9 Business Lessons from My First Year of Business
Like many people, I was faced with the dilemma of deciding whether or not I needed to attend business school to start my business as I had no experience. However, I finally decided to be brave and start my business without any experience. In my one year since starting, I have learned the following lessons. 1. Never take things too personally. When operating with people, it’s often very easy to make arguments, criticism and other relations personal. However, if you want to succeed in the business world, you need to remember that at the end of the day, how you deal with your customers and partners is strictly business and not personal. 2. Separate your business life from your personal life. When you have a friendly relationship with your clients, it is very easy for the lines to get blurred. Sometimes, this can end up in sticky situations where one party does not fulfill their end of the deal. To avoid these situations, it is important to set the lines clear between your business and your personal life. You need to maintain a work-life balance. 3. Be clear about your job description. As a service based business, one of my ethos is going beyond and above for my clients. Sometimes, this results in taking up certain duties (aka unpaid labor) that are not part of my job description. This can get overwhelming. Therefore, it is important to be clear about ALL the services that your offer from the onset. If necessary, you should draw up contracts that reflect your services and your limits. 4. Review your prices regularly. You might be doing yourself a great disservice if in a bid to come across as affordable you under-price yourself. It is important to review your prices as often as possible. Especially when you’re in an industry like social media where your responsibilities are flexible and subject to change. 5. Be accountable. In the absence of a business partner or a co-founder, you need to learn how to hold yourself accountable. This can be as easy as setting small, medium and long-term goals and working toward them. These goals are important to give you a sense of direction and to keep you in check. 6. Toot your horn. One of the few things I still struggle with is putting myself out there as I’d like for my business to speak for itself. But the game has changed and the internet is over saturated. The only way for you to be noticed or to come across as a thought-leader or an expert in your field is if you put yourself out there. There are no two ways about it. Do you want to be the go-to person for a particular service? Put yourself out there and let people know. 7. Have confidence in yourself. When you are running a business, you’re gonna need all the confidence you can muster for the tough days ahead. You will face people who don’t believe in your dreams and your plans may even fail. It is important to keep believing in yourself even when others don’t. 8. Find time to improve your skills. Work/Life can be overwhelming sometimes and before you know it, three months have gone by without you learning anything new. In this ever-changing world, there’s a need to constantly improve your skills. Thankfully we have the internet at our disposal but finding the time can be a challenge. To fix this, make a schedule maybe during the public holidays and learn something that would directly improve your daily activities. 9. Customer service is key. Just because you’re not selling a product to a consumer doesn’t mean customer service is any less important. You’re selling services. Treat your clients with courtesy. Referrals are still king. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Self-Care Tips For a New Entrepreneur –Don’t Let The Internet Rush You
Before now, the term ‘self-care’ used to be reserved for ‘me time’. A period to relax, rejuvenate and basically just pamper yourself usually as a reward for an excellent work or just after a hectic week in Lagos. But now, the definition of self-care has expanded to other dimensions to encompass not only the physical but every other aspect most especially your mental well-being. As a new entrepreneur, you would be doing yourself a great disservice if you are not actively looking after your mental health. No matter how seemingly glamorized entrepreneurship has become in recent times, it doesn’t change the fact that it is hard and tedious. Even though you would spend a lot of your time questioning your decision, it can be incredibly rewarding. But how do you get to that point? How do you ensure that you are in the best state of mind to produce excellent work? What are some of the things you can do sharpen your focus, increase your productivity levels whilst blocking out any distractions and preserving your mental health? [bctt tweet=”[bctt tweet=”Just because everyone is doing something or going a particular route doesn’t mean it is right for you” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”]” Don’t let the internet rush you Like every other quotable quote, you have probably seen this quote littered all over social media specifically on Instagram. It’s one of those quotes that has deeply resonated with me. With social media, it is even harder. Left, right and center, someone is raising some attractive funds and the next thing is a fancy office space with a view which for you, is still in a 2-3 year plan. Or someone is getting recognized on a distinguished list or is being flown on an all-expense paid trip to speak at an event. Calm down! Take it easy. Don’t raise your blood pressure for something that would still come eventually. Face your work! Don’t compare yourself See one of the worst things you can do to yourself as an emerging entrepreneur is making comparisons. It can literally crush you. No matter how much is in the media, you cannot adequately know a person’s journey. You have absolutely no idea what they have gone through to get to where they are. Don’t play yourself by comparing your journey to theirs. Don’t rush yourself Just because everyone is doing something or going a particular route doesn’t mean it is right for you. If it doesn’t align with your business goals, no matter how attractive it is, stays away from it. It is what exactly it is. It’s a distraction. Prioritize One of the key skills you need to learn as a new entrepreneur is time management. It is literally what spikes or kills your productivity levels. Effective time management can be as simple as creating and sticking to a daily to-do list. As an entrepreneur, it can be very overwhelming to do everything but listen, as much as you can do ANYTHING you put your mind to, let’s face it; you can’t do EVERYTHING. Pick one hustle and maybe one side hustle at a time and stick to it. Mind Your Business Last but not the least, in the age of information overload and over-sharing, guard your heart and mind your business. Celebrate the small victories and the silent achievements. Your time will come.
5 Marketing Tips from Business Guru P.Diddy
Sean “Puffy/Puff Daddy/ Diddy/Brother Love” Combs is one of the greatest marketing geniuses on earth. He has remained relevant and dominant to hip-hop music, culture, fashion, business and entertainment over the past 20 years. Last year, Sean was also recognized as one of the Forbes 100 Greatest Living Minds. He is also often considered one of the top 3 of 5 wealthiest hip-hop artists on the Forbes list. Amidst all these, you may wonder, how does he keep all eyes on him? In this article, we will discover 5 tips from Diddy that can help us improve our marketing game and slay! 1. Say Your Name If there is one thing Diddy always does, is use every advantage to promote his products or name. Whether its an interview on Ellen or a cameo on The Breakfast Club, Diddy always has his products such as a bottle of Ciroc. You should take advantage of every airtime you get to promote your brand and products. Through being strategic, you should find a way to guide the conversation in a way that allows you to talk about your products. This will help increase your revenue and the reach of your brand. 2. Make The Circle Bigger The fact is you can only be in one place at a time, but you need to get the word out about you, your brand or business. You need people spreading a positive word about you to others. Diddy figured this out in his early days as a music producer when he started Bad Boy Records, which celebrated its 20-year reunion tour last year. Diddy has been instrumental in the careers of musicians like Notorious BIG, Mase, and more recently French Montana. Whenever a record of their plays, it will at some point announce “Bad Boy.” Through shaping and promoting the careers of the musicians he worked with, Diddy also extended his marketing reach. When you help other people achieve their goals, you also, in turn, grow your circle of influence and people who will do anything for you. 3. Stay On the Beat Is Diddy an expert of the FMCG, Film and Music industries? Probably not, but he knows enough of the field to spot a real opportunity. You don’t want to seem like you are all over the place, but rather that you ‘happened’ to be in a certain place or sector because you keep your finger on the pulse. Whatever you are working on, you need to know all the new developments and contribute to the conversations in a meaningful way that elevates the topic. Diddy lost his father to gun violence at a young age. Though he became successful, he didn’t forget to empower his people. His response to Black Lives Matter through building a world-class school in Harlem, the neighborhood he grew up in. 5. Have Fun Diddy always looks like he is having a great time, from salsa dancing in his underwear to the energy he brings when he is hosting shows. People are attracted to someone who is upbeat, so plaster a smile on your face and get hyped about whatever you do! We are always exchanging energy so make sure you put out positive vibes only! DO YOU HAVE ANY BUSINESS LESSONS TO SHARE? Let us know here.
WEBINAR WITH SUPRIYA SHARMA: TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR BRAND WITH DIGITAL MARKETING (APRIL 19)
Building a successful brand can be risky business and quite a challenge, especially in this forever evolving digital space! FYI – that’s all about to change…keep reading! While you should tailor your brand’s strategy to its specific goals, how can you ensure that your brand stays ahead of the game, amidst the disruption, through digital marketing? Allow us to school you!… [bctt tweet=”Join @HodanTV for a webinar on April 5th, to learn about building a digital community.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Some of the topics we’ll cover Building a community with the power of storytelling Tips for innovative storytelling using YouTube Building your confidence as a digital entrepreneur and African woman Register below to get access to this opportunity and submit questions that you would like Supriya to answer. Webinar Details: Date: Thursday, April 19th, 2018 Time: Lagos 11am // Johannesburg 12pm // Nairobi 1pm Register for this webinar with Supriya below: [ninja_forms id=170] About Supriya Join Supriya Sharma, on Thursday, 19th April, as she teaches us how to take your brand’s success to the next level with digital marketing. Supriya Sharma is the Managing Director of SAS Business Solutions, a global service provider catering to big business houses, SMEs and educational institutions. She has spoken at some international events of repute on topics that include Leadership & Women, Time Management, Effective Business Communication, Being beautiful, Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace, Digital Marketing (take charge of your business) and Entrepreneurship. [bctt tweet=”Take charge of your business through digital marketing with Supriya Sharma on April 19th. Reg here: http://bit.ly/SupriyaSharma” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Some of the topics we’ll cover Steps to choosing the right marketing network Best practices to curating valuable and shareable content Tips for leveraging the right brand influencers A guide to effective content promotion via social campaigns Building a sustainable brand strategy with digital marketing Register below to get access to this opportunity and submit questions you would like Supriya to answer. Facebook Live Details: Date: Thursday, April 19th, 2018 Time: 11AM Lagos // 12PM Johannesburg // 1PM Nairobi Watch here: About Supriya Supriya Sharma, is a certified corporate trainer, coach and motivational speaker who began her academic journey as a scholar (gold medalist) in aerospace engineering. She was offered full scholarships at renowned US and UK universities and further developed her skill set to be an astute management professional gaining valuable experience in HR, corporate communications, sales and marketing. Seeing the current status of the world’s economy, Supriya decided to pursue a course in entrepreneurship from one of India’s Ivy League business schools, where the idea of SAS was born. In 2014, Supriya represented Nigeria in the Dreamforce Conference which was held in San Francisco, USA. To add, she has conferred the title of Ms Intelligent – Lagos & Ms Talented – Lagos in the Beauty Pageant organised by ICA in 2017. Supriya strongly believes in giving back to the society as a part of her responsibility. In this view, she actively volunteers her time to develop employability skills among the Nigerian youth and is closely associated with women empowerment missions across Asia and Africa.
Chidindu Mmadu-Okoli: Storytelling can Change your Business
Chidindu Mmadu-Okoli is a healthcare provider, content creator, and editor. She is the founder and chief storyteller of Story4Strategy. Story4Strategy is a small business borne out of the passion to help individuals and small businesses create the most compelling brand narratives that connect them with their target clients or ideal audiences. How did Story4Strategy originate? Story4Strategy did not come to me by chance. I was inspired by my various experiences from the 13 years where I worked as a secretary, writer, editor, PR officer, and as an inbound healthcare marketing executive. Currently, the business offers content creation, content editing and content marketing strategy services for individuals, startups and small businesses. [bctt tweet=”Until the lion learns to tell its stories, history will always glorify the hunter – African Proverb” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Why is storytelling a key component of business in today’s world? Any business currently operating without a storytelling strategy is like the lamp hidden under the table. The question is, how can any voiceless business make the desired impact? Any modern day business seeking to build visibility or awareness, influence, and profits must first connect to the minds of their ideal audiences. The only way to achieve this connection and to build customer-centered relationships is through genuine and persuasive brand narratives. How can our Motherland Moguls incorporate storytelling into their businesses to give them an edge? Africa’s history or backstory has propelled a lot of young women to fearlessly pursue lofty dreams that they are neither afraid of nor ashamed of. But, how do we validate these efforts Young women building great businesses on this continent should see business storytelling as the tool for showcasing Africa. They can use written, visual or spoken content with calls-to-action, to tell persuasive brand stories. Though, they have to ensure they develop a unique content strategy that aligns with their business goals. Secondly, through effective use of internet, social and traditional media, women can constantly connect, engage, convert and nurture potentials who will become loyal followers of their brands. Through all this, we inspire, educate and drive positive change. [bctt tweet=”Attention is the new currency. You have to tell it, to sell it – @iamchidindu” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Can storytelling be applied to young ladies building their careers? Of course, it can! In this day and age, where Thought Leadership is ever-thriving, young career women ought to see storytelling as a means to stand out. Also, young women growing in their careers have a lot of stories to tell based on their gifts, skill sets, knowledge, and experience. Therefore, storytelling becomes a wonderful tool for grooming other young women who want to follow their paths. As long as someone is telling stories that are connecting and helping people, they will always remain relevant. What careers can young women find in storytelling? Storytelling is broad. Business Storytelling and Content Marketing are just the tip of the iceberg. Most of these career paths are wrapped around (brand) journalism, mass communications, theatre and filmmaking, arts and literary studies, information and communication technology. Young women can then take up specific roles such as content creator, editor, speechwriter, graphic designer, film and even research writer among many others. These different roles allow them to solve problems and create value. What excites you about using storytelling as a strategy? The first thing that excites me is that storytelling is human. I do not need to go develop complex machines as well as specific instructions to give them. It’s a way to connect effortlessly with people and travels faster than formulas or data. Wrapping data in a story makes it easier for people to understand a difficult concept. After all, people think in stories and not figures. The great thing about storytelling it that it’s transgenerational. It’s a strategy that worked for our forefathers and still works in the business world. Businesses can use storytelling to change people’s attitudes about a product and even the culture. What advice would you give young women trying to carve a niche for themselves? Every dream is valid! You are the one who validates the dream. When you are persistent enough to begin producing results, others will then start to validate you. So, start small, aim limitlessly. Nothing good comes cheap. [bctt tweet=”If you show up to your life’s path, life will show up for you – @iamchidindu ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Does the intersection of helping women live their best lives, and telling their stories through the media, events, technology, and data-driven thinking sound A++ to you? If so, think about joining us at the SLA HQ. See Job openings here.
Lola Denga: Intensifying your Inner Beauty
As a seasoned businesswoman, Lola Denga has been in the beauty space managing her own business for the last nine years. She offers exclusive services that can be enjoyed from either her own home or that of the clients. Her services include Swedish Massages and manicures among others. Over the years Lola noticed that these beauty treatments enhanced women’s self-esteem and decided to take a step further. Instead of just focusing on external beauty she decided to write a devotional called G.LO.W (God’s love overwhelms women) to help women intensify their inner beauty. In a 7-day devotional, Lola helps women foster a deeper connection with God and in doing so, focus on their internal beauty. She believes that beauty has to come from within and by connecting to the maker, God himself you will achieve wholeness. What inspired you to open a beauty business? From the time I was 14 years and went and got my first manicure, I have always wanted to be in the beauty industry. After going to beauty school, I’d go to certain places and see the standards were not the same as those taught in school. That’s literally where my passion started; I really wanted to bring beauty’s standard and dignity back. I wanted to create an ambience where clients would feel like they are getting the best service and are relaxed. Beauty school focuses largely on the outside. Why did you decide to go a step further with your devotional? I realized that after speaking to more women, a lot of them were dealing with inner issues. Yes, they were coming to enhance their outside beauty which consequently led to a temporary sense of confidence. But, the truth is, only when the inside is in harmony with the outside, do you enjoy beauty to its maximum. What has opening a business taught you about yourself? It has taught me that I really love people. It has also helped me showcase my creativity and organization skills. I have managed to pick up a lot of other skills through this experience. What setbacks have you faced while starting and continuing your entrepreneurial journey? There’s been a couple. It has taken me longer to get off the ground as I personally finance everything. I’d be saving to try and buy equipment by doing other jobs on the side. Also, people’s attitudes have also posed a challenge. They are becoming more receptive to luxury beauty but largely it is seen more as an unnecessary indulgence rather than a necessity. It has made me see a gap in the market for education. Educating people on everything from the healing properties of beauty treatments like a massage. I also educate people on how a good regular self-care routine can help reduce stress levels and create a work-life balance. Where do you seek encouragement during those moments? I am fortunate to have a strong support system. I have my parents, my husband and my friends and definitely my relationship with God. [bctt tweet=”When I feel like I am about to give up, I remember why I am doing this in the first place. – @lolaruZW” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How important do you think a relationship with God is to an entrepreneur? Honestly, it’s very important. Number one, it will keep you sane! There are a lot of things you’ll come across that you didn’t expect to come across. Business competition notwithstanding, there are people you expected support from that disappoint you. Having a strong relationship with God ensures you know that this is not just a business idea. It is actually a gift and you need to understand that you are using it to worship Him and to impact lives. At this point, your business should have a purpose and should not just be to make money. The purpose part makes sure that you don’t give up easily. What are your proudest moments during your nine years as a businesswoman? One of them was when I published my book. I was very proud of that! Over the years I have been involved in numerous photoshoots as a makeup artist. Those were enjoyable experiences. I think overall, every day has something that makes you feel like it’s worth it. Even the small things like when a client expresses their gratitude are enough for me. Do you feel that in Zimbabwe there are enough structures put in place to assist women to open businesses? Until recently no. But so far, it looks promising. There are quite a few women in business organizations that are starting. The government is also coming in with funding. I am excited to see how this will translate for future business owners. As a seasoned businesswoman, what are you doing to support women in the entrepreneurial space? I like to host prayer lounges. During this event, I keep in touch with women in business and keep encouraging them. I also offer career guidance tests if people are unsure of which direction they should be heading in. I definitely do want to grow these ventures and I have intentions of being a facilitator and speaker in this year. How do you balance it all? I’d say time management, though I am not perfect at it yet! Prayer too, because that’s where I get my energy from. I also believe in incorporating things that you love to do even if it’s just reading a book. You need that time to distress and reflect. That’s how you balance and you don’t end up breaking down or cracking. You have to make sure you get that allocated time for just being you and not thinking about business, not thinking about being a wife and just zoning out. How do you unwind? I like journaling, sometimes I’ll just journal for no reason. Occasionally, I enjoy either reading a book or watching a chick flick with a bowl of ice cream. I’m simple like that! Definitely, I do try to spoil myself when I can. I go and get
Chantal Fraser: When I switched careers, I began looking at design as more than just a hobby
Chantal Fraser is a fashion designer and house singer based in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. She started her fashion label Chante Clothing in 2010 as a side hustle and transitioned it to full time in 2014. Her clients comprise of everyone from local celebrities, to brides and bridesmaids and any young lady wanting to look chic and well put together. Chantal also works with locally based international brands like Edgars which is part of the Woolworths Group of companies. Following the family tradition, Chantal finally decided to venture into music in 2017 and released her single Better than Yesterday. When did you fall in love with fashion? I’ve always had a passion for it since I was young – like seriously young. My passion started with creating beadwork and eventually sketching fashion ideas. What gave you the courage to pursue Chante Clothing full time? Passion full stop! My passion was burning so much that I just could not ignore it. I was miserable, working and doing other things. Even though I was getting paid well, I just didn’t have the passion. I said to myself, if others can dive into their passions and do it, why can’t I? What setbacks did you have during that transition period? Definitely, finances. I was jumping into an unknown business. Yes, I had passion but obviously, I was still trying to weave my way through it. In addition, I had to patiently grow my clientele which took a lot longer than I anticipated. When people are committed to their designer you know that’s it. It is hard to convince them to try someone new. Before setting up Chante Clothing, what were you doing and how did it help you later on? I was doing accounts. I hated it! But for some reason, I’d find myself doing accounts in jobs. But when I did switch careers, I began looking at design as more than just a hobby – but a legitimate way of making an income. This made establishing the business easier. Do you feel like there are enough structures that help women build a business? Yes and no. There is still a mindset that it depends on what the trade is. Some people don’t look at design as a business; they still see it as a plaything. But if there are women seeking financial assistance for something like chickens they are able to source funds much easier than us. I believe that there is a bias against fashion to some extent. Have you had any mentors help you in your entrepreneurial journey? Yes, I have. I’m privileged to know loads of people in the same business as me. My fiancé has been in the fashion industry much longer than I have. Since we collaborated on C and C Clothing, I have been able to learn a lot from him and his support. I also have friends who helped me learn to sew. While I did have the passion, I needed to acquire the skill. This led me to camp at a friend’s house and eventually learn how to sew. I really appreciate her for doing that for me. What has opening a business taught you about yourself? It’s taught me that I can have discipline when it comes to money lol. Initially, I didn’t think I would be this disciplined, but opening a business had really exposed me to some of my strengths. [bctt tweet=”Fashion fades but style never fades – @chanteclothing ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What do you want Chante Clothing to represent as a brand? I want it to represent elegance and style. It’s about bringing out the inner you. It’s about genuinely feeling confident and beautiful and not conforming to what people say is the latest trend. That’s what my business is all about! Who are your style or fashion icons? I really like David Tlale and his tenacity. Dolce and Gabbana are also inspiring as they are a team like my fiancé and I. We look up to them. If they can do it, so can we! You currently have a single out, Better Than Yesterday. How did you get into singing and why a motivational track specifically? My parents are actually musicians, they had a band ages ago. I didn’t choose music, music chose me! It was in the blood! I’ve always had the passion and have been singing from forever. When I released my track, I chose motivational music because there’s a world out there that is extremely confused. A lot of people do not know who they are really. If media says this is the style everyone moves to that. No one has a backbone to stand on. So, with my motivational music, I hope to inspire people to be who they are no matter what situations they are going through. The themes vary but basically, it’s about you being you being proud of who you are! So where did you get your obviously innate sense of confidence? I think I got it from my parents (Not I think, I know!) and especially my mum. She was a very bold person and I learnt a lot from her. I was fortunate to have parents that allowed us to be who we wanted to be. No matter what you wanted to do they supported you all the way. What advice can you give about being true to yourself and following your dreams? Every child is born with a dream, and as time goes on, people that surround you can slowly discourage you. Don’t forget what that first love was. Go back to it and don’t allow anyone to stand in your way. Even if it seems hard just keep going, keep at it because at the end of the day, that’s what you were born to do. There’s nothing as depressing as doing something because it’s a trend or because family is pressuring you. Misery is the most disheartening thing ever. Indulge your passion and you’ll get there eventually. How do balance two careers (and
Meet the women taking their place as CEO’s in Kenya
A lot has been said about women entrepreneurs in Kenya. Women have distinguished themselves and we have trailblazers like Tabitha Karanja of Keroche Industries, Flora Mutahi of Melvin’s Tea, Gina Din Kariuki of Gina Din Communications, Judith Owingar of AkiraChix, Lorna Rutto of Eco posts, Ruth Mwanzia of Koola Waters, Shikha Vincent of Shikazuri and Michelle Ntalami of Marini Naturals to name a few. Entrepreneurship is mainly about business skills, determination, resilience, networking, and social impact. Women are working their way into this area and are slowly but surely making headway. A lot of focus and support has been given to women entrepreneurs through grants, training, access to finance and favorable government policies like Access to Government Procurement (AGPO) to name a few. More women are encouraged to participate in this sector. Women in the corporate world have an uphill task to get their place and break all the glass ceilings. Sheryl Sandberg – COO of Facebook, in her book LEAN IN, gives insights into what the life of a woman in corporate America is and how to maneuver it. According to Fortune.com, there were 27 women at the helm of Fortune 500 companies as at January 2018. How about corporate Kenya? I admire women in the corporate world because apart from the normal barriers they encounter and overcome, boys club mentality, patriarchy, high technical skills, experience, glass ceiling mentality (Gender stereotyping), sexual harassment, inflexible working conditions and integrity. The corporate world is harsh and cutthroat. The impact is mostly measured in terms of PROFITS and PROFITS. Only recently have corporates embraced a wider scale to measure the impact of CEO’s to include social impact, teamwork, employee innovation and customer retention to name a few. This shift gives women a chance to shine as their natural skills of collaboration and teamwork are an asset. Entrepreneurship is forgiving on the requirements of higher education and experience. A person with a basic education can quickly become a business mogul. However, in the corporate world, experience and education have a lot of weight. The current trend to consider leadership, softer skills and strategic leadership has made it more accessible for women. Due to gender roles and social pressure, many women in the past were not in a position to access higher education and therefore did not get promotions to enable them to rise up. Currently, women are taking up chances to improve their education hence giving them more edge to compete in the corporate world. Experience is a matter of time; men had an advantage of this. In the last 20 years, women have proved that given a fair chance they too climb the corporate ladder right up to the top. Why do we need women in CEO positions? People in the corporate world manage a large amount of money and direct how it is used. Gender diversity has also been proven over the years to increase profits and performance of corporations. Therefore, further inclusion of women has been proved to attract talent in the boardrooms where innovative solutions are created. Invariably more women-friendly products and policies emerge from companies that are managed by women. After all, women are 50% of the consumers of products and services. The simple fundamental reason why women should be in the corporate world is that it’s fair and inclusive to do so. In Kenya, we have many distinguished ladies at the helm of corporates and organizations. This has increased recently, but to date, only 2 women lead corporations listed on the Nairobi Stock Exchange i.e. Maria Msiska of BOC (until 2016) and Nasim Devji of DTB Bank. We can do better. Here are examples of Women CEO’s in Kenya: Jennifer Riria is a pioneer of women in CEO position and has been holding this and similar positions in the microfinance and banking industry for 20 years. She is the CEO of Kenya Women Holdings that has a subsidiary Kenya Women microfinance Bank which is a leading bank for women entrepreneurs. She is a Ph.D. holder and has a Degree and Master degree as well. Stella Njunge: CEO of Sanlam Life, part of Sanlam Kenya Group. She has over 15 years’ experience in the insurance industry, a CPA(K), CPS(K), and holds a degree and masters. Stella also has over 16 years’ experience in Insurance. Catherine Karimi: CEO of APA Life part of Apollo Group a leading insurer in Kenya. She has 18 years’ experience in Insurance industry, a degree, postgraduate certificate in Actuarial Studies, and is a member of Chartered Insurers (UK). Rita Kavashe: is the CEO of General Motors East Africa, Kenya with 35 years’ experience working at GM. She has a degree and postgraduate certificates and rose through the ranks. Phyllis Wakiaga: is the CEO of Kenya Association of Manufacturers. She has a law degree, Higher Diploma in Law and Human Resource Management, Master Degrees in International Trade and Investment Law and Business Administration. There are many more female CEO’s in Kenya. The common items in their profiles are EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE. This is a true testament that education is an equalizer. Given equal opportunity and based on merit, women can excel and are excelling in the corporate world. Girls need to be encouraged to plan their career path early to help them reach the top CEO positions to bridge the current gap. I look forward to more women taking up the CEO roles and reducing the barriers to getting there. Got an article you’d like to share with us? Share your story with us here.
5 Simple Steps to finally launching your business idea
Was one of your new year’s resolutions to finally get that blog, podcast or business idea off the ground? Well, if so, I’ve got great news for you! I recently sat down with the amazing Tobi Olujumni who shared 5 simple steps that you can take to turn this dream into a reality. For anyone unfamiliar with her, Tobi is the founder of the WTALK, a Multiplatform Entertainment & Faith Network which empowers Women to explore Faith via entertainment. W360 is the membership streaming service of WTALK set to redefine Faith within global entertainment. She is a powerful communicator and sought after preacher of the Word of God. You can read the tips that she shared in our interview below: 1. Start small but do something First of all, I would say, start small. Start small but do something. I think that in the day and the society and the culture in which we live now, everyone expects you to have ten thousand followers or a hundred thousand followers, or what have you. And you’re almost deemed unsuccessful if you haven’t attained that. All of these things are just massive distractions. If you have something on your heart to create, I would say start small. If you want to start a blog, start writing. Start writing on your notepad. For example, it’s so funny because someone asked me about how I do status updates. Well actually, some of my status updates come on the train and I put it in my notepad. Then I get a kind of a nudge a few weeks later and I think “Oh, that’s for this time!” and I post it. So first, I would say, start small but do something. That’s big! Because, you know, I have a lot of people that come to me and they’re like “how?” or “what should I do” and I’m like “just do something!” It doesn’t have to be fantastic. I am a perfectionist but sometimes that can work against me because sometimes some things need to go out. Some things need to resonate. It’s not about the camera angles, it’s the message that needs to reach the person who needs it most. So that’s why I would encourage whoever it is to start and do something. 2. Be consistent And then I would say, be consistent. Be consistent because people like to trust that you’re going to be around. That’s how you build a community. That’s how you build a following- if people trust you; that you’re going to be around. And, if you think about it, if we look at any of the big, massive brands, we trust that they’re going to work. For example, if I log onto Netflix, I trust that the shows are going to be there. That’s because of their consistency and I think, as you show up and you’re consistent, people will build a trust towards you. People will build a trust towards your voice. 3. Know your voice The third one I would say to everyone is, what’s your voice? It’s incredibly crowded. It’s incredibly noisy. People are getting notifications left, right and center. So, what is your voice? It goes back to knowing your identity because I think your voice flows from your being. For example, I’m not creating anything today that doesn’t flow organically from who I am. You only have got to spend about an hour with me and you’ll know that’s true. So, I would say, what’s your voice? I hear people say they want to be the next Oprah. Good for you but Oprah exists and she doesn’t look like she’s going anywhere for now. What’s your voice? Because your voice will resonate to the place it’s supposed to be sent. 4. Be persistent and be determined And, after consistency and knowing your voice, be persistent and be determined. Your idea is not going to grow overnight. If you get it overnight, you’ll probably lose it overnight. It’s about legacy. It’s about building deep roots. Like at this moment, I’m not overly concerned with having millions of followers but what I am concerned about because we’re in our infancy at this stage (we’re under 5 years as a company), is building deep roots. Roots that are so deep our infrastructure is laid and it’s tight so we can build upon that. If your infrastructure’s dodgy, if the foundation’s dodgy and you’re trying to get to 100 followers, the whole thing’s going to collapse. The fact is, if you don’t want the long endgame, I would challenge you to question why? What is your why? If you just want to make a little bit of money- you can do something else that is less stressful. If you want it now, I would challenge you to question your why. If you get your why, then you’ll know it’s definitely a long run. 5. Be passionate You must be passionate about what you’re doing because you have great wins and you have days where you’re just like “oh my goodness!” And I just think, the thing that keeps me going is my why and my passion. It’s the passion- seeing who you’re hoping to help or who you’re hoping to bless or who you’re hoping to communicate with, it’s those things. Having a little reminder on your phone is really helpful too. Got an article you’d like to share with us? Share your story with us here.
Budding entrepreneur: Here’s why you need a Lawyer in Your Corner
Naivety and misplaced trust have seen many individuals lose money and opportunities they have worked for in business. Doing business with a friend can contribute to its success as there are cohesion and team spirit at work. However, delve into a little research and you will realize that many have also been swindled by friends they considered family. When setting up a business especially a partnership it’s good to get your agreement in writing and sign contracts. This will draw boundaries on which the business will operate. [bctt tweet=”A Lawyer brings perspective to your business.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Most millennials excited by the start of something new forget that there are legal obligations that their businesses should meet. This is why it’s paramount to involve a lawyer from the onset of your business. A Lawyer brings perspective to your business. Instead of seeing the business as a friends venture or a short-term money-making investment. Lawyers see the bigger picture and plan for circumstances that we may not foresee as we are busy trying to build the business. Change is inevitable, mindsets change and people who were previously on the same page about the direction a business should take begin to disagree. This situation is dangerous as it can lead to the death of the business or the destruction of a brand if no prior steps had been taken to advise on what should be done in such a situation. That’s why it’s important to involve a lawyer early on at the start of the business albeit the extra cost the lawyer will add to your young business. In the long-term, you will realize this is cheaper as opposed to calling on a lawyer only when things go wrong and you are in court. [bctt tweet=”A lawyer will go out of their way to ensure your company’s intellectual property is protected” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Our current world is such that you can do everything by yourself online including registering a company in a span of one to three days. You can draw contracts to use in your business transactions using templates provided online. Such liberties are great but they should not delude us into thinking that lawyers are not key to our businesses success. A lawyer will go out of their way to ensure your company’s intellectual property is protected. In a business partnership between friends, they will bring the law on board to ensure no one is cunning enough to overwork the other and still expect to reap from the others hard work. Here are some reasons why motherland moguls should enlist the knowledge of lawyers in their businesses. A lawyer is your voice of reason. Most businesses sprout from our passions. This means we may not be very objective while making some decisions. We are tempted to use trust as a currency while dealing with our customers or partners just to get the business on its feet. This means we may end up with bankrupting the business due to bad debts. Lawyers come in handy as they assert themselves and insist on contracts with suppliers and customers. This saves motherland moguls from cons as there will be no loopholes to be exploited in the business. Lawyers offer security and protection A lawyer’s roles are to pre-empt situations and ensure we are not victims of unscrupulous people who we are doing business with. In situations where certain circumstances cannot be avoided, they ensure the law is on our side. Many times we are ignorant of what is required of us by law and lawyers protect us from our own ignorance. Lawyers have connections and a clientele base like you The right lawyer will hold your hand and help you know the ins and outs of the business niche you have chosen to explore. They have other clients like you and so they have been on the journey you are just beginning. Lawyers will offer insights that may prove very useful in the long run to a start-up. In addition to offering legal services, they can be a marketing tool for your business as they speak of your business to potential clients. Got an article you’d like to share with us? Share your story with us here.