Ahdora Mbelu-Dania: Passion is great, but purpose is better
Ahdora Mbelu-Dania is currently a Director at Trellis Group (@trellisgroupco). Trellis group is a group of companies in the brand development and experiential marketing space that has worked on several projects across various industries, with brands such as Microsoft, Google, Sterling Bank, Union Bank, Lagos State Government, Nokia, Diageo, Absolut. Ahdora has a passion for innovation and a belief in the power of creativity to achieve extraordinary business results. She moved to Nigeria in 2008 and found that there were so many young Nigerians in the creative sector that were unable to harness their creativity and build sustainable brand/business structures – Trellis group bridges this gap. In 2017, Adaora was mentioned in Entrepreneur Magazine’s “11 Africans that are changing the business landscape in Africa.” She was also nominated in the “Entrepreneur Of The Year” and “Prize For Media Enterprise” Categories of the Future Awards Africa. She has been featured among Nigeria’s Under 40 CEO’s, and Top 30 Under 30. Ahdora talks about finding passion, purpose, and creativity. How did your family background and rich cultural heritage prepare you for the success you experience today? My family background provided a diversity of thought. My parents are from different racial and cultural backgrounds, and this provided an opportunity for me to understand diversity very early in life. Hence, I keep a very open mind, and this allows me to forge relationships with people without bias for their backgrounds. You seem to value creative thinking above traditional practice, has this always worked for you? I actually value both creative thinking and traditional practice. I think both ideologies have their place in my life’s journey. The important thing is that I know how and when to apply either one to produce positive results. Many people view creativity as rebellion and going against the norm. But I believe that everyone is born with some level of creativity, and thus there’s nothing to really rebel against. We just need to harness this creativity to solve problems and produce great work. I try to stay away from the tag of “Creative” vs “Non-creative”. At the very core, what is your company – Trellis all about? As the name implies, Trellis is about providing a structure/framework that supports people to get their greatest work out to the world. Trellis Group was created from the need to solve and bring light to the existing challenges faced in the African creative sector. We are a creative consultancy made up of a group of companies in the sectors of Brand development (Gr8an), Experiential Marketing (A2Creative) Talent Management, and Community Development (Socially Africa). You definitely fit the idea of a superwoman. Do you face challenges as a creative strategist? Being superwoman definitely comes with various challenges – even the superheroes in the movies have to fight people, and even their own emotional struggles. I have my fair share of challenges, especially as I not only work on the client side but also manage operations. I am continuously dealing with solving people’s problems, and that sometimes means fully immersing myself in understanding the problem first, before I try to solve. [bctt tweet=”Being superwoman definitely comes with various challenges – even superheroes in the movies have to fight people – @ahdoraspeaks” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How do you identify ideas that are competent and sustainable and those that are not? There two things I usually consider when I’m presented with an idea. Does it solve an existing problem And can it progress without the creator? I think the best ideas are the ones that can grow without the person who developed the idea. The world has got this entrepreneurship game all wrong. From my perspective, it isn’t about founders, as much as it is about solutions. It isn’t about who did it, but rather that it was done. This is why as much as I respect investor pitches and all that good stuff, I also know that Purpose will always trump what everyone else thinks. [bctt tweet=”Be open to collaboration – if you don’t care about who gets the credit, you are more likely to do many amazing things – @ahdoraspeaks” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What do you look out for in ideas/projects that come to your agency for actualization? With the projects we work on, we choose our clients as much as they choose us. Many times we focus on the people behind the projects. We have been through the start-up phase where we’ve worked with people and projects that we didn’t necessarily have a heart for because it was profitable. However, we are now at a stage where we measure value very differently. These days, we choose peace of mind over financial gain. I know it’s a bold statement to make, but it’s factual. I’m not as concerned about quantity, as I am about quality. Hence, a lot of our business is either return business or by referral. How have you been able to juggle your demanding career and your role as a mother altogether? I am still learning to juggle it all. I don’t have a perfect response to this question, especially because I really don’t believe strongly in “work-life” balance. At least, I don’t believe that it must be 50/50, and thus I don’t put pressure on myself or feel that I am falling short in my responsibilities. I take each day at a time, and give as much as I possibly can, per time, with the understanding that to whom much is given, much is expected. I mean, my family and friends believe that I am an amazing mother, and I know I am. However, I have read mommy blogs that just make me look like child’s play. But I have learned to abandon comparison, and just enjoy my mommy moments – they are mine. Your dress style is fiercely distinct and bold. How come you decided to stick with the classy suit and tie look? This wasn’t a conscious decision. My father was a banker, and he wore a suit every day throughout my childhood. He’s a very stylish man, and I remember him having socks that match every one of his ties. I think it seeped into my subconscious. It’s really just comfortable for me. I wear a suit (no tie) or Kaftan for professional outings. However, on my dress down days
Vumile Msweli: Thinking global allows us to elevate our standards and fast track our learning
Vumile Msweli is an international speaker, renowned coach and the Chief Executive officer for Hesed Consulting. Hesed is a consulting firm specializing in commerce acceleration, career coaching, women empowerment, facilitation and training on the African continent. Vumile has worked in Europe, Asia and across the African continent for reputable multinational institutions including Barclays, Investec, Nedbank, First National Bank and Vodafone. She is an award-winning businesswoman who has received honors such as the Women’s’ Economic Forum’s Woman of Excellence Award, named 34th Most Influential Young South African by Avance Media, the Mail and Guardian Top 200 most influential Young South Africans. Vumi has also been awarded the Elle Boss of the Year in the Corporate Category. As we celebrate women’s month in South Africa, Vumi talks about what she’s learned from globetrotting and her driving force to start her business. [bctt tweet=”Traveling is one of the best educations you can give yourself – @vumilemsweli ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Tell us about your experience studying in various countries and how its helped you I am a vehement advocate for education and its ability to transform lives. I also believe that traveling is one of the best educations you can give yourself. The combination of expanding my worldview through both formal and informal learning by studying in different countries has been invaluable to be me. It helped me realize how I am a global citizen with proudly African roots. Living abroad also shifted my thinking to want to excel at a global level whilst keeping my local values. I also learned that where I was born doesn’t define where I belong. How did studying in West Africa change your perspective about business and career? Being an African, one tends to think of the entire continent as home but West Africa definitely has an energy like no place on earth. There are a palpable entrepreneurial spirit and an optimistic view of taking control and accountability for your life as a pose to making excuses as to why you aren’t where you could be. The competition is also very tough, you look at Nigeria and realize that the population of Lagos alone is half the population of my country South Africa. There are also some infrastructural challenges such as energy but no one sits around waiting for the government to resolve these. Everyone gets on with it and takes it upon themselves to excel despite these challenges. Being in West Africa imprinted in me the importance of a diverse revenue stream, the importance of being able to sustain oneself in a cash economy as a pose to being enslaved by credit for survival. West Africans exude an apologetic confidence for their existence, their desires, and the pursuit of their dreams. Being surrounded by a culture like that leaves you no choice but to walk with your head a little taller, work harder and make no excuses as you toil towards your own goals. What prompted you to start your business – Hesed Consulting? I found myself having coaching conversations with friends and acquaintances on various career-related topics and soon realized that I had acquired some niche knowledge. Especially around accelerating my career, what seemed to me to be a simple strategic career or finance play was a non-discussion amongst my peers. I thoroughly enjoy seeing people transform through a shift in perception. Marianne Williamson aptly said: “ a miracle is a shift in perception”.Certainly, I wanted to be a part of that miracle. Vumi is truly a teacher at heart, I love sharing what I have learned. So the look on someone’s face as they utter “I never thought of it that way before” and then proceed to change the direction of their lives because of that conversation gives me great joy. Being a part of that sacred space of sharing tools and experiences that help my clients leapfrog their learning and accelerate their careers and businesses truly makes my heart sing. That’s what prompted me to start Hesed and it’s the reason why Hesed is still in existence 6 years later. At Hesed, we work with individuals and entrepreneurs to accelerate their careers and businesses. We do this through workshops; training; coaching and consulting. We have a pan-African approach; global exposure whilst remaining locally relevant. I guess what makes our team rather unique is that we have executive experience across sectors so we understand the pressures of both corporate and entrepreneurship. Also, many of our teams have worked and lived in different countries and continents. That cultural richness allows for diversity in thinking when tailor making solutions for our clients. How did you go from being a trained accountant working in an international financial institution to a becoming an international speaker and accelerator coach? I had the scholarship to study my Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting Sciences but soon realized after completing that it definitely was not my passion. Actually, I recalled working at an Investment Bank early in my career and instead of focusing on the financial audit work I was assigned to found myself in the customer care department worrying about clients. I was more concerned about the organization’s strategy and operational ability to service them better. Needless to say, my career shifted towards being people-centric and that has never changed. It just expanded to their strategies for success and how they can operate better in their careers and personal lives. [bctt tweet=”Being African allows us to see the world through a certain lens – @vumilemsweli” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How valuable is it to be African and think global? I often say I am a proudly African global citizen. Thinking global allows us to elevate our standards; fast track our learning; bring international best practices to the continent whilst expanding our reach to the whole world. Thinking global in my opinion should not be in exchange for our what makes us African. Being African allows us to see the world through a certain lens and more often than not have a
Nathalie Ndongo-Seh: How I built my career in the United Nations (UNOAU)
Nathalie Ndongo-Seh is the Chief of Staff of the United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She has been recently appointed as the Resident Coordinator in the Kingdom of Swaziland. Ms. Ndongo-Seh is a former Attorney-at-Law, who started her career with the UN in 2000 in East Timor as a Legal Officer and who, over the past 18 years, has accumulated a wide-ranging United Nations peacekeeping and political experience in Afghanistan, Liberia, Israel, Sudan, South Sudan, Burundi, and Ethiopia. She has worked in the fields of peace and security; justice and rule-of-law; governance; partnerships building; institution-building; resource mobilization; ethics, conduct and discipline; and management. Very soon, Ms. Ndongo-Seh will assume new responsibilities on the continent as a UN Resident Coordinator while leading a United Nations Country Team and coordinating UN operational activities for development. Ms. Ndongo-Seh began her international career in the private sector in France, Cameroon and Ivory Coast. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Commercial Law; a Master’s Degree in International Law; and a postgraduate Degree in International Economic Law, all obtained from Pantheon-La Sorbonne University in Paris, France. ‘Women are not only mothers, caretakers, bread-winners, fighters, and survivors in the most challenging security circumstances: they are also key players in conflict prevention, mediation & building peace. They drive change and transformation every day’. What was your ambition growing up? My parents told me that at a young age, I wanted to be a chef and afterward, a social worker taking care of street children. At the age of 11, I decided that I would become a lawyer – this never changed. At the age of 15 or 16, I started shadowing friends and acquaintances of my parents working as lawyers, magistrates or judges. I studied international law, graduated from La Sorbonne University in Paris and was admitted to the Bar in 1993 (first admission) and in 1995 (final admission after my apprenticeship). Did you ever think you would end up in international affairs, or at the United Nations? Yes, it had always been my goal to work at the international level. I studied international economic law (along with international relations) and was trained to work as a lawyer in the corporate world or for international organizations such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), or the African Development Bank (AfDB) on development projects, international contracts and agreements, litigation and so forth. I also had a strong interest in the UN at that time and was thinking that I would apply for internships or short-term assignments with the UN. [bctt tweet=”Want to build a career in the United Nations? Read how Ms. Nathalie Ndongo-Seh became the (UNOAU) chief of staff.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What was your path to working at the UN? What factors helped you along the way? There was no path as such except for my interest in development, human rights, international justice, the rule-of-law and my determination to contribute to saving the world from ‘the scourge of war’. I would say that it was a set of circumstances that facilitated my access to the United Nations. I was already working on continental issues when I started meeting and interacting with staff from the UN and other organizations that seemed to often have exciting careers and professional paths that coincided with my aspirations. In 1999/2000, the UN opened new peacekeeping missions. I decided to apply for several vacancies while seeking advice and guidance from UN acquaintances on how best I could write my resume and prepare for the interviews. Within a month, I was contacted by UN Headquarters for a brief interview and offered a Legal Officer position in East Timor with the UN Peacekeeping Department. Recruitment procedures have since changed and, these days, the UN is drawing down missions more than it opens new ones. There are however several working opportunities throughout the UN system as a staff member, a consultant, a UN volunteer, or as an intern. How does the UN compare with other organizations you have worked with? I am privileged to have worked in various environments, including in a parastatal company, in the private sector and in a continental organization. I have enjoyed and drawn life lessons from each experience. For now, the UN is the perfect fit for me as I have assumed a wide range of responsibilities at the senior leadership level in 8 countries. Till date, I have attended several courses and received several pieces of training, which altogether have enhanced my knowledge, skills, and competencies. Also, I have been promoted and afforded opportunities to compete for positions, traveled the world, including to countries that I had almost never heard of prior to working for the UN. During my time here, I have met individuals from different backgrounds and origins who have opened my eyes to social, political, economic, human rights, and community issues to which I may not have been sensitive to under other circumstances. By working at the UN, I have encountered challenging situations that tested my resilience and at times my beliefs; and I have made friends who have become family. [bctt tweet=”There are several working opportunities in the UN as a staff member, a consultant, a UN volunteer, or as an intern. Read more…” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Have you ever received a painful rejection in your career? How did you handle it? Yes, rejection is a part of life and one that I have experienced several times in my career and that I may continue to experience in the future. Some are obviously more painful or frustrating than others. Altogether, and when handled well, they make you a stronger, wiser, possibly more focused and more strategic person. I have handled them at times with tears, silent disbeliefs, wisdom (sort of “well, that was meant for me; something better/bigger will come my way”), or while immediately putting the matter behind me, refocusing on my objectives, and counting my blessings. But what is important to
Tiyani Majoko shares her 5 Ways To Cheat The Hustle
We often hear it said “the dream is free but the hustle is sold separately”, but what if the hustle didn’t have to be so expensive? It has been a dream of mine to visit Lagos, Nigeria for a very long time. I am happy to share that I recently visited Lagos, Nigeria to explore opportunities that may be available for Lawgistics Legal Consultants. A legal consultancy that I run based in Johannesburg. Also, I had to keep a promise I made to myself and very publicly in my last post on What To Do When You Hit A Wall. Nothing can replace hard work, commitment, and sacrifice in order to be successful but I want to explore other practical measures I took to make my Lagos dream come true so that you also can Cheat The Hustle. [bctt tweet=”In order to Cheat The Hustle, you have to hustle! – @TeyAni” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Here are 5 effective ways to Cheat the Hustle: 1. Network In May 2018 I had a coffee meeting with Moyo, she was visiting Johannesburg for her brother’s graduation and a mutual friend put us in touch. She is a content creator and PR genius that is based in Lagos and we spoke about all the ways I could expand my brand. Moyo also invited me to the Flourish Africa conference that was happening in July 2018. I previously did not know anyone in Lagos, but after 1 coffee meeting and a loose invite to Lagos, I started planning and a few weeks later I was on the ground. Meeting Moyo helped me Cheat The Hustle because I now had a contact and she organized several meetings for me in Lagos with people in positions I could barely imagine connecting with. The Flourish Africa conference is the brainchild of Mrs. Folorunsho Alakija, who needs no further introduction and by virtue of the one person in my network, I was able to personally meet Mrs. Alakija and even appear on Channels TV station. Build your networks to help you Cheat The Hustle and this is a 2-way street, you also have to be willing to help others in their feat to Cheat The Hustle. Being part of the She Leads Africa community is a killer way to Cheat The Hustle because you get access to a great network of women and events around you. [bctt tweet=”To Cheat the hustle, you need Value, Visibility, and a Voice – @TeyAni” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 2. Partnership When I did my research on accommodation in Lagos, the places I would have liked to stay at were out of my price range so I decided to approach South African brands that have a presence in Nigeria. The first on my list was Tsogo Sun which owns Southern Sun Ikoyi and I asked them for sponsored accommodation – to my shock and pleasure they said yes! Working with a big partner can give you leverage so that you don’t have to hustle too much to make your dreams come true. The key is that you show them value! When you send that cold email to make your ask, study what they do and how it can tie in your message. Brands want to work with someone that shows them Value (by understanding their value), someone who can create Visibility for their brand (this doesn’t necessarily mean you have 100k followers on Instagram but that when you tell your 1000 followers something they engage) and someone with an authentic Voice! The value I showed to Southern Sun Ikoyi, with the help of Moyo, I was able to secure a spot on Bella Naija to invite entrepreneurs to a Cheat The Hustle Brunch. I created visibility. I also had several meetings which I shared online to showcase the venue as Southern Sun Ikoyi has private meeting rooms that can be used for presentations, meetings, small book launches, etc. During my time in Lagos, I had a radio interview with Tunji Andrews on Nigerian Info FM. We spoke about ways in which entrepreneurs can Cheat The Hustle because entrepreneurship is not just a passion- for me, it’s my lifestyle so I use for voice to speak on it! How can you put these 3 V’s in place for you to partner with a big brand? [bctt tweet=”You cannot Cheat The Hustle with a helter-skelter mentality – @TeyAni” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 3. Being Organised My new saying is “What you don’t have in intelligence, make up for in being organized.” If you are organized and plan well, it can make look really smart. I learned the hard way that the yellow fever vaccine must be taken 10 days before you travel. Fortunately for me, I got my shot the day before my trip. It could have been easy to blame my travel agent or other friends who travel to West Africa for not telling me earlier- but this could have been avoided by a simple Google search. You cannot Cheat The Hustle with a helter-skelter mentality. I am still learning this one because I suffer severely from procrastination, general disarray and doing things “on the fly”. Being organized may not sound sexy because its so basic- but the results of an organized life are very attractive! 4. Mentorship I swear by mentorship and currently have 3 mentors who have been fundamental to help me Cheat The Hustle. Mentorship can be so misunderstood and this affects its impact. If done right, your mentors can help you see opportunities and overcome obstacles. Mentors serve in the space of the tension between “running a business for the present and building a business for the future.” I recently read a great article by Dr. Ola Brown, who I met at the Flourish Africa conference, where she talks about the difference between a mentor and political godfather. She also highlighted something to me- that I can help my mentors! They are human too, and still, have their own goals they want to accomplish. However, I
Lusanda Worsley and Nosipho Dumisa: 2 South African females changing the creative industry’s landscape
Lusanda Worsley of Empire and Nosipho Dumisa of Gambit films are black South African female creatives changing the landscape of the creative industry. They have known each other for six and a half years after meeting through a mutual friend. Nosipho attended film school called AFDA in Capetown, soon after formed Gambit films which is made up of six team members. Nosipho is the only permanent female on the team. However, Gambit film collaborates with many women writers and directors. These collaborations are always project based as the company keeps the core team small. Gambit Films core focus is Film as well as TV. Lusanda comes from a family of entrepreneurs and has been greatly supported in starting her business by Nosipho. Gambit films provided her with knowledge, office space and things that start-ups struggle with that nobody tells them. They talk about making the South African creative industry recognized, filmmaking, and working together as African women. [bctt tweet=”“We gel together, we stand for the same thing although we are in different industries. – Lusanda Worsley and Nosipho Dumisa ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Running South Africa’s first black female-driven experiential marketing agency what is your niche and what do you want to be known for? Lusanda: Starting a business in our generation is exciting, where everyone wants to start something that provides an impact on other people’s lives. Our unique selling point is that Empire is a platform for young African creatives to come together as a community to collaborate and execute advertising and branding for clients. The industry is male-dominated, and it really hasn’t changed over the past 20 years. The content that is being produced for African people does not resonate with our true and rich stories. We don’t actually get to know the in-depth of our history because we don’t get to tell these stories ourselves and now is the time to do that. Empire and Gambit films are movements, what kind of movements are they and what ideology do they stand by? Lusanda: Empire is based on a shared economy model, we partner with different agencies; and or freelancers on specific projects. Our ideology is storytelling by Africans for Africans. Nosipho: Gambit films started in 2009. We saw a gap in the kind of stories that were being told. There was a lack of original content, especially in Capetown. It was becoming a service industry in that we would service Hollywood and international productions. We did not have ownership of the stories and that’s when I knew we needed to be in charge of the stories that were being told about our people. We wanted our stories to travel. However, we knew that it would be hard as young filmmakers to sell the idea so we thought let’s start our own thing and lets travel and create our own narratives. Therefore we took charge of the stories we told through Gambit Films. In chess, a Gambit is an early move in which the player will sacrifice one of their pieces in order to gain the upper hand later on. We were the sacrifices, sometimes not even making ends meet but we held onto our vision. We want to bring people along with us who hold the same vision, whether its companies like Empire or individuals. But mainly to see this industry grow and be more diverse. How do you identify whom to work with? Lusanda: Shonda Rhimes explains it perfectly to me. She talks about the “hum”. So I look for people with the hum, it is about that specific drive one has she says, “The hum is a drug, the hum is music, the hum is God whispering right in your ear. For me, it’s quite rare finding someone with that specific drive. A drive that isn’t necessarily looking to service themselves but wants to be a part of creating something bigger. Nosipho: People that are always taking initiative and are not waiting to be offered an opportunity. I think talent is overemphasized, one gets a lot of talented people but I look for people I like. Before we work together we need to engage and I need to feel we share the same energy, goals, view of the industry and our roles within that industry. If I feel your energy is positive and is going to add instead of taking away, then I gravitate towards that. There are people doing things on their own despite the fact that there are no jobs. They are resourceful and want to push. Talent is one thing when you do what we do, you are working with people and not just their talent. If someone is willing to learn and push harder than what is required that’s the kind of person I want to work with. [bctt tweet=”I co-founded @GambitFilms_ so that my truth wouldn’t be filtered with someone else’s – @NosiphoDumisa” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Being storytellers in your own ways, what kind of narrative would you like to see out there about Africans? Nosipho: I gravitate towards stories of survival. Stories where people have to make do and overcome any situation they are in. So this is where people who shouldn’t be making it do. This can be from a thriller to an intense drama. A story that at the end of the day there is some hope that is being communicated, those are stories I love and would want to see more of. Stories of people’s hardships are important to portray. I think I want to see a diverse storytelling field with hope. I have recently made a film called Nommer 37, which is a story that seems dark on the surface and can even be perceived as a horrific story, but when one looks at that characters, the couple is just ordinary people who are in a world that feels like a prison to them. The one character is obsessed with money, and the escape he assumes it will give him. He makes terrible decisions
How to overcome the fright of starting a business
If you have decided to ignore all the advice of well-meaning individuals and friends and have still gone ahead to start a business this year, you must have some real guts. Starting a business is no easy task. There are endless challenges that often discourage you from even starting. When looking at all the challenges entrepreneurs face, it’s easy to question how your business would thrive. If your business was a soft, supple, newborn baby, your goals as a business owner is to see that this business survives its first years. But how do you achieve this and start your business like a boss? 1. Face your fears Spending nights rolling on your bed, worrying about your business goals won’t make you cause you to achieve them. Unfortunately just thinking about your business will not turn it into reality. You may have several doubts about the likelihood of people getting your products and services, but until you put your business out there you won’t know for sure. Start by creating your sample products, sell them to family and friends and get feedback about them. With every action, you take you to become less and less afraid. Every action you accomplish will help your confidence grow and you’ll begin to see your fear diminish. 2. Surround yourself with positive people Surrounding yourself with positive people can make a huge difference on the success of your business. There are people who would do nothing to encourage you and will not give any positive feedback. If you stay close to such people, you will begin to doubt your ability to reach your business goals. The truth is, the people closest to you may be more susceptible about your business than strangers. Expect it. They may not believe in your ability to drive your business to fruition, you shouldn’t make it your aim to prove that point to them. On the other hand, having a supportive people chip in a suggestion or two will stir your faith in your business, you’d start to believe in this brand becoming tangible as you hear them talk about it like it already exists. 3. Be Patient If there is one thing you will most likely encounter, is roadblocks! And when you do, you will need lots of patience. When things get tough, don’t through your hands in the air and shout “I don’t have time for this”. Firstly, try and understand that the problem you face is not always your fault. If you cannot go through the problem, find a way to go around it. Do not compare yourself with what you see on the news and social media. Seeing everyone move on a much faster pace may be discouraging. When you do his a roadblock on your journey, figure out how to deal with it while putting other aspects of your business in track. You should always be ready to take off when the roadblock is removed. 4. Dance upon disappointment As an entrepreneur, managing disappointment is a skill you can’t afford to live without. So what if things do not work out as you plan? What if a key team member decides to leave at the last minute, or a trusted supplier fails to supply your ingredients on time? What would you do when people fail you? You cannot always control all circumstances when working with people. When things go wrong, you shouldn’t beat yourself over. Try and come up with new alternatives. Though this may be tough, it will become a lot easier if you stay positive about it. Take a break, play some music and dance away your disappointments. You can also create a warm environment where everyone can come together and decide on the next steps for the business will be. If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your start up story with us.
Liz Grossman: Lessons learned from the 2018 Impact!Africa Summit Johannesburg
[bctt tweet=”In order to change things, I had to show people visible role models – Regina Honu @ragyare” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] In June 2018, Johannesburg was brimming with over 400 social entrepreneurs who traveled from all over the continent for the Impact! Africa Summit. This inaugural gathering was hosted by Ashoka Africa and the British Council. It was an event with an aim to drive solutions to empower African women and reduce barriers. These two organizations are the renowned powerhouses when it comes to social entrepreneurship. Joining forces, they truly made waves in promoting collaboration across contexts to solve Africa’s most pressing challenges. Tibagu Bruktawit of Whiz Kids Workshop in Ethiopia said, “If we want to bring change, involve more young women, make it easier for them to be here.” And Ashoka Africa and British Council did just that. According to Pape Samb, Executive Director of Ashoka Africa, “[their] mandate is to make sure everyone is a changemaker around the world,” and that cannot be done without empowering women. Impact! Africa drew some of Africa’s most successful female changemakers. This gave them several platforms to share their stories and inspire the next generation of leaders. Furthermore, Ashoka and the Open Societies Foundation launched the Women’s Challenge by the Challenging Norms, Powering Economics Initiative by Ashoka, Open Societies Foundation, and UN Women. At the Summit, twelve finalists gathered to discuss empowering individual women and removing systemic barriers they face. Solutions included taking an intergenerational approach to ending harmful practices, increasing retention rates for girls in school, and increasing gender inclusivity in economic opportunities. Here are some of the lessons I learned from some of Africa’s brightest female champions: “In order to change things, I had to show them visible role models – Regina Honu, Founder of Soronko Solutions, Ghana. Having someone to look up to and model your path after is critical to developing as a leader. Surround yourself with those who inspire you, study their successes and failures, and strive for greatness. “Sit with someone you don’t know from somewhere else so that you learn something new.” Sylvia Banda, a serial entrepreneur from Zambia. It is easy to remain with people you are comfortable with, those who know you, your community, and your solution. Take opportunities to learn from different perspectives to broaden your mindset about your projects. “There is no end to the supply of people driven by social innovation.” Amma Sefa Dedeh Lartey, Founder of Reach for Change, Ghana. As social entrepreneurs, we must remember that you are not alone. While sometimes it may feel like an uphill battle trying to change mindsets and think creatively to transform our communities, we have a whole community at our fingertips to lean on. [bctt tweet=”Sit with someone you don’t know from somewhere else so that you learn something new – Sylvia Banda ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] “Don’t underestimate the power of an individual!” Parminder Vir, CEO of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, Nigeria. Sometimes the challenges we are facing may seem insurmountable. They are too massive to tackle and we may feel that our own contributions can only do so much. But all it takes is one voice to stand out and break the mold. And remember, one mosquito in your bedroom can ruin your entire next day’s productivity. “Imagine if we work together, the impact we will have on the continent.” Vivian Onano, Global Youth Advocate from Kenya Collaboration is key, and female changemakers must learn to leave their silos, build a strong network and support fellow women. But we must also consider our male partners, and work alongside men to ensure they are also part of the solution. Watch out for the next edition of Impact!Africa, which will take place in June 2019 in Nairobi, Kenya. If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your story with us.
Quick Maths (3): How to use your salary/business net income with FSDH Asset Management
Having a money moves mindset means thinking big when it comes to your finances. Welcome to the third part of our Quick Maths series where we’ll be giving you the lowdown of how to master your personal finances in simple ways. We’ve talked about how to generate income to start your business, and how to diversify your funds (even as a low-income earner), now its time to dive even deeper. So… you’ve received that alert now and paid all your bills. What do you do with the rest o the money? Cash out? Call up your girls for a breezy weekend? Nah girl, you need to take a step back, there are more pressing issues. As a career or businesswoman, it’s important to know your bottom line and use it wisely. Your bottom line is what remains after you have removed all expenses from your income. What does your account balance look like after deducting expenses? Is it smiling back at you? Now ask yourself, have you thought of using your last bottom line to increase your next bottom line? We partnered with FSDH Asset Management Ltd to bring you this guide to help you understand ways to use your business net income, known as “bottom line” to your advantage. [bctt tweet=”When you really need to know how well your business/finances are doing, check your bottom line – @fsdhcoralfunds” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Topics this guide will cover: Bottom line – what it means, why it is important and how to make it work for you. What you can do with your bottom line – how to improve your finances by using your bottom line wisely. Figuring out how to make your bottom line work for you might seem difficult, but we are here to make it easier for you. We’ve gotcha, boo! After reading this guide, you’ll understand how to manage your income better and use it to get more resources to keep increasing your bottom line. You’ll also learn to track your spending and get excited about checking your accounts. If you want to keep learning ways to grow your money significantly over time, you shouldn’t miss the next guide because, with every guide, the lessons get deeper. FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD – FSDH AM is a wholly owned subsidiary of FSDH Merchant Bank Limited. They are one of Nigeria’s leading asset management and financial advisory firm. FSDH AM is versatile in financial transactions and investment strategies that meet the need of investors in an emerging economy like Nigeria. They recognize that today’s investors need the services of dedicated and expert professionals to provide them with intelligent investment counsel. Therefore, their strategies are dedicated to preserving investors’ wealth while maximizing the value that they receive. Once you’re through with this guide, visit FSDH Asset Management Ltd to know more and get all your pressing questions answered. Getting access to this guide is easy: just fill out the form below to join our community and get access to this guide, remember this is only part 3, there’s more to come – so stay updated. By joining our community, you also get to enjoy our AWESOME weekly content as well.
Esther Hahanyu: Helping Kenyan women achieve their weight goals through Social Media
Most modern women, if not all, at one point or another, have struggled with the notion and practice of keeping fit. For some, it is a recommendation from their doctor to avert a looming health danger. However, for a few others, it’s for the purposes of remaining healthy and good looking. Whichever the case, the goal is the same, to lose weight. Esther Hahanyu found herself in the latter category, looking for means to keep fit and look good. When the idea came to her, she had just completed her degree program and was enjoying her career. At that moment, life couldn’t have been any better, save for occasional hip joint and ankle pains, especially after a walk. The pains were not regular, hence, she did not seek any medical opinion. Instead, Ms. Hahanyu tried to avoid activities that caused the discomfort including taking a flight of a few stairs which in the latest months was making her pant heavily. When she started the routines four years ago, she weighed 88 kilograms. In eleven (11) months she had cut down to 68 Kgs. Today, she still observes the routines and structured diets religiously; however, her sole priority now is toning and maintaining the weight which is right for her height and age. All these she has been able to achieve working out at home alone or with her niece. It was not until Hahanyu visited a friend that she realized that the joint pains and panting were as a result of the weight. With this in mind, she wanted to regain her health. She embarked on a plan that has not only helped her to lose the weight but also keep fit while encouraging others to do the same. Hahanyu has chosen to adopt a healthy lifestyle and has taken upon herself to inspire others through the social media. Keeping tabs with social media Upon gathering information that she could regain her health through healthy eating and exercising, Hahanyu invested time and resources to embark on the long journey which she began after a round of research and consultations. On the first day, she took a photo of herself working out and posted on Facebook. A friend came across the post and added her to a ‘closed’ Facebook group whose mission is to support women seeking to lose weight through exercise and structured diet plans. “I am a Facebook fanatic,” says Hahanyu adding that since day one, she felt she needed to share with the world her weight loss journey. “I find it exciting to post my workout routines and meal plans on the social media platforms.” Hahanyu notes that she started by doing simple routines like rope skipping and dancing. “I like working out in front of the mirror too,” she adds. From the reflection, she can see her muscles crunch, and when she breaks a sweat, it excites and motivates her to go the extra mile. Motivating others According to Hahanyu posting the images online is a way to remain accountable to self and to motivate others to keep working harder towards attaining their weight loss goals. Moreover, each and every member of the group is encouraged to post their routines or meal plans as an accountability check and a way to encourage others to do the same. “When I come across a new routine or exercise, I share it with my social media friends,” observes Hahanyu. She posts in three groups on a daily basis. She admits that this is her way of giving back to the online community that welcomed and still supports her in the journey. Of particular interest is a friendship she formed with London based Grace Kasongo. According to Hahanyu she is indebted to Kasongo. While the two have never met in person, (at least not by the time of writing this piece) their friendship has grown from just sending encouraging messages on the social media to exchanging physical gifts across thousands of miles. A few months after making acquaintances, Grace sent Hahanyu a dress from London as an extrinsic motivation for her hard work. “I got to know ‘Favored’ (Hahanyu’s Social Media Pseudonym) through the Facebook weight group,” says Grace in an email. “She was very inspirational and motivating not only to me but to other group members.” Following her active role on the platform, Hahanyu has since been appointed an administrator of two of the online groups. “She has continued to be an inspiration,” Grace says of Hahanyu. “She leads by example by posting challenges, what she eats and her daily routines.” In her words, Grace likes giving gifts to her friends journeying to lose weight as a way to encourage them. Moreover, “it is a way of giving back to the community in efforts to fight obesity and other related diseases,” she adds noting that Hahanyu is “just like my baby sister now.” Through the online support group, Hahanyu has come to learn many things about meal planning and exercising. She currently posts in three online groups each with approximately 18,850; 33,640 and 30, 225 members. She hopes to inspire members to choose healthier lives by eating right and exercising. For Hahanyu, a structured diet plan works perfectly for her. Studies show that structured diet plans yield better results than those that are less planned. Hahanyu observes that dieting and exercising are not for everyone. People must seek professional advice especially if one has pre-existing medical conditions or any other health concerns. What are you doing to help yourself and other people in your community to better themselves? Click here to share your story with us.
Public Health Career anyone?: Buckle your seat belts
So a public health career is your choice, and you are you are ready to go? Here is a checklist that could facilitate the journey. Pre-professional experience Some say is the polite form of very polite form of getting your hands dirty. You may have heard this a gazillion times ‘Voila!’ A career in this field is not an exception to the rule. Get some practice of a profession before you embark on your studies. ‘Exposure before training, is this even possible?’ I hear you ask. It is quite simple really, volunteer, take time to work as an intern, join a fellowship programme…put yourself out there There are plenty of organizations out there seeking volunteers and its unimaginable how the spirit of volunteerism not only creates a positive awareness about health but gets everyone involved. I did volunteer during my soul-searching period with a humanitarian organization, the Red Cross, and Red Crescent movement. The range of health activities ranged from disaster management, health promotion, logistics in supplies delivery in areas with conflict, this sort of exposure enabled me to relate to the human needs during emergencies while giving me the chance to help others. This was more than I could have asked for a soul-searching period but I digress. Getting back my point be willing to work in a team and the knowledge gained will be immense. You could schedule this during the weekend, summer break or better yet take a couple days off during your holiday and take volunteer abroad placements… Volunteer Vacation! Some internships may be paid while others unpaid. As a volunteer, the organization may cater to your needs such as meals, accommodation, laundry while others may not. However, this should not deter you to remember the core of public health is service to humanity. You may be receiving way more in expertise than you are actually giving…. food for thought! School vs Time So exposure is off the bucket list and you need technical knowledge. You need to hit the books again. here are options to explore, most degree courses in public health contain compulsory units also known as core subjects, while non-degree certificate courses allow one to focus on what captures your interest like health promotion, emergency relief, outreach nutrition, climate change and health. Here are some timelines undergraduate courses range from 3 to 4 years, graduate courses take 1 or 2 years and could lead ultimately to doctorate/ Ph.D., diploma and postgraduate certificate ideally will take 6 months to a year to study. And guess what! most institutions of higher learning are now offering various short courses which take up to 4 weeks ………so no excuses. Time vs Location So you have the time but you currently working…. wait… not so fast don’t hang in the boots just yet! There’s actually an answer to this dilemma. Get online! Welcome to the era of digitization and take a moment to thank the worldwide web for this one. You can study from the comfort of your home. What you get will be access to learning material, webinars with tutors from across the globe and my favorite discussions with other students from all over the globe just a click away. Self -paced learning could not have come at a better time, be the holder of a verified certificate, earn your credits and pick a public health topic you wish to learn. Location vs Fees Start saving early if you wish to carry out your degree in Public Health, that said the amount of payment for education depends on the university you will be attending. Some good news though most teaching institutions may have a scholarship database which is something you should explore. If you think online your organization could actually assist in your professional development. Again take advantage of the free online courses. Some of the certificate in public health courses are free and offered by some of the top universities across the world. Finally remember when in doubt, tap into your resources these include your mentor, a teacher in the field, an expert who has been out in the field get some coffee. Hearing others experience could guide you in the Public field…ENJOY THE RIDE! If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your story with us.