Ekemini Dan Abia: I decided to help people identify potential abusers through Abuse survivor
Ekemini Dan Abia is a legal practitioner who got inspired by her work in the criminal justice system to create a community which supports and educates victims of domestic abuse through her Instagram page, Abuse Survivor. Abuse survivor aims to create awareness of the damaging effects of domestic abuse by educating members of the public, using Narcissism as a subject. She believes that helping individuals understand narcissism can greatly reduce domestic abuse in the home and its result in the larger society. Through Abuse Survivor, she identifies potential abusers and identifies abuse dynamics. She also provides materials and support for the recovery of survivors and counsels victims of all forms of abuse. What has been your biggest achievement as a prosecutor? Watching adults, children, as well as pre-teens who are victims of sex offenses, look their abuser in the eye and testify against him or her in open court. I am filled with a sense of accomplishment because I know that the person is taking back his or her power and getting out of the abuser’s control. What prompted you to start the platform Abuse Survivor? I was deeply shaken by the death of Ronke Shonde in 2016, who was allegedly murdered by her abusive husband. Reports of spousal abuse/homicides seemed to increase in 2017, and I recall asking myself “why couldn’t they heed the red flags before walking down the aisle”? So I decided to help people identify potential abusers and also highlight the long-term effects of remaining in abusive relationships on adults and children. I came to realize that a large percentage of those convicted for violent crimes are products of dysfunctional home environments and are people with unresolved childhood trauma. The pain and anger they carry around makes them gravitate towards crime or other anti-social behaviors. Knowledge of the above facts propelled me to create Abuse Survivor. Are you an abuse survivor yourself? Yes. I have been a victim of malignant narcissistic abuse. How do you vet the authenticity of the stories people send to you since its all done virtually? Most stories sent to us are accompanied by imageries which are very compelling with the victims pleading for their anonymity. I ask certain question which aims to validate their assertions without leaving them feeling we disbelieve them. It calls for tact and sensitivity, else we could leave a victim of abuse with invalidated feelings which is against everything we stand for. Would you consider yourself to be a social entrepreneur and if so, what would you say is the most challenging part of this role? Yes, I do. We live in a society where an in-depth discussion of abuse is given a passing interest, thus accessing funds to have more impact has been really challenging. Like most start-ups, this is the biggest challenge I have faced so far. You use NARCISSISM as a subject to educate your community. How has this impacted them positively? Lots of people have undergone narcissistic abuse without knowing it. As a result, they lived in utter confusion, depression and other health complications which is characteristic of victims of narcissistic abuse. Watching some members of our community gain clarity, stop blaming themselves and take control of their lives has been very fulfilling. Since starting the platform ‘Abuse Survivor’, have you had any support from anyone? And how has this contributed towards your success? A survivor of narcissistic abuse, who is also a member of our community reached out to me sometime in February 2018. Although living in the UK, she volunteered to build a website for our community. I am very grateful for this gesture. She has also become one of our resource persons. She is always on standby with brilliant and innovative suggestions. Having her as a support system right now propels me to keep doing what I do. What is the one motivation that gets you up every morning? I wake up every morning with the zeal to put out more information in order to reach more people. The knowledge that far too many people in our society are ignorant about narcissism motivates me. What is one piece of advice you would give to a woman suffering from domestic abuse? I would tell her that she is stronger than her abuser is trying to make her feel. All she needs to do is to see herself the way God sees her and learn to love herself. Only then will she have the strength to walk away for herself and to provide a better environment for her children (if she is a mother). How do you juggle your full-time job with managing your platform? To be candid, it is very tasking. However, it is easier because I am passionate about this topic and my full-time job inspires me too. I make time in the early hours of the day from 4 am to 6 am to plan my content. That way, members of our community never experience content drought. You currently run Abuse Survivor solely on Instagram. Any plans to move it to another platform? (Website, blog etc). Right now, we are working on our official website. We plan to make use of other social media platforms while retaining Instagram as our primary means of reaching out to members of our community. Do you ever meet with the women whose stories you share? The vast majority of those who share their stories in our community are impossible to meet geographically because they do so from all over the world. However, I have met a handful of them and they are the most resilient women I have ever met. What future plans do you have for ‘Abuse Survivor’? My vision is for Abuse Survivor to become the number one support system and resource outfit for victims of any form of abuse in Africa. We plan to innovate along the way. What’s your favorite book / Ted Talk of all time? My favorite book is Chimamanda Adichie’s ‘Purple Hibiscus’. I think that is where my interest in domestic abuse was
5 life Lessons to learn from Toke Makinwa this year
[bctt tweet=”“It’s not about finding your voice. It’s about giving yourself permission to use your voice” – Kris Carr” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Toke Makinwa is a Nigerian media personality, television host, vlogger, and author. She might not be everyone’s favorite but she’s done pretty much for herself. Her book On Becoming tells of her journey in life – her struggles after her parents died, her marriage and her faith in God. Hate or like her, she’s not letting whatever life throws get the better part of her. She’s simply living her TM baby girl life. Here are five life lessons we can all learn from Toke Makinwa: Resilience It doesn’t matter how many times life knocks you down, what matters is your comeback. If there’s one thing I admire about Toke is her ability to bounce back. She knows how to keep her head up and remain true to her goals. Life has sure dealt her some cards but she’s still standing strong! After a bad divorce and shaming from the media, she went on to bag some endorsements and even wrote a book titled On Becoming. Life’s gonna throw some curve balls your way! Never let a bad situation keep you down. Rise above it! [bctt tweet=”Don’t let the many slip-ups and downtrodden moments get in your way” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Hard work “Hard work does not necessarily guarantee success, but no success is possible without hard work” – Dr. T.P Chia” Some will argue that being hard working doesn’t guarantee success. But you’ll agree that every success has a trace of hard work in it. Success doesn’t come easy; you’ll have to work your ass off (well, for some of us). She’s s symbol of a career driven lady. A real boss lady. Drive and Passion As Oprah Winfrey said, “Let passion drive your profession”. To truly enjoy your career, to feel fulfilled in whatever field you find yourself in, you have to have some amount of passion and drive in you. There’ll be days you want to quit; the day you’ll feel like giving in to naysayers. But, that drive and passion right there? That’s what will give you the nudge and push. As a media personality, Toke is passionate about impacting lives. It’s your duty to educate and touch as many lives as you can. And that’s what she’s all about. Let the naysayers talk Oh yes, they’ll talk! They’ll be the ones whispering “you can’t do it”, and then they’ll try so hard to pull you down. They’ll criticise your every work and misconstrue you. Trust me, there are always naysayers who say it can’t be done. But you know what darling, let them talk! They can’t stop your shine. If you stop to throw stones at every dog that barks, you won’t reach your destination. It’s never too late Who said it’s too late to turn a new leaf? Or pick yourself up from where life knocked you down? Who said you can’t get another job or live the life you so desire after many trials? Who said you can’t date again after a bad breakup? Listen up motherland moguls, it’s never too late to live the life you want or to become the lady you hope to become. You have so much passion and talent waiting to be unleashed. There’s so much you can do. Don’t let the many slip-ups and downtrodden moments get in your way. Just shake it off and pick yourself up. When life knocks you down (and at some point it will), don’t get a mat and camp there. No! Rise above it, pick yourself up, learn from your mistakes and do better. Become better. Know that it’s never too late, let the naysayers talk, follow your drive and passion, work hard and be resilient. To get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your story with us.
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
SAMANTHA MOGWE: I collaborate with other brands that share the same values as me
Samantha Mogwe is a Motswana singer/songwriter who brings a fused element of neo-soul/RnB. Raised to appreciate poetry and performing arts, she was exposed to music at an early age. She has had the opportunity to perform not only in Botswana but in South Africa, Namibia, Ethiopia, and Sweden. Sharing the stage with well-known artists such as Zahara, The Soil, Zonke, Joe Thomas, Kenny Latimore, Lira, Micasa, Hugh Masikela among others. Samantha is a 2014 YAMA award winner for Best Female Artist for the year and a BOMU Award winner for Best packaged Album, in 2015. She is a multifaceted individual who places great value on edification and re-inventive qualities. She holds a degree in Theology and has studied music with the Trinity College of London. Samantha is a wife and a mother, radio personality on local radio station Gabz Fm, a voice coach, fitness enthusiast and businesswoman who maintains her work-life balance by scheduling everything and prioritizing what is important. In this interview, she chats to us about personal and business branding qualities, new radio show venture and social entrepreneurship. Have you always wanted to be a musician? I come from a family that loves music and arts in general. I knew I loved music but I did not grow up thinking I would choose music as a career. It’s something that crept up on me when my best friend forced me to join My African Dream when we were 15. We came second in our category and then I would always find myself gravitating towards performing on stage despite fear and being shy. How have you steered clear of the ideology that doing music in Botswana is not a sustainable career? Like any career, the arts are unpredictable, and I say this because we now live in a time where a staggering number of our graduates are unemployed even though they are in fields that our parents assume would be safer when it comes to making an income. I personally have never been the type of person who was caught up in following the ideas and norms of what society expected of me. I think it’s because I remind myself that I came into this world alone, and one day I will SOLELY stand before God to give an account of what I did with the gifts and opportunities that He has given me. My faith and hope for being a successful musician are what also fuelled me to keep at it even when there were so many reasons to just simply give up and try something that seemed to have more certainty. [bctt tweet=”My purpose is clear in the lyrical content of my music, my radio show & in the conversations I have – @samanthamogwe” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Why was it important for you to transition into the radio realm and how did you prepare for it? How I got into radio was a bit of a strange one. Some people think it’s because I “knew someone” who gave me the opportunity but that is not how it happened. At the beginning of 2017, I had a deep inclination to invest in myself and learn the art of public speaking. I joined Gaborone Toast Masters and spent the entire year with the Club, learning how to speak in public without being afraid and how to articulate myself. Gabz Fm then put out an advert where they were looking for new radio presenters and I tried to ignore it. My husband and sister then convinced me to drop off my applications and demo. Three months later after they had gone through the applicants, I was shortlisted to join a group of ten who had potential. We began training in December of 2017 into January of 2018 and that’s how I got in. I have always known that I would love to be able to speak on a public platform because writing music can be limiting as you are working on sharing an idea on an instrumental that is less than 4 minutes. That’s quite limiting. I wanted to diversify my brand in a way that still maintained my purpose and vision and also challenged me so that I would keep growing as a person. Not only that, I found that it was important that I should try and reach people who might only see me as a performing artist, but often wouldn’t think that I have opinions on issues that we as Batswana are dealing with on a day to day basis. The “Sams Purple Lounge” among other things addresses interesting business and social issues. What encouraged you to address these? I want us to fix ourselves and in turn fix our immediate community in our own little way. This is what Sams Purple Lounge is out to do. To be honest, I have gotten tired of having us constantly complaining as a people. We have many problems in our society so why not show solutions. This is why I try to bring guests who are addressing various social concerns. Our conversations are geared toward fixing social issues, and also at times educating and challenging the mindset that often needs challenging and encouragement to look at life beyond ‘ME, MYSELF AND I’! I am overwhelmed by the response. So far people love it, and I couldn’t be happier because that encourages me to keep going and keep growing as a radio presenter. Can you tell us more about your social enterprises? I have aligned myself with two specific social causes: LOVE IS ART: The whole point is to use theatre and performing arts during the 16 days of Activism Against Women and Child Abuse. Here we tell stories aimed at creating dialogue and in the process, we raise funds for safe houses for battered women and children. This seems to be a big trouble area for Batswana as most times, we do not talk about the abuse that goes on in our homes. We see that women are daily
Tech, Edu and Agro Events in Africa to be on the look out for this year
The success of any business is measured by many factors, growth is one of them. “There are only three ways to grow a business. You either get more clients, increase the cost of each transaction, or you service your clients with more products,” – Jay Abraham. One of the guaranteed ways and proven of increasing your client base is through networking. All mother mogul pencil your diaries and be on the look-out for the association opportunities that may accelerate your career. Here is a list of different events across different industries in Africa for you to look out for. Seamless East Africa 2018 For all our East African MotherlandMoguls interested in FinTech, this one’s for you. Seamless East Africa 2018 brings you anything you need to know about payments, banking, and financial technology. Meet participants from across 45 countries, including 58 different African banks. This event is happening from the 3rd – 5th September 2018 at the Radisson Blu. Nairobi. See more information here. EduTECH Africa 2018 EduTECH Africa 2018 is an exhibition where solution providers will be showcasing technologies aimed at helping African educators make education more relevant in the 21st century. This event is happening from the 9th – 10th of October 2018, at Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg South Africa. See more information here. Nigeria Mining Week 2018 Nigeria Mining Week 2018 exhibition is set to host Exhibitors from across the globe. This event brings networking opportunities for serious investors, mining operators, finance houses and multilateral investors. Technology solution providers who are seeking a new market and new clients for mineral exploration and extraction are also expected to attend this event. This event is set to take place from the 15th – 17th October 2018. For more information, click here EduBUILD Africa 2018 EduBUILD is Africa’s only education buildings and infrastructure conference and exhibition. The conference is mainly for education leaders and decision-makers involved in the design, construction, renovation, maintenance, operation, and management of buildings for schools and universities. This two-day event is co-located with Africa’s largest annual education meet-up EduTECH – and features a senior-level congress, peer-to-peer roundtables, 1-to-1 meetings and a large exhibition …. The EduBUILD conference is perfect for gathering information about the latest education building projects, discussing new tenders, forging partnerships and doing business. This event is set to take place from the 9th -10th of October 2018, at Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg. See more information here. 21st Food Agro Kenya 2018 The 21st Food Agro Kenya 2018 is a food, hospitality and agriculture expo happening from the 4th – 6th September, at the Kenyatta Int’l. Convention Center, Nairobi-Kenya. East Africa’s premier International Food, Hotel & Agriculture exhibition to host Exhibitors from over 20 countries. Showcasing top products, equipment, and machinery presented by exhibitors from over 20 countries. Get more information about this event here. If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your story with us.
8 Growth Hacking Lessons From Games of Thrones’ Daenerys Targaryen
You may not be the Mother of Dragons, but that doesn’t mean your confidence should wane. Never! Daenerys Targaryen, one of the minor characters who lately became a heroine in HBO’s “Game of Thrones” is notable for her quest to conquer the seven kingdoms. However, if you look at it from another perspective, you’d see that she became an entrepreneur by turning a few dragon eggs into a gigantic empire. From becoming a timid sister sold into an arranged marriage, to being the leading contender for the crown of the seven kingdoms and protector of the realm, here are some life lessons every girl can take from Daenerys Targaryen’s book. 1. Lead, Never Follow The Unburnt Queen of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and of the First Men, Queen of Meereen, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Breaker of Chains, Mother of Dragons – these are just some of the titles that describe the greatness that lies within Daenerys Targaryen. As we seen so far in the show, Daenerys is a natural born leader. She is determined to always position herself as an alpha of the pack and there’s almost nothing you can do about it. However, how does she do it? – She backs up her convictions and shows her support to people others have ignored. And that’s an important lesson every girl needs to learn. If you want to really dominate your niche one day and position yourself as a leader, you need to prove yourself to your targeted crowd as a brand that has a different vision for the future. You need to understand what your direct competitors are missing, and use it to your advantage to position you as an authority when reinventing a particular niche or market. 2. Find Your Own Dragons, Feed Them, Care For Them, And They Will Return The Favor Just like Khaleesi cared for and nurtured her dragons until they were big enough to fight for themselves and their mother, you should do the same for your brand and investment. If you want really to grow and establish yourself as a leader in your industry, you must be patient and work hard with your dragons. You have to feed them, pet them, and care for them until they become a real source of power. 3. Embrace The Diversity For those of you who follow the show closely, you’d know that Daenerys Targaryen knows how to use her uniqueness to her advantage. Being the last of the Targaryens and a woman fiercely competing for power in a world ruled by strong and ruthless men, Daenerys definitely stands out from the crowd. With her long silver hair, milky skin and unflinching view on slavery – she really knows how to draw attention to herself. In the present age where every business is basically copying each other, diversity is like a breath of fresh air to almost every type of consumer. Today, every idea that’s original, irrespective of how big or small it may be, can completely turn the game around in your favour. 4. Pursue Your Dreams Do Matter What Let’s face it – Daenerys has overcome a lot while pursuing her dreams — from the death of her unborn son, to having to kill her husband, and uncountable assassination attempts — she has never slacked in her beliefs. Instead, she regroups and come back stronger. Do I need to remind you that she staunchly believed in her vision that she resurrected a species on the brink of extinction? While your dreams may revolve around taking the throne back, that doesn’t mean they’re not worth following. 5. Don’t Let Any Man Maltreat You An abusive brother, a savage husband — Daenerys has dealt with mean men in her life. Did that stop her from becoming powerful? Of course not! She has now become powerful that if you dare lay a hand on her, you will regret it. There are lots of women out there putting up with abusive behavior; take a page from Daenerys’ book. She is control of her domain, her body; and any man who threatens that risk the wrath of Daenerys and her followers. 6. Pick Your Battles While she fights for what she firmly believes in, Daenerys doesn’t get involved in unnecessary fights. Not every person who angers her ends up getting charred by her dragons; except for the extremely heinous ones. She knows how to play the game, yet maintaining respect. Daenerys us that we shouldn’t react to every squabble with the power of a Dragon, that sometimes our wrath is best left for another day when it can truly have its intended effect. 7. Don’t Be Afraid To Get A Little Dirty Now, I’m not saying we all have to eat the heart of a horse to achieve your goals. However, Daenerys teaches us that getting what you want means getting your hands dirty sometimes. She embraces the messier aspects of life and is stronger for it. 8. Knowing Your Customers and Truly Caring for Them Are Two Completely Different Things – Always GO for the Latter If you want to score big in business, you have to truly know your brand and your potential customers. They ain’t wrong, girl! It is your job to understand to whom you’re selling and what. Figuring out what your potential customers like, what they dislike, and what makes them interested in your brand. That should be on top of your to-do list. Once you’ve gotten all that information in your grasp, take that newly-acquired knowledge and apply it to your marketing. If you succeed in doing that, your conversion rates will sky-rocket faster than you can spell SUCCESS. Interestingly, I have noticed that, in a way, Daenerys Targaryen uses the above-mentioned tactics in her growth strategy. She targets the weak, the forgotten, and the downtrodden, and recruits them to her army by promising them the very same thing they long for – freedom. Talk about knowing your targeted audience, eh?
Intercultural collaboration: The secret to unlocking innovation and growth
[bctt tweet=”Understand everyone’s goals and work together to achieve them” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] According to the Harvard Business Review, “diversity unlocks innovation and drives market growth. ” Because of technology allows us to communicate instantly, everyone can access diversity. The world is becoming a global village, largely because we no longer need to spend hours, weeks, months or more transmitting messages. We can access information and people within seconds, allowing us to build companies, teams, and relationships with those that used to be unreachable. This phenomenon is a game changer for social entrepreneurs and professionals. If one does not consider the interconnectivity of the world and the need for diverse teams, one will fall behind and miss economic and social opportunities. For those who recognize this and seek to diversify partners and scale global businesses, it is crucial that we understand our ingrained mindsets surrounding our work habits, our communications skills and our overall view of success that come from the environment we grew up in. Often, we do not even realize that we are behaving in a way that hinders our success, even when we have the best intentions. I have done a lot of work promoting mutually beneficial relationships between Africans and Americans. During this time, I saw some of the major challenges that crop up in our intercultural relations stem from different communications habits. For example, certain cultures rely heavily on writing, whereas others communicate verbally. The frequency of communication can also be affected by the environment, tone, vocabulary or communication methods used. In certain contexts, different methods of communication are preferred- in an American office, email is the go-to, even when you could walk down the hall and ask a question in person. However, in the offices I worked at in Senegal, if I needed anything, I took a walk to my colleague’s desk, chatted about family, the weather, the latest wrestling match, and only then asked about my work needs. In order to succeed in our globalizing world, the most important thing to do is increase your cultural knowledge of your collaborators. Certain aspects are relatively easy to learn- norms surrounding work attire, greetings in the local language, gestures/body language, or religious belief, for example. Others take more time to truly understand intricacies such as social classes/ethnicities, relationship with authority figures, gender/family roles, work ethic and office behavior. Before my trip to Ghana last August, I made sure to do some basic research on culture, customs, and linguistics, but also knew I needed to continue to ask questions and joke respectfully with people during my stay to be better prepared to collaborate professionally and personally with Ghanaians. Increasing cultural knowledge and working on intercultural awareness are actions to take to ensure you are building the most successful, inclusive, financially solid and sustainable programs with the top talent the world can offer. Furthermore, it is crucial to establish trust in any relationship. A trust model dedicated to intercultural teams is based on ten dimensions; competence, compatibility, goodwill, integrity, predictability, well-being, inclusion, openness with information, accessibility, and reciprocity. [bctt tweet=”Entrepreneurs will see true disruptive innovation by creating inclusive teams” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] There are many ways to build this trust, paying special attention to which methods to employ given the nature of the team, be it in person, remote or a hybrid. As I build Baobab Consulting, where most of our relationships are virtual, I mostly use WhatsApp, social media, Google Drive and email to share information and create team culture, but I take every opportunity to meet face to face to establish that physical connection, which in many cultures, plays a crucial role. Even with cultural awareness and trust, there still may be some lingering stereotypes or assumptions we carry that we are unaware of. Let us not presume that two North Americans or two Africans on a team understand each other. A woman from Senegal will have a completely different vantage point than a man from Zimbabwe, just as a woman from New York City’s will be different from a male colleague from Montreal. Even if there are some similarities between them that may help them bond faster, it is still necessary to follow the same procedures of intercultural awareness. At the end of the day, no matter where you fall on the intercultural awareness spectrum, how many languages you speak, or how many cultural events you have been to, you must remember that personality can also play a role. Sometimes, we work better with certain personality types and struggle with others, so this should not be discounted as you work together and build team dynamics. Take a free version of the Myers Briggs test to learn more about your personality and that of your teammates. By creating inclusive teams and encouraging them to fearlessly and meaningfully contribute, entrepreneurs will see true disruptive innovation. To do that, we must make sure the right steps are taken to ensure that everyone feels taken care of, considered, understood and respected. There will always be some level of tension and even conflict when we work together, but if we assume all parties have good intentions, these snafus can be overlooked. Always remember the true mission of what you are doing. Understand everyone’s goals and work together to achieve them. If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your story with us.
More Women are embracing Co-working in Nigeria
The way in which we work and do business has changed enormously over the years, pushing further the entrepreneurial narrative. Today, we have a lot more flexibility and freedom to work remotely, without coming to the office, or operating a home-based business, or making use of convenient locations. More and more women in Nigeria are entering the business world, and many more are being encouraged to do so. The inspirational stories of women breaking the frontiers from all over Africa and the world at large have motivated more women to venture into the male-dominated business world. Therefore, it’s no surprise that the BBC in a recent study said Nigeria has the highest number of female entrepreneurs in the world, this clearly shows how entrepreneurial Nigerian women are and how they keep pushing the envelope in different sectors of the economy. These women are rising up to the challenge and have fully embraced the concept of Coworking. Currently, all over the world, there are over 4000 Coworking spaces and about 20 female-centered spaces. In Nigeria, there are over 100 coworking spaces spread across the country with the majority in Lagos. WHAT IS COWORKING? Coworking refers to people working in shared office spaces and has been referred to as the future of work. With more and more women getting actively engaged, they are taking advantage of serviced office spaces as against the traditional rent. Venia Hub is one, the first coworking space in Nigeria. Venia has since opened its doors to budding female entrepreneurs. It is currently housing many female-owned owned businesses and lots of virtual and creative freelancers. Venia’s sister company; The iLx Center is a training facility which has seen women come in to be empowered by organizations and individuals. There has been a lot of female facilitators and trainers booking the training center to empower both women and the public in general. Women based organizations like the SLA digital marketers training and lots more have been held at The iLx Center. The Center provides first class services such as uninterrupted power supply, fast internet, and generally optimized environment to fit whatever occasion that may be required of the space and ease of location. While the benefits of Coworking might seem obvious already, here are some more specific benefits working from a coworking space such as Venia does for you and your business, whether big or small. 5 BENEFITS OF COWORKING 1. It’s Affordable Co-working spaces are affordable and startup friendly, they offer way cheaper rent rates as against the traditional rent and running cost for offices. From power, cleaning, security, to other needed facilities and infrastructure needed to run business seamlessly, all these can take a toll on business especially SME’s. Coworking with its service nature caters for all of that by spreading the cost with other co-workers The running cost is spread across the board so the effect is not felt by one alone. This way you work from a secured space with great ambiance, your mails are handled and your visitors properly entertained. 2. It’s Structured There’s no doubt the amount of distraction that comes from working from home. The truth remains that there are multiple things that can become distractions, affecting output and productivity. The coworking environment gives the structure needed to get actual work done. You get a heightened focus and higher discipline to achieve tasks with very minimal distractions. 3. Increased Productivity There is an energy that emanates from interacting with like minds and coworking offers just that; the opportunity to network with people doing great work, share/ bounce ideas off each other and even skills rent. Coworking serves as a hub for highly creative people whose skills can be temporarily hired, promoting an exchange of skills and knowledge. Working from a hub surrounded by other industry players keeps you on your toes. You’ll also find yourself constantly informed about the happenings in your industry. There is a supply of all the information you need to energize and achieve more while ticking things off your list and hitting your business goals. 4. Collaboration Collaboration is the new competition, and coworking is synonymous to collaboration. The concept of working in a shared space and amongst similar minds enables avenue for networking and collaboration for greater impact. Examples of collaboration that changed the world. 5. Flexibility: Coworking offers flexibility, depending on available funds, a lifestyle that might involve traveling and move from one location to another. Venia, offer plans that range from daily, weekly, monthly and even weekends to accommodate different work plans. It also provides options of working from different locations on one subscription. For days when you don’t want to go through traffic, or you seem to have meetings in a different location, Coworking affords you the options for flexibility. With all of these incredible benefits that coworking offers, it is apparent that women; motherland moguls take advantage of coworking to boost their productivity, business, and brand. It is encouraging that women continue to set and raise the bar, pursuing their dreams and embracing their full potential, choosing to orchestra their lives and be part of the future, we are here to propel them on. This article was written by Joy Kika for ILX. Sponsored Post.
Motherhood 101: Rejoining the Workforce with a Bang
A few days ago, I received a call from a close friend who was crying. She had applied for a position and was rejected after the third stage of the interview – just because she had kids. This wasn’t my first time hearing something like this as I had been in this situation after having my baby. Hearing this story inspired me to share a few nuggets of wisdom with my fellow Motherland Moguls and to discuss how mothers can re-enter the workforce. The Truth If you came across an ad with the JD of a mom, it would be impossible to fill. It’s endless! For those who have experienced and survived motherhood, you know that being a mom is one of the most trying times of a woman’s life – but it is also one of the greatest learning experiences ever! The invaluable skills and lessons learnt through motherhood aren’t recognized in the corporate world as they should be. From being excellent role models to excellent managers, team players, great multitaskers, economical, responsible, and dedicated. Honestly, companies won’t find great employees like mothers. Positive Traits Mothers Bring to Work If you’ve taken time off from work to raise your kids, it’s nothing to be ashamed of. I write this to you because I’ve often had to repeat it to myself and other women. After staying at home, there is no reason as to why you shouldn’t rejoin the workforce with a great job. During your time spent caring for your children, you will have learnt many traits that you can apply to your work and interviews. Firstly, mothers are excellent multitaskers who are always doing everything at once. The fact that they can juggle many tasks at once suggests that they could be efficient employees who could handle many projects. Their scheduling and planning skills also mean that mothers could be great time managers. After dealing with fussy and stubborn kids, mother’s not only develop great patience, but they turn ugly situations into beautiful ones. This motherly nature makes them very approachable which is important as an employee. Also, their ability to deal with high pressure and still thrives ensures that if faced with challenges, mothers can effectively deal with a crisis. Addressing the Gap on your Resume One thing many mothers struggle with is talking about the gap on your resume. While you know why the gap is there, many employers will want to question you about it. The first thing you need to do is own up. You can do this through explaining how you’ve grown during this period. Secondly, you need to show that despite not working for a while, you are more than ready to get back to work. By proving that you have planned your move with things such as a childcare plan in place, you make employers feel more comfortable when hiring you. Another risk with not working for long is that hiring managers may worry your skills are outdated. To avoid this situation, you can try and take online training courses to update your professional/technical skills. This not only shows initiative, but it highlights your adaptability. Finally, it is important to know your value and find employers who welcome your stay-at-home experience. Personally, as stay-at-mom, slash writer and proofreader, I’ve learnt to embrace this part of my life. In turn, those around me have learnt to respect it to. If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your story with us.
Self-care Secrets for Healthy Motherland Moguls
Motherland Moguls can be some of the busiest women in the world. They are mothers, wives, boss ladies, friends and everything else in between. Many times, they often prioritize other people’s needs above their own and forget about their own self-care. But why is self-care important for a motherland mogul? Self-care is the art of understanding one’s needs and meeting them. This simply means showering yourself with kindness and goodness. With the right amount of self-care, you can grow emotionally, physically and spiritually. Awino Omole put together for us some secrets for motherland moguls to maintain a healthy self-care routine. [bctt tweet=”Sometimes all you need is to get in touch with your senses to stay in the present moment. ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 1. Create goals Setting achievable goals is a critical part of having a self-care routine. Other people will come with their interests and goals. However, you shouldn’t neglect your goals as this is important towards your growth. To set your goals, you can break them into smaller portions. Through this, you will eventually live to see your dreams turn into actionable plans. 2. Be your best friend We can be our own worst enemies if we want. How many times have you judged yourself a lot harsher than others have? When the weight of self-care kicks in; perfectionism seems to be the order of the day. But you need to learn to be easy on yourself. Being your own cheerleader will help you put things into perspective during those moments of self-doubts. Once you learn to love yourself first, then you can love others better. 3. Laugh at your flaws In all that you are going through, it is important not to drown in your storm. You should strive to be an individual who embraces their flaws and knows their awesomeness regardless of all the flaws they may have. We all have those moments we don’t want to share with others. Despite this, it is very important that you learn to accept your flaws and insecurities and learn to live with them. 4. Slow down Live one day at a time. Create time outside your normal daily routine to love yourself or to just do nothing. If you don’t have much of a social life, find ways to nurture new and meaningful relationships. Above all, it is also important to debrief yourself on your progress. Sometimes you need to have a board meeting with yourself to see if you are meeting your goals but also to ignite your passions when you feel like you are losing touch. 5. Talk about your fears We all get a little scared sometimes. But we should not let our fears paralyze our dreams. When it is getting tough, you should find a trustworthy person and explain your fears. Through talking to someone, they may help you sift through your problems and come up with a solution. Sometimes all you need is to get in touch with your senses to stay in the present moment. To do this you may need to zone out. Walk away from what is normal. It is okay to retreat inwards and not engage at all. It may seem selfish, but it is important to get in touch with your self. If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your story with us.