How Tamiko Cuellar monetized her gift and launched her business
Tamiko Cuellar is the CEO and Founder of Pursue Your Purpose LLC, – a global coaching, consulting and training firm for emerging entrepreneurs, corporate intrapreneurs, and leaders. She spends at least 6 months each year traveling throughout the continent of Africa where she speaks, coaches, and trains leaders, entrepreneurs, students, and women. In addition, Tamiko was appointed as a mentor to emerging entrepreneurs in Africa as part of the Tony Elumelu’s Entrepreneurship Programme in 2016. Tamiko has been a guest contributor on Forbes, The Huffington Post, amongst other publications. In this article, Tamiko shares with us her journey to becoming a smart boss lady, and how she’s helping ladies on the continent do the same. What made you decide to launch your own business? There were multiple catalysts that compelled me to launch my own business I had survived three rounds of layoffs (retrenchments) at my corporate job in the United States as a result of the 2008 economy. My job was becoming more stressful and adversely impacted my health, and I was only given a $700 bonus after helping to acquire a $30 million client for my company. Besides all of that, I felt that my potential was being stifled and I was not fulfilled. I then decided to monetize my gifts and skillset on my own terms, by launching my business to help other women transition from corporate and grow their businesses. On your journey to becoming a Smart Boss Lady, What are some exciting things while launching your business? Since there weren’t many coaches that were doing what I was doing when I first started, I looked for as many existing coaches as a template and tried to emulate them. I later realized that it was my uniqueness that caused my brand to soar internationally. I would encourage aspiring and emerging boss ladies to harness what’s unique about you. That’s your sweet spot. People don’t need a clone. They need you to show up in your authenticity What are some of the common problems entrepreneurs hire you to solve? The most common problems that women hire me for are helping them to narrow their focus, defining their target market, creating/refining a brand that attracts their target market, and also how to sell and make money consistently Established larger organizations usually hire me to develop their leaders. Why did you choose the business name – Pursue Your Purpose LLC? My company’s name was birthed from a common answer to a question that I would often ask people, which is, “What would you be doing if you could do something other than your current job?” The answer was always something different than what they were currently doing! Then my follow-up question would be, “Then why aren’t you doing that?” This was usually followed by a blank stare because people didn’t know why they weren’t getting paid to do what they love. It was then that I realized that most people that are working are doing what they have to do rather than what they want to do. I’ve mastered a system that creates entrepreneurs who get paid to do what they love and I simply coach others on how to profit from their God-given purpose. Tell us about your experience working almost exclusively on the continent of Africa. I absolutely love it! I am called to Africa. The Africa I see is very different than the Africa that is portrayed in the media. Africa is rising It’s ripe with potential because the majority of the population in many African nations is very young (ages 15-25) and emerging leaders are going to be at the helm of solving Africa’s problems very soon. Someone needs to develop and train these emerging leaders. I also feel a deeply personal and cultural connection to Africa being an African-American women of the Diaspora who can also bring a high level of skills to the continent that I’ve acquired in the States. Who is your dream client/partner? First and foremost, my dream partnership would be with SLA in some way to build capacity in its community of professional business women from a global perspective. As a former Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management in the U.S., I also love working with Universities throughout Africa on entrepreneurship curriculum development as well as being a guest lecturer to business and entrepreneurship students. Additionally, I love working with agencies and the Ministries of Trade & Industry to teach sub-Saharan African businesses on how to export their products into the U.S. duty-free. Lastly, I love training corporate leaders and HR managers on how they develop innovative entrepreneurial thinking in order to be on the cutting edge of what the rest of the world is doing. I would love to do more of these three types of training and coaching. I’m very open to being contacted by your readers for partnership and speaking opportunities throughout Africa. What’s the most exciting project you’re currently working on? I’m very happy to say that my fourth book, “Cultivating An Entrepreneurial Mindset” should be out by the fourth quarter of 2019. This will help thousands of aspiring and emerging entrepreneurs both inside and outside the classroom to develop the right thinking that leads to having successful, profitable and sustainable businesses. My calendar for 2020 is filling up quickly with organizational partnerships, speaking and training opportunities with universities, corporations, and government agencies throughout Africa, so I welcome as many strategic alignments as my company can accommodate. I am also adding new Global Brand Ambassadors to my team all over Africa who are highly influential and can help us impact more people. This article was put together by Lungiswa Mzimba
6 ways to break down boundaries to becoming a successful entrepreneur
There is nothing women can’t do. Surely, there are so many hindrances that women in business face. However, when it comes to race, the number of black women entrepreneurs have greatly increased over the past decades. According to the Census Bureau, eight million businesses in the United States are owned by people from minority groups, and 2.5 million of these are owned by African-American (which makes them the only racial or ethnic group with the highest number of business ownerships). Also, in the very recent State of Women-Owned Business Report, the number of firms owned by black women grew by 164%. We all know it, there is nothing women can’t do. While the stakes are higher, you can break down the boundaries and become a successful entrepreneur. How? 1. Embrace diversity Before you make other people believe in you, you first have to believe in yourself. Instead of seeing it as a barrier, you have to embrace your diversity and use it as a competitive advantage. Take note that diversity goes beyond gender, nationality, color, or race. We have to embrace our uniqueness, be proud of our strengths, and turn our weaknesses into opportunities. 2. Be passionate about what you do When you love what you are doing, you gain the courage to look past the challenges and the discouragement from other people. To succeed in business, you’ve got to have a strong mission. Why do you want to start a business? Successful entrepreneurs have many things in common. One is their sense of purpose. Of course, an obvious reason is to gain profit. But there certainly has to be a reason much higher than that which motivates you to pursue what you do. 3. Accept that failure is part of it You’ve heard stories about business tycoons bouncing back from their failures and have turned out to be better entrepreneurs. You won’t believe how founders of giant companies like Twitter, Huffington Post, LinkedIn, and PayPal all went through massive failures, costing them millions of dollars. Here’s the thing – 75% to 90% of all startups fail. It only shows that failing in business is normal. At some point, you will commit mistakes, you will make wrong decisions, and you will fail. The secret is to never give up. 4. Plan ahead Behind a successful business model is a solid plan. You don’t jump into the river without knowing how deep it is. Create a detailed business plan. Identify pain points. Pool your resources and know your options. For example, where will you get the funding? Will it be from your savings or through business financing? Will you still need investors? How will you reach out to them? List down all your ideas. Do your research. Invest in knowledge. And be ready to start something. 5. Embrace Change No matter how comprehensive your business model is, at some point, you will have to make adjustments or perform a total shift. Changes in business are inevitable. Market demands and trends change from time to time. It is scary to confront changes. That’s a normal reaction. But you have to be flexible and adaptable. Otherwise, you could be left behind. 6. Don’t Forget that You Are Human too As you establish and grow your business, you will find yourself devoting most of your time to it. You will miss some important family affairs for client meetings, endure sleepless nights for endless paperwork, and forego weekends to beat deadlines. The key is to strive for balance. Drink your water. Eat your veggies. Sleep. Pamper yourself. Get your hair done. Go for a mani-pedi. For you to keep up, you have to be physically and mentally healthy. Becoming a businesswoman is not an easy feat. Striving for success is much more challenging especially when people kind of judge you for your race or gender. But don’t let anything or anyone stop you from becoming a top-notch entrepreneur. Remember, in business success, there are no boundaries. This article was written by Lidia Staron Lidia Staron is a part of Content and Marketing team at OpenCashAdvance.com. She contributes articles about the role of finance in the strategic planning and decision-making process. You can find really professional insights in her writings. Need some more FREE downloadable guides from SLA? Click here.
Top 5 technical and practical skills you need to land a job in the Communications Industry
Because I know how to write convincingly, speak in a clear, concise and catchy manner and make pretty lifestyle aesthetics— I made £800.00 one week in one of Africa’s poorest capital cities — Freetown, Sierra Leone. As long as capitalism reigns free— the comms industry will always be hiring! The word “communications”, is a broad umbrella term for many specific roles and jobs that all revolve around conveying information. If you like to talk a lot, love pretty looking things, and a fast-paced lifestyle— this sector is for you! It’s the digital golden era, and many African millennial women are turning to this sector. This is an industry that underpins the side hustle of many resourceful sisters with a side hustle. From selling home-blended essential oils on ‘the gram’ to vlogging about sexual and reproductive health. According to Biz Community Africa, trends in advertising across the continent show an increase in market competition across African markets. Nigeria, Kenya and Ivory Coast have joined South Africa as large regional advertising hubs. And though the rise of middle classes across the continent remains contested, the market strategy has been heavily sought after in the telecommunications, financial, FMCG and transportation industries. Despite literacy and digital literacy rates varying greatly across the continent— the comms industry is on the rise! The communications industry spans a wide range of sectors including television, film, radio, media and digital design, marketing, advertising, branding, public relations, and promotions, publishing, journalism, consulting and more recently social media. There are broad communications skills that every communications professional should have to be successful in each of these sectors. And, there are also specific technical and practical skills that will set you apart from others when applying for jobs in specialized departments at corporations, consultancy firms, creative agencies, government ministries, NGOs and all other organizations that have a communications department. Here are five skills, I’ve found essential for a comms professional in Africa— specifically if looking to focus on marketing, branding, and advertising. Market analysis and strategy If you can evidence this on your LinkedIn and CV then you’ll get an interview. Companies want to know that you understand that the main reason they even have a communications unit— is to sell things! You are essentially the new fancy term for a marketer! Since door-to-door sales do not work anymore, you need to find out what does! Market analysis means knowing your target market, analyzing their consumer behavior and their psyches, and then developing strategies to make them believe they need to buy into the lifestyle and ethos (the brand) of the company. If you can throw around the term ‘customer psychographics’ and actually know what you’re talking about, then your interviewer will hire you! To develop this skill you can take an introduction to marketing class on Coursera. No funds? No problem! I once took a class for free on Coursera by applying for their course scholarships. All you have to do is fill out a form that states you’re “kinda broke right now, that’s why you need courses and a job”, and through this form, you’ll be applying to take a course on Coursera for free. Good luck. The ultimate wordsmith A comms professional is ultimately someone who can convince men to buy tampons, using three words. If it’s in marketing, publishing or PR— you’ve got to be able to create and/or spot powerful work that will have your desired impact on audiences. Basic rules for writing include: know your medium (are you writing for TV, radio, social media, an advertisement, a sales pitch, a newspaper?), know your audience, and lastly— be clear, concise and striking. There are a million ways to write a million things, that fit into the right boxes for the right type of comms. When you decide what your niche of comms is— take the correct writing class for it! Whether you are pitching, writing or selling— your job is to tell a story. So tell the best damn story there is! Basic media design skills Today everything is digital. Everything is visual and everything is about aesthetic. Design is key, especially with the rise of social media. When starting off as a comms officer, assistant or freelance consultant, you will not have the budget nor the authority to outsource to a creative agency. This is not relevant for working in PR, nor radio— but in the world of advertising and branding, you will first have to make various media content yourself. Basic free online software like Canva and Mavis should be good enough to start with. Of course, you will need a decent enough camera, but luckily these days everyone has a smartphone! Most smartphones today have cameras that can substitute for a DSLR and can download multiple media editing apps. Wipe your camera lenses, download a bunch of apps, gather a wealth of media content of the specific things needed for your industry (e.g. a bunch of foodie pics, or the hottest tourist spots in your city, or natural landscapes)— and develop a website (use Wix) or some social media platforms— may be even a podcast! You can submit this with your CV to work in the following roles: the communications officer for the ministry of tourism in your country, the contributor of an online art and culture journal, or the strategic communications assistant at a company/creative agency. For those looking to go into something highly specialized like graphic design, you might want to take an online or university course on Adobe InDesign, Photoshop and Premiere Pro. Companies and creative agencies are always looking to hire graphic designers (freelance or in the house) and this is usually a fun and exciting job. Creativity and originality Know your country, know your industry, know your market— then do and be different within context! Remember you can be a comms professional within any other industry from agriculture to mining, financial/banking, government, or retail. The industry you’re in will most likely have an institutionalized way of reaching
The Queen of Representation – From Botswana to the world
“The A-Girls are exceptional, black vinyl dolls that appreciate the African girl of today, with all her versatility and diversity”. Dolls are part of a girl’s introduction to what is considered ‘beautiful’. According to Bakani, creating the brand was essential in order to excavate and resuscitate what African beauty is. Until August 2016, Bakani July Johnson was a Lecturer at the University of Botswana (UB) in the Social Work Department. She holds a Masters Degree in Clinical Social Work and has worked intensively in the psychosocial field since 2004, gaining experience with Botswana Baylor Children’s Clinic as a social welfare case manager. Prior to that, she worked with the Government of Botswana as a Social Welfare officer. After years of ideating, planning and testing, Bakani left the UB and started her doll-making business. Bakani is a social entrepreneur and is constantly looking for ways to enhance the lives of others. She is also a founding trustee of Musani Family Care Foundation, an organization that focusses on the restoration of Botswana’s family unit, and offers accommodation to families in transition, mostly caregivers of hospitalized patients who come from far off villages. Musani Family Care Foundation seeks to bridge the gap by providing temporary housing and support for these families who need it most, at no cost. Connect with Bakani and her business on social media. Why it is important for me to make the dolls… I have always loved children. I am forever looking for ways to enhance their wellbeing and this led to the realization that there were no black dolls to use during clinical sessions with my little patients. As a social worker, dolls are some of the symbolic tools used for communication during sessions. However, more often than not, the dolls that were donated looked nothing like the children I worked with. This became a query, to manufactures and it was not a pretty feeling as it was seen from the point of exclusion. I realized that I could continue with the feeling of being ‘left out’ as a black African girl, or I could do something about it. The research allowed me to see that I, and others like me, were never a concern for doll-makers; they had their own market and concerns. Whatever I could find was by sheer luck. I refused to use divisive story-telling or to accept that it was ‘someone else’s fault’ that as Batswana – and Africans – we don’t have black dolls. The more I searched, the more I was challenged to create the doll I was looking for. I worked from thought to product, beginning in 2007. The effect representation has on young Batswana /African girls… We have for the longest time been portrayed as ugly, and not a representation of beauty. If you research dolls throughout history, you will not like what you see. We have been ‘caricatured’ through the years and our features ridiculed. Our natural hair is still a full-on debate today. With the dolls, I am simply excavating and resuscitating a black girl’s beauty. The idea of the dolls was to trigger an emotional response and to ensure that we put African girls faces on beauty, with a clear understanding that it is our responsibility to raise a new, confident African girl. The development of The African Girls Dolls is a winning communication tool targeting children. These are one-of-a-kind vinyl dolls that appreciate the diversity of African girls and were created with the realization of a lack of representation both commercially and in messaging for African children. Most props and toys used are of girls and boys are not of African descent. Through the African girls’ collection, I am constantly helping organizations to create a unique language of truths, trust, and symbols as part of visual storytelling and visual messaging. I understand that symbolically, images help us to understand abstract concepts that cannot always be translated into words and dolls have throughout history been symbols to communicate, appreciate and represent. Dolls are part of a girl’s introduction to what is considered ‘beautiful’, and speaking to that aspect we want to be able to say ‘she is so pretty, just like a doll’ – and actually talk about a doll that looks like her. Children are visual beings. They connect to things visually and will remember things seen more than things said. They connect with objects or pictures from memory. Africa and Botswana are about symbolism, or what things represent and communicate. If you listen in on doll play, your child communicates with what she sees. If her dolly is wearing beads she will have a conversation about that. The idea was to have dolls that are relevant to the children, thus when one looks at the dolls, they will realize that some have tutu skirts and modern symbols which represents a ‘modern girl’ whereas others are dressed in traditional Tswana regalia. Great dolls bring the thought of history, self, and admiration. Children from different ethnicities benefit from playing with dolls that are a different skin tone, make and versatility. Though dolls are not photocopies of the individual, we believe that to a small child the most important thing is that her little dolly is beautiful just like her, validating who she is and how she relates to herself. The role I see my dolls playing in a Motswana girl’s life This product, created by an African woman for African children is girl-centered for now and is self-esteem/self-efficacy based. More than play, the dolls are seen as communication tools that instill gender and ethnic pride as a foundation for social skills. What you see and is preached becomes a norm. If everyone talks about ‘light-skinned’ being better, children will want that. I want parents to hand the dolls to the children without influencing the children’s taste about them. I have involved a few people in the crafting of the dolls from those that design the clothes to those that do the hair and packaging. I am
4 ways to Deal with Stress as at work
Our work lives can bring along a certain level of stress upon us. The stress could come from dealing with expectations from bosses or supervisors. There might be nerve-wracking deadlines that you have to meet up with. Or you could find yourself in a co-working space that makes it difficult to get work done. All of this could lead to stress. Stress is not something that should be taken lightly, as it takes a negative toll on your body and mind. It can cause you to either gain or lose weight, or result in physical symptoms such as having backaches or pounding headaches. Stress also leads to a negative mindset. You can feel moody, or disturbed about your life. Needless to say, stress does no good. Do not get overwhelmed by your To-Do list. It is necessary to find ways to reduce and relieve yourself from it. I have some tips from my experience on how to find ways to deal with stress from work. 1. Prioritize and Delegate As ladies, we often love to pride ourselves on multitasking. Multitasking is alright, but always trying to do too much all at once can lead you to severe stress or worse, a breakdown. That’s why I’m all about prioritizing. You can still be productive by focusing on the most important things first, then, set aside time later or another day for other tasks. Also, if you feel that too much is on your plate, don’t be afraid to speak up. Don’t get caught up in wanting to be the “superwoman” but feeling completely exhausted. In a workplace, there are often others around that you can lean on to carry some load off you. If there are members of your team that you can shift some responsibilities to, then pass on the information. If you are a one-woman team but feel that there is too much going on, have a conversation with your boss. You might need to get an assistant or intern to help you accomplish all the duties. 2. Take that lunch break with Your co-workers When the work seems to be pilling up and overwhelming you, having a fun conversation with your co-worker might feel like the last thing you want to do but it could help. Having amicable connections with your co-workers could ease the tension and stress you feel from work. Socializing with co-workers serves as an avenue for you to take a little break from work while still at work. Your co-workers could even provide solutions to the stress you feel by offering their input or strategies to help you tackle a difficulty you might be facing. So do not spend your entire workday glued to your desk and laptop. Look around at the people you work with, take a lunch break with someone. 3. Use Music to ease the tension Music can bring some inner calm when work makes you want to pull your hair out. If you have a favorite artist and songs that will get you going, then have that playlist on your phone. You can get your earpiece and tune into your favorite songs to help you get motivated or simply in a better mood. If you’re not the type of person that can work with music on, then consider a short break from your desk. Often times, if we become too glued to a screen, it can cause headaches. Get up from your desk and maybe stretch for a few minutes. Or get up from your desk and take a short walk outside the office building. After some time away from the desk, you could find yourself in a better mood. You could figure out a solution to tackle the task at hand. 4. Get your body moving to chase the worries away Taking up a physical activity can be what you need to take your mind off the duties in the workplace. It can help you to feel better because of the endorphin that the body produces while working out. Exercise can have numerous benefits. It not only keeps the body fit and healthy but it helps in the mindset. When I graduated, left school life and started my first job, I had some level of stress. I had to get used to working structures, responsibilities and finding a work/life balance. What helped me deal with the stress was keeping up with my exercise routine from university days. Exercising was my outlet to not get so worried about whether I was doing things right. Exercise is was what boosted my mood to feel confident that I was capable of handling new responsibilities. If you are not already taking up a physical activity, yet you have stress from work, then making time to workout matters. You could workout before or after your work or during the weekend would be helpful.
The Tourism Queen of Botswana
Reinventing tourist experiences in Botswana 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. Connect with Cynthia and her business on her website and social media What inspired you to go into tourism? I saw so many opportunities and I realized that there were a lot of gaps in the industry that we were not tapping into. 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. Sponsored Post
That money you want is in someone’s account: Amba Eyang – Ajakaye
Not every “celebrity” is known. There are powerful women who are not just breaking glass ceilings, but also impacting the lives of people they meet. One of such extraordinary women is Amba Eyang-Ajakaiye, a Brand Storyteller and Business Strategist. She is the founder of iDare.NotDread Nigeria, a social engineering platform promoting innovation, creativity, and enterprise through storytelling and value sharing. She is also team lead of the Build My Business initiative born out of iDare.NotDread’s enterprise. Centered on building skills and capacities for young people in the business. This project launched grand ideas such as the BMB Expo and BMB Training school (online) in 2017. Amba has gone from transforming ordinary people who would have never thought of writing their own books, to making them authors. She’s also supporting small businesses to achieve scalability and growth especially, by helping them identify and understand the importance of “target markets” and “market validation”. In this interview with SLA contributor – Wuraola, Amba Eyang-Ajakaiye bares it all about IDare.NotDread and highlights why small business owners should “do it afraid”. Tell us about your company – IDare.NotDread iDare.NotDread is a social Enterprise promoting innovation, creativity, and enterprise in Nigeria. Our focus is primarily to build women communities and empower them with creative and innovative skills for business growth. What’s one business tip you wish most business owners knew and could wield to their advantage? Network. Meet people. That money you want is in someone’s account. That unspoken challenge can be solved by someone. Attend workshops, events, and meet people. Most people don’t bite. How can entrepreneurs begin to understand the power of conducting market validation, and collaboration with other SMEs? I believe in collaboration. This is why I try to build communities. We started the Abuja food community in May, and its amazing to see how much collaboration has happened in a group full of women. Yet, we probably thought women prefer to fight. No. The moment businesses understand that collaboration first means ‘here is what I can give you’, before ‘give me what I want’, they will lead better businesses. With a lot of fake business coaches around, what makes your brand different? We didn’t just arrive. We’ve been here a while. In 2013 we started with creating a platform for entrepreneurs to share their stories and inspire others. Over time, we realized stories weren’t enough. Capacities needed to be built. So we went all in to try to understand the real needs of the entrepreneurs we wished to serve, and since 2016, we started contributing to conversations around digital technology and creating a good impact in the digital space. Since then, our efforts have birthed super brands. In the past 3 years we have successfully trained 4,000 entrepreneurs on digital strategies as well as provided opportunities for business visibility. Many thanks to the opportunity Google granted us through the Digital Skills for Africa programme and a host of other partners who have trusted us to work with them. Why should SMEs understand their target markets before making an entrance into the market? Because if we don’t, we would be hitting our heads on rocks. Hard rocks. You can’t sell to everyone, and this is why research is key to identifying who your market is. Tell us about your Ebook Challenge Its amazing! I launched my first ever ebook on March 2019, titled ‘How to write your first eBook‘ and that’s where the ebook challenge began. We are currently on our 3rd cohort and it’s been amazing!!! Every 2 months we launch a new set of authors who are super proud of their achievements. It feels great to empower people to create wealth with their knowledge. We are looking to expand the community beyond eBooks to help more women create diverse digital products and generate more income. How does the “Do It Afraid” catchphrase relate to entrepreneurs who don’t like taking risks? We all have fear in us. It’s an emotion. I am still learning to tame my fears. And we all should. The best way to go about it is to go ahead and do that very thing you fear. I have coached a number of businesses and one of the areas I tend to focus on is to help them fight those limitations – the little voices and beliefs that make them feel less of themselves and limited. It’s important we act despite fear. Accept your fears but act. What’s the worst that could happen? Failure? Then show me one person who NEVER failed.
Yukabeth Kidenda: I Want To Celebrate And Dignify The Teaching Profession
Teach For Kenya is one of many independent chapters of the Teach For All Non-Profit organization, that is currently being set up in Nairobi, Kenya by Yukabeth Kidenda who is both its CEO and founder. Passionate about education and mentorship, Yukabeth is on a mission to build a movement of ethical leaders to drive reforms in Kenya’s education ecosystem. In this article, Yukabeth talks about her passion for teaching and her dream for education in Kenya. What inspired the Teach For Kenya initiative? Teach for Kenya is not the first of its kind, there are actually 50 other partner networks that exist all over the world. Teach For All was started by Wendy Kopp, an American who actually started it as Teach For America initially. Her inspiration came from coming face to face with the inequities in education in her hometown and feeling a burden in her heart to help bridge those gaps. From the success of that, she decided to replicate the model across other countries. When I was done with college, I decided to take a gap year and went to serve as a teacher in Honduras, Central America. That entire year was 365 of the happiest days of my life. I came back home, but for one and a half years, I couldn’t find a job. That really made me question everything that I had believed. For a long time, I had this belief that education was what gets you to be successful. I questioned that notion a lot and began to think – How come the education that I received didn’t prepare me for this slump on the road? How come this great education made me sit at home for over a year jobless? Why didn’t it help me sell myself to a potential employer? That is when things in my mind changed, I don’t want to just help people get access to education, I want to help them get access to QUALITY education that will enable them to thrive in this 21st century. That’s why I dedicated my life to working in educational organizations. I started with adult learning and corporate training, then worked with Microsoft with their education team to push ICT training and certification. Thereafter I joined Metis where I was running a fellowship program for educators across all sectors and went on to work with the African Leadership Group as a leadership facilitator and now getting ready to launch Teach For Kenya. I had been mulling over this with one of my mentors, Kennedy Odede for about one and a half years and by the beginning of 2019, I just decided to get on with it and actually do something. I think right now the country is ripe for such a great innovation and I’m glad to be at the forefront of it. Why is education important to you? I have a vast background in education, all the way back to my time in high school when my mother was diagnosed with cancer. My parents really valued education a lot and still do, my siblings and I all went to very good schools. My mother’s illness did take a financial toll on the family but one thing I took note of, was that my father did not make us switch schools at any point. We could have saved so much money by going to other schools that were not as costly and I could not understand why he chose to make that sacrifice. As I got older I realized the kind of doors that getting a good education and being exposed to that kind of learning could open for me. During my university years, I approached my dad and told him that I want to support other people who don’t have people rooting for them the way he rooted for us. My dad and I soon started doing a lot of projects in the community, going out to various areas, providing books, toiletries, things that just make the learning environment more habitable and more comfortable for the students. That really generated the passion I have had since then to do more in the education field. 3. How is it going with putting together the launch? It’s been a scary, engaging, challenging but exciting process all the same. One thing that has worked in my favor, is that this is my dream job. I’ve always wanted to work with people who don’t have anybody cheering them on and supporting them. Teach For Kenya puts me in that unique position where I have basically taken the responsibility to run this organization that will help mentor recent graduates and put them in a position where they come face to face with the challenges facing their community, transitioning them on to the alumni face of the program and watching them go out into the world to impact and join initiatives that are seeking to address these challenges. So I’d say right now that the education space in Kenya is very ripe. There are so many people who are very receptive to the idea of Teach For Kenya, and think it’s been a long time coming so the support has been overwhelming in a good way. I plan to pilot this program with our first 20 fellows in January 2021 so what I’m focusing on right now is doing community research and going out into the areas where we will potentially get to speak to the communities, the teachers, students, and parents and find out what their needs are and how our skills can best match those needs. It’s a lot of work but I feel like all of us as citizens of this country and this continent needs to do our part, this is me right now choosing to do my part. I hope this encourages anyone who may think that their part may be too small – we’re all pieces in a puzzle of a beautiful bigger picture and by doing our part, we
11 Traits to have in your single years – while waiting for a life partner
The single years can be fun and productive, but in some societies, the stigma that arises when you start getting close to a certain age can become overwhelming. Beyond that, how can you make your single years transformational and fruitful before settling down? Here are some tips to help you: 1. Give more than you receive This is the best time to start practicing how to share. When you get married, you’ll have to share your life with your spouse and if you have always felt that people were invading your space, this is the best time to start practicing. Smile more, show courtesy, give out some things that you don’t need and volunteer with your time. 2. Start working on things that challenge your self-worth Do you have issues with being confident? This is the best time to seek therapy on that. Do you feel you’re not tall or beautiful enough? This is the best time to start seeing yourself in a positive light. Take time to evaluate what makes you feel less and start appreciating it. In marriage, you wouldn’t want your spouse to be the source of your happiness because sometimes you’ll need to learn to enjoy your alone time. Nobody can complete you so start learning to love yourself. 3. Learn to manage your money If you spend without a budget, plan or savings then you want to learn to manage your finance. You can start saving and investing now. You can research on apps that allow you to save and invest and also learn more on business opportunities. 4. Learn to manage your home If you can’t clean your space, then start owning your space well without the intention of your spouse arranging everything for you. Learn to clean every corner of your house and practice good and healthy hygiene. 5. Be a praying person Marriage has its own battles and you don’t want to go into marriage with an entitlement mentality. You want to start praying for yourself, your spouse and children ahead. Learn to build a relationship with God in your single years so that you don’t build your world around your spouse alone. 6. This is time to work on your insecurities There’re people who’ll get married and try to control or manipulate their spouse because of trust issues. This is time to stop projecting your fears on your partner. Seek therapy and closure. It usually stems from your past experiences and it is better to seek for healing before you settle down. 7. Let go of pride If you’ve pride issues, this is the time to start seeking professional help. Pride kills the beauty of marriage. Don’t assume that your excesses will be managed. Pride comes before a fall. 8. Practice self-control If you think marriage will help you to stop playing the field, that’s a mistake. Self-control is important because you won’t be having sex every day. 9. Start learning little act of commitment Marriage works because of two committed people. Commitment should be practiced even when things are not going your way. It starts with your thoughts and decisions. 10. Travel to a new place One of the beautiful things you can do in your single years is to go to new places and try new things. if you cannot afford to visit a different country, try traveling to another state to tour and meet new people. 11. Invest in your personal development You should also use this period to read books, attend seminars and invest in yourself. I can’t emphasize this enough. A lot of singles find it difficult to invest in their emotional life and it can be frustrating at the end of the day. Save yourself the stress of being hurt and clueless. Learn and relearn. Learn about your personality type, your values, your deal-breaker, communication, love and apology languages, and so many other things. Which of these do you want to start doing?
Chidi Koldsweat: Helping private sector companies launch affordable CSR activities
Chidi Koldsweat is an international development professional and the founder of Donors for Africa. She is a recipient of numerous awards including CEO Global’s Africa most influential woman in management, business & public service (civil society category). Chidi Koldsweat was also nominated amongst the 100 unseen women changing her world. Recently, she was appointed to join the board of CHEID, therefore becoming the only female board member In this interview, Chidi talks about her personal growth, and how she’s designing solutions in the society through Donors for Africa. Your achievements in the development sector are remarkable. What gaps do you see Donors for Africa filling in the years to come? We are building the capacity of nonprofit leaders across Africa to implement their work successfully. Within a year, we have helped nonprofit leaders go from confusion to clarity and then impact. We have helped then generate funds for their organizations and most importantly teach them how to. We are designing solutions that allow African nonprofit leaders to build sustainable organizations for the long term. Ones that do not rely totally on external funding to do all their work. If we empower nonprofit leaders and organizations, then they can be around for more years and in turn, their solutions are more lasting and impactful in the communities. We are helping private sector companies launch affordable CSR activities. Also, we are saving them the cost and connecting them to social impact leaders who are making a world of difference with a fraction of the cost. We are filling the gap between knowledge-developed organizations and donor opportunities. These are needs that will always be present. You have a robust career portfolio, what strategies did you apply that young women can learn from? You must constantly learn, the more you learn and apply what you have learned, the more opportunities are opened up to you. As the opportunities open up, you will find lapses and you will keep learning to fill those gaps. This is one way I have grown exponentially. You must also be ready to do the work. If you desire to build for the long term and not fade away in the future, you must focus on developing roots. This means, doing the work, being committed and focused, failing as much as you learn, finding your voice, matching passion with boldness. Learn to speak up and take up responsibilities. Whether or not you can do it, sign up for projects that challenge you. Intentionally seek out global opportunities and apply! apply! apply! These opportunities will introduce you into an ecosystem, where you can connect with other development leaders from other parts of the world and form the right connections. These connections will amplify your efforts in the future. Above all, be mentored, directly or indirectly by women you admire in your sector. What sort of courses do they take? What meetings do they attend? What schools do they go to? How do they dress? How do they comport themselves? Observing other women leaders will subconsciously teach you how to act and engage now and in the future You pitched your business at the World Bank Youth Summit in one minute. What advice can you give to future applicants? When I applied to pitch our project at the WBYS, my pitch wasn’t selected. However, when I attended the event, I got there on time, found a seat right in front and looked the part. I made eye contact with the MC and was present during each activity when he asked if people were ready to pitch, I said YES and on the day of the event, I was invited to pitch as my passion and zeal were obvious from the very first day. So my advice will be, ‘be prepared’. Always. Find time to clearly define what you do and how you do it. Prepare and master your pitches, so that when opportunities find you, you are ready. Any advice for women who are just starting out their careers in the development sector? You must be intentional about your journey. Be ready to learn. Do not let the desperation of this generation to be heard and seen deter you from also developing the content and character needed to keep you. A career in development is hard; it comes with a lot of rejections. Don’t let it validate your self-worth. Keep creating. A career in development may not give you immediate results but it will in the future and the rewards are endless. Do not turn down opportunities to lead where you currently work. Irrespective the task, DO IT. Every single knowledge counts and will come in handy. How can women distinguish themselves in any field of endeavor they find themselves in? Simply by moving beyond being responsive to being proactive. We need to lead the conversations. You distinguish yourself by building thought leadership. Challenging the status quo and proposing solutions you believe may work. It is long and hard but soon your thought leadership on subjects of interest or national concerns at either the regional or international level will help you stand out. You recently got appointed to the board of the ‘Center for Education, Innovation, and Development’. Being the first female to have this position, what does this mean for you? It means a lot. Innovation and development are two things that are important to me. Being invited to join other leading experts to craft sustainable practices that will revamp the educational sector through innovation further supports my passion to leave a lasting impact. I also believe it will pave the way for other women and hopefully, we can have more women seat on the boards of leading organizations. What are two life lessons you apply every day? Be honest! Be honest with yourself, your strengths and your weaknesses. This will help you clarify what areas you want to expend energy on and the things you have to outsource. It informs your character and your ability to do what