Effectively handling multiple jobs like a pro
[bctt tweet=”Reading to be a professional job juggler? Here’s how to balance your 9-5 and your hustles ” via=”no”] So you got the gig! You are excited because you are finally on your way to doing something you really love. You spend endless hours on your side gig all in the hopes of being successful. But your job becomes a distraction and starts to keep you away from your hustle. How do you balance it all? Below are some of my tips for being a professional job juggler. Develop a work routine The biggest problem with holding multiple jobs especially if you already have a full-time job is falling into the trap of thinking you don’t have to work as hard as you would a regular job. Sorry to burst your bubble but having a freelancing gig may mean working twice as hard just to get a little bit of success. Therefore, a work routine needs to be developed for your multiple jobs. If you have set aside 3 days a week to work on your side hustle do it! Treat your gig just the way you treat your regular job. If you can’t imagine slacking on your regular job then you sure can’t slack on your side job. [bctt tweet=”If you can’t imagine slacking on your regular job then you sure can’t slack on your side job” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Talk to others The good part about the year being 2017 is that plenty of people have lived in on this earth. Chances are there are plenty of people doing what you are doing right now. Talk to other freelancers and pick their brains on issues that you may be having. Also just ask them general questions about how they operate. Learning from others will help you avoid the mistakes they made and save you a whole lot of time and money. Be organized Being organized doesn’t always have to mean you have a physical space to call an office for your business. In these times, few businesses have that. Regardless always make sure you have your business cards, company profile and pitch ready. This will significantly reduce your turnaround time with potential clients. Getting even one potential client is a good feat for a gig so you don’t want to scare off any. Additionally, you always want to feel ready to conquer what’s thrown at you. [bctt tweet=”Being organized doesn’t mean you have a physical space to call an office for your business” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Take time for yourself Seriously, take a break. When you feel overwhelmed by your multiple jobs it is okay to have a time out to just think. Watch your favourite 90s movie (cue in Pretty Woman), take a bath, go out for drinks, read a good book the list is pretty endless. The goal is to rejuvenate yourself so you can focus on your work. Create goals for yourself. Look! Goals give you direction period. If you do not set goals for yourself and your work you are most likely going to get overwhelmed. Additionally, you will be working but not adding impact. Every morning when you wake up ask yourself, “What single task can I do today that will take my business forward?” It’s all about creating purpose and everything will fall into place. Celebrate!! Celebrate every little milestone you achieve while working multiple jobs. You will automatically psyche your brain into doing more and before you know it you’ll be a master of your craft.
Adebimpe Akinbuja: Producing safe chickens for consumption
[bctt tweet=”I made up my mind to create employment for myself & grow it so that others will have jobs too” via=”no”] To ace our hustles, we need to be alive and in good health otherwise, we won’t be able to make the impact we desire. This is why we need to eat good food, quality food that will not impede our health in any way. This young woman, Adebimpe Oladunjoye Akinbuja is doing something about the quality of chicken available for consumption. She studied animal production and health at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology ( LAUTECH) and is putting this into her hustle. It’s no wonder that when she saw the challenges in the sector, Adebimpe decided to change the narrative in her own way. How did you find yourself in the poultry business? At first, it was simply because I saw the alarming rate of unemployment in the country. My senior colleagues were graduating but were not having something tangible to do for over a year. I made up my mind to create employment for myself and grow it so that people around me will have a job out of it too. After creation, I discovered there was more to do. My landlord in school then operated a cold room. One day he told us about how we are gradually dying from the things we eat. He told us that the frozen foods we eat are being preserved using an embalming chemical, formalin. He spoke as if we didn’t have a choice but to keep consuming this ‘dead-body fluid’ (in pidgin accent) and continue to die gradually. I took that information a little further and decided to produce chickens that will be safe and healthy for the consumption of humans. That is amazing! What are the challenges in this business line? I’ve had to face challenges from technical, to financial, to environmental, market, transportation and the major one has been power. And I’m still facing some of them till date. There is perception that the Poultry business is too risky, what is your opinion? People say they hate poultry business because chickens die a lot. They believe it is a risky business. Yes, poultry business is highly risky and chickens die but every business has risks, what should be focused on is risk mitigation. With a good business model, appropriate poultry house, good biosecurity practice, a learning mind and God’s blessings you will be a successful poultry farmer. [bctt tweet=”The poultry business is highly risky but every business has risks, rather focus on risk mitigation” via=”no”] What other opportunities abound asides rearing the chickens? Poultry business is filled with lots of opportunities. We have egg production, meat production, live chicken production, transportation, poultry housing and equipment, processing and marketing, training and consultancy. Do you think the Nigerian system is favourable to this line of business? I would say no because in Nigeria, we still struggle with the problem of power and this is eating into the profit of farmers. We also have issues of hatcheries not been transparent enough. And importation of frozen chickens still affects the sales of fresh chicken in Nigeria. [bctt tweet=”In Nigeria, we still struggle with power cuts and this is eating into the profit of farmers” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What is your advice to young women interested in building a poultry business? Learn. Find yourself a coach and a mentor and let them show you the way. Ask questions and network with other poultry “agripreneurs”. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Transferable skills: What they are and how you can detect them
[bctt tweet=”So many of us want a change of jobs and we feel our skills will not fit. That isn’t entirely true” via=”no”] Have you looked through a job application and your initial thoughts are that you haven’t got any required or essential skills necessary for the job? Don’t panic just yet, we have the scoop to calm your career nerves. What are transferable skills? Transferable skills are talents and abilities you can take from job to job or career to career. They are skills you have acquired and can implement in any future career settings. They are categorized of more soft skills than technical skills. How are they acquired? Transferable skills are acquired through volunteering, internship opportunities, apprenticeship, training (formal and informal), hobbies and any job, task or role you were or still involved in including parenting. [bctt tweet=”The key thing is that you have every opportunity to develop your skills & learn new ones” via=”no”] What set of skills are transferable? Interpersonal and people skills Simply put, it is a skill that shows how well you relate to others. Top tip is how you communicate (written and verbal), empathy for others, conflict resolution and willingness to get along with others (team player), to ensure a common goal. Organisational skills This set of skills requires the ability to use your energy, resources and time in an efficient and effective way. Top tip is how you are able to follow through, manage your time, prioritize your work, planning and of course, meeting deadlines. Leadership skills The ability to influence a set of people to achieve a goal or move to a particular direction is essential as a leader. This set of soft skills is developed over time. Top tips are how you can effectively communicate, indispensability, integrity, commitment, problem-solving, initiative, decision making, evaluating, delegating and managing. Communication skills This set of skills cannot be overemphasized enough. They require the ability to articulate, explain, persuade and speak in public settings (meetings, work presentation or informal settings). Top tip is how well you are understood either through an email or letter or through your speech. Information technology skills The use of I.T skills is more than essential in our everyday life. However, you need to show an ability to use formal I.T skills in a work environment. Top tip is having the ability to use Microsoft Office packages. Research and analytical skills This set of transferable skills has the ability to search or look for information or data, organise them, interprete and make inferences, theories and decisions or solutions based on your findings. Top tip is the need to want to solve problems, by thinking, creativity, and curiosity. [bctt tweet=”You already have transferable skills. You just need to list them out now and apply them” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How do I know if I have them? Get out your pen and a paper and begin to make a list of skills and talents you have acquired thus far. Reflect on the roles you have done in the past (even in an educational environment) and as you go through this set of skills, create a list of your own set of transferable skills.
Lebogang Mashigo: Our role is to present platforms for discovering, expressing, empowerment and connecting
[bctt tweet=”At first it was about numbers but now our focus is about quality and impact” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Lebogang Mashigo is a 27-year-old social entrepreneur from the former KwaNdebele region, currently Thembisile Hani, of South Africa. She is the founder and director of Nubreed Company and Music Institute. She is a YALI (Young African Leaders Initiative Alumni in Business and Entrepreneurship, a Monash South Africa Lead (MSA Lead) fellow and was named the Mail & Guardian’s top 200 Young South Africans 2016. Lebogang is very passionate, brave and believes in her strength and that of others. She has been nominated twice for the Women Real Architects of Society Awards. Lebogang has also been profiled on Mzansi Insider, On the Spotlight with Ashraf Garda as well as on Kicking Doors with DJ Sbu on CNBC Africa. She Leads Africa contributor, Kutlwano Mokgojwa catches up with her on all things Art, Music and youth empowerment. What role does Nubreed have in the community and how does it fulfil that role? Our role is to present platforms for discovering, expressing, empowerment and connecting. We started a just a music project that gave music lessons. Today we have become more than just a music project. We educate, discover, empower and partner with young people and communities for change. What effect does empowering the youth with music have? How has that inspired you to venture into the Visual Arts and Life skills? Coming from a rural area where little is happening to stimulate young people growing up in the region of former KwaNdebele, I didn’t want to change the world, but I understood that young people are gifted and they can express themselves through music, it made sense to start NuBreed the music institute. We are not changing people but we have inspired young people to be confident, to go after their dreams, to discover opportunities within the music/arts industry. Through workshops and many events, we host, young people, connect from those in the industry and learn from them. Working with young people helped us to discover other talents and needs which propelled us to create other platforms for visual arts, life skill workshops and business workshops. It is all part of our mission to educate, empower and develop. We now host the biggest annual talent show in June called KwaNdebele Got Talent where we call for auditions and in June young come from all over the region to showcase their talents and compete for a big cash prize and other development opportunities. [bctt tweet=”Our role is to present platforms for discovering, expressing, empowerment & connecting @NubreedMI” via=”no”] How has Nubreed been welcomed into the community, what relationships have you formed and how do these relationships help the organisation? NuBreed is a recognised brand that is associated with youth, Change and Empowerment. We have been welcomed with open arms in the community. We work with other community structures, we’ve worked with schools, churches and other NGOs. However, we still see room for more networks. How old is your target market and what socio-economic challenges do they face? As the music institute, we’ve worked with many young. At first, it was about numbers but now our focus is about quality and impact. So I will say we are growing our impact. [bctt tweet=”We’re not changing people but have inspired young people to go after their dreams” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What kind of syllabus does your organisation follow and how has that helped with your partnership with the University of South Africa? NuBreed uses the UNISA music syllabus to teach our students, we have UNISA accredited teachers and we do UNISA Music exams twice a year. This enables our students to receive UNISA music certificates and earn university credits. Your organisation is a non-profit entity, how does that affect your operations in terms of funding and how do you manage the financial pressure? Funding has been a big challenge. We are not formally funded. We have received donations from individuals now and then. But this has encouraged us to develop our own fundraising programme in-house. We enter competitions for funds and we are always looking for partnerships. Now we are looking for opportunities to expand. All this is inspired by our need to sustain NuBreed. What personal lessons have you learnt through your leadership of Nubreed? Personal lessons: It is important to say no to some ideas. [bctt tweet=”It is important to say no to some ideas @leewaMashigo” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] If you can spend a day in the life of anyone, living or dead, who would it be? I would really like to be Oprah for a day. I would build art schools in rural areas. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
How to mission travel
[bctt tweet=”The best trips are those that are the most demanding, socially and professionally! ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I am sitting in the middle seat of an empty row (great when you need to catch up on some sleep), and we are a few hours away from final destination: Dakar, Senegal. Since July last year, my world has been turned upside down in ways I never thought possible. I exited two years of post-bachelor unemployment (forcing myself to confront my aggravated social anxiety) to join an agency where I am in the air for what feels like 3 weeks every month. Though it has been exciting to discover everything business travel has taught me, oh boy has it been tricky and downright scary sometimes. It’s that fear of the unknown I suppose. I cannot tell you if it will ever leave me. But I don’t intend on wasting these travel opportunities by focusing on my fears. So I have mapped out a way in which I could be better prepared for mission travel, therefore less stressed, and more likely to take in as much as I can from these travels. If you are interested, and especially if you will be going on your first travel missions soon, I hope you stick around and enjoy the read. Step 1: The pre-travel prep In the week preceding your travels, take some time to research not only your final destination but also the countries in which you will be transiting. Make sure you have the travel and transit durations right (those can get so confusing, I mean is it just me?). Check the weather, the currency used in these countries and the predominant culture/religion for acceptable dress codes. You may want to calculate how much money you will need for the time you are away and take the appropriate amount of money beforehand; carrying dollars is very often the most appropriate. If you are not carrying cash, check for available banks and ATMs where you will be landing. Let me give you an illustration of what went wrong when I didn’t research my travel destinations. Last month, I embarked on a trip to Abidjan via Addis Ababa. I was so excited because after my mission I would be discovering Abidjan with some friends who have their parents there. All I could think of was the heat of Côte d’Ivoire and I imagined myself lying on the beach, sunnies on and all. I didn’t bother to check the weather in Addis where I would be spending the night and let’s just say, it was a pretty cold and uncomfortable night. The same goes with transit durations. I once confused an overnight layover for one that would only last a few hours. I encountered a lot of stress finding a hotel to spend the night in, and I thank the heavens I hadn’t given in to the temptation of spending all my remaining cash. Step 2: Pack appropriately and as lightly as you can This is where, till today, I binge watch “how to pack lightly” YouTube videos like they’re going out of style. Yesterday I think I hit the mark when an airport officer remarked: “Your suitcase is so light for a lady, you always feel the need to pack everything.” Needless to say that as a compulsive over-packer, I felt great. In all seriousness, it is important not to pack too heavily. If you pack light, you lose fewer things and you move faster. Packing light, however, doesn’t mean you leave the things you do need behind. Other than clothing, make sure you pack all professional material relating to your mission travel, and then you’re good to go! Learn how to pack like a pro here! Step 3: Keep your eyes on the prize So you’ve made it to your destination. Now what? If you are traveling alone, contact your boss or supervisor and make sure they know you’ve arrived safely and are ready to get moving. This serves two purposes, 1. Someone from your organization will know where you are and can assist with any urgent queries. 2. By calling when you get to your destination you can find out as soon as possible what you need to do and how you can get ahead on certain tasks. Mission travel is often very short and we can use all the time we have. [bctt tweet=”How do you ace travelling for work when you have social anxiety? Read this!” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Step 4: Take care of yourself Indeed, mission travel can be pretty fast pace. So remember to take care of yourself whenever you have the time. During travel, we often end up in surroundings we are not used to with people that may have completely different cultures than ours. The change in scenery can be exhausting all on its own. So take some time out for you. Call your friends or a family member -yes, even if you’re only going to be away for 4 days- wake up a little earlier for some prayer or meditation time, or get to bed earlier if you can. Step 5: Take in the travel and loosen up! I recently read “Daring Greatly” by Brene Brown from which a sentence struck out to me. I turned into an everyday prayer, and I am paraphrasing here, but it goes a little something like this; “let me have the courage to show up and let myself be seen”. All this to say that you should expect that despite the stress of the travels, your colleagues are going to be a lot more relaxed, and it’s an opportunity to show your personality and get to know on a deeper level those with whom you work. [bctt tweet=”Travelling for work is a great opportunity to get to know your colleagues on a deeper level ” via=”no”] You’re going to get some FOMO too, sometimes you’re going to get an entire afternoon to yourself after work to visit your surroundings and sometimes you’re
Abiola Seriki: Running a business isn’t as juicy as it seems
[bctt tweet=”It was all fun and games in the beginning as it didn’t take so much time to learn ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] My foray into the world of crafts began shortly in 2014 after my final year examination as an undergraduate. Throughout my time in school, I had attended several conferences focused on entrepreneurship and also participated in some business-related programs. My mind had thoroughly consumed an understanding that owning a business was the future. As a young woman preparing for her media career in showcasing African businesses, I believed I had to understand how to either own or work in one. Initially, I wanted to learn how to sew, but I decided to go into bead making because there were very few people in the business. It was all fun and games in the beginning as it didn’t take so much time to learn. As a matter of fact, it was my only means of survival during my one year stay in Nigeria’s Jos, Nigeria for the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme. However, I soon learned that small businesses required more than “fun and games.” Running a small business requires more than time and concentration. Especially in a creative industry, it requires value, consistency, and direction. I had to learn it the hard way. Clients had various options to select. As a small business owner, I needed to find out how to convince a customer to choose my services over another. Having lived in Lagos and Ibadan, Jos was a whole new town for me. I didn’t know anyone apart from the ‘NYSC family’ and the few people at the company I was serving at. Running my business went beyond familiarity and excellent communication. It had more to do with my positioning, people’s perception of my brand and my ability to stay true to my core values. [bctt tweet=”To run a small business is not as juicy as it seems- Abiola Seriki” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] At the initial stage, some of the key strategies I discovered and infused into my business included: Product differentiation I had to learn how to make other kinds of bead designs that weren’t in vogue. There were several bead designs that every regular bead maker or buyer was used to. The idea was to make people want something different. Thus, I decided to create casual designs rather than those for bigger occasions, such as weddings. At first, it was quite challenging to convince people to wear handmade beaded accessories on a casual outfit, but after a few marketing opportunities, I soon started building a small fan base. Pricing In Jos, I didn’t have an understanding of how the market worked, but there was one thing I knew; quality didn’t come cheap. Using valuable tools to create an accessory meant investing in a lot of money yet I needed to make something that regular NYSC members could afford as well. I focused on buying just one type of bead in bulk so that I could design as many styles as I wanted and sell them for a lesser price. However, I still placed a higher value on quality than quantity. Audience segmentation I created products that were meant for a select audience- millennials. A majority of bead designs I saw at the time I started bead making was crafted for the older audience. Except for brides, a majority of women wearing beaded styles were older women in their 40s. I decided to craft my designs to suit younger ladies. A few weeks later, I launched a line for bracelets to cater for the ladies who aren’t really into wearing beaded necklaces. Word of mouth marketing I also had a lot of talking to do at the beginning. There were times when I had to go talk to someone and convince them to buy my product even if they didn’t want it. I remember being shunned off at some occasions. However, although quite an introvert, I am talkative. So it was quite easy to incorporate word of mouth marketing into selling. My target then was men. It was easy to get them to buy for their significant other. Digital marketing As an undergraduate, I had a part-time work as a social media marketer for brands. Thus, with my knowledge of social media marketing, I was able to find audiences that were far away from me. I used my private Twitter account as my major store until I recently opened an Instagram store. I had to incorporate delivery services at a point when orders came from places farther than where I was. At the moment, my major sales and marketing channel is online. I have no physical store. I am currently rebranding my digital marketing strategy to fit into my creative direction. Case studies I blog about small businesses and startups. Over the past two years, I have been able to understand how some of these firms operate. I realized that I couldn’t possibly be sharing all these success stories and not be able to build a successful business as well. So sometimes, I take the time to read these interviews that I had held, to learn how I could make things work for my business. Other times, I ask the business owners for personal mentoring sessions from them. To run a business is not as juicy as it seems when you read or watch the stories of how founders build empires. However, it’s not difficult either if you are willing to adhere to your values. I currently manage my small business with several other things I do, and I haven’t regretted starting in the first place.
Cynthia Okuwashaka: Everyone has a talent inherent they can work on
[bctt tweet=”I try as much as possible to come with something new to make myself stand out” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Cynthia Okwuashaka craving her own financial independence started out as an apprentice in a nail studio. Thereafter, she went on to acquire training in hair making and makeup artistry. All these skills she acquired while studying the English Language in University. A few years later, she enrolled at the Opral Benson beauty school and has now become a certified massage therapist. Cynthia worked in several beauty lounges and finally at Four Points before resigning to start her own business Spaquil Beauty Therapy, a mobile spa, and wellness business in November 2015. Since then, she hasn’t looked back. For Cynthia, she finds peace and fulfillment when she is able to help her clients get relief from aches they feel before the session. In addition, earning her own income in a decent way brings even more fulfillment. How did you come about the knowledge that you could self-sponsor yourself through the university rather than be financially dependent on anyone? I had the opportunity of meeting a friend’s sister who told me she supported herself through school fixing false nails. So I said to myself if she could do it so I can. That’s how I started working at a nail studio and went on to learn hair making too. Why did you leave your job at Four Points to start your own business? Four Points for me was a phase I knew from the onset will pass so when the time came, I had to leave. I have always pictured myself as my own boss and my years there were to gain experience so when it’s time for me to setup mine I will do it and be successful at it. [bctt tweet=”…there’s so much fulfillment in making your own money in a decent way” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How do you manage competition in your business? Knowledge they say is power, I try as much as possible to come up with something new to make myself stand out. You are a graduate of English language, how does your discipline impact your business? In the area of communication, my discipline has given me an edge as people see therapists as secondary school drop outs. When I have a conversation with my clients, they get to see a different side of me. Sometimes, they then ask why I had to settle for a therapist instead of working in line with what I studied in school. I tell them I have a passion for therapy. [bctt tweet=”I know for sure one step at a time gets me closer to my goal.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What plans do you have for the future? Like I said, knowledge is power so am working very hard to get more training in my field of practice. What is your advice for girls from indigent homes who feel they can only survive by being financially dependent on men? Where do they start from? First of all, they will need to make a decision about the kind of life they want and work towards it. Dependency cripples, and there’s so much fulfillment in making your own money in a decent way. Crafts pay off in the long run and everyone has a talent inherent they can work on and pray as well for God to bless and prosper. The journey of starting one’s own business and growing it is a very tough one, where do you get the inspiration to continue in down times? I would say my passion for massage therapy is what keeps me going, Spaquil Beauty Therapy was birthed in November 2015 and I have had the opportunity of traveling to South Africa for training in less than 2 years of starting up. And when I think of the difference I can make in the lives of people with my healing touch I keep going no matter what. I know for sure one step at a time gets me closer to my goal. You moved from making hair and being a nail technician to a makeup artist and now a massage therapist. It seems you have worked longer as a massage therapist. Is it that you are passionate about this than the other trades and why? Massage for me is my sole calling in life, it goes beyond touch, I find peace and fulfillment when am able to help my clients get relieved of aches they feel before the session. I see myself as a small doctor (lol). How do your parents feel about your accomplishments so far being a certified therapist and running a successful business at 29? My parents have always given me support. In fact, my father who is very educationally inclined actually gave me the go ahead to learn vocational skills while I was still at the university. Today, they are happy and proud of me which is the joy of every parent to see their child or children succeed in life. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Writing cover letters for jobs in media or communications
[bctt tweet=”Remember, it’s not about you, it’s about what you can do for them” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] The media industry is a very cutthroat place driven by extreme timelines and deadlines. That being said, most media professionals will not have time to read through pages of a cover letter explaining every single job you have ever had or what clubs you chaired in high school. They simply want to know these five things: Who are you? Why should we hire you? What do you know about us as an organization/company/institution/publication? What sets you apart from the rest? How do we find you? Put all this in a cover letter and you’re on your way to getting that interview call back you are hoping for. How to go about this though, is where most of us get it wrong. The world changes every day with each passing day, hour, minute and second, therefore it is imperative to keep up with the constant changes going on. What worked as a cover letter say 5/6 years ago, is definitely not the case today in 2017. Check out the dos and don’ts below which I hope will be a quick guide to writing a great cover letter. DO: Start off with a very intriguing first sentence The media/comms industry is all about being creative and thinking of different angles to put points across. Do not just say, “I’m applying for this position because I really need a job and I feel this would be it”… Let’s avoid the tired cliches, shall we? Start with what you know, which is your field, where you saw this vacancy and that you are interested in the position. This, first of all, gives them an assurance that their ads are being seen. Secondly, it tells them you know you fit the description by saying what you do already and lets them avoid wasting time reading the entire letter only to find out you don’t even know what you are applying for. DON’T: Start writing out a detailed description of your resume or LinkedIn profile By the time an editor, HR officer or head of department is receiving your cover letter, he/she has already looked at your resume. Do not waste time filling cover letters with repetitive content. DO: Tailor your cover letter to the job description Generic cover letters are a lazy way of applying for a job and they can be sniffed out from a mile away. A good example during my time working at an NGO, I was tasked with the job of going through various applications that had come in and had to cut them down to at least seven from 30 files. Out of the 30, half the group had exactly the same cover letter, copied and pasted from a popular career website, just different names and sent on different dates. That saved me a lot of time in terms of evaluation but it cost those candidates a job because they did not bother to actually write a detailed cover letter. Answer the questions they are asking by saying exactly how you fit the job requirements and you can provide one or two examples of what you have done in relation to the position. [bctt tweet=”Applying for a job in media/communications? Here are tips to write a stellar cover letter ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] DON’T: Go overboard with selling yourself Remember, it’s not about you, it’s about what you can do for them. Focus on that. Don’t talk so much about where you went to school, or the accolades you achieved. In this industry particularly, your honours, summa cum laude nod, distinction… aren’t prioritized as much. Someone with a Ph.D. can just as easily be outshone by a freshly graduated senior from college, it all boils down to efficiency, skill and how badly you want this job. Show them you are worth the investment, don’t tell them what they could have easily looked up on Google. DO: Your research Find out all you can about the place you are applying to. Talk to them about their visions, their values, their goals. Show them how adding you to their team will contribute to bringing about even better communication campaigns or how efficient of a designer/copy writer/editor you are thus providing a fresh approach to their brand/publication/business. Show them you know them and that you are ready to not change things around, but contribute to an already well-established organization. DON’T: Have grammatical errors None whatsoever. Cross all your Ts, dot all your I’s, have every comma, period and apostrophe properly placed. Proof-read your letter once you are done writing to make sure there are no typos, spelling errors etc. Have someone else check it as well to have a fresh set of eyes on it. There have been cases where an entire application has been cast aside due to one single typo in the cover letter. This industry is very detailed in the work they do and a simple mistake such as wrong spelling or a missing piece of information can cost them millions in the long run. A cover letter with grammar mistakes shows you are not meticulous and are sloppy with your work thus a liability to the company. DO: Be brief I’ll reiterate the concept of time. Most people in these industries will most likely skim through these applications than actually read through them. They will look for the five things mentioned above and tick off or cross out where appropriate and move on. Anything more than a page will not be considered at most organizations because again, no one has time to read through all that. Do be brief and concise yet include every detail you deem important to you and them on there. The art of paraphrasing comes in handy when applying to fields such as these. [bctt tweet=”A cover letter to the UN will be very different from a cover letter to a travel magazine” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] DON’T: Forget to provide contact information If
How to build your network of African distributors – The Yenati example
[bctt tweet=”I felt the need to become known in my region before moving to West or East African countries @tinnasusan” via=”no”] The first step Tinna-Susan Mereki took towards building her network of distributors was to reach out to a friend. Tinna-Susan is the founder of Yenati Fragrances and Yenati Brand Communications. Driven by her passion to promote authentic African brands, she has successfully managed to design and develop a cosmetics brand that provides the highest quality products at the most competitive price. Yenati Fragrances also fosters philanthropic work. They offer business starter packs to financially challenged single mothers or widows through their distributor network. Also, they have a programme where fragrance packages are given to students from poor homes who have done exceptionally well throughout the year. Tinna-Susan has built a network of over a 150 distributors for Yenati Fragrances in the Southern African region in a space of a year. Curious to know how to build your own network of distributors? Look no further, Tinna-Susan willingly shares advice from her experience. Reaching out to your networks It was through an acquaintance that Tinna-Susan started building her network of distributors. “[My friend] became interested in the business after seeing me post my products on Facebook. I told her I could supply her with stock and she could help me distribute my products. She took it on and after selling my products for a while, I persuaded her to connect her other friends to join my company. It was not difficult to convince her because she was happy with my products. I offered an incentive of a cash payout for every distributor she connected.” Tinna-Susan then started to repeat the process with other distributors and slowly her network started to grow. Choosing the countries to start in Tinna-Susan was born in Masvingo, Zimbabwe and was raised between Zimbabwe and South Africa. So when deciding which African countries she wanted to work in, she just went with what was familiar. “I decided to work in Zimbabwe first, being my home country, I felt I could manoeuvre my way around the nation. I knew the trade secrets, the ins and outs, the market and the competition. “This enabled me to set up my business with ease. My next target was South Africa, as it is the country of my residence. Other SADC countries followed as I felt the need to become well known in my region before moving up to West African or East African countries.” Namibia, South Africa and Tanzania have opened up their doors to Yenati and they have been doing business in these countries consistently. Tinna-Susan also gets a lot of enquiries from countries like Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Kenya. Always up for growth, she is hoping to start building networks in those countries soon. [bctt tweet=”Want to sell your brand across Africa? Find out how @tinnasusan does it with Yenati brands” via=”no”] How to build your own network of African distributors in a year Yenati style For Tinna-Susan, the biggest tool in building Yenati’s distributors was increasing her online presence (as a business of course). Facebook alone helped her reach audiences and networks in a short space of time. “Through their “targeted reach ads” I was able to expand and stretch my advertising and select audiences based on language, gender, location, workplace or even profile keywords. I also noticed that people like to follow brands that have a good image. After I started to take care of my brand identity, people started to notice my products more. My products started to receive a lot of attention.” Another important step is to keep in touch with your network, customer care is of utmost importance. Constant communication is also key, Tinna-Susan speaks to her Yenati distributors through Whatsapp groups almost daily. “I help them with sales and marketing techniques, and I help them advertise their business by creating ads for them on our pages. I call them business partners as opposed to distributors as I believe they are partnering with me in building the Yenati brand. My business partners are very important to me and I always try to remind them of how valuable they are to the business. When they are happy and content, they begin to grow the market themselves and I always encourage them to build sales teams.” [bctt tweet=”@tinnasusan calls her distributors business partners as they’re partners in building her brand” via=”no”] Building an African entrepreneurial dream Tinna-Susan believes that the most successful Africans in future will be the ones that master the ability to partner with other Africans. “The minute we reach beyond race, tribe, and national borders, we will tap into the explosive potential of this continent. I am all about building the African dream, and it begins with us. “The dream where we trade with each other and remove border restrictions between nations, and become the United States of Africa. Where we use our countries’ natural wealth for the benefit and development of Africans as opposed to funding overseas companies. “The dream where we do not hate each other as Africans and do not kill each other through xenophobic attacks. The dream where we live in peace, harmony and pride ourselves in products made by Africans for Africans, as Dr. Strive Masiyiwa once put it, “We value Africanisation”. All the wealth comes from Africa and yet we are classified as ‘Third World’. We need to change to the ball game.” [bctt tweet=”Successful Africans will be the ones that master the ability to partner with other Africans @tinnasusan ” via=”no”] Four lessons learned from distributing Finally, I asked Tinna-Susan the four lessons she’s learned from distributing Yenati across Southern Africa. Here’s what she shared; Put measures that protect the brand and business. “I have had my fingers burnt through over-trusting.” she says. Always be innovative as they are other similar products on the market. You always have to find ways to remain competitive and relevant with eminence. Be accommodating. “I have learnt
Why review your business accounts?
[bctt tweet=”The bookkeeping records are the mirror that you look into to know how your business is performing” via=”no”] The ultimate goal of a business is to make money for the entrepreneur. On the way to attaining this goal, there are many things that you must do in your business which includes, producing the service or product, selling, managing your customers and keeping financial records. Record keeping sometimes referred to as bookkeeping is an integral part of a business and these records are the mirror that you look into to know how your business is performing.Once you have your records in place, the next important step is to use them to improve your business. This entails pouring through the numbers to understand the patterns and trends that the records reveal. For you as an entrepreneur, there are two reasons why you want to go over your business accounts; To check that they are accurate; reviewing your accounts allows you to make sure they give a fair reflection of the state of your business, which will help to highlight any weaknesses and areas for improvement, for example, you will be able to note the missing records, vouch estimates used and even assess how stock is being managed. To compare performance; when accounts are compared with previous years or with your competitors, they can show unique trends and help you learn from other businesses in a similar position to yours. Business accounts should be reviewed at least every quarter. [bctt tweet=”Reviewing your accounts allows you to make sure they give a fair reflection of the state of your business” via=”no”] What to look out for There are some important things to look out for when reviewing accounts. On the income statement check whether the business has made a profit in the year and whether revenue or costs has gone up or down compared with the previous year? The balance sheet will tell stories about how much money is in the bank. Remember, from the Cash is King article, we discussed why money should be available. The balance sheet will also gauge whether cash levels are moving in line with profit? On the balance sheet, you will be able to note if the stock level is reasonable and also whether there are any big payments due soon in terms of loan repayment or large invoices. When analysing business accounts, ensure there is nothing that is obviously missing and use ratios to help you to compare and contrast the performances of businesses. Comparisons can be made internally with past performance or budgeted results or externally with competitors or industry averages. It is good practice for the accounts to be independently reviewed and you can one or more of the following people to do this on your behalf: Any person other than yourself An accountant or An auditor In our ‘Reviewing Financial Accounts’ guide, you’ll find a section on key ratios for analysing business performance. It will provide you more information on how to go about reviewing your accounts. Download our guide on reviewing financial accounts here. Photo credit: Caldera Gem