7 Lessons MotherlandMoguls can Learn From Meghan Markle
Well, she is no longer just Meghan Markle. She is now Her Royal Highness, The Duchess of Sussex. I love weddings, but boy I love a royal wedding. They happen once in a while but they always linger for long. Nobody could distract me as I watched Prince Harry and Meghan tie the knot in May. From the carriage to her page boys and little brides, spectacular floral arrangements, and silk minimal dress, everything. Meghan Markle was fascinating! The more I read about her, the more inspired I am by her story. She reminds me of two powerful women in the Bible, Queen Esther, and Ruth. Like the two women, her life is far from perfect- yet she is now the embodiment of royalty, purpose, and confidence. Here are lessons every woman can learn from Meghan’s page. Your Past Doesn’t Define You If it was up to royal protocol, Meghan wouldn’t be ‘Her Royal Highness’ now. She broke all protocols –she is a divorcee, raised by divorced American parents; one being African American. Yet that didn’t in anyway stop Prince Harry from marrying her. The past has got nothing on you. It can’t stop God from blessing you, giving you a new title and changing the course of your destiny. Stay Positive Meghan is the daughter of Doria Ragland, a social worker and yoga instructor and Thomas Markle, a daytime retired lighting director. Maybe she never thought that she would one day end up in the palace; not even as a distant relative. You can imagine how awful her parent’s divorce must have been for her. She was just six years old and the youngest of her two older paternal half-siblings. But that didn’t stop her. Surely she was remarkably positive and that mindset paved the way for a bright future. Don’t Laze Around Waiting For Prince Charming To Sweep You Off Your Feet Meg wasn’t sitting around waiting for a Prince to find her. Before meeting Prince Harry, she was a successful actress, UN ambassador, and blogger. It takes a lot of guts and hard work to reach certain heights where the world can’t help but identify with you. Meghan Markle was literally a chaser of knowledge in every aspect of her life. Meghan’s humanitarian work and passion for helping people especially women and children align perfectly with her husband’s charity work. That’s a power couple if you ask me! Don’t Fall For The Pressure The media hasn’t been nice to Doria Ragland, Meghan’s mother and only family member present on the wedding. Didn’t she have cousins, aunties, and uncles? In a world where numbers are deemed prestigious, Meghan only had her mum by her side. Sometimes all you need is that one person who has kept it real from day one. Don’t Give Up On Love Meghan had been in a relationship with Hollywood actor and producer Trevor Engelson in 2004 which resulted in a marriage in 2011. The marriage lasted only two years after which their divorce was completed in 2013. Since June 2016, Meghan has been in a relationship with Prince Harry, after they met on a blind date set up by a mutual friend. Last month, they made it official. I’d bet on my chocolate (Trust me, chocolate is the next best thing after my son) that her ex-husband wishes he hadn’t let her go. If only he knew what life had in store for her! She didn’t let the divorce stop her from falling in love again. And look what a fairytale ending it is! Keep Smiling Go ahead and have a look at that sunny smile. You would think that after being officially crowned a member of the British Royal family and the Duchess of Sussex, that she would show less of her teeth. Not Meghan! She is giving us the whole shiny set. If you ask me, that is how you know a confident woman who is truly being herself, not caring if she’s royal or not. You don’t know how much good a smile can bring your way. Apart from keeping you young and radiantly beautiful, you just might attract a handsome prince! Keep It Simple It’s a wedding! A royal wedding but Meghan isn’t moved by the fact that the whole world stood still for her. She appeared in a low bun, with pieces of hair falling out of place and proudly rocking her freckles. You could hardly spot any make-up and a dress that was simple but gorgeous. Do I have to add that her dress was modest and that there were no boobs or other assets on display? She wasn’t seeking to impress anybody. Except for her Prince of course. If he thought she looked amazing, it doesn’t matter what the rest of us think. Click here to share your story with us and get featured on our Facebook page.
How to survive The Big F word — Failure
The moment you hit rock bottom is not a very unique experience. Although the actions were taken after the realization vastly differs from one person to another. For me, it was while watching a very romantic movie, the kind of movie where the guy races through traffic to get to the airport so he can finally pour out his true feelings to his dream girl. He just manages to catch her at the ‘check-in line’, runs up to her, grabs her and begs her not to leave. She looks deep into his eyes, doubting him, doubting everything and then all of a sudden. BOOM! He gets down on one knee and proposes to her with his Grandma’s wedding ring. Romantic right? And yet, I couldn’t figure out why it was at this exact moment that I started to cry like someone stole my cat or something… It was a few light tears at first…then it turned to real sobbing. At that moment I realized that: This movie is so corny, no guy would make it through traffic in time to get the girl – not Kampala traffic anyway, plus we have only one airport! My tears, these tears, had nothing to do with the movie and everything to do with the fact that I was failing at life…with a capital F! I was exhausted and starting to hate this dream I’d been pursuing what felt like an eternity. I’d been working myself to the bone, but nothing seemed to be going right. I’d received negative client reviews, was behind on important production deadlines, my landlord was starting to begin all his messages with scary sentences like “If you do not pay by the close of business today…” It was hard, really hard but if you’re an entrepreneur, failure isn’t a choice, its part of the game, it’s how you learn and if you’re smart about it, it’s how you grow. Failure is the big “F” word one no one wants to talk about. The time you didn’t meet a client’s expectations so they decided to go with a competitor. That time you couldn’t make the payment. When you took the business loan and didn’t anticipate how the market would react to your product. That time your marriage fell apart leaving you with a broken heart and nasty attitude to boot! [bctt tweet=”As an entrepreneur you need to know failure intimately, take it out on a few dates and study it!” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Much has been said on the subject, some believe there’s only one correct way to fail in business. Fast and hard, get all the pain out as soon as possible and then try again. As an entrepreneur you need to know failure intimately, take it out on a few dates and study it! Why did you fail? How did you fail? Did you pass the buck or were you just distracted? Should you be in this business? Are you disciplined enough to handle the responsibility? Failure isn’t glamorous, often times, it’s ugly and it’s really messy. Kind of like your ex! So here are a few tips from someone who’s had a taste of it and still has a huge bowl to get through; 1. The x + y = z of it. The only way to get really good at something is to fail at it enough times that you finally get the formula. When you fail, you must have the courage to distance yourself from it. You must understand that you aren’t a failure simply because you failed at this thing. Understand that it’s part of the journey to becoming one of the greatest. You must get up, dust yourself off, cry a little, or maybe a lot, and then try again. 2. You must not wear failure as an identity. I’ve met a lot of people that have failed at something or the other in their lives and have turned it into an identity they walk around with. They pull it out at appropriate times when the gathering is big enough so everyone can see how well they failed. They have it at the ready to “warn” others who might actually try to pursue that same treacherous path. They have horror stories with examples all the way from China! Do not pay attention to that fear, use those horror stories as markers and pointers for your own journey. You’ll learn that like in all the Hollywood horror stories, you never ever go to the basement parking lot alone!!! Bottom line is you’ll learn. 3. Failure is evidence that you actually tried at something. Many would-be entrepreneurs are stuck in the zone between having a really great idea and having the courage to do something about it. For most, the fear of failure is stronger than the possible joy that could come from winning. You tried and you failed, now all you have to do is try again. 4. The F-word means you’re badass. The people we celebrate, the greatest entrepreneurs the world has ever known built their empires amidst great odds stacked against them, and most importantly, did not let failure stop them. So, why should you? A quote from the book “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coehlo dedicated to all those entrepreneurs that have faced a few setbacks in the first half of this year and need a little more courage for this next half; “What you need to know is this: before a dream is realized, the soul of the world tests everything that was learned along the way. It does this not because it is evil, but so that we can, in addition to realizing our dreams, master the lessons we’ve learned as we’ve moved toward that dream. That’s the point at which most people give up. It’s the point at which, as we say in the language of the desert, one ‘dies of thirst just when the palm trees have appeared on the horizon.” Want to become an SLA contributor? Send an
AFFORDABLE FASHION STYLE FOR ENTREPRENEURS
Because budding entrepreneurs have to take on many roles while building their companies on a shoestring budget. They sometimes end up with little or no time (and a limited budget) to attend to their style/fashion needs. Appearance makes a good part of business especially when you are still climbing up the ropes and trying to spread your tentacles in the business world. It is however important for an entrepreneur to consider the industry in which you operate while putting your wardrobe together. It is best to keep in mind that what works for a tech entrepreneur who is constantly in meetings with investors might not necessarily work for a creative entrepreneur who attends more of networking events. Overall, the aim is to find a fashion style that’s affordable and gives a good impression of you as an entrepreneur especially when it matters the most. As a budding entrepreneur, you need to be able to slay on a budget. [bctt tweet=”Dressing for business is also dressing for success. Every entrepreneur must take note of this. Read more – ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Here are 2 factors for putting together a wardrobe that works and suits your budget. 1. DEFINE YOUR STYLE COMFORT: Always have it in mind that whatever your style is, it’s important to be comfortable in clothes. Clothes that are not comfortable can affect your mood, esteem as well as your general wellbeing. Ensure that whatever style you choose keeps you comfortable. CONFIDENCE: Even after dressing up in clothes, you must exude a level of confidence that helps you stand out in a crowd; So as you build your fashion style, remember to always step out with confidence and charisma. COLORS: Determine the colors that best suit your skin tone. After this, you can go further to determine which of these colors are most appropriate for formal than casual outfits. Overall, the goal is to understand how to coordinate outfits color wise so you always step out looking well put together. PHYSIQUE: Once you understand your physique, you can easily go for clothes that are the perfect fit for your body structure; clothes that flatter your good features and minimize the appearance of your “flaws”. ACCESSORIZE: Accessories can easily be used to give outfits an edge, depending on the occasion. Having accessories (like brooches, cuff links, belts, glasses, scarves, earrings) as part of your wardrobe can help you create different looks even without owning so many clothes. 2. FASHION STAPLES EVERY ENTREPRENEUR SHOULD OWN A well-tailored blazer (preferably black) – This can easily be put together nicely to achieve different formal and business casual looks. Jeans (dark rinse /black) – Ladies, you can pair this with heels and blazers to attend networking events; men can also pair with sneakers and blazers for the same purpose. Functional footwear – Neutral colored pumps should easily do the trick as they are comfortable, blend with other colors and are suitable for formal and business casual looks. Handbag or briefcase – A basic handbag/briefcase should do, it does not necessarily have to be expensive but should be in very good condition (not worn out). Dresses/pencil skirt – dresses and pencil skirts are very versatile and can be styled differently (with or without accessories) to get a variety of business looks. Ensure the fit is right and the length not too short Most importantly, choose quality over quantity when shopping for a business wardrobe; endeavor to buy the best quality you can afford. Handle your formal and business casual clothes with care especially when washing so you don’t have to replace them so often. Avoid clothes that are distracting and too revealing. Remember dressing for business is also dressing for success…. Slay on!!!
SAMANTHA MOGWE: I collaborate with other brands that share the same values as me
Samantha Mogwe is a Motswana singer/songwriter who brings a fused element of neo-soul/RnB. Raised to appreciate poetry and performing arts, she was exposed to music at an early age. She has had the opportunity to perform not only in Botswana but in South Africa, Namibia, Ethiopia, and Sweden. Sharing the stage with well-known artists such as Zahara, The Soil, Zonke, Joe Thomas, Kenny Latimore, Lira, Micasa, Hugh Masikela among others. Samantha is a 2014 YAMA award winner for Best Female Artist for the year and a BOMU Award winner for Best packaged Album, in 2015. She is a multifaceted individual who places great value on edification and re-inventive qualities. She holds a degree in Theology and has studied music with the Trinity College of London. Samantha is a wife and a mother, radio personality on local radio station Gabz Fm, a voice coach, fitness enthusiast and businesswoman who maintains her work-life balance by scheduling everything and prioritizing what is important. In this interview, she chats to us about personal and business branding qualities, new radio show venture and social entrepreneurship. Have you always wanted to be a musician? I come from a family that loves music and arts in general. I knew I loved music but I did not grow up thinking I would choose music as a career. It’s something that crept up on me when my best friend forced me to join My African Dream when we were 15. We came second in our category and then I would always find myself gravitating towards performing on stage despite fear and being shy. How have you steered clear of the ideology that doing music in Botswana is not a sustainable career? Like any career, the arts are unpredictable, and I say this because we now live in a time where a staggering number of our graduates are unemployed even though they are in fields that our parents assume would be safer when it comes to making an income. I personally have never been the type of person who was caught up in following the ideas and norms of what society expected of me. I think it’s because I remind myself that I came into this world alone, and one day I will SOLELY stand before God to give an account of what I did with the gifts and opportunities that He has given me. My faith and hope for being a successful musician are what also fuelled me to keep at it even when there were so many reasons to just simply give up and try something that seemed to have more certainty. [bctt tweet=”My purpose is clear in the lyrical content of my music, my radio show & in the conversations I have – @samanthamogwe” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Why was it important for you to transition into the radio realm and how did you prepare for it? How I got into radio was a bit of a strange one. Some people think it’s because I “knew someone” who gave me the opportunity but that is not how it happened. At the beginning of 2017, I had a deep inclination to invest in myself and learn the art of public speaking. I joined Gaborone Toast Masters and spent the entire year with the Club, learning how to speak in public without being afraid and how to articulate myself. Gabz Fm then put out an advert where they were looking for new radio presenters and I tried to ignore it. My husband and sister then convinced me to drop off my applications and demo. Three months later after they had gone through the applicants, I was shortlisted to join a group of ten who had potential. We began training in December of 2017 into January of 2018 and that’s how I got in. I have always known that I would love to be able to speak on a public platform because writing music can be limiting as you are working on sharing an idea on an instrumental that is less than 4 minutes. That’s quite limiting. I wanted to diversify my brand in a way that still maintained my purpose and vision and also challenged me so that I would keep growing as a person. Not only that, I found that it was important that I should try and reach people who might only see me as a performing artist, but often wouldn’t think that I have opinions on issues that we as Batswana are dealing with on a day to day basis. The “Sams Purple Lounge” among other things addresses interesting business and social issues. What encouraged you to address these? I want us to fix ourselves and in turn fix our immediate community in our own little way. This is what Sams Purple Lounge is out to do. To be honest, I have gotten tired of having us constantly complaining as a people. We have many problems in our society so why not show solutions. This is why I try to bring guests who are addressing various social concerns. Our conversations are geared toward fixing social issues, and also at times educating and challenging the mindset that often needs challenging and encouragement to look at life beyond ‘ME, MYSELF AND I’! I am overwhelmed by the response. So far people love it, and I couldn’t be happier because that encourages me to keep going and keep growing as a radio presenter. Can you tell us more about your social enterprises? I have aligned myself with two specific social causes: LOVE IS ART: The whole point is to use theatre and performing arts during the 16 days of Activism Against Women and Child Abuse. Here we tell stories aimed at creating dialogue and in the process, we raise funds for safe houses for battered women and children. This seems to be a big trouble area for Batswana as most times, we do not talk about the abuse that goes on in our homes. We see that women are daily
Tech, Edu and Agro Events in Africa to be on the look out for this year
The success of any business is measured by many factors, growth is one of them. “There are only three ways to grow a business. You either get more clients, increase the cost of each transaction, or you service your clients with more products,” – Jay Abraham. One of the guaranteed ways and proven of increasing your client base is through networking. All mother mogul pencil your diaries and be on the look-out for the association opportunities that may accelerate your career. Here is a list of different events across different industries in Africa for you to look out for. Seamless East Africa 2018 For all our East African MotherlandMoguls interested in FinTech, this one’s for you. Seamless East Africa 2018 brings you anything you need to know about payments, banking, and financial technology. Meet participants from across 45 countries, including 58 different African banks. This event is happening from the 3rd – 5th September 2018 at the Radisson Blu. Nairobi. See more information here. EduTECH Africa 2018 EduTECH Africa 2018 is an exhibition where solution providers will be showcasing technologies aimed at helping African educators make education more relevant in the 21st century. This event is happening from the 9th – 10th of October 2018, at Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg South Africa. See more information here. Nigeria Mining Week 2018 Nigeria Mining Week 2018 exhibition is set to host Exhibitors from across the globe. This event brings networking opportunities for serious investors, mining operators, finance houses and multilateral investors. Technology solution providers who are seeking a new market and new clients for mineral exploration and extraction are also expected to attend this event. This event is set to take place from the 15th – 17th October 2018. For more information, click here EduBUILD Africa 2018 EduBUILD is Africa’s only education buildings and infrastructure conference and exhibition. The conference is mainly for education leaders and decision-makers involved in the design, construction, renovation, maintenance, operation, and management of buildings for schools and universities. This two-day event is co-located with Africa’s largest annual education meet-up EduTECH – and features a senior-level congress, peer-to-peer roundtables, 1-to-1 meetings and a large exhibition …. The EduBUILD conference is perfect for gathering information about the latest education building projects, discussing new tenders, forging partnerships and doing business. This event is set to take place from the 9th -10th of October 2018, at Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg. See more information here. 21st Food Agro Kenya 2018 The 21st Food Agro Kenya 2018 is a food, hospitality and agriculture expo happening from the 4th – 6th September, at the Kenyatta Int’l. Convention Center, Nairobi-Kenya. East Africa’s premier International Food, Hotel & Agriculture exhibition to host Exhibitors from over 20 countries. Showcasing top products, equipment, and machinery presented by exhibitors from over 20 countries. Get more information about this event here. If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your story with us.
Quick Maths (1): How to generate income to start a business with FDSH Asset Management
Smart moves early in life can pay BIG long-term….. Now, what’s the point in looking good and slaying when your bank account isn’t smiling back at you? Listen. This is the year to SLAY 100%, and we’re ready to show you how to make money moves the right way. So, are you ready to cash out like Cardi’s got nothing on you? We are partnering with FSDH Asset Management Ltd to share with you a 4 part downloadable guide to enable you to boost your finances. We want to make sure that every Motherland Mogul is prepared to master the money world. [bctt tweet=”Learn how to generate funds to start your business with @FSDHCoralFunds. Click here for more: bit.ly/FsdhGuide1″ via=”no”] Topics this 4 part series will cover: Seed Money: How to generate income (capital) to start a business. Diversifying: Different ways to save and protect savings (for low and high-income earners). Bottom Line: How to use your business net income to your advantage Emergency Funds: Why you must have some investments. Now let’s talk about you. You’re about to start a business but you need capital to begin? Girl, we’ve got you! In this first downloadable guide, we’ve done some Quick Maths for you, highlighting how you can generate capital for your business or launch your new project. First, you need to understand that money does not come for free, as a MotherlandMogul, you have to know what your options are, and work towards them. After reading this first downloadable guide, you’ll understand what moves to make to get closer to your money goals. But what’s next after you get that capital and the bills start rolling in? We have more juice coming your way. To continue learning basic principles that will lead to a happier and healthier financial you, get prepared for our next guide. Because girl, we’re going 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 1, there’s more to come – so stay updated. By joining our community, you also get to enjoy our AWESOME weekly content as well.
8 Growth Hacking Lessons From Games of Thrones’ Daenerys Targaryen
You may not be the Mother of Dragons, but that doesn’t mean your confidence should wane. Never! Daenerys Targaryen, one of the minor characters who lately became a heroine in HBO’s “Game of Thrones” is notable for her quest to conquer the seven kingdoms. However, if you look at it from another perspective, you’d see that she became an entrepreneur by turning a few dragon eggs into a gigantic empire. From becoming a timid sister sold into an arranged marriage, to being the leading contender for the crown of the seven kingdoms and protector of the realm, here are some life lessons every girl can take from Daenerys Targaryen’s book. 1. Lead, Never Follow The Unburnt Queen of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and of the First Men, Queen of Meereen, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Breaker of Chains, Mother of Dragons – these are just some of the titles that describe the greatness that lies within Daenerys Targaryen. As we seen so far in the show, Daenerys is a natural born leader. She is determined to always position herself as an alpha of the pack and there’s almost nothing you can do about it. However, how does she do it? – She backs up her convictions and shows her support to people others have ignored. And that’s an important lesson every girl needs to learn. If you want to really dominate your niche one day and position yourself as a leader, you need to prove yourself to your targeted crowd as a brand that has a different vision for the future. You need to understand what your direct competitors are missing, and use it to your advantage to position you as an authority when reinventing a particular niche or market. 2. Find Your Own Dragons, Feed Them, Care For Them, And They Will Return The Favor Just like Khaleesi cared for and nurtured her dragons until they were big enough to fight for themselves and their mother, you should do the same for your brand and investment. If you want really to grow and establish yourself as a leader in your industry, you must be patient and work hard with your dragons. You have to feed them, pet them, and care for them until they become a real source of power. 3. Embrace The Diversity For those of you who follow the show closely, you’d know that Daenerys Targaryen knows how to use her uniqueness to her advantage. Being the last of the Targaryens and a woman fiercely competing for power in a world ruled by strong and ruthless men, Daenerys definitely stands out from the crowd. With her long silver hair, milky skin and unflinching view on slavery – she really knows how to draw attention to herself. In the present age where every business is basically copying each other, diversity is like a breath of fresh air to almost every type of consumer. Today, every idea that’s original, irrespective of how big or small it may be, can completely turn the game around in your favour. 4. Pursue Your Dreams Do Matter What Let’s face it – Daenerys has overcome a lot while pursuing her dreams — from the death of her unborn son, to having to kill her husband, and uncountable assassination attempts — she has never slacked in her beliefs. Instead, she regroups and come back stronger. Do I need to remind you that she staunchly believed in her vision that she resurrected a species on the brink of extinction? While your dreams may revolve around taking the throne back, that doesn’t mean they’re not worth following. 5. Don’t Let Any Man Maltreat You An abusive brother, a savage husband — Daenerys has dealt with mean men in her life. Did that stop her from becoming powerful? Of course not! She has now become powerful that if you dare lay a hand on her, you will regret it. There are lots of women out there putting up with abusive behavior; take a page from Daenerys’ book. She is control of her domain, her body; and any man who threatens that risk the wrath of Daenerys and her followers. 6. Pick Your Battles While she fights for what she firmly believes in, Daenerys doesn’t get involved in unnecessary fights. Not every person who angers her ends up getting charred by her dragons; except for the extremely heinous ones. She knows how to play the game, yet maintaining respect. Daenerys us that we shouldn’t react to every squabble with the power of a Dragon, that sometimes our wrath is best left for another day when it can truly have its intended effect. 7. Don’t Be Afraid To Get A Little Dirty Now, I’m not saying we all have to eat the heart of a horse to achieve your goals. However, Daenerys teaches us that getting what you want means getting your hands dirty sometimes. She embraces the messier aspects of life and is stronger for it. 8. Knowing Your Customers and Truly Caring for Them Are Two Completely Different Things – Always GO for the Latter If you want to score big in business, you have to truly know your brand and your potential customers. They ain’t wrong, girl! It is your job to understand to whom you’re selling and what. Figuring out what your potential customers like, what they dislike, and what makes them interested in your brand. That should be on top of your to-do list. Once you’ve gotten all that information in your grasp, take that newly-acquired knowledge and apply it to your marketing. If you succeed in doing that, your conversion rates will sky-rocket faster than you can spell SUCCESS. Interestingly, I have noticed that, in a way, Daenerys Targaryen uses the above-mentioned tactics in her growth strategy. She targets the weak, the forgotten, and the downtrodden, and recruits them to her army by promising them the very same thing they long for – freedom. Talk about knowing your targeted audience, eh?
Desire Isiguzo: School fanned my flame for farming
We do not find a lot of young people who are eager to take up farming as a career but this is what Desire Isiguzo loves to do and she’s making a business out of it. She started growing oyster mushroom indoors which produced a good yield. After graduating from the University, she began to grow plants and study their growth behavior. Now, she has acquired plots of lands to move her business to another level. Desire helps to strengthen the local market by purchasing crops from the women traders. She then processes it into high-quality bean flour. She’s now is growing her agricultural brand- D’Yucca to be one of the prominent agricultural brands in Africa meeting both local and international standards. [bctt tweet=” Farming is what I think about daily. I can’t stay a day without learning something new about it – Desire Isiguzo” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How was growing up for you? Growing up was everything for me, I was happy and I got all that I wanted from my family. My mom was a farmer and a civil servant. Back then, I hated following her to the farm because I hated working in the blistering sun but I was made to follow them still. I was given seeds of corn to plant and I would dig up the soil. I was lazy about it, I felt it was stressful and it would make my hands dirty. When I saw my seeds sprout for the first time, I was excited to see that I had created something. When did you realize that Agriculture was something you wanted to do? In 2010, I started out planting plantain which I did to earn some money for myself in school. Later on, it began to turn into more than just an avenue for money. I realize that farming was something I thought about daily and I couldn’t stay a day without learning something about it. Why did you study Plant Science and Biotechnology? Did it influence your farming business? Initially, I wanted to study Agriculture, which did not work out. Non-traditional agriculture opened my eyes to different aspects of farming. During our industrial training, we were taken to large farms, where we saw the practicability of what we were taught. We were also able to practice what we saw even though we were not paid. Biotechnology teaches you how to stay in business in agriculture. I think school fanned my flame for farming. What is the role technology plays in innovation and planting? It solves a lot of problems. In storing cassava the conventional way, it can only last a day or two before it gets bad. But with Biotechnology, you can bury them in sawdust and sprinkle water on them and like they were never harvested, this keeps them preserved. This is a post-harvest management technique. Other methods include seed bank preservation, which is preserving seeds by freezing. We also do seed multiplication with mushroom. In hydroponics, you get to regulate the environment of your farm: temperature, pest, sunlight, and water thereby deciding what gets in and out of your plant. This gives you a better yield for business. Where did your distinct brand name – D’Yucca come from? In school, I was battling with a name for my brand. While I was thinking about it, I stumbled on a plant that is always green. I started reading about it and I found out that it is called Yucca. This plant can survive fire, drought, and flood. Its tenacious characteristics made me name my brand after it. After my internship, I started making bean flour. I got an excellent grade for my project and begin to think that maybe this was credible and doable. Did you experience challenges as a young Agropreneur? Yes, I did. After my first mushroom project yielded a result, I put in all of my money into the second project and I did not harvest a thing. I made a mistake in culturing the sawdust used for growing the mushroom and all the plants died. It was a painful loss but I learned not to skip on my precaution process again. Capital too is a constant challenge for me. Where did your business capital and funding come from? My mom! She believed in me and encouraged me. A lot of people tried to discourage me when I asked for funding. They said I won’t go through with it, that I was too young and I was a girl. Why do you choose to specialize in growing Mushroom indoors? Growing up we would gather mushroom from fallen trees in the farm. We would cover them in cocoyam leaves. My mom had a special way of roasting it and I loved it. Growing mushroom at home reminds me of old times and of course, gives me the chance to eat it whenever I want to. Mushroom is also very healthy and it can easily replace red meat in the diet of diabetic people. How did you find people to support you and join your team? Every member of our team has their strength and I leave them where they are the strongest. They are all part-time now. Everyone has been part of the process, sharing ideas and critiquing my ideas. I also have friends who are good in business whom I seek help and advice from. Where do you see D’Yucca in 5 years? Our logo typifies what D’Yucca is all about. The thirteen leaves signify the various aspects we want to branch into in future. In five years we would have used up three of these leaves: tomato production, processing, and edible oil production For young entrepreneurs venturing into Agriculture, what do you say to them? Start small. I already talked about my experience of losing my entire savings in a haste to do something big. Don’t pause because consistency is key. Keep getting your
Intercultural collaboration: The secret to unlocking innovation and growth
[bctt tweet=”Understand everyone’s goals and work together to achieve them” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] According to the Harvard Business Review, “diversity unlocks innovation and drives market growth. ” Because of technology allows us to communicate instantly, everyone can access diversity. The world is becoming a global village, largely because we no longer need to spend hours, weeks, months or more transmitting messages. We can access information and people within seconds, allowing us to build companies, teams, and relationships with those that used to be unreachable. This phenomenon is a game changer for social entrepreneurs and professionals. If one does not consider the interconnectivity of the world and the need for diverse teams, one will fall behind and miss economic and social opportunities. For those who recognize this and seek to diversify partners and scale global businesses, it is crucial that we understand our ingrained mindsets surrounding our work habits, our communications skills and our overall view of success that come from the environment we grew up in. Often, we do not even realize that we are behaving in a way that hinders our success, even when we have the best intentions. I have done a lot of work promoting mutually beneficial relationships between Africans and Americans. During this time, I saw some of the major challenges that crop up in our intercultural relations stem from different communications habits. For example, certain cultures rely heavily on writing, whereas others communicate verbally. The frequency of communication can also be affected by the environment, tone, vocabulary or communication methods used. In certain contexts, different methods of communication are preferred- in an American office, email is the go-to, even when you could walk down the hall and ask a question in person. However, in the offices I worked at in Senegal, if I needed anything, I took a walk to my colleague’s desk, chatted about family, the weather, the latest wrestling match, and only then asked about my work needs. In order to succeed in our globalizing world, the most important thing to do is increase your cultural knowledge of your collaborators. Certain aspects are relatively easy to learn- norms surrounding work attire, greetings in the local language, gestures/body language, or religious belief, for example. Others take more time to truly understand intricacies such as social classes/ethnicities, relationship with authority figures, gender/family roles, work ethic and office behavior. Before my trip to Ghana last August, I made sure to do some basic research on culture, customs, and linguistics, but also knew I needed to continue to ask questions and joke respectfully with people during my stay to be better prepared to collaborate professionally and personally with Ghanaians. Increasing cultural knowledge and working on intercultural awareness are actions to take to ensure you are building the most successful, inclusive, financially solid and sustainable programs with the top talent the world can offer. Furthermore, it is crucial to establish trust in any relationship. A trust model dedicated to intercultural teams is based on ten dimensions; competence, compatibility, goodwill, integrity, predictability, well-being, inclusion, openness with information, accessibility, and reciprocity. [bctt tweet=”Entrepreneurs will see true disruptive innovation by creating inclusive teams” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] There are many ways to build this trust, paying special attention to which methods to employ given the nature of the team, be it in person, remote or a hybrid. As I build Baobab Consulting, where most of our relationships are virtual, I mostly use WhatsApp, social media, Google Drive and email to share information and create team culture, but I take every opportunity to meet face to face to establish that physical connection, which in many cultures, plays a crucial role. Even with cultural awareness and trust, there still may be some lingering stereotypes or assumptions we carry that we are unaware of. Let us not presume that two North Americans or two Africans on a team understand each other. A woman from Senegal will have a completely different vantage point than a man from Zimbabwe, just as a woman from New York City’s will be different from a male colleague from Montreal. Even if there are some similarities between them that may help them bond faster, it is still necessary to follow the same procedures of intercultural awareness. At the end of the day, no matter where you fall on the intercultural awareness spectrum, how many languages you speak, or how many cultural events you have been to, you must remember that personality can also play a role. Sometimes, we work better with certain personality types and struggle with others, so this should not be discounted as you work together and build team dynamics. Take a free version of the Myers Briggs test to learn more about your personality and that of your teammates. By creating inclusive teams and encouraging them to fearlessly and meaningfully contribute, entrepreneurs will see true disruptive innovation. To do that, we must make sure the right steps are taken to ensure that everyone feels taken care of, considered, understood and respected. There will always be some level of tension and even conflict when we work together, but if we assume all parties have good intentions, these snafus can be overlooked. Always remember the true mission of what you are doing. Understand everyone’s goals and work together to achieve them. If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your story with us.
7 Personal Productivity Tools for every woman
With so much to do in your daily lives, you need some productivity tools that can make you better organized, work smarter, become more effective, and achieve optimal results. Here are a few personal productivity tools that can help you do better in your personal life, work and business. Google Drive Google drive is a cloud storage service by google with which you can back up the files on your various devices in the cloud and access them on any other device across various locations using your gmail ID. You are also able to share files and collaborate with others on projects across different locations. Google drive also helps you create various folders for files to save your files. When devices synced with the google drive app are low on storage space, you can easily save the files on the application and delete them from the device to free storage space. The google drive application gives 15GB free storage space, if you need to use more than this amount of storage space , you can upgrade to the paid plans. Evernote Evernote is an application that lets you collect your thoughts, track them, share them (when you want to) and organize your day to day activities and yearlong goals. With Evernote, you are able share notes with team mates as you brainstorm or work on a project, you can manage team access to your Evernote account. You can also access the app from any device connected to the internet and notes saved on it can be easily searched. The Evernote app has a scanning feature that can be used to capture and register business cards as well as search documents. This app comes with virtual post it notes which can be used to organize and set reminders. Moneyfy Monefy is a personal finance app that’s useful for money management. This app helps you track your spending habits and create charts that clearly show your spending pattern. You can even customize some features on the app to suit your lifestyle – expenses, currency and language. It is easy to create and update detailed transaction lists on this platform (daily, weekly, monthly). The app puts together reports of your transactions at intervals (decided by you); it lets you set monthly budgets, share access with others, back up and export data as required. The basic version of the app is free to use, however, there’s an upgraded version that comes with extra features and you can get access to it for as low as N500/month. Another personal finance app that can complement Monefy is Goodbudget – this app can be applied to help you save for big expenses. Quality Time App Quality Time App; this application lets you know how much time you spend on your phone (hourly, daily and weekly) and how you spend it. With this app, you can easily identify applications on your device that you are addicted to. You can use this app to curb/manage excessive phone usage. There are even features on this app you can activate to alert you (or someone else) when you are spending “too much” time on your phone. A Vision Board A Vision board is built as a representation of where you are going (vision/goal) using images, picture, quotes. It is a goal setting tool on which defined vision/goals are illustrated visually .In a world where there’s so much fighting for your attention, there’s need to define your dreams and focus on them and a vision board can help with that. It is best to place this tool where it can be seen regularly; this lets you constantly feed your subconscious mind with what you want to achieve and how you want to feel. This tunes your mind in on your focus so that it constantly works to bring these dreams to life (whatever you focus on expands). Famous people like Ellen Degeneres and Katy Perry have spoken about how they used vision boards at one time or the other to bring their dreams to life. The process of creating a vision board is engaging; it connects you mentally to your dreams and there are no strict rules to it. You can inspire, motivate and affirm your way to your dreams using this tool. Post It Notes Post it notes are small sticky sheets of paper for taking notes and setting reminders; you can use it to track and organize thoughts by pasting these notes where they can be easily spotted for the required timely action, it comes in very handy when multitasking. These notes are easily pasted or detached from surfaces and leave no stains or residue. Post it notes are visually invasive when compared to software applications but they help direct attention to where it is needed. Virtual post it notes now exists, but I doubt they can take the place of the physical post it notes. Adult coloring Adult coloring is simply coloring for adults; sometimes we need to calm our young, active and energetic minds to prevent burnout and increase focus and concentration. Research shows that coloring has therapeutic benefits for adults; It is said to improve mindfulness and reduce anxiety. This can translate to reduced stress levels as well as better focus and concentration on work. Consider this a good way to manage stress and increase productivity. Adult coloring apps like ColorMe is a good place to start, you can also go for hard cover adult coloring books if that’s your preferred option. Now, go and live your best life! If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your story with us.