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.
6 Ways to Harness and Monetize your Many Passions
Asides the obvious fact that the recent economic downturn has forced several young people to have multiple sources of income, it is quite the norm these days to meet people who have a full-time job and are running small businesses on the side. They are also known as “side hustles”, and even full-fledged companies complete with all the bells and whistles. Sincerely, it is now a reality that a single income cannot sustain a comfortable lifestyle and this has pushed the average young Nigerian to get creative and take a dip in the entrepreneurship pool. Here are six ways to convert your many interests to money in the bank: [bctt tweet=”Take on practices that will not only push you out of your comfort zone but also work on improving your weaknesses – @tolanithomas ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Leave your comfort zone Starting and running a business is not for the fainthearted, it will constantly push you out of your comfort zone. For example, if you have a fear of speaking to strangers, you will have to overcome that when networking and marketing your services to potential customers. Take on practices that will not only push you out of your comfort zone but also work on improving your weaknesses. You don’t have to be an expert, just be comfortable enough to deliver value that people want and need. You need more than passion It’s great to be passionate about your business ideas, but don’t let your enthusiasm blind you from reality. Be honest with yourself! Ensure there is a market to tap into and you are ready to put in the work. Get honest feedback from people around you; even friends and family by offering your services to them. You have to be truly good at what you do. Your passion could be making people’s faces up, but are you skilled enough to train others? Also bear in mind that as a business owner, you’ll be responsible for reporting taxes, marketing your business and sorting out your finances. Are you ready for all the responsibility? Offer Real Value What void can you fill in the market? For example, if you are a makeup artist and there is no makeup studio around you, that could be a viable business opportunity. The goal is to take advantage of the gaps in the market, that way you stand out and enjoy greater returns before the copycats join you in that space. Ask yourself how you can make the industry better? Is this the business that keeps your entrepreneurial juices flowing? Let’s say your passion is making furniture. Why are you better than your competitors? Is it because your materials are sourced locally? Or your products are unique and one of a kind? That would be more appealing to customers as opposed to buying generic mass-produced furniture. When I started my consulting company, I had used several competitors. I knew what made them great, but I also knew what I wanted that they didn’t offer. I knew how to better the services. I started it and here we are! [bctt tweet=”Six ways to convert your many interests to money in the bank: 1. Leave your comfort zone… ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Convert your Passion to Cash There are several ways to make money off your passions: Selling an actual product such as clothing, beauty products online or in a store. Sharing your knowledge about your passion by blogging, writing books or making videos. Between sponsorships, subscribers and selling your own products, you can make a decent living. For example, Arese Ugwu turned her passion for financial literacy into a book – The Smart Money Woman – into a book that is being sold in several countries in Africa and the UK. Offering consulting services by giving advice on anything from law to skincare. Investing in an idea you are willing to financially support. Creating a software or gadget that makes life easier for people. For example, if you were a makeup artist, you could create an app that helps people find the right makeup products for their skin tones. Start an event around your passion, such as a regular meetup, seminar or a festival. Make Fun a Priority Maintaining your passion when starting a legitimate business can be difficult. Some people even forget exactly why they started a business in the first place. To prevent that from happening, always make fun and passion a priority. Your passion should reflect on your company policies, your passion should be communicated to your employees when you are hiring and they have to be equally passionate about your business as well. [bctt tweet=”Don’t wait till you master the craft before you start your business. You can learn as you go – @tolanithomas ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Improve Your Skills It would be great if you have a lot of experience, however, don’t be too hard on yourself, there’s always room for growth and learning. For example, a furniture maker may be great are creating unique tables, but not so good at creating sofas. You can learn as you go along your journey, don’t wait till you master the craft before you start your business. Malcolm Gladwell says it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert in any field. Nonetheless, don’t let the perceived amount of time it would take you to be the best at what you do deter you from moving ahead with your plan. It may not take you that long to master your craft, as you long as you keep looking for ways to improve your skills. Always ask for feedback and track your progress. If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your story with us.
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
Liz Grossman: Lessons learned from the 2018 Impact!Africa Summit Johannesburg
[bctt tweet=”In order to change things, I had to show people visible role models – Regina Honu @ragyare” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] In June 2018, Johannesburg was brimming with over 400 social entrepreneurs who traveled from all over the continent for the Impact! Africa Summit. This inaugural gathering was hosted by Ashoka Africa and the British Council. It was an event with an aim to drive solutions to empower African women and reduce barriers. These two organizations are the renowned powerhouses when it comes to social entrepreneurship. Joining forces, they truly made waves in promoting collaboration across contexts to solve Africa’s most pressing challenges. Tibagu Bruktawit of Whiz Kids Workshop in Ethiopia said, “If we want to bring change, involve more young women, make it easier for them to be here.” And Ashoka Africa and British Council did just that. According to Pape Samb, Executive Director of Ashoka Africa, “[their] mandate is to make sure everyone is a changemaker around the world,” and that cannot be done without empowering women. Impact! Africa drew some of Africa’s most successful female changemakers. This gave them several platforms to share their stories and inspire the next generation of leaders. Furthermore, Ashoka and the Open Societies Foundation launched the Women’s Challenge by the Challenging Norms, Powering Economics Initiative by Ashoka, Open Societies Foundation, and UN Women. At the Summit, twelve finalists gathered to discuss empowering individual women and removing systemic barriers they face. Solutions included taking an intergenerational approach to ending harmful practices, increasing retention rates for girls in school, and increasing gender inclusivity in economic opportunities. Here are some of the lessons I learned from some of Africa’s brightest female champions: “In order to change things, I had to show them visible role models – Regina Honu, Founder of Soronko Solutions, Ghana. Having someone to look up to and model your path after is critical to developing as a leader. Surround yourself with those who inspire you, study their successes and failures, and strive for greatness. “Sit with someone you don’t know from somewhere else so that you learn something new.” Sylvia Banda, a serial entrepreneur from Zambia. It is easy to remain with people you are comfortable with, those who know you, your community, and your solution. Take opportunities to learn from different perspectives to broaden your mindset about your projects. “There is no end to the supply of people driven by social innovation.” Amma Sefa Dedeh Lartey, Founder of Reach for Change, Ghana. As social entrepreneurs, we must remember that you are not alone. While sometimes it may feel like an uphill battle trying to change mindsets and think creatively to transform our communities, we have a whole community at our fingertips to lean on. [bctt tweet=”Sit with someone you don’t know from somewhere else so that you learn something new – Sylvia Banda ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] “Don’t underestimate the power of an individual!” Parminder Vir, CEO of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, Nigeria. Sometimes the challenges we are facing may seem insurmountable. They are too massive to tackle and we may feel that our own contributions can only do so much. But all it takes is one voice to stand out and break the mold. And remember, one mosquito in your bedroom can ruin your entire next day’s productivity. “Imagine if we work together, the impact we will have on the continent.” Vivian Onano, Global Youth Advocate from Kenya Collaboration is key, and female changemakers must learn to leave their silos, build a strong network and support fellow women. But we must also consider our male partners, and work alongside men to ensure they are also part of the solution. Watch out for the next edition of Impact!Africa, which will take place in June 2019 in Nairobi, Kenya. If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your story with us.
Public Health Career anyone?: Buckle your seat belts
So a public health career is your choice, and you are you are ready to go? Here is a checklist that could facilitate the journey. Pre-professional experience Some say is the polite form of very polite form of getting your hands dirty. You may have heard this a gazillion times ‘Voila!’ A career in this field is not an exception to the rule. Get some practice of a profession before you embark on your studies. ‘Exposure before training, is this even possible?’ I hear you ask. It is quite simple really, volunteer, take time to work as an intern, join a fellowship programme…put yourself out there There are plenty of organizations out there seeking volunteers and its unimaginable how the spirit of volunteerism not only creates a positive awareness about health but gets everyone involved. I did volunteer during my soul-searching period with a humanitarian organization, the Red Cross, and Red Crescent movement. The range of health activities ranged from disaster management, health promotion, logistics in supplies delivery in areas with conflict, this sort of exposure enabled me to relate to the human needs during emergencies while giving me the chance to help others. This was more than I could have asked for a soul-searching period but I digress. Getting back my point be willing to work in a team and the knowledge gained will be immense. You could schedule this during the weekend, summer break or better yet take a couple days off during your holiday and take volunteer abroad placements… Volunteer Vacation! Some internships may be paid while others unpaid. As a volunteer, the organization may cater to your needs such as meals, accommodation, laundry while others may not. However, this should not deter you to remember the core of public health is service to humanity. You may be receiving way more in expertise than you are actually giving…. food for thought! School vs Time So exposure is off the bucket list and you need technical knowledge. You need to hit the books again. here are options to explore, most degree courses in public health contain compulsory units also known as core subjects, while non-degree certificate courses allow one to focus on what captures your interest like health promotion, emergency relief, outreach nutrition, climate change and health. Here are some timelines undergraduate courses range from 3 to 4 years, graduate courses take 1 or 2 years and could lead ultimately to doctorate/ Ph.D., diploma and postgraduate certificate ideally will take 6 months to a year to study. And guess what! most institutions of higher learning are now offering various short courses which take up to 4 weeks ………so no excuses. Time vs Location So you have the time but you currently working…. wait… not so fast don’t hang in the boots just yet! There’s actually an answer to this dilemma. Get online! Welcome to the era of digitization and take a moment to thank the worldwide web for this one. You can study from the comfort of your home. What you get will be access to learning material, webinars with tutors from across the globe and my favorite discussions with other students from all over the globe just a click away. Self -paced learning could not have come at a better time, be the holder of a verified certificate, earn your credits and pick a public health topic you wish to learn. Location vs Fees Start saving early if you wish to carry out your degree in Public Health, that said the amount of payment for education depends on the university you will be attending. Some good news though most teaching institutions may have a scholarship database which is something you should explore. If you think online your organization could actually assist in your professional development. Again take advantage of the free online courses. Some of the certificate in public health courses are free and offered by some of the top universities across the world. Finally remember when in doubt, tap into your resources these include your mentor, a teacher in the field, an expert who has been out in the field get some coffee. Hearing others experience could guide you in the Public field…ENJOY THE RIDE! If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your story with us.
How to set goals like the motherland mogul that you are
To me, setting a goal is like aiming that bowling ball at the white pins; the amount of effort and calculation put in determines how many bottles will be cleared which is why your goals do not matter more than the mode of setting them. I’ll give you a better illustration. Setting a goal is similar to aiming a missile at a spaceship from this planet, you don’t know for sure if your aim is going to bring results but you just close your eyes and do it anyway! IT MUST SCARE YOU The number one lesson which is fundamental to setting goals is going way beyond your limit. Now I’m not asking you to be unrealistic, set a goal within your human capacity just let it scare you a bit. How does your own goal scare you? You know you’re scared of your set goals when: I. It’s within the limits a motherland mogul like you does not have II. It’s something you can do even though you think that you cannot attempt it III. You don’t believe it’s something you can do or someplace you can get to BE REALISTIC When it comes to the art of setting goals, my dear you must be very realistic. For instance, you shouldn’t submit your CV for a job which requirements are higher than your professional level knowing fully well that you cannot get those papers before the interview. You must meet the requirements of your requirements! You have to strive to reach the eligibility level and never relax on your oars. UPGRADE YOUR OS I know this is 2018 so everyone probably knows OS means Operating System right? Right. Ever wondered why Apple keeps upgrading the performance level of their gadgets? To keep up with the consumer market! Same way you cannot stop being eligible! You have to continue being the best person for that position, the one they are losing out on if they don’t put their monies on! How do you do this? I. Get professional The ‘masters syndrome’ in today’s Nigeria has ravaged most appointment seekers. What they don’t know is that professional certification singles you out of the master’s multitude. You need to attend a course today, start from somewhere, be it WIMBIZ or a Nigerian Women Techsters training just do something! II. Build your experience Fill your resume with internship/externship experiences, work for free if you have to! III. Get out of your comfort zone Your comfort zone is that place in your existence where you feel totally at peace, rested and fulfilled. I will tell you a secret today (promise not to tell nobody?), your goal will never be in your comfort zone! Beyonce had to go solo, leaving behind friendships and carbs to become who she is, Malala went over the fence of children and women not being heard in a rather conservative state and Joe Okei-Odumakin had so many visits to detention and prisons to be an activist. None of these people felt entirely happy leaving the comfort of friendship, being obedient to repugnant laws and the comfort of their bed and peace to be moguls but they did anyway! That’s my point exactly! Don’t reject offers in other regions! Stop telling yourself you’re too young! Stop telling yourself you’re a woman! Just stop! Learn something outside of your known area of specialization, think of a business idea someone in your society is not taking up, be creative. IV. Don’t try to be regular Try setting goals negating what you were expected to do. For instance, in the legal profession, most ladies decide to work in the civil service to minimize stress in order to combine law with making a home but some outstanding ones still take up jobs as company secretaries, private practice, maritime legal experts etc. Sometimes our purpose lies in our ability to think outside of the box, in order to get the honey out of the rock, you might have to roll up your denim and begin to cut it out instead of just taking your mind off it totally. These tips are great life builders and I hope they help someone. If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your story with us.
You’ve got 6 More Months To Slay and Conquer this year
January through June have come and gone. Yes, these past months may have come with lots of setbacks, perhaps in achieving our personal goals and dreams or in advancing in the corporate world. It may have been six months of moving in circles. Six months of going below both personal and general standards. Six months of bewilderment crawling up in between high hopes and a positive stand. Here’s my own little story… Personally, I tasted the true meaning of depression. How or where it came from, who knows? But hey! The good thing is I’m out of it now! Like out for good! I never even remembered I had suffered from the disease of the mind (as I like to call it) until just a few weeks back, on different occasions, I encountered different individuals slowly sinking in the depth of this same ‘depression’. Indeed, it’s been a battle thriving beyond all odds these past months and for the first time, I was glad I went through what I went through to better understand the situation of those that came around with the same ailment and help them gradually scale through. [bctt tweet=”Your confidence is one of the main weapons of emerging as a conqueror at the end of the year – Eden Benibo” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Perhaps this is your own story… Maybe, just maybe, you had achieved a reasonable number of your goals and aspirations during the first half of the year. Awesome! Have all or majority of your inputs fallen in alignment with your expected result? Great!! Whichever category you had fallen into, just know there are six more months to slay and conquer. In duality, we would be looking at two categories in this article. Let’s say – Slayers 1 & 2. Slayers 1 are the people who went through a relative number of down times during the first half of the year. If you fall into this category, here are a few tips for you: Regain your confidence Your confidence is one of the main weapons of emerging as a conqueror at the end of the year. Without confidence, a soldier is nothing but a loser even before the war begins. Without confidence irrespective of the cash at hand or even your skills within, one will have a very low chance of succeeding. Face the phase Of course, it’s good to reflect on the past sometimes, to retrace your steps and know where to improve on, but what we do most times is that we get so engrossed with past failures and pain that we allow a replay of these negativities in the future. Have the failures of yesterday boxed you in? Or built a shell in which you have crawled into? It’s time to come out! And face the now. This phase. Bill Newman rightly said “you must be willing to fail. Don’t fear other people or their opinions. Don’t just sit there and wonder, you should be doing. Act, start today, make it happen”. He is not trying to say we should set our minds on failure, no! All this is trying to convey is that we should not allow the mere fear of failure to be an obstacle to us succeeding in our business and life in general. [bctt tweet=”Stop agonizing and organize what you’re doing – Eden Benibo” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Newman further stated “stop agonizing and organize what you’re doing. Not to decide is to decide not to.” In other words, not making a decision is a decision on its own. Not acting is a move. A wrong move though. A move of stagnancy. Break free today! Slayers 2, on the other hand, are also known as the already Slaying Gang! It’s important to note that no one prays for a ‘bad beginning’, but it’s better to have a rough beginning and a smooth end than experiencing the reverse. Therefore, this is a call for unrelenting zeal to keep thriving. Thrive on! Ask yourself some questions. What did you do to get you to this point? Build on that. If possible, I advise you increase your general input, because it is very easy to remain in your comfort zone. Remember, never to be trapped within the confinement of living in past glory. Most importantly, learn something new every day. Now listen. If inexplicably you belong to the two categories, it’s all good. Here are some tips for you to explore. Breath Break free from the norm. There’s more to explore! Smile and say a warm hello to July and the next few months at your disposal. Remember your future is all in your hands: handle with care. Finally, here’s a piece of advice from an all-time scholar which applies to everyone, regardless of the level of such an individual at work) “If you are a senior executive, don’t take yourself too seriously. It is essential to hold on to our sense of humor throughout our lives if we want to remain sane, as has been shown by research into psychological cognition, and especially in the later years”. So go ahead and break free, slay and conquer it all, starting with your fears! If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your story with us.
The Hidden power of mentorship: First take a hard look at yourself
I recently got a professional mentor. This was not something that had been penned down in detail in my goals for the year. What had been penned down is that I need to seize opportunities that will enhance my network. So as a true choleric, I jumped on any networking opportunity that presented itself to me. This rather abstract goal led me to join a mentorship forum for Human Resource Professionals whose goal is to provide mentoring opportunities to HR professionals through peer mentoring. Out of this, I got a professional mentor and I also got a mentee. My first meeting with my mentor happened early this year. Let’s call her Alexa. To say that I was intimidated is an understatement. Alexa has achieved so much. She is a high-flying career woman, she has a C-suite job, and reports to the Board. She is confident, she is witty and to wrap it all, she has an amazing sense of style. Ok. Stop giggling. I, on the other hand, have worked at my current job for eight years. I was not proud of my employer and I had been carrying this label that I work for the wrong organization. It was for that reason that all my job applications had not been successful. So much negative vibe about my work situation. So Alexa and I met at a beautiful restaurant and the conversation started with her telling me about herself. I wanted her job. She makes so much impact. Isn’t that all that us millennials want, to make an impact? Then the conversation moved to me. I told her about myself, my work situation and why I had signed up for a mentor. At the end of the meeting, Alexa told me that as part of the preparation for our next meeting, I need to identify the one thing I want to take out of our mentorship relationship once it came to an end. It was a wonderful evening I must say. When I got home later that night, I reflected back to my conversation with Alexa. It was like I was outside, looking into our conversation and I was deeply saddened by the picture that emerged. I started my career so positive, so energetic and with an attitude of I can handle whatever comes my way. Eight years later, to sitting across my mentor, I had changed to this negative person who felt like she had no power. This realization coupled with Alexa’s assignment on my expected outcome from the professional mentorship forced me to take a long hard painful look at myself. That was the only way I could change the narrative. I must say that it was not easy. I took some time out to reflect on my life and I realized that it was no longer clear to me what my vision was professional. The Bible says that my people perish because of a lack of vision. How true this is. If you do not know where you are going, anywhere is good enough. But anywhere is not good enough for me. Anywhere is not good enough for anyone. [bctt tweet=”Self-reflection is hard and painful but necessary for you to scale to the next level of your career – Priscah Motogwa” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I want to live a life of purpose and a life of meaning and my career plays a huge part towards that. Pema Chödrön in his book, When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times, says “The most fundamental aggression to ourselves, the most fundamental harm we can do to ourselves, is to remain ignorant by not having the courage and the respect to look at ourselves honestly and gently.” Self-reflection is hard. Self-reflection is painful. But self-reflection is necessary for you to scale to the next level of your career. Do I now know what my vision for my professional life is? Yes. Do I have a plan of how to achieve it? Yes. It involves stepping out of my comfort zone by seeking opportunities that will make use of skills that I possess. Indeed, writing this article is stepping out for me. And so for my next meeting with Alexa, I know precisely what I want out of the professional mentorship I am being offered. In the words of Denzel Washington, “Show me a successful individual and I’ll show you someone who had real positive influence in his or her life. I don’t care what you do for a living—if you do it well I’m sure there was someone cheering you on or showing the way. A mentor.” Fellow female professionals, do you want to scale the career ladder? My advice, get a mentor. This article was written by Priscah Motogwa. If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your story with us.
WEBINAR WITH YETUNDE SHORTERS: THE P.O.W.E.R OF PURPOSEFUL PERSONAL BRANDING (JULY 19)
What comes to mind when you hear the term ‘personal branding’? A perception of oneself? A unique identity? No matter the thought, your personal brand reflects your reputation, your legacy, the people you surround yourself with, your authenticity…the list is endless! Having a well-defined personal brand requires you to be proactive about how you manage it. This starts with thinking about what you want to be known for and then taking purposeful action to ensure that’s the image you’re creating. So, what does it mean to have a ‘purposeful personal brand’? How can it earn you top dollar without blowing lots of schmoney on stuff that won’t even do justice to your brand? Join Yetunde Shorters, on Thursday, 19th July, as she shares secrets that will earn you multi-six figures without spending a dime on advertising or marketing through purposeful personal branding. Yetunde Shorters helps the inspired go-getter create an authentic, purposeful and fun personal brand that helps you do what you love while helping others, in a way that creates financial freedom for you and your family. [bctt tweet=”Discover the #power of purposeful personal branding with @Yetunde on July 19th at 12PM EST! Register here: bit.ly/yetundes” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Some of the topics we’ll cover Identifying where your purpose comes from and get clear on it Ways to elevate your personal brand How to develop a brand statement that represents you best Secrets that will earn you multi-six figures without spending a dime on advertising or marketing Register below to get access to this opportunity and submit questions you would like Yetunde to answer. Webinar details: Date: Thursday, July 19th, 2018 Time: 12PM Miami // 5PM Lagos // 6PM Johannesburg Watch Part 1 below: Watch Part 2 below: About Yetunde Yetunde Shorters is an international publicist and an industry leader in helping women entrepreneurs discover their purpose and provide value to the right people to make profits. She is also the creator of ICY PR, the Afropolitan Chef and Founder of ICY ACADEMY and a 4-time Amazon best-selling author. With over 15 years of experience working and securing publicity for multiple Grammy Award Winning Artists, International Celebrities and Entrepreneurs, Yetunde has been featured in Elle, CBS, Zen Magazine, Tropics and more. She is masterful at connecting her client’s sense of purpose to prosperity. She also uses her skills to help emerging entrepreneurs create value, save time and increase productivity. In partnership with She Leads Africa, Yetunde is launching A Purpose Breakthrough 101 session, a 90 minutes intensive brand clarity session, where she delves deep into your purpose to connect it to profits. She also runs the ICY ACADEMY PERSONAL BRANDING MASTERCLASS, where you learn strategies that get results, techniques that save you time and access to a powerful network of go-getters who provide the support you need to thrive in your purpose.
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