CHARLENE MACHARIA: As Africans in the diaspora, we’re shaped by our experiences on the motherland
In the last two decades, there has been an increase in the number of platforms that are providing opportunities for women to develop their leadership skills. Platforms like TEDx, for example, create a space where women can present their ideas and thoughts freely using slideshows and speeches that have gone on to inspire other women around the world. More specifically, platforms that provide a space for African women in and out of the diaspora have begun to increase as well. I recently had the chance to interview Kenyan-born, Charlene Macharia who is the Program Coordinator at UCSB Academic Initiatives to discuss the importance of such platforms. We also spoke about her experience with the Women’s Economic Forum as the All Ladies League (ALL) -a women’s empowerment non-profit based in India with chapters around the world. Being the chairperson in Santa Barbara, she also highlights the reasons why there should be more platforms that give African Women a voice. How did you get involved with the All Ladies League and become a member? All Ladies League (ALL) is a women’s empowerment non-profit based in India with chapters around the world. ALL hosts a conference which takes place annually in India. I am a Gates Millennium Scholar and I found out about this conference and organization through a fellow scholar, Kaity Yang. She had posted on our Facebook group that she was in India doing her own research when she got the opportunity to meet the founder and global chairperson of ALL, Dr. Harbeen Arora and her partner Dr. Vinay Rai. They were impressed to hear about the Gates Millennium scholarship program and they extended the invitation for 10 gates scholars to attend the very first Conference. They generously waived our conference registration and lodging fee so all we needed to pay was for our flights. When I heard about this incredible opportunity I was very interested in attending. I didn’t know how I would come up with the funds for the round trip flight but Kaity Yang was helpful by giving me ideas for fundraising like using GoFundMe and also requesting a travel grant from my school. Ms. Kaity also connected me with Dr. Harbeen Arora who answered my questions about the organization and encouraged me to join my local chapter. Since there was no chapter in Santa Barbara, where I currently live, she challenged me to start one. She actually appointed me as the chapter chair right then and even sent me business cards and gave me a social media platform. Just like that! I was really humbled and honored that she would entrust me with leading a local chapter so I accepted and this motivated me to make it out to the conference to find out what I was really getting myself into. [bctt tweet=”As Africans in the diaspora, we must rise and share our stories, paint a picture of the world we would like to see and let our light shine by all means, and on our own terms.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How has the platform impacted you as a woman and as a young African in the diaspora? Participating in this has been really impactful to me by validating my voice and my experiences as a young African woman in the diaspora. It does this by providing the space for anyone to lead a workshop, give a talk, or participate in a panel discussion. My first time attending the conference I just decided to attend as a delegate since I mostly wanted to listen and observe but in my second and third time attending the conference I decided to participate as a speaker. This allowed me to share my perspectives on topics I am passionate about such as education and spirituality, and to also share my personal experiences. This is such good practice for public speaking and communicating clearly. I have challenged myself each of those times to attend as a speaker not because I’m a pro but because even as a young woman I have something to share, and this is an opportunity for growth. Do you think there should be more platforms that give a voice to African women in the diaspora specifically? YES! I definitely think that there should be more platforms that amplify the voices of African women in the diaspora. But I think it’s up to us to be proactive in creating them or in utilizing the platforms that already exist. We can’t afford to wait around for the rest of the world to put the spotlight on us -that rarely happens. So we must rise and share our stories, paint a picture of the world we would like to see, and just let our light shine by all means, and on our own terms. What is the significance of platforms that allow you to share ideas and create a space for women to develop their leadership skills? Organizations such as ALL are so significant since just by creating a platform for women to connect, share resources, and develop their leadership skills, they are literally changing the world. There is a leadership imbalance in most sectors of our society and there’s an underlying narrative out there that women are inferior and weak. But now is the time for the empowering of women to fix this imbalance so that together we can create lasting change in our world. What could we learn from the voice of an African diaspora woman? I think that the voice of an African woman in the diaspora is quite unique. We have a unique perspective of life shaped by our experiences on the motherland (for those of us who had that privilege) in comparison or in contrast to our experiences living abroad. These experiences have forced us to grapple with our complex identities, propelled us to create inclusive communities, and to come up with creative ways of problem-solving. [bctt tweet=”I am grateful to have met amazing African women leaders from various African countries and within the diaspora – Charlene Macharia” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What do you enjoy the most about
Oluwatoyin Egedi: From Stay at Home Mom to Piloting Women Empowerment
Oluwatoyin Egedi is a Civil Engineer by training but an entrepreneur by decision. She currently sits as the CEO of Rullion Capacity Builders Foundation – a social enterprise that seeks to empower women with skills to start profitable businesses right from home. The vision for her is to use the vehicle of skill acquisition to ameliorate women’s capacity and enhance their chances for economic enrichment. Why did you start a women empowerment center? I started Rullion Capacity in 2014 – a women empowerment center from a personal encounter and insight into the need for women to be skilled and have the capacity to generate income as stay at home moms. This center was born at a time when I also needed to be empowered – I had just had my third baby and the few job interviews I attended didn’t expressly say, but once they learned I was married and had children, the odds tilted away from me. Later, I realized that in an employers’ eyes, a married woman with children meant more off days, more sick leaves, the bottom line, fewer work hours. Without getting any offers, I decided that rather than just sit at home idle, I would learn a skill. I settled for small chops and cocktails. The program was very affordable as it was subsidized by the church and I was amazed at the number of women who attended the skill empowerment. With the knowledge, I garnered from working in the advertising industry before being a stay at home mum, in no time I was selling my finger foods at events and was making some income even though I was working from home. Soon, I discovered that a lot of the other women who attended that program with me were not grounded in basic business skills and were waiting to get funds to rent a space before they start a business. Instantly, I knew this was an error, and thought about how I could change this. I gathered a group of friends and with further discussions, we saw there was a need to change the mindset of so many women who think being a stay at home moms meant being without avenues to generate income. We launched a skill acquisition program laced with business skills in financial literacy, customer service, brand management, legal aspects of business, marketing and sales. Our first program was a flop as we were still quite unknown but we persisted and created more awareness. Using social media as a very strong marketing tool, we had more attendees. So far, we have trained over 400 women who have largely gone on to start their small businesses and some who do not have the financial capacity to start, are currently employed until they can. [bctt tweet=”Our first skill acquisition program was a flop as we were still quite unknown but we persisted and created more awareness using Social Media ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] There are quite a number of women empowerment organizations, what makes yours stand out? In striving for excellence in a sector where there are so many mushroom operators, in 2016, we became an accredited vocational center for Trade Test 1, 2 and 3 and NABTEB (National Business and Technical Examinations Board) exams which further qualifies our trainees to work anywhere in the world. Last year, we observed that a critical challenge our trainees had was having access to capital to purchase equipment. This led us to seek and partner with MISS – Micro Investment Support Services (an equipment leasing company led by Mrs. Elizabeth Ehigiamusoe). With this, our trainees can purchase equipment on loan of up to N500,000 over a tenor of 12 months with a very affordable interest rate. Furthermore, we observed that though our students now had the equipment and technical know-how for business and already had products, a bigger challenge was getting ready buyers. The answer to this was The Women’s Entrepreneurship Fair (WEF) with the vision to connect our women to customers, investors and the government. We had 2 editions last year with women-focused brands such as Access Bank Women banking, Molfix Diapers, Guardian Life, Nobel Carpet and rugs (Lush Hair), Cake World, Orijin Zero, Bella Naija, Fero Mobile, De-united Foods Limited, Cadbury, United Capital Limited, LSETF, among others throwing their weight behind the massively successful event. A lot of our women are still reaping the dividends of those shopping exhibitions and we are looking forward to having more in the near future [bctt tweet=”Without getting any offers, I decided that rather than just sit at home idle, I would learn a skill – Oluwatoyin Egedi” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What Challenges have you encountered on this journey? Remember I mentioned I was thrown into this journey not of my own will but because of circumstances around me at the time. So it has not been a smooth journey but I’ve been determined as I currently enjoy what I do. Below are some challenges I faced: 1. Wrong Structure: We are a registered social enterprise with the CAC but without any formal educational background in the team, we struggled with the structure a bit before we found our footing. Working with the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity’s trade test modules and syllabus likewise NABTEB’s has helped us put a proper structure in place 2. Getting skilled workers: This was difficult for the courses we offer at Rullion but we had to overcome. Courses such as Cosmetology ( hairdressing, nail fixing, makeup and gele tying, Fashion design and accessories, catering and hotel works, and so forth) but as trainers, we have embraced the importance of training and re-training. Some people are of the opinion that if you train your staff, they’ll leave you and become competition. But what if you don’t train them and they stay? It comes back to hurt your brand and what you aim to achieve. Besides, collaboration is a new competition. We can’t do all the work,
I’ve Got Bills To Pay & You’re Talking About Brand Building?
Not every single marketing activity will translate to direct sales! Can someone please scream this from the rooftops? If you’ve worked in a marketing capacity, you know this. And you also know a lot of clients straight up refuse to accept it. It’s easy to want to connect all marketing activity directly to ROI. Some of these activities, such as social media, may be viewed as extras and add-ons because they do not translate to direct revenue, but do they help in solidifying the overall brand picture? You bet! It’s imperative to place brand building and sales activities in separate categories. Although they might occasionally overlap, they must be treated as different actions, with different strategies that generate different results. [bctt tweet=”if consumers feel your brand is wack, they won’t be willing to pay much for it – Oluwaseyi Bank-Oni” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] It is easy to overlook the importance of building a solid brand before diving straight into selling. Especially after investing funds into a business. Granted, in the beginning stages of running your business, you might command profits left, right & center. But what keeps your clients coming back? What prevents them from switching to a competitor selling the exact same product or services for slightly less? Your brand – that’s what! Big brands invest millions of dollars in building and maintaining a certain brand image with no direct translation to sales. This is not just for fun or because they feel like splurging. It’s because they understand the value and the equity that comes with a solid brand name. Even the good book says, “A good name is more desirable than great riches. To be esteemed is better than silver or gold”. Hallelujah, somebody? Take Coca-Cola, for example, this brand participates in different types of brand building activities designed to trigger emotions, nostalgia, and certain positive feelings associated with the brand. Amidst these activities, Coca-Cola products are not explicitly sold. Why? The brand understands the value of building brand equity with their current and potential consumers. What is this brand equity, you ask? It is simply the value placed on a particular brand, based on the experience, feeling, or perception a consumer attaches to it. Simply put, if consumers feel your brand is wack, they won’t be willing to pay much for it. If they view your brand as the best thing since sliced bread, they will be willing to pay more for it compared to similar brands. Thus it has a higher equity and commands a price premium in the market. The problem with focusing on sales before boosting brand awareness and equity is that you may attract a slew of one-time clients. They buy and use your product, but have no connection to keep them coming back, so they keep it moving! A competitor product pops up the next time and they switch. Sounds familiar? Yeah, we’re all guilty of doing this. We’re also guilty of being extremely loyal to certain brands based on the value we have placed on them. For some mothers, only a certain brand of diapers will do for their babies, for others, such as myself, we buy fuel from only a certain brand of petrol stations. That’s the beauty of building a strong and trusted brand. There are many angles to this “brand equity” business, including consumer-based brand equity as discussed previously, employee-based brand equity, and more. As your business grows, employee-based brand equity cannot be neglected. In growing brand loyalty and equity, employees can be your most cost-effective brand evangelists. The people who will love and promote your brand from the mountaintops – for free. Let’s use Heineken as an example, I have a couple of friends who work for the brand, and as we say in Nigeria, they “carry it on their head”. Sometimes I think to myself, “Na your papa own this place?”-(Does your father own Heineken?) but guess what? The last time I was in Amsterdam, where the HQ is located — What was I most excited to see & do? To tour the Heineken brewery! The passion their employees have for the brand and the sincere love and joy that emanates when they speak about it, in turn, gave me the “ginger” and excitement to go see things for myself. When your employees truly believe in your brand and become loyalists (not just because you pay them a salary), something truly magical happens. They become one of your greatest and cheapest marketing assets. The word begins to spread organically and the positive brand equity transcends from employees to consumers. [bctt tweet=”When your employees truly believe in your brand and become loyalists (not just because you pay them a salary), something truly magical happens – Oluwaseyi Bank-Oni” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] It’s understandable, you put money in, you want money out, and quick! Unfortunately return on investment is not always immediate or that simple. Recognizing the need for brand building activities which may not necessarily translate to sales in the short-term is the first step. Understanding the need to cultivate long-term meaningful relationships with your target is the next. While creating a distinction between brand building and selling activities, always remember to look at the big picture and think long-term. As Gary Vaynerchuk once said, “Brand is not transactional. Brand is forever”. Got an article to share with us? Click here.
Overpowering Gender Discrimination in Male Dominated Fields
Gender discrimination has been a major issue in Africa, and the world at large. Although, it’s reduced in the past years since we live in the 21st century and in the most real modernity. Unfortunately, it’s still an issue women battle. This happens in most industries, and especially in male-dominated fields like construction industries, politics, entertainment and so on. Most times, I wonder why or where the male superiority emerged from and I still don’t get it. Why?. Because I’ve heard of women’s success stories that men can’t even dream of attaining by going through the phases women do. As we live in an evolving world and in a modern time, gender equality should be essential in every society and economy. Although the past discrimination women faced has been changing, there are still a variety of challenges that women face, low-key and high key. Women that jump into positions predominantly held by men don’t have it easy. They seek support from colleagues, friends, and families and so on as they face challenges like mistreatment, incompetency, unheard voices, or bad comparison. African women have so little influence over resources which restricts befitting jobs and limits their earnings, hence the dependency status. That makes the voices of women remain limited and unfortunately, African attitudes, vibes, and customs extends many of these inequalities across many generations present and ones to come. [bctt tweet=”As we live in an evolving world and in a modern time, gender equality should be essential in every society and economy” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Let’s take a look at the agricultural sector which requires a strong manpower, so technically, we can tag it a male-dominated field. Research shows us that women contribute 60% plus, of labor into food production for household consumption and for sale. Yet they get no credit for their hard work. They are not recognized, visible, complimented, or rewarded for all the energy and passion they put into the work they do. In politics also, it was regarded as a man’s job to make decisions or make a difference. But from the 1990s, women started gaining freedom, the freedom to do whatever. The freedom to have a voice and stand up for what they want. Now, women have gained over 30% of the seats in the government and are making a difference and history. How sweet! In dealing with gender discrimination in male-dominated fields, what options do women have? Do they become a man overnight or take advantage of their natural qualities like nurturing and oozing empathy? I think not because psychologically, women can face a comeback for playing the feminine gender role stereotype, which isn’t cute, one bit. [bctt tweet=”Here are some practical strategies that can be adopted to help women overpower gender discrimination in male-dominated fields:” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Appreciate the feminine advantage This may mean relying on appearance to gain acceptance and it works to the advantage of women in male-dominated fields. When one looks smart and nice and works smart and nice, acceptance is just a second away. Embrace some male characteristics This may not accord to some personalities and it may also be a copying tactic, but when one embraces the male characteristics and monitor oneself, being self-conscious, opportunities present itself Mentorship Having a female mentor, in or outside the industry is a wonderful way to build knowledge and skills. One gets to align personalities and their reputation can help reinforce one’s reputation. Dwelling in the positive and ignoring the negative To succeed in spite of adversity says a lot about a person’s character and determination. This is in regard to focus. By dedicating oneself to the job at hand and getting accustomed to the role by focusing on the engaging and challenging nature of the job, one tends to overlook whatever politics is being played and in turn, recognition and success will be birthed. This would make a huge difference to women’s work satisfaction and effectiveness. Changing workplace culture It is very much possible to succeed in industries not typically associated with women such as mining or construction. Attitude adjustments can make a woman brave enough to fight the status quo. Also, one can influence the hiring policies or implement recruitment platforms that support fellow women in the industry. By this, workplace culture has evolved and shifted. With this, African women and women, in general, will be able to overpower gender discrimination in male-dominated fields. They can create a place for themselves and generation to come, and make history. Let’s make our voices heard and make a huge difference! Interested in contributing for She Leads Africa? Click here.
How to Hire an Attorney for Your Business
For the past few years, we’ve seen an increase in the number of female entrepreneurs in Africa. In the 2017 MasterCard Index of Women Entrepreneurs (MIWE) report, Uganda – as one of the only two low-income economies to be included in the report – had the greatest number of female-run businesses in the world, which corresponds to 34.8%. The country even superseded high-income countries like New Zealand (33.3%), Australia (32.4%), and Russia (32.6%). 2017 has been an amazing year for many African women who chose to take the entrepreneurial path, so as in 2018. If you’re thinking of launching your own business, now is the time to do so. There are many kinds of business that require very small capital, some you can even start from home. Sometimes, a loan can help you get started if your savings are not enough. Why Should You Hire an Attorney? You’ve got a great business plan. A great product. A great concept. But how do you transform all your ideas into a tangible, operational business that is headed for success? Of course, you need help from the professionals. You probably have thought about hiring an accountant already. The reasons are pretty obvious. You need someone to help you with your books, make sure you’ve got the numbers right, and manage all your business taxes. But how about an attorney? You probably haven’t thought about it yet. Or maybe, you think that it’s too soon to get one. But the truth is that you will most likely need a good business attorney at every aspect of your business, from ensuring that you meet all the requirements set by the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) to organize your business (what type of business is most suitable for you as well as your tax structure), getting copyright and trademark advice, and many more. And as your business grows, a good attorney can help you carry out your expansion plans, understand the tax consequences of any changes with your business structure, prepare and execute contracts with your customers, suppliers and business partners, and file or deal with a lawsuit. [bctt tweet=”Do you have an attorney for your business? Read this article for steps on how to hire one” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Hiring an attorney is essential to achieving your business goals. Check out the following tips and suggestions in order to find the best lawyer to help you: 1. Look for an attorney who specializes in business law Like doctors, attorneys are becoming increasingly specialized these days. Some specialize in family law, others in criminal law or real estate law. Basically, you want to hire the attorney who has the experience and skills with corporate and mercantile laws. He or she should be skilled with making contracts, familiar with various business structures, understand real estate (you might have leasing issues for your commercial space), experienced with tax and licensing matters, etc. Depending on the nature of your business, you will also need other legal services. For instance, if you’re into media, design or any other creative type of business, you will need a lawyer who will help you get copyright protection for your work. 2. Look for an attorney who is familiar with your industry He or she may not know every aspect of the industry you’re in, but the right lawyer should be at least familiar with it. Don’t forget to check the track record of the lawyers you are considering. He or she should have a pretty good understanding of the industry’s ins and outs. Also, make sure that the lawyer does not represent any of your competitors. The last thing you want to happen is to have your confidential business info leaked to your competitors. 3. Find someone who educates A good attorney does not just give you the results you want. He or she also keeps you well-informed about the legal concerns your business is facing. The attorney should be willing to educate you and your staff about your current legal needs and situations, how it affects your business, and how similar problems can be prevented in the future. Your lawyer should also be proactive about updating you with recent policies or changes in existing policies that affect your business. 4. Get a good attorney who charges a reasonable fee Most lawyers charge an hourly rate, but some do a fixed rate. Good lawyers are willing to negotiate with their fees without compromising the quality of their services. Choose an attorney who is flexible with his billing. It is not all the time that you will need his or her services so paying monthly or hiring a company lawyer may not be a strategic idea yet, especially if you are just starting your business. Hiring an attorney for your business should not be that complicated as long as you keep all these suggestions in mind. Once you found the right one, keeping a good relationship with your attorney is the key to ensuring that he or she will be there when you need help. This article was written by Lidia Staron Lidia Staron is a part of Content and Marketing team at OpenCashAdvance.com. She contributes articles about the role of finance in the strategic planning and decision-making process. You can find really professional insights in her writings.
7 lessons you can learn from Issa Rae and her InSecure journey
Issa Rae is an American writer, actor, and producer of the famous NBO series Insecure. She started out creating videos on YouTube when she got tired of seeing the same type of movies about black people. Issa Rae has been nominated for the golden globe award, her series has won the shorty award for the best web series. She also heads a media company called Issa Rae presents. If you haven’t watched any episode of InSecure you`ve just found yourself a new best friend. It’s like the dope movie for every girl seeking for some kind of succor after a hard week of work! It’s so relatable and funny. The story is centered around Issa, a black woman trying to keep it cool with her job in a non-profit, her relationship and her social life. I came across her show IssaRae presents on a lazy day when I was scrolling through my YouTube feed, and I was stuck. IssaRaePresents does not come up short. Trust me, they never disappoint. And oh, we’ve been waiting for the third series of Insecure like… And as usual, we won’t be disappointed. Now back to the main point. The backstage of creating media content is filled with people who never make it to the big screen. Writers, producers, camera, videographers, directors, editors etc. A lot of work goes into creating what you finally see on your screen. The backstage of the movie industry is dominated by males especially in production and directing. How did a black young woman break that glass ceiling to be her own boss? Let’s look at these lessons from her. On Starting Out: “I love creating content and YouTube was super accessible. I started my first show in senior year of college in Stanford and I kept growing that audience”. On Being Consistent: “I had two web series before the misadventures of the Awkward Black Girl. Those series did not gain instant fame but I was consistent throughout releasing those videos by 10 am every Monday and promoting constantly” [bctt tweet=”Stop finding the ways that you can’t and start finding the ways that you can – @IssaRae” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] On Working Hard “People constantly make excuses on why they can’t follow their dreams. Stop finding the ways that you can’t and start finding the ways that you can. Think about what you have now, friends, a camera, a room, whatever you have. Figure out a way to use what you have to make it work.” On Teamwork “I tend to have strong opinions about the characters in my shows because I feel I know them personally. Also, I try to loosen the rein and allow debates to go on. I love collaborating because there are people with a lot of great ideas I love hearing out. Resisting the urge to outrightly say no has been one of the greatest lessons I’ve learned” On Creativity “Life inspires me. I love little moments. I just like real life. Everybody has different areas of discomfort and seeing how certain things concerns people that won’t even matter to others intrigues me. I try to understand what makes people think that way and learn from them” On Overcoming Challenges “There are definitely challenges. At one end I want to take as many opportunities as I can, on the other hand, I do not want to disappoint myself and other people by not meeting up with deadlines. Trying to find that work/life balance for the past few years has been challenging” For Entrepreneurs in Film/Media “Know your goal. Make sure agencies & companies approaching you are aware of the vision you are working with. Be sure to have a good team. Utilizing the people around me was the best thing that happened to me. The team members that I have now started from the ground up with me, that organic growth is part of the reason this show has been a success.” Issa Rae has always kept it 100% real, affirming the fact that her show. InSecure, is a typification of her life as a young black woman trying to make it in a community that seems to tell her what to do. She has talked openly about her challenges and fears, and what accepting people’s approval has been for her. Her mother at first did not even agree to watch the show. From all of these, I learned two important lessons: 1. People crave authenticity They’ll gravitate towards people who are real and original. If you step into a new place and you’re a sheep amongst a pack of wolves or the only black female in the room, as long as you have a voice and you keep to that voice, people will gravitate towards you. 2. Everything takes time Issa affirmed that the first video she did on YouTube was crap, but as years went by and she gathered a team, it got better. You can tell the difference between her past videos in IssaRaePresents on YouTube and now. Just like a tree grows, slowly building stronger and deeper foundation which in the end will be able to stand the test of to such is the journey of a business which grows organically. P.S – All quotes from Issa were gotten from various videos you can find in the link below; A conversation with Issa Rae – AT & T Shape Issa Rae on InSecure, Jerry Seinfeld and Success – Larry King Show You’re the only one stopping you – Evan Carmichael If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your story with us.
10 lessons I have learned since quitting my job to start a business
It’s been almost two years since I officially resigned from my job at a top consulting firm to start a business. For the last 20 months, I have been filled with either extreme anxiety or euphoria and sometimes, both feelings have coexisted from running my own business(es). It has been an experience like none I had had before, extremely excruciating, but also immensely fulfilling. Taking the leap to quit a comfortable job with potential for growth was not a difficult decision for me to make. I grew up believing I had the “Midas” touch — that everything I touched would turn to gold. I was optimistic. The prospect of extreme success was very exciting. I wanted to build the next Bloomberg or the next Warby Parker, in fact, I was like a child on their first day to school. And interestingly — my entrepreneurship journey has been more of a school than anything I had imagined. Here are just a few of the lessons I have learned and feel anyone planning on quitting their job to start a business should know. [bctt tweet=”About to quit your job to start a business? Here are 10 lessons you should learn from @Kazville ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 1. Do not quit your job unless you have actually started your business Yes. They say no one wants to work for a part-time CEO. But no one wants to work for a broke business either. If I could do it again, I would wait till my business has clear-cut cash flows before I take the leap. Sometimes strategy works easier and more efficiently than hustle. 2. Have enough savings to last you at least a year Nothing sucks like having to invest in a business and worry about your house rent at the same time. Stowaway enough cash for yourself to survive for at least a year before taking the leap. And by “survive” I mean your budget should also have an entertainment budget line — to fund those business coffee meetings and social gatherings. Do not start a business thinking your business will feed you from Day 1 because the reality is that it won’t. And yes, some people will argue that you can never save enough. I disagree! 3. Your 9–5 job is just as important to your dream as your dream itself I have read a lot of social media articles bashing employed people for building other people’s dreams instead of their own and I feel that these “motivational” quotes and articles are in such bad taste. A lot of my progress and support have come from connections I made while at my job. My job taught me so much about managing my business and through it, I interfaced with top CEOs and management people that have since become personal friends and supported my business. My first client came from my former employer. I am mentored by my former boss. The beautiful people modeling Wazi glasses on our website are my former workmates. If I had not had that job, I would not have much mileage today. [bctt tweet=”Sometimes strategy works easier and more efficiently than hustle – @Kazville ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 4. Start a business you understand Nothing takes longer and costs more than a business you have no experience in or understand. I cannot begin to count how much money I wasted paying ‘experts’ to make me furnaces that did not even work or molds that were defective. Don’t even get me started on how much time I wasted back and forth with excuses from the said experts as to why work was not getting delivered on time. Although I eventually pulled the business model off and actually started to make revenue, I think it gets any entrepreneur more mileage, success, and fun doing something they actually know and understand. 5. Get a mentor or two I have been lucky to have mentors throughout my entrepreneurship journey. They have not only offered me invaluable entrepreneurship advice but have also opened up their networks and shared their skills. They keep me accountable and on my toes every time I slack. 6. Keep your business simple Always keep your core business simple. Simple to implement. Simple to understand. Simple to pitch. Simple to share. Simple to scale. Innovation does not always equate complexity and just because your concept is complex does not mean it will be profitable. 7. Do not stop learning The best investment you can make is an investment in yourself as an individual. Of course, we have heard success stories of people who have made lots of money with no education. But education and business success are not mutually exclusive. As long as you have the opportunity, learn as much as you can. Do that online course. Take part in that workshop. Do that masters. Do that professional course. Granted, you may not need the degrees and certifications in the short run, but they will come in handy later and add to your credibility. [bctt tweet=”Just because your business concept is complex does not mean it will be profitable – @Kazville ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 8. Beware of the busy bee syndrome Many times entrepreneurs get busy with everything. Busy driving to meetings to discuss new ideas or running up and down to make meetings that add no value to their business. They are always busy trying one idea after another day after day and applying to every startup competition. Busy busy busy busy. Busy does not always equal efficiency and entrepreneurs need to treat their time like they treat their money. 9. Grow some thick skin If anyone had told me entrepreneurship would make me lose sleep in the middle of every night for a week straight, I would probably not have started. I have wanted to give up an average of twice a day over the last one year alone. As an entrepreneur, something will hit you so hard you will want to close shop and with your tail between your legs,
Fatou Wurie: Using innovation as a tool to deal with Psycho-social development
Fatou Wurie is the founder of (SDP). She is also an AWDF 2015 African Women Writers Workshop for Social Change participant, an Imperial NEXTe Award Recipient for ‘Young Professional of the year 2015’ and Illumessence Women’s National Award Honoree 2016. Her work has been featured on the Huffington Post, Forbes, MamaYe Campaign, UNICEF Innovations Blog, Amnesty International Digital Blog, The Journalist, and others. She is a passion-driven social activist, public speaker, and storyteller. Fatou is committed to project design that employs creativity and advocacy for policy impact which is influenced by her background in strategic communications for development. [bctt tweet=”During the Ebola crisis, I started an NGO that focused on looking at centralizing psycho-social health – @thefatoublog ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Tell us more about yourself I’m from Sierra Leone. I have been working on different projects in general health, women’s health, and women activism. During the Ebola crisis, I started an NGO that focused on looking at centralizing psycho-social health, women’s health, mental health as an intricate part of public health. We keep talking about service delivery and about fixing social institutions such as health care, but we don’t look at the fact that the country is in a constant state of crisis, and trauma. We need to create safe spaces where people can access mental health services to be able to ensure that we can increase the efficacy of service delivery. So, I did. I look at innovation and use it as a tool to deal with issues in health, education, and in gender issues through artistic means. So, I look at how we use tools to power our lives, especially African women’s lives and I try to broaden how we conceptualize and think about innovation. I guess I am not a business women in the traditional sense of the term. What inspired you to start the Survivor Dream project? SDB was born out of complete frustration. I worked in the development space for about five years, mainly in the sector of regional health and reproductive health. At that time, I was working as the gender and communication advisor for UNMEER. It was a very difficult time in Sierra Leone and I was frustrated with the development space. During the Ebola crisis and we were so overwhelmed that we were only focusing on breaking the transmission of the disease and getting more people to survive. We really didn’t focus as much on what happened to them after they had survived. We would give them fifty dollars, a mattress, and a certificate saying: “you are a survivor”, meaning that people would now be able to interact with them. I was interested in what happened after people had survived. We started the survivor dream project because we saw two gaps. First, we saw that, due to their role as caregiver, women were disproportionately affected by the crisis and disproportionately unsupported when they survived the disease, so we wanted to focus women and young. The second gap we identified was that apart from the people at the front line of the response, there wasn’t an actual national space for psycho-social support. People were surviving but they had no way to process what had happened to them. They had no means of dealing with internal trauma, PTSD, and anxiety. That’s how the project was born. I do not come from that background, I just saw a need and I was frustrated. I talked about it with a friend and two weeks later we had found a space. At the time, survivor conferences were held where they would provide food, give great speeches, do some artwork, and they would call it a day, which I thought was ridiculous. So, we just took twenty women we saw that was continuously going to the survivor conferences, and through a friend of mine, we gathered them and started working with them. What we initially offered that was revolutionary was space for women, who had lost everything, to come to cry to think, and to deal with trauma. A space that has the tools to manage their PTSD, their anxiety, and their depression. A space where we could bring in professionals to facilitate workshops and to link them with the resources available at the time. We tried to figure out the women and understand their issues. Their wants, their needs, and their demands are dictating what we offer while remaining as ethical as possible. These are people minds, spirits, and hearts we are dealing with. We are not dealing with building hospitals. We are dealing with people’s core so we must be careful about how we went about creating and maintaining that space. This period must have been very hard emotionally and physically. How did you survive it? I always feel that during these types of conversations I have to take a step back and check myself. Many people were playing their part and we were all so depressed. Unless you were in Sierra Leone, you wouldn’t understand. The entire country was in a state of shock. It was such a dark part of our reality, of our history. We had just come out of a cholera outbreak and a war. There were so many series of shocks that had daunted our community. And then the Ebola crisis came. People at first were not believing it, until their aunts, their cousins, and doctors started dying. And we were wondering how we could this. How do you tell someone who lives in a small room with ten other people not to touch them? How do you tell a woman whose mother is sick not to touch her? That is her mother, that is her husband, that is her daughter. You have to understand that this is a poverty-driven disease and it is poor people that are dying. For me, it was a duty. I wasn’t there during the war, I am very privileged, so I live in a very different kind of Sierra Leone. There is no way I cannot give back
AFFORDABLE FASHION STYLE FOR ENTREPRENEURS
Because budding entrepreneurs have to take on many roles while building their companies on a shoestring budget. They sometimes end up with little or no time (and a limited budget) to attend to their style/fashion needs. Appearance makes a good part of business especially when you are still climbing up the ropes and trying to spread your tentacles in the business world. It is however important for an entrepreneur to consider the industry in which you operate while putting your wardrobe together. It is best to keep in mind that what works for a tech entrepreneur who is constantly in meetings with investors might not necessarily work for a creative entrepreneur who attends more of networking events. Overall, the aim is to find a fashion style that’s affordable and gives a good impression of you as an entrepreneur especially when it matters the most. As a budding entrepreneur, you need to be able to slay on a budget. [bctt tweet=”Dressing for business is also dressing for success. Every entrepreneur must take note of this. Read more – ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Here are 2 factors for putting together a wardrobe that works and suits your budget. 1. DEFINE YOUR STYLE COMFORT: Always have it in mind that whatever your style is, it’s important to be comfortable in clothes. Clothes that are not comfortable can affect your mood, esteem as well as your general wellbeing. Ensure that whatever style you choose keeps you comfortable. CONFIDENCE: Even after dressing up in clothes, you must exude a level of confidence that helps you stand out in a crowd; So as you build your fashion style, remember to always step out with confidence and charisma. COLORS: Determine the colors that best suit your skin tone. After this, you can go further to determine which of these colors are most appropriate for formal than casual outfits. Overall, the goal is to understand how to coordinate outfits color wise so you always step out looking well put together. PHYSIQUE: Once you understand your physique, you can easily go for clothes that are the perfect fit for your body structure; clothes that flatter your good features and minimize the appearance of your “flaws”. ACCESSORIZE: Accessories can easily be used to give outfits an edge, depending on the occasion. Having accessories (like brooches, cuff links, belts, glasses, scarves, earrings) as part of your wardrobe can help you create different looks even without owning so many clothes. 2. FASHION STAPLES EVERY ENTREPRENEUR SHOULD OWN A well-tailored blazer (preferably black) – This can easily be put together nicely to achieve different formal and business casual looks. Jeans (dark rinse /black) – Ladies, you can pair this with heels and blazers to attend networking events; men can also pair with sneakers and blazers for the same purpose. Functional footwear – Neutral colored pumps should easily do the trick as they are comfortable, blend with other colors and are suitable for formal and business casual looks. Handbag or briefcase – A basic handbag/briefcase should do, it does not necessarily have to be expensive but should be in very good condition (not worn out). Dresses/pencil skirt – dresses and pencil skirts are very versatile and can be styled differently (with or without accessories) to get a variety of business looks. Ensure the fit is right and the length not too short Most importantly, choose quality over quantity when shopping for a business wardrobe; endeavor to buy the best quality you can afford. Handle your formal and business casual clothes with care especially when washing so you don’t have to replace them so often. Avoid clothes that are distracting and too revealing. Remember dressing for business is also dressing for success…. Slay on!!!
Intercultural collaboration: The secret to unlocking innovation and growth
[bctt tweet=”Understand everyone’s goals and work together to achieve them” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] According to the Harvard Business Review, “diversity unlocks innovation and drives market growth. ” Because of technology allows us to communicate instantly, everyone can access diversity. The world is becoming a global village, largely because we no longer need to spend hours, weeks, months or more transmitting messages. We can access information and people within seconds, allowing us to build companies, teams, and relationships with those that used to be unreachable. This phenomenon is a game changer for social entrepreneurs and professionals. If one does not consider the interconnectivity of the world and the need for diverse teams, one will fall behind and miss economic and social opportunities. For those who recognize this and seek to diversify partners and scale global businesses, it is crucial that we understand our ingrained mindsets surrounding our work habits, our communications skills and our overall view of success that come from the environment we grew up in. Often, we do not even realize that we are behaving in a way that hinders our success, even when we have the best intentions. I have done a lot of work promoting mutually beneficial relationships between Africans and Americans. During this time, I saw some of the major challenges that crop up in our intercultural relations stem from different communications habits. For example, certain cultures rely heavily on writing, whereas others communicate verbally. The frequency of communication can also be affected by the environment, tone, vocabulary or communication methods used. In certain contexts, different methods of communication are preferred- in an American office, email is the go-to, even when you could walk down the hall and ask a question in person. However, in the offices I worked at in Senegal, if I needed anything, I took a walk to my colleague’s desk, chatted about family, the weather, the latest wrestling match, and only then asked about my work needs. In order to succeed in our globalizing world, the most important thing to do is increase your cultural knowledge of your collaborators. Certain aspects are relatively easy to learn- norms surrounding work attire, greetings in the local language, gestures/body language, or religious belief, for example. Others take more time to truly understand intricacies such as social classes/ethnicities, relationship with authority figures, gender/family roles, work ethic and office behavior. Before my trip to Ghana last August, I made sure to do some basic research on culture, customs, and linguistics, but also knew I needed to continue to ask questions and joke respectfully with people during my stay to be better prepared to collaborate professionally and personally with Ghanaians. Increasing cultural knowledge and working on intercultural awareness are actions to take to ensure you are building the most successful, inclusive, financially solid and sustainable programs with the top talent the world can offer. Furthermore, it is crucial to establish trust in any relationship. A trust model dedicated to intercultural teams is based on ten dimensions; competence, compatibility, goodwill, integrity, predictability, well-being, inclusion, openness with information, accessibility, and reciprocity. [bctt tweet=”Entrepreneurs will see true disruptive innovation by creating inclusive teams” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] There are many ways to build this trust, paying special attention to which methods to employ given the nature of the team, be it in person, remote or a hybrid. As I build Baobab Consulting, where most of our relationships are virtual, I mostly use WhatsApp, social media, Google Drive and email to share information and create team culture, but I take every opportunity to meet face to face to establish that physical connection, which in many cultures, plays a crucial role. Even with cultural awareness and trust, there still may be some lingering stereotypes or assumptions we carry that we are unaware of. Let us not presume that two North Americans or two Africans on a team understand each other. A woman from Senegal will have a completely different vantage point than a man from Zimbabwe, just as a woman from New York City’s will be different from a male colleague from Montreal. Even if there are some similarities between them that may help them bond faster, it is still necessary to follow the same procedures of intercultural awareness. At the end of the day, no matter where you fall on the intercultural awareness spectrum, how many languages you speak, or how many cultural events you have been to, you must remember that personality can also play a role. Sometimes, we work better with certain personality types and struggle with others, so this should not be discounted as you work together and build team dynamics. Take a free version of the Myers Briggs test to learn more about your personality and that of your teammates. By creating inclusive teams and encouraging them to fearlessly and meaningfully contribute, entrepreneurs will see true disruptive innovation. To do that, we must make sure the right steps are taken to ensure that everyone feels taken care of, considered, understood and respected. There will always be some level of tension and even conflict when we work together, but if we assume all parties have good intentions, these snafus can be overlooked. Always remember the true mission of what you are doing. Understand everyone’s goals and work together to achieve them. If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your story with us.