7 lessons you can learn from Issa Rae and her InSecure journey
Issa Rae is an American writer, actor, and producer of the famous NBO series Insecure. She started out creating videos on YouTube when she got tired of seeing the same type of movies about black people. Issa Rae has been nominated for the golden globe award, her series has won the shorty award for the best web series. She also heads a media company called Issa Rae presents. If you haven’t watched any episode of InSecure you`ve just found yourself a new best friend. It’s like the dope movie for every girl seeking for some kind of succor after a hard week of work! It’s so relatable and funny. The story is centered around Issa, a black woman trying to keep it cool with her job in a non-profit, her relationship and her social life. I came across her show IssaRae presents on a lazy day when I was scrolling through my YouTube feed, and I was stuck. IssaRaePresents does not come up short. Trust me, they never disappoint. And oh, we’ve been waiting for the third series of Insecure like… And as usual, we won’t be disappointed. Now back to the main point. The backstage of creating media content is filled with people who never make it to the big screen. Writers, producers, camera, videographers, directors, editors etc. A lot of work goes into creating what you finally see on your screen. The backstage of the movie industry is dominated by males especially in production and directing. How did a black young woman break that glass ceiling to be her own boss? Let’s look at these lessons from her. On Starting Out: “I love creating content and YouTube was super accessible. I started my first show in senior year of college in Stanford and I kept growing that audience”. On Being Consistent: “I had two web series before the misadventures of the Awkward Black Girl. Those series did not gain instant fame but I was consistent throughout releasing those videos by 10 am every Monday and promoting constantly” [bctt tweet=”Stop finding the ways that you can’t and start finding the ways that you can – @IssaRae” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] On Working Hard “People constantly make excuses on why they can’t follow their dreams. Stop finding the ways that you can’t and start finding the ways that you can. Think about what you have now, friends, a camera, a room, whatever you have. Figure out a way to use what you have to make it work.” On Teamwork “I tend to have strong opinions about the characters in my shows because I feel I know them personally. Also, I try to loosen the rein and allow debates to go on. I love collaborating because there are people with a lot of great ideas I love hearing out. Resisting the urge to outrightly say no has been one of the greatest lessons I’ve learned” On Creativity “Life inspires me. I love little moments. I just like real life. Everybody has different areas of discomfort and seeing how certain things concerns people that won’t even matter to others intrigues me. I try to understand what makes people think that way and learn from them” On Overcoming Challenges “There are definitely challenges. At one end I want to take as many opportunities as I can, on the other hand, I do not want to disappoint myself and other people by not meeting up with deadlines. Trying to find that work/life balance for the past few years has been challenging” For Entrepreneurs in Film/Media “Know your goal. Make sure agencies & companies approaching you are aware of the vision you are working with. Be sure to have a good team. Utilizing the people around me was the best thing that happened to me. The team members that I have now started from the ground up with me, that organic growth is part of the reason this show has been a success.” Issa Rae has always kept it 100% real, affirming the fact that her show. InSecure, is a typification of her life as a young black woman trying to make it in a community that seems to tell her what to do. She has talked openly about her challenges and fears, and what accepting people’s approval has been for her. Her mother at first did not even agree to watch the show. From all of these, I learned two important lessons: 1. People crave authenticity They’ll gravitate towards people who are real and original. If you step into a new place and you’re a sheep amongst a pack of wolves or the only black female in the room, as long as you have a voice and you keep to that voice, people will gravitate towards you. 2. Everything takes time Issa affirmed that the first video she did on YouTube was crap, but as years went by and she gathered a team, it got better. You can tell the difference between her past videos in IssaRaePresents on YouTube and now. Just like a tree grows, slowly building stronger and deeper foundation which in the end will be able to stand the test of to such is the journey of a business which grows organically. P.S – All quotes from Issa were gotten from various videos you can find in the link below; A conversation with Issa Rae – AT & T Shape Issa Rae on InSecure, Jerry Seinfeld and Success – Larry King Show You’re the only one stopping you – Evan Carmichael If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your story with us.
Your blackness is enough on “Jesus and Jollof”: Podcast by Yvonne Orji and Luvvie Ajayi
The levels of hilarity from the Jesus and Jollof will have you spitting out your coffee and drenching your OOTD. By listening to this podcast hosted by two proudly American- Nigerian women – Yvonne Orji and Luvvie Ajayi, you’re let in on the secrets from being highly degreed women to breaking it into Hollywood as top class comedians, they spill the tea on glowing up and stunting on haters to make the best out of your hustle. If you’re about badass captions on the gram and Twitter- you’ll have a whole decade of content with Jesus and Jollof. Facts, no printer. I was introduced to Jesus and Jollof by my sister, after her non-stop giggles got me curious, “What was so funny”, I Thought. She’d just started listening but seemed to really enjoy it so I gave it a try “Couldn’t be that funny”, boy was I wrong. Yvonne Orji and Luvvie Ajayi easily switching between their Nigerian and American accents, talking about how they connected to their encounters with smooth-talking Naija boys, I was hooked. I think it’s incredible that these two Goat queens are out here breaking bounds. In short, listen to the trailer of Jesus and Jollof here Growing up in a whitewashed society, it’s hard finding your voice when you’re forced to think and talk in a certain way and especially when you have African parents waiting on you to finish your masters and bring home a suitable husband. Luvvie Ajayi, otherwise known as the “Professional Troublemaker” has got a lot to say on a lot of topics, as seen on her Twitter and IG, she’s hilarious all around. Luvvie is an award-winning writer, speaker, digital strategist, activist, and comedian- Ajayi is nothing short of a game changer. She has another podcast called Rants and Randomness, where she talks about her most pressing rants, raves, and faves on pop culture and the world right now. I have been a fan of Luvvie Ajayi since her incredible Ted talk on “getting comfortable with being uncomfortable“. Yvonne Orji, 34, received her masters in Public Health but opted to be a comedic genius against her parent’s wishes. I would say she’s the spicy half of the podcast, she isn’t afraid to speak her mind. Fairly new to the scene, this woman is here to break bounds. I listened to Yvonne’s Ted Talk where she talked about on her decision to remain a virgin until marriage. I was so inspired listening to her and kept looking for more. That’s where I found Insecure, where she stars as a headstrong lawyer. Luvvie joined forces with Yvonne Orji, to speak on the challenges of being immigrants, goal-oriented women with a heavy dose of comedy on their days starting up and living out loud, raising consciousness about real women and girls today. Jesus and Jollof is my top-pick for the podcast of the year. It might be a bit of an overstatement but I have never heard anything so raw, inviting and relatable as a young black millennial. It’s like having incredibly supportive besties as you rush through your day. Why Jesus and Jollof, they mentioned them to be “the two things they can’t do without”. I appreciate these amazing God-fearing women for giving me the courage to go for what I’m worth. We need more black voices sharing their stories, I think this podcast is a pop culture staple, If you don’t leave as inspired as I, I don’t know what else can do the trick. Catch Jesus and Jollof every Wednesdays on SimpleCast and do follow these queens on their social media @yvonneorji and @luvvie on Twitter. You won’t be disappointed. If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your story with us.
Learn how to trade and get paid with FXGEOMETRY’s bootcamp for women
The term ‘trading’ has been linked with men since the days of testosterone-filled trading floors. To this day, when online trading is accessible to anyone with an internet connection, the word remains synonymous with the male gender. Today’s preconception of women who choose to trade – and we must clarify they are women because the word traders alone can be perceived as a reference to men – may have to do with the vision brokers set and the audience they’ve chosen to advertise to. Trade smarter with Boost Embolex Pro’s automated strategies boostembolexpro.org More often than not, mass opinions are affected by the media and its reference to a group of people, in this case, the people of the financial industry. Could the general correlation between trading and gender be diluted? [bctt tweet=”The number of women interested in trading has been noticeably increasing – @kenny_simon78″ username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Trading education hub FXGEOMETRY is looking at things from a different angle; it just announced the launch of a boot camp directed specifically at women, despite the fact that the company reaches a broad audience predominated by men. According to founder Kenny Simon, the number of women interested in trading has been noticeably increasing. The birth of this boot camp derived from the observation that more female traders have been showing interest in educational packages and trading mentorships, in addition, Kenny has seen an increase of female followers through social channels. Among approximately 10,000 followers worldwide the percentage of women among the followers has risen from 10% to 37% in the past 3 years. While the number of women who have signed up to personal one-on-one courses has moved up to 45%. Beyond FXGEOMETRY it seems like the entire financial world is moving away from its relic thoughts and gender-based judgment. In 2017, 23-year old Lauren Simmons became the youngest and only full-time female employee to hold the position of equity trader in the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). In June of 2018, Stacey Cunningham became the first female president of the NYSE. Some may view this as proof that women are still not fully welcome in the financial industry or it can be seen as the first steps of progression. Considering Kenny’s background lies within peak performance coaching in trading, it comes as no surprise that part of his mission to expand the Geometric Patterns community includes a focus on the overlooked members of the trading world and whether they can be an equal match to men in the industry. Kenny, however, is not the first to give attention to this issue; many have previously gone out of their way to find out how women could make better traders. In Terrence Odean and Brad Barber’s 2001 study “Boys will be boys: Gender, Overconfidence and Common Stock Investments”, they went on to prove that men’s natural overconfidence tends to work against them. They analyzed account data for more than 35,000 households at a large discount brokerage between February 1991 and January 1997. They discovered that on average, men traded 45pc more frequently than women and that this incentive trading reduced their net returns by 2.65pc a year, compared to 1.72pc for women. [bctt tweet=”FXGEOMETRY’s @kenny_simon78 is conducting an exclusive 3 days FX trading boot camp for women in Nigeria this September. Read more..” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] For those interested to attend whether just for the FREE preview or the 3 days Workshop, simply register here : In simple terms, the study showed that men trade more than women due to overconfidence and that tends to reduce their overall returns. Another interesting story in the history of women in the financial industry is the case of Bloomfield Hills investment club ran by Thomas O’Hara. The male-driven firm had been posting annual losses after 20 years of existence. In 1982 the men let their wives join the group and act as co-decision makers, within four years the club’s stake tripled, jumping from $180,000 to $500,000. Kenny’s latest event has prompted a lot of interest from women in the industry. A large number of women volunteered to join within the first few minutes following the announcement of the boot camp, accepting the challenge to learn a new trading method. The boot camp itself will choose 25 women through personality tests designed by Kenny – based on his big 5 personality traits that make up a good trader. The women will undergo a free 3-day boot camp with Kenny himself where they will learn the rules of trading with Geometric Patterns. The boot camp will be followed up by a trading competition in which all women will participate and compete for one of three prizes – $3,000, $2,000 and $1,000 consequently. If you’re interested, send an email to kenny@fxgeoemtry.com FXGEOMETRY’S boot camp is another effort to shed a bright light on female traders and what they can achieve in the financial world, putting preconceptions aside and shedding general judgment. The era of female traders may have not yet begun but a glimpse of light might be making its way in at the end of the tunnel. This article was written by Deema Osman. Deema is a content writer at 120advertising.com Sponsored Post.
A Motherland Mogul’s Reflections from SLA’s SheHive Toronto 2017
As African women, many of us have not had our life path paved with milk and honey. We have witnessed our mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, cousins, and kin put their lives on hold to work tirelessly long hours for little reward. As I get older, I see more and more within us lays a common internal battle. In the midst of enacting the legacies of our lives, many of us are also carrying ideas engrained in us by our families. Holding passions they have never known, we are constantly bombarded by family members pushing us to get into a “real career,” (aka becoming a nurse, doctor, or lawyer). For creative women, with entrepreneurial visions bouncing off their every thought, balancing these two worlds is a beast to juggle. We sit in a unique position, one where we must create the blueprint for our lives, because no one has come before us to achieve our success, and no one will come after us. What often halts us in our journeys is the countless intimate moments we have within ourselves. Moments that cloud our judgment, moments that awaken/terrify us, motivate us, or moments when we wish no one is looking. Most times we feel all of the above. To live out your legacy is soul-shaking work. What we forget is simple, following our dreams is not supposed to be easy. It is supposed to terrify you, wake you from your sleep, and place a fire under you that cannot be ignored. Last summer I had the amazing opportunity to Attend She Leads Africa’s, She Hive Toronto Conference. The conference cultivated a space for African women, ambitious beyond words to surround, empower, and inspire each other. Attending this event shook my soul but, more importantly, it forced me to remember the following: 1) Let your ideas manifest Too many times we hear and feel parts of our ideas, but most of us never actually give them a chance. We don’t nourish them with our energy and allow them to grow. What we do is the exact opposite. We allow them to sit idle, we minimize them with our doubt and create a reality that reinforces that we cannot accomplish them. We tell ourselves we don’t have the resources, money, time, blah, blah, blah! But, once we take that first leap towards our dreams, we allow the universe to become our GPS. 2) Be the energy you need We need to be our own number one fan and our own advocates. Women need to be a friend, sister, and lover to each other! Most times, we expect people in our lives to validate us, support us, and invest in us. But, are you the energy you need? Are you that push you want others to bestow upon you, to yourself? We need to give ourselves the energy we ask of others. Light up that room, be that never-ending inviting spirit, because you benefit from it the most! 3) Ask, ask, ask! Ask the universe. Ask God. Ask friends and family. Ask yourself. Be clear and specific when it comes to your goals and what you need from everyone. PS…. this includes figuring out what you need from yourself! Need I say more? 4) Know the kind of woman do you want to be We need to remind ourselves of what kind of women we need to be. What are you not willing to comprise? Do you have your values written down? What does your integrity mean to you when it is woven into your passion? If we remain grounded in these thoughts we will never regret anything on our path to our dreams. 5) Seek meaningful connections Networking. Yes, networking is essential. You never know who is in the room. You never know who may be able to assist you or how you can assist another person. But, even more, important than this, is understanding what meaningful relationships and connections you want with others. Seeking out meaningful connections means you are living authentically. You are not just thinking about a one-sided benefit. You are considering the person, as a person, a soul to connect with, and not someone who will only be used as a future commodity. 6) With passion, ALL things can be done Passion is our savior. It stirs you and your being. Our passions give us purpose and demands we show up. Our passions unlock our potential if we allow it to. Fulfilling the vision and legacies of our passions is terrifying, it will arise a world emotion from you (as it should). Stand firm in knowing the world is awaiting the gifts you have dug a grave for. Be still, close your eyes, take a deep breath, and remind yourself. “I will accomplish nothing without the taste of fear,” – Zainab Salbi This article was written by Amma Gyamfowa If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your startup story with us.
Phoebe Dami-Asolo: The wedding counsellor
Phoebe Dami-Asolo holds an MSc in Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Management from Imperial College, London. She also has a BSc in Accounting and Finance from Manchester University in the UK. She currently works as a Brand Manager in a reputable organization, managing brands across West Africa Markets. Phoebe got married in 2016 and her wedding experience birthed the wedding counselor platform which is a project she runs to help other brides make the right decisions while planning their weddings. In line with this, she has launched a book- Miss to Mrs which acts as a guide for brides and also runs the Dapper Wedding Hub, a wedding outfit with her husband aimed at providing wedding packages which will solve the challenge of affordability and stress for couples planning their weddings. In this Interview with SLA, Phoebe talks about being a bride, working with brides, and her new book – Miss to Mrs. Why did you decide to become a wedding counselor, and how did it transform into a business? As a bride to be, while planning my wedding, I experienced a lot. I had issues with some of my vendors. I thought planning a wedding was a walk in the park, apparently not. Every time I complained about something, I realized my friends and peers planning their weddings could also relate. There were good times , really fun times but the few down times were really eye opening. This is why I decided to launch the wedding counsellor platform and since its launch in 2017, Ive been able to help hundreds of brides overcome many challenges in wedding planning With this experience, what are the things you’ll advice wedding planners to pay attention to when dealing with brides to be? Emotions. Brides can be irrational sometimes but if you’ve been a bride or a recent bride, you’d be able to understand every brides thought process. Every bride just wants perfection. Expectations needs to be managed with optimal emotional intelligence. Its very important for the planner to understand her bride. The relationship wont work if there is no understanding Negotiation: A good planner also needs to help brides with negotiations. Help brides save money because after the wedding comes the marriage. Its really important. Have you ever had to deal with any bad experience or challenges during your coaching sessions? I think Ive been blessed with brides who are willing to listen and learn. The only challenge I have is people taking the wedding counsellor platform as a marriage counsellor platform. I have instances on a daily basis where people want me to advise them on their relationships or marriage but I relay them to my partner marriage counsellor. For people interested in the wedding planning biz – what skills or tools do they need to be equipped with before starting out? Emotional Intelligence Negotiation Skills Ability to Multitask People Skills The above mentioned skills are all you need to thrive in this business. Every other thing will follow What are your sessions like? My sessions are online. Ive had a few on Skype as well, but mostly via chats and emails. However, they are always in the evenings as I have a 9-5 job which I’m very focused on. Tell us about your new book, why you decided to write one, and how people have received it. My book is titled Miss to Mrs. Its a guide to a stress free wedding planning process from a real brides point of view. Yes! Its the first of its kind in Africa, with 11 chapters about planning your wedding. The 12th chapter is focused on real words from 50 brides, and the last chapter on how to pull through the first year of marriage. Its been overwhelming. I still cant believe how much love the book has been received. I’d be selling out very soon. If you were not a wedding counselor, what would you be doing? The wedding counsellor platform is a pet project out of my genuine love for brides. I am actually a brand manager, wife and Mom. Those are my core responsibilities. What’s the one advice you’ll give your younger self. Go for it. Any idea you have in your mind, try it out. Failures are only lessons to make the next trial perfect. If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your story with us.
Chelsea Ward – An African woman in Shanghai Rooted and Ready to Bloom
I met Chelsea Ward through a friend in Shanghai, and within the first few minutes of her speaking, I was so aware of her presence. She exuded such positivity and self-awareness. I immediately gravitated towards speaking predominantly to her. After getting a taste of what her goals were and what she was managing to do to make them a reality, I knew it would be essential to pick her brain and get the inside scoop. Chelsea grew up in the US and remembers wanting to do everything as a child. She was particularly inspired by her parents and was adamant about studying something in their fields of work. When we speak about her childhood, Chelsea reflects on the mindset that we have when we are younger, that you can do anything and that there are no impossibilities. [bctt tweet=” At 25, Chelsea Ward started her own consulting firm, with the focus to create a space for minority owned businesses to establish themselves in #Shanghai. ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] However as we grow older we tend to lose this fearlessness and allow life to weigh us down. Chelsea has managed to reconnect to this belief and become open to the possibilities that life affords her. Initially studying pre-med as well as Asian studies, her passion for community up-liftment became clear. Visiting both South Africa and Guatemala to work on non-profit projects clarified that her love of language was about communicating with people. Chelsea was awarded a scholarship to continue her study of the Chinese language in China by the Chinese government in 2016. She elected to study at Fudan University in Shanghai. It was during this time that she experienced first-hand a gap in the market in Shanghai when she attempted to get her hair done. A salon was recommended to her and she called beforehand to ensure that they were skilled to handle natural hair, which they assured her that they were.Chelsea’s description of this experience gives me the feelings of a butcher with a tough piece of meat. Needless to say, they were not skilled to handle natural hair. Upon returning home to the US and getting her hair taken care of at a fabulous hair salon, she realized how necessary it was for a business like that to be in Shanghai. Particularly in a city (and country) with minimal diversity, issues with finding a hair salon equipped to deal with natural hair is a common problem. [bctt tweet=”Do not allow the frustrations that may come along with building your own business consume you – Chelsea Ward” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] This sparked the idea for Chelsea, despite being only 25, to start her own consulting firm. One of the focuses of the firm is to create a space for minority owned businesses to establish themselves in Shanghai. One of Chelsea’s current clients includes the very hair salon she had such a positive experience with in the US, namely BabyBangz. If that wasn’t enough, she is also in the process of planning a music, art and culture festival that will take place in Shanghai, where she currently resides, during May 2019. All of this while maintaining a full time job as the head of the skills department of an international learning centre. The Roots Music, Art, and Culture Festival is something to be excited about. The festival will include exciting and inspiring women of color as speakers and is aimed at increasing representation in a city like Shanghai as well as empowering women and minorities. The details for this event are yet to be released but if the premise is anything to go by, then you should be very excited and get looking at flight prices to Shanghai around that time. I have no doubt that this will be nothing but inspiring and stimulating. One of the previously organized events that was a major success in Shanghai was the hosting of a seminar presented by BabyBangz and TLP on natural hair. There are hopes to host a similar one in the future and of course for these incredible companies to feature at the Roots Music, Art, and Culture Festival. Click here to have a taste of what went down at the last seminar. The focus right now is Asia and the UK because that is where Chelsea has established relationships. The goal is to make the festival in Shanghai a roaring success and hopefully from there look to expanding to other locations. Furthermore, Chelsea has ambitions of assisting businesses from other countries, such as South Africa, to establish a presence in Shanghai. Of course this depends on demand and the needs of the community. But given her previous experience volunteering there, Chelsea has an interest in engaging and assisting once she has secured the foundation of her consulting firm in Shanghai. One of the biggest challenges Chelsea has faced through this process of being an entrepreneur is accepting that everything is a process. It is incredibly important to be patient and show yourself compassion and self-love. Do not allow the frustrations that may come along with building your own business consume you. If for some strange reason you are not bursting with excitement after reading Chelsea’s incredible story, let me leave you with some brilliant parting points that she shared with me as we rounded up our interview. “Don’t be afraid to pursue what you love, try and go for it. Actually, don’t try. Do it or don’t do it. So rather just do it. Don’t live in the fear or pain of what is holding you back, push past that and do what you love and what excites you.” If you are interested in getting involved in any way, please feel free to contact Chelsea. To get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your story with us.
Understand your business, do your research and go through a rigorous market survey: Princess Okereke talks about founding Zapi Botanics
When Princess Okereke founded Zapi Botanics she wanted to make a difference in the hair care sector by providing organic hair products. We all know that the hair care industry is filled with products containing toxic ingredients and chemicals that are not only harmful to the hair and scalp but are ecologically unfriendly. Zapi Botanics was created with a single goal- to provide hair products with no harmful ingredients. Zapi Botanics is gathering pace as the go-to place for Natural Hair Care in Nigeria. They also offer advice and information to ladies starting their natural hair journey. Princess Okereke preaches organic health for body and hair, her gorgeous natural hair is also a proof of her love for all things organic. [bctt tweet=”To all our fro’ sisters, have a mind of your own, make hairstyles that work for you, moisturize – Zapi Botanics” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How did Zapi Botanics begin? Zapi Botanics was a long-term drive I had when I was very young. It was an ambition I picked up from my grandmother who loved everything natural. Even at her old age, she would mix up natural ingredients and apply on her body and skin. At 78, her skin was healthy and did not sag, her hair surprisingly did not thin out. Her life was a living proof of how going organic can be beneficial in the long run. I decided to adopt that lifestyle. In 2015 I came up with a brand name, I also cut my texturized hair and began using my products first on my hair. What do you think about the demand for Organic Skincare products in Nigeria? What propelled its rise? I think we began to realize that we need to love ourselves. Funny though, the first maker of relaxer was a black man named Morgan who tested the product on his dog and realized it straightened his dog’s hair. Products tested on animals cannot be said to be all safe. We have more hair losses amongst young women, a lot of women are getting unnaturally bald. We see lots of hair and scalp issues in this line of business. I think people are beginning to realize that these chemicals put in hair products are detrimental to our health. Hence the switch to Organic skincare products What makes Zapi Botanics different? Zapi Botanics started because of our love for plant and Ecology. We decided to come up with a brand that is plant-based because we understand how important it is to go green and it’s a good way to help our environment. We take our time to source for our materials both in and out of Nigeria to ensure they are excellent. Our brand doesn’t end when our products are purchased, We provide our customers with post-purchase treatment and guides on how to use our products. We give them tips and tricks on how to navigate their hair journey, we are only satisfied when our customers are truly satisfied with our services. In 2016, the beauty and skincare industry was valued at $620 million by Euro monitor, how much of this share has been leveraged by Nigerians? There’s a myth about Nigerian made products that are being tackled right now all over the country. People may talk about their loyalty to Nigerian Made Brands but few actually stick to their word and purchase products solely made in Nigeria. People still feel Products made outside has superior Quality. This has hampered the amount of share accrued by our brands in this Industry. How easy has it been to convince people of the authenticity of your product seeing that they are formulated in Nigeria? Based on my reply to the previous question, it has been hard to break into the Nigerian market. We have to do a lot of marketing, promotions, and giveaways. Breaking into the market wasn’t easy, but when I started, I came up with a plan to use my formulated products to style ladies hair. I learned to style, I used my products too on my hair and whenever people see my hair and those of my clients, I refer them to my products [bctt tweet=”A lot of Brands fade because they couldn’t keep up with the changing times – Zapi Botanics” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How are new African hair care products competing with mainstream western brands that have championed the African market for years? A lot of Brands faded because they couldn’t keep up with the changing times. People began to demand moisturizers instead of petroleum-based products and these brands couldn’t adapt to this change in demand. Still, new products are slowly creeping in and competing with the famous western brands in the market space. How does your brand, Zapi Botanics incorporate the unique hair care requirements of the African woman? Zapi Botanics pays special attention to the needs of African hair. Our curly hair pattern makes it harder for our hair to get moisturized, our formulations works great for Kinky Hair. Our Chief ingredients are suited to the African environment. The type4 hair and type 3C hair pattern does not allow the natural hair oil to travel down quickly so our products are loaded with ingredients that make it easier for moisture to be locked in. Tell us about some of your products There’s the Black moisturizing shampoo. The chief ingredient is the African black soap. It cleans, moisturizes and heals damaged hair strands. Our leave-in conditioner is great for detangling and styling wash and goes styles when water won’t just do the trick. The Deep moisturizing conditioner is essential for every wash day, it thickens hair, locks in moisture and revitalizes hair strands. Our special packages are designed for low porosity and high porosity hair. [bctt tweet=”A lot of our health issues can be solved by simply going natural – Zapi Botanics” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] You preach an Organic Lifestyle why is that? I think a lot of our health issues can be solved by simply
Ahdora Mbelu-Dania: Passion is great, but purpose is better
Ahdora Mbelu-Dania is currently a Director at Trellis Group (@trellisgroupco). Trellis group is a group of companies in the brand development and experiential marketing space that has worked on several projects across various industries, with brands such as Microsoft, Google, Sterling Bank, Union Bank, Lagos State Government, Nokia, Diageo, Absolut. Ahdora has a passion for innovation and a belief in the power of creativity to achieve extraordinary business results. She moved to Nigeria in 2008 and found that there were so many young Nigerians in the creative sector that were unable to harness their creativity and build sustainable brand/business structures – Trellis group bridges this gap. In 2017, Adaora was mentioned in Entrepreneur Magazine’s “11 Africans that are changing the business landscape in Africa.” She was also nominated in the “Entrepreneur Of The Year” and “Prize For Media Enterprise” Categories of the Future Awards Africa. She has been featured among Nigeria’s Under 40 CEO’s, and Top 30 Under 30. Ahdora talks about finding passion, purpose, and creativity. How did your family background and rich cultural heritage prepare you for the success you experience today? My family background provided a diversity of thought. My parents are from different racial and cultural backgrounds, and this provided an opportunity for me to understand diversity very early in life. Hence, I keep a very open mind, and this allows me to forge relationships with people without bias for their backgrounds. You seem to value creative thinking above traditional practice, has this always worked for you? I actually value both creative thinking and traditional practice. I think both ideologies have their place in my life’s journey. The important thing is that I know how and when to apply either one to produce positive results. Many people view creativity as rebellion and going against the norm. But I believe that everyone is born with some level of creativity, and thus there’s nothing to really rebel against. We just need to harness this creativity to solve problems and produce great work. I try to stay away from the tag of “Creative” vs “Non-creative”. At the very core, what is your company – Trellis all about? As the name implies, Trellis is about providing a structure/framework that supports people to get their greatest work out to the world. Trellis Group was created from the need to solve and bring light to the existing challenges faced in the African creative sector. We are a creative consultancy made up of a group of companies in the sectors of Brand development (Gr8an), Experiential Marketing (A2Creative) Talent Management, and Community Development (Socially Africa). You definitely fit the idea of a superwoman. Do you face challenges as a creative strategist? Being superwoman definitely comes with various challenges – even the superheroes in the movies have to fight people, and even their own emotional struggles. I have my fair share of challenges, especially as I not only work on the client side but also manage operations. I am continuously dealing with solving people’s problems, and that sometimes means fully immersing myself in understanding the problem first, before I try to solve. [bctt tweet=”Being superwoman definitely comes with various challenges – even superheroes in the movies have to fight people – @ahdoraspeaks” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How do you identify ideas that are competent and sustainable and those that are not? There two things I usually consider when I’m presented with an idea. Does it solve an existing problem And can it progress without the creator? I think the best ideas are the ones that can grow without the person who developed the idea. The world has got this entrepreneurship game all wrong. From my perspective, it isn’t about founders, as much as it is about solutions. It isn’t about who did it, but rather that it was done. This is why as much as I respect investor pitches and all that good stuff, I also know that Purpose will always trump what everyone else thinks. [bctt tweet=”Be open to collaboration – if you don’t care about who gets the credit, you are more likely to do many amazing things – @ahdoraspeaks” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What do you look out for in ideas/projects that come to your agency for actualization? With the projects we work on, we choose our clients as much as they choose us. Many times we focus on the people behind the projects. We have been through the start-up phase where we’ve worked with people and projects that we didn’t necessarily have a heart for because it was profitable. However, we are now at a stage where we measure value very differently. These days, we choose peace of mind over financial gain. I know it’s a bold statement to make, but it’s factual. I’m not as concerned about quantity, as I am about quality. Hence, a lot of our business is either return business or by referral. How have you been able to juggle your demanding career and your role as a mother altogether? I am still learning to juggle it all. I don’t have a perfect response to this question, especially because I really don’t believe strongly in “work-life” balance. At least, I don’t believe that it must be 50/50, and thus I don’t put pressure on myself or feel that I am falling short in my responsibilities. I take each day at a time, and give as much as I possibly can, per time, with the understanding that to whom much is given, much is expected. I mean, my family and friends believe that I am an amazing mother, and I know I am. However, I have read mommy blogs that just make me look like child’s play. But I have learned to abandon comparison, and just enjoy my mommy moments – they are mine. Your dress style is fiercely distinct and bold. How come you decided to stick with the classy suit and tie look? This wasn’t a conscious decision. My father was a banker, and he wore a suit every day throughout my childhood. He’s a very stylish man, and I remember him having socks that match every one of his ties. I think it seeped into my subconscious. It’s really just comfortable for me. I wear a suit (no tie) or Kaftan for professional outings. However, on my dress down days
Vumile Msweli: Thinking global allows us to elevate our standards and fast track our learning
Vumile Msweli is an international speaker, renowned coach and the Chief Executive officer for Hesed Consulting. Hesed is a consulting firm specializing in commerce acceleration, career coaching, women empowerment, facilitation and training on the African continent. Vumile has worked in Europe, Asia and across the African continent for reputable multinational institutions including Barclays, Investec, Nedbank, First National Bank and Vodafone. She is an award-winning businesswoman who has received honors such as the Women’s’ Economic Forum’s Woman of Excellence Award, named 34th Most Influential Young South African by Avance Media, the Mail and Guardian Top 200 most influential Young South Africans. Vumi has also been awarded the Elle Boss of the Year in the Corporate Category. As we celebrate women’s month in South Africa, Vumi talks about what she’s learned from globetrotting and her driving force to start her business. [bctt tweet=”Traveling is one of the best educations you can give yourself – @vumilemsweli ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Tell us about your experience studying in various countries and how its helped you I am a vehement advocate for education and its ability to transform lives. I also believe that traveling is one of the best educations you can give yourself. The combination of expanding my worldview through both formal and informal learning by studying in different countries has been invaluable to be me. It helped me realize how I am a global citizen with proudly African roots. Living abroad also shifted my thinking to want to excel at a global level whilst keeping my local values. I also learned that where I was born doesn’t define where I belong. How did studying in West Africa change your perspective about business and career? Being an African, one tends to think of the entire continent as home but West Africa definitely has an energy like no place on earth. There are a palpable entrepreneurial spirit and an optimistic view of taking control and accountability for your life as a pose to making excuses as to why you aren’t where you could be. The competition is also very tough, you look at Nigeria and realize that the population of Lagos alone is half the population of my country South Africa. There are also some infrastructural challenges such as energy but no one sits around waiting for the government to resolve these. Everyone gets on with it and takes it upon themselves to excel despite these challenges. Being in West Africa imprinted in me the importance of a diverse revenue stream, the importance of being able to sustain oneself in a cash economy as a pose to being enslaved by credit for survival. West Africans exude an apologetic confidence for their existence, their desires, and the pursuit of their dreams. Being surrounded by a culture like that leaves you no choice but to walk with your head a little taller, work harder and make no excuses as you toil towards your own goals. What prompted you to start your business – Hesed Consulting? I found myself having coaching conversations with friends and acquaintances on various career-related topics and soon realized that I had acquired some niche knowledge. Especially around accelerating my career, what seemed to me to be a simple strategic career or finance play was a non-discussion amongst my peers. I thoroughly enjoy seeing people transform through a shift in perception. Marianne Williamson aptly said: “ a miracle is a shift in perception”.Certainly, I wanted to be a part of that miracle. Vumi is truly a teacher at heart, I love sharing what I have learned. So the look on someone’s face as they utter “I never thought of it that way before” and then proceed to change the direction of their lives because of that conversation gives me great joy. Being a part of that sacred space of sharing tools and experiences that help my clients leapfrog their learning and accelerate their careers and businesses truly makes my heart sing. That’s what prompted me to start Hesed and it’s the reason why Hesed is still in existence 6 years later. At Hesed, we work with individuals and entrepreneurs to accelerate their careers and businesses. We do this through workshops; training; coaching and consulting. We have a pan-African approach; global exposure whilst remaining locally relevant. I guess what makes our team rather unique is that we have executive experience across sectors so we understand the pressures of both corporate and entrepreneurship. Also, many of our teams have worked and lived in different countries and continents. That cultural richness allows for diversity in thinking when tailor making solutions for our clients. How did you go from being a trained accountant working in an international financial institution to a becoming an international speaker and accelerator coach? I had the scholarship to study my Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting Sciences but soon realized after completing that it definitely was not my passion. Actually, I recalled working at an Investment Bank early in my career and instead of focusing on the financial audit work I was assigned to found myself in the customer care department worrying about clients. I was more concerned about the organization’s strategy and operational ability to service them better. Needless to say, my career shifted towards being people-centric and that has never changed. It just expanded to their strategies for success and how they can operate better in their careers and personal lives. [bctt tweet=”Being African allows us to see the world through a certain lens – @vumilemsweli” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How valuable is it to be African and think global? I often say I am a proudly African global citizen. Thinking global allows us to elevate our standards; fast track our learning; bring international best practices to the continent whilst expanding our reach to the whole world. Thinking global in my opinion should not be in exchange for our what makes us African. Being African allows us to see the world through a certain lens and more often than not have a
Esther Hahanyu: Helping Kenyan women achieve their weight goals through Social Media
Most modern women, if not all, at one point or another, have struggled with the notion and practice of keeping fit. For some, it is a recommendation from their doctor to avert a looming health danger. However, for a few others, it’s for the purposes of remaining healthy and good looking. Whichever the case, the goal is the same, to lose weight. Esther Hahanyu found herself in the latter category, looking for means to keep fit and look good. When the idea came to her, she had just completed her degree program and was enjoying her career. At that moment, life couldn’t have been any better, save for occasional hip joint and ankle pains, especially after a walk. The pains were not regular, hence, she did not seek any medical opinion. Instead, Ms. Hahanyu tried to avoid activities that caused the discomfort including taking a flight of a few stairs which in the latest months was making her pant heavily. When she started the routines four years ago, she weighed 88 kilograms. In eleven (11) months she had cut down to 68 Kgs. Today, she still observes the routines and structured diets religiously; however, her sole priority now is toning and maintaining the weight which is right for her height and age. All these she has been able to achieve working out at home alone or with her niece. It was not until Hahanyu visited a friend that she realized that the joint pains and panting were as a result of the weight. With this in mind, she wanted to regain her health. She embarked on a plan that has not only helped her to lose the weight but also keep fit while encouraging others to do the same. Hahanyu has chosen to adopt a healthy lifestyle and has taken upon herself to inspire others through the social media. Keeping tabs with social media Upon gathering information that she could regain her health through healthy eating and exercising, Hahanyu invested time and resources to embark on the long journey which she began after a round of research and consultations. On the first day, she took a photo of herself working out and posted on Facebook. A friend came across the post and added her to a ‘closed’ Facebook group whose mission is to support women seeking to lose weight through exercise and structured diet plans. “I am a Facebook fanatic,” says Hahanyu adding that since day one, she felt she needed to share with the world her weight loss journey. “I find it exciting to post my workout routines and meal plans on the social media platforms.” Hahanyu notes that she started by doing simple routines like rope skipping and dancing. “I like working out in front of the mirror too,” she adds. From the reflection, she can see her muscles crunch, and when she breaks a sweat, it excites and motivates her to go the extra mile. Motivating others According to Hahanyu posting the images online is a way to remain accountable to self and to motivate others to keep working harder towards attaining their weight loss goals. Moreover, each and every member of the group is encouraged to post their routines or meal plans as an accountability check and a way to encourage others to do the same. “When I come across a new routine or exercise, I share it with my social media friends,” observes Hahanyu. She posts in three groups on a daily basis. She admits that this is her way of giving back to the online community that welcomed and still supports her in the journey. Of particular interest is a friendship she formed with London based Grace Kasongo. According to Hahanyu she is indebted to Kasongo. While the two have never met in person, (at least not by the time of writing this piece) their friendship has grown from just sending encouraging messages on the social media to exchanging physical gifts across thousands of miles. A few months after making acquaintances, Grace sent Hahanyu a dress from London as an extrinsic motivation for her hard work. “I got to know ‘Favored’ (Hahanyu’s Social Media Pseudonym) through the Facebook weight group,” says Grace in an email. “She was very inspirational and motivating not only to me but to other group members.” Following her active role on the platform, Hahanyu has since been appointed an administrator of two of the online groups. “She has continued to be an inspiration,” Grace says of Hahanyu. “She leads by example by posting challenges, what she eats and her daily routines.” In her words, Grace likes giving gifts to her friends journeying to lose weight as a way to encourage them. Moreover, “it is a way of giving back to the community in efforts to fight obesity and other related diseases,” she adds noting that Hahanyu is “just like my baby sister now.” Through the online support group, Hahanyu has come to learn many things about meal planning and exercising. She currently posts in three online groups each with approximately 18,850; 33,640 and 30, 225 members. She hopes to inspire members to choose healthier lives by eating right and exercising. For Hahanyu, a structured diet plan works perfectly for her. Studies show that structured diet plans yield better results than those that are less planned. Hahanyu observes that dieting and exercising are not for everyone. People must seek professional advice especially if one has pre-existing medical conditions or any other health concerns. What are you doing to help yourself and other people in your community to better themselves? Click here to share your story with us.