Kene Rapu: Find something that makes your brand different from everyone else
Kene Rapu is the founder and CEO of ‘Kene Rapu’, the No.1 Nigerian footwear brand championing local production, established in 2011. Her brand has played a significant role in changing the face of ‘Made in Nigeria’ footwear. Kene is a fully qualified lawyer with an LLB law degree from the University of Bristol, UK and a Masters Degree in Fashion Entrepreneurship from the London College of Fashion, UK. In 2016 she was selected by the Tony Elumelu Foundation as one of 1000 African Entrepreneurs who’s idea could “change Africa”, in 2017 as one of 100 ‘Most Influential’ women in Nigeria by Leading Ladies Africa and most recently listed in the prestigious Forbes Africa ’30 under 30’ class of 2018, in the business category. All Kene Rapu slippers are proudly made in Nigeria for the global community. [bctt tweet=”Dream big but start small, grow as organically as possible – @KeneRapu ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What vision did you have when you started out, is it different from what you are experiencing now? Our vision was to be the No.1 Nigerian footwear brand championing local production, and it has remained the same. We are excited about the progress we have made so far, and are looking forward to getting the nations wearing KR. What is it like making it to Forbes 30 under 30 lists? The journey so far makes me more excited for the road ahead. I’m passionate about what I do, and it is humbling and encouraging to know that something I started 7 years ago, has morphed into a business that is recognized globally. How has this exposure impacted your brand? Having a world renown brand highlight your business as one of 30 emerging brands in Africa, is definitely gratifying for a business owner, increases consumer trust and opens you up to a new network of professionals and investors. How can an entrepreneur build a solid brand? In whatever area you want to go into, do your market research. Find a unique selling point, find something that makes your brand different from everyone else in that market. Know your customer, define him or her, have a clear vision of where you want your brand to go; stay focused and remember why you started. Having come this far starting out in 2011, what important lesson can aspiring entrepreneurs take from your journey? Dream big but start small, grow as organically as possible. Understand that there is no such thing as an overnight success. Hard work pays. Consistency and integrity are important. Provide value; a quality product will market itself. How do you deal with gender biases you encounter as a woman running an enterprise? As a female in business, sometimes there are unnecessary issues you have to deal with, that should not be the case. However, challenges make you stronger, whether gender-related or otherwise; deal with them head on and move on. When you jump past hurdles, it is a testament that indeed you are a survivor. I also believe surrounding yourself with the right company is helpful. I have female friends in the business, and we spend time discussing how to resolve our common challenges. Having strong ladies in your corner certainly makes the journey easier. What message do you have for women who need the courage to follow their passion? Go for it. The road is not easy, in fact, it is difficult, but it is certainly gratifying when you begin to break through. Seize the moment and start now. If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your story with us.
JOY PHALA: On switching careers and starting afresh
“One gets to a point where you feel as though the work you do is not fulfilling. When one dreads getting out of bed to go to work, you pretty much know something needs to change!” After years of being a Management Consultant with a Bachelor of Commerce degree, Joy Phala left the security of her job to venture into what captivated and excited her, in a whole new industry. She switched careers from management consultancy to landscape design and growing fresh produce. She is now a landscape designer and founder of Organic Kitchen Gardens. We got into her psyche and asked her for some pointers on starting afresh. Tell us about Organic Kitchen Gardens and what you do for your clients. Organic Kitchen Gardens is an edible landscape design company for chefs, restaurants, and private residents through a design, installation and maintenance process. We create organic edible exterior spaces that reflect our client’s style and personal aesthetic. The concept came about as a result of wanting to create edible gardens that would fit into the urban and suburban environment without the typical farm look associated with fruit and vegetable gardening. Gardens that would reflect sustainable food production while demonstrating good landscape design. How did you know it was the right time to switch careers and how can one be sure of when to take such a bold step? For me, it was more a case of circumstances forcing me to take a particular direction in life more than it was timing. But if I was to generalize, I believe one gets to a point where you feel as though the work you do is not fulfilling. When one dreads getting out of bed to go to work, you pretty much know something needs to change. There’s no surety when it comes to making a change. The biggest risk is that it might not work, and that’s ok because it leaves room for one to gain a deeper understanding of who they are and where their creative genius lies. [bctt tweet=”It’s ok to be completely terrified because so is everyone else who starts out on the road less traveled. ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What advice do you have for those who want to switch careers, perhaps to a completely different industry too, but are too intimidated? It’s ok to be completely terrified because so is everyone else who starts out on the road less traveled. The realization that doing work that matters to me is more important than the fear that I’ll fail is what keeps me going. [bctt tweet=” The only way to know that your venture will work is how the market responds to it. So I literally just started… ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What steps did you take to prepare for entering a new industry and being successful in your new venture? It’s a great idea to understand the legal framework that governs the industry one is embarking on. It’s also a good idea to understand the existing market, the possible competition, and how the industry works, as long as we don’t use this preparation as a reason to hide from doing the work we know we are capable of doing. The nice thing about being an entrepreneur is that you just start. No one other than the marketplace has to qualify or validate your venture. I was one of those that did not get their ducks in a row before introducing my service to the market. The only way to know that your venture will work is how the market responds to it. So I literally just started. I did not learn about the industry while sitting on the sidelines preparing to get in, I learned while on the job and discovered there’s so much more to learn still. Also, I took informal courses and studied Landscape Design. [bctt tweet=”I want to remind Africans that we were practising organics before pre-colonialism days and way before Organic became a trend…” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What is your vision for Organic Kitchen Gardens? Do you see yourself changing the landscape of agriculture in the rest of Africa in the years to come? I want to create exterior outdoor spaces that people love to eat from, but also enjoy living in, outdoor spaces influenced by design and the lifestyles my clients lead. I want to also remind Africans that we were practicing organics before pre-colonialism days and way before Organic became a trend and we need to pick up where our ancestors left off and take center stage when it comes to issues of sustainability, biodiversity, and organic land care. [bctt tweet=”There’s no surety when it comes to making a change. The biggest risk is that it might not work, and that’s ok… ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Let’s talk about ‘Grow Organic’, your organic gardening course. What does it offer students? Grow Organic is a three-part course consisting of a fundamentals level, an Intermediary level, and an Advance level course. The aim is to educate delegates on how they can create their own edible oasis with organically grown vegetables, fruits, flowers, and herbs in an urban setting while supporting the development and success of the ecological environment around them. For now, the classes are conducted through a face-to-face interaction. You have two lovely boys; what is your fondest, and perhaps funniest memory to date of you, them and getting your hands dirty in your home garden? My boys are always experimenting with tasting leaves of herbs and edible flowers. My fondest memory is when I had asked them to pick and taste the flowers of Pineapple Sage Herb. It was the first time they had these edible flowers and they exclaimed, “Mommy, it tastes like sweeties!” I remember thinking how honored I am to be sharing this part of my life with them. Hopefully, they’ll pass it on to their children and children’s children. If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your startup story with us.
Tolulope Tunde-Ajiboye: Life lessons from my journey to new beginnings
Coming into my 33rd year is very special, as it marks my 20th year of walking with God, 10 years of marriage, 10 years of parenting, 10 years of being a professional and the birthing of something new – Blooming Amazons. I will be sharing life lessons I’ve learned through the journey. Before you begin, grab a notepad and maybe a cool drink, because this is a long but eye-opening read. Living for the praises/ validation of men is futile This year, as it’s a pattern with me when something new is about to be birthed in me, all Hell would let loose and most times only a few can see what I m seeing. When Blooming Amazons were about to be birthed, I had people who I taught should be excited about the new work say to me, cancel, it’s not time. I knew I heard God, so I went ahead, not allowing the opinion of anyone to deter me. At the end of our first conference in June, I had a few of them (who were Humble enough) say to me, you really heard God, after the conference, we are convinced. So I say to myself, what if I succumbed to all the pressures? Own your Journey as it is part of your process EVERYTHING we go through in life( The Good, Bad and Ugly) is all part of our becoming and it’s the enemy’s plan to keep us down with shame. God will never want us to be ashamed irrespective of where we have been. He’s more interested in where we are now and where we will spend eternity… We should find strength in our journey and own our story without prejudice, someone out there will draw strength from your journey. Always remember you are only a vessel When God does His work through us, there’s the temptation that people would start to put us on a pedestal of worship(very dangerous), we have to constantly remind them, it is God who is doing His work and we are only vessels, and He alone should take all the glory. If we are not deliberate about this, pride will set in (and it’s usually subtle). God resists the proud, the fear of being resisted by God alone should keep us humble. [bctt tweet=”Everything we go through in life – The Good, Bad and Ugly is all part of our becoming – @tolulopetaj” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Some things never grow old 1. Prayer These days when you say to people lets pray about this, it sounds like a cliché, like the normal thing Christians say, but I tell you the truth, Prayer changes things. Prayer is us admitting to God that we are limited and need His intervention in a particular situation. It’s a show of surrender and Humility. His answer may not come how we many it or when we want it, but He certainly answers. 2. Submission With all the feminism out there and being taken overboard, it assumes that submission is out-dated. I see submission as admitting that the power I have comes through me and not from me, I believe God knows the strength of a woman and if left unchecked can create chaos and that’s why He has commanded us to submit. Submission is more than an admonishing, it’s a command. So, I”m married to this amazing gentleman who allows me to have my way a lot of times, but when He puts his foot down, I know I have to submit, it might not be easy on the flesh, but every time I submit to my Husband, I notice He honors me more and He is spurred to do more for me. Irrespective of what I do outside of my Home, once I get to ABCVille,( How we like to call our Home), I’m first Babatunde’s wife before anything else. Being submissive isn’t the same as being subservient. 3. Loyalty I’m a believer in if you belong to a place, then give it your loyalty, if I start to doubt the integrity of a place I belong to, I would rather move on than to be two-faced. I still don’t know how people are able to sleep at night after hailing someone who they just cursed behind their back. (lol.one of the first questions I will ask God when we get to heaven). God is a loving Father A lot of us have this fearful, awfull picture of God, perhaps painted to us as children from Sunday school days, but it’s not true about Him, we should fear God in reverence, but not an awful kind of fear. God isn’t like the Nigerian traffic police (lastma) lol, hiding and just waiting for us to fail so He can hit us with His rod of correction of sickness, diseases or crisis… Rather, He loves us with an everlasting, I like to call it a ‘reckless love’. The Bible makes us know He doesn’t want the sinner to perish, it is never His will for anyone to perish, and it is never God who puts crises on people, all good and perfect gifts come from Him and its impossible for Him to do evil. [bctt tweet=”Next time you find yourself “falling”, remember, God’s love is waiting with hands open wide to receive you back – @tolulopetaj” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Feelings are a bad master but a good servant As Christians, we can’t be ruled by our feelings, they will mislead us. We are first a spirit, then we have a soul and live in a body, Our soul is responsible for our emotions but as strong as emotions are, they are in no match to what our spirit carries. Our life should be guided by the spirit. So Here was I, tongue-talking, demon chasing daughter of God, being attracted to some other person, of course I know to Kill that emotion because it is not leading to anywhere good. Anger, Jealousy, Fear, all these are emotions and should be put in
Vumile Msweli: Thinking global allows us to elevate our standards and fast track our learning
Vumile Msweli is an international speaker, renowned coach 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. Vumile has worked in Europe, Asia and across the African continent for reputable multinational institutions including Barclays, Investec, Nedbank, First National Bank and Vodafone. She is an award-winning businesswoman who has received honors such as the Women’s’ Economic Forum’s Woman of Excellence Award, named 34th Most Influential Young South African by Avance Media, the Mail and Guardian Top 200 most influential Young South Africans. Vumi has also been awarded the Elle Boss of the Year in the Corporate Category. As we celebrate women’s month in South Africa, Vumi talks about what she’s learned from globetrotting and her driving force to start her business. [bctt tweet=”Traveling is one of the best educations you can give yourself – @vumilemsweli ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Tell us about your experience studying in various countries and how its helped you I am a vehement advocate for education and its ability to transform lives. I also believe that traveling is one of the best educations you can give yourself. The combination of expanding my worldview through both formal and informal learning by studying in different countries has been invaluable to be me. It helped me realize how I am a global citizen with proudly African roots. Living abroad also shifted my thinking to want to excel at a global level whilst keeping my local values. I also learned that where I was born doesn’t define where I belong. How did studying in West Africa change your perspective about business and career? Being an African, one tends to think of the entire continent as home but West Africa definitely has an energy like no place on earth. There are a palpable entrepreneurial spirit and an optimistic view of taking control and accountability for your life as a pose to making excuses as to why you aren’t where you could be. The competition is also very tough, you look at Nigeria and realize that the population of Lagos alone is half the population of my country South Africa. There are also some infrastructural challenges such as energy but no one sits around waiting for the government to resolve these. Everyone gets on with it and takes it upon themselves to excel despite these challenges. Being in West Africa imprinted in me the importance of a diverse revenue stream, the importance of being able to sustain oneself in a cash economy as a pose to being enslaved by credit for survival. West Africans exude an apologetic confidence for their existence, their desires, and the pursuit of their dreams. Being surrounded by a culture like that leaves you no choice but to walk with your head a little taller, work harder and make no excuses as you toil towards your own goals. What prompted you to start your business – Hesed Consulting? I found myself having coaching conversations with friends and acquaintances on various career-related topics and soon realized that I had acquired some niche knowledge. Especially around accelerating my career, what seemed to me to be a simple strategic career or finance play was a non-discussion amongst my peers. I thoroughly enjoy seeing people transform through a shift in perception. Marianne Williamson aptly said: “ a miracle is a shift in perception”.Certainly, I wanted to be a part of that miracle. Vumi is truly a teacher at heart, I love sharing what I have learned. So the look on someone’s face as they utter “I never thought of it that way before” and then proceed to change the direction of their lives because of that conversation gives me great joy. Being a part of that sacred space of sharing tools and experiences that help my clients leapfrog their learning and accelerate their careers and businesses truly makes my heart sing. That’s what prompted me to start Hesed and it’s the reason why Hesed is still in existence 6 years later. At Hesed, we work with individuals and entrepreneurs to accelerate their careers and businesses. We do this through workshops; training; coaching and consulting. We have a pan-African approach; global exposure whilst remaining locally relevant. I guess what makes our team rather unique is that we have executive experience across sectors so we understand the pressures of both corporate and entrepreneurship. Also, many of our teams have worked and lived in different countries and continents. That cultural richness allows for diversity in thinking when tailor making solutions for our clients. How did you go from being a trained accountant working in an international financial institution to a becoming an international speaker and accelerator coach? I had the scholarship to study my Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting Sciences but soon realized after completing that it definitely was not my passion. Actually, I recalled working at an Investment Bank early in my career and instead of focusing on the financial audit work I was assigned to found myself in the customer care department worrying about clients. I was more concerned about the organization’s strategy and operational ability to service them better. Needless to say, my career shifted towards being people-centric and that has never changed. It just expanded to their strategies for success and how they can operate better in their careers and personal lives. [bctt tweet=”Being African allows us to see the world through a certain lens – @vumilemsweli” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How valuable is it to be African and think global? I often say I am a proudly African global citizen. Thinking global allows us to elevate our standards; fast track our learning; bring international best practices to the continent whilst expanding our reach to the whole world. Thinking global in my opinion should not be in exchange for our what makes us African. Being African allows us to see the world through a certain lens and more often than not have a
How to overcome the fright of starting a business
If you have decided to ignore all the advice of well-meaning individuals and friends and have still gone ahead to start a business this year, you must have some real guts. Starting a business is no easy task. There are endless challenges that often discourage you from even starting. When looking at all the challenges entrepreneurs face, it’s easy to question how your business would thrive. If your business was a soft, supple, newborn baby, your goals as a business owner is to see that this business survives its first years. But how do you achieve this and start your business like a boss? 1. Face your fears Spending nights rolling on your bed, worrying about your business goals won’t make you cause you to achieve them. Unfortunately just thinking about your business will not turn it into reality. You may have several doubts about the likelihood of people getting your products and services, but until you put your business out there you won’t know for sure. Start by creating your sample products, sell them to family and friends and get feedback about them. With every action, you take you to become less and less afraid. Every action you accomplish will help your confidence grow and you’ll begin to see your fear diminish. 2. Surround yourself with positive people Surrounding yourself with positive people can make a huge difference on the success of your business. There are people who would do nothing to encourage you and will not give any positive feedback. If you stay close to such people, you will begin to doubt your ability to reach your business goals. The truth is, the people closest to you may be more susceptible about your business than strangers. Expect it. They may not believe in your ability to drive your business to fruition, you shouldn’t make it your aim to prove that point to them. On the other hand, having a supportive people chip in a suggestion or two will stir your faith in your business, you’d start to believe in this brand becoming tangible as you hear them talk about it like it already exists. 3. Be Patient If there is one thing you will most likely encounter, is roadblocks! And when you do, you will need lots of patience. When things get tough, don’t through your hands in the air and shout “I don’t have time for this”. Firstly, try and understand that the problem you face is not always your fault. If you cannot go through the problem, find a way to go around it. Do not compare yourself with what you see on the news and social media. Seeing everyone move on a much faster pace may be discouraging. When you do his a roadblock on your journey, figure out how to deal with it while putting other aspects of your business in track. You should always be ready to take off when the roadblock is removed. 4. Dance upon disappointment As an entrepreneur, managing disappointment is a skill you can’t afford to live without. So what if things do not work out as you plan? What if a key team member decides to leave at the last minute, or a trusted supplier fails to supply your ingredients on time? What would you do when people fail you? You cannot always control all circumstances when working with people. When things go wrong, you shouldn’t beat yourself over. Try and come up with new alternatives. Though this may be tough, it will become a lot easier if you stay positive about it. Take a break, play some music and dance away your disappointments. You can also create a warm environment where everyone can come together and decide on the next steps for the business will be. If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your start up story with us.
Quick Maths (3): How to use your salary/business net income with FSDH Asset Management
Having a money moves mindset means thinking big when it comes to your finances. Welcome to the third part of our Quick Maths series where we’ll be giving you the lowdown of how to master your personal finances in simple ways. We’ve talked about how to generate income to start your business, and how to diversify your funds (even as a low-income earner), now its time to dive even deeper. So… you’ve received that alert now and paid all your bills. What do you do with the rest o the money? Cash out? Call up your girls for a breezy weekend? Nah girl, you need to take a step back, there are more pressing issues. As a career or businesswoman, it’s important to know your bottom line and use it wisely. Your bottom line is what remains after you have removed all expenses from your income. What does your account balance look like after deducting expenses? Is it smiling back at you? Now ask yourself, have you thought of using your last bottom line to increase your next bottom line? We partnered with FSDH Asset Management Ltd to bring you this guide to help you understand ways to use your business net income, known as “bottom line” to your advantage. [bctt tweet=”When you really need to know how well your business/finances are doing, check your bottom line – @fsdhcoralfunds” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Topics this guide will cover: Bottom line – what it means, why it is important and how to make it work for you. What you can do with your bottom line – how to improve your finances by using your bottom line wisely. Figuring out how to make your bottom line work for you might seem difficult, but we are here to make it easier for you. We’ve gotcha, boo! After reading this guide, you’ll understand how to manage your income better and use it to get more resources to keep increasing your bottom line. You’ll also learn to track your spending and get excited about checking your accounts. If you want to keep learning ways to grow your money significantly over time, you shouldn’t miss the next guide because, with every guide, the lessons get deeper. FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD – FSDH AM is a wholly owned subsidiary of FSDH Merchant Bank Limited. They are one of Nigeria’s leading asset management and financial advisory firm. FSDH AM is versatile in financial transactions and investment strategies that meet the need of investors in an emerging economy like Nigeria. They recognize that today’s investors need the services of dedicated and expert professionals to provide them with intelligent investment counsel. Therefore, their strategies are dedicated to preserving investors’ wealth while maximizing the value that they receive. Once you’re through with this guide, visit FSDH Asset Management Ltd to know more and get all your pressing questions answered. Getting access to this guide is easy: just fill out the form below to join our community and get access to this guide, remember this is only part 3, there’s more to come – so stay updated. By joining our community, you also get to enjoy our AWESOME weekly content as well.
GENDER PAY GAP: HOW TO NEGOTIATE THIS UP
The World Economic Forum Report 2017 states that women are paid less than men. This figure reflects the global amount and differences in the wages of men and women for the same work. Even men and women with equal qualifications earn differently. This phenomenon is highlighted now that more women are entering the job market. Why does this happen; Fewer women in top management position earning huge salaries More educated Men in the job market getting the high paying jobs Fear of sexual harassment Fear of termination Non-payment of domestic work done by women Cliques and Boys Club culture in most corporates Poor legislation and enforcement to ensure equality at the workplace The reasons may be varied but the net effect is that women earn less than men in the workplace. How can any woman climbing the corporate ladder ensure that this gap is reduced and eventually eliminated? The Corporate world is a typical example of “A MAN’S WORLD”. For a long time, women did not participate so the structures, rules, and culture are very male-centric. With the increase of women who have fought their way to top management how can they survive and thrive in this “Man’s World”? The main issue is CULTURE at the workplace that results in the Gender Gap. How can you manage and mitigate this when entering the job market? 1. Measure of performance The work culture of how output is measured is key. Work output should be based on results and not on hours spent. Using hours as a basis is not advantageous for women who may require time off to attend to children and family obligations. Women in Corporate positions should influence the matrix for assessment of performance to be more favorable to women. The measure should include the natural strengths of women e.g. customer retention, team cohesion, dispute resolution and sustainable growth. A reality is that after giving birth productivity is lower due to the natural hormonal response of our bodies to prioritize the child. This usually affects productivity. Perhaps, a different scale for 6 months (while breastfeeding) after pregnancy would help to equalize the scales further. Progressive jurisdictions provide extended maternity leave or flexible hours of up to 2 years without losing your job. 2. Flexible hours This is a strategy that can be used to ensure that women can contribute/work even while out of the office. Further, it allows the woman more balance in her life. This strategy however attractive should be used strategically as it can be used as a further tool to increase the gender wage gap. How? Women outside of mainstream job hours may be excluded from projects and decisions as they are not present. Until the culture of teleconferencing or virtual working is embraced fully, being in the office during work hours remains strategic. As a woman, you can negotiate times for meetings that are in tandem with your personal schedule. 3. Equal pay for same grade and qualifications The policy on job Grades should be based on responsibility and qualifications. For promotions, the name of employees should not be in the shortlisting process. Basically, the process should be purely merit-based. Further, policy on equal pay for the same grade and role should be implemented. A requirement to disclose salaries of co-workers could be a negotiated point. Another strategy is a cap on overtime as often women are not able to work overtime due to family life while their male counterparts can. 4. Promotion policy Negotiate the promotion policy to ensure progress/growth of the company. You can negotiate a promotion every 2 years based on appraisals. This is a sure way to ensure that you access the higher levels of management as years move forward. A maximum period to be in the same job group can also be a strategy to open up space for women in the top management. 5. Skills enhancement Skills enhancement and education incentives and opportunities should be included in the employment contracts. This allows women a chance to advance further and towards the higher job grades. This policy allows women to continued training on the job to increase their chances of being qualified for the top management jobs. 6. Boy’s club membership Women need to ensure that they can access all places that their male counterparts access to network and influence change e.g. private members clubs, sports clubs and golf clubs to name a few. Further, women need to network aggressively. For now, it may be a necessary affirmative action strategy to resort to GIRLS’ CLUB. Women need to support women in the corporate world. Influence is the catalyst for change. Women in top management need to be deliberate about getting influence and using it to get more women at the boardroom table. 7. Include the cost of domestic care While negotiating your pay, including the amount of support you will require to perform the domestic care while you are at work. Women do not include this cost of their time when negotiating pay and leave packages. This should be factored in. You may also negotiate Day Care facilities paid by the company or within the company facility. Many women say this is beneficial and could be a useful negotiation point. 8. Sexual Harassment The higher up the corporate ladder, the more acceptable sexual harassment is. Women are made to feel incompetent and unworthy when they complain of sexual harassment at such high levels. This causes many competent women to opt out of the corporate world due to this or accept to be passed over. It is important for there to be a clear sexual harassment policy. Further, there should be sensitization seminars often especially for top management to reinforce a positive culture. This can be a negotiation point for getting employment. 9. Gender training An awareness of gender issues including Gender Wage Gap allows for conversations, understanding and less resistance to gender mainstreaming strategies and policy. Negotiate this into the training schedule of the company to sensitize the team and
Chichi Equomah: Your experiences in the corporate world are relevant in your journey as an entrepreneur.
Entrepreneurship seems to be the new career wave. Do you agree? More folks are beginning to quit their corporate work to own their dreams, become their own bosses, and above all, do the things they love! This is particularly true of ladies who are brave enough to quit their job for their dream jobs. Chichi Equomah is one such lady. Chichi Equomah, now Chichi Yakubu is the CEO of NyoNyo Essentials, a food brand that celebrates Ghanaian food in style! Just google the top eateries to look out for in Ghana and NyoNyo Essentials is definitely one to pop up. From the humble beginnings of a food catering service, Nyonyo has expanded to a restaurant and the corporate go-to food services firm in the industry within a span of 3 years. Their client portfolio is already impressive, having catered to clients such as MTN Ghana, Cummins Ghana, National Petroleum Authority, Eische Life, Ghana Water Company, EIB Group of Companies and Cocobod to name a few– and with the recent opening of a restaurant, one can only imagine the way to the top. As an erstwhile HR practitioner at TNS, a multinational market research company, Chichi leveraged on her skills in communication and project management, and her lifelong passion for cooking and creating to develop NyoNyo Essentials. But that can’t be all. We caught up with Chichi to tell us about the relevance of her former traditional corporate jobs in her day to day running of NyoNyo Essentials. She talked about the lessons she learned and what existing and future SLAyers can pick up from their existing jobs before they make that full time transition into entrepreneurship. The mastermind behind the meals: How did the story of Chichi and NyoNyo Essentials begin? The story of NyoNyo began with my mother. My mother is an amazing cook, and she owned a thriving food business. I picked up after her when it came to cooking and I am a foodie too, so naturally I also wanted to venture into the catering industry. I grew up determined to start a restaurant, but life happened and it became a dream deferred. In 2014, I felt the inkling to pursue this dream again. I took some time off social media to lose weight, rebrand myself and strategize for this dream, and a year later, NyoNyo Essentials was born. How did you know the time was right to leave your job and fully invest yourself in NyoNyo Essentials? It was a rather gradual process. I worked full time at TNS at the time, when I started this food business. I spent my spare time catering to NyoNyo, but the business was growing bigger by the day mainly because of our social media marketing and excellent recommendations. It was becoming challenging to adequately balance the two. So one day after careful consideration, I packed my bag and baggage and decided to fully dedicate myself to NyoNyo Essentials. I have never looked back. There comes a point in life where you really have to decide what you want to pursue. It’s a decision you can only hold on for so long, but deep inside you know what your guts want, what you are yearning for and what fuels your passion, and eventually, you will have to choose. And I did. Looking back, what are the top 3 lessons you have learned from your roles in the traditional corporate world that have proved useful today? I spent four to five years in typical 8-5 jobs and I feel that’s enough for me to have pursued my dream now. My time and experience I garnered there are still very relevant and extremely beneficial to what I do today. The first thing I learned was to be accountable to a superior. I strongly believe that everybody has to be accountable to someone; accountability makes you upright and productive. I have also come to fully appreciate some other attitudes I learned during such time. [bctt tweet=”Be conscious of your time. It’s a priceless gift – Chichi of @NyoNyogh” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I learned how to be punctual. From reporting to work on time and managing my work schedules, I learned how to be consistent with my time and also manage it efficiently so that I deliver on tasks promptly. Today, it’s one key trait that drives NyoNyo Essentials and how we operate. I still work at Nyonyo Essentials as though I am still being monitored by a superior and I encourage my staff to also work in the same vein. If we have a delivery at 2 pm, and you show up even 15 minutes late, your client is not going to be pleased. Besides, we deal with food so soothing a hungry and an angry client is double the work. [bctt tweet=”Another big lesson for me is that we are all replaceable, don’t get too comfortable – Chichi of @NyoNyogh ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I am not the only employee at work. If I goof today, I am replaceable. If I make a big blunder, I can be replaced easily. The question that makes the difference is that what am I doing to be excellent and to constantly upgrade myself? This is same for Nyonyo Essentials. We are not the only one in Ghana’s culinary space- there are others chasing their dreams like just ours. This is why we are always challenged to be better with our food and our customer service. It also spurs me on to continuously set milestones for Nyonyo and find answers to this burning question at all times. “What can I do to make the NyoNyo brand relevant to our customers always?” [bctt tweet=”You can only do so much. Learn to delegate – Chichi of @NyoNyogh” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Before entering the corporate workforce, I found it difficult to ask others to assist me with basic tasks. The one thing I learned while working was that there is always a lot on my plate and I couldn’t do it alone no matter how hard I tried to multi-task. We work in teams, and it is
Chidinma Emodi Chukwuemeka: Pitch your business proposition from the ‘why’ perspective, not the ‘what’
Chidinma Emodi Chukwuemeka is a seasoned entrepreneur with a specialty in Brand and Digital Marketing. In July 2017, Chidinma and her husband, Mr. Bentley Chuwkuemeka officially launched The Footwear Academy. The Footwear Academy is a footwear training and production school for individuals interested in the art of footwear production and sales. Their vision is to enable shoemakers in Africa starting with Nigeria produce exportable standard products. Her Start-up The Footwear Academy has pitched and participated in various local and international startup competition. They are the recent winners of the Proudly Made in Aba Hackathon – winning a grand prize of $50,000 from Ford Foundation. They also took 2nd place in 2017 at the Open Mic Africa startup pitch competition organized by Techpreneur Africa and MIT Legatum. Chidinma is an Alumni of Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI Regional Training Center) – Onsite Nigeria Cohort 4. She was awarded star of Business and Entrepreneurship for her cohort. She is self-driven and very passionate about helping brands and people succeed. [bctt tweet=”You have the ability to be anything you want to be ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”]
WEBINAR WITH YETUNDE SHORTERS: THE P.O.W.E.R OF PURPOSEFUL PERSONAL BRANDING (JULY 19)
What comes to mind when you hear the term ‘personal branding’? A perception of oneself? A unique identity? No matter the thought, your personal brand reflects your reputation, your legacy, the people you surround yourself with, your authenticity…the list is endless! Having a well-defined personal brand requires you to be proactive about how you manage it. This starts with thinking about what you want to be known for and then taking purposeful action to ensure that’s the image you’re creating. So, what does it mean to have a ‘purposeful personal brand’? How can it earn you top dollar without blowing lots of schmoney on stuff that won’t even do justice to your brand? Join Yetunde Shorters, on Thursday, 19th July, as she shares secrets that will earn you multi-six figures without spending a dime on advertising or marketing through purposeful personal branding. Yetunde Shorters helps the inspired go-getter create an authentic, purposeful and fun personal brand that helps you do what you love while helping others, in a way that creates financial freedom for you and your family. [bctt tweet=”Discover the #power of purposeful personal branding with @Yetunde on July 19th at 12PM EST! Register here: bit.ly/yetundes” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Some of the topics we’ll cover Identifying where your purpose comes from and get clear on it Ways to elevate your personal brand How to develop a brand statement that represents you best Secrets that will earn you multi-six figures without spending a dime on advertising or marketing Register below to get access to this opportunity and submit questions you would like Yetunde to answer. Webinar details: Date: Thursday, July 19th, 2018 Time: 12PM Miami // 5PM Lagos // 6PM Johannesburg Watch Part 1 below: Watch Part 2 below: About Yetunde Yetunde Shorters is an international publicist and an industry leader in helping women entrepreneurs discover their purpose and provide value to the right people to make profits. She is also the creator of ICY PR, the Afropolitan Chef and Founder of ICY ACADEMY and a 4-time Amazon best-selling author. With over 15 years of experience working and securing publicity for multiple Grammy Award Winning Artists, International Celebrities and Entrepreneurs, Yetunde has been featured in Elle, CBS, Zen Magazine, Tropics and more. She is masterful at connecting her client’s sense of purpose to prosperity. She also uses her skills to help emerging entrepreneurs create value, save time and increase productivity. In partnership with She Leads Africa, Yetunde is launching A Purpose Breakthrough 101 session, a 90 minutes intensive brand clarity session, where she delves deep into your purpose to connect it to profits. She also runs the ICY ACADEMY PERSONAL BRANDING MASTERCLASS, where you learn strategies that get results, techniques that save you time and access to a powerful network of go-getters who provide the support you need to thrive in your purpose.