African Career Woman Archives | She Leads Africa | #1 destination for young African ambitious women

Overwhelmed? Here’s How to Succeed in these Times

For a start babe, how are you feeling today?

I know that these past few months have been challenging. Business sales are declining, pay cuts at work, bank accounts are turning red and being indoors is getting the best of us. For some of us, thinking of how to succeed is the last thing on our minds. We’re more about how to survive.

There is SO MUCH going on and I bet we are all looking for ways to stay sane during and after this pandemic.

But the truth is, bags still need to be secured and money has to be made- pandemic or not! So here are a few tips on how you can succeed in the new norm.

1. Stop feeling sorry for yourself

If you really want to succeed, you will find ways to change where you are right now. Self-pity won’t take you there. If your mood is not right, take a brief meditation break or dance to your favourite song. Shake off that bad energy because better days are here!

2. Create a gratitude journal

Get your notepad and list out a few things you’re grateful for today. Think about your family, friends, things that went well, the growth you’ve experienced and any other positive parts of your life no matter how big or small.

3. Never stop marketing yourself

If you’re a business owner, start treating every piece of communication you send out as another chance to market your product. Show your best pieces and update that Instagram account with your latest products or discounts. Most importantly, remind family and friends about your business.

4. Don’t be stagnant

We’ve been forced to conform to changes that we have little or no control over. If you’re thinking about how to succeed, this is the time for you to re-evaluate your business goals in relation to the current economy. Find ways to thrive girl! The world is evolving and so should you. Don’t just exist. Live. Explore. Challenge yourself.

There are many hidden opportunities right now. You just need to put yourself out there! Click To Tweet

5. Keep the vision alive!

You need to have a vision of who you want to be. Succeeding in the new norm means breaking through the hard shells to come out renewed and rejuvenated. It means doing it your own way and making the best out of everything.

To build that amazing business or career, you need access to resources that can help you. She Leads Africa has consistently delivered valuable content and experiences for women to live their best lives over the years.

Where did the pandemic hit you the most? A decline in business sales, a pay cut or you’ve exhausted your savings. Whatever it is, you need a strong support system to push you to exceed limits and take on opportunities you never thought you would. These are some benefits of being a part of the SLA community.

Grab your squad and join the train of successful women in the 21st century. Join the SLA community!

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This woman-led startup bets it can help African businesses grow faster

by She Leads Africa

As Sub-saharan Africa lags behind in the World Bank’s 2020 ease of doing business report, one woman-led startup thinks it can help entrepreneurs grow their companies in this tough environment.

After years of mentoring startups and running businesses in Ghana and Nigeria, Munachim Chukwuma started IB Consulting in February 2019 to help founders overcome operating challenges she also had to face as a young entrepreneur.

Munachim and her team believe they’ve found the recipe to help African business grow quickly with their innovative and affordable service model.

"Never have a business with NO business structure" #RedFlag – @consultingibobo Click To Tweet

Why Nigerian startups are struggling to grow.

According to experts from Harvard University, startups that want to stand the test of time must learn new ways of operating and behaving. This is difficult for a lot of entrepreneurs because these new ways tend to be completely different from their start-up roots.

Most startups struggle to grow and scale either because they do not know how or lack the proper structure and strategy. This is where we come in.
Munachim Chukwuma – Founder, Ibobo Consulting

IB Consulting believes that African entrepreneurs struggling to grow their businesses must realize they are in a different phase of their business life cycle, and therefore must change.

IB Consulting’s growth recipe for startups.

To help entrepreneurs struggling to scale, Munachim and her partners created a service model that combines strategy consultation, negotiation, and content creation.

IB Consulting bets its 3 service tentpoles are what entrepreneurs need to grow faster despite the difficulty of doing business in Africa.

We decided to focus on strategy consultation, negotiations and content creation as a company because we realized most of the challenges most businesses face in today’s society are tied to those three areas in one way or another.
Munachim Chukwuma – Founder, Ibobo Consulting

In addition to its unique service model, IB Consulting promises clients efficiency, personalization, and great service.

Why you should watch out for IB Consulting.

In less than a year, IB Consulting is proving it is not just all talk. The company reports that since February, it has helped over 10 business owners rebuild their structures and execute action growth plans.

It’s also not just about the money for this company this woman-led company. They have done some pro bono work for new entrepreneurs who could not afford to pay for some of our services.

In 2020, the company plans to expand aggressively to reach, help and educate help businesses across Africa.

We intend to grow over the next year of business and reach more people across the continent, as we also reinvent our business and launch more products that can meet the needs of our prospective clients.
Munachim Chukwuma – Founder, Ibobo Consulting

Visit https://iboboconsulting.com/ for more information on how IB Consulting can help your business.

Sponsored Post.

WEBINAR WITH VUMILE MSWELI: WORKING TOWARDS YOUR DREAM CAREER (OCTOBER 31)

by She Leads Africa

Don’t have a career growth plan? Well, girl, you need one!

When we were younger, our career plans were much more exciting! We wanted to be so many things. Now that we’re older, are we really focused on our career goals with as much excitement?

Or are we just all about the Benjamins?

Sometimes, we get so busy on the job and running the businesses that we don’t take the time to focus on our personal development.

But remember, you owe it to yourself. The smarter you get; the more skills and valuable contacts you have, the more your company will benefit and the more schmoney will come in!!!

Tired of your current career status? Join us for a webinar with @vumilemsweli on Wed, October 31st at 3 pm WAT to get all the tips you need to take your career to the next level. Click To Tweet

Join us on Wednesday, October 31st, for a Webinar with Vumile Msweli, founder of Hesed Consulting, who will be giving advice on how to reach the next level in your career.

Vumile has had experience working with individuals and entrepreneurs to accelerate their careers and businesses, and she’ll be helping you too!

Some of the topics we’ll cover

How to design your career
Positioning yourself for your career
Finding your Ikigai (the source of value in your life)
Re-discovering your career passion
How to maximize your career for success

Register below to access this opportunity and submit questions that you would like Vumile to answer.

Webinar Details:

Date: Wednesday, October 31st, 2018

Time: 3pm Lagos // 4pm Joburg // 5pm Nairobi

Location: We’ll send you the link to watch once you register

Watch the webinar here:

About Vumile

Vumile Msweli is an international speaker, renowned career coach, columnist, and the Chief Executive officer for Hesed Consulting. Hesed is a consulting firm specializing in commerce acceleration; career coaching; women empowerment; facilitation and training on the African continent with a presence in Nigeria and South Africa.

Vumile has worked in Europe; Asia and across the African continent for reputable multinational institutions including Barclays, Investec, Nedbank, First National Bank, and Vodafone. Vumi is a regular contributor to the Guardian Nigeria and Destiny South Africa, she has spoken at the African Union, Women’s Economic Forum and USAID to mention a few.

She is an award-winning businesswoman who has received honours such as the Women’s’ Economic Forum’s Woman of Excellence Award, being named 34th Most Influential Young South African by Avance Media, the Mail and Guardian Top 200 most influential Young South Africans and awarded the Elle Boss of the Year in the Corporate Category and the Black Management Forum’s Young Professional of the Year.

10 reasons you should be your own #MotherlandMogul before and after marriage

by Anita Bonsi

I remember the day it dawned on me that my husband would have his own income. After a long day on campus, I got home tired and needing a long hot shower but feeling so fulfilled.

It was in this long shower that I suddenly had this thought, “Somewhere across the world my husband is coming home from a long day of grinding too”.

This was the first time that I realized that I could one day enjoy the fruits of my husband’s labor. I have thought of how tall I want him to be, how I want him to be chocolate like Idris Elba and intellectual like Nate Parker but I had never thought of the kind of money he would make.

I guess I have never really felt like I was entitled to his labor. I have always thought; I can’t change my own tire or kill a roach on my own but darn it I can make my own money.

Too many of our African movies depict the man leaving for work while the woman stays at home wearing her perfectly ironed dress (because we all wake up excited to wear a head wrap and make breakfast). It’s either that or my personal favorite, the scene where the girl’s best friend —or better yet her mother— tells her she is stupid for not liking the rich business man who likes her. Because God forbid we love a man for other things besides his money.

I think we can do better. Here are my 10 reasons why you should want to be a #MotherlandMogul before and after marriage.

Because Beyoncé said so

Nuff’ said.

So that you can treat your man

When you can say to your man, “Babe lets go out, my treat”…The only words sweeter to a man’s ear is “the jollof is ready”.

So that you can treat yourself

Retail therapy is a real thing.

No one would argue with you for buying 4 pairs of designer shoes in one shopping trip if you used your own money.

Because you don’t want to be stuck like Melania Trump

Hopefully the whole world would not be stuck with Trump as the President of the United States.

Because men are great…but they are not everything.

*Musters up the courage to repeat Rihanna’s words to every aunt who asks when I am getting married.*

Because we have every right to dream bigger and aim higher than men.

Auntie Chimamanda summed it up nicely. You shouldn’t hold back for fear that you’ll threaten a man.

All women should dream bigger and aim higher.

So that you can leave when you want to (or need to)

Aren’t we all tired of the narrative where a wife stays with an abusive husband because he is her bread and butter and she has no other option? Motherland Moguls can leave when they need to.

Because a #MotherlandMogul is her own rich man.

Studies have shown that parents will give their children more freedom to be single if their child is financially stable on their own.

Ok that study is my own personal wishful thinking. Also if your parent is African, it doesn’t work.

Because feeling your self feels better on your own dime

I bet you Beyoncé and Nicki did not have that much fun on set because Jay Z and Meek Mill are rich.

It’s because they know they will be completely fine without their men.

Because a #MotherlandMogul’s best position is CEO

*Makes mental note to say this to every guy who asks what my favorite position is*

Your boo, your woe

by Ugochi Obidiegwu

You’ve heard it said that one of the most important career decisions you can make is the choice of a boo. Your bae could be a nightmare for your career goals, hence the need to choose wisely.

Unhealthy relationships can and will affect both your career and personal growth. As a matter of fact, it is an Achilles heel for some African career women. Yes, I just went there.

Get it right

From my point of view, everyone starts their day from the home front. And at the end of each work day, you also need to return there. That’s why it is important to be in the right place to avoid tales of woe.

We’ve all had that classmate or colleague who was such a bright star with the prospect of making the headlines someday. The person voted most likely to succeed that somehow lost track. The one that the rumour mill says stopped working because she was making more than her husband.

It’s bad enough that societal pressures make the absence of a relationship seem life-threatening. However you should never be in a relationship that trivializes your dreams, goals or hustle.

Love actually matters

And hey, I’m not asking that you believe the narrative that love doesn’t matter. Of course, it does matter. A loving relationship is the best foundation for reaching new heights. The right boo is a great asset and we want our Motherland Moguls to ace life in all spheres.

Just imagine having a “global” vision and being unduly yoked with a partner with a “local” mindset? Even the Bible says, two cannot go together except they agree.

We need boo to support your hustle

It’s been said that if you stand for nothing, you would fall for anything. Therefore, it’s important to understand yourself: your persona, temperament, beliefs and goals. Knowing who you are and what you want out of life will help you navigate the relationship waters.

So your boo has money but belittles your dreams and talks down on you, what are you waiting for?

On your entrepreneurial journey, there would be times of trials, tears, joys, victories and growth. You’ll need your ‘A team’ to be on point. A bae to encourage, motivate and cheer you on, not demean or be envious of you.

See what I mean?

You’ve got to hand it to the Obama’s, they give us awesome couple goals. They didn’t get here overnight but we have now seen a true picture of how a great relationship can make or mar your career.

With this in mind Motherland Moguls, next time you’re on operation seize the bae remember to, as we say in Nigeria, “shine your eyes”.