Everlyn Nguku: Textile design and fashion technology is amazingly dynamic
[bctt tweet=”Meet Everlyn Nguku the woman setting Africa on a new journey toward advanced textile manufacturing” via=”no”] Everlyn Nguku is one of Kenya’s few and little-known textile scientists. She was more of the artsy type growing up. But while she was in University studying fine arts, her interest shifted to a more scientific angle. Unbeknown to her at the time, this shift in interest would catapult Everlyn to establish East Africa’s first silk quality control laboratory, and set Sub-Saharan Africa on a new journey toward advanced textile manufacturing. What exactly does a textile scientist do? A textile scientist specialises in various areas including; new technologies related to fibres, innovative textiles; textile chemistry, polymer and fibre science, processing, fabric development, quality issues among others. Textiles are multidisciplinary in nature. How did you come across this as a career? I did not start out as a Textile Scientist. I studied Fine Arts for my first degree and looked forward to a career in teaching design or design related activities (I am the “creative” in the family). However, as I studied my course, my passion for fabric and pattern shifted to fabric construction. I was intrigued and keen to understand the technical aspects of fibres and fabric. I then did my masters and the study focused on four natural textile fibres. This was the beginning of my journey with silk and science at International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE). I began to look at textiles beyond the design element. My Ph.D. focused on silk properties. I had to understand the science behind the silkworm that produces the silk, processing technology and quality of the resulting fibre. You are researching on the African Silkworm; tell us a bit about that? My work actually revolves around the domesticated silkworm Bombyx mori, although there are several commercial species of silkworms. B. mori is the most widely used for silk production; it is reared indoors and feeds on the mulberry leaves. This activity is referred to as sericulture, which is the practice of raisings silkworms to produce raw silk- the yarn obtained from cocoons spun by the worms. I take an interdisciplinary approach and multi-faceted research of silk that focuses on optimizing silkworm rearing techniques, and cocoon production, with a key focus on fibre quality and value addition initiatives for the production of various quality silk products. The research explores the mechanical behaviors of the silk fibre, which are key building blocks in the production of quality silk fabric. We also design silk fibre testing procedures to assess and systematically study the quality factor, tenacity & elongation, friction and wear traits. How many women are involved in this research? Within the institution, I am working with five female technicians who undertake rearing of the silkworms and processing of the cocoons and raw silk. A textile industry needs more professionals who understand the science and the business sense in manufacturing and processing the raw material, how can Africa tap into this? The industry is labour intensive and has the potential to offer significant employment opportunities. There is a need to equally invest in the skills and qualifications of people and promote the technical qualifications for people in the textile and apparel industries. African Universities do offer degrees and masters in textile design and fashion technology. What can be done to ensure that more of these graduates become the backbone of this industry? This sector in Africa is amazingly dynamic; however, it appears to be fragmented. Consequently, its potential remains largely unexploited possibly due to organizational weaknesses within the industry. In order to integrate graduates into the industry, there is a need for governments within the continent to prioritize the sector, unlock the potential, overcome existing problems of the textile industry and address issues that hinder the growth of the manufacturing industry. This strengthens and improves the entire textile industry and value chain for it to be competitive and remain relevant. In addition, possibly review the rules on textile imports especially the influx of cheaper clothing which seem to hamper the local industry in Africa. The industry should also recognize the potential of textile design and fashion technology graduates and the dynamisms they inject into the growth of the commerce and therefore need to nurture and engage this local talent. Some of the challenges you face revolve around ignorance and general disregard of research from a policy level. How are you pushing to get more attention on this issue and more government investment and commitment to grow the textile industry in Kenya? I am a member of Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) Technical Committee on Blankets, Nonwovens, Threads, and Fibres. This is a forum that presents an opportunity to interact with the main industry stakeholders on issues related to textiles, standards and to an extent policy. Who would win in a fight, Wonder Woman or Black Widow? Hmmm…I had to look up the Black Widow…. didn’t know much about her ? All the same, my take is Wonder Woman. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
How to build a daily culture of rest (The rest rituals of the rich)
[bctt tweet=”We live, work and play, burning out and hoping for resuscitation over the holidays” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I learnt that we do not have a culture of rest in our society and holidays reveal that for me personally. We live, work and play, burning out and hoping for resuscitation over the holidays. You can’t put your wellness on the line for 350 days and hope that in 2 weeks you can snap back! We need to build a ritual of rest, all successful people have some type of ritual that involves treating their bodies with care, so perhaps this is one you can adopt. Last year, I started reading “Thrive” by Arianna Huffington, but I stopped because I felt that Arianna was telling people to slow down on work after she had sold her business for $315 million to AOL! I was like “let me do that first and then I will rest!” But this holiday I dusted off my copy of “Thrive” and reread it to find some daily rituals I can practice going into the year! Here are my top 5 rest rituals I am challenging myself with this year. 1) Quality sleep: 7-8 Hours a night As an entrepreneur that works from home, it is very difficult to unplug and go to sleep, especially towards the end of the month. The Harvard Medical School’s Division of Sleep Medicine states, “sleep deprivation negatively impacts our mood, our ability to focus, and our ability to access higher level cognitive functions: the combination of these factors is what we generally refer to as mental performance.” Therefore, to be smarter, you have to sleep more; not less! In this instance, I encourage that we sleep our way to the top! Now sleeping isn’t getting into bed and scrolling through time feeds until you fall asleep, you need to completely shut down before you get into the bed and be prepared for sleep. Here are a few things you can do to cross over into la-la land: Make your bedroom darker (use lamps or candles) and keep it cool; Practice deeper breathing before bed (I’ve tried this, it does work) Banish all LCD screens from the bedroom at night (cellphone- charge it in the lounge and buy an alarm clock, laptops, TV, tablet) Get a nice set of pyjamas, instead of a t-shirt, that will excite you to get into bed. 2) The power nap If you decide to nap, you are actually in good company with the likes of former US President John F Kennedy, inventor Thomas Edison, and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Their naps would vary from 20 minutes to 2 hours and even up to 6 hours! The most bizarre nap I have heard of is that of Salvadore Dali, the artist, who would nap for 1 second! He called it “slumber with a key” where he would sit in a chair, holding a key and place a plate on the floor so that when he fell asleep the key would fall onto the plate and wake him up! Allegedly Albert Einstein did the same, so it may be worth a try! Slumber is the key! Side note: These are all men, can we take up the challenge of becoming famous women nappers??!! [bctt tweet=”Consider a 30-day social media hiatus at least once every 6 months” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 3) Unplugging We live in a hyper connected world where we probably know more about whats going on around us than we do whats going on inside us. I did not think I was addicted to social media until I watched Simon Sinek’s talk on Millennials in the Workplace, which you can see here. A warning, do not watch this video if you aren’t ready to make some changes, I was not ready! I strongly recommend a 30-day social media hiatus at least once every 6 months. 4) Minimalism This is a concept I came across recently, so I am also learning! Minimalism is about owning exactly the right things, for you and your needs, and no more than that, so that you then have more time, energy, and resources (including money) to spend on the important stuff. Stuff costs money and it takes up a lot of space -a lack of both can lead to stress- which does not help to rest! Living with less is not just about getting rid of junk and making extra cash from selling your hoarded items. It is about living with passion and purpose and less about living for things. I have read about people living with just 50 items and up to 300 items. It’s about frequently asking the question, ” Does this serve a purpose in my life?” [bctt tweet=”Living with less is living with passion and purpose” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 5) Quiet time Call it whatever you want, meditation or prayer or power hour or stillness. Whatever word you decide to use. We all need at least 5 minutes or an hour to connect with our source of wisdom and power. I personally use this time to read my Bible and pray. Binge watching series, Netflix, and chill are not resting or recuperating, at best it is escapism. I think implementing each or one of these simple steps on a daily basis will allow us to cultivate a culture of self-care, taking rest daily instead of waiting for the next holidays. What are some of your tips?
4 principles to follow for a meaningful career
[bctt tweet=”How do you actually find meaning and purpose in your career? Start here ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] We all aspire to find meaning and purpose in our careers, whatever our line of work maybe, but the question is how do you actually do that? I feel like somewhat of an expert on the topic having explored different fields of study from Physics to European studies. In addition to that, I have considered going into the business world but eventually ending up working in development. I do feel that the work I do now is more in line with my long-term goal which is to work in the intersection of educational development and girls/women’s issues. Had I taken the time to ask myself some key questions years ago and really try to answer them based on a true understanding of my want, needs, and aspirations, I may have arrived at this finding a long time ago. Through this post, I’d like to share with you some practical steps you can take to make sure that you don’t stay stuck in a career that’s not meant for you but rather you are empowered to find a career that allows you to do the things you genuinely care most about. 1. Define what “meaningful” looks like to you Conventional wisdom may indicate that a meaningful and successful career is one that brings loads of money, recognition, and fame. And maybe that is true for some people, but is that true for you? You need to take a moment of self-reflection and truly consider what a meaningful career looks like for you and how that fits into the context of a meaningful life. Personally, when trying to decide what a meaningful career looked like, I tried to consider how my intended career weighed against the following factors: legacy, mastery, freedom, and alignment Legacy Look at the list of things you will have to achieve on this job and ask yourself if these are things you enjoy doing and can see yourself doing for an extended period of time. It’s not always going to be rainbows and roses, and so even on the mundane days, you have to ask yourself if you would be willing to stick it out). Are you creative and like to think outside the box? Do you like to follow rules and preserve order? How well do you handle uncertainty? Do you like being told what to do or do you prefer to be left to your own devices most of the time? Are you good at convincing others to do things or do you prefer to let the numbers do the talking? Will your career allow you achieve the things you want to professionally while allowing you to stay true to yourself? Mastery Make a list of all the things you know you kick-ass at and totally dominate. Are you a good writer, speaker, convener, motivator, team player, thinker? Does the career you’ve chosen put you in a position where you can display your mastery of these skills? Are there other skills that you have a feeling that if given the opportunity to do so you could master easily? Would this career afford you that opportunity? [bctt tweet=”Does the career you’ve chosen put you in a position to display your mastery of your skills? ” via=”no”] Freedom I think we all know intuitively what this means. Whatever career you choose, it’s going to come with some constraints i.e. salary, benefits, vacation days, perks, how much you get to travel etc. When you imagine yourself living your best and freest life, what does this look like? Will this career allow you to achieve that vision of freedom that you have? Alignment When it comes to alignment, the question you have to ask yourself is whether your chosen career is in line with your personal values and the type of work culture that you value. This requires a bit of research and digging to find accounts from people who have worked there. For instance, a company might be well-known for fostering creativity but also condoning a culture of misogyny (Uber anyone?). You need to be able to determine for yourself whether the culture that exists is one you see yourself fitting into seamlessly or whether it is one where you are willing to change to adapt to. 2. Think long term Thanks to advances in modern medicine, people are living longer which means that for our generation, retirement age is probably going to increase. Chances are whatever career you do commit to you’re going to be in it for a long time. So rather than thinking “What job do I want right now”, think “What life do I want 50 years from now”. And then find the career that fits into that. Find a career that you can see yourself doing 10, 20, 30 years from now. One that excites you and you feel will have room to allow you to grow in the direction of your long-term goals. [bctt tweet=”Think about the life you want 50 years from now and find a career that fits into that ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 3. Be honest about your finances One of the main reasons that people stay stuck in a job or career that they don’t love is because of money. Either the money is too good to leave or the money is so bad they can’t afford to leave. But know this, you deserve to find a career that you find meaningful and fulfilling. So start today, start with what you have and create a “financial cushion” that will enable you to get started on that journey towards career bliss and psychological freedom. Make a budget and stick to it, give yourself a timeline, start exploring other opportunities and when the time is right, make your grand exit and follow your dreams. 4. Give time some time No one likes to hear this, but things take time and as the saying goes “Rome wasn’t
Caron Williams: The hip-hop maven behind The Plug Magazine
[bctt tweet=”It’s a balancing act offering our audience what they want to read & what we feel is an important story” via=”no”] By now, everyone in the industry knows the lovely Caron Williams. Hailing from Cape Town, this beauty has been in the creative industry for years and has now added “Editor” to her resume. The Plug, the new and freshest hip-hop online magazine has really changed the game in such a short amount of time. The Plug gives you the need to know and the latest on all things hip-hop, fashion and urban culture –locally and abroad. This magazine has been an incredible platform, giving us in-depth insight into our favourite local and international artists in a fresh and innovative way. As a young Black woman, Caron is breaking the barriers of a male-dominated industry, paving the way for young creatives. Having turned her knack for hip-hop into an incredible publication, Caron has clearly become a powerhouse in the making, in her own right. In this short interview, Caron gives a sneak peek into how she grew the magazine, being a woman in the industry and what the future holds. What inspired you to start The Plug? I’ve always been incredibly passionate about hip hop, urban culture and fashion and becoming an Editor has always been my dream. The Plug Mag was the brainchild of 6th Avenue Group, they approached me regarding becoming the Editor of their online publication before it was founded and I agreed. Have you found that being a woman in the industry has proven to be difficult? If so, what kind of setbacks do you have? Being a black woman in any male-dominated industry definitely comes with immense challenges, but the truth is, the game is hard for everyone. You have to be tough to be in this industry and willing to put up a fight every day. Regardless of your gender, if you don’t know who you are, aren’t clear about your vision and aren’t willing to put in the work, the game will chew you up and spit you out. I’m not fazed by being a woman in this industry because I can hold my own against the best in the game and this is only the start. I want to be the best and I’m going to be the best, no stereotype about by gender will deter that. [bctt tweet=”The reception is inspiring & shows the SA hip hop community is hungry for powerful content” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I know that you also have a knack for fashion, can we see a publication of the sort from you again soon? Anna Wintour and the late Franca Sozzani are my idols. Fashion has always been my first love and a passion I’d love to return to. Establishing my own fashion publication is something I definitely aspire to do one day and the success of The Plug Mag is essential for me to reach that point. South Africa has such incredible designers and fashion talent, which deserves to be celebrated. Speaking of fashion, what are your must-have items this season? Definitely my camo bomber, Army green overall, deep maroon lip colour and a great pair of boots. The publication has grown tremendously this past year – how has that been for you and your team? It’s been a thrilling experience. It started off as a passion project from a group of creatives who truly love hip-hop, fashion and the culture as a whole, so to see how much it has grown and resonated with people is truly incredible. We have so much we still plan to do with The Plug because we truly want to transform the local urban cultural landscape, so the response has been encouraging. On a personal level, it has been a challenging but fulfilling experience. How is the future looking for The Plug? Any chance you will switch to a print publication? We have so many exciting plans for The Plug Mag. We’re immensely ambitious with our plans. Watch this space… [bctt tweet=”Editor, @CaronWilliams_ chats with us about how The Plug is transforming the local urban cultural landscape” via=”no”] As a woman in a male-dominated industry (hip-hop), you have basically become the answer for consumers who want to know more about what’s happening in the industry, how does that feel for you? It’s an interesting position. It’s always a balancing act offering our audience what they want to read and what we feel is an important story that needs to be shared with the culture. The reception to the content we’ve put out has been very inspiring and demonstrated that the SA hip hop community is hungry for powerful and engrossing content. What advice do you have for people who want to start their own thing? Passion is the foundation of any great venture; it’s what drives you when things get challenging. You truly need to have a clear vision of what you’re trying to achieve and how you plan on doing so. You have to understand that great projects and brands take the time to build and that you have to be in it for the long haul. Over and above everything, you really just have to work hard and put in the hours. Outwork everyone, study the game, study your peers and become versed in the industry you’re trying to penetrate. You also have to surround yourself with people who are as passionate and driven as you are, and people who have been in the game longer than you have been so you can learn from them. Be realistic about what you want to achieve; people are often very idealistic about startups. Even if it’s what you’re passionate about, it’s still going to be hard work. Build a network, sell people on your vision and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. [bctt tweet=”Build a network, sell people on your vision and don’t be afraid to make mistakes” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Which songs do you currently have on repeat? I’ve had Mick
Dr Kel: The Healthertainer
[bctt tweet=”I can proudly say that the word ‘healthertainer’ is from me – Dr. Kel @Healthertainer ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] If you do not know Dr. Kel on social media, I really wonder where you have been. She is the vibrant young lady who provides medical information in a fun and catchy way on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. SLA contributor Ugochi got talking with her and she shared about her journey. Dr. Kel bagged her M.B.B.S Degree from Imo State University in 2014, did her Internship Program at 445, Nigerian Airforce Hospital, Ikeja Lagos and served at the Government House Clinic, Lokoja, Kogi state. And of course, she was retained there after the completion of her NYSC. Who wouldn’t retain such a bundle of talents? Let’s meet her! How did you evolve to be this social media phenomenon? I had always had a flair for entertainment and social media and I got involved in a few entertainment activities while in school. I was always active on social media ( HI5, Facebook, Myspace, Tagged, Keek) and it was all for fun until medical school got really serious and I had to disappear for a while. After I graduated, I had more time for the internet but this time I didn’t want it to be just for fun, I wanted to educate people on basic health issues, add more value and impact lives with my social media presence. I thought about starting a health platform where I would teach health and health related topics but I wanted to do something different from the norm. This meant health information delivery in the most entertaining and relatable fashion possible and this birthed the word: Healthertainer, a perfect blend of health and entertainment. I can proudly say that the first mention of the word “Healthertainer” on the digital media space was from me. [bctt tweet=”I didn’t want social media to be just for fun, I wanted to educate people on basic health issues” via=”no”] Asides being a doctor, what else do you do? (Chuckles) Please don’t call me Jack of all trades after I am done with this question. Lol. I have a registered start-up company which is a consulting agency that offers services to non-governmental organizations and organizations alike. We organize themed events, creating concepts and originating ideas for these events as well as supervising/implementing them. Serving in Kogi State provided a fertile platform for my startup to thrive. During my service year, I handled a couple of successful projects which were really innovative and outstanding in the state. “The Preemie Walk & Talk” for Tiny Beating Hearts Initiative, to celebrate World Prematurity Day, “Governor Yahaya Bello Walk For Peace” for Youths For Peace And Security Nigeria, to celebrate the 365 Days in Office of the Executive Governor of Kogi State “Annual Medical Outreach” for Ogori Grand Progressives Initiative, to celebrate the Ovia Osese Festival in Ogori Community, Kogi State The above is my offline hustle. On social media, I have another “workshop”. I am a Digital Media Strategist and a Social Media Influencer. I focus mainly on Medico-Social issues and trending topics which appeal to my target audience and I turn it into educational viral content which I push from my social media platforms. I have quite a robust platform with over 36,000 followers on Instagram, over 8,000 on Twitter who are interested in Health. I ride on these platforms to further promote my clients’ products and services. [bctt tweet=”It’s not an easy endeavour combining medicine and other side hustles @Healthertainer” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How do you manage all the causes you’re involved with, work and your health platform? Truth be told it’s not an easy endeavour combining Medicine and other side “hustles”. Nonetheless the key elements of determination and focus have helped me achieve the height I am at the moment and keeps driving me towards the future. My primary focus is on my clinic duties (for now, until I blow, lol). In between seeing patients, I find time to work on my proposals, clients orders, concept generation, idea expansions and content for my page. It is all about “balance”. I remember when I was working on my first CSR Project – #HepFreeZone last year. I somehow managed to find time to solicit for funds, plan and carry the event whilst doing my 9am – 6pm routine. Phew! Same with the projects I carried out for my clients and the outcome for each of these projects were commendable, I must add. I am currently working on another project which will kick off any moment from now, and I know I’ll have to work my magic somehow to find time in between work or after work to do all the necessary things. You seem to run all these smoothly? “Smoothly,” you say? Wow. I take that as a compliment because most times I am all over the place and forgetting somethings I should have gotten done or neglecting some others. “Smoothly” isn’t quite the word, but somehow I manage to get it all done eventually. I sit back after each feat and I wonder how I pulled it off. Truth be told it’s not an easy endeavour combining medicine and other side “pieces”, but we have to try. Let’s talk about social media, how important is it to business today? Oh yes! Social media has its perks. It is an effective tool for business as it helps you grow an audience and prospective clients. However, every entrepreneur has to be wary of “false impressions”. You need to target your audience and reach prospective clients/consumers. Sometimes it is not about the number of followers you have, but the quality of followers. Make sure you are reaching out to the right people. Not just the “spectators” and “consumers” but also the investors and prospective clients. Social media has given me a lot of exposure. People can easily follow my works and share them thereby expanding my network of followers. Social media has also provided me a cheaper and
Bessie Duke-Odu: The Flair Hair Academy was born out of my refusal to rest on my oars
[bctt tweet=”Africa has come of age and needs to get industrialized hence sharing my expertise through the Academy” via=”no”] Bessie Duke-Odu is the Proprietress and Lead Posticheur at Flair Hair Academy (Nigeria’s foremost Human Hair Academy). With a degree in Microbiology, she started off merchandising human hair and hair accessories and in 2010. The Bessie consciously decided to delve further into the research, manufacturing procedures and processes of human hair. She is Korean-trained by the renowned John Korea Hair School in South Korea. Bessie has also acquired degrees from various institutions in Germany, the United States, China and the United Kingdom. Bessie Duke-Odu is also a World Bank Scholar, an alumna of the prestigious Enterprise Development Centre (PAN-ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY), a professional member of the Complementary Therapist Association (UK) and is listed in the Embody Magazine UK as a qualified service provider. Can you tell us what most people don’t know about you? Hmm…that’s a broad one. Over the top of my head, I’d say my tenacity. I rarely give up on things or people. I’d rather buy furniture from IKEA where I can lay the manual out flat, assemble the bolts and every other fitting accessory and work my way to the finished look. You have a degree in Microbiology, why did you go into merchandising human hair and hair accessories? Now, that sounds like two extremes but I guess I naturally flowed to my inherent side. As early as when I was 8-9 years old, I could weave hair and I picked that up by just watching. At the time when I started merchandising, running the hair and accessories enterprise gave me the ample time to tend my new baby and adjust to motherhood without the pressures of a paid 9-5 whilst still being economically viable. What lead you to start Flair Hair Academy? Flair Hair Academy was born out of my refusal to rest on my oars, challenging status quo as it were. Essentially with the knowledge acquired over time, floating a range of wholly made in Nigeria hairline would’ve been exclusive to me. But Africa has come of age and needs to get industrialized hence sharing my expertise through the Academy. What’s one thing about your industry that you didn’t expect before getting into it? As the progenitor in this, it has its first mover advantages as well as disadvantages. Acquiring knowledge has been hugely capital intensive. Nonetheless, every accomplishment begins with the decision to try as successful self-actualization lies just outside your comfort zone. [bctt tweet=”Every accomplishment begins with the decision to try – Bessie Duke-Odu” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] You’ve been trained in South Korea, China, Germany, and the United States, can you tell us a bit about that and why you decided to choose these countries? Absolutely, I realize that knowledge is power but it takes my enthusiasm to keep pulling that switch. From my research, I discovered that Korea played a huge role during the early years of world industrialization especially after wig making moved to the East. All the named countries have what is unique to them and I am glad to give enrollees a good mix. As an ardent learner, I never restrict my self-development to capital or anything else. I would rather trade in my phone or other paraphernalia to learn a new skill than to walk around with all of that unskilled. I also recognize that going to YouTube to feed off all sorts is an option but I made a conscious and informed decision to research and invest; knowing that a small amount of knowledge can mislead people into thinking that they are more expert than they really are. [bctt tweet=”I’d trade in my phone to learn a new skill than to walk around with all of that unskilled” via=”no”] What kinds of services do you offer? Our bailiwick is in training, handing down well-researched hair manufacturing skills to people who value their development. We train people on how to set up mini hair factories, improve existing salon services, upscale human hair businesses from just buying and selling to production capacity thus reducing to the barest minimum importation on finished hair goods into the country/continent. We also offer contract manufacturing to hair vendors. Our courses include Machine Wefting, Wig Making, Human Hair Texturing, Hackling, Wig posting, Preparation of raw hair, Handtied Wefting, Human Hair Processing and Human Hair dyeing. We have an upcoming Wig Making Workshop this July and enrollees will learn the history of Postiche, how to ventilate a closure, frontal, full wigs, create templates, lace repairs and so on, all from scratch. We help them develop their value proposition and build a sustainable business model canvas. At Flair Hair Acamedy, we have had enrollees from Cameroon, Kenya and within Nigeria. Practically anyone (novice or hair guru) can go through our training and learn the ropes effectively. What do you think makes Flair Hair Academy different from others? Simply put, our resolve for greatness and constantly outdoing ourselves. What movie did you watch recently that stood out to you? Aww…. Definitely “Me Before You”. I teared up and got very emotional. It is a must watch. Look for it! Sponsored post
Mbali Zondo: Surround yourself with people who you admire
[bctt tweet=”Do your homework before networking. Make sure you have introduced yourself to the host if you can” via=”no”] PR doyenne turned award-winning director Ava Duvernay famously said: “when you’re in your lane there’s no traffic”. Mbali Zondo’s remarkable career journey is a testament to this truth. She continues to cement her place in the world of public relations having worked on global brands such as Apple and Clinique. She does it all with the kind of poise, humility and grace attendant with royalty. Her enthusiasm for people and technology and how they all come together to direct meaningful conversations about brands through public relations is truly inspiring. She has walked the graduation stage 3 times for disciplines such as marketing and communications from prestigious institutions such as the University of Pretoria. Not even 30 yet, she continues to startle her peers with her forward thinking approach to creating lasting brand legacies in the digital space. She has the determination, grit, and power to continue to be a game changer in the PR world. Success is not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ and Mbali defines this her own way, through her individual journey. In her work, she continues to remind us all that reputation matters, and that building big brands require long-term, strategic thinking, and a little PR magic. Why did you choose P.R as a career path? Growing up, I did not know what PR was, let alone that it could be done as a career choice. All I know was that I wanted to express my creativity and be amongst interesting people at events. I’m a visual person and I wanted to be featured in magazines or to work with people who worked for magazines. What are two of the most important lessons you’ve learnt about yourself through your career journey? Trust your skills but don’t be afraid to improve on them in order to be recognised as an expert in your field. Surround yourself with people who you admire because this forces you to raise the bar when it comes to excellence. Tell us about a professional situation when the odds were against you, and how you overcame this? Part of PR is organising media events. I remember organising an annual lifestyle event and the whole event was scheduled to be outside. This event was scheduled for the end of September and I didn’t take into account that the summer rains in Joburg start at that exact time of the month. As fate would have it, there was rain predicted for the whole day for the day of the event. I overcame this situation because, with my background with having had used many suppliers before, I was able to call a supplier who gave me a personal referral to a supplier who puts up stretch tents. Due to having that personal relationship, I was able to negotiate to have the stretch tent set up and ready a day before the rain hit Johannesburg. Needless to say, my team was very impressed that I could think on my feet and get a quick turnaround time with a new supplier. [bctt tweet=”Success is not a ‘one-size- fits-all’. Success is subjective” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] If your life were a movie title what would this be? Mad Max (with Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron). This movie highlights determination, grit, and power in an unexpected and challenging situation. Although battered and bruised in the end, Charlize’s character comes out victorious and succeeded in her mission. What does sisterhood mean to you? To me, sisterhood means uplifting other women and sisters without feeling envious of the other woman’s gift or talent. It’s about supporting each other beyond our backgrounds and standing up for one another. What do you know now, that you wish you knew 5 years ago? I wish I had known 5 years ago that everyone has a unique path for a reason and that achieving success is not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ shoe size. Success is subjective. I also wish I had known that financial literacy is important and that saving up to buy a house is a long process. For those who find networking daunting, what are 3 tips you can share? When it comes to networking if you can take a friend, do so because networking becomes easier when you do it with someone you know and feel comfortable with. When you are comfortable, networking becomes easier. Share your professional contact details with new connections and stay in touch with them when you can. They will appreciate your efforts of investing in the relationship. Do your homework before networking. Try and find out who will be on the guest list so you can initiate conversations with people who may have mutual interests with you. Also, familiarise yourself with the purpose of the event and make sure you have introduced yourself to the host if you can as [bctt tweet=”Trust your skills but don’t be afraid to improve on them” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What skills should every P.R professional have in their “bag of tricks”? Writing: Every PR Professional needs to be able to write as you will often find yourself in situations where you need to write content, messaging documents etc. Be prepared. Presentation skills: You need to be able to present ideas or host an event with media, therefore, learning how to present is crucial to PR. Adaptability: PR is an industry that changes often and as much as you can be organised, sometimes, not everything goes according to plan. A good PR professional needs to be able to adapt accordingly to any situation to remain relevant and resilient. What is your morning get up and go song? It has to be Nina Simone: Four Women. This song gives me the confidence to start the week. What are your plans for the next 5 years professionally? Over the next 5 years, I’d like to do the following: Be featured in the 40 under 40 Forbes list. Complete a Master’s degree in Creative Brand Leadership. Travel
5 things to do to get the corner office
[bctt tweet=”Working your way up the corporate ladder? Take a look at how to get there with ease!” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] After reading the book, “Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office 101” by Lois P. Frankel, I felt it was only best to share some of the best tips that I learnt from this book! The book offers a bunch of no-no’s that we tend to overlook but actually, play a huge role in our professional careers. As Black women, it is already an uphill battle as it is! We all know the steps we need to take to be successful, but how about we look at it from a different angle? Let’s take a look at what a Motherland Mogul should NOT be doing in order to reach the top. 1. Asking permission It should be clear to people from the get go that you do not need approval from anybody! Go after what you want and be confident. If you are asking for permission, especially for simple things, you downplay the position you are in to make decisions. Instead of asking your boss, “May I work from home today?” rather say, “I will be working from home today, I will be available via email or cell”. This shows that it is important for your boss to be informed, yet you can make your own decisions when it comes to yourself and your work. 2. Needing to be liked Everybody wants to be liked and it can play a huge role in your success but, you have to strike a balance. If you are overly concerned with being liked, that means you are easily swayed by stronger personalities. I was thrown into an industry I knew nothing about. I knew I was capable of doing the job, but I felt I needed to be liked because it was my first time at the rodeo. I became a “yes” woman and ended up doing other people’s work. I learnt that I need to stand my ground – new or not. Not having a backbone meant that nobody was giving the respect I deserved, but at the same time, I was not showing anybody that I deserved it because I wanted to be liked so badly! [bctt tweet=”Click here to see what you should NOT be doing to reach success in the office. ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 3. Holding your tongue Society has been conditioned to believe that if a woman is being assertive, she is being a bitch and many women do not speak up as a result. This happens not only at work but in our personal spaces too. A friend of mine told me about a superior who shoots down all her ideas, yet uses them as his own in important meetings to take all the credit. She let this happen for a while, but this made her realize that her boss is only stunting her growth in the long run. My friend kept all her ideas to herself until it was time to brainstorm in a meeting. She received some great feedback and because of all the great work she put in over time, she was promoted. This also allowed her to gain the respect of her superior, keeping him from stealing any of her ideas! It is ok to disagree, and being assertive means people will respect you, not walk all over you. 4. Minimizing your work or position Women tend to downplay their positions at work. Often you will hear, “Oh, I’m just a secretary, nothing special”. This is wrong! Whether you are a secretary or manager, each position plays a role in the growth of the company you work for. My new transition into the finance industry was not the easiest as I learnt about everything from scratch. This made me downplay my role when people asked “what do you do?”, I just wanted to avoid the topic completely because I was ashamed of the fact that I was not in the field that I worked hard and studied for. People did not take my expertise seriously because of this. I taught myself to snap out of that habit and acknowledge the fact that I am amazing at what I do and I should be proud of it. If you act like your job is not serious, then people will not take you seriously. [bctt tweet=”Check out how these office faux pas can stop a #MotherlandMogul from getting that corner office.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 5. Failing to define your brand Personal branding is all the rage, and for good reason! Ask yourself how you want people to see you, what your expertise is and what you want to be known for. You may be working in finance, but ultimately you want to be a writer. What are you doing to make sure that people know you as a writer? What are you bringing to the table to make sure your expertise is communicated well? Ask yourself these questions. A lot of people make you feel like you should be following one path. But as a Motherland Mogul, it’s ok to be a jack of all trades or take on many interests. Show people what you got and you’re well on your way to success.
Bookkeeping for dummies
[bctt tweet=”Bookkeeping is an important skill to have when you’re starting your business” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] One thing that you quickly learn when you start your business is that you’ll have to handle every aspect of it; from marketing your products, hiring your employees and most importantly getting a handle of your accounts. It is therefore important that you get a good understanding of the basic set of accounts for any business, how they relate to each other and how the different actions you take are represented in your books. The more your business grows the more complex it becomes and at that point, you might want to consider getting yourself some professional help. In this Forbes article, the writer talks about what you need to know about the 10% of start-ups that succeed. One of the things he talks about is making sure you understand the ‘’boring’’ stuff about your business. It is so easy to get carried away by the more interesting aspects of your business and forget to handle the less interesting but many times the most important aspects of your business. One of these is the accounting. What we are going to do here is to give you a basic introduction to the business accounting concepts that you need to understand as you run your business. Don’t be worried about whether or not you have an accounting degree, these are things you can do with your eyes closed. [bctt tweet=”Every business transaction is an exchange of one thing for another” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Double entry: All business transactions have a double effect on the accounts Every business transaction is an exchange of one thing for another. This is the basis of accounting, the idea here is to get an all rounded picture of where your money is going and keep yourself from small mistakes. As a boutique owner, you sell an outfit (inventory) in exchange for cash. This simple transaction has a double effect of increasing the amount of cash in your business while reducing the count of inventory. Very simply put that is double entry affecting your cash account and your inventory account. The accounts are interrelated At this point, we are basically building up on the double entry concept by creating an account for every element of your business. If for example, you did not sell the outfit for cash but for credit, then you’ll want to keep an account of the person to whom you sold the outfit to until you get the money in cash and then close off that account while increasing the amount of actual cash that you have. Every time you use your cash for something new then create an account for whatever aspect of your business is affected by that transaction. If it is an account that you already opened then you just keep building on that account. Balance the accounts You’ve probably heard this phrase before, what it simply means is that after some time you’ll want to know how your accounts look. Say every month or every week when you want to know where your business stands you’ll make sure that for every account you opened both sides have an equal amount. For example, your inventory account had a balance of $1000 when you started off, every time you sold something that balance reduced. Let us assume that at the end of the month your inventory reduced to $250, you’ll continue selling it off at the beginning of the next month so to balance your account the $250 will simply be considered as inventory carried forward. [bctt tweet=”Bookkeeping grows more technical as your business grows & there are many apps you can use to do this” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] These are the basic accounting ideas that you need to understand. Bookkeeping, of course, grows more technical as your business grows and there are many applications that people employ these days to do this, however, the idea remains the same. In the next article in this series, we’ll help you understand the important accounts when doing bookkeeping for your business. We’ll talk about differentiating between cash and profit, understanding the incoming statement as well as the balance sheet.
Elizabeth Akanbi: Make mistakes, learn, grow and do better
[bctt tweet=”We aim to reach women that have a passion to become game changers” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] If there’s something she’s known for, it’s adding value to other women’s lives. With over 7 years experience across different industries, Content creator and Marketing communications professional, Elizabeth Akanbi is Founder and Managing editor of For Working Ladies, an online career lifestyle hub for women. With a strong passion of understanding people’s journeys to success she uses this knowledge to inspire, empower and motivate individuals. Asides equipping women with inspiring and motivational content Elizabeth is passionate about sharing the African culture through art, food, music and social events. As such she co-founded a lifestyle brand, The Social Bloc which runs periodic social events in the UK to highlight the African culture. What inspires For Working Ladies? I have always desired a mentor, someone to tell me how to make decisions, someone to give me career advice, tell me the risks of starting a business, I’m sure you know what I mean right? But I have never been fortunate to have one. I would search the internet day and night looking for answers to my questions, read loads of articles, career profiles and then draw a conclusion on the topic. I knew I wasn’t the only person going through this and needed to create a platform where you could get career/entrepreneurship tips, read about other women that have taken your path and just daily lifestyle content. Why an online platform? Because the world is going digital and people are constantly on their phones so I saw this was the best place to share content and reach our audience. For Working Ladies is a career lifestyle hub for women created to motivate, inspire and give guidance. What kind of content do you provide and what women does your business aim to reach? Our content mainly focuses on career and entrepreneurship, however, we also share lifestyle content also. We aim to reach women that have a passion to become game changers, we want to equip them, motivate them and be that big sister that says we have your back. What innovations and future plans are you looking towards for your business? 2017 is the year that I hope to take For Working Ladies offline and create interactive events. Things are still in the pipeline; I am excited and currently looking for speakers and brands to partner with for our first interactive event. Asides from events we hope to start delivering content in new and fresh ways as the behavior of people are changing and they want more than just written content. Tell us about your greatest challenge as well as your greatest achievement so far? My greatest challenge has been creating content that is new, fresh and relevant on an ongoing basis. There is so much content out there that it is necessary to give people a reason why they should read yours. Luckily I have an amazing team of contributors who are constantly creating fresh and relatable content for women. My greatest achievement so far has been keeping this content-based site going for over a year, being the only editor, managing the digital marketing, overseeing over 15 contributors whilst working. It takes a lot of time and dedication; there have been times where I have gotten so tired of proofreading and writing that I just want to give up. I am working on building a team so that as a brand more can be achieved. What business tools have helped you in running your business successfully? My daily tasks consist of sending emails, a lot of emails! mainly to contributors and also to people I am interviewing. I am literally always stuck to my phone/Mac refreshing my inbox, it can be a headache but it has to be done. The best tool that has helped me in managing emails is Boomerang for Gmail, it allows you to schedule emails, receive notifications to follow up on an email and also receive a notification when they have read the email. It’s a really user-friendly plugin! There are so many great features, we have an article on our website about it. [bctt tweet=”Learn from every mistake, because every experience and encounter is there to teach you” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What personal values have guided you as an entrepreneur? Hard work and consistency. Results don’t just come; you must be intentional and put the work in. The first step is making the commitment but the next, which can be the hardest is consistency coupled with hard work. Also as Oprah said, “Learn from every mistake, because every experience and encounter, particularly your mistakes, are there to teach you..” It’s okay to get it wrong, it’s okay for that partnership to breakdown, it’s okay for that idea not to work out, but in all of that experience what did you learn? I try my best to analyse every experience I have had and learn from it. Without mistakes how would we learn? Make mistakes, learn, grow and do better! From your business name, it is safe to say you have nothing for the unemployed ladies? We have something for every female, whether employed or not. Our main focus is career and entrepreneurship, however, we touch on lifestyle, fashion and much more content that is relevant to all ladies. Everyone has something they want to achieve in life, a dream they want to pursue, something they are working on and we want to be part of that journey in inspiring, encouraging them that they can achieve whatever they set their mind to do. [bctt tweet=”Don’t allow the distance between where you are and where you want to be scare you” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Advice for entrepreneurs about to throw in the towel? Why did you start in the first place? Sit down and have a deep think. Remember your why at every low point and allow it to push you. Don’t allow the distance between where you are and where you want to be scare you,