Ask a Financial Advisor – Volume 1
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 kick off our brand new column called Ask A Financial Advisor. Financial experts from United Capital are taking questions from our community and providing real advice. Read on for our first series of answers covering topics such as investing as a fresh graduate, real estate as an investment property and how to start investing even when you feel like you don’t have any money to spare. Hello. I would like to ask about the best place and way to invest my money in Nigeria presently, some say federal government bond buying, but am not so clear nor sure. I mean am not so super rich and just 3yrs out of college but I think the little money I make part if it invested would go a long way. Pls kindly help a sister out. Gracias! – Abimbola Investments when being done on a relatively small scale, are safer when carried out under the umbrella of a professional Fund Manager/ Trust Company. That way, the minimum requirements for say an FGN Bond or any other instrument will be met through the pool of funds being managed by the company. Also, the risks involved will be shouldered by the company and you will be privy to professional wealth advisory services suited to your investment objectives. What can one invest in that requires minimum money? I’m a single mum and I feel I’m living hand to mouth, I’d like ideas on what I could invest in and how that will require minimum money that could potentially accumulate or grow. – Nikita You can invest in a contributory scheme with a minimum annual contribution of N60,000.00, which will come to N5,000.00 per month. If you were to set up a Private Investment Trust, your contributions will be pooled with other contributors’ funds and invested in profitable investments which the N5,000.00 would ordinarily be insufficient to partake in. The result of this is a healthy mix of stable returns as well as minimum -risk investments which will be affordable to you and simultaneously accumulate in the long term. Every month I seem to just break even and in some cases I am over budget. How can I save money whilst breaking even on my budget? – Sharon You need to decide on a percentage of your income to save every month, we would advise 10%-15% for a start. Once that decision is made, you can invest in a contributory scheme which requires you to make contributions per month. A Standing Payment Order (SPO) given to your banker to automatically credit your contributions to the Fund Manager/Trust Company will ensure you do not begin to overspend before the contributions are made. This will improve your financial discipline and at the same time ensure you have accumulated a tidy sum which would have yielded a stable return in the medium to long term. With the rising cost of living, buying property is virtually impossible. Although I qualify for a small amount, should I rather buy an investment property (property that I will rent out and never live in) or wait until I can afford a place of my own and buy one for myself? – Kendi Buying property is a highly capital intensive venture and may not be advisable if you do not have the liquidity. It would rather be advisable to invest your funds in REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts) through a professional at a minimal fee, so that you can accumulate the funds until you can afford the property of your choice, whilst still enjoying some benefits of real estate investments through the underlying assets of the REIT. If you’d like to get your questions answered by a financial advisor from United Capital, submit your questions by clicking here.
5 skills your new team needs right away
So, you’ve got a new team on your hands. As a savvy manager, you’ve studied your team and decided that they need to work on some new skills. But you’re having a tough time making a choice on which skills are the most useful to ensure your team operates smoothly. Don’t worry, we have your back. Communication The importance of communication cannot be overstated. You have a new team of people, some of whom may have never worked together before or have never worked with you. In this case, clear verbal communication is essential for success. Your team should be able to easily communicate within themselves and also with you as their manager. Then again, excellent communicating ensures effective meetings, respect towards others and little misunderstanding during team work. Being open-minded Your team is going to have to learn to be open-minded and be willing to listen to new and diverse points of view without jumping into conclusions. You can’t have one member talking over the rest of the team or shutting down other’s ideas. As a manager, you want your team to work together and be supportive of each other. For that to be achieved, it is essential that everyone is open-minded. Problem solving Each member of your team should be able to problem solve on their own. Poor problem solving can lead to failure of the team, and your brand in the larger picture. As a whole, your team should easily identify problems and come up with different solutions. They should be able to take the initiative with coming up with new ideas. If they are having difficulties making a decision, they should know to notify you. Management and organisation Any efficient team knows the basics of project management. They know how to plan, manage tasks and schedule their time. It shouldn’t be the responsibility of just one person to ensure meeting and team goals are set. The whole team should possess management and organisational skills, this way everyone can remain focused on achieving tasks. Questioning Now this is an often overlooked skill, but it is extremely important for everyone. A good number of us are scared to ask questions, we don’t want to appear lacking especially in front of a new group of people. Your team will likely not be any different. Learning questioning skills encourages curiosity and knowledge seeking. If you’re working with a team where roles need to be divided, consider having a rotation so this way your team’s skill sets are continuously growing and expanding. Have you managed a new team recently? What skills did you encourage them to learn? Please let us know your answers by leaving a comment below.
Making sense of cents: Quick tips to improve your financial literacy
In an increasingly consumerist society it is very easy to get swept up in the barrage of not-so-gentle persuasions on how to spend your money. It ranges from the seemingly harmless dine-out options you yearn for all month long, the glitzy red bottom heels, to a new gadget that you just have to have. Financial literacy is muscle, the more you engage it the stronger and better skilled it becomes. It is important to practice intense amounts of self discipline. It sounds daunting, doesn’t it? Growing up, having a job, earning your own money and then be told be disciplined with how you spend it. Very few people are raised to understand finances beyond what they spend. It is much like not ever teaching children how to read then expecting them to be able to fully engage with a highly literate world as adults. No fair, right? Don’t worry though, help is at hand. We are going to learn this financial alphabet together. Here are a few tools that are easy to understand and implement, provided you’ve got that discipline we spoke of. Draw up a budget It isn’t as scary as it sounds. First, you write down a list of what you need to spend money on for the month. Then, you take out the cost of those items from the amount of your income. When you see just how you want to spend money you may reconsider what you thought was a necessity. Put together a list of your short and long term goals Whatever your goals, they need to be financed to become a reality. Arrange them in order of importance and find space for them in your monthly budget. While having to say, pay for a course module vs. a really expensive night out with the girls may hurt, in the long run it works out. Once you’ve graduated, you will be able to afford many girls’ nights out. Review previous month’s expenditure Once you’ve given your brave new budget a whirl, go over your expenses. Have a hard look at where you spent money wisely and where you did not. Look closely at where you spent most, check whether you spent money on things that tie into your short and/or long term goals. Then review your habits so that moving forward, you make decisions that give you long lasting value for your money. Save 10% of income It is important to save. Life happens, a family member could pass away, a car could be involved in an accident or a job may be lost. There are plethora of unforeseen circumstances that could hurtle themselves into one’s life. It is always wiser to be on the right side of caution. As your spending and saving habits grow, you could even increase that amount from 10%. It is key to note that knowing you can change your habits makes you the boss of your finances. Join a free online financial literacy class The internet is your friend. There are a many resources available to you, should you want to exercise that financial muscle we mentioned above. Ultimately, financial literacy is about attaining freedom, autonomy and peace of mind. There is a life that exists without ponzi schemes and loan sharks. It can be accessed the moment positive, informed decisions are made. In South Africa at least, there are 95 men for every 100 women, that means we ladies have more… um… manpower. The power to change the trajectory of African women is ours.
Key steps to finding your voice
Like many girls and young women growing up in a patriarchal culture, I embodied this “less than” attitude as I grew up. While women are leaders in many regards, there is still a shadow that we live under. Women may have the education, the experience and the drive to successfully guide a team of people but still lack a well defined voice (and no, not “voice” as in Tenor and Bass). Voice in this case is an extension of the person. It’s their brand, their way of doing things, their expertise and how it is communicated. Those who show strong leadership skills have often developed this sense of voice throughout their careers. For those who haven’t, it may be time to examine it further. Determine your voice A women, we need to be familiar enough with our voices to know how we come across to peers, staff and clients. Our personal set of values is directly connected to this, what we stand for, our values, what people can learn from us. There is a need to be clear and concise about your voice, your stance and your ideas, and be sure that everything you do and say aligns with that. Look for inspiration There’s no shame in admiring the qualities of others, whether it’s a family member, a mentor, an industry leader, an iconic figure or a celebrity. Observe them closely. Have conversations with those you have access to. For those whom you don’t have access to, watch their public appearances and read their writing. Find them wherever they are, in business, politics, sports, TV and note down the characteristics that appeal to you. It is not enough to just admire someone, figure out what it is about them specifically that draws you in. Note their confidence, their ability to build relationships, their network, their charisma, their intense knowledge of a particular area. Identify what intrigues you and roll with it. There’s no need to reinvent the wheel. Experience matters All the important lessons learned throughout the beginning and progression of your career are a part of your professional voice. The decisions you’ve made, the wins and the losses, they help to make up who you are. One of the common mistakes women make is we feel that because we have a seat at the table and we say something, everything is good. It’s important for us to know that having a voice really means having a track record of success and accomplishments. That people want to listen to what you have to say because you’re saying something of value. So, use your voice and use it strategically. Experiment For those women leaders looking to evolve, especially those in the younger end of the workforce spectrum, it might be time for experimentation. Identify low-risk scenarios in which different approaches are feasible. For this experiment, try to make a decision with consensus, then in an authoritative tone and then one in the middle. After doing this, it will become clear what style fits you. You don’t have to do this in a high-risk client situation or in front of venture capitalists who will determine your funding future. Try making a plan with friends, getting your children to do what you need them to do, or sitting on a non-profit committee. Practice with your spouse, your friends, or your network. Just like building a business, this is a process. The earlier you are in your career, the more latitude you have to experiment. Your voice and leadership matters. When you begin to speak out for what you believe in and use your voice without apology, you not only empower yourself but all women and girls. You become a role model, and girls everywhere can begin to see themselves as leaders. You might not get it right in the first year, the first business, the first finance pitch, the first launch, or maybe even the second or third. But awareness is the first step.
Recently graduated? How to make unemployment work for you
In recent years it has become common to find yourself unemployed after graduating. How you spend those few months in unemployment (or years if we are keeping it all the way real), could add a lot of value to your development. Use that time to invest in yourself and begin the journey of personal branding. Before you tune out, these overused buzzwords are always relevant, especially considering the changing nature of the workplace. To quote Bryan Kramer; “…your personal brand is how you appear to the world. Different than self-promotion, personal branding represents a full-time commitment to defining yourself as a true thought-leader within your industry”. So, here are a few tips to get you started. Position yourself near the ‘central nodes’ of networks The most common piece of advice you will get is, network. It is useful to remember that when it comes to networking you must think quality over quantity. When you are just starting out, reach out to bigger or more established brands (companies or people) that you wish to learn from. LinkedIn co-founder and the ‘most connected man in Silicon Valley’, Reid Hoffman helped shape my thinking in this area. Reid explains that the most effective networks are built when you connect yourself near the ‘central nodes’ of the spaces you want to be in. ‘Central nodes’ here refers to the most influential areas within your networks. Trust me, to avoid endless meetings that ultimately go nowhere, you should be picky. Take time to research key influencers in the spaces that you are interested in and reach out to them. Ensure your networks are usable Once you know who you want to, you need to build trust and goodwill with them. This is in order to turn them into contacts that you can actually use. One way to build this relationship is to find out if there is an area they need help with that you can add value to. Show them the quality of your work. People are far more likely to become usable contacts in the future when you have established a mutually beneficial relationship. Know your hustle. Know your value While learning the landscape of the industry you are trying to position yourself in is important, you also must understand how you fit into that space. You need to be sure of the value you bring, and be able to articulate it clearly. It may seem old fashioned but it would be a good idea to sit down and write your personal value proposition. When you’re through, mould it into a short elevator pitch. What’s your background? What are your best qualities? What are your strengths? What is your business approach? Do you have any notable successes that speak to the opportunity in front of you? Once you know what you are good at, be able to boldly and clearly communicate it. My advice? As the saying goes, “Keep it humble with a hint of Kanye.” Mentor your weaknesses Having a mentorship is a tried and tested way to keep yourself motivated and accountable. However, the relationship is only as beneficial as you allow it to be. Often there is a temptation to put your best foot forward when dealing with a mentor. After all, you can’t have your idol think he/she is wasting their time on you right? We all have areas we need to grow in, so make sure you open yourself up to advice in these areas. Start something It almost doesn’t matter what it is; a blog, a book club, a weekly Google hangout, just make sure you create a space for you to learn, grow and focus your passions. Time is your most valuable asset during this period, and that combined with your passion and skill is a formula for a fulfilling way to get through your time at home. It also helps to show future employers that you are able to take initiative. Good luck!
3 ways to connect with your dreams as a young African
When I first talked to Khadijah Oyerinde, a 14-year-old high school student in Osun, southwestern Nigeria, I was able to see her dreams clearly. This was because of the confidence and passion with which she conveyed them to me. Within the first two minutes of our conversation, the young and inspiring Khadijah had mesmerized me. She’s got guts, no doubt! When I inquired about her greatest dream and the likely stumbling blocks, she gave me a sharp response. “I want to become a caterer that would be known all over Nigeria and Africa for excellence,” she said. “And only death can stop me. I cook well and I’m working on myself every day.” She was one of the participants at Leadnovation 2016, a flagship initiative of Hope Rising Foundation (HRF) Nigeria, a NGO I co-founded to raise responsible and innovative young leaders in Nigeria. Having been impressed by her clear vision, I quickly asked how she hopes to reach her destination. Khadijah stared at me with some discomfort, and said; “Well, I just know I’ll get there. I haven’t seen anyone on TV to look up to as far as my exact dreams are concerned. But I’ve just learnt from this leadership training that I can get help on social networks.” More often than not, I have come across many Khadijahs in Nigeria. I have met and interacted with numerous young Nigerians who are brilliant and ambitious. They are high school students, undergraduates, or even graduates eager to shape Africa with their lofty dreams. But as much as they are passionate about their dreams, connecting with them remains the big challenge. So as a young African, how can you connect with your dreams? Believe in your dreams In reality, no dream is too big to be realised as long as you have a “can-do” spirit. As a young person, it’s good to have a clear vision of what you hope to achieve, and start working towards it. You shouldn’t be discouraged by what other people say. People don’t really care about your dreams, they only care about results. Once you reach your destination, everyone will want to associate with you. So, get on the wheels and start driving into the kind of future you desire. “Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice” These were the exact words of Steve Jobs, the legend who must have had YOU in mind when he was crafting this beautiful sentence. Take advantage of MOOCs Right now, education has moved beyond the walls of a classroom. And the effects are magical. That you don’t yet have the opportunity to receive lectures within the walls of your dream school shouldn’t deter you from working on your dreams. Start from where you are and with what you have. You can sit in your village, so far you are connected to the internet, and learn from the best professors in top universities in across the world at no cost. Yes really, at no cost! So far, I’ve taken over fifteen Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) from some of the world’s best universities in the last three years or so. There are a number of sites offering courses to help you get the expertise that would move you closer to realizing your big dreams. Get a laptop, tab or smartphone, connect to the internet and start learning.There are many MOOC websites available, including Future Learn and Harvard. Choose the course(s) that best fit the kind of skills you’d like to acquire. There you go! Use social networks effectively For me, social media remains the next greatest invention after the discovery of electricity in the 17th century. With the effective use of social media, you’re not only able to expand your network but also able to connect with the people that matter, as far as the realization of your dreams is concerned. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Skype, YouTube are fantastic social networks you can leverage to connect with your dreams. You should find role models and people who can help you believe more in your future, and then connect with them via these networks. It’s that simple. SheLeadsAfrica and a few other platforms also offer the unique opportunity to connect with mentors who can help you better navigate your life’s journey. What are you still waiting for? You can go the extra length to connect with your dreams by believing in yourself, taking advantage of MOOCs, and making effective use of the various social networks. No matter how short it is, just take a step. Keep moving! I have discussed just three of numerous useful tips. You can add one or two tips of your own in the comments section as well. I’ll be glad to hear from you.
Ready to crowdfund using social media? Read this first
Crowdfunding is no longer the buzzword it was in 2006. Social media has undeniably taken over and changed the way we interact and connect online. Gone are the days when discussion forums were the go to tool for getting numerous opinions. Crowdfunding by definition is, “the practice of funding a project or venture by raising small amounts of money from a large number of people, typically via the Internet.” This is basically asking strangers around the world to help you get your project or campaign off the ground by financing it as a collective. Not only does this mean you’ll have the necessary capital to get going, but you will also have peace of mind. Through the indirect market research crowdfunding provides, you’ll know that a community of backers believe in your service or product. The average person has 5 social media accounts, this means you have a few options on how to get your message across. Sometimes, all you need is a quick update on any platform and you will be flooded with an array of responses from your followers, catapulting your crowdfunding plans into the stratosphere. The next step is knowing how to harness the power of those platforms to bolster your crowd funding efforts. However, there are dos and don’ts when it comes to crowdfunding. You’ll need to ensure that people don’t view your suspiciously while ensuring long term success beyond the initial campaign. Build a good foundation before the launch 30% of your donations will come from people you know. With this in mind, you need a solid network of people you have already been connecting and engaging with online before launching your campaign. This could take months so make sure you are ready to put in the work. There is no shortcut to a strong social following of engaged users. Even more important is to ensure that you have the ‘right’ kind of followers. Through a great social media strategy, you can discover people who have shared interests. These are those will be more likely to support your cause. Don’t rely on one platform It’s very easily to rely on one platform. You may think your Facebook friends know you well and will support you but avoid putting all your eggs in one basket. Pick the right platform based on where your audience is, where you receive the most engagement and where you will be able to monitor things easily. Rather than using your personal profile (which could get spam-like towards your friends and family), start a separate page for your campaign and get people to like and follow it for updates. You can also have a separate page for yourself. This way people can see the woman behind the campaign, you never know, it will probably be one of many projects you undertake. Content is king You need consistent and engaging content in order to stay current and pull in the crowds. Your copy should be punchy, to the point and shareable in order for the word to spread. Use rich imagery where you can, as well as other content types such as infographics, videos, podcasts etc. Share updates and milestones in order to keep the excitement going among your backers. Keeping content consistent and frequently updating will ensure you stay on top of people’s minds. Don’t jump the gun Asking for money right away makes you seem greedy and desperate. These two words can taint your campaign. How you frame your requests also matters, no one wants to feel like you are begging them to send money your way. Refrain from, “Please give 30 dollars to my campaign.” Instead go for subtle ways of encouraging support such as, “Could you be my next backer?” Listing the amount of money you require in your update might seem daunting to someone who only has a little to give. Rather, post a link to your landing page where people can decide for themselves how much to give. At the end of the day, even if you don’t reach your required amount through crowdfunding, you will still have a great community of people who believe in your ideas. Don’t ditch them. Instead, thank everyone for their efforts and keep doing what hooked them in the first place (consistency, remember?). You never know when your next bright idea might come and you need them again. Have you run a successful crowd funding campaign? Let us know in the comments section below.
Why Motherland Moguls need to master the marketplace
One speaker at the recently concluded TEDxAccra 2016 spoke passionately about the ills of the entrepreneurial journey. This is an aspect of entrepreneurship that we often don’t like to talk about, or don’t want to admit. He spoke about the uncertainty that is associated with being an entrepreneur, as well as the depression that comes with that for many entrepreneurs. This speaker addressed the need for openness and honesty in the entrepreneurial narrative. Entrepreneurs need to have a supportive community of other entrepreneurs around them to engage and share lessons with. Passion is not enough As he spoke, I was reminded of one thing I often hear from and about entrepreneurs. That is the need for a deep compelling passion for what you are doing. I don’t disagree with that, I will just add that passion alone will not sustain you on the entrepreneurial journey. You need strong knowledge and understanding of the marketplace in your field of work. You also need a deep appreciation of what that marketplace needs, for you to operate successfully and efficiently in the medium to long term. To elaborate further, it’s rather like a parent saying of their newborn; “I am going to bring this child up with so much love, that s/he is going to be a gift to this world.” The child may be a gift to this world the child. But whilst a foundation of love is a vital ingredient for raising a child, it alone will not prevent the child from being bullied at school, for instance. It will not stop the child from failing at Math. That love foundation will not protect a child from the negative externalities of this world that we live in. Love may sustain, it helps in going through and coming out of many uncertain times, but it will not prevent uncertainty. Likewise the entrepreneur. The entrepreneur’s marketplace For the entrepreneur, mastering the marketplace is a continuous necessity for going the long haul in business. The marketplace is that space you operate in, that space that comprises your product, your clients, your suppliers, your team, your financing, and your intellectual property. That space is intangible for some, but for the more successful and the more resilient entrepreneur it is very tangible. This is because successful entrepreneurs make it their business to know, understand, assess, learn from and develop that marketplace. It is their passion for their service and/or product that leads them to a relentless, almost incomprehensible obsession to understand their unique marketplace. The marketplace is different for everyone. For each business, no matter how similar, there will be nuances that make you, your brand, your service and your product distinctive. However, if you have not studied or thought deeply about the marketplace, you will not know your nuance. Passion alone will not sustain you. The key is to learn Peter Senge in his decisive work, The Fifth Discipline, alluded that; “The only sustainable competitive advantage is an organization’s ability to learn faster than the competition.” And there you have the operative word, learn. Learning must become a way of life for the entrepreneur. It is not enough to create Instagram, Facebook and Twitter pages, engineer likes and exhibit your products and selfies with celebrities on social media. The viable marketplace is less trivial. The world needs a compelling reason to buy your product. It takes learning, engagement with like-minded people, conscious conversations, mentoring and a truly informed engaged network to reach the peak of entrepreneurship. What all of that does is change you, it strengthens and grooms you to be the leader you need to be for your business, your clients, and your team. Selfies with personalities and social media likes will not get you there. Senge also said, “Business and human endeavors are systems…we tend to focus on snapshots of isolated parts of the system. And wonder why our deepest problems never get solved.” By focusing on our passion alone, we focus on snapshots and in doing so may fail to really respond to the opportunity and the value of our business idea to the outside world. We need to master the marketplace. My own response to this dilemma is a master class called “Mastering the Marketplace”. This class outlines a framework for fine-tuning a business concept. It also helps with developing a responsive business strategy and roadmap that will meet the needs of your preferred clientele and your business as a whole.
How to make the most of your introversion
In a conversation with a group of people, I pointed out that I perceived a colleague to be an introvert. The look of indignation on her face said it all, she took my words as an accusation. Girl, if she had pearls on she would have clutched them! My colleague later explained that while she was comfortable being an introvert, she preferred that it wasn’t brought up in a work context. This was simply because of the assumptions that people make about introversion and how it affects leadership. As an introvert myself, this conservation got me thinking. One of the most crucial elements of being a #MotherlandMogul is knowing and being able to sell your best qualities. When we think of a list of ‘good qualities’ for leadership, introversion isn’t among that list. Let’s be real saying, “I love working in groups, and am outgoing”, doesn’t have the same ring to it as, “I’m an introvert who really excels at solo processing”. So, although I wouldn’t have the same reaction my colleague had, I wouldn’t shout, “I’m a introvert!” either. When I started this article, the title was originally going to be, “How To Make Your Introversion Work For You”. This sounds sort of like how to make a recession, or any other unpleasant thing work for you. Do you see the problem? Introversion isn’t usually pitched as a strength, rather it’s a condition you need to manage or work through. Whether you identify as an introvert, ambivert, or extravert (here is a short test to get a sense of where you lie), the key is to own it. I’ve identified 3 areas that introverts commonly complain about and have a few suggestions on how to shift perspective and leverage your strengths in each one. Speaking up Many introverts view their preference to listen rather than speak negatively. In fact, this is something that can distinguish them as good leaders. I used to be so caught up with trying to make regular contributions in meetings that I actually fought against what my brain naturally wanted to do; sit back and process. Laurie Helgoe states in her perspective shifting book, that introverts have an “internal power—the power to birth fully formed ideas, insights, and solutions”. Being able to sit back and notice things others may miss, gives you an advantage that is useful to any team. So, now you know it’s a good quality how do you convince everyone else? Please don’t just say, “I’m a listener” and bring shame upon the whole SheLeads family. When pitching this quality make sure you frame it as having a personality that allows you to be contemplative andsolution driven. Lisa Petrilli puts it like this: “[Introverts] thrive in the world of complex ideas. We are exceptional strategic thinkers and listeners and bring great insight to our work. All of these characteristics make us inspirational leaders — and inspiration is at the core of charisma.” Networking When it comes to networking, don’t be too quick to dismiss your ability to get it done effectively. The differences between how extroverts and introverts connect is summarised by the creators of the popular 16 Personalities test. “Where the extrovert’s strength is to know a little bit about a vast number of people, the introvert’s ability to quietly absorb a great deal of information about the people who they spend time with can prove even more valuable.” I have always been a firm believer in building a high quality over a large quantity network. This works well for introverts who would prefer not to engage in small talk with large groups. Plan and be strategic with the networking you want to do. Use your introversion super-powers to build strong and deep links that you can use later on. Branding Okay my introverted family, this is one area that we are going to have to make more of an effort. Don’t panic, it’s as much as you think! Personal branding is valuable, no one can argue against that. To put it plainly, it is just a way of letting as many people in on your hustle as possible. Seeing as introverts tend to enjoy solitude anyway, social media and networking sites are a perfect way to use up all that precious alone time. There’s no telling who you could meet, some of my best connections have been made over Twitter. I love what Forbes writer William Aruba said about personal branding, “Personal branding is not about being famous, it’s about being selectively famous.” Keeping this in mind, don’t feel pressured to join every single site imaginable, you can afford to be picky. Are there any qualities you feel introverts need to leverage more?
My Black Life Matters: Unlearning the culture of silence and ‘keeping the peace’
#BlackLivesMatter is an activist movement led by the African-American community. It began in July 2013 after the acquittal of George Zimmerman, a white man for the killing of Trayvon Martin, a young unarmed black boy. At the time of the shooting, I sympathized with the cause but it never occurred to me that it was more than an African-American issue. Going to school in Ghana, I remember sitting in class where the lesson of the day was the history of slavery. Before the lesson started, our teacher warned us to keep our emotions in check. It was an international school and I can only guess that in order to avoid racial tension, this ‘talk’ was deemed wise. At the time, I agreed. Fast-forward years later, I saw red after watching Eye in the Sky, a movie in which an innocent girl plays, blissfully unaware she has entered the zone of a planned drone attack. I was livid that somewhere far away from this girl, human beings could sit in comfortable chairs and determine the fate of her life. I was angry as while it is fictional, Eye in the Sky is true to life. Shortly after, I started thinking about #BlackLivesMatter. I realised that over the years, by trying to ensure that ‘peace in the classroom’ mentality, I had inadvertently contributed to the inequality present in the world. I wondered if the lives of black people mattered less in our global society partly because those of us, privileged with a voice, fail to get angry when we should. So I did what I could do, I started writing. Anger is a powerful tool and, although it’s reputation has been corrupted by terrorism, it serves an important purpose. When we abandon it for that culture of ‘keeping the peace’, we encourage a dangerous dip in our sense of self-entitlement. In other words, we start believing we don’t deserve better. And when you don’t believe you deserve better and are worth more, others won’t believe it either. Magnify this problem to the continental African scale and what we end up with is a group of nations that will accept the shortcomings of their governments and other governments that look down on them. Now, imagine trying to grow a successful business in an atmosphere like that? A business with the potential to improve the world, in a world that doesn’t believe you worthy. Will it truly reach its potential? Founder, Alicia Garza, summarized the philosophy of #BlackLivesMatter by saying, “When we say Black Lives Matter, we are talking about the ways in which Black people are deprived of our basic human rights and dignity.” What is more un-dignifying than growing up a third-class citizen? My poem, Things I should not say, was written to air out all those angry thoughts I had trained myself to bite down on since that day in history class. And when put on paper, I found that my anger was not only justified and fair, it was shared. We have every reason to be angry over the brutal treatment of African-Americans in their own country and to show solidarity to their struggle. After writing Things I should not say, I found that I felt a little more liberated and had grown more demanding about what I was entitled to in every aspect of my life. My Black Life Matters…just as much as yours.