comfortable. We stop learning and adding to our experiences, which can be a disadvantage in the competitive world of business. One way to overcome this is to dive out of your comfort zone. For Imad, this meant getting a job outside of the Africa-focused political industry. While doing something different might feel strange, it makes us ready to take on new challenges. Let’s admit it, looking for a new opportunities is never easy and sometimes you have to think out of the box. While looking for his ideal job, Imad himself got creative and took on speech writing and consulting roles which helped him meet his long-term career goals. 4. The one thing you can’t forget… You can be a social media pro who is at every event and who always builds on her skills, but without this one thing it all falls apart. That one thing is professionalism. Professionalism ties all your efforts together. Professionalism means being consistent and going the extra mile to hone your craft and personal brand. In Imad’s case, that meant ‘overdress, overspeak and oversabi’. Remember to have fun with it though, find what drives you, pursue it and be open to making changes along the way. While #SheHiveLondon might be over, don’t worry, the world tour continues. Lagos and Jo’burg, we’re coming for you!
Getting comfortable with feeling like a fraud
Ever found yourself in the middle of a great moment —a graduation, getting a promotion, being praised by someone you respect or creating something new— and caught yourself feeling like you shouldn’t be there? Not in a nice, ‘Is this really happening?!’ kind of way. More like a, ‘I don’t deserve this, and I hope no notices I’m a fraud’ kind of way. Ironically, it is because of your greatness that you are more likely to experience feelings of being a ‘fraud’. This is commonly referred to as the ‘impostor syndrome’. Basically, if you attribute your success to everything except the fact that you really are that good, keep on reading. Categorized as “the domain of the high achiever”, Clance and Imes first coined the phrase after a study they did of high achieving women. They described it as feelings of, “phoniness in people who believe that they are not intelligent, capable or creative despite evidence of high achievement”. Instead of crediting success to ability, they attributed it to circumstances or charm. If you’re not sure if this relates to you, here’s a short test you can take to get a sense of where you lie on the spectrum. The concept really hit home for me when I read a quote by Maya Angelou. She said: “I have written eleven books, but each time I think, ‘uh oh, they’re going to find out now. I’ve run a game on everybody, and they’re going to find me out.” Listen, if Maya-Freaking- Angelou can ‘fess up to feeling what I felt and still be great, then there is a way to succeed in spite of it. So why is impostor syndrome so harmful? There are a few ways that this subtle form of fear could be holding you back from achieving career/business greatness: You don’t shoot your shots, and if you do they are less than they could be In her book Lean In, Sheryl Sandberg noted that impostor syndrome made people evaluate their qualifications lower than they should. In the long run, you end up only taking low-risk opportunities, or worse not taking them at all. It affects how you communicate Have you ever ended a well thought-out point with something like, “Does that make sense?” Or worse, do you find yourself apologizing all the time? Seriously, why do you start with “Sorry…” or “I just…” when you speak in a meeting? In an attempt not to be outed as a fraud, you actually can come off sounding uncertain of yourself. It affects your presence In the words of Amy Cuddy, “Impostorism steals our power and suffocates our presence. If even you don’t believe you should be here, how will you convince anybody else?” As with all questions of our ability, there’s no silver bullet to getting past it, but there are ways to not let it hold you back. Accept that you actually are a fraud The only reason you are so aware of how much you fall short is because you are brilliant enough to calculate how much you lack. Be aware of the deficit, but act anyway. Apply anyway, pitch anyway, write anyway. Everyone, brilliant or not, puts their best foot forward and there is nothing wrong with faking it a little before you make it. In the words of Queen Beyonce, “I have accomplished nothing without a little taste of fear in my mouth.” Communicate power Even if you aren’t completely comfortable with feeling like a fraud, at the very least stop sounding like one. Tara Mohr, author of Playing Big says, “I keep meeting brilliant women like you, with powerful ideas to contribute, important businesses and organizations to build, provocative questions to share. But so often, the way they communicate fails to command power. They equivocate, apologize, and look away as they speak.” Be aware of how you communicate. While there is a lot I could add, my one piece of advice would be, watch your cadence and don’t present statements as questions. Focus on delivering value Understand the value that you can bring to the table. We often assume that the skills we really excel at come naturally to everyone because we do them so easily. This then allows us to focus on the things that we can’t do, as we don’t see our skill set as valuable. Keep track of your strengths using tools like LinkedIn. But if you haven’t got it together like that (no judgement, I’m with you!), listen carefully to the feedback you get from colleagues. “I DID that” These three magic words, when said every time you do something awesome, are certain to gain you the respect of the only critic that counts, YOU.
How smart women multi-task
The idea that women-led or owned businesses are usually on a small-scale basis, run out of homes and often have less than five employees, is old. We have outgrown the ‘cookies and crafts’ stereotype and have our sights set on bigger goals now. In case you haven’t noticed, we now manage boardrooms while keeping things in check at the home-front. As women, we are wired to multi-task, whether as mothers, professionals, athletes, students, entrepreneurs or any of the other limitless titles we take on. It’s no wonder we are superwomen – efficient multi-tasking demands a lot of discipline! If you’re still trying to uncover your super-powers, this article will help. Practice how to multi-task Practice is essential to mastering any skill. Take a look at all you need to do in a day and pick a few routine tasks to start with. Begin with carrying out few routine tasks, then move on to slightly more difficult ones. Introducing a routine involves doing specific tasks at the same time, the same way, every day. Once something becomes routine, it gets easier, even if you’re not totally focused on it. Make a to-do list At the close of every work day, make a list of tasks for the next day. This will help you both prioritize and plan for the next day, while ensuring that you address the most important tasks first. Pay attention to the task at hand Steer clear of distractions; be wary of emails, chats, and other interference. If working from home, try isolating yourself from family-related intrusions, if at all possible. Minimizing distractions allow for undivided concentration. Schedule tasks and set time frames. Schedule everything breaks, eating, workouts -even showers. Have a deadline or a short turn-around time for tasks, and you’ll surpass your expectations. Through trials and errors, you learn how best and fast to complete tasks. Also, avoid the tendency to take on more than you can handle. Prioritize. You need to have a clear understanding of what tasks are more important. That way, you are able to give more attention to high-yielding tasks. The low payoff items should be at the bottom. Following up on clients, returning calls and generating new leads should be at the top, but emailing a friend to tell them about your date doesn’t fall into that category. Take Note: If you have 10 or 20 priorities, you don’t really have priorities. Know when you work best I work in consultancy, and more often than not, my work can be done at any time of day. However, I work better in the mornings, so I try scheduling work for that time when I am the most productive. Each person has a best time for work. Discover yours by monitoring your productivity on a daily basis, then learn to dedicate your best time of the day for your most important work. Group similar tasks Activities that are similar, are easier to work on at the same time. Consider setting specific times for checking emails during the day instead of checking every other time. When organizing priorities, try grouping similar tasks, as focusing on similar activities, maximizes effectiveness. Delegate Everyone talks about how awesome it is to multi-task, but let’s be honest, you can accomplish much more with extra hands! Some people are of the belief that multitasking is all theory, and so, impossible. But, tasks still have to get done in the shortest time possible. Assess the tasks you are personally able to, and the ones good enough for delegation. For example, writing social media updates and having someone else edit them for posting. Use waiting time efficiently Always take along some work, especially if you have to be in places like the airport, bank, or doctor’s office, where waiting is inevitable. Take time out Allow yourself some needed rest. Take a break when you can, take walks around the building or just meditate. If you feel overwhelmed, to improve concentration, replenish your body with water or a snack. Learn to say NO Know your limitations, so you aren’t biting off more than you can chew.
Adomaa Music: Dare to be different and unapologetically you
Adomaa is a Ghanaian fast rising afro-jazz singer who is known for her distinctive style of singing, insightful messages, and creative video concepts. This sensational artiste who believes that music is her drug has chosen to pursue a genre which is totally different from what people are used to. Though she faces disapproval from people who do not relate to her style of music, Adomaa still holds on to what she loves and believes afro-jazz is the next big thing. Judging from the recent Vodafone Ghana Music Awards show where she won the 2016 Unsung Artiste of the year, we believe Adomaa is underway to success. Why did you choose the afro-jazz music genre? I wouldn’t exactly say I chose the genre. It’s who I am and how I know best to express myself. I grew up on a lot of jazz, blues, and soul till it became part of me. When the decision came to pursue music as a career, it’s what came instinctively. Still staying true to my love for jazz, I wanted my Africanism to be represented in my music as well. So, I decided to fuse the Jazz sound with African rhythm, hence the name: Afro-jazz! What makes you think this genre is here to stay? When I started, I was truly stunned by the overwhelming response from the public. I didn’t think anyone cared about the type of music I did because it isn’t mainstream. The feedback though made me realize that there’s a huge market for Afro-jazz here! It’s still in its beginning stages but it’s catching on. It will soon become a staple! What would you do if this genre does not get and hold the attention and crowd you expect? I don’t think that will happen because like I said so far, the feedback has been massive. It can only grow and it is growing. Nonetheless, even if no one was ever interested, it’s still where I will be because quite frankly, it’s who I am. I can’t change who I am. How is Afro-jazz different from the other music genres? Why should we look out for this genre? Afro-jazz is simply a unique blend of jazz, blues, soul (basically vintage music) with an African rhythm or flavor to it. Jazz is not a popular genre of music in these parts and even outside, it’s still somewhat low key. The fusion is very different from what we are used to hearing. It’s music like you haven’t heard before. It’s a refreshing, fresh and unique. Who doesn’t want all that? Which other musicians are taking or have already taken the Afro-jazz route? It’s still fairly early days to say any artiste, in particular, has taken this route. But there’s this super talented singer, Cina Soul that has released some music along those lines. Also, I haven’t heard of anyone before me doing what I do. It’s a new wave of music that I’m proud to say I’m pioneering. Tell us Adomaa, is your type of music for everybody? What’s your target audience? Music is universal and Afro-jazz is no different but for now, I think it boils down to preferences. It will take sometime for some people to warm up to it but it will catch on eventually. A classic example is dancehall. Who ever thought it would be the most popular genre in Ghana? My target is everyone! For now, though, I’d say the people who appreciate it the most are the middle class to elite groups of people. Since you started singing, what has been your major challenge and how did you handle it? My biggest challenge since I started has definitely got to be my stage fright. I used to dread live performances and would have panic attacks and meltdowns but the best way to overcome an obstacle is to face it. There’s been a tremendous improvement over the months and it can only get better in the years to come. I love being on stage now. What is the worst thing anybody has said about your type of music? It’s boring and for old people. Oh, but that’s about to change. There were some rumours about how you did not deserve to win the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards unsung artiste of the year, how did you handle this issue? What provoked this rumour? Ha! This issue… Well, you know I started out with doing covers and recreating other people’s songs. It’s what put the spotlight on me and probably what most people still know me for. In the category I was in, the other nominees (Feli Nuna, Wan-O, Ebony, Nii Funny and Perez) were more deserving because they have put out original content. I have original content out as well but I guess the covers are more popular. Some people didn’t even know I had my own songs out there so there were questions about why I was nominated in the first place. For me, negative comments fuel me. It made me want to challenge myself even more to sell the genre till it becomes a household name. It’s my main goal now. How do you react and respond to criticisms? I listen, sieve through to see if there’s anything to learn, take the constructive ones, discard the chaff and move on with my life. Why do you think your type of music is critiqued? It’s different. It’s a change from the normal. People don’t welcome change easily. That’s normal. It takes a while to embrace what you don’t understand. The criticisms are to be expected when you decide to break away from the norm. Have you ever considered switching to another genre? I’ve explored a little. My EP, Afraba was solely for that. I tried pop, rock, highlife, classical music, etc. but my heart still belongs to Afro-jazz. Of course moving forward, I’ll still venture out some more but at the core, Afro-jazz is who I am and who I’ll always be. For our readers who have never heard
Planner, actor or innovator? Which public health role is for you?
Health improvement and making health better for all, is public health. Simple. But…we bet you knew that already. The first thing that came to mind when you heard ”public health” may have been masked figures a la the Ebola outbreak, but there’s much more to public health than just epidemics and diseases. Having established that, do you think a public health career is for you? Read on to find out more. Okay, imagine public health from the perspective of three groups. I call them, the planners, the actors, and the innovators. The Planners – Behind the scene Do you keep daily planners in your wallets or purses for your ”to-do” shopping lists? You do? Then, that suggests you have the ability to develop layouts on how to carry out activities! If you’re passionate about formulating and writing proposals, no matter how small, you are a planner. Oh yeah, it’s that simple. Do you enjoy working with numbers? Well, knowledge in statistics, data analysis, data management and business intelligence expertise is all you need to collect and analyze health information. It goes without say that without numbers or data, there would be no health intervention. More young women in industries that offer these skills set and expertise should consider taking their career prospects a notch higher within the public health arena. The Actors – Get on stage! Just like in every script, someone has to get on stage and act! Prevention and treatment as major tenets of public health offer a wide range of opportunities to allow for this. Okay, picture this, the hand-wash adverts on TV with the proud mother ensuring that her children’s hands are squeaky clean after a hard day’s job. This is public health too. Are you championing hand-washing and basic hygiene in your community? Or are you engaging with other young women on sexual and reproductive rights? Look no further, you are one of the ACTORS! If you love field work or outdoor activities, get on stage. Just remember that it doesn’t always come with the perks we read about in books or see in movies…but you may finally get that opportunity to travel and meet new people, as you literally try to save the world. The Innovators – Seize the opportunity I should say this is an exciting class to fall into, particularly, with the latest craze in I-TECH initiatives. Tech business is now a part of the world of health. Think of the mobile phone application that takes your heart rate and the menstrual cycle calendar on your device. And I can’t forget my personal favorite, the ‘calories burnt calculator’. Did you ever guess they were public health innovative tools? Well, they are. Take the drones now used in transporting medications. Think of entrepreneurial activities such as designing of health promotion wellness kits, including mother and baby care products and sanitary towels as practical tools in health promotion. The list is endless. Prepare to think outside the box! Be an innovator! Create! Public health is so not limited to those in the health field. It offers wonderful opportunities to everyone in their various chosen career paths. I believe there is a potential public health specialist in every young woman. And hey girl, if you’re a part of the public health sector, I’d love to hear about your experience and how you are changing healthcare in your country! Join us next week on the SLA platform for tips for graduates and young women joining the public health sector.
Stressed? 4 ingenuous habits that will make all the difference
Your head is aching, too many things to do in so little time… You had so much work at your desk and had to skip lunch… You can’t remember if you had water to drink all day… It’s Friday but you can’t say TGIF because your side hustle for the weekend still has some loose ends to be tied up. Therefore, no gym this weekend… Whew! So much stress, so little rest… Hey Motherland Mogul! We are all about your business and career success but we do not want you to pass out in the process…or develop poor health conditions. The beauty of your hard work today is being able to inspire the younger generation years down the line when you’re grey. If you’re not here or in good health, who will? We want to be a part of your success story and as such, your overall well-being is important to us. If you’re stressed, these daily habits could help. Your health doesn’t have to be a barrier to reaching that business goal. Always have breakfast no matter how little. Research has shown that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and prevents unnecessary snacking. Also, avoid skipping meals and eat right. Take it easy on the carbs whilst increasing fruit and vegetable intake. Then make sure you drink water, lots of it. Manage your time properly at work to boost effectiveness and reduce being stressed. This helps to boost effectiveness and reduce being stressed. Work time isn’t the time to engage in office gossip or be on social media so be warned. You should also always ensure that you finish one task before engaging in another All work and no play makes Jill a dull girl Engage in relaxing activities after work and during the weekend. Reading SLA articles perform the dual function of educating and entertaining you. Otherwise, you could go swimming, dancing, travelling or any other thing to take the edge off. Exercise regularly It does not have to be too intense, regular walks are good for reducing cholesterol levels. Take the stairs more and get involved in outdoor activities.
Starting and sustaining an NGO in Nigeria: 3 important things to consider
You can actually set up the next big NGO, and maybe win a Nobel prize for your wonderful contribution to the society. Isn’t that amazing? But wait! Before rehearsing your Nobel prize acceptance speech, have you given enough thought to the sine qua non of setting up and sustaining an NGO? No? It’s not too late. Let’s start with the basics. A Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), according to www.ngo.org, “is any non-profit, voluntary citizens’ group which is organized on a local, national or international level.” In Nigeria, they play important roles, often filling gaps which the government is unable to while complementing existing government activities. These organizations, small or large, work in the health, civil society and other sectors of society. Individuals and groups often set up NGOs with altruistic motives, with the intention of impacting positive societal change. Having worked for an NGO for several years, I know that most people assume that starting and sustaining one is a laid-back affair. On the contrary, it is in fact as critical as starting up a for-profit business. It really does not matter if it is on a small-scale basis, or whether you have vast amounts of cash, there are key guides to consider. Here’s what you need to know. Legal requirements A lot of times, enthusiastic newbies fail to consider the legal requirements of embarking on such a venture. Someone wakes up, scribbles an interesting name for a proposed NGO, then proceeds to print branded T-shirts. That’s not bad for effort, but you need a more structured process. For proper legal status, your NGO must be registered with the relevant body; the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). Take ownership of the process, and as much as possible, avoid using a proxy. That way, you will be in possession of all necessary documents and minimize the chances of a disaster. Now, you’ll need to establish the following: The legal obligations it will be subject to. Your goals and objectives. The problems you intend to solve. Equally important, you’ll need a lawyer during this process. Having a lawyer at your side will keep you updated on the rights and obligations of the registered NGO you’ll soon be running. Acquiring and sustaining funds When setting up an NGO, you must be very clear on the source and availability of funds. You can’t begin with the, ‘Well, I just started’ or ‘Let’s see how it goes’ attitude. Having said that, let’s see if you can answer these questions: Do I have funds for the activities I’d like my NGO to embark on? Are there government or other organizations’ grants I can apply for? Can the NGO sustain itself on a long-term basis? Do I have an efficient structure? What are my planned activities, and who will be responsible for each activity? Run your NGO like you would run a business. Look, I get it. The society seriously needs solutions and you’re revved up for the challenge. Your idea is the best, most unique and different one and you’re in line to becoming the next Mother Theresa. Listen though, other NGOs are profit-oriented and well, only focus on making profit. If you want your NGO to be around for a long time, you’ll need to integrate these profit-making elements to your operations: Have a defined strategy for hiring, operations and other organizational processes. Have a strong financial system. Have a target audience? A robust marketing strategy will cater to them. Have a marketing budget. Decide on what strategy to apply. Person-to-person? Social media? Flyers and posters? Or a mix of different strategies? How about record-keeping? Do you have a plan? How often would you produce reports? Bi-monthly, quarterly or annually? The above requirements are essential, especially if your NGO’s activities are grant-funded (which means you’ll have to submit regular reports to your handlers). The sad reality is not everyone gets grants at the start, but proper record-keeping would prove very helpful should you decide to apply for funds in the future. #MotherlandMoguls should know that NGOs are businesses too. Your profit is in the satisfaction of helping people in profound ways.
Ask a Financial Advisor – Volume 2
Financial independence starts with careful planning. If you want to be a millionaire in the future, you have to do the work today. We’re excited to present the second installment of our Ask A Financial Advisor column. Financial experts from United Capital have once again taken questions from our community and answered with real advice. Volume 2 of Ask A Financial Advisor features advice on starting and maintaining a saving plan as well as saving for future goals. How can I start the process of investing my money? Right now, I know nothing and would like to educate myself before doing anything. What are some trusted sources and beginner tips? – Naome Jeanty It’s great that you want to educate yourself prior to getting on the investment ladder. There are loads of resources available to one on the internet, so please do as much research as you can. The best way to create a life that is not dependent on a paycheck is to start investing early in your life and these are our top three tips – 1) invest at least 20% of your savings on a consistent basis. 2) take calculated risks, especially when you are young 3) start investing for retirement as soon as you have a steady income from paid employment or an on-going business venture. I earn N134,000 and I look forward to getting a landed property and also a car by this time next year. How can I save to meet up with this target? Thank you. – Toyin As with starting any project, it’s important to define clear goals -which you’ve done already. You do however need to prioritize these goals such that you are able to differentiate between routine expenses, short term and long term savings goals. Use the SLA Savings calculator and remember that an emergency fund is key. This is where it comes in handy to set up a Private Investment Trust. And when you do need to borrow, let it be for investment purposes i.e. purchase of land etc. How do I start and MAINTAIN a savings plan. I currently live paycheck to paycheck when debts have been ignored. I want to put money aside, I’m currently paycheck to paycheck (bills paid, rent paid etc) but at the cost of ignoring some debts. (Owe family and friends money…I can’t afford to pay them back at the moment). – Gloria Determination here is the key, both to getting out of debt and maintaining a consistent savings plan. The first step is to determine what you can actually save after taking out your routine expenses, i.e. food, transportation etc. Then the next step is ensuring that you actually do save. A great way to going about this is to set up a direct debit order on your salary account or main business account which ensures that a designated sum is debited at regular intervals i.e. monthly, quarterly etc and moved into an investment vehicle such as a Private Investment Trust. If you’d like to get your questions answered by a financial advisor from United Capital, submit your questions by clicking here.
5 wedding planning tips for the business savvy bride
Have you recently gotten engaged? Congratulations! Are you deep in the trenches of the madness that is planning a wedding? E-hug. I had no idea what I was getting into when I began to plan my wedding. Prior to getting engaged, I had invested little to no time envisioning my wedding, and I generally dreaded attending weddings (with some exceptions). What I have always enjoyed though, is research and strategic planning. Likewise, when it was time to plan my wedding, I treated it like I would any professional project. It’s been a year since I got married and with the rear view mirror in sight, here are 5 tips I would give any #BossBride: 1. Develop your wedding brand To begin my wedding research, I followed major wedding sites like Bella Naija on social media. I pored through every single post on blogs like Aisle Perfect and bought books like Vogue Weddings: Brides, Dresses, Designers. Once I had a better grasp of things, it was time to decide on my wedding brand. What will my wedding look like? What will it feel like? I asked myself these questions because I didn’t want my wedding to be a copy-and-paste smorgasbord of every trend. It was especially important to me to have a bit of my personality stamped on the wedding. Accordingly, I put together a concept note describing my vision for my wedding (aka #Blavid2015). I have always been passionate about the arts and I created my vision around this. Both my traditional and ‘white wedding’ were like mini-concerts: I had traditional dancers, a choir, musicians, a quartet and poetry reading. Of course several things went wrong on my wedding —but what most people (hopefully) remembered, was the music and the ambiance. 2. Get the budget figured out early A vision without the finances to execute it is pretty much useless, so it’s important to get the finances figured out early. While the bride’s family traditionally pays for the wedding in Western countries like America, this is not always the case across the African continent. My husband and I come from different Nigerian cultures, with different traditional rules about who pays for the wedding. Thus, it was important for both families to discuss who was paying for what and decide on the budget early in the process. Getting a budget together will require getting various price quotes and a lot of prioritization, so it’s best to get an early head start. 3. Do not waste your human capital Once I had a vision and a budget, it was time to figure out who would help me execute my vision. Beyond the usual suspects like my maid-of-honor and best friends; my mother and I delegated tasks and asked favors from whoever asked what they could do to help (perhaps to their shock, Ha!). For example: a family friend who owns a marketing firm designed our logo and handled the programs; another who is a creative helped design my wedding website and invitations. One of my photographer friends did my engagement shoot, and another friend with a hair business hooked me up with a great hair extensions. A former family chauffeur organized a tour of the city for our foreign guests, and my brother-in-law’s fiancé made our bridal train proposals. I could go on and on, but the point here is: #TeamWorkMakesTheDreamWork. 4. Beware of social media vendors Beautiful Instagram feeds do not a good vendor make. Some vendors spend so much time boosting their social media profile that they neglect their actual products and customer service. Additionally, particularly in Africa, some of the best vendors might not be social media savvy or on the Internet at all. No matter how many popular wedding hashtags a vendor is affiliated with, no matter how many blogs rave about a vendor, no matter if a vendor is a family member or friend —do not choose a vendor whose work you have not seen, touched, tasted, heard, etc. 5. Negotiate your contracts like a CEO I shamelessly negotiated prices with every vendor I worked with and they all gave discounts. Two of the most stupid mistakes I made however, were paying some vendors 100% upfront and not insisting on written contracts. As a lawyer, I am very ashamed to admit this. I blame my desperation to book these vendors and what I’ll call PWSS (Pre-Wedding Stress Syndrome). One vendor failed to deliver on almost everything he had promised—it nearly brought me to tears at my reception. When I wrote to him after the wedding, he apologized and explained that a bus with some of the materials he needed had not arrived on time. One year later, a promised refund remains buried in a labyrinth of excuses and justifications. I wanted to sue, but my pastor-mother insisted on leaving it all to God. The moral of this story: a) protect yourself by insisting on paying a balance after the wedding, and b) document all your expectations in a detailed contract. A final note: flexibility and adaptability are important skills for any seasoned professional or entrepreneur in today’s world. The same applies to a wedding: you may have to make concessions to make your family, in-laws and partner happy. I was resistant to some things at first (Type A problems), but I eventually realized that I would have a much happier wedding if all the important parties had some buy-in. I also rolled with the punches—or danced with them, I should say. I decided I would be happy on my wedding day no matter what, and for every mishap I noticed, I danced a bit harder. By the end of my reception, my curls were undone, my foundation had bled, and I had danced my happy heart out.