Redefining the Future: How Impact Hub and Bayer Foundation Empower Women Entrepreneurs to Transform Food and Health Systems in Africa and the Middle East
In a world where millions still lack access to basic healthcare and nutritious food, change is being written not in policy papers or boardrooms, but by women entrepreneurs building solutions at the heart of their communities.
IN MY CORNER : How Ivie Osula and Jokotade Shonowo Are Redefining Sisterhood Through Style, Storytelling & Sister Support
A feature from the “In My Corner” campaign a platform where real friendship becomes real power. There are friendships that text you when you’re down. And then there are friendships that pull up, uninvited but deeply needed, when the lights are off and the stage is empty. That’s the kind of bond Ivie Osula and Jokotade Shonowo share a powerful, creative sisterhood built on authenticity, shared vision and an unspoken “I’ve got you” that doesn’t need applause. At the heart of this year’s In My Corner campaign — an initiative spotlighting women who choose collaboration over competition their story unfolds not just in fashion and photographs, but in deep, mutual support. What Is “In My Corner”? In My Corner is more than a campaign, it’s a movement. A visual and storytelling experience created by women, for women, to celebrate the friendships and mentorships that anchor us. Through powerful portraits, honest conversations, and a lens focused on community, the campaign documents the real relationships behind success the ones that rarely make the headlines, but always shape the journey. Meet the Women Behind the Story Ivie Osula is the founder of @DWLonline, a luxury fashion brand reshaping the narrative around power dressing for modern African women. Her designs are intentional — every stitch a declaration of strength and softness, woven together. Jokotade Shonowo is the founder of @Poshclick, a creative studio capturing women and men as they are bold, vulnerable, regal. Her lens doesn’t just see beauty; it reveals truth. Together, they’re redefining what it means for women to be in each other’s corners not just in theory, but in action. More Than Just a Moment — It’s a Movement In an industry that often rewards rivalry, Ivie and Joko choose something different. They style each other’s dreams. Shoot each other’s visions. And stand side-by-side as they climb. Their friendship isn’t performative, it’s purposeful. Built in quiet moments. Sealed through trust. Strengthened by shared ambition and soft landings. Whether they’re working late on campaign visuals or sharing silent support between shoots, what they’ve built is a living example of what In My Corner champions: sisterhood as strategy, friendship as fuel. A Toast to the Real Ones This International Friendship Day, we celebrate the women who show up when the cameras aren’t rolling. Who hold the ladder while you climb. Who don’t compete with your light, they reflect it back at you. Because when you’ve got someone in your corner, you don’t just survive.You soar. To stay engaged with In My Corner, follow @InMyCornercampaign for the latest conversations. For Ivie’s work in fashion, visit @DWLonline and for Joko’s photography, explore @Poshclick. The journey continues, and In My Corner is here to remind us, every woman has a story worth telling.
How This Beauty‑Obsessed Tech Founder Is Giving the Industry a Voice
Layo Ogunbanwo has spent the last year building Splice, a software platform for salons and spas in Nigeria. Now, she’s taking things a step further with the Beyond Beauty Podcast: a platform for raw, real, and unfiltered conversations about the business of beauty. In this Q&A, she shares why she’s doing it, who it’s for, and why it might be the industry’s most important mic yet. 1. Why are you launching a Podcast? And why now? I felt like we needed a place to talk about the business of beauty. About leadership, retention, growth, pricing, burnout, and hiring. The real stuff that salon and spa owners face every day, but don’t always have the space or the language to unpack. Since launching Splice in September of 2024, I’ve spoken with hundreds of beauty professionals across Nigeria. These are some of the most hardworking and talented entrepreneurs I’ve met. But a lot of them feel isolated. They are figuring things out in silos, with no real community or steady access to knowledge. I wanted to change that. The Beyond Beauty Podcast is a place where real people can have real conversations about what it takes to run and grow a beauty business. No platitudes. Just honest, helpful, inspiring stories from people building the industry. It’s our way of giving the industry a voice and support. 2. You’ve worked in tech and product for years. What drew you into the beauty space? Honestly, I’ve always been a beauty girlie. I like to do my nails, lashes, the whole works. There’s something deeply human about walking into a salon or spa. It’s where people go to feel better, to reset, to be seen. I’ve always admired the people behind that experience, especially the women who run their businesses and build from scratch. But my deeper involvement started in 2020. A close friend who owns a salon in Lagos was struggling to keep her operations organised. She was juggling everything by herself, and it was chaotic. So I helped her map out a more structured workflow using some basic digital tools. It wasn’t perfect, but it made a difference. And that’s when it clicked for me that this entire industry was operating without real, centralised infrastructure. That experience pushed me to start researching the beauty and wellness sector more intentionally. I spoke to dozens of business owners, kept hearing essentially the same thing: “We’re figuring it out, but it’s hard.” That gap between talent and tech support is what pulled me in. Beauty businesses are everywhere, but not many people are building for them. That’s the problem I wanted to solve with Splice. 3. The Beyond Beauty Podcast feels very community-focused. Who did you build it for? I built it for the people who are doing the work. The salon and spa owners with no formal support, aestheticians and therapists trying to keep up with industry trends while holding a team together, stylists who are booked out, but still aren’t sure how to scale. There’s so much skill and ambition in this industry, but not nearly enough support or visibility. Many don’t even see themselves as business owners when in reality, they’re doing the full work of entrepreneurs, including hiring, managing clients, handling marketing, and even product development in some cases. This podcast puts their stories at the forefront: the journeys, the challenges, the pivots, and the small wins that don’t usually make it into the spotlight. 4. What stories are you most excited to tell through this podcast? The honest ones. I’m particularly excited about the stories that go beyond aesthetics and “how I started” and into the heart of “how I’m surviving.” Stories about beauty business owners who didn’t know as much as they do now six months ago, who have had to let go of staff, who’ve mastered how to deal with the no-show problems, who’ve struggled with and figured out retention. I want to hear about pricing anxiety, customer drama, burnout, rebranding, breakthroughs, and bounce-backs. There’s a lot of polish in the beauty industry, and that’s great. But what we don’t see enough of are the layers underneath, the things that every business owner goes through but rarely shares out loud. Those are the stories that make people feel less alone. And those are the stories that teach. So, yes, we’ll talk about growth, strategy, and systems, but we’ll also talk about doubt, mistakes, and the bounce-backs. Because that’s real life. Because these stories don’t just inspire, but reflect. 5. How does the Beyond Beauty Podcast connect with what you’re building at Splice? They’re deeply connected: same mission, different formats. With Splice, we’re building the software that helps beauty professionals manage bookings, reduce no-shows, automate reminders, track client history, all of that. It’s the operational backbone. But with the Beyond Beauty Podcast, we’re building the voice. The narrative. The space where beauty professionals can hear from people who’ve walked similar paths, where they can learn what’s working, what’s not, and how others are growing through it. One supports the “how to do it.” The other supports the “why it’s worth it.” Too much innovation can slow tech. But I’ve always believed that community and infrastructure should grow together. If we only give people tools but no sense of identity or belonging, they’ll struggle to sustain momentum. But if you give them both, they build better businesses and stay in the game longer. 6. You’ve had some amazing guests already. Any common threads or surprises? Yes, definitely. One thing that keeps coming up is how much beauty professionals are learning on the job. There’s no formal blueprint for how to run a successful salon or spa in Nigeria, so people are figuring it out as they go, through mistakes, word of mouth, and watching others. And that’s why the conversations are so powerful. Guests are open. They share what they wish they knew earlier, the turning points in their journey, and the systems that helped them grow. For example, in
The Smart Entrepreneur’s Guide to Cutting Startup Costs
Smart entrepreneur’s guide to discover cost-effective strategies to launch and grow your startup even on a tight budget.
Traits to Consider Before Settling on a Business Partner for your startup
You have been working for five years, in this time you have set out a plan to help you become a Motherland Mogul. The plan is getting into the business. You have gone as far as saving up for a couple of years to finance your to be start-up. Recently, you have been toying around with various business ideas, the idea that encompasses both your passion and need to make some extra cash on the side wins. You have looked at the various ways you can implement this business idea and realised you need a partner to do so. This could be because you are a good accountant but for the business to be a success you need a partner who will be the face of the business. Or you are the sassy lady who is good at communication and drawing in the customers, and a manager is needed to make sure all that money you are raking in is properly managed. So currently the idea and the money are in place the only thing that remains undone is getting a business partner on board. What are the things that you should consider to ensure you end up with the right person as a partner in your business? Sharing the Vision of the business. At the beginning, the business is usually just an idea. If implemented correctly, it could impact your lives and those of your clients tremendously in a positive way. The person or people you choose to work with as partners in the business must own the vision of the business as much as you do. If your partner does not agree with you on the levels to which you want to take the business. They will always have negative vibes on the job that will result in your business losing money. A partner is part of management, and if they are pessimistic with regards to the business, the employees will notice and get demoralised. The vision is the business. It’s what positions you strategically against competitors. It is thus a prerequisite that before you decide to partner with someone on a business, be in sync on where you see the business going to in three months’ time or in five years’ time. Honesty and Transparency Honesty is a virtue that is a must-have in business. Individuals who are shrewd and unscrupulous ruin your business. You could have been saving for a really long time to start off this business or you got a loan from your bank to get it running. Therefore, you cannot afford to lose the money or destroy your business name. It is therefore necessary to vet the person you intend to partner with. Inquire into the person’s character from others who have worked with them prior to you considering to partner with them. If the feedback is positive you have a partner. If not, find your business train another station to disembark, as this one is a definite NO! Hard work and Resilience Start-ups are a mountain to climb on their own. The faint-hearted cannot survive this climb. Setting up a business from scratch is not a walk in the park. A partner will share in the business profits. This means they have to put in the work and the time needed to get the business to the top in your chosen field. There are qualities that you will compensate for each other but working hard and smart is not one of them. One could be unquestionably talented but if they never take time to create and get their skills or work to the market no one will ever know of their talent. Moreover, if you partner with a lazy person you will shoulder the whole burden of the business which beats the logic of having a partner in the first place. Resilience is also key in your partner. Quitters run at the first sight of trouble. With new businesses, you will meet challenges that you never anticipated at the start of your journey. This will not mean that you quit. Overcoming this challenges is exactly what you will need to do to solidify your position in the market.
Managing Employees While Protecting Your Business
Running a business comes with a huge burden of managing people. After all, every business problem they say, is a people problem. The demands of a growing business are burdensome and health draining in some cases where the business owner acts as the finance manager, marketing manager, procurement manager, customer service representative, and so much more. Doing all these and hiring the wrong team members puts you at the risk of losing the business in its entirety. But, when done right, employee management can actually unlock an enormous amount of human potential. Below, we’ll look at some tips on how to set your business up for success. 1. Create functional systems (it’s not as difficult as it sounds). The temptation to micromanage employees can be strong, especially for entrepreneurs who are accustomed to having complete control over all aspects of their business. However, I recommend establishing a set of standards and expectations so that constant supervision is not required. When on boarding and training new employees, your priority should be to halt your input as soon as possible thereby ensuring proper training to help them succeed. That means having clear expectations and channels of communication with people who don’t necessarily need you to function is critical. Set up standard operating procedures for the entire business, beginning with the DOs and Don’ts that form your policy, the expected standard of production and service delivery for each department documented on paper, your mission, vision, and values, your target for the year, month, or quarter, your product description and in-depth value for knowledge selling, and a documented job description. (For example, tell your employees to write down what they do on a daily basis, review them, and add things you want them to do on a daily, monthly, or quarterly basis). The advantage of standard operating procedures is that they allow you to control your service standards, see your business in writing, and make adjustments as things change. 2. Be the type of leader you want to see in your employees Employees look to their leaders for guidance on how to think and act in the workplace. Try to model the behaviours you want to see in your employees and be consistent. Modelling consistency and integrity will earn the respect of your team and show them how they can earn your respect. Your responses to customers, vendors, and employees shape their behaviour, especially when things don’t go as planned. Reacting angrily or inconsistently to customers implies that employees can do the same. Your management approach must be consistent before it can be effective. Employees know when management fails to act consistently or fails to hold themselves to the same standards as their subordinates. Don’t forget, your employees reflect your personality and character. 3. Help your Employees grow The skills that your employees bring to you are merely generic and basic, not streamlined to your business. You owe them training, direction, feedback, and assistance. If they were the best, they just maybe somewhere better. Involving them in the big-picture goals of the company helps them feel like they can grow at your business, no matter how uneducated or inexperienced they are. Don’t be concerned about them leaving after you train; what matters is the quality of service they provide while they are with you. Learn to promote high-performing employees. Keep no one on the same level for too long. Help them see career advancement in your small business and don’t take them for granted. Don’t undervalue what your employees already know about your company and what they can contribute or even do after they leave. 4. Create a workplace culture. Forget the English, Let me explain… When it comes to employee management, developing a strong workplace culture is your best bet for attracting top-quality applicants, retaining great employees, and increasing productivity. It starts with implementing your core values and ensuring compliance. Don’t just pick an employee of the month based on the amount of gossip given to you, or how they are protecting the wrongs of the business. When you present awards, tell all of the employees exactly what the employee did and how it relates to the milestones you want your company to achieve. Make it a habit, and other employees will see how they, too, can make meaningful contributions. Hiding performance metrics because you believe they aren’t paying attention is risky for your business. If there are milestones, let them know, if It’s a difficult time, let them know. Don’t just say it verbally show them evidence. You’re likely to have more committed employees this way. There’s a lot of things you can do: Reimburse people when they spend their money, provide them with tools and resources needed for the job. Buy lunch when you can and sponsor office hours’ activities. These show employees that you don’t just care about the work they do but that you value them. 5. Know the business you’re in charge of Only expertise can win authority. I’ve seen business owners cry because a certain employee took their trade secrets and customers with them. You must understand the business you manage. Be the best hairstylist or nail technician in your store while you have others. This will allow you to review what other stylists have done and retain your customers regardless of what the rest knows. Don’t limit yourself; learn everything, or at least a portion of what you manage, and your employees wouldn’t take you for granted. 6. Protect your business Have you been a victim of your employee leaving with your trade secrets, database, confidentiality information and more? Either converting them for personal use or giving to a competitor? This is a regular situation with small businesses of course MSMEs are not left out but its prevalent with smaller businesses. What can you do? Decentralise your business. Never have one employee take charge of production, operations, finance and customer relations etc. I know you have a slim budget, but you’re safer in the long
“I LEFT THE USA TO PURSUE MY PASSION IN NIGERIA.” MEET UGOCHI NWOSU, FOUNDER OF RELIANCE CLINICS
Not everyone owns up to their purpose especially when it takes you from one continent to another. Ugochi left the United States to pursue purpose in Nigeria. Ugochi is the founder of Reliance Clinics. She’ll be sharing insights into her life as a medical practitioner, health tips, the numerous challenges she faced and how she was able to overcome them. Who is Ugochi Nwosu? I was born in Nigeria and lived there until I was 7 before my family immigrated to the United States. That was where I did all my schooling. After my undergraduate degree, I did my residency training in the States also until I returned back to Nigeria in 2019. This kick-started my goal to start a business that provided quality private healthcare services. What are you passionate about? Healthcare! I really want to live in a world where everyone has full access to adequate healthcare. In Nigeria, the rate at which people in their early 40s and 50s die is really alarming. All of these can be avoided. I just want to help people live healthy and productive lives where they get to see their grandchildren and even great-grandchildren. Although this would be beautiful, it’s not easy. If people want to live till their late 80s, it starts from now. So, I want to keep educating people about this. What ignited the spark to start Reliance Clinics? For me, the inclination to work in healthcare came since my undergraduate studies. I learnt about the possible challenges, the requirements and mapped out the areas to make an impact. It was important to be properly grounded in what I was planning to do to avoid making any silly mistakes. I also worked with a whole lot of NGOs to ensure I had a feel of what I was about getting myself into. I didn’t really plan to start a business for myself. The decision to do that came after I kept searching for an NGO to work with but couldn’t find any at that point. This made me start looking for other possible opportunities. During my residency training, I met people who were interested in digital healthcare services and connected with them. They encourage me to just do what I need to do because no one makes actual change by talking and observing. It was great for me because I didn’t see myself as someone that could take up that level of responsibility upon myself. The plan had always been to work for someone who was already doing the things I needed to do. That’s basically how the business came alive. How was the startup phase of your business? I’m not going to deny the fact that everything was new to me. Firstly, we had to scout for a suitable location, then we had to figure out a way to get supplies for the clinic and basically test these supplies yourself because everything had to be reliable 100%. For funding, I met the founders of a health insurance company during my residency training so things sort of worked out for me in the sense that they needed a trusted clinic that they could send patients to so they kind of gave me the initial funding for the clinic. What business challenges have you faced and how have those challenges shaped your mindset? One major challenge has been hiring and training staff. For those in healthcare, the quality of services offered has to be nothing but excellent. Most times, doctors, pharmacists, nurses etc expect some things to be done in some certain way based on what they’ve seen before or something which might not necessarily be the right thing. When you tell this category of people that there’s a standard that should be met and we’re not going to overlook that standard just because we’re operating in Nigeria, it turns into a situation where it feels like you’re telling them that they’re not properly trained or something so that was a major challenge for me. Another challenge we had, in the beginning, was dealing with patients and staff who were used to things being done in certain ways and then we do them in totally different ways. For instance, most patients that come to our clinic are used to being given so many drugs even for not so serious cases. When we give them just 1-2 drugs, they feel like we’re not treating them the right way or we don’t really care about their wellbeing which is why we’re given them little amounts of drugs and that’s not the situation at all. What have you learned so far from running this business? When it comes to hiring, you have to ensure that those people actually have the skills they claim to possess. It’s mandatory that you do. I’ve learnt over time that you have to be very intentional when deciding who to bring on board, how to evaluate their skills and how to train them so that from day 1, they can actually deliver. Ugochi is a participant in the High Growth Coaching Program 2020. Catch up on her business journey on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
“My Goals Define Who I Am.” Meet Ayomiposi Ogunti, Founder of Ideabud
Your goals are the key to success in your career or your business. As you get closer to achieving your goals, the chances of truly finding yourself increase immensely because you’re constantly breaking barriers and getting to know who you truly are. “My goals define who I am!” Ayomiposi isn’t taking chances when it comes to achieving the impossible. She’s the founder of IdeaBud and is breaking boundaries in her business. Who is Ayomiposi Ogunti? I’ve lived in Lagos almost all my life till I went to the University Of Ilorin for my tertiary education. Before I started Ideabud, I had worked with two management consulting firms as a research analyst and a team lead for performance monitoring and evaluation. I did this for a while before deciding to start my own business. I’m really passionate about people’s development as regards their careers and personal growth. I’m also passionate about entrepreneurship and creativity. One thing about me is I get excited about new things. It could even be something old that’s done in a new and refreshing way. What ignited the spark to start IdeaBud? Deep down, I always wanted to help people bring their ideas to life. No matter how scary or tasking those ideas are. I just enjoy helping people out with whatever it could be. People would always say, “Ayomiposi has the answers!” After numerous conversations with top executives, colleagues, friends and the likes, I discovered that most people had brilliant ideas but couldn’t bring it to life. They were always stuck at the implementation stage. I saw a void and decided to fill it. The heart of IDEABUD is passion. Let’s track back a little since I started working with corporate organizations, I had always wanted to see people excel in their respective fields and businesses. Not everyone has the luxury of time to monitor a project from the startup phase until it gains ground and becomes something spectacular. This is where my passion comes in. What business challenges have you faced and how have those challenges shaped your mindset? Most businesses that operate in the field of consultation experience a very similar challenge which is getting clients. Without clients, a business cannot operate. You can discuss with clients over and over only for them to change their mind when you think the project is 95% ready to kick off. Another challenge I’ve faced is how to create content to drive IDEABUD. This might appear like a minor issue but it was a major stumbling block. The thing with consulting is you have to be careful how you project your content to your audience because it tends to become technical rather than relatable. It got to the point where I needed to take a step back and reevaluate the situation of my business and map out ways I could reach out to people better. It was during this evaluation stage I came across a guide from SheLeadsAfrica’s Facebook page about storytelling. It really helped me in so many ways. These challenges have helped Ideabud become a business that people can actually relate to. It put us on a path to being the best at what we do. What have you learned so far from running this business? I learnt at the early stage that establishing a standard operating procedure goes a really long way. This procedure has served as a guideline for me when dealing with clients, because, before then, I just dealt with clients as the spirit led. It really messed up a whole lot of things for me and the client. So, you should always have a standard operating procedure that helps you identify what needs to be done at specific points in time. Ayomiposi is a participant in the High Growth Coaching Program 2020. Catch up on her business journey on Instagram and LinkedIn.
“Pay Attention To What You Eat!” Meet Patience Bature, CEO Parkea Ventures
Most times, we can’t really determine what life has in store for us. Some people already know how the next few years of their lives would go but all of that could change with one experience. Patience is the CEO of Parkea ventures. She’s proud of how she’s been able to juggle life as a mother, wife and business owner. Who is Patience Bature? Watching my mum handle food-related businesses sparked my interest in business which grew as I got more involved. After school, my siblings and I had to assist her at the shop so there wasn’t any room for laziness. You always had to be engaged. So I’d say my childhood was really engaging! There was always something to do. Seeing the effects of years and years of hard work on my mum made me stop to think and reevaluate things. It gave me an idea, so I switched my focus towards general well-being and why we need to be intentional about the food we eat. What ignited the spark to start Parkea ventures? I needed to find the perfect cereal for my baby who was fast approaching the stage where he had to stop breastfeeding. I tried various products but none was able to keep him satisfied till the next morning. This pushed me to carry out research and I discovered something golden. I was able to create a formula that had numerous nutrients which were perfect for my baby. After making the switch to this formula, I noticed that he slept better. He didn’t wake up at intervals like he used to. I just had to recommend it to my friends who were also nursing mothers. Let’s just say it was a long chain of recommendations, my friends recommended me to other mothers and it went on and on until I could no longer produce at home. Even a doctor got to find out about the formula and requested for a batch. That was how the business itself started. What business challenges have you faced and how have those challenges shaped your mindset? My first challenge was moving from producing in my home to producing in an actual factory. It wasn’t easy getting used to that switch at all. Secondly, we had to approach a commercial factory for production and it’s been affecting our profit margin. The more we discover new products from the archer grain, the more the business grows which demands more from us and that could be tasking. Thirdly, it’s been difficult to get the necessary equipment that would help increase product range. This leads us to the last challenge which has been funding. It hasn’t been easy getting the funds for this business. I can see there’s a potential market for it. I just need to find creative ways to tap into it. I’ve been able to learn from all those challenges that it’s okay to fail and experience difficulties because that’s the only way to truly grow. I could work with smallholder farmers to fight the issue of scarcity which would protect me from various market factors. Giving up is not an option. What have you learned so far from running this business? Entrepreneurship is war but the customer is key. This means that everything should always revolve around your customers. This has helped me develop patience. I fully understand that life is filled with challenges and we just have to keep striving till we’re able to achieve all our set goals. How have you been able to balance life as a mother, a wife and a business owner It’s not been a very easy ride. The funny thing is I’ve always been into business. Till this day, I’ve never worked as a staff for anyone and I intend to keep it that way. The best part about this is I married a man who really understands my goals. He’s very supportive so it’s easy for me to handle all of these without any hassles. Patience is a participant in the High Growth Coaching Program 2020. Catch up on her business journey on Facebook.
VISA SPOTLIGHT SERIES ON SKINCARE ENTHUSIAST: TERRYANNE CHEBET – FOUNDER, KEYARA ORGANICS
When Terryanne’s eldest daughter was little, she struggled with a dry skin condition called Eczema. Terryanne searched for a natural skincare solution that would heal her daughter’s skin but could hardly find any in Kenya. Based on a doctor’s recommendation, she tried shea butter and it worked. Terryanne soon realised that some mothers in her circle were also searching for natural solutions to their children’s eczema. This spurred her to start Keyara Organics- a leading home-grown skincare brand in Kenya. Terryanne Chebet is a Media and Communications professional with more than 15 years of experience in Media practice, Media leadership and Management. She is also the founder of Africa’s Leading Ladies, an online group for African women to connect, learn and share experiences. She started Keyara Organics from her kitchen and it has flourished because of her expertise and passion. This piece is about Terryanne’s journey with Keyara Organics and the lessons you can take away from her experience. What is the intention behind Keyara Organics? The intention behind Keyara organics has always been to provide a skincare solution for the whole family using as many natural ingredients as we can. We aim to make products available for the man in the house, the woman in the house, the child, the toddler- we want everyone to be catered to. What inspired your decision to leave journalism to start Keyara organics? There were so many things that I needed to do with my life and I would not have been able to do them while working as a journalist. It would not have been fair to the job. It would take too much of my time and waste their time as well. So I decided to focus on what I needed to do to be able to get to where I wanted to go. I am 41 years old right now and I have been telling my friends that “this is possibly my highest productive decade so you may not see me much, you may not hang out with me a lot.”When I am 50, 60, 70, I can relax and enjoy life a lot more. I also left because I needed to be home more. As a journalist, I could count the number of times I was actually home before 10 PM for the 10 or 12 years of my career. Has your experience as a journalist helped in running Keyara? My journalistic background has helped me immensely. Being in the public eye has helped me put my brand in a place where I can reach many people. It has helped in building a better brand and getting visibility from media houses. Also, the confidence I have today may not be there if I had not been a journalist before this. What are some of the challenges you have experienced and how have you dealt with them? One of the biggest problems is the packaging and I believe this is an African problem. Many of us in the skincare space has had a problem getting quality local packaging. So we end up having to import packaging. That affects the margin because we are paying for freight and a higher grade of plastic. All this eventually affects the pricing of our products. We have thought of different ways to solve this problem and one of them involves buying a moulding machine to make our own plastics but it is very expensive. However, one of us in the skincare space decided to fill the gap by shipping in containers in bulk and then we buy from her. Sourcing products has also been quite a challenge. For instance, shea butter comes from West Africa and shipping it into Kenya is very expensive. Luckily for us, we found out that shea butter is also available in Northern Uganda and South Sudan and they are neighbouring countries. So now we source from Northern Uganda. In running your business, you interact a lot with local communities and business. In your opinion, how important do you think local communities are to the businesses they choose to support? They are absolutely important. I think that it is a thing of pride to be able to invest in our own and contribute to these little economies. I am pretty big on working with what we have locally and patronising small businesses in our communities. For us at Keyara, we source raw materials like aloe vera from local farmers in Kenya that harvest those items. Supporting local businesses will never stop being a priority for us. In a couple of years, we have seen the skincare industry in Africa grow- brands are consistently popping up in Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana and we are effectively creating an economy of our own through our patronage. By supporting local businesses, we also create gainful employment. Whether it is a full-time person or a consultant, the people who are working on packaging, the people who print out labels- the whole value chain gets impacted and enriched. The more we push for our African brands to grow and support them, the more we grow our economies. What advice would you give to someone who wants to start a business of their own? This might sound cliche but just start. Start where you are, start with what you have. Just start. I started Keyara organics with about 60,000 shillings which is 600 dollars which I took out of my salary. I bought some shea butter and some containers and began producing in my kitchen. Looking back, had I thought that let me wait for big money to come in, let me wait for a million shillings, I would not have started it. So my advice is start where you are, start with what you have and start on something that you are passionate about. Nothing beats creativity. There is a lot of copycatting in the small business space and I understand that because it is a lot cheaper and easier to start out copying someone