Dear employee, what’s your leadership distinction?
Every year for the last few years I’ve called a year a particular name. 2016 was called the year of outstanding distinction. 2017 the year of creative distinction, the year 2018 was the year of cutting edge distinction and 2019 I’ve called the year of global distinction. There’s an unprecedented political, economic, socio-cultural and technological shift which involves easy access to fake news, fear news and forward-thinking news. But, through it all, I truly believe we are in one of the most exciting times which I’ve called the era of creative distinction. As an employee, know that the global market is now local, and the local market has gone global. And with the emergence of artificial intelligence, now is the time to lead with your distinction. The first question is what actually is leadership? In 2015 from my message of Cutting Edge Distinction, I penned the following quote, [bctt tweet=”“Leadership isn’t about age but rather, leadership is about influence, impact, and inspiration – @Onyianyado777″ username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] As you see from my quote, it’s not about how old you are, how young you are, how long you’ve been in your job or industry, the essence of cutting edge leadership is simply the 3 I’s, influence, impact, and inspiration. Question number 2, before you can serve and lead with your influence, impact, and inspiration, who is the first person you have to influence, impact, and inspire? That’s right, you got it, it’s you. In this era of creative distinction, finding, developing and leveraging your distinction as an employee is key to your development and that of your department and organization as a whole. So how should the 21st-century employee channel their leadership skills? Lead with excellence We’ve already established what the essence of cutting edge leadership is and from my message of cutting edge distinction, I’ve combined excellence and branding and created the 3 V’s of branding. Your vision, your values, and your voice. The key to employee distinction is to be fully emerged with the vision, value, and voice of your organization, why? If you’re not seeing, believing and saying what your organization is seeing, believing and saying, no distinction can be created in regards the prosperity, progress, and purpose of your organization. Be a trailblazer and pioneer On the image below I developed the 3 C’s of employee distinction. To lead with distinction in your chosen career, the 3 C’s have to be your way of life. You’ve heard of thinking outside the box but in this era of creative distinction, using the ‘box’ as a stepping stone to save money, improve output and increase productivity is a key to leadership distinction. Creativity is the new currency so regularly reading articles and watching TED Talks will, in my opinion, increase your creative awareness. Once you achieved a task in work, actively look for other tasks to complete. If you find them hard, ask team members for assistance knowing not only does teamwork make the dream work, teamwork also makes you write, work and win with your leadership skills enhanced. Bring constant change to your organization With your understanding of what cutting edge leadership is all about, taking the lead to be known as a solution provider in your organization is a vital key to employee distinction. Spending quality time to serve, showcase and speak your distinction will mean you sometimes being misunderstood but because you’ve integrated the 3 V’s of your organizations brand, any misunderstanding will mean you’ll eventually be understood as a leader who is a critical thinker and a problem solver. For the next seven days spend time observing the challenges you face at work and how quickly you use critical thinking to gain a quicker result. It doesn’t matter if you are a junior staff or you’ve been in your organization for less than say 6 months. Your leadership distinction will come from constantly applying the 3 M’s of time management which can be viewed on the quote below and also asking questions, looking for quicker solutions, working in the team to see and understand the future goal and understanding, applying and really celebrating your leadership distinction. So there you have it, you’ve been given the essence of cutting edge leadership and who the 21st-century employee is. With organizations desperately looking for employees who are thought leaders in nature and results, now is the time for you as an employee to lead with your distinction. Interested in contributing for She Leads Africa? Click here.
Addie Olutola: Building a Fashion Line for the culture
Addie Olutola is the founder of D’IYANU, a ready-to-wear clothing line that offers African inspired fashion for men and women. She thought of the business idea while working as a buyer and also attending a Masters program in International Marketing. Her professional and academic background, coupled with a love for fashion and a passion for African-centered art set the stage for D’IYANU. A regular on my Instagram Explore Tab featuring #datenight outfits and a go-to brand for the culturally-conscious fashionista, D’IYANU encourages self-expression through its bold prints and unique pieces. The meaning behind the brand name draws from French (D’) and Yoruba (IYANU) influence, translating to “of something wonderful”–a reminder to everyone that they’re uniquely made and to dress like it. What makes D’IYANU even more special is Addie’s commitment to seeking ways her business can empower her community and help address the social issues it faces. The company has grown to 12 employees, many of whom are Nigerian women, and has donated a portion of its profits to nonprofits that provide clean water and education to African communities. In this interview, she gives a sneak peek into her world and shares her wisdom on how to build a purpose-filled business. Tell us about your journey of starting D’IYANU. Since university, I held a purpose to help build schools and clinics and provide opportunities to people in underdeveloped communities in Nigeria and other African countries. I later launched D’IYANU with a mission centered on community engagement. Since our start, we’ve donated over $20,000 to causes that support African communities and the D’IYANU brand continues to grow daily. What were some important lessons you took your work experience to your business? My first job out of school was for an online pet store. I learned a lot of valuable lessons about inventory and website management that helped me when I launched my own business. My second job as a buyer helped me hone my vendor and customer relation skills which was much needed as well in my business. All my previous jobs really contributed to my success as an entrepreneur. I would advise aspiring entrepreneurs to regard their current and previous jobs as stepping stones and commit to gleaning as much knowledge and skill as possible from that role [bctt tweet=”Not every business is the same. Don’t make the assumption that what worked for another company will necessarily work for your own – @AddieIyanu” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What did you learn from your biggest failure? One failure we experienced was trying to implement an ERP system that was too big for us. It was an archaic system used by larger companies and thought it would work for us. We made many assumptions, and it ended up costing us a lot. The lesson learned was that not every business is the same and not to make the assumption that what worked for another company will necessarily work for your own. Also, make sure you do your due diligence and get as much of your questions answered as possible. Who has influenced you most when it comes to how you approach your work? I listen to some motivational speakers regular such as Les Brown, Jim Rohn, and Tony Robbins whose words have helped me through tough times with my business. Words from Les Brown such as “It’s not over until I win” or Tony Robbins “I can, I will, I must” ring in my mind when I’m feeling discouraged. As your business grows, what are some core values that will remain important? Always keep customers first and maintain excellent customer service Hire great people and keeping them happy within the team Continue to innovate and try new things with operations and fashion Make sure that D’IYANU continues to give to great causes The African fashion market is heavily saturated, how do you cut through the noise to differentiate your brand? Since starting D’IYANU, my goal has been to make sure that we’re differentiating ourselves by offering quality, ready to wear clothing at reasonable prices, quick delivery, and quality customer service. Our men’s fashion line, for example, has allowed us to reach a rarely tapped market and to gain a competitive advantage in the African-wear industry. With the substantial relationship between e-commerce and social media, what are some creative strategies you’ve experimented with or want to explore? With social media, we recognize that the possibilities to connect with new customers are endless. We’re currently exploring our options in using more video content and collaborating with influencers. What is your personal brand mantra? “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor and some style.”- Maya Angelou What’s your advice for a budding entrepreneur? Write down why you want to start your business. Make sure the reasons are compelling enough to get you going on tough days. If your reasons are compelling enough, you’ll figure out a way to make your dreams a reality and continue to push in spite of failure. [bctt tweet=”Make sure your reasons for starting your business are compelling enough to get you going on tough days. – @AddieIyanu” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What are you most excited about at the moment, and what are your next steps? I’m excited about our use of a new type of fabric that’s woven but has a little bit of spandex for stretch. No one else in the African fashion market is using this type of fabric to my knowledge. We have to get it special made. It looks like cotton, but it’s made with a rayon/nylon/spandex blend. It can stretch to accommodate curves nicely. We have a few pieces that we will be launching in January 2019 with this material which is exciting! Interested in contributing for She Leads Africa? Click here.
If you want to GLOW in your next Job Interview, avoid these Red Flags
A lot of candidates get a rejection mail and are confused about what went wrong in an interview process. Working as a recruiter both as a consultant and an in-house staff has exposed me to various interviews across all levels. I have compiled some things that candidates should beware of when attending an interview. Here is a list of things that would most likely get you a rejection mail: Dressing badly This includes rumpled clothing, unkempt hair, provocative dressing. Ladies you are not here to sell boobs and fine legs! Please be moderate! We call them DOA (dead on arrival), it means your interview has ended even before it started because you can’t fit into our company. Bad sitting position Slouching position shows a lazy and pessimistic personality. Sitting up straight shows a confident person. These are important non-verbal cues. Lack of eye contact I had a recent interview with a manager that had a superb profile and from the interview, it shows he actually did all he wrote. However, his role was to face customers and he barely looked us in the face which was a big red flag for the role. Bad mouthing your previous employer Even though you have justifiable reasons for leaving, say it in a good way that doesn’t make your last employer look bad! No organization is perfect so be careful what you say! Short stay in various organizations without a reasonable reason If you are on this table, I’m not saying it’s entirely wrong to have short stays, but they should not be flimsy reasons. Think through the explanation you want to give. Using an Inaudible voice Yes, using your bedroom voice during interviews is totally unacceptable. You need to be audible even if your voice is naturally low. Try to speak up and don’t wait for the interviewer to cajole you. It can already be a turn-off. Using non-professional language Avoid switching to pigeon English or vernacular because you feel too comfortable with the interviewer. Please don’t switch, it’s a TRAP. Keep it professional always. Not doing your Research about the organization or the role before the interview You would end up talking off-point. You would also turn off the hiring team because it shows a nonchallant attitude. ALWAYS do your research and think of the value you intend to add before an interview. Being Rude to the Receptionist This is a big NO. Even if you’re a Senior Director or whatever, you need to be polite and courteous to ALL staff. Don’t begin to feel like a ‘god’ even if you have a leg inside the company. It would backfire. Clownish looking Make-Up Unless you’re going for a make-up artist interview, I would advise you to wear moderate make-up. I have sat in an interview where the lower eyeliner was bright green and she was a fair lady so you can imagine the distraction. Rolling your eyes Some candidates think they are talking to their boyfriends/girlfriends. Don’t forget to be a PROFESSIONAL. I realized some people do it unconsciously. I would advise you to practice in the mirror and ensure your eyes are not flying everywhere. Feel free to ask questions, I’ll watch out in the comment section to make some clarification. I sincerely wish you the best in your career. Interested in contributing for She Leads Africa? Click here.
Mwandwe Chileshe: My career in nutrition stemmed from my own struggles with ill health
Mwandwe Chileshe is a Global Health Corps alumni who has carved out a meaningful career path in Zambia’s health and nutrition sector. In this interview, she speaks on how to trailblaze a career that’s both challenging and rewarding—while working to ensure the safety and health of generations to come. What inspired you to build a career in nutrition/health? My work in nutrition and global health stemmed from my own struggles with ill health. As a university student enthusiastic and eager to learn, I was suddenly struck with multiple abdomen complications. This led me through many hospital corridors and multiple surgical procedures. The experience included severe pain, days of no food, and wards where I saw people in even worse conditions. After three years of this situation, I realized that my opportunity to access health services gave me the best shot at life. The experience took a financial and emotional toll, which would have been hard to survive without the goodwill of my family. In the meantime, many women and girls are living through worse, and some of their lives are cut short as they are unable to access the health services they need. When I started to work on nutrition I was exposed to the dire effects of hunger and malnutrition on women, girls, and children. Children who lack access to adequate nutrition and consequently suffer from chronic malnutrition (stunting), their fates are decided even before they can make their own decisions. A stunted child is more likely to fail at school, fall sick with other conditions, and struggle to find work as an adult. My first-hand experience of the heavy price of inequitable health services coupled with my early work experience in nutrition motivated me to build a career in global health advocating for improved nutrition. What does the future hold for this sector? How can young leaders plugin and cultivate their own careers here? So many people worldwide are affected by hunger and malnutrition. More than a billion women and girls do not have the access to the adequate nutrition that they need. It is a health and development issue that requires a critical mass of young minds to solve. Political will has been stated, global commitments have been made, and yet nutrition remains insufficiently funded globally. For an issue that affects so many of us, it is important that we get involved and we pursue careers that will have lasting impacts. It is a space that still needs people to see its importance and its linkages to so many other health and development issues. What does it mean to be an anti-poverty advocate? How does this show up in your daily life? It shows up in the little and the big decisions in my life. Straight out of undergrad I started to work for one of Zambia’s leading commercial banks in a high-density area. What stood out for me at the time was how during a 30-minute bus ride, the landscape changed from posh malls to people living in shacks. The disparity was so apparent and jarring. Every morning was a trek to where the people strung along their savings. Within four months I knew I couldn’t stay. I quit at what was considered a prestigious and income-secure job and went right back to work on nutrition and health. For me, being an anti-poverty advocate means that I cannot be satisfied with just my own income security. When faced with the small choices or the big ones, I will always choose that which impacts more than just me. After my work at the bank, I went on to lead and contribute to efforts to raise the profile of nutrition and increase political will to address it. I played a significant role in the startup and growth of Zambia’s Civil Society Scaling up Nutrition Alliance (CSO-SUN), the first organization in the country solely dedicated to advocacy on nutrition. I took the lead within CSO-SUN in ensuring creative approaches towards advocacy efforts. I became a Global Health Corps fellow working at 1,000 Days in the U.S. as a Global Advocacy and Outreach Associate, working to mobilize greater resources for nutrition initiatives. In early 2017, I became a global citizen campaigner and was recognized as one of their leading youth advocates. Through this role, I have led and supported significant campaigns and advocacy on nutrition. Most recently, I was part of the Global Citizen team that worked to secure commitments for the Mandela 100 festival in December 2018. Why is it important for young leaders to build careers that are socially-minded? How has your career shaped your identity? The problems arising from hunger, malnutrition, poverty are not new at all. The world needs new solutions to these old problems! It is so important that young people get involved. We are open-minded, and we have fresh voices and new ideas. We cannot sit by and wait for phantom changemakers – it is us that we need. My friend joked to me just a few days ago that when someone asked what my hobbies are and what I do for fun, she responded by saying “That’s easy, her nutrition advocacy work.” We laughed, but I interpreted the exchange as a sign that my career deeply shapes my identity. Perhaps more importantly, I believe it means that the joy that I get from the work I do is evident. The work you do isn’t easy. How do you stay focused, committed, and well? There are moments when fighting for health equity is overwhelming and challenging. I imagine that this is true for all careers working towards a better world. I find that it is important for me to always remember why I do what I do to stay focused and motivated. However, this also includes acknowledging burn out and cultivating time for self-care, which allows me to always bring the best version of myself to my work. Interested in contributing for She Leads Africa? Click here.
Boss Lady Series: How to Maximize Your Week with Maya Horgan Famodu
Maya Horgan Famodu came to Lagos about four years ago and knew no one. She had no connections and no start-up capital. What Maya had was an idea and the drive to establish Ingressive, a venture capital fund and a fantastic team that is building tech ecosystems across sub-Saharan Africa. Even if you are just starting out in Lagos, she told me, “…you can do whatever you want here. Don’t let someone tell you aren’t good enough or that your profile is not typical. You can create the space of your industry, and you can get it done.” [bctt tweet=”Start now before you are crazy busy to develop good habits – @mayahorgan” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] She has come a long way from when she started her business. She has gone from working all day and week on her business to figuring out how to break up her day and week into manageable pieces, so she is not only successful professionally but has time to follow her non-business-related interests. Maya shares how she spends her weekend and has some suggestions on how to balance your work with your other passions. Divide up your week so you can tackle all aspects of your professional life If you are like Maya and you tend to get very involved with details, you can schedule out your week with specific tasks, so you are forced to focus on every aspect of your business or position. For example, Maya focuses on internal team meetings and planning on Monday. Her Tuesdays are for reviewing the companies she works with. Wednesday is for external meetings and networking. Thursdays are for dealing with paperwork and reviewing internal processes. Similar to Wednesday, Fridays are for business development. She usually attends extended in-person meetings that might lead to a relaxing dinner or drinks. You can use Google Calendar to help you stay on track of your critical daily work themes across the week. Make the most of Your weekend Maya used to spend a lot of time going out but realized as a Lagos transplant she needed more time to reflect and rejuvenate in her favorite spaces so she could be her best. If she is not hanging out at her house or at the beach, she will only schedule meetings with individuals who she has both professional and personal relationships with. She calls Saturday her ‘Enjoyable Partnerships Day.’ Give yourself some quiet time, but start small She has learned that she needs time to rejuvenate to be at her peak. Maya plans to attend yearly quiet retreats that can last up to ten days. She tries to incorporate some of the same techniques into her life in Lagos. Her Sundays are entirely offline. She doesn’t check her emails or phone and might do some offline planning for the week. She also spends time reading and writing. She has found that when she reflects, she has space to think about new ideas. You might not be able to take ten days off or even an entire day off your social media, but you can start small. Maya starts off her day mediating, and you can start off by meditating for a few minutes to work your way up to 1 hour. Maya suggests waking up an hour earlier, she usually is up by 7 am, during the work week to get in some silent time. Make the most of your tribe: Find Your Core People When she is not working, Maya spends most of her time by herself or with one to two people. She credits her tribe with helping her get through the good and tough times as an entrepreneur. She suggests that you surround yourself with the right people. Focus on quality, not quantity. [bctt tweet=”You should have one to three people you can call on when things go poorly or that you can lean on – @mayahorgan” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Maya suggests having advisors you can turn to for your business or professional career and then emotional support, people who can tell you everything is going to be ok or set you straight. My biggest takeaway from Maya was the idea that you should start now before you are crazy busy to develop good habits. You don’t have to spend 24 hours working. Entrepreneurship and life, in general, is a marathon. If you want to do it for the long term, you need to set yourself up for success. Developing the right habits and routines can help with that. How do you plan out your week? Are you making sure to include time for your other interests? Want to learn how to build a health-conscious routine? Read our Good Good Living Part 2 series w/ Funmi Oyatogun Interested in contributing for She Leads Africa? Click here.
Your Self Care shouldn’t suffer at the expense of Career Excellence – Nnennaya Udochu
Female engineers have been branded to be nerds and unattractive. It is a common belief that female engineers have no sense of style, not feminine enough and probably too strong for the average man. Contrary to this widely held bias, Nnennaya Udochu is a firm believer that female engineers can be trendy, decent, and elegant. Nnennaya’s life and style is full proof that women are going against this bias. As an analog engineer, she doesn’t fit into what you’d typically call your hard hat-wearing engineer. She has held the office of a Professor Faculty in the Mathematics department at the University of Portland, Oregon., and she balances career with self-care. Nnennaya doubles as a fashion blogger and also motivates ladies who fear that taking a career in engineering or any career in STEM (Science Technology Engineering Mathematics) would impede and perhaps limit their chances of a relationship. In this article, she shares her experience in the profession gives her insights on the misconceptions placed on women in STEM. What prompted you to want to become an Engineer? I enjoyed solving a lot of Math problems and enjoyed a particular topic in my physics class, Electromagnetics. It was from that course in Secondary School I decided I wanted to pursue a degree in Electrical Engineering. What setbacks did you experience pursuing this dream? Taking some engineering courses that would make me think, “why me” or “God help me” because I found them very challenging. For example, Thermodynamics and Statics. Aside from those challenges, the fear of self-doubt. Sometimes, just believing in yourself regardless of what people think goes a long way. I remember being in a study group where we were discussing our prospective first jobs and I said Microsoft or any Fortune 500 company. The whole group burst out laughing but today here I am staying in the course of what I want for myself. Did you have a hard time proving your credibility to your male lectures/superiors? Yes, I did most of the time. It took a lot of hard work and proving myself but I would always let the quality of my work delivery speak volume. Once you’re very knowledgeable about your expertise and firm about making decisions, it would be difficult for anyone to question your abilities in the workforce. Females in #STEM tend to recline to the background whenever leadership or academic roles are called for. Was this your experience? No this isn’t my experience. I am very tenacious in the pursuit of leadership or academic roles in my career; certainly not shying away from it. I’ve been fortunate enough to have been an Adjunct Professor at the University of Portland, Oregon and I’m continuously getting mentored by senior leaders in my industry. As an Analog Engineer, what does your typical workday look like? My workdays are very busy and a lot of critical thinking is involved. Every day I am faced with new challenges on addressing power issues and honestly, everything I learned in Physics II (especially applied principles of electromagnetics) are applied from day to day. Basically, I am mentally tasked each day. You are also an Instagram blogger. Tell us about your journey. The journey so far has been great! I continue to curate content on my platform to inspire people across the world through my travel shots, beauty, hair and showcasing different fashion looks ranging from street style to guest inspired looks at a wedding. I’ve collaborated with brands such as Pitusa, Chi Chi London, Res Ipsa, Palmers, Victoria Emerson just to mention a few and my work has been featured on various Instagram and media platforms. The most exciting experience I’ve had from my journey so far was being privileged to have featured on a fashion segment on Fox News (Fox12 Oregon) discussing the latest Fall fashion trends in 2018. In your opinion why do you think women in #STEM do not take self-care as a top priority? I feel it’s because they don’t want to appear unserious for their jobs and have their co-workers not take them seriously in a meeting or on a project. The perception of a woman figure in STEM is always painted wearing dirty clothing, or plain tops and jeans and this have clouded some women’s judgment on how they would like to present themselves. What advice do you have for women starting out in #STEM? Stay persistent and confident in the pursuit of your career goals. Don’t let the presumptions society has about women in STEM be a reason you get discouraged in achieving your career goals. Who you are or aspire to be shouldn’t be limited by someone’s experience. What’s the look on people’s face when you’re all dressed up like a diva and you tell them what you do?. They are always astonished and perplexed. Some make decent remarks like, “Beauty and Brains” while others find the need to argue. Once a co-worker said I was in Finance and I said, “No”. Only for him to turn back around still amazed and say, “I always thought you were in Finance and you were a spoilt brat because of the way you dress”. Between anger and range, I managed to get my emotions in check and simply responded, “For someone educated that is quite shallow of you to say”. Interested in contributing for She Leads Africa? Click here.
Boss Lady Series: How to Build a health conscious Routine with Yasmin Kumi
Do you have a routine or a way to approach your day? Setting the tone for your day has a massive impact on how much you accomplish. This month I will be showcasing the routines of several leading ladies who work on the continent. Learn how they balance working hard with staying on top of their physical and mental health. [bctt tweet=”Routines are a trial and error process and take time to build – @ynjkumi ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] By sharing our experiences, learning from others and deciding what works for us as individuals, we all can have a good life. I had a chance to sit down with Yasmin Kumi, the founder of the pan-African consulting firm, Africa Foresight Group. Yasmin travels between 3 to 4 times a week and wakes up at 3 am to set her priorities for the day. She is a problem solver and has learned how to approach her wellness by trying new things and focusing on what works for her. I put together a list of things I thought others could keep in mind from her experience. 1. Keep your personal goals and routines fluid No two days in Yasmin’s life are the same. Given all the work she does the most important thing for her to do is not put additional pressure and stress on herself by feeling bad about not having attained certain personal goals. She has introduced ‘if’ rules for different situations that allow her to create some consistency in her head. Try using this phrase to build your own ‘if’ rules: – “If some conditions hold, then this is what I have to do…” 2. Playlists can help you get into or handle a Mood Yasmin is a very audiovisual person, so she reacts a lot to music. When she feels tired, she knows what music to play to get back up to speed. When she needs to relax or focus on something, she has a playlist for that. She also has a playlist to start her bedtime routine that usually ends with a prayer. You can use music to motivate you or remind you to do tasks you normally avoid. 3. Understand Your Personality to Maximize Your Output Yasmin describes herself as a borderline extravert and though she loves her team, she sometimes feels like she can get more done if she spends some time working from home before she gets into the office. Though not for everyone, Yasmin feels most productive when she wakes up early, at 3 am, to work undisturbed until about 6 am. Find what works for you and helps make you feel productive and successful. 4. You are What You Eat Yasmin is hardly ever home. When she is traveling, she normally spends part of her evening networking or socializing with clients and her team. She always feels so much healthier and efficient when she is at home, this is primarily because she has control over what she eats. Yasmin believes that with good food, you think better. She loves to make dinner for herself and while cooking she reflects and feels rejuvenated after a long day. When eating, reflect and think about how the food you eat makes you feel. 5. Do You! When some people look at Yasmin’s lifestyle, they assume that it is unsustainable. She encourages people to not get too influenced about what others think. You have to find out for yourself, physically and mentally what is healthy and what you are comfortable with. Focus on how you feel and what makes you comfortable when building your routine. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Interested in contributing for She Leads Africa? Click here.
UCHE ENWEUGWU: I want my cosmetic brand to capture and include all nuances of color
The cosmetics industry has become diversified and increasingly competitive with different brands of make-up entering the market every year. Each brand offers a new feature in enhancing beauty in different ways. Nigerian-born, Uche Enweugwu is a young African entrepreneur who is launching her new cosmetics line after being in the makeup industry for a few years. She began her makeup career in Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada and is now looking to expand her brand/expertise worldwide. Initially, she started out by launching her own YouTube platform – MakeupbySwift and is now launching her own cosmetic brand – CUE Cosmetics. Her experience in the industry has given her an inside look into the process of launching her own cobrand. She spoke with SLA contributor Esther Manuala Shem, and gave her some insight on her progress thus far. When did you first discover your love/passion for Makeup artistry? It all started when I was 17. At the time, I struggled with acne and dark spots. I was on a mission to find products that worked for my skin when I stumbled into make-up. Then I fell in love with how make-up enhanced my beauty and gave me the confidence to face the world. I found joy in doing my make-up and the make-up of others which eventually led to my career in makeup artistry. Also, I was motivated to improve my craft, so I went to a makeup school where I became a certified makeup artist. It’s been over 5 years and I still feel just as excited and motivated as I was when I first began my career. What do you enjoy the most about being a Make-Up Artist? I love being a makeup artist. I find pleasure in enhancing people’s beauty. I remember my first bride. When I was done with her makeup, she looked at the mirror and started screaming. I couldn’t tell if she was happy or angry. I was nervous and too terrified to ask. Eventually, I summoned the courage to asked her if she liked or hated it? She looked back at me with teary eyes and said, “I have never looked this good in my entire life”. That statement resonated with me because that’s exactly why I do makeup. It so that people can look at themselves and be marveled by just how beautiful they can become. I left that day feeling grateful knowing that I wanted to continue making people happy through makeup. My happiness comes from the fulfillment of making people feel beautiful and happy. What do you think is the biggest challenge in turning your passion into a career opportunity? My greatest challenge so far has been the entrepreneurial stride that comes with making my passion a career. Trying to start and run a small business myself has not been easy but I would not have it any other way. It has been a learning curve and I appreciate every bit of it. How did you manage to dive into the cosmetic industry and launch your own MakeUp line? It was a gradual process. I worked in the industry for about 5 years before I decided to start my own cosmetic line. It took a lot of research and years of identifying gaps in the industry that I felt needed to be filled. After 3 years of research and planning, my dream is finally becoming a reality. I will be launching my cosmetic line early this year. The first products to launch are the lash series and it launches at the beginning of January. The beauty of it all was paying my dues by working in the industry before deciding I wanted to create something to contribute to the community. Tell us about the name of your brand and how you came about it. The name of my brand is CUE. It is simply my initials put together. The “U” stands for Uche which means intention. Regarding my brand, I like to think of the “U” as standing for Ucheoma, which means beautiful intentions in Igbo. I wanted something easy to pronounce that also spoke to my passions and intentions for the brand. I want anyone wearing my brand to feel their best and above all be themselves. What sets your brand apart from others in the industry, in terms of servicing women of color? As an African woman, I want my brand to capture and include all the nuances of color. Our goal as a brand is to be inclusive and diverse. I remember working at a beauty retail store and having to watch a lot of disappointed African women leave the store because they couldn’t find their shades. I would often offer the option of mixing it with other shades to find the perfect match and that itself is not cost effective. It motivated me to want to do better when I start my cosmetic brand, which is my goal. With more African women starting businesses in the diaspora, do you plan on offering more selection for women color across the board? Absolutely! We cannot be inclusive and diverse if we don’t provide more options for women of color across the board. That’s certainly the goal and we intend to achieve it. I’m excited about the products in the making. What is the long term goal of your makeup line? The goal of my makeup line is to be inclusive. Nothing would make me happier than to know that I participated in serving a world where women and men come together to have fun and feel beautiful with makeup. Being able to express themselves while wearing CUE in the beauty community would mean everything to me. Interested in contributing for She Leads Africa? Click here.
Do what makes your heart sing – Tumi Sebopa
Tumi Sebopa is the powerhouse brand manager behind one of the continents leading food brands under the famous brand’s umbrella. Having worked extensively in the FMCG industry, Tumi continues to lead in her chosen field and is an inspiration to marketers across the continent. She is also leading the culture of reading on the continent through founding Inception Book Club which has the vision of bringing women and men from all walks of life together in celebration of words through books Tell us about your professional journey I studied marketing and started my career as an intern, after my internship I moved to the FMCG industry where I worked in client services as a Franchise Specialist for a couple of years before moving to a branding role. After a few years in the FMCG industry, I moved to a position as an Assistant brand manager for a global fast-food brand. I later moved to my current role, where I am a Brand Manager at Famous Brands. What lesson guided you through your career professional path? The 2 biggest lessons I learned along the way were: • To always be open to learning: When I started out in the FMCG industry I wanted to be a marketer but my director at the time told me that in order for me to be a great marketer one day I would need to understand the field/in-store environment. I had to promise him that I’d work with clients and in an in-store environment for at least 2 years before moving on to a marketing role. At the time, I made the promise even though at times it felt like I was delaying my career progress in marketing. I kept my promise and ended up staying longer than 2years. Today I am super grateful for his advice because the experience taught me so much about the in-store environment, understanding the end consumer, learning to work with different people on the ground and understanding different consumers segments and their needs. I eventually moved on to a branding role and to this day when I work on any marketing campaign I always consider the implementation on the ground because I understand the challenges and opportunities in a store environment. [bctt tweet=”Every bit of experience will be beneficial in your career – Tumi Sebopa” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] • Invest in yourself When you first start working and getting a salary it’s so tempting to want to buy all the nice things money can buy but I would advise any young person to invest in their skills because that is what will help you grow in the long run. Tell us how you started your book club – Inception book club, and your long-term expectations for it? A few years ago I’d often post the events I’d attend and the books I was reading. I noticed that a lot of women would ask me about the books or events so I started thinking of ways to bring women together to network on a monthly basis without breaking the bank. I wanted to create a platform that anyone could come to whether you are a student, unemployed or a Director. That is where the idea of Inception Book Club came from. I simply wanted to create a platform that allows women to continually learn and network, regardless of your background or life stage. The first book club was in Feb 2017, we read Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In and there were 11 ladies who attended. What I originally created as a platform for other women has taught me more about myself and has become one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life. I have loved seeing the networking that has happened between the ladies, new friendships have developed, some of the ladies have gained new clients and we get to read so many different books that teach us about ourselves and other people as every month brings an opportunity for a new topic. What has been your top book club read so far and why? That’s a tough one because we have read over 20 books. If I had to choose I’d go with Equal But Different by Dr. Judy Dlamini. The book covers the stories of 14 women who have succeeded in their careers and they share stories of their career journeys. I am very passionate about the empowerment of women and that book spoke to that. What I loved is the fact that it covered the stories of different women to show that there is no one way to success, everyone’s journey is different and that is something that I truly believe in. The cherry on top at the book review was having Dr. Judy Dlamini join us, she is such an authentic and inspirational woman. Discussing the book with her made an already great book even better because she shared her journey and life lessons with us in an intimate setting. Who are some of the dream authors you’d like to read at your book club? We have read most of my favorite authors so I can’t think of any more authors I’d like to read, however, there are still many books I’d love to read. One thing I love is having inspirational guests or authors join us. We have been joined by the amazing Khanyi Dhlomo to review Marianne Williamson’s – A Return To Love. That was a breathtaking experience and very different because most times when you read about Khanyi Dhlomo or watch her interviews you get to know about her career journey and she got to share some pearls of wisdom about spirituality and self-awareness with us. I would still like to be joined by Redi Tlabi, Dikgang Moseneke, Wendy Luhabe, Phumzile Mlambo Ngcuka and Phuti Mahanyele. It’s always amazing being joined by people who bring different perspectives to the book club and the people mentioned above would allow us to discuss politics, business, women’s issues and the justice system in SA, which are topics
5 ways to move on from Disappointments and Failures
The reality of life is that things don’t always work out the way we would like and expect. We might find ourselves in a job that wasn’t what we hoped for. The business we invest in might not take off. The relationship we form could come to an end. We are met with disappointments and failures that come in many different forms. When this happens, we can easily sink into despair, depression or self-pity. However, there are better ways to deal with failures that will not leave you broken. [bctt tweet=”Dealing with failures or disappointments? @isireflectdaily highlights 5 steps that will help you move on and start your year strong. Read more…” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 1. Accept that things don’t always work out the way you hope The truth is that no matter how much we can plan, prepare and invest, life is still always unpredictable. The things we aim for might not go according to plan and that’s okay. This happens to everyone. No one is immune to having been disappointed in life. That’s why you have to be okay with the fact that these things happen. Sometimes, you might fail at your pursuits. Accepting that this is a normal part of life is what will help you to move on because you’ll know that you can still be okay. 2. Consider what you can learn from the failed situation/endeavor Another way to help you deal with failures and disappointments is to evaluate what the experience has taught you. In every situation, there is always something to learn and gain even though it doesn’t work out. So if you find yourself in a predicament that wasn’t what you wanted, ask yourself what you know now that you didn’t know before? Considering what you can learn from a situation is beneficial because it gives you a better outlook on life. It gives you a mindset that is seeking personal growth. That way, you don’t see yourself as a failure because something doesn’t work out. Rather, you access what went wrong, what you learned and how you can use that moving forward. [bctt tweet=”Though life might kick us down, we have to be able to have a resilient and open mindset to look to other avenues and platforms for where to try again – @isireflectdaily ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 3. Reach out to others and learn from their experiences When we face difficulties and challenges that deter us from vision, we can feel embarrassed and ashamed. It can be easy to want to keep things to yourself and wallow in self-pity. However, it is better to reach out to others. It’s great to seek advice and mentorship from others who are doing what you aspire to do. When you seek advice from others, you learn from their experiences. You can also take comfort when they share their struggles and failures. You’ll know that you are not alone in having gone through disappointments. It’s always good to reach out to others. Reach out to people you value, admire and trust. By sharing your story with them, you might gain encouragement and inspiration to do something new, different or simply, starting again. 4. Have an open mindset to enable you to try something different and new Our mindset has a great impact on how we function in life. When things don’t work out the way we plan, we can become closed off. We give up on ourselves and our lives. We become passive and refuse to try something else because we might be afraid of failing again. If you have this sort of mindset to life, you won’t be able to move on. It’s important to be able to move on. One of my favorite quotes from the late Maya Angelou states that ‘we might encounter many defeats but we must never be defeated.” Though life might kick us down, we have to be able to have a resilient and open mindset to look to other avenues and platforms for where to try again. To try a different strategy. To try a different approach. To look for something that might work better. The renowned author for the widely popular Harry Potter series: J.K. Rowling often shares her struggles and failures when she speaks. She says that she sent out her work to several publishers before it was accepted. She faced many rejections. But she still kept sending her work out and the rest is history. Watch Here: If you tell yourself that a failure has defeated you, you could be denying yourself of opportunities that are still out there. You have to be willing to keep your feet moving. There is more on the horizon. Tell yourself that the failure could later lead to a success story. How do you deal with failures and disappointments in life? Click here to share your story with us.