Quick Maths (4): How to build up an emergency fund for yourself with FSDH Asset Management
Save for the rainy day… it might take a little longer for the sun to shine! Welcome to the final part of our Quick Maths series by FSDH Asset Management, where we’re giving you simple personal finance tips you can master, to achieve your financial goals. In the last three series, we showed you how to generate income to start your business, how to diversify your income and how to get the best out of your net income and now we want to teach you how to save for the rainy day. What do you have saved for the rainy day? Nothing? We can plan for a lot of things in life, but sometimes, the unexpected just happens. These are the times you face bigger-than-expected bills, but having an emergency fund can make it easier. An emergency fund is money kept aside in case there are emergencies or problems in the future. Now, listen! An emergency fund isn’t for your everyday needs or special wants, so leave your sinful indulgences out of it, and no! flash sales are not emergencies either. We partnered with FSDH Asset Management Ltd to bring you this guide to help you understand why you need to have an emergency fund and how to start building up your emergency fund(s). [bctt tweet=”Having an emergency fund prepares you for the unexpected expenses yet to come – @fsdhcoralfunds” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Topics this guide will cover: What is an emergency fund? How much money should you have in an emergency fund? The difference between emergency funds and investments Ways to set aside emergency funds After reading this guide, you would be one step closer to achieving your financial goals. If you want to keep slaying in your finances, be sure to read up on our previous quick maths series, you’ll be glad you did! FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD – FSDH AM is a wholly owned subsidiary of FSDH Merchant Bank Limited. They are one of Nigeria’s leading asset management and financial advisory firm. FSDH AM is versatile in financial transactions and investment strategies that meet the need of investors in an emerging economy like Nigeria. They recognize that today’s investors need the services of dedicated and expert professionals to provide them with intelligent investment counsel. Therefore, their strategies are dedicated to preserving investors’ wealth while maximizing the value that they receive. Once you’re through with this guide, visit FSDH Asset Management Ltd to know more and get all your pressing questions answered. Getting access to this guide is easy: just fill out the form below to join our community and get access to this guide. This is the final part of our series but you can get all three series here. By joining our community, you also get to enjoy our AWESOME weekly content as well.
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
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
How to overcome the fright of starting a business
If you have decided to ignore all the advice of well-meaning individuals and friends and have still gone ahead to start a business this year, you must have some real guts. Starting a business is no easy task. There are endless challenges that often discourage you from even starting. When looking at all the challenges entrepreneurs face, it’s easy to question how your business would thrive. If your business was a soft, supple, newborn baby, your goals as a business owner is to see that this business survives its first years. But how do you achieve this and start your business like a boss? 1. Face your fears Spending nights rolling on your bed, worrying about your business goals won’t make you cause you to achieve them. Unfortunately just thinking about your business will not turn it into reality. You may have several doubts about the likelihood of people getting your products and services, but until you put your business out there you won’t know for sure. Start by creating your sample products, sell them to family and friends and get feedback about them. With every action, you take you to become less and less afraid. Every action you accomplish will help your confidence grow and you’ll begin to see your fear diminish. 2. Surround yourself with positive people Surrounding yourself with positive people can make a huge difference on the success of your business. There are people who would do nothing to encourage you and will not give any positive feedback. If you stay close to such people, you will begin to doubt your ability to reach your business goals. The truth is, the people closest to you may be more susceptible about your business than strangers. Expect it. They may not believe in your ability to drive your business to fruition, you shouldn’t make it your aim to prove that point to them. On the other hand, having a supportive people chip in a suggestion or two will stir your faith in your business, you’d start to believe in this brand becoming tangible as you hear them talk about it like it already exists. 3. Be Patient If there is one thing you will most likely encounter, is roadblocks! And when you do, you will need lots of patience. When things get tough, don’t through your hands in the air and shout “I don’t have time for this”. Firstly, try and understand that the problem you face is not always your fault. If you cannot go through the problem, find a way to go around it. Do not compare yourself with what you see on the news and social media. Seeing everyone move on a much faster pace may be discouraging. When you do his a roadblock on your journey, figure out how to deal with it while putting other aspects of your business in track. You should always be ready to take off when the roadblock is removed. 4. Dance upon disappointment As an entrepreneur, managing disappointment is a skill you can’t afford to live without. So what if things do not work out as you plan? What if a key team member decides to leave at the last minute, or a trusted supplier fails to supply your ingredients on time? What would you do when people fail you? You cannot always control all circumstances when working with people. When things go wrong, you shouldn’t beat yourself over. Try and come up with new alternatives. Though this may be tough, it will become a lot easier if you stay positive about it. Take a break, play some music and dance away your disappointments. You can also create a warm environment where everyone can come together and decide on the next steps for the business will be. If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your start up story with us.
Quick Maths (3): How to use your salary/business net income with FSDH Asset Management
Having a money moves mindset means thinking big when it comes to your finances. Welcome to the third part of our Quick Maths series where we’ll be giving you the lowdown of how to master your personal finances in simple ways. We’ve talked about how to generate income to start your business, and how to diversify your funds (even as a low-income earner), now its time to dive even deeper. So… you’ve received that alert now and paid all your bills. What do you do with the rest o the money? Cash out? Call up your girls for a breezy weekend? Nah girl, you need to take a step back, there are more pressing issues. As a career or businesswoman, it’s important to know your bottom line and use it wisely. Your bottom line is what remains after you have removed all expenses from your income. What does your account balance look like after deducting expenses? Is it smiling back at you? Now ask yourself, have you thought of using your last bottom line to increase your next bottom line? We partnered with FSDH Asset Management Ltd to bring you this guide to help you understand ways to use your business net income, known as “bottom line” to your advantage. [bctt tweet=”When you really need to know how well your business/finances are doing, check your bottom line – @fsdhcoralfunds” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Topics this guide will cover: Bottom line – what it means, why it is important and how to make it work for you. What you can do with your bottom line – how to improve your finances by using your bottom line wisely. Figuring out how to make your bottom line work for you might seem difficult, but we are here to make it easier for you. We’ve gotcha, boo! After reading this guide, you’ll understand how to manage your income better and use it to get more resources to keep increasing your bottom line. You’ll also learn to track your spending and get excited about checking your accounts. If you want to keep learning ways to grow your money significantly over time, you shouldn’t miss the next guide because, with every guide, the lessons get deeper. FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD – FSDH AM is a wholly owned subsidiary of FSDH Merchant Bank Limited. They are one of Nigeria’s leading asset management and financial advisory firm. FSDH AM is versatile in financial transactions and investment strategies that meet the need of investors in an emerging economy like Nigeria. They recognize that today’s investors need the services of dedicated and expert professionals to provide them with intelligent investment counsel. Therefore, their strategies are dedicated to preserving investors’ wealth while maximizing the value that they receive. Once you’re through with this guide, visit FSDH Asset Management Ltd to know more and get all your pressing questions answered. Getting access to this guide is easy: just fill out the form below to join our community and get access to this guide, remember this is only part 3, there’s more to come – so stay updated. By joining our community, you also get to enjoy our AWESOME weekly content as well.
African Women Entrepreneurs – A Different Perspective
I recently came across a TED talk by Natalie Case and Freya Estreller. They are co-founders of CoolHaus, a company that creates architecturally designed Ice cream in the U.S.A I found their passion and drive for their business fascinating. They started their business with an old postal van, which they converted to an Ice cream truck. In less than a decade, CoolHaus has grown into a multi-million dollar enterprise. It now has over ten trucks, two scoop shops and is being distributed in over four thousand groceries stores across the U.S. They currently oversee seventy employees and they plan to broaden CoolHaus to the number 1 recognized Ice cream brand in the world. Bringing this home to Africa, with the entrepreneurship buzz going on right now, I began to look at the reasons for the springing startups we have right now, especially the businesses founded by women. Why do women want to be their own bosses? What makes entrepreneurship exciting and interesting right now? I asked around and found answers like: I. More income will help me take care of myself and my family II. A business will help to beat the recession crunch III. It will enable me to be independent of my spouse/ partner IV. No one wants to be a stay-at-home mom anymore V. I want to be respected and admired as a capable leader All of these are great motivating factors but are these all there is to entrepreneurship? These do not have the ability to project a business to global standards. It is important we know the motive for creating a business because of this, in most cases, determines how far a business will grow. A woman may want to augment her spouse’s income. She may start a business to achieve this and this will determine the kind of business she goes for and what her vision for her business will be. If her trade achieves that goal in a few years there might not be a need to expand the business any further. While earning enough to cater for her family is important, having this mentality about the business may stifle it. If we survey all outstanding businesses, we would discover they were created by people who had a vision of making their companies prominent in the world. This factor may be deficient in Africa’s startups. It is imperative that African women entrepreneurs must first begin to develop a different orientation towards startups. [bctt tweet=”As entrepreneurs, we have to begin to look upward toward progress and acceleration” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Building the right business starts from the core, but the right questions need to be asked. Why is it being started? What motivates an individual to start a business? If these questions are answered correctly, this would change the way African women entrepreneurs approach their businesses. Sadly many entrepreneurs do not know the ‘WHY’of their business. This crucial step is neglected AND camouflaged with reasons like “Everyone swears by it on Instagram“, “It’s what brings in the cash” and “It just seems like the best thing to do now” The ‘why’ of a business also establishes if a business is the right thing to do. Does it really meet a need? Does it emerge from an undeniable conviction in the entrepreneur’s heart? Listen. There are two ways to go about it. 1. Find a passion to turn to a business or find a business to turn to a passion While a business is something entrepreneurs should be passionate about they shouldn’t be delusional about the relevance of their business. Every business should satisfy the needs of people while accruing profit. 2. Striving onwards While being financially liberated may be a reason a business is started it should not be the sole reason a business continues. 50% of the United States GDP comes from small businesses employing less than 500 people. African women entrepreneurs should seek ways to come together and build a conglomerate enterprise that can employ young people from every scope and status in Africa thus helping young entrepreneurs off the streets. Women should be encouraged to dream big and start businesses that can grow into mega-corporations in their lifetime. This indeed is possible. [bctt tweet=”Entrepreneurs should understand that within them lies the capacity to create a lasting legacy ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] African women entrepreneurs shouldn’t be constricted to starting businesses that are short termed, escape routes to financial challenges. Entrepreneurs should be made to understand that within them lies the capacity to create a lasting legacy and they should regard their business as legacies. They should be encouraged to have prospects and plans for expansion into the future. Therefore partnership and public corporation are the way to go if these businesses would outlive their founders. All of these start with a different perspective and a clear vision of what entrepreneurship means and what African female entrepreneurs can do. Some of which include: Influence the decision making in a nation if they drive its economy in a significant way. Sponsors lawyers, activists and projects that will push the goal for women rights and achieve gender equality faster. Reducing the risk of young girls being raped by removing them from the streets through the provision of jobs. Put communities in Africa in the spotlight, they can influence global decisions and drive Africa’s economy. Create brands that outlive them and change the world. If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your story with us.
Chichi Equomah: Your experiences in the corporate world are relevant in your journey as an entrepreneur.
Entrepreneurship seems to be the new career wave. Do you agree? More folks are beginning to quit their corporate work to own their dreams, become their own bosses, and above all, do the things they love! This is particularly true of ladies who are brave enough to quit their job for their dream jobs. Chichi Equomah is one such lady. Chichi Equomah, now Chichi Yakubu is the CEO of NyoNyo Essentials, a food brand that celebrates Ghanaian food in style! Just google the top eateries to look out for in Ghana and NyoNyo Essentials is definitely one to pop up. From the humble beginnings of a food catering service, Nyonyo has expanded to a restaurant and the corporate go-to food services firm in the industry within a span of 3 years. Their client portfolio is already impressive, having catered to clients such as MTN Ghana, Cummins Ghana, National Petroleum Authority, Eische Life, Ghana Water Company, EIB Group of Companies and Cocobod to name a few– and with the recent opening of a restaurant, one can only imagine the way to the top. As an erstwhile HR practitioner at TNS, a multinational market research company, Chichi leveraged on her skills in communication and project management, and her lifelong passion for cooking and creating to develop NyoNyo Essentials. But that can’t be all. We caught up with Chichi to tell us about the relevance of her former traditional corporate jobs in her day to day running of NyoNyo Essentials. She talked about the lessons she learned and what existing and future SLAyers can pick up from their existing jobs before they make that full time transition into entrepreneurship. The mastermind behind the meals: How did the story of Chichi and NyoNyo Essentials begin? The story of NyoNyo began with my mother. My mother is an amazing cook, and she owned a thriving food business. I picked up after her when it came to cooking and I am a foodie too, so naturally I also wanted to venture into the catering industry. I grew up determined to start a restaurant, but life happened and it became a dream deferred. In 2014, I felt the inkling to pursue this dream again. I took some time off social media to lose weight, rebrand myself and strategize for this dream, and a year later, NyoNyo Essentials was born. How did you know the time was right to leave your job and fully invest yourself in NyoNyo Essentials? It was a rather gradual process. I worked full time at TNS at the time, when I started this food business. I spent my spare time catering to NyoNyo, but the business was growing bigger by the day mainly because of our social media marketing and excellent recommendations. It was becoming challenging to adequately balance the two. So one day after careful consideration, I packed my bag and baggage and decided to fully dedicate myself to NyoNyo Essentials. I have never looked back. There comes a point in life where you really have to decide what you want to pursue. It’s a decision you can only hold on for so long, but deep inside you know what your guts want, what you are yearning for and what fuels your passion, and eventually, you will have to choose. And I did. Looking back, what are the top 3 lessons you have learned from your roles in the traditional corporate world that have proved useful today? I spent four to five years in typical 8-5 jobs and I feel that’s enough for me to have pursued my dream now. My time and experience I garnered there are still very relevant and extremely beneficial to what I do today. The first thing I learned was to be accountable to a superior. I strongly believe that everybody has to be accountable to someone; accountability makes you upright and productive. I have also come to fully appreciate some other attitudes I learned during such time. [bctt tweet=”Be conscious of your time. It’s a priceless gift – Chichi of @NyoNyogh” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I learned how to be punctual. From reporting to work on time and managing my work schedules, I learned how to be consistent with my time and also manage it efficiently so that I deliver on tasks promptly. Today, it’s one key trait that drives NyoNyo Essentials and how we operate. I still work at Nyonyo Essentials as though I am still being monitored by a superior and I encourage my staff to also work in the same vein. If we have a delivery at 2 pm, and you show up even 15 minutes late, your client is not going to be pleased. Besides, we deal with food so soothing a hungry and an angry client is double the work. [bctt tweet=”Another big lesson for me is that we are all replaceable, don’t get too comfortable – Chichi of @NyoNyogh ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I am not the only employee at work. If I goof today, I am replaceable. If I make a big blunder, I can be replaced easily. The question that makes the difference is that what am I doing to be excellent and to constantly upgrade myself? This is same for Nyonyo Essentials. We are not the only one in Ghana’s culinary space- there are others chasing their dreams like just ours. This is why we are always challenged to be better with our food and our customer service. It also spurs me on to continuously set milestones for Nyonyo and find answers to this burning question at all times. “What can I do to make the NyoNyo brand relevant to our customers always?” [bctt tweet=”You can only do so much. Learn to delegate – Chichi of @NyoNyogh” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Before entering the corporate workforce, I found it difficult to ask others to assist me with basic tasks. The one thing I learned while working was that there is always a lot on my plate and I couldn’t do it alone no matter how hard I tried to multi-task. We work in teams, and it is
Chidinma Emodi Chukwuemeka: Pitch your business proposition from the ‘why’ perspective, not the ‘what’
Chidinma Emodi Chukwuemeka is a seasoned entrepreneur with a specialty in Brand and Digital Marketing. In July 2017, Chidinma and her husband, Mr. Bentley Chuwkuemeka officially launched The Footwear Academy. The Footwear Academy is a footwear training and production school for individuals interested in the art of footwear production and sales. Their vision is to enable shoemakers in Africa starting with Nigeria produce exportable standard products. Her Start-up The Footwear Academy has pitched and participated in various local and international startup competition. They are the recent winners of the Proudly Made in Aba Hackathon – winning a grand prize of $50,000 from Ford Foundation. They also took 2nd place in 2017 at the Open Mic Africa startup pitch competition organized by Techpreneur Africa and MIT Legatum. Chidinma is an Alumni of Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI Regional Training Center) – Onsite Nigeria Cohort 4. She was awarded star of Business and Entrepreneurship for her cohort. She is self-driven and very passionate about helping brands and people succeed. [bctt tweet=”You have the ability to be anything you want to be ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”]
Zainab Ansell: My biggest achievement is sending people to Kilimanjaro
Zainab Ansell is a Tanzanian based business magnate, investor, philanthropist, humanitarian. She started ZARA Tours in 1987, organizing African safaris and climbs to Mount. Meru and Mount. Kilimanjaro. Today, ZARA Tours are Tanzania’s No.1 Kilimanjaro outfitter and one of the biggest safari operators. Zainab also runs a hotel chain that consists of 9 properties. 7 under the Tanzanian wild-camps umbrella and two separate hotels. In 2009 she launched Zara Charity, giving back to marginalized communities in Tanzania and making her footprint in the global movement for sustainable tourism development. She has also launched Zara foundation for ecosystems preservation. Advocating for land and marine biodiversity conservation with her focus being on cleaning up the Indian Ocean. [bctt tweet=”I looked at the mountain and got inspired to sell it and safaris -@Zainabansell” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How did you manage to create a niche for yourself in a male-dominated industry? I worked with Air Tanzania for 8 years before launching my own business. The beginning was tough, however, I was ambitious despite the harsh reality of inequality being a woman in a male-dominated society. Getting the licenses and registration was not easy as the industry was aggressive and male-dominated. It took me a whole year to be able to start operating. I started with a Travel agency, selling airline tickets as a non-IATA agent. In 1986 I got my IATA registration marking the beginning of a promising era. I sold many airlines KLM, Lufthansa to mention a few. However, within three years I started to see a decline in the business. I looked at the mountain and got inspired to sell it and safaris. Given the fact that technology was not as advanced I relied on word of mouth to market my business. I would even go to bus stations to solicit clients. The clients I would get would often refer other clients. It is that drive to go the extra mile for my clients that earned me my reputation. I watched the business gradually progress in 1987, 88, 89 and here we are today as the No.1 Kilimanjaro outfitter and one of the biggest safari operators in East Africa. What is your biggest achievement? My biggest achievement is being able to send people to Kilimanjaro, however, in the beginning, my biggest hurdle was accommodation. I always visualized my business as a one-stop shop. In the year 2000, I was able to become that. I opened up my very own hotel – Springlands Hotel. This refined my product, allowing me to give my clients their best value for money. The hotel also serves as a base for Mount Kilimanjaro trekking. Zara became a one-stop shop and my business became better organized. The launch of spring lands hotel led me to further venture into the hospitality industry in order to support both Mountain trekking and Safaris. Today Zara properties include Springlands and the award-winning Tanzania Wild Camps hotel chain that consists of 7 facilities Located across Tanzania’s most classic safari hotspots; Highview Hotel Karatu, Highview Coffee Lodge, Serengeti Wild Camp, Ngorongoro Wild Camp, Serengeti – Ikoma Wild Camp, Serengeti Safari Lodge, Serengeti Wildebeest Camp. You’ve managed to run your businesses for over 31 years, what has been your secret so far? I can not pinpoint one secret, however, I could sum it up as personalized services and teamwork. I attribute a lot of my success to my family, my spouse, my children and my staff. At Zara, we are a family. Happy staff and happy customers are our priority. How have you been able to adapt to the different changes within the industry and also personnel changes and still manage to succeed? Change is a constant factor, Tanzania is a developing country, with very high taxation rates. It has a very competitive tourism sector with thousands of operators and an unpredictable political environment that changes with every regime. We have seen lots of different tourism ministers, however, through it all, we have managed to survive and also because we’ve been able to give back through Zara Charity. How did you get accustomed to the new world of using digital marketing for your business? It’s not been easy, however being open-minded and having the right staff has simplified the transition for me. I get educated people in the right places and I also learn and catch up with what’s trending. Knowing what you know today, what would you have done differently during your career? In the beginning, I did so much. In fact, I would everything myself. Now I wish I would have delegated more. What is the one motivation that gets you up every morning? I wake up at 5:15 am every morning, say a prayer and do 5 km walk. After, that I am ready for the day. This routine keeps me motivated and eager to start the day ready for anything “bring it on!”. It helps me sail smoothly and well before I know it the day is over and I thank God. Talking about motivation, why was it important that you started Zara Charity? Over the years I have always given back to the community, I am humbled to have been able to help a lot of people. I started Zara Charity in order to keep track of and formalize what I am doing. We do a lot to empower the community through the charity. During low season we focus a lot on the charity. We provide free education to a marginalized community, give money to women with no interest, started a porters society where we teach them about health, how to prevent HIV, and how to save their money. The organization also opened up bank accounts for them and gave them health insurance. We have a center for marginalized maasai women where we financially empower them to make bead crafts which they sell to tourists. Also, Zara Charity trains and provides opportunities for the youth in our hospitality division. All this is
How to survive The Big F word — Failure
The moment you hit rock bottom is not a very unique experience. Although the actions were taken after the realization vastly differs from one person to another. For me, it was while watching a very romantic movie, the kind of movie where the guy races through traffic to get to the airport so he can finally pour out his true feelings to his dream girl. He just manages to catch her at the ‘check-in line’, runs up to her, grabs her and begs her not to leave. She looks deep into his eyes, doubting him, doubting everything and then all of a sudden. BOOM! He gets down on one knee and proposes to her with his Grandma’s wedding ring. Romantic right? And yet, I couldn’t figure out why it was at this exact moment that I started to cry like someone stole my cat or something… It was a few light tears at first…then it turned to real sobbing. At that moment I realized that: This movie is so corny, no guy would make it through traffic in time to get the girl – not Kampala traffic anyway, plus we have only one airport! My tears, these tears, had nothing to do with the movie and everything to do with the fact that I was failing at life…with a capital F! I was exhausted and starting to hate this dream I’d been pursuing what felt like an eternity. I’d been working myself to the bone, but nothing seemed to be going right. I’d received negative client reviews, was behind on important production deadlines, my landlord was starting to begin all his messages with scary sentences like “If you do not pay by the close of business today…” It was hard, really hard but if you’re an entrepreneur, failure isn’t a choice, its part of the game, it’s how you learn and if you’re smart about it, it’s how you grow. Failure is the big “F” word one no one wants to talk about. The time you didn’t meet a client’s expectations so they decided to go with a competitor. That time you couldn’t make the payment. When you took the business loan and didn’t anticipate how the market would react to your product. That time your marriage fell apart leaving you with a broken heart and nasty attitude to boot! [bctt tweet=”As an entrepreneur you need to know failure intimately, take it out on a few dates and study it!” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Much has been said on the subject, some believe there’s only one correct way to fail in business. Fast and hard, get all the pain out as soon as possible and then try again. As an entrepreneur you need to know failure intimately, take it out on a few dates and study it! Why did you fail? How did you fail? Did you pass the buck or were you just distracted? Should you be in this business? Are you disciplined enough to handle the responsibility? Failure isn’t glamorous, often times, it’s ugly and it’s really messy. Kind of like your ex! So here are a few tips from someone who’s had a taste of it and still has a huge bowl to get through; 1. The x + y = z of it. The only way to get really good at something is to fail at it enough times that you finally get the formula. When you fail, you must have the courage to distance yourself from it. You must understand that you aren’t a failure simply because you failed at this thing. Understand that it’s part of the journey to becoming one of the greatest. You must get up, dust yourself off, cry a little, or maybe a lot, and then try again. 2. You must not wear failure as an identity. I’ve met a lot of people that have failed at something or the other in their lives and have turned it into an identity they walk around with. They pull it out at appropriate times when the gathering is big enough so everyone can see how well they failed. They have it at the ready to “warn” others who might actually try to pursue that same treacherous path. They have horror stories with examples all the way from China! Do not pay attention to that fear, use those horror stories as markers and pointers for your own journey. You’ll learn that like in all the Hollywood horror stories, you never ever go to the basement parking lot alone!!! Bottom line is you’ll learn. 3. Failure is evidence that you actually tried at something. Many would-be entrepreneurs are stuck in the zone between having a really great idea and having the courage to do something about it. For most, the fear of failure is stronger than the possible joy that could come from winning. You tried and you failed, now all you have to do is try again. 4. The F-word means you’re badass. The people we celebrate, the greatest entrepreneurs the world has ever known built their empires amidst great odds stacked against them, and most importantly, did not let failure stop them. So, why should you? A quote from the book “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coehlo dedicated to all those entrepreneurs that have faced a few setbacks in the first half of this year and need a little more courage for this next half; “What you need to know is this: before a dream is realized, the soul of the world tests everything that was learned along the way. It does this not because it is evil, but so that we can, in addition to realizing our dreams, master the lessons we’ve learned as we’ve moved toward that dream. That’s the point at which most people give up. It’s the point at which, as we say in the language of the desert, one ‘dies of thirst just when the palm trees have appeared on the horizon.” Want to become an SLA contributor? Send an