Boss Lady Series: How to Balance Social Media, Life & Business with Funmi Oyatogun
Funmi Oyatogun is a geographer and experienced designer. Her two identities feed on each other. She loves exploring the world and sharing her knowledge with others. She has built her business, TVP Adventures, using social media, primarily on Twitter. With her content and company, her goal is to open up the African continent for the world. I had a chance to talk with Funmi about how she balances building her business, remote team, and social media following working from her home office. [bctt tweet=”In this month of #GoodGoodLiving, @funmioyatogun shares how she’s balancing social media, life and business. Read more…” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Here is what we can learn from her… Visual person? Write things down Funmi has found that writing things down in her physical planner helps her stay on track of her work and relaxed. The night before, she finalizes what she will focus on, and writes down any new appointments for the next day. She writes everything out nicely in her planner and arranges them in order of importance. She also uses symbols to help her categorize her tasks. You can make a routine of writing out your work in planners therapeutic, using fun colorful pens and even stickers. Work from home? Create a separate home office One of the first things Funmi learned when she set up her business was that she should not work on her comfortable bed. She then got a desk and chair in her room but still always wound up in her bed. She decided that it was necessary that she physically travel to another space in her house. The physical transition also helps her get into work mode. She finds it easier to concentrate and has fewer distractions in her home office. Funmi also recommends that you put up your goals and or vision board somewhere you can’t escape it. As she spends about 8 hours in her office, she has a comfortable swivel chair and a space that helps her stay productive and creative. Social media critical to your success? Schedule it Funmi’s business started and relies heavily on social media but she is still learning how best to balance using it with getting her other work done. She tries to engage with social media first thing in the morning and later in the day, giving herself a large chunk of time in the middle of the day to focus on other work. Like Funmi, you should try these 4 tips to keep from mindlessly scrolling through social media: Plan content in advance ‘when your brain is fresh.’ Try to respond only to important notifications throughout the day At the end of the day, skim and select direct messages to answer. Not all messages deserve your attention Focus on responding to longer threads and comments at the end of the day Know thy energy levels Perhaps the most common theme throughout our conversation was the importance of knowing when to do certain types of work. Funmi wakes up very early. Even if you don’t plan to be up at 4:30 am, you can still plan your day around when you do your best work and feel most productive. She knows that it is best for her to do mindful tasks that require a lot of brain power and creativity in the morning. She finds that the stories she produces in the morning are drastically different from later in the day. As her energy wains throughout the day, her brain slows down by 4 pm, she focuses on tasks that are more routine. [bctt tweet=”If you don’t take care of your body, it won’t take care of you – @funmioyatogun ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Remember to recharge yourself Funmi spends a lot of time giving out and sharing her thoughts and content. After completing routine tasks, Funmi starts ‘feeding’ herself by reading, catching up with the news and watching documentaries. She makes sure to feed herself (literally) three times a day. She works out with a trainer in the morning first thing at last three times a week as well. During our conversation, she warns, if you don’t take care of your body, it won’t take care of you. How do you balance the creative process of developing content with responding and reacting to posts and comments? Do you make sure to ‘replenish’ yourself after spending all day posting and giving yourself out? Want to learn how to build a health conscious routine? Read our Good Good Living Part 1 series w/ Yasmin Kumi. Interested in contributing for She Leads Africa? Click here.
Your Self Care shouldn’t suffer at the expense of Career Excellence – Nnennaya Udochu
Female engineers have been branded to be nerds and unattractive. It is a common belief that female engineers have no sense of style, not feminine enough and probably too strong for the average man. Contrary to this widely held bias, Nnennaya Udochu is a firm believer that female engineers can be trendy, decent, and elegant. Nnennaya’s life and style is full proof that women are going against this bias. As an analog engineer, she doesn’t fit into what you’d typically call your hard hat-wearing engineer. She has held the office of a Professor Faculty in the Mathematics department at the University of Portland, Oregon., and she balances career with self-care. Nnennaya doubles as a fashion blogger and also motivates ladies who fear that taking a career in engineering or any career in STEM (Science Technology Engineering Mathematics) would impede and perhaps limit their chances of a relationship. In this article, she shares her experience in the profession gives her insights on the misconceptions placed on women in STEM. What prompted you to want to become an Engineer? I enjoyed solving a lot of Math problems and enjoyed a particular topic in my physics class, Electromagnetics. It was from that course in Secondary School I decided I wanted to pursue a degree in Electrical Engineering. What setbacks did you experience pursuing this dream? Taking some engineering courses that would make me think, “why me” or “God help me” because I found them very challenging. For example, Thermodynamics and Statics. Aside from those challenges, the fear of self-doubt. Sometimes, just believing in yourself regardless of what people think goes a long way. I remember being in a study group where we were discussing our prospective first jobs and I said Microsoft or any Fortune 500 company. The whole group burst out laughing but today here I am staying in the course of what I want for myself. Did you have a hard time proving your credibility to your male lectures/superiors? Yes, I did most of the time. It took a lot of hard work and proving myself but I would always let the quality of my work delivery speak volume. Once you’re very knowledgeable about your expertise and firm about making decisions, it would be difficult for anyone to question your abilities in the workforce. Females in #STEM tend to recline to the background whenever leadership or academic roles are called for. Was this your experience? No this isn’t my experience. I am very tenacious in the pursuit of leadership or academic roles in my career; certainly not shying away from it. I’ve been fortunate enough to have been an Adjunct Professor at the University of Portland, Oregon and I’m continuously getting mentored by senior leaders in my industry. As an Analog Engineer, what does your typical workday look like? My workdays are very busy and a lot of critical thinking is involved. Every day I am faced with new challenges on addressing power issues and honestly, everything I learned in Physics II (especially applied principles of electromagnetics) are applied from day to day. Basically, I am mentally tasked each day. You are also an Instagram blogger. Tell us about your journey. The journey so far has been great! I continue to curate content on my platform to inspire people across the world through my travel shots, beauty, hair and showcasing different fashion looks ranging from street style to guest inspired looks at a wedding. I’ve collaborated with brands such as Pitusa, Chi Chi London, Res Ipsa, Palmers, Victoria Emerson just to mention a few and my work has been featured on various Instagram and media platforms. The most exciting experience I’ve had from my journey so far was being privileged to have featured on a fashion segment on Fox News (Fox12 Oregon) discussing the latest Fall fashion trends in 2018. In your opinion why do you think women in #STEM do not take self-care as a top priority? I feel it’s because they don’t want to appear unserious for their jobs and have their co-workers not take them seriously in a meeting or on a project. The perception of a woman figure in STEM is always painted wearing dirty clothing, or plain tops and jeans and this have clouded some women’s judgment on how they would like to present themselves. What advice do you have for women starting out in #STEM? Stay persistent and confident in the pursuit of your career goals. Don’t let the presumptions society has about women in STEM be a reason you get discouraged in achieving your career goals. Who you are or aspire to be shouldn’t be limited by someone’s experience. What’s the look on people’s face when you’re all dressed up like a diva and you tell them what you do?. They are always astonished and perplexed. Some make decent remarks like, “Beauty and Brains” while others find the need to argue. Once a co-worker said I was in Finance and I said, “No”. Only for him to turn back around still amazed and say, “I always thought you were in Finance and you were a spoilt brat because of the way you dress”. Between anger and range, I managed to get my emotions in check and simply responded, “For someone educated that is quite shallow of you to say”. Interested in contributing for She Leads Africa? Click here.
Need some zoning out? – 4 quick ways to create mini escapes
An average African woman is strong. There is no argument. Her strength is not basically physical. She is emotional, mentally, psychologically and spiritually strong. Nobody expects her to need an escape, once in a while. Naturally, mental health or exhaustion is mostly not discussed in Africa (we are improving but not yet). Nobody likes to be labeled “abnormal” or “possessed” due to being bi-polar, depressed or schizophrenic. It always baffles me when I say I am mentally tired and people ask “how?”. Some even go ahead to suggest that I might be possessed. LolMental health and wellbeing are often overlooked because they are not physical. They do not show up in blood or urine tests, neither do they have noticeable symptoms. Therefore, we sometimes see it as a shameful thing and never admit that as women, wives, employees, employers, business owners, we need some escape space. Truth is, whether you are a working-class woman or you own a business, There are moments when you want to forget everything and have a brief respite, escape. Regardless of your state or status, there comes a time in everyone’s life when we just want to drop the reins and unravel in peace for a little while. We might not all get enough time for a long respite but, in-between the day, we can steal bits of escapes to help us power through the day. I have over the years developed quick escape spaces that help me zone out at times when I get overwhelmed. Here are some of them: Music The power of music cannot be overemphasized. There have been more times when I get overwhelmed with the work on my desk and the work waiting for me back home (i run a business too). Right there on my desk, I plug in my earphones, sit back for 2 minutes and listen to something. My go-to choices are slow blues or classical music. Beethoven’s is a staple. It gives me a little reprieve and escapes. Little is enough BOOKS I have loved sappy romance novels from when I was 8 years old. It took me a while to understand that they provided an escape for me. Right now as I type, I have an appointment with one chapter of a sappy romance novel. It is a long day. Old Movies I cannot count the number of days I have gotten home, work on my business and snuggle under the blankets for an old movie. I mostly end up falling asleep most time, but for a while, the whole world falls away. Me time Me time means different things to different persons. It could be an alone moment with your thoughts or a 2-minute cup of tea. There are long “me times|’ and short ones. It could be savoring a piece of chocolate while at your desk or a reasonable drink after work. Personally, I take snatches of “me time” whenever I can. Just me. No work, No business. In this second month of the year, we may have done a lot and still have a whole lot to do. However, let us remember it is okay to escape briefly, unwind and revive. Most importantly: Plan your dream vacation and work towards it. Take your mental health seriously. Interested in contributing for She Leads Africa? Click here.
Boss Lady Series: How to Build a health conscious Routine with Yasmin Kumi
Do you have a routine or a way to approach your day? Setting the tone for your day has a massive impact on how much you accomplish. This month I will be showcasing the routines of several leading ladies who work on the continent. Learn how they balance working hard with staying on top of their physical and mental health. [bctt tweet=”Routines are a trial and error process and take time to build – @ynjkumi ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] By sharing our experiences, learning from others and deciding what works for us as individuals, we all can have a good life. I had a chance to sit down with Yasmin Kumi, the founder of the pan-African consulting firm, Africa Foresight Group. Yasmin travels between 3 to 4 times a week and wakes up at 3 am to set her priorities for the day. She is a problem solver and has learned how to approach her wellness by trying new things and focusing on what works for her. I put together a list of things I thought others could keep in mind from her experience. 1. Keep your personal goals and routines fluid No two days in Yasmin’s life are the same. Given all the work she does the most important thing for her to do is not put additional pressure and stress on herself by feeling bad about not having attained certain personal goals. She has introduced ‘if’ rules for different situations that allow her to create some consistency in her head. Try using this phrase to build your own ‘if’ rules: – “If some conditions hold, then this is what I have to do…” 2. Playlists can help you get into or handle a Mood Yasmin is a very audiovisual person, so she reacts a lot to music. When she feels tired, she knows what music to play to get back up to speed. When she needs to relax or focus on something, she has a playlist for that. She also has a playlist to start her bedtime routine that usually ends with a prayer. You can use music to motivate you or remind you to do tasks you normally avoid. 3. Understand Your Personality to Maximize Your Output Yasmin describes herself as a borderline extravert and though she loves her team, she sometimes feels like she can get more done if she spends some time working from home before she gets into the office. Though not for everyone, Yasmin feels most productive when she wakes up early, at 3 am, to work undisturbed until about 6 am. Find what works for you and helps make you feel productive and successful. 4. You are What You Eat Yasmin is hardly ever home. When she is traveling, she normally spends part of her evening networking or socializing with clients and her team. She always feels so much healthier and efficient when she is at home, this is primarily because she has control over what she eats. Yasmin believes that with good food, you think better. She loves to make dinner for herself and while cooking she reflects and feels rejuvenated after a long day. When eating, reflect and think about how the food you eat makes you feel. 5. Do You! When some people look at Yasmin’s lifestyle, they assume that it is unsustainable. She encourages people to not get too influenced about what others think. You have to find out for yourself, physically and mentally what is healthy and what you are comfortable with. Focus on how you feel and what makes you comfortable when building your routine. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Interested in contributing for She Leads Africa? Click here.
Busy yet fit: The urban woman’s guide to staying fit in a fast paced world
I guess congratulations are in order as it seems I found the title of my first book above! ? Okay, jokes apart, it’s a new year and while I’m not really one who makes resolutions at the beginning of the year, I believe that the feeling of newness that comes with the season can help us re-route to living better in all areas. As a wife and mom who runs more than one gig (even though one is a fitness center), I find it really hard to stick with a specific routine when it comes to exercise and I’m sure I’m not alone. Lord knows the hustle is real right? True! But on the other hand, it’s only when we are in good health that the hustle can really make sense. So I’m going to share 3 ways you can fit in exercise into your busy schedule. 1. Treat it as an appointment: Yes, when you intentionally prioritize your health and wellness, you will set out time to do what you need to do. I set alarms to exercise at night because that’s when it’s most convenient for me. Trust me, you don’t need so much time to get your heart pumping and your muscles warm. You can start with as little as 10 minutes and increase it when you can. My company recently launched a product, Fitfam exercise games™ cards that encourages busy people like you to exercise anytime, anywhere and have fun while at it. 2. Make more active choices: I know the “take the stairs not the elevator” rhyme sounds cliché, but it’s true. If you are too busy to hit the gym, the best you can do is to deliberately make active choices throughout the day. Take the stairs, ditch the intercom and the intranet if possible and walk to your colleague’s desk to make that inquiry. If you run a business, try to move around your office or shop too, don’t be the madam who just sits on the chair directing everyone else around. 3. Don’t dwell on it too much: Am I contradicting myself? No. Here’s what I mean. Sometimes we dwell so much on failure, we refuse to move forward. You missed two days of exercise, okay. Move on and don’t miss the third. You gorged down half a box of pizza and 3 sparkling glasses on Friday night, not good but can we just move on with a salad and grilled chicken on Saturday morning? I hope these 3 tips will help you get more active this year as we get set to smash those money and life goals. Interested in contributing for She Leads Africa? Click here.
7 power tools every Motherland Mogul needs in her purse to SLAY 2019
What is in your purse? Every day we see Motherland Moguls go about their bizness in stylish purses and handbags. However, no matter how pretty the bag looks or what the label says, the content of a woman’s purse is a sum of how she takes charge of her day. The content of a woman’s purse is King! Every woman has some little essentials and fav things they carry around every day, mostly in a smaller pouch in their purse. It could be hand sanitizer, hand lotion, medicine, perfume, etc. Whatever it is, they help keep you safe and secure to take on each day as they come. On the other hand, some women carry a lot of baggage around every day, just for the sake of it, which they never use or touch. [bctt tweet=”#WhatIsInYourPurse? Here are 7 essential tools every woman needs to #SLAY 2019… Find them here” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] We’ve put together a list of power tools and essentials every Motherland Mogul needs to conquer each day this year. 1. Cash/ ATM card Why look like a bag of money if you have no money in Yo bag? We might be living in a cashless society, but you never ever want to get stranded somewhere without having some cash to bail yourself out. Even if you’re on your way to the bank, always carry some cash with you (or vex money as Nigerians call it), as well as an ATM card (with cash in it) for emergency purposes. Another savior for you could be to have your bank app downloaded on your mobile phone, to enable you to transfer money easily. This is your first commandment to SLAY 2019. [bctt tweet=”#WhatIsInYourPurse? Why look like a bag of money if you have no money in Yo bag? Always have cash with you!” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 2. Samsung Smartphone Having a good smartphone with a long-lasting battery in your purse at all times keeps you connected with the world and helps you stay organized for your daily routines. Beyond texting and scrolling through social media all day, there is SO much you can do with your mobile phone. And even much more if its a Samsung smartphone. With a Samsung smartphone, you can: Take notes and write down fresh ideas in your daily light bulb moments Take the best photos and document live events all day with its outstanding camera quality Create personalized videos and content with the AR emoji tool Collect your client’s contacts by using the SnapBiz app from Samsung Galaxy apps store Keep track of your health and wellness with the Samsung Health app – even better if you add the Samsung Galaxy Watch on your wrist. In light of our February theme at SLA which is – Good Living, we’re ensuring that all Motherland Moguls have a sound mind, body, and soul. 3. Powder pallet/ Lip gloss Girl, you never know who you’re going to bump into at the most random place. Always have some light make-up in your purse to get you fresh-faced for impromptu meetings, or quick drinks with your girls. In the absence of a powder pallet, let your lipgloss call the shots. 4. Business Cards Even though you can collect clients info on your mobile using the SnapBiz app on your Samsung smartphone, you might meet some traditional clients who would rather have a hard copy of your business card. It’s important to always have this in the small section of your purse, for easy accessibility. 5. Notepad + Pen A notepad or post it pad and a pen equal as back up for your phone. This always comes in handy for when you have to write down contact details or ideas in a moment’s notice when you’re out of your comfort zone. 6. Sanitary towel/ Tampon Nature always has its way with us, and we really can’t cheat it, but you should always be prepared for the “red robot”. If possible, have a pad/ tampon in every possible place, like your car, office desk, laptop bag, etc, just so you’re never caught in a compromising situation. If you feel you have a pattern and are never caught unawares, do it for the culture. You never know, a sister might be in need of this, and you get to save the day. 7. A Book Just because #WeStayLearning, always have with you a book to pass time while commuting or waiting to go into your meeting. Now depending on the size of your purse, you could either have a paperback book, or an e-book on your smartphone. So tell us Motherland Mogul, #WhatIsInYourPurse? [bctt tweet=”Keep track of your health and wellness with the Samsung Health app – even better if you add the Samsung Galaxy Watch on your wrist -@samsungmobileng” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Sponsored Post
Leave This Shit In 2018…
Happy New year Motherland Moguls! 2018 was a year filled with events and lessons for me. So, I thought I would share with you some of the lessons learned that apply to life, career, and business. Life is full of surprises and often take unexpected turns. Our successes are a result of how well we respond and adapt to the life changes. My hope this year is that we are all able to embrace change and let go of what is holding us back. Welcome to 2019! Now let’s talk about the shit you need to leave in 2018. You don’t need that baggage with you in 2019! [bctt tweet=”Here are 5 habits you need to let go of this year #leavethatshitin2018″ username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Resenting others Nothing good comes from resenting others. I’m telling you this as someone who is guilty of holding grudges for long periods of time. I resented the person who took this picture for a while. I blamed them for making me miserable. I wished them all the bad luck in the world because I felt they were somehow the origin of everything bad happening in my life (and it wasn’t the case). I don’t resent them anymore and I am so much happier for it. Don’t get me wrong, I still highly dislike this person, but as soon as I was able to refocus the time and energy I was spending brooding over the situation, amazing things started happening. Nothing good ever comes from resenting others. Take it from a champion in the resentment Olympics. #LeaveThatShitIn2018 Snoozing your life away I am usually pretty good at waking up early and getting on with my day. But every so often I think that I could do with “5 more minutes” of sleep and hit the snooze button for the next 2 hours. The problem? When you snooze, you not only wake up more tired than you initially were, but you then spend your entire day playing catch up. You waste time, miss opportunities, and get caught up in a vicious circle. The same is true for life. I didn’t get to see my grandmother one last time because of this viscous snoozing circle I had slipped in. So now, I try my best to make things happen ASAP. One of the best trips I had this year was possible because I did not snooze (when I really wanted to). I was able to discover part of Cape Verde, meet great people, and have an amazing experience.Don’t postpone things you can do now. Finish (or start) that degree you have been thinking about for so long. Take that art class. Visit with your friends and family. Explore the world. Launch that business. And when that thing you want to do seems impossible, just remember that Rome was not built in a day, it was built one stone at the time. (And stop snoozing that alarm clock!) You snooze you lose. #LeaveThatShitIn2018 Being a technology zombie Technology is wonderful. It enables us to take great selfies (and groupies) and more importantly it enables us to connect with each other and the world. We, however, have to be very careful. Technology is a double-edged sword. It can be a nice distraction. But it is a distraction nonetheless. It is a distraction that turns us into shallow versions of ourselves.I took this picture while I was waiting for my car to get fixed. And I was so glad to have my phone with me at the time. It made the wait so much more enjoyable. But more and more I find myself scrolling on my social media feed while I’m on the phone or watching TV. I like to think that technology is not the boss of me. But I have noticed lately that I miss pieces of conversations, movies, and I waste time that could be put to better use because of it. [bctt tweet=”Be present. Connect with intention. Don’t be a tech zombie. #LeaveThatShitIn2018″ username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I feel this negatively affects the quality of my relationships. It turns me into a passive, absent-minded, and monosyllabic individual. And this is not the type of person or friend I want to be. I want to be a friend that remembers what we talked about. That friend who is attentive, present and listens actively and with intention. The friends we have and the relationships we build are what make life interesting and beautiful. So, we owe it to each other to be mindful, engaged, and attentive. Be present. Connect with intention. Don’t be a tech zombie. #LeaveThatShitIn2018 Letting fear cloud your judgment We often think of fear as this scary monster that makes us do crazy things. But more often than not, fear comes posing as a gentle and wise friend that has your best interest at heart. Fear is eloquent and charismatic. Fear is (seemingly) insightful. Fear is convincing. In fact, Fear is so convincing that it will have you believe that your neighbor must be dangerous since they do not look like you. It will convince you to stay quiet in the face of injustice. It will convince you that putting your head in the sand is the best way to solve your problems. I have been there. Fear had me paralyzed. It made me watch a personal situation getting worse and worse and interpret anything as a sign of improvement. I was very fortunate at that time to have a great friend who guided me through this fog of fear. But sometimes, you have to be your own guide and ask yourself: what would I tell a friend in the same situation? Don’t let fear cloud your judgment. Be your own friend. Take fear out of the equation. #LeaveThatShitIn2018 Traveling someone else’s journey When we are young, it is the responsibility of our parents, our family, (and, to some extent, our community) to prepare us for life. They make choices for us, take decisions about our activities, our lifestyle, and our beliefs.
Still haven’t set your 2019 Goals? Read this…
This year I have chosen to try something a little bit different. Instead of writing down resolutions, I have decided to set goals for the year. What’s the difference? Resolutions are a decision to do or not do something. It could be giving up alcohol for the first month of the year, or resolving to go back to the gym after a few months of slacking. Goals, on the other hand, are an aim to achieve a specific result. This could be to run a marathon or take an online course. So why pick goals over resolutions? Well, resolutions really don’t seem to last that long into the year and they are usually founded in some displeasure with your current state of being/ living. Now don’t get me wrong, there isn’t anything wrong with setting out resolutions. More often than not people seem to struggle to keep them or even remember them by mid- January. Goals are more proactive, its a determination to achieve something. [bctt tweet=”Stop making New Year Resolutions. Set Goals Instead. Read this article to find out why. ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] So, Motherland Mogul, how do you set our goals for the year? First things first… Write it down! There are a couple of ways you can do this, journaling or if you are more of a visual person you can create a vision board. If you write your goals down somewhere you can see them everyday it helps you stick to them, a constant reminder isn’t to make you feel bad but more to remind you what you are working towards. A vision board is not only fun to make but can enable you to see your goals as an actual reality making it much easier for you to stick to them. Think of the short term and long term Set out goals that you want to achieve by the end of the year, by a certain month/ date. This means you can work on consistent goals as well as focus on the short term. This means you are not only waiting for the end of the year to see results but throughout the year you will have bursts of success that will continue to motivate you to achieve your more long term goals. So what falls into each category? Short term goals could include taking an online course in a certain month, running a marathon, reading a set number of books per month. These goals require you to train/ learn/ work to achieve them within a certain time frame, so get to work!! Long term goals such as the 52-week saving challenge, launching your own business, changing jobs or even volunteering on a monthly basis. These are goals that require consistency and usually take longer to achieve. The rewards may take a long time to reap but just imagine how it will feel to finally achieve a goal you have been working long and hard on. Categorize your goals Not all goals are the same, sometimes you have to realize what part of your life you want to improve or change. Personal and professional goals are the obvious categories that we can turn to but do not forget other aspects of your life that can give you joy. You can set out goals to travel to a new country (or a few), to complete a crafts project, grow herb garden or practicing daily gratitude. This helps you focus on your creative side and develop healthy self-care habits. Put in the work Each goal you set out is going to require a lot of work and determination by your part. what is important in realizing your goals is identifying what you have to do to achieve them. Let’s take the marathon for example. You can’t wake up on a Saturday morning and just run the marathon, you need to train in order to run the race. This would require you going for more parks runs and working out to build the strength and endurance needed. So you set a mini-goal, for example following a training program that guides you over a period of time. These mini goals help you determine what you need to do on your part to achieve your goals and provide small successes on their own. Be realistic You don’t want to run yourself into the ground trying to achieve your goals. They are not meant to tear you down or make you feel worse about yourself. Focus on goals that help build a better version of you, whether professionally or personally. Don’t set out goals too ambitious or far fetched, but also do not forgot to throw caution to the wind. It is not time to sit back but rather to step up for yourself in the aspects that matter. If you really struggle to hold yourself accountable, why not find a goal buddy? This person will remind you of your goals throughout the year and check how long it is taking you to achieve them. They may also provide you with great advice and be a support system when things seem hard. Reap the rewards I do not know about you but sometimes I need an incentive to work on something. And considering there is no one to hand out badge saying “Well done”, it’s up to you to set out your rewards. So let’s say you have finally managed to start your open your own business, why not throw a small soiree to thank those who helped you achieve your goal or even just to launch your business. Again, such rewards make the achievement of a goal so worth it, so why not reward yourself for all the hard work you have put in. Got some advice that can help others succeed in 2019? Click here to share.
Meeting With A VIP In Your Industry? Here’s How To Maximize Your Results
Landing a meeting with a VIP in your field is always a win to celebrate. When a person managing a multimillion dollar company, a government leader, a celebrity, or any other person you admire agrees to spend 30 minutes of their precious time with you, it presents an opportunity to accelerate your business growth or alter your career trajectory in major ways. It goes without saying that meeting a busy, important person requires careful planning and strategic thinking. You want to make sure that person feels like you can contribute to their own interests, whether it be their desire to publicize a certain initiative they are working on, mentor someone, learn something new, or even just to get an ego boost from a fan. At the same time, you need to show them that you are valuable, and work to get the most out of their time to affect your bottom line. You should have clear goals in mind, and come up with a few intended meeting outcomes to measure your success. Here are some do’s and don’ts to maximize the opportunity handed to you — and ensure that VIP remains open to continuing to collaborate. 1. Do: Ask smart questions and actively listen While you probably want to show how amazing you are and what talents you have to offer this person, you must first find out more about who they are, what they need, and how they view business. Jot down notes and react to their answers with insightful follow up questions to ensure you understand those needs. Don’t: Ask dumb questions. I usually say no question is dumb, but you should never ask a question that Google/social media can answer for you. But also, you do not want to come off as too eager a stalker, so avoid questions that can be too personal, like their 2010 Facebook photo album of their family vacation. 2. Do: Prepare a list of speaking points and three main messages you want to convey in your meeting. You should go into the meeting with well-researched, fleshed out ideas that will help you achieve your goals. Prepare for different scenarios that may arise based on the questions you will ask. Don’t: Be too rigid and don’t prepare a full speech. You want the conversation to feel natural and you don’t want to appear completely rehearsed. 3. Do: Decide action points to follow up on and future communication norms. Based on the interaction, you should push for some concrete actions you can take to further the relationship. Maybe it is to send or receive an interesting article or to share a relevant opportunity. Maybe it is to follow up with a fleshed out business proposal. Either way, make sure you have action points that you can personally take the lead on, and establish how that person prefers you follow up. In my experience, some people prefer WhatsApp/text to email, while others may always want you to correspond through an assistant. Don’t: Immediately ask the VIP for a time-consuming or high-level service. Just because you spent 30 minutes speaking to a former president doesn’t mean you deserve her recommendation for an ambassador position, nor should you ask a busy professor to review your 50-page honors thesis. Make it easy and low-risk for them to help you. 4. Do: Follow up and highlight how you will complete your action points After a day or so, follow up with an email thanking them for their time, summarizing the conversation, and stating clearly how you will act upon the agreed next steps. Don’t: Immediately ask for something out of the scope of the conversation or become a nuisance to them. Do not immediately reach out via text to tell them to check their email, or ask them to buy a product you are selling which you did not discuss. 5. Do: Stay in touch and remain relevant Occasionally share interesting news or opportunities with the person that are of mutual interests. Share ideas that you have that may support their work, and show your value to them. Don’t: Bombard them with nonsense Don’t send them Buzzfeed quizzes about which cheese they are, or animated GIFs of puppies (unless somehow that came up as a mutual interest in the conversation). You don’t want to end up on their blocked list. Building relationships take time, so use the opportunity of your meeting to place foundational blocks which will set you up to take the relationship to the next level. Set your intentions, and have an eye on the short term — and another on the long-term path you are taking. Interested in contributing for She Leads Africa? Click here.
Mendy Lusaba: Creating jobs in Zimbabwe through Housekeeping
Mendy Lerato Lusaba is a Social Entrepreneur making changes in the domestic work industry. She is the Founder of Chris and Geo Domestic Placement Agency which recruits, trains and places socio-economically disadvantaged women as domestic workers. The innovative agency also offers unique housekeeping services of weekly maids for those that do not need full time stay in maids hence slowly disrupting the sector. She also founded the Domestic Workers Association of Zimbabwe which is a network of Zimbabwean maids with a focus on capacity building and advocacy work. DWAZ has members in Zimbabwe, South Africa and is growing daily. In this article, she talks about how she took advantage of her background in HR to create more jobs by starting her own business. [bctt tweet=”Meet @mendylusaba – a Social Entrepreneur making changes in the domestic work industry and creating jobs in Zimbabwe.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Tell us about your professional background? I have a B.Sc. in Human Resources Management, a Diploma in Labour Law from the Institute of People Management and Post Graduate Diploma in Law from the University of Zimbabwe. I’m also a Mandela Washington Fellow 2018 Alumni and a YALI RLC Southern Africa 2016 Alumni. I have done Entrepreneurship Training with Empretec, ACT in Africa. Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce and Social Entrepreneurship training with the Udugu Institute. So far, I have worked in the energy, mining, catering and hospitality industry in the Human Resources Department holding management positions before going into entrepreneurship full time. I write articles for different publications about domestic work and I run a blog. I have written a handbook for domestic workers. Because of my bubbly nature and being a motivator, I am often invited to speak at various women’s events nationally. What led you to start the housekeeping business? When I had my first child, I struggled with getting the “perfect” maid. In a space of 6 months, I had changed maids four times! I realized that it was very difficult to get the perfect maid when you needed them. Upon further research, I discovered I was not alone. Majority of working women need a maid but struggle to get one on time. I also realized that there were also so many women who needed jobs as domestic workers but did not know where to start. Coupled with my background in Human Resources Management, I realized I could provide a solution. I simply had to bridge the gap between the employers and the employees, hence the birth of Chris and Geo. My work drives me and I have a great passion for what I do. Running my own organization brings me great joy and seeing one woman’s’ life transformed by simply being a maid is enough reward. Seeing a previously disadvantaged child go back to school because her mother can now afford it is enough satisfaction. [bctt tweet=”Business success is a combination and a recipe for many things – @mendylusaba” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Tell us about Chris and Geo Chris and Geo is an organization that was formed with the family in mind. It recruits, trains and places socially and economically disadvantaged women as domestic workers. It offers fulltime stay-in and stay-out maids and also has contract maids that are available on specific days to the clients. Chris and Geo offer on-the-job training for maids. Through Chris and Geo, I realized there was more that goes in the sector. From working with the maids, I realized they were vulnerable and they also needed capacity building hence establishing the Domestic Workers Association of Zimbabwe. My work is more of a calling than anything else. Domestic workers are very important with almost 70% percent of urban households relying on the help of domestic workers. It is also, amongst one of the oldest professions. Unlike in developed countries, the profession is still informal and not officially recognized. The sector is so behind with both the employers and employees lacking the professionalism required of any profession. This is why I do what I do, I am in it to change the game. How does a normal working day go in your business? My work is mostly about societal impact rather than monetary impact. Being your own boss means your workload is never normal! You do what needs to be done whenever it needs to be done. Our business is heavily centered on convenience meaning a client must be able to call us any time when they need a maid. As such, every hour is a working hour for us. [bctt tweet=”Being your own boss means your workload is never normal! You do what needs to be done whenever it needs to be done – @mendylusaba” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] In Zimbabwe are people comfortable with strangers coming to their homes to clean? How have you managed client inhibitions? Actually, in Zimbabwe majority of households have stay in maids. It has been like this for so many years. Families prefer having someone that stay within their homes. Generally, Zimbabweans are open people and the family structure is very important. We have huge families and the extended family is usually a close family. As such, it is not very difficult to have someone join the family. Our private space is so accommodating that we have few inhibitions about having someone in our homes. It is only now that we are beginning to have formal distinctions with domestic work, Otherwise, culturally the maid is part of the family with titles like Aunty or Sister. Now, people are beginning to have stayed out maids that do not stay with the family. This is why the domestic work sector is very huge in the country. It only lacks professionalism and formalization but it has been in existence since independence. What has been your major challenge on your business journey? What can be done about it? I know this is going to sound rehearsed and rhetoric but it is the truth. Capital is a challenge for many businesses and mine has not been exempted. I did not start