5 Must Watch solid TED Talks on Self-Love
Self-love is an essential component to have in our lives yet, embracing and understanding what it entails can be complicated and difficult. There are numerous ways in which we can hinder ourselves from self-love. We can judge ourselves, demean ourselves or get caught in the comparisons trap. In the TED Talks below, the speakers elaborate on how to deviate from self-loathing and embrace self-love. The speakers discuss why self-love matters. They share their experiences and provide tips on what we need to do in order to look and see ourselves the way we deserve, with value, worth and with our unique beauty. [bctt tweet=”Caira Lee’s TED Talk on “I Search 4 It Blinded” calls us to make ourselves our first priority, accept, and be kind to ourselves – @isireflectdaily ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 1. Caira Lee I Search 4 It Blinded: The power of self-love and self-esteem Caira, the National Award Winning slam poet speaks about what she calls radical self-love. She discusses how we can look at ourselves with more love by embracing “our thing”/what we care about, being mindful of how we speak to others and also, ensuring to give self-love to others. Watch here: 2. Ashley Graham Plus Size: More like my Size In this TED Talk, model and body activist Ashley Graham shares her experiences in her career, starting out as a model that did not fit into the traditional ideal standards of what a model should like. Ashley believes there is no one perfect body and she affirms that beauty is beyond size. Watch here: [bctt tweet=”You are bold, you are brilliant, and you can beautiful! There is no woman like you – @ashleygraham. Watch her Ted Talk on Self Love.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 3. Adia Gooden Cultivating Unconditional Self- Worth Adia Gooden is a licensed clinical psychologist. In this TED Talk, she admits her insecurities growing up and her feelings of inadequacy. Initially, she tried to cover it up with striving for perfection, busyness and a relationship, but that didn’t solve the problem. Adia discusses how therapy and working on herself has helped her to develop a good sense of self-worth. In this Ted Talk, one of her tips for self-worth is the need to forgive yourself. It’s important to reflect, acknowledge the pain and what you learned from a situation in order to move forward. Adia speaks about letting go of how you think you should look and be. Rather, she says, you should embrace the quirks of how you are. Watch here: [bctt tweet=”Embrace the quirks of how you are – @DrAdiaShani” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 4. Cheyenne Cochrane A Celebration of Natural Hair Cheyenne Cochrane is an advocate in the movement for women to embrace their natural hair. In her TED talk, Cheyenne talks about some of the stigma preventing women from embracing their natural hair such as covering it up because of professional aspirations. She discusses why embracing natural hair is more than a hairstyle but a part of self-love, individuality, and empowerment. Watch here: 5. Brene Brown The Power of Vulnerability Brene Brown is a researcher and storyteller. She studies human connection — our ability to empathize, belong and love. In this TED Talk, Brene discusses what she has come to learn about people who have a genuine sense of worthiness, love, and belonging. She shares that the sense of worthiness comes when we have the courage to be imperfect, the compassion to be kind to others, and to connect as a result of embracing vulnerability. Watch here: [bctt tweet=”You can’t selectively numb emotions because, you then numb the other things..the joy, gratitude and happiness -@BreneBrown” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Interested in contributing for She Leads Africa? Click here.
HOW TO OVERCOME THE STRUGGLE OF BEING MULTI-PASSIONATE
Are you that person who does many different unrelated things and you are criticized for not being focused on one? Do you feel lost when people you know have a particular thing they are pursuing, while you juggle different hats without a possibility of finding a job title that contains all your passions? You are multi-passionate. It is alright to change your mind every now and then. Don’t beat yourself up for going in different directions; be open to trying new things. If you embrace it, you will find new systems to help you do all things you are interested in, while remaining focused and productive. A multi-passionate individual is a person who has various passions and often finds answering the question, “what do you want to become in the future (or when you grow up)” difficult as they feel they have to settle down to one thing only. Such an individual is also known as a renaissance person, multi-potentiality, polymath, or scanner. In today’s business environment, Steve Jobs, Tim Ferris, and Richard Branson are good examples of multi-passionate people. Other historical examples include Maya Angelou, Aristotle, and Sir Isaac Newton among others. Wondering how to be okay with being multi-passionate? Here are the steps to take: 1. Accept who, and where you are As with some many other things in life, you have to accept who you are, then devise a strategy or strategies that will help you through the journey. Speaking about his own journey of finding self, Nick Maccarone observed that by not limiting himself or attempting to dupe his heart into some “conventional path it knew better than to follow” he allowed himself to “take a little bit from each experience and lean into the intricacies of my being”. “I am not defined by one thing or by anything,” He wrote on Medium. “I follow where my heart and curiosity beg me to consider. I pursue each path as wholly as I can while not exhausting the possibility of doing the same for another.” he continued. [bctt tweet=”Clarity comes from engagement, not thought. – @marieforleo” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 2. Keep a record of all your ideas Often, an idea will pop in your mind and sometimes it feels like the calling that you have been waiting for. However, it changes and you are back to the drawing board. Without a doubt, it will be difficult to be knee-deep in one project for too long. As such, keep a record of all interests and ideas that come up. In addition to writing, reviewing the ideas is also important. Assign yourself time to go through the ideas to track what you have tried, and what you will try in the future. Keep a small book with you to write random thoughts. Establish a day in a week or month when you can sit down to review them. Stephanie Medford an artist, designer, writer, and traveler notes that she keeps a ‘for later’ list of books she wants to read in the future. “On the rare occasion when I have nothing to read, I turn to that list,” she adds in her article called ‘the joys of being multi-passionate’. [bctt tweet=”The best way to go about unveiling your ideas is by acting on them. Pick something on the list, anything- and jump right into it.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 3. Act on decisions, don’t just think about them When uncertain about an idea, don’t wait until when the choices seem clearer in your mind.”Clarity comes from engagement, not thought,” says Marie Forleo, an entrepreneur, writer, and philanthropist. The best way to go about unveiling your ideas is by acting on them. Pick something on the list, anything- and jump right into it. It is by doing that you discover if the idea is something you want to put your energy into or move to the next thing. All in all, you don’t have to feel bad for not having one specific passion that you follow. Franchesca Ramsey, an artist, comedian, activist, TV and YouTube personality and actress advises other renaissance people to keep a calendar. Additionally, she tries to stick to the schedule and also keeps a personal day to explore things that she was not able to do during that week or work on personal projects. “My team knows that if it is on the calendar, that’s the time that is blocked off.” “You kinda have to set those boundaries for yourself,” she adds. Below is a link to the 31-minute interview Ms. Franchesca did a while back to help you get started and re-discover yourself as a multi-passionate individual. Interested in contributing for She Leads Africa? Click here.
The Deep Rations of a Mental War: How It Affects You and Your Career
[bctt tweet=”Triggers are not always pulled, some are attended to by planting seeds where the soil has no intention to grow or build – @go_itse.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] As a content creator or simply a writer, you would think that the only thing that one has to deal with is pen and paper. The conception of an idea and putting it to paper, and then once you’re done, it defines you. However, we tend to forget that our career or business is a journey. If at any point you find yourself thinking of quitting, changing the name/industry of your business or switching careers and starting afresh, remember these points coined from The Art of War. Discovering The author of The Art of War, Sun Tzu, would say, “ Earth comprises distances, great and small; danger and security, open ground and narrow passes, the chances of life and death.” Mental health, depression as most would relate to, takes us to the depths of fighting between small and great distances, vis-à-vis, that we would want to take ourselves to, especially with our business and career goals, with the same breath try to balance it all with the personal ones. And what I’ve learned and still I’m still learning is that it brings great danger than security. Allowing narrow passes over open grounds, bringing about confusion and a high risk of certain aspects of your career lying dormant. In Point 21 of Laying Plans, Tzu explains, “If he is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him.” In as much as we take the detriment of mental health as sickness, it is more psychological as it is. The more we allow the elements to grow greater than our will to succeed, the more we are aligned to derail. To evade is an individual mystery, which is aligned as to how we got there in the first place. As we go through this state in a unique way that in some cases, no mantras can maintain let alone anti-depressants. It is more like trying to evade the police in Need For Speed Most Wanted. Wherein this matter, we are trying to evade the state of being “less wanted” by the essence of life and you’re either marching, running or sinking in the art of war with your mind. [bctt tweet=”The best thing about knowing and acknowledging the state of our own mental health is through self-mastery – @Go_Itse ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Uncovering “When you engage in actual fighting, if victory is long in coming, then men’s weapons will grow dull and their ardor will be damped. If you lay siege to a town, you will exhaust your strength. On the other hand, the proximity of an army causes prices to go up; and high prices cause the people’s substance to be drained away.” – Waging War, The Art of War. Defining what we go through as a mental illness whereas it’s a result of unattended life aspects that stack up, cause friction and then the heat goes to the head. That’s when we start to wonder why life sucks and then the idea of being stuck sucks life away from that which we love. From managing people, careers to a detrimental state of not being able to manage the major key to all, ourselves. A high price to pay that I learned by the means of losing a job, as you couldn’t talk to anyone. You see yourself as the go-to person and the happy-go-lucky person with a great beautiful smile. Failing to deliver on time and lack of communication were the failures derived from this state. [bctt tweet=”We define what we go through as a mental illness whereas it’s a result of unattended life aspects that stack up, cause friction and then the heat goes to the head – @go_itse” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Recovery ”If equally matched, we can offer battle, if slightly inferior in numbers, we can avoid the enemy, if quite an equal in every way, we can flee from him” – Attack by Stratagem, The Art of War. Triggers are not always pulled, some are attended to by planting seeds where the soil has no intention to grow or build. The energy it takes for an attack or a relapse to occur, (as some deal with it well enough to know the triggers and some don’t), requires one to have an equal or greater strength as the infirmity. Be it consistency in therapy (talking, writing etc.), yoga, meditation or exercising. Trying to avoid such a state can be easy at an early stage by doing the most with therapy and other forms of it, from someone who discovered at a very early age. Mastery ”One may know how to conquer without being able to do it.” – Tactical Disposition, The Art of War. We may read all the self-help books to gain knowledge on how to break through an anxiety/depression state. But the will of the author of the book and of another individual may not correspond. The best thing about knowing and acknowledging the state of our own mental health is through self-mastery. From that point of perspective and execution will we be able to master other things, even when there are triggers. Then we can become effective motherland moguls and not be faint-hearted. 5 Take Home Points from The Art of War on Mental Health “Energy may be likened to the bending of a crossbow. A decision, to the releasing of a trigger.” – Energy “Thus one who is skillful at keeping the enemy on the move maintains deceitful appearances, according to which the enemy will act. He sacrifices something that the enemy may snatch at it.” – Energy “By discovering the enemy’s dispositions and remaining invisible ourselves, we can keep our forces concentrated, while the enemy must be divided.” – The Weak Point and Strong ”So in war, the way to avoid what is strong and to strike at what is weak.” –
Marilyn Oma Anona: I’m more than “just a TV girl”
Marilyn Oma Anona was a student of the sciences who studied to become a doctor. But her passion and drive for the field of media and communications motivated her to later switch paths. You can say she’s made the right decision as she’s building a media empire as a TV Talk Show host, public speaker, and an award-winning multimedia and social entrepreneur. In addition to her media pursuits, she’s also a humanitarian as she runs a foundation – THE RIGHT STAGE, which seeks to help the less-privileged youths, children and women in our society. Her compassion and dedication also extends to the area of mental health awareness as she leads the initiative for the Suicide, Anxiety and Depression Campaign (S.A.D.) In this interview, we discuss her start in media, her vision, and goals. Marilyn also highlights the challenges she overcame, the impact she has made and the legacy she intends to leave on others. What media outlet gave you your first big break and what did that beginning process teach you? I can’t boast of having any big break yet but I am a fan of appreciating every step of the journey. For starters, I studied medical sciences. Switching from that field to media in a society that is mainly about paper qualification was significant. I heard things such as “but you did not study mass communication or anything media related.” Regardless, I know I am both multi-talented and versatile. Therefore, I was not suppressed by any of that. I’m always eager to showcase my gifts. I’m always eager to show all that I have to offer. I had my first big exposure with MYTV AFRICA. I also received a slot to be a presenter on a show produced by “Media Option” which was aired on NTA. Through those opportunities, I was also able to speak at several important events. I was most often the youngest speaker at such events. I also reported for “Dailies” and I was a contributor to some papers. The experiences helped me to be tenacious, as well as gain a lot of confidence. I heard people say things such as “that’s another Oprah in the making”. [bctt tweet=”I know what I am called to do and I face it squarely – @Omalivingshow_” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What has enabled you to build your successful career and brand? The knack for excellence, to make an impact, and to make the society more beautiful than I met it with my gifts. I stay true to my calling. I know what I am called to do and I face it squarely. That is my niche. My wow factor and my uniqueness. Staying authentic has made me and my brand distinct. As a TV talk show/event host, public speaker, multimedia and social entrepreneur, how would you advise people coming into this field after you? For those aspiring to venture into the field of media, please sit and have a thorough reflection. Don’t only delve in because you perceive glamour. Please be very sure that you are passionate about what you want to dabble into. Make sure to have someone in this sector as a mentor or friend in order to learn from them. Multimedia entrepreneurship is tasking but with tenacity, passion, and consistency, it will pay off in the end. What should aspiring female media influencers be most aware off when it comes to the world of media? The media is for highly intelligent and flexible women. Media is a tasking aspect in terms of a career. We also need to know that we play a big role in society. The world is built and moved through information and content, therefore, female media influencers need to be mindful of what they put out. This way, we are seen as tools for positively transforming the society. What challenges did you encounter when you first started producing your TV show – Omaliving, and how did you rectify it? The major issue I had was that I did not know much about production. That experience later turned me into a production guru. I am better now. I have gained more knowledge. Fewer people are consuming traditional media (TV, Newspapers…)these days. Is this a positive change for you? How do you see the field of media continue to evolve and your role in it? We are in the digital world now and personally, I hardly do TV. I am mostly on social media or YouTube. That’s why I am not in a hurry to get OMA LIVING SHOW back on the conventional TV. Though it is capital intensive to build up a highly visible online TV, it’s part of the process. Social media is helpful because you get visibility quickly if you know your onions. However, my brand is mainly focused on young people and they are mainly on the New Media. I believe in innovation and my brand will continue to move with what may be the latest trend. It is media and if you want to succeed, you can’t be laid back or stuck in the past. What legacy do you want to leave as you pursue multimedia and social entrepreneurship? I will be remembered as OMA, the one who fought for many causes and tried her best to inculcate positive values and give entrepreneurs and humans hope. Currently, I have many goals on the multimedia aspect. I envision feature films, an institute for grooming the best, as well as getting the best multimedia contents across the world. Also, I intend to have a proper therapy center for the Suicide, Anxiety and Depression Campaign (S.A.D) campaign which I am leading. Who are some women that inspire you in media? My inspiration comes from within. There are many women I like and admire but my inspiration is from my soul and divinity. Something in the universe just pushes me to align with my purpose. Interested in contributing for She Leads Africa? Click here.
Entrepreneurs…Take care of your mental health: Here’s why
I remember the first time I met him at a friend’s house. He was incredibly smart, charismatic and passionate—all the things I believed it took to own a successful business. As the night when on, I realized my original assumption was correct. I pulled out my phone and did a quick search of the guy that had caught my interest—not in a romantic way, but in an intriguing “I’m fascinated by you” kind of way. He was the real deal. According to his digital footprint, he’d been in local and national media, he had thousands of followers on social media, and his business was a real business—systems, staff, and everything. I was impressed. Wary of coming across as odd, or romantically interested, I resolved to secretly follow his business ventures from that day on. Imagine my shock, when, only a year after our meeting, I came across a press release that he was going out of business. I read the contents of the press release, and I was dumbfounded. It went into great detail about his frustration with the lack of support, the personal financial difficulties he’d had to endure, the debt he went into for the sake to maintain his business, and the toll all of it had taken on his mental health. He was tired, and he was closing shop and taking some time for himself. At 32 years old, he was moving back in with his parents and going to figure out his next move. There, in an open letter for the world to read, he bravely committed to doing what many entrepreneurs are never taught to do—take care of self first. [bctt tweet=”Self-management is one of the most critical skills for successful entrepreneurship. It’s something that no school or book can teach you completely- @andrena_sawyer” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] The truth is, it is incumbent on you, as an entrepreneur, to get a hold of your emotions, triggers, and mental health, because, at the end, the stresses of entrepreneurship and seeming failure has led some to suicide and on the lesser end, it may lead some to avoidable (and unavoidable) depressive breakdowns. Whether it’s due to the notorious end of the year burnout, or the hustle and bustle of peak seasons. The bottom line is that you sometimes get to a point where you realize that you simply cannot continue to fake it until you make it. In those moments, it is not your business acumen, the number of followers you have, or even your five-star ratings that will save you. Salvation becomes dependent on two things: your ability to separate self from your work, and how well you’ve developed your self-management skills, which are just as instrumental to your success as any other part of your entrepreneurship journey. During the holiday season, the temptation is always to reflect on the successes and failures of our businesses, adjust and get right back to work for a successful new year. I hope that every entrepreneur adjusts that process slightly and prioritize self-management. Doing so just might save you and your business. Interested in contributing for She Leads Africa? Click here.
DAMI ELUYERA: HOW I FOUND MY WAY
Late November last year, I spent time at Aunt Olivia’s vineyard. After a week of living in luxury, I was forced to review my life and identify opportunities for change. I was on a mission. I narrowed down my goals for 2018 and subconsciously carved out life just like Cindy’s, Aunt Olivia’s daughter. Prioritized on my list were: Marry Chike Quit Karte Carbon and become my BOSS. Move to the U.K. I was pumped. As January 1st, 2018 rolled around, my resignation letter was prepped and ready to be sent. Plus, the advertising industry was so not my thing. Drowning in my misery, I booked a late lunch with an old friend, Dorcas, who had just flown in from New York. To keep this story short, lunch with Dorcas taught me a few things that changed my life forever. COMPARISON For too long, I had compared myself with online/Instagram personalities, which is probably why Chike left me for Suzana, but that’s another story altogether. I was so desperate to shine that I hadn’t realized that my light was hidden in my purpose. If I lived within purpose, building on my passions and sharpening my skills, I’d shine in my own “little corner.” However, if I chased glam, copying everyone else, I’d never be the best but at best, second best. When I finally figured out that pottery was my thing, I still couldn’t take action. Think about it for a second – Who was going to buy my pottery? [bctt tweet=”If I lived within purpose, building on my passions and sharpening my skills, I’d shine in my own “little corner.”” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] FEAR I wasn’t a trailblazer of any kind, but I knew failure didn’t go well with my character, so Karte and I were in this for the long haul, I guess. After pouring out my heart to Dorcas on my “inability to fly,” she took a chance on me and placed a pottery order. It was just for fun, but I was so excited, I think I outdid myself. Sometimes, we’re afraid of taking action because of the unknown. What if we bet on ourselves, take action and discover the UNKNOWN? VISION [bctt tweet=”When you clarify your vision, you kick out your fear” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] After that initial experience, I began to chase a new dream. I mapped out my vision and set goals for myself. Today, Karte is history, and I’m living a life I always dreamed. Listen, Oprah, Beyonce, Jim Carey and others who have visualized their success never lied. Visualize your future. Pencil it down and watch it become a reality. “Stop comparing yourself to others. Your magic is like none other. Start chasing your dreams and thrive in the presence of fear.” This article was written by Dami Eluyera. Interested in contributing for She Leads Africa? Click here.
Asia Sultan: Trailblazing the Design Thinking and Innovation Industry
We are always looking for women who are constantly changing the game and that’s why Asia Sultan’s story was so inspiring to us at SLA. Asia is a young trailblazer in the industry of Design Thinking and Innovation. She uses her experiences as a woman to apply the human approach that is needed to excel in the Design Thinking industry. During this interview, Asia chats with us about why more women should be in Design Thinking, the power of innovation, and how we can uplift each other in the career space. On starting out In Design Thinking… Curiosity into the field of innovation is what led me to explore this discipline in 2016 when the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design Thinking opened their first school in Africa. I was pursuing a Masters in Property Studies at the University of Cape Town at the time. I immediately fell in love with Design Thinking because the human-centered approach truly resonated with my personal philosophy. After spending 6 months at the institute I felt that the final piece of the puzzle had been put in place. Design thinking has allowed me to experience problem-solving in areas that I hadn’t ventured into before. I’m very grateful to be living my purpose which is to use my experiences, education, and design thinking practice to create innovative solutions that make our world a better place. [bctt tweet=”Being a woman is actually my greatest strength in the innovation industry – Asia Sultan” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] About Switch Innovation and what they do… Switch innovation is an innovation management company that specializes in corporate innovation. We are a balance between technology and advisory as we help large companies with legacy issues to deliver disruptive products to market and build new businesses. We use design thinking and lean startup methodologies to drive innovation strategy and process for our clients who span across various industries. Challenges women in the design thinking industry face… Being a woman is actually my greatest strength in the innovation industry. Design thinking is a human-centered approach to problem-solving. It starts with the people you are designing for and ends with solutions that are tailor-made to suit their needs. It requires building deep empathy with the people you’re designing for and this comes very naturally to women. Because of this, I am able to create solutions that are not just technically powerful, but also have an emotional value proposition for end-users. In a world where consumers are spoiled for choice, an emotional value proposition is a massive competitive advantage. Women that I look up to… My late mother, Hanifa, is the best woman I’ve ever known. I’m an unapologetic feminist because of my mother. Growing up, both the girls and boys in my household participated equally in doing house chores. She instilled in me from a young age the importance of education hard work, perseverance, equality and believing in myself. Most importantly, my mother taught me to love and care for others. This has contributed to strengthening my approach to empathy, an attribute that is crucial in my work. As a designer, I spend a lot of time understanding people, putting myself in their shoes and owning their problems in order to best design solutions that are relevant to their lives. [bctt tweet=”As a designer, I spend a lot of time understanding people and owning their problems in order to best design solutions that are relevant to their lives.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Professionally I look up to Oprah Winfrey, a longtime advocate of female education. I am inspired by her story, especially how she overcame hardships in order to become one of the most influential women on this earth. I admire that she uses her platform to break gender barriers on a global scale and even uses her resources to invest in education and improving the lives of women. Lastly and similarly to Oprah Winfrey, I truly admire Rebeca Gyumi, Founder of the Msichana Initiative. She pursued and won a landmark case on child marriages through the petition she filed at the High Court of Tanzania to challenge the Tanzania Marriage Act, 1971, which allowed girls as young as 14 to get married. The law was amended and raised the minimum age of marriage to 18 for both boys and girls. My advice to anyone trying to jump-start their career in the Design Thinking space… I would advise anyone starting in the design thinking and innovation space to try to learn as much as possible. Read books Subscribe to newsletters Engage with other designers through platforms like IDEO and LinkedIn. A lot of changes are happening in the world of innovation and every day there is a new technology, tool or method designed. Design thinking entails working with clients across different industries, therefore you need to understand different industry trends so you can use methods, material, and approaches that are relevant to them. Join design thinking groups on professional networks, subscribe to newsletters, attend design thinking meetups in your area, keep learning and you will be unstoppable. Why I think uplifting women is so important in the workspace… Empowerment is created when the strengths that women already bring to the company are recognized and utilized. If you build organizations of high trust, respect, transparency, engagement, open participation and empowerment your employees will respond accordingly. When people find meaning and happiness at work, wonderful things happen to the organization; culture and moral changes, staff turnover reduces, employees are more creative, innovative, confident, open-minded and generally more motivated. As a leader, isn’t that the environment to work and operate in? I champion efforts to uplift women in the workplace because women have so much to offer the world and often times they don’t get equal opportunity to be heard or showcase their gifts. The importance of empowering women in the workplace is documented in “The Business of Empowering Women”, a survey of 2,300 business executives. The survey found that the companies who focused their efforts on empowering women reported
Adedoyin Omotara: I tapped into resources that the Government made available to immigrants
Adedoyin Omotara is a Beauty Entrepreneur, Women’s empowerment advocate, Speaker, Life Coach, Business Coach and the leader of the unmask your beauty movement. Born in Manchester, UK to Nigerian parents, her passion to live a fuller and more expressive life made her leave her successful Corporate Engineering career to become an entrepreneur. Seeking the spiritually creative fulfillment missing in her successful corporate career, she was determined to resolve the concern that beauty today, far from being that poetic ‘joy forever’ is, unfortunately, a source of insecurity, shame, and stress for countless women. She promotes beauty, inside and out, to an audience of women at all stages of life. Adedoyin believes in investing in the dream of girls and in the strength of women. In this article, she talks about how she’s fought against the odds of being an immigrant and built a beauty brand for herself in Canada. What would you say is the innovative idea behind Adoniaa Beauty? Adoniaa beauty started from having a deep hunger within me to fully engage with who I was, my hunger for living a fuller and more expressive life. I was doing great in my career but felt dis-engaged with myself and the world as a whole. I felt I was born for more so I decided to start a company for women doing what I love and fulfilling my purpose while doing it. It was founded on four fundamental pillars: To uplift, validate, equip and inspire women to be their best selves at every stage of their life. We do this by using makeup and skincare products and services as a platform to connect with women. [bctt tweet=”People constantly ask me how @adoniaaworld intend to compete with Sephora, Loreal, Mac and the likes, my response is that those are not my competition. – Adedoyin Omotara” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How have you been able to maintain your brand consistency? We have only one vision- To connect women to their individual and unique beauty through our brand. So everything we do aligns with the vision. It’s easy to be consistent when you have a vision. It is the same vision I sell to my staff and the Adoniaabeauty tribe. How have you grown your client base? I have grown a tribe of women as my client base by focusing on why I started my company, which is our vision to connect women to their individual and unique beauty. We have different vehicles to get to our vision, and we naturally attract women that want more out of life, women that want to re-write their stories and women that do not want to fit into society’s contrived image of beauty but create and define their own. What challenges have you faced that are unique to your business idea? Starting a business in the beauty industry is very challenging. The beauty industry is run by billionaires that own big companies. People constantly ask me how I intend to compete with Sephora, Loreal, Mac and the likes, my response is that those are not my competition. Makeup and Skincare are the physical products that we sell and that’s what people see, however, for me, makeup and skincare is only a vehicle or a platform to reach the Adoniaa women that want to unmask their beauty. [bctt tweet=”Since I developed the vision for my company @adoniaaworld, I started creating and got really innovative – Adedoyin Omotara” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Where there challenges owning a business in a foreign country? Starting a new business as an immigrant in Canada has definitely not been the easiest of things. It’s easier to get a job and work 9-5. But this is not just a business for me, it’s my vehicle to fulfilling my purpose and changing the world. I have embraced all the challenges and focused on my vision. At times, I tell myself that if I were in my home country, I wouldn’t need to work this hard to be profitable. What I have done though is to change my mindset and focus on the vision. I have also tapped into so many resources that the Government has made available to immigrants. Do you believe in Feminism? My take on Feminism is simple… It is the Adoniaa dream -The Adoniaa dream is a dream that is deeply rooted in every woman’s heart. I have a dream that girls and women will have the resources and opportunities they need to reach their full potential. I have a dream that girls and women will live free from violence · I have a dream that girls and women all over the world will have access to good education· I have a dream that there would be equality in the workforce. I have a dream that child brides will no longer be a thing. I have a dream that female genital mutilation will become history. I have a dream that girls and women will stand in their power and be empowered to defend themselves. I have a dream that gender-based violence will stop be it domestic abuse, rape, or sexual trafficking. I have a dream that women will embrace their fears and be courageous enough to shine as their most beautiful self. I have a dream that girls and women will no longer need to fit into society’s image of beauty but create and define our own beauty. I have a dream I believe that we can only achieve this dream by taking action! [bctt tweet=” This is not just a business for me, it’s my vehicle to fulfilling my purpose and changing the world – Adedoyin Omotara” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Adoniaa Beauty recently launched a campaign towards the above causes. Our 24hr Lipsticks of hope are our flagship product and we have partnered with non-profit organizations that address these issues. $1 from every Adoniaa 24hr lipstick sale will go to our Non-Profit organization partners that actively work to end these problems. When you buy the Adoniaa lipstick, know that you are empowering a woman. When you empower a
4 Reasons why an effective On-boarding process will help you keep your employees
On-boarding is a process of integrating a new employee into the organization. We all mistake Induction for On-boarding, while the former ends in one day. Onboarding usually lasts for about six months till a year depending on the company. [bctt tweet=”Empowering an employee through an effective onboarding process to think and act like the CEO would go a long way in retention and business growth.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Here are some things to note about onboarding: 1. A good Induction is the first step to retaining your employee. Induction shouldn’t be just a storytelling session about the company rather it should integrate the staff to the company’s vision which will enable them to run with it. You would save yourself a lot of headache in micromanaging your employees if you can ensure they are well aligned with the vision. Induction shouldn’t be one-off, there should be a frequent induction program which should cascade to each department and roles. 2. It helps employees think like a business owner Empowering an employee through an effective onboarding process to think and act like the CEO would go a long way in retention and business growth. The mindset of a CEO is much more than completing tasks or meeting up with deadlines; it’s about the growth of the business. Each employee should be able to align their functions with the growth and success of the company. 3. It protects and improves your company culture A good company culture improves employee productivity which in turns drives business growth. An underlying factor for an organization’s culture lies in its Values and purpose. I’m talking about the REAL core value that forms the basis of major decisions and strategy. A proper communication during the onboarding process will prevent future cluelessness by an employee in the future. 4. Having a documented process to drive uniformity makes it more effective. It’s not enough to assume to think that line managers are helping the employees integrate better. Documenting the process starting from the induction and ensuring line managers are held accountable for following the process makes it effective. I have realized that the competency of the person managing the process goes a long way so Training is advised. With this points of mine, I hope I’ve been able to convince you why you need to revisit your onboarding process or create one if you never one before now. This article was written by Yewande Jinadu. Interested in contributing for She Leads Africa? Click here.
CHARLENE MACHARIA: As Africans in the diaspora, we’re shaped by our experiences on the motherland
In the last two decades, there has been an increase in the number of platforms that are providing opportunities for women to develop their leadership skills. Platforms like TEDx, for example, create a space where women can present their ideas and thoughts freely using slideshows and speeches that have gone on to inspire other women around the world. More specifically, platforms that provide a space for African women in and out of the diaspora have begun to increase as well. I recently had the chance to interview Kenyan-born, Charlene Macharia who is the Program Coordinator at UCSB Academic Initiatives to discuss the importance of such platforms. We also spoke about her experience with the Women’s Economic Forum as the All Ladies League (ALL) -a women’s empowerment non-profit based in India with chapters around the world. Being the chairperson in Santa Barbara, she also highlights the reasons why there should be more platforms that give African Women a voice. How did you get involved with the All Ladies League and become a member? All Ladies League (ALL) is a women’s empowerment non-profit based in India with chapters around the world. ALL hosts a conference which takes place annually in India. I am a Gates Millennium Scholar and I found out about this conference and organization through a fellow scholar, Kaity Yang. She had posted on our Facebook group that she was in India doing her own research when she got the opportunity to meet the founder and global chairperson of ALL, Dr. Harbeen Arora and her partner Dr. Vinay Rai. They were impressed to hear about the Gates Millennium scholarship program and they extended the invitation for 10 gates scholars to attend the very first Conference. They generously waived our conference registration and lodging fee so all we needed to pay was for our flights. When I heard about this incredible opportunity I was very interested in attending. I didn’t know how I would come up with the funds for the round trip flight but Kaity Yang was helpful by giving me ideas for fundraising like using GoFundMe and also requesting a travel grant from my school. Ms. Kaity also connected me with Dr. Harbeen Arora who answered my questions about the organization and encouraged me to join my local chapter. Since there was no chapter in Santa Barbara, where I currently live, she challenged me to start one. She actually appointed me as the chapter chair right then and even sent me business cards and gave me a social media platform. Just like that! I was really humbled and honored that she would entrust me with leading a local chapter so I accepted and this motivated me to make it out to the conference to find out what I was really getting myself into. [bctt tweet=”As Africans in the diaspora, we must rise and share our stories, paint a picture of the world we would like to see and let our light shine by all means, and on our own terms.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How has the platform impacted you as a woman and as a young African in the diaspora? Participating in this has been really impactful to me by validating my voice and my experiences as a young African woman in the diaspora. It does this by providing the space for anyone to lead a workshop, give a talk, or participate in a panel discussion. My first time attending the conference I just decided to attend as a delegate since I mostly wanted to listen and observe but in my second and third time attending the conference I decided to participate as a speaker. This allowed me to share my perspectives on topics I am passionate about such as education and spirituality, and to also share my personal experiences. This is such good practice for public speaking and communicating clearly. I have challenged myself each of those times to attend as a speaker not because I’m a pro but because even as a young woman I have something to share, and this is an opportunity for growth. Do you think there should be more platforms that give a voice to African women in the diaspora specifically? YES! I definitely think that there should be more platforms that amplify the voices of African women in the diaspora. But I think it’s up to us to be proactive in creating them or in utilizing the platforms that already exist. We can’t afford to wait around for the rest of the world to put the spotlight on us -that rarely happens. So we must rise and share our stories, paint a picture of the world we would like to see, and just let our light shine by all means, and on our own terms. What is the significance of platforms that allow you to share ideas and create a space for women to develop their leadership skills? Organizations such as ALL are so significant since just by creating a platform for women to connect, share resources, and develop their leadership skills, they are literally changing the world. There is a leadership imbalance in most sectors of our society and there’s an underlying narrative out there that women are inferior and weak. But now is the time for the empowering of women to fix this imbalance so that together we can create lasting change in our world. What could we learn from the voice of an African diaspora woman? I think that the voice of an African woman in the diaspora is quite unique. We have a unique perspective of life shaped by our experiences on the motherland (for those of us who had that privilege) in comparison or in contrast to our experiences living abroad. These experiences have forced us to grapple with our complex identities, propelled us to create inclusive communities, and to come up with creative ways of problem-solving. [bctt tweet=”I am grateful to have met amazing African women leaders from various African countries and within the diaspora – Charlene Macharia” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What do you enjoy the most about