Grace Ouendo: Promoting creativity and innovation in Africa
[bctt tweet=”To develop a unique voice, blog your passions – Grace Ouendo” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Beninese Grace Ouendo is very passionate about Blogging and Technology. When she founded the LadyGracious blog, her aim was to promote creativity and innovation in Africa. The plan was not just to have a blog but Grace also thought it would be life changing to enhance African girl’s tech skills. So this #MotherlandMogul is a Founding Member and Communications Manager of the NGO, Access to Computer for Every Girl. To top it off Grace Ouendo is also a community manager. Grace was interviewed recently and this is what she had to share with us… What do you find the most frustrating aspect of blogging? There are two things that are quite frustrating in blogging. One is generating ideas when your inspiration is gone but you still have to produce content for your website it is quite frustrating. The second thing is chasing your interviewees, when you have to get the information out of a resource person, sometimes you have to comply to the availability of your resource person and it gets frustrating when your meetup rendezvous is not working you just feel like giving up. What type of networking do you think is better to enhance your traffic to the LadyGracious website? To enhance traffic to the LadyGracious website it’s all about networking with the category of people who are passionate about the development of Africa in every domain, broad-mind people who like discovering things happening on the African continent, and there is currently a wave of proud African youths that are trying to make Africa proud. Can you tell me some of your strengths that really helped you in blogging? Reading: Having a journalism background, one thing I loved doing since childhood is reading. I read a lot about blogging on the internet. He who reads cannot run away from writing. So knowledge acquired from reading was translated in writing for the web. Curiosity: I single-handedly learnt how to start a blog, I have never received any training till today, just because curiosity is what is helping me come this far. Observation: I observe a lot my environment, my circle of friends and things around me, so I try to learn from others by observing and thinking through what they do and pick the good from it. [bctt tweet=”Grace says, ‘The best thing a blogger can give his/her audience is added value’” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What’s the best thing a blogger can give to their readers? The best thing a blogger can give his/her audience is added value. When your audience reads from you and goes back with new knowledge or information they will always come back because you give them value. I must say there are quite a lot of blogs these days showing almost the same thing, do you have any tips for the newbies on how to develop a unique voice? For the little I know, to develop a unique voice, blog your passions. In reading, readers will feel that this is something you love and are passionate about. Another, is to be creative, bring out something that is particular to you, by observing other blogs you can easily find something they don’t have that you can offer your audience. Great! So now moving on to the NGO, Access To Computer For Every Girl. How did it start and did you have a blueprint? It all started with a text message, a male friend had the idea and was like, ‘Lets do this together’ and I was like, ‘Why not’. With my knowledge in ICT, it’s the best way for me to share what I know. Yes, we did have a blueprint. Our blueprint is dynamic, we adjust it seasonally as we are growing in number, in years and in credibility. How is the organization funded? Currently, the NGO is funded by ourselves, family and friends. We are also actively applying for grants and funds offered by international structures. What’s a typical day like training the girls? It’s always exciting because we get to meet new faces. On a typical day the group of trainers assigned for that particular training go to the school to set-up the computers, there is a maximum of 4 trainers present. We roll out the lesson and then move to the practicals, whereby you have to monitor if the girls have understood the assignment given or not. [bctt tweet=”Grace Ouendo says, Women should level up and take their businesses international.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] With the future in mind, why do you think its important for women to embrace technology now? Technology is ruling the world, its a fact. To be successful, popular even professional you can’t get far without technology being involved. Therefore women have to level-up, because international business opportunities are online which I often published on my website. Any woman’s dream or business can go international with the right use of technology. Grace, what’s your vision for Access to Computer for Every girl for the next few years? The world of technology is quickly advancing and our aim is to break the digital divide by giving girls technology at a very young age. In the next few years we want to get to the level where we are able to give out free computers to schools, communities and more especially to girls leaving in remote villages. Basically with LadyGracious it’s just you and when it comes to the NGO, you are working with other people who are your co-founders. What do you find different working in both setups? With the website, I have a team as well, my chief-editor, graphic designer, photographer etc. The difference is that with the website you go and search for the information and deliver it to the world whereas with the NGO its more like giving out your knowledge to a group of people. When it comes to team work it’s always tough but the job gets done anyway. Tell us, would you rather
Evita Joseph Asare: Being a mechanical engineer gave me the confidence to start a makeup business
[bctt tweet=”The story of Evita Joseph Beauty Store begins with the story of Evita a mechanical engineer” via=”no”] Having received two awards as a pacesetter in online retailing of makeup products, the Evita Joseph Beauty Store continues to gain recognition in the Ghanaian beauty industry. The story of the brand begins with the story of Evita Joseph Asare, an erstwhile mechanical engineer whose one visit to Paris changed the course of her life. Starting from an engineering class of only 4 women in a class size of 126, Evita has channeled her passion for designing and building machinery to designing and producing makeup products to enhance the modern woman. SLA contributor, Emma Kwenu Smith, caught up with the CEO of EJ Makeup, Evita Joseph Asare, to share her business journey and some of the significant milestones all SLAyers can learn from. Mixing Mechanical Engineering and Makeup – how did the journey begin? As an active member of Women in Engineering (WINE), I got the opportunity to attend a 6 weeks course in France. There, I got indoctrinated into the world of beauty and makeup. My first experience with makeup was in a MAC Store where I was told I needed a concealer. Upon arrival to Ghana, I jokingly told all my colleagues in the office they needed concealers too. That trip gave me access to products and since, I have always been complimented on how I wear my makeup. Gradually, it dawned on me that this was a good opportunity to challenge myself to create a sustainable business in the beauty industry. I got some books from Bobbi Brown and Kevin Aucoin and I enrolled in a beauty school during my maternity leave. Right after, EJ Makeup was born. Additionally, what would you say is the innovative idea behind Evita Joseph Makeup? Our vision is to provide world-class beauty and makeup product that flatters the women of color, boosting their confidence to stand up and stand out. I started a blog to share my looks, products review and others. Through my blog, I was able to establish trust among my readers. Many people asked for product recommendation and these products were difficult to find locally, so I started my online beauty store – EJ Beauty Store. We focus on products that flatter skin tones and yet, are basic to work with. Most of the products are made for professionals, so we make sure that our products are easily available, are of good quality and also are competitively priced. [bctt tweet=”In 2014 and in 2016, we won the Best Beauty Retail Store in Ghana- Evita Joseph Asare” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How has your engineering background played a part in managing the Evita Joseph business? Engineering has dared me to be stronger– it gave me the confidence to try new things outside my scope. Looking at our past, engineering was not the forte of women. Gradually, we are bridging that disparity, but for a woman like me who found herself then in a male dominated industry, I was inspired and challenged to do more. And that has not changed. Through engineering, I have learnt to take up the daunting duties and I’m able to contextualize the tools of my profession. From conceptual product development stages to the production stage, I now understand the process of building and re-engineering concepts to meet customer needs. What skills do you draw from your background as useful in managing the EJ business? Critical thinking and analysis are the bedrock of every engineer. Since starting EJ Makeup, it has proved to be a very relevant skill. Also, contrary to popular opinion, engineers are also tasked with marketing their design ideas to stakeholders. With this background, my marketing, communication and networking skills have been honed since I have to convince others that EJ Store is the go-to place for all your makeup needs. How has the makeup space transformed over the years and what is the future of makeup and the beauty industry in Ghana and also globally? Globally, makeup is booming and Ghana is no exception. Every day, I wake up to a new social media page for a makeup artist in Ghana. The industry is growing and getting more competitive. MUAs of today are highly educated individuals -some having BSc and Masters degrees. The industry is no more for the less educated as it used to be. The future of makeup in Ghana is both promising and threatening. It provides a market for beauty brands like Evita Joseph who retail original local brands globally and strategically research, design and manufacture suitable products. Conversely, the challenge that we face is in controlling the influx of fake beauty products on the market aimed at taking advantage of vulnerable and unsuspecting users. The beauty industry is thriving, and many are being enticed to jump in and make money off this trend. What pointers will you give anyone who also wants to enter the industry? Well, start by having a mission and vision– it gives you a direction. Also, too many of us jump into a business without doing due diligence, so do your market research and do it well. This can be as simple as knowing your targeted clients or as complicated as understanding the very ingredients that are not suitable for specific skin types- the last thing you would want on your hands is using ingredients that are damaging to people’s faces. Remember to always leave room for feedback, this is how you will grow. [bctt tweet=”Finally, do not worry about starting small- good things take time- Evita Joseph Asare” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Joyce Muthoni: Starting entrepreneurship at a young age has given me time to make mistakes
[bctt tweet=”The name Viral Gorrrila came from a need to have our audience be curious about what we do ” via=”no”] She calls herself a spirited individual and she has accomplished a lot in a short span of time. Joyce Muthoni is the founder of Viral Gorrrila and has worked in her first business for 6 years. She started her first business Proteque Consulting while still on campus, just before she graduated. After six years of running it, Joyce started a balloon business, retailing helium balloons. In under two years, her balloon business is now getting into retail stores and expanding into other regions in Kenya, after successfully setting up the Nairobi and Mombasa offices. The balloon business led to the founding of Viral Gorrrila, a digital marketing agency. It was because of digital marketing activities that her balloon business grew its client base. Joyce quickly saw an opportunity to venture into an untapped industry and help companies gain more market share through digital activities. Tell us why you choose the name Viral Gorrrila for your business. Viral Gorrrila is a digital marketing company that deals with a number of things including website design, Google analytics, Google ads, social media marketing and advertising, and content development. I believe that content is king and conversion is queen. the coining of the name Viral Gorrrila came from a need to have our audience be intrigued, attracted and curious about what we do. The essence of our work is to ensure that as many people as possible get to learn about our clients’ brands and services. The ‘viral’ bit is coined from this while ‘gorrrila’ came from the word guerilla in guerilla marketing. The goal of the company is to develop creative, captivating and memorable content for our clients and this is what guerilla marketing is about. Our creative content seeks to fulfill this and create advocates out of the audience. The Viral Gorrrila term in its self-symbolizes disruption, doing things differently, changing the way digital marketing has been done in our country and helping our clients and other brands see the value of change. The “rrr” in Gorrrila reflects this. Why do you say you’re a new kind of digital marketing agency? What makes you different? There are a lot of agencies in the country, some with a wealth of experience and others starting out and learning the ropes as they go along. We have a strong team that is conversant with Google advertising and social media advertising. We also have a deep focus on creative content development and we have ventured into animated productions in 2D and 3D for our clients and are pursuing a digital channel that will air only animated content made in Kenya. This will, later on, open up to airing content from the rest of Africa. What exciting projects are you working on lately that you can share with us? My work and keen interest in the animation field has led me to work with a local gaming and animation company that is making great strides in the market. I was approached by the Director of ISHAKA LLC, Mr. Sagwa Chabeda, to assist in the project concept and fundraising. We are currently working on a gaming, animation and manga franchise that is set to take the African, European and American markets by storm. It is a bold statement to make but it is a viable endeavor. We have attracted interest from some international production and distribution companies who are looking for new content to market to the world. The ball is in our court and we want to tell our African stories and help the world understand who we are, our cultures, traditions, and heritage. We want to give our viewers an authentic display of the different countries in Africa, one story at a time. [bctt tweet=”My keen interest in animation has led me to work with ISHAKA a local gaming & animation company” via=”no”] You started your business while in school, what was your experience being a student entrepreneur? I started my business in my final year of campus. I had some work experience previously in my father’s company and it was here that I made the decision not to pursue employment after my education. Understanding my personality and passion, I knew what my dreams were and I didn’t want to wait to pursue them. The great thing about starting my business while I was still on campus was that I got business referrals from my fellow classmates who were older and already running their own businesses. I also received advice from them on business planning and execution. On the other hand, I was inexperienced in many things and my lack of experience cost me a lot of money and brought a lot of tears. I had no HR, finance or management skills. My background was in marketing. I had to quickly learn the ropes and continue to keep an open mind, learning attitude, build tough skin and pursue continuous development. Starting entrepreneurship at a young age has given me time to make mistakes, understand my strengths and grow into the business woman I am today. I am now very clear on what I can and cannot do and this has helped me to avoid taking up projects that I know I will not be able to adequately serve. Starting early has also been beneficial in giving me time to grow my network and I can confidently say I am a very resourceful person. I have come to appreciate the pains and pleasures of entrepreneurship and I have a big heart for those who want to venture into business. I appreciated the assistance I got when I was on campus as I started out and I would not hesitate to help anyone seeking advice as an entrepreneur. You have to tell us about your balloon business, how did the idea to run this come up? How exactly did you use digital marketing to grow it?
Zizipho Dyubeni: I understood the struggle of having inconsistent income
[bctt tweet=”Zizipho Dyubeni is behind an agency built on the premise of heightening the voice of creative Africa” via=”no”] Zizipho Dyubeni is a communications specialist and entrepreneur from Cape Town, South Africa. She uses her creativity to promote and uplift fellow entrepreneurs in the township areas where she grew up. Through her company Blue Apple Concepts, Zizipho curates and organises bespoke events aimed at entertaining and empowering the youth, especially those interested in entrepreneurship. One such event is the popular GlamHour, which serves as a platform for fledgling entrepreneurs in the beauty industry to showcase their work, network and gain new clients. The events also offer pampering massage sessions, facials, nail therapy and fresh delicacies for women who want to unwind in style- a rare and novel treat to the township areas of Khayelitsha. Then there’s the Lingerie Fair, aimed at encouraging young women from disadvantaged areas to openly talk about sex and practice healthy lifestyles. Apart from the pioneering strides, she’s made in the entertainment industry, Zizipho is also a speaker, entrepreneur, event coordinator, concept developer, a freelance communications specialist, content producer and a much-loved radio personality for 2OceansVibe, an online streaming radio station. Being such an inspiration, we just had to share her amazing story with you, our SLAy community, and find out what makes this ambitious creative tick. Tell us about yourself. Who is Zizipho Dyubeni? I am a young 27-year-old mom to 8-year-old Storm. I grew up in Milnerton where I went to high school. With a passionate love for all things creative, I furthered my studies at the University of the Western Cape where I later dropped out due to financial constraints. Fast forward nearly 8 years later I have created a creative agency built on the premise of heightening the voice of creative Africa, work in media. I enjoy a life wonderous and eventful! I am also an events coordinator with a specific interest in women related lifestyle eventing. What inspired you to start BlueAppleEye Concepts and where do you get the inspiration for all these innovative event concepts that you’ve come up with? I was and still am a freelancer, I understood the struggle and pain of having inconsistent income. The main idea behind the Creative Corner is to regulate work activity for creative freelancers and in doing so creating a solid creative e-commerce. What challenges have you had to overcome on your journey in the entertainment and communications industries? I would be lying if I said I have overcome a lot of the challenges, the creative industry is one that requires resilience. Right now our biggest struggle is merging business rationale with the creative concept. Tell us about your other creative and business pursuits… I am an influencer, MC, vocalist and radio DJ outside of running a small business. [bctt tweet=”Zizipho Dyubeni: The creative industry is one that requires resilience ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How do you manage to remain focused and disciplined to keep up with such a packed schedule? My work does not feel like work. I am passionately living out my dream every day, on hard days I cry and pray. My family, friends and business partner keep me grounded. What are your plans for the future? For my business to grow into the biggest service agent in Africa housing plus 200 000 or more freelancers with sufficient work monthly. That is the biggest dream. [bctt tweet=”My work does not feel like work. I am passionately living out my dream every day” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What do you do for fun and relaxation? I party, read, listen to jazz and spend time with my loved ones. What are the 4 skills you had to learn/use when entering the entertainment and communications industries? Listening Collaborating Paying attention to detail Concept development If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Elsie Mutsaka: You must do what sets your heart on fire
[bctt tweet=”I realised that my brand and I are one and so my blog should be the same @ElsieMuts” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Elsie Mutsaka is an up and coming PR dynamo, social media marketer and blogger from Zimbabwe based in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Her accessible fashion aesthetic is inspiring women from all walks of life to be confident in their style. After discovering her personal style, Elsie started getting questions about her outfits and where she gets pieces. That encouraged her to start blogging and share her style with a wider range of people. SLA contributor Anelisa Nokoyo had a chat with Elzie to find out what inspired her quirky fashion blog, and what she has in store for the future. When did you start blogging? Initially, I started blogging last year, April 2016 under the name differentlyconfident. Then this year I changed my domain name to my full name. I realised that my brand and I are one and so my blog should be the same. What would you like to achieve with your blog? I have always wanted to share my style with people and through this blog, I manage to do just that. Most importantly I wanted to bring about the idea that style is not about the price tag or label, and that you can look perfectly chic while still living within your means. Growing up I had times when I was not as confident about how I looked, but as I grew older I became comfortable in my skin, looks, and style. That’s the exact same message that I would like the people that read my site to get each time they read my posts. It’s basically a site for any type of woman to visit and get outfit inspiration, love the skin they’re in and know that they can create their own unique style. Also, while people shy away from thrifting, I find that it’s one of my favourite things to do with my sister each holiday, as you get stuff that nobody else has. So I always mention where I get my clothes for each blog post and I’m not embarrassed that I shopped a SALE or that I thrifted. Ultimately, I intend on building a brand that inspires and speaks to women who fully know and understand themselves or who at least aspire to. What do you enjoy most about blogging, and what are some of the challenges? I really enjoy putting outfits together and reading comments from people who read the posts. Most of the time I really appreciate it when people give their honest opinion and usually, my family and friends do the most. I think one of the challenges is when the writer’s block strikes. Sometimes you really have good photography but you are just not satisfied with your writing, but when I eventually get it together it’s amazing because I get to think out loud. What are some of the wardrobe essentials that you think each woman should have? Well, personally I believe everyone should have a really good quality blazer, a good pair of denim jeans, black pair of heels, very good quality handbag and at least one vintage or pop of colour item. I could go on and on, but those are my faves, just that I own more than one of each. Whenever I am asked to, I style people or help them create their dream wardrobe so the essentials differ sometimes depending on your style. Besides fashion, what else do you write about? Besides fashion sometimes I write about things that matter to me like issues that women face, but I do this as a contributor for other platforms. Other times on my blog I share about my beauty routines which are quite simple. What are some of the lessons you’ve learnt since delving into the world of blogging? I have learnt that you must do what sets your heart on fire, sometimes trends in the blogging sphere are awesome but they are not always your thing. It’s okay to do what you feel comfortable in. Also, there are so many bloggers out there and everyone has a niche and something unique they bring to the table, so it’s good to celebrate others. I enjoy commenting on other people’s blogs. It does not take anything away from me when their work and skill grows, and if you appreciate other people’s work oftentimes the favour is returned. [bctt tweet=”If you appreciate other people’s work oftentimes the favour is returned” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What else do you do besides blogging and how do you blend the two occupations together? So, besides this blog, I do public relations, which means I spend my days working as a social media marketer for an online store and managing other platforms for clients. Because the social media thing is my 9-5, I usually blog in the evenings and do shoots on Saturday mornings. It’s all about organising your very little time well. The two also blend well because it’s all use of the digital media, so sometimes I reply to comments on the job. bcct You need to use what you have and what’s around you Give us your top three tips that you’d give to anyone who wants to start blogging… Once you figure that you want to blog GO FOR IT! I mean just do it. Secondly, just trust the process and even if like 3 people read your blog that’s okay, it takes time to grow an audience. When I first started blogging a close friend of mine offered to take pictures of me, she had no camera experience whatsoever but as my blogging got better, her photography did as well and because she believed in me so much I gained confidence. What I am trying to say is you need to use what you have and what’s around you. I did not have a professional photographer but I had a friend and that helped me grow, and here
Yvonne Amankwah: There is less consideration for Special people in recruitment
[bctt tweet=”A lot of organizations in Ghana prefer to work with able-bodied individuals” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Yvonne Amankwah is a young leader passionate about her contributions to societal issues and education for the less privileged. What struck SLA contributor Ugochi Obidiegwu most about her business is the fact that Yvonne made a conscious decision to involve people living with disabilities. This is something a lot of people do not consciously think about. Tell us about your educational background I am blessed to have practical experience in corporate work, communication and societal development works which enable me to effectively contribute to solving problems. I had the opportunity to learn and develop my leadership skills from President Obama’s YALI initiative Nigeria cohort-1 and my engagements as the ex-president of Enactus Radford University College chapter broadened my scope. Recently, I completed my basic knowledge in Deutsch at Goethe Institute. I also hold a first degree BSc in Business Administration where I majored in human resource. During my degree program, I successfully combined my studies with work, showing I could to be self-motivated, organized, capable of working independently and able to utilize my skills and abilities effectively. Why did you choose to work with Special staff? 90 percent of the time, when there is an employment opportunity the last people we look at employing are people with disabilities. A lot of organizations in Ghana prefer to work with able-bodied individuals whereas there is less consideration for the Special people. This is what motivated me to carve my niche by working with people with disability. I feel they can be powerful when empowered to do more for themselves. I am deeply committed to training people with disabilities giving them an opportunity to better their lives. How do you communicate to ensure your desired business goals are achieved? The importance of communication cannot be overstated therefore it’s one of the ways business goals can be achieved. For the speech and hearing impaired we provide a note taker, a sign language interpreter, written materials or printed scripts. In some situations, we keep paper on hand so the person can write out words that staff cannot understand. Besides, we use training videos which is very useful where interpretations may not be available. What led you to start your own business? A few years ago, I learnt an important lesson from my entrepreneurship lecturer back in college, Mr. Alan Dwomoh Sarpong which earned him the place as my mentor. He told me his secret to success was “looking at each day as a new opportunity to be your very best. Set high goals, be honest, never say no, and work with people who share your passion for doing their best”. [bctt tweet=”My mentor’s secret to success is looking at each day as a new opportunity to be your best” via=”no”] Since then I injected this advice into my life as I try to live up to it every day. This was the realization of my dream that I could impact the lives of people by my handiwork. As the CEO of a new startup Vons Brands Limited, a detergent manufacturing company where we produce liquid soaps and home cleaning detergents, I find it important to teach others this trade so they can benefit from it. I really love what I do and I try to surround myself with people who share similar interest. I thrive on this type of environment. What are the challenges you have encountered in the course of doing business? I believe entrepreneurship is much broader than creation of business, I define it as a mindset and a way of thinking and acting it but that notwithstanding, challenges are inevitable. I have many but I work hard to overcome them. Finances, high-priced raw materials, distribution are just a few of the challenges but have managed to overcome them. I have a practical approach to problem-solving and a drive to see things through to completion. One of my keys to thriving in my space is to learn from the failures of others by having the humility to learn from their mistakes. It has always led me to success. The dark side of being an entrepreneur can never be skipped, but there is always a way to survive the harsh realities of entrepreneurship. One has to learn to live with risk and always be ready to improve by challenging the usual. [bctt tweet=”Entrepreneurship is broader than creation of business, I define it as a mindset” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Do you think the business environment is favourable to African young women? The business environment is favourable to African women entrepreneurs who become the voices of change despite the challenges. These barriers can be broken through thought leadership. It’s time to fight the challenges to enhance our contribution to development in Africa. At first, it’s difficult to break through but with time and consistency, you thrive in the business environment. There are a lot of opportunities for women to explore and be successful at, they should not be discouraged by the physical obstacles they see. They should rather feel empowered to overcome any challenge that sets in on their journey to success. What would you advise a young woman who wants to start a business but is paralyzed by fear? Fear is weakness! It cripples your ability to explore and be successful. Being bold is a new era. Get that weakness out of your mind and spirit. It only exists when you allow it into your thoughts. Success and fear are enemies so you should always choose one side. Never be with the losing team which is fear. Get out of your closet, go out and make things happen because you can. The environment for women in entrepreneurship is great against all odds and this is the redefined power given to us women. Women don’t lack confidence, don’t be paralyzed by fear it’s our to turn elevate our generation! If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know
Fikile Skhosana: I help victims to become survivors
[bctt tweet=”I became a police officer because I like challenges, protecting others, and solving problems” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Fikile Skosana is a Detective Constable and Investigator employed by the South African Police Service, under Family Violence, Child Protection, and Sexual Offense Unit. She is constantly solving critical cases related to women and child abuse and assault. Fikile is giving women, whose rights are violated, the freedom to speak out and find justice and closure for their ordeals. This brave and compassionate 33-year-old always finds it rewarding when she solves a case and turns a victim into a survivor. When most young girls dreamed of being nurses or working in other ‘feminine’ jobs, you chose to be a police officer. How did you come to that decision and what did your parents say about it? I became a police officer because I like challenges, protecting others, and solving problems. My parents were not happy at first but now they believe in me. Police work is seen as a field typically better suited to men, what has been your experience with working in a male dominated field and have you ever felt incompetent because you are a woman? The job is not gender-specific, ultimately police officers have to be the same regardless of gender. As a woman, I don’t go out to fight but to calm the situation. I always feel competent, especially after solving a case. For women who feel guilty or responsible for their rape ordeal, sexual assault or abuse, what do you say to them or how do you act in such circumstances? How do you create that safe space for them that allows them to speak up freely and be heard? Some kids feel more comfortable talking to a mom-type person, same as rape victims, they feel free and safe talking to women. I listen to them, I tell them they are safe, I help victims to become survivors. What is your motivation every morning that keeps you going to work in a challenging and potentially risky field? Helping people and stopping other people from becoming victimized. The difference I make in someone’s life is what motivates me. [bctt tweet=”The difference I make in someone’s life is what motivates me – Detective Constable Fikile Skhosana ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What is the most fulfilling aspect of what you do? The most fulfilling is when offenders get higher sentences. Solving cases and giving victims some type of closure is what I find most rewarding. How can young women wanting to enter police-work mentally prepare themselves for work in such a field? How does one know that they are a good fit for this type of career? I encourage women to consider law enforcement as a career if they are willing to put in time and hard work. They shouldn’t be discouraged and think that this is a male dominated world. They can do anything that a man can do. [bctt tweet=”I encourage women to consider law enforcement as a career if they are willing to put in time & hard work” via=”no”] Being a police officer, do you enjoy action movies or dramas on TV and if you do, which one is your favorite and why? I watch ID Extra channel 171 on DSTV. The shows on that channel are all about crime solving. I actually learn different tracing techniques there. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Nyaradzo Mavindidze: Work is a form of worship
[bctt tweet=”Nyaradzo Mavindidze is passionate about developing the ‘uncommon sense’ in leaders” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Nyaradzo Mavindidze, the Managing Consultant of Avodah Consultants, is a Holistic Leadership Expert who is passionate about developing the ‘uncommon sense’ in leaders, thus going beyond the five senses. A psychologist by profession, she enables leaders to draw on their inner and outer natural resources thus shifting personal paradigms and beliefs leading to transformed organisations. Over the years, she has developed herself as a brand to reckon with in dissemination of lasting solutions to performance deficiencies in individuals, leaders, and organisations. She says, “Every one of us already has power, it’s just a matter of peeling away the stuff that shadows who you are and what you are capable of…” As a coach, Nyaradzo creates an environment where you and your dreams, your challenges, fears, and victories are the focus. A time and space to be you, to find out who you are and what you want, and to then go out and create that despite external environmental challenges. Nyaradzo is a high-energy speaker with boundless energy and wit who is able to combine inspiration with insight. Her charismatic style and ability to engage emotionally with audiences have made her a sought-after keynote speaker delivering proven solutions on topical issues for corporations. Her mission as a speaker, coach, and trainer is to empower organisations to achieve sustainable success through holistic development and cognitive reconditioning. She has published a motivational journal, ‘Motivation for Success: Morsels in the Desert’ and is the co-author of; ‘Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Career Strategies for Women’. Her motivational articles are published in local magazines and tabloids. She currently writes a motivational column ‘Motivation for Success’ published in The Business Herald every Monday. She makes guest appearances on local radio and has been interviewed on a MNET TV program. In 2015 she was on the list of Young Zimbabweans to Watch’ and is the 2016- ZIWA Motivational Speaker of the Year. Nyaradzo is also the founder of QueenMakers Trust whose mission is to empower female leaders through training, mentoring and coaching, thus enabling them to contribute into the mainstream economy. How was Avodah formed? Avodah was formed through a series of events. Having been in the NGO and corporate sector for close to a decade, with Viva Network Dandy Zimbabwe and Standard Chartered, I took a career sabbatical and went to Uni in the middle of a third pregnancy. Halfway through my degree, I started a clothing business: Sheba’s Closet, in an upmarket area in Harare. I travelled to Asia and Europe at least once a month to purchase clothing for the two shops that I had acquired. After graduating in 2008 Avodah was formed with the realisation that it was virtually impossible to get back into formal employment due to the state of the economy. I decided to run the 2 businesses, my love for fashion and my natural speaking talent. It focuses on soft skills training, human capital development, recruitment, and coaching. Avodah is a Hebrew word meaning work is a form of worship. I believe that as you are working, you are exercising and using your gifts that were placed inside of you, thereby giving glory and worshiping the giver of that gift. In 2012, I went through a life altering experience that got me thinking about my purpose, passion, and desires. This led to me closing Sheba’s Closet to focus on something that left a legacy for my children. I knew that I was not going to be able to develop it to the level Edgars and Truworths (regional clothing stores), so I decided to focus solely on Avodah. [bctt tweet=”Every one of us already has power, it’s just a matter of peeling away the shadows” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What were the major start-up challenges? I started Avodah during the 2008 recession period. I was going in the opposite direction of the economy. The only reason I have managed to survive is my work ethic and excellence. I believe when you function in your area of passion and strength you have more staying power. Tell us a bit about QueenMakers? QueenMakers is a passion. I am passionate about women’s empowerment. I started QueenMakers to assist women developing themselves to function at their maximum potential. Culture, religion, politics, economies, and societies have made women a secondary species and made them feel like they don’t deserve a seat at the decision-making and power table. QueenMakers is an organisation where women come together, get trained, motivated, coached and inspired to reach within themselves and polish their potential. We network, encourage, expose women to opportunities that are around them, help them maximise their potential and occupy centre stage. What are some of the challenges that you have faced as a black African woman? Most of my challenges as a black African woman have been self-belief and going past that little voice inside your head that says it’s impossible. I have had to work hard to develop my confidence to put myself out there. What more can government do to support entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe I believe women have not even begun to utilise the ‘little’ that has been put on the table for them. Before we can ask for more we need to sweat what has been offered thus far. There is more that they can do but it’s also more of what we as women can do. For example, there has not been that many women in politics. Our generation aspires and desires, complains and bickers but no one has really stepped up, very few women take up such roles. [bctt tweet=”As you are working, you are exercising and using your gifts that were placed inside of you ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What lessons or advice would you give your younger self? Be bold and not afraid because fear is not real. It needs to be challenged through the stretching of our minds. Like Nike says; Just Do it. What can we look forward to in the
Isioma Onyegikei: Social media has helped reach our target audience
[bctt tweet=”It has not been so difficult to sell food online – Isioma Onyegikei” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 24-year-old Isioma Onyegikei is the founder and head cook at Brelunds, a food service provider startup in Lagos, Nigeria. Her startup offers services which include the running of office cafeterias, breakfast, and lunch weekly subscription plans, events catering, bulk soup and stew preparation. Isioma officially began Brelunds in September 2015 with a standard menu consisting of Nigerian dishes, finger foods, and Nigerian street foods. She is a graduate of Political science and public administration from the University of Benin, Nigeria. What inspired your decision to start a food retail business? The decision to start a food retail business was inspired by my experience as an employee for another company. I resumed work very early and got home very late due to heavy traffic in the city. Saturdays were the only days I rested, did chores and caught up with friends. On Sundays, I go to church and prepare ahead for the next week. I realized that it was the reality of most of my colleagues. Some even had to work on weekends too. Cooking is a huge chore because time and rest in Lagos is a luxury to a typical Lagosian. So I started out by making and delivering bowls of soup and stew. My intention was to ease my client of cooking as a chore, an important human need. Along the line, the idea of a weekly lunch plan to be delivered to clients at work came up. How have you been able to sell cooked food to people via an online medium? Describe the process from order to sales. For now, we sell our meals online via our Twitter and Instagram pages. We are currently working on a better website. We post information about our services on these platforms; potential clients see our information online and contact us for the service they want. They either pre-order for bowls of soup/stews or they subscribe for any of our lunch packages. They provide us with their names, phone number(s) and address for delivery. It has not been so difficult selling cooked food online because it is an important need and a food delivery business helps the client with one less problem to worry about. [bctt tweet=”Social Media has helped with referrals – Isioma Onyegikei” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How has social media enabled you to reach your target audience? Frankly, social media has enabled us to reach our target audience in the sense that a lot of young Nigerians (Lagosians) and even older Nigerians are online. The chances that our next client that we will market to offline has a Twitter, Facebook or Instagram account is 80%, so with social media, it is easy to market to a lot of people at the same time in different locations with just one post. Potential clients also come online to search for a service they need, we see this and market our service to them. Social media also has helped in terms of referrals. An old client can see someone asking for a similar service and refer them to our page. Instagram, for example, is pictorial so with a business page, anyone who comes across the page already knows what services to contact us for. The use of hashtags has helped in getting across to our intended target audience because people do search for the service thy want using related hashtags. Which social media channel do you consider to be the most responsive channel for your business? Twitter has been responsive and this is because people do not necessarily have to follow you to see your tweet on their timeline. Retweets are free. There is also the advantage of having others try out a service that one or two of their friends have used and Twitter seems to be the most engaging social network to set up that way. How often do you make sales from social media? We make sales from social media regularly. It is a food business and now, more than ever, people desire convenience. Also, the fact that we have two different service offerings: pre-ordered bowls of soups/stew and lunch subscriptions, helps to ensure that we are able to reach a broader segment of people and meet more needs. [bctt tweet=”Logistics is an issue for online businesses. – Isioma Onyegikei” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What are some of the issues you have faced while trying to run your business online? In running an online business, our main issue has been logistics. First of all, we run a value for money service, delivering high-quality meals at very affordable prices. Currently, a lot of logistics companies charge very high for their service and most times it makes no sense to ask a client to pay more for delivery than the actual food they are buying. Also, the logistics companies have other clients that they also trying to service while servicing you. In situations like this, it is very easy to get disappointed at any time or have a client’s order messed up on the way. There is also the issue of bad publicity when running an online business. Social media can make or mar business. An unsatisfied client can easily discourage others, totally within their rights, so for us at Brelunds we ensure that our customer service is top notch and intended to “wow” both clients and potential clients. What’s your perfect one-line statement for young females trying to build a brand via social media? Know what you do, learn what you don’t know and know those who know what you don’t know. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Munozovepi Gwata: Nobody is really taught how to manage their personal finances
[bctt tweet=”We want to instill financial literacy skills into children from a very young age so that they can understand money” via=”no”] Munozovepi Gwata is an ambitious entrepreneur and an aspiring Chartered Financial Analysts and Hedge Fund manager. She is the founder of the Aworks, a conglomerate with subsidiaries Arete’ Tech, Kukura Capital NGO and Kukura Capital Investment Trust. Her personal mission statement is to inspire people throughout the African continent and to create innovative solutions that will bring upon development, wealth, and success for the continent. Munozovepi’s goal is to build Awork to the same status and standard of Berkshire Hathaway which she has no doubt that she will accomplish. Why is financial literacy important and why start an organisation that educates people on the matter? I believe financial literacy is extremely important just like learning Maths and English. It is the fundamental skill that equips people with the essential ability to effectively save and make money. Unfortunately, nobody is really taught how to manage their personal finances. Not at one stage in our lives do we come across financial literacy education in the mainstream education system. I find this very alarming and I am a strong advocate that financial literacy should be included in the mainstream curriculum. The consequence that we have now, is that people are not equipped to manage their personal finances and they do not know how to save or grow their money. Therefore, instead of having the opportunity to pass down wealth to the next generation, they are passing down poverty and debt. I felt that I could no longer sit on the sideline and watch this continue to happen, this is when I decided to become a part of the solution and build an organization that addresses the problem. In starting Kukura Capital, did you decide to go solo or have a business partner(s) and why did you decide to go solo/partner up? In starting Kukura Capital, I decided to go solo. I do have a great team of friends and family that help me and soon we will be adding another 8 new team members to the Kukura Capital team. When I started Kukura Capital it was only an idea. A lot of people, even though they shared and agreed with my vision, didn’t share my hard work ethic, and because of this, I did not manage to find a full-time business partner. It still worked out great in the end. I was given a lot of good advice on how to develop the organization, leaned on some great books and to my surprise in such a short time we have managed to pick up and maintain a great momentum. We also have the support from other well established NGO’s and Institutions which is great. When did you establish Kukura Capital and what has been the biggest lesson you have learnt thus far? Kukura Capital was established last year in November and it was inspired by my own journey to learn more about the financial industry. In gathering information, I kept thinking to myself there has to be an easier way to learn about financial literacy, and from there Kukura Capital was born. The biggest lesson I have learnt? I have to say I have learnt so many things, but the biggest lesson is that knowledge is truly power. As an organisation, one of our main goals is to make knowledge about financial literacy easily accessible and to break down the complex concepts of finance and make it simple and easy to understand and apply. Doing such a simple task has proven to be powerful. When you tell an individual of any age, be it a high school student or a young adult, that if you save this amount of money every month and reinvest it either in the market, or in a business and you can get this x% in return, people’s eyes really light up, and they really do change their spending habits. The things people always say to me is: “Why didn’t anybody tell me earlier? I would have been a millionaire a long time ago.” What gave you the courage to start your organization? What advice would you give to someone who is thinking of going into business? Fortunately enough, my past experience in leadership positions and community involvement gave me a lot of confidence to start. Also, having a business and finance background also gave me the confidence to start Kukura Capital. However, to be honest, I didn’t really think too much about it, I really believed what the organization stood for and went for it. That would be my advice to anyone starting a business. In addition to running Kukura Capital I also run a FinTech business and when I started I had plenty of doubts but I quickly moved away from any negative thoughts and just went for it. In addition to that, I will advise anyone who wants to start a business to fully commit to their business and make sure that they love what they do, so even when it gets tough they are still driven to keep going and succeed. [bctt tweet=”I’ll advise anyone who wants to start a business to make sure that they love what they do” via=”no”] You have recently finished a children’s book “The Rich Life of Thabo”, what brought about the decision to write a children’s book on financial literacy and in what format and where will the book be available? I really love this book and wrote it with my talented friend Charisa Mujuru. I am really excited for this book because it is definitely going to inspire a lot of young kids to be like Thabo. Thabo is the main character in the book and he lives in a township and one day he decides that he is tired of never having enough pocket money so him and his sister, under the guidance of their grandmother, decide to start a business. The book really