Chellie Clarkson-Brown: Designing for women of color and overcoming the #icebergsyndrome
[bctt tweet=”Chellie Clarkson-Brown wants to make African-inspired apparel an everyday staple in Western Europe” via=”no”] No one ever tells you about the amount of work that goes on underneath the surface of the water- #icebergsyndrome… but keep keeping on and eventually the tip of your iceberg will emerge. Enter entrepreneur Chellie Clarkson-Brown the Founder and Creative Director of Afro Couture Designs LDN, a fashion brand focusing on sizes and designs for women of colour. With SLA contributor Neo Cheda, Chellie shares her entrepreneurship journey and what has pushed to her to success. Tell us about you and how Afro Couture Designs come about? I studied Pattern Cutting and Tailoring at London College of Fashion but left this to work within the retail industry. Well, it wasn’t for me so I returned to university at University College of the Arts. My time there was traumatic, to say the least. I was often denied the opportunity to express myself based on what I felt represented me. Everything I designed in reflection of my African heritage and life experiences, was, in my opinion, belittled and rubbished. I lost so much confidence in my abilities and myself, that I became depressed. To add insult to injury, I wasn’t even able to get any real retail therapy without having to break the bank. Come on now, we all know that the only way to make a girl feel good about herself in circumstances like these, is a good old shopping trip. The only items I could get on the high street were ill fitting for my body shape. As almost any woman of colour will know, it may fit everywhere else, but it “sho’ ain’t gone fit” around your hips, rear and thighs. Or you would go up or down a size to alleviate the problem above and guess what, it would fit everywhere else, but not your waist #BlackGirlIssues. So I did some extensive market research in order to collate a sizing criteria for women, particularly focusing on women of colour, as our primary target market. This has allowed us at Afro Couture Designs to create a more inclusive sizing range which is a better reflection of the modern day woman. Most importantly, it incorporates the proportions of women of colour too. As part of our initiative, we are committed to being environmentally friendly by being as sustainable as we are practical. Tell us about your vision for Western European Demographics. At Afro Couture Designs LDN, we design and create on trend contemporary African-inspired apparel and products and our intention is to make these products an everyday design staple within the Western European demographic. Our products are not intended to exclude or to be divisive, rather our products are primarily intended to celebrate and embrace all things African and showcase the beauty within the continent and how it can compliment European fashion trends. We use high end design techniques, pattern cutting, and production techniques and source the highest quality fabrics. At Afro Couture Designs LDN, we fuse and mix together an eclectic range of fabrics from the both the Western European and African Hemispheres to bring you our AfroEurocentric collections. The collections within these ranges are African inspired with a contemporary twist and are intended for those who not only think outside of the box but actually go one step further and throw it away altogether. Afro Couture Designs LDN, provides a multi-faceted design and production service from fashion, products, and interior design to delivering fashion workshops and property development. Afro Couture Designs LDN’s business objective, is to be the one-stop shop or boutique for all your design requirements. Akin to the likes of the Selfridges of London or Macy’s of New York- for all things Afrocentric. What accomplishments are you most proud of? Getting it all together again from being homeless after my home was repossessed and I lost my job. The struggle was harder as I was a single mother at the time. But all things are possible through God. “Everything is possible for one who believes” Mark 9:23. #Ifyoucanconceiveit- #youcanachiveit What challenges have you faced that are unique to your business? Trying to blend Afrocentric influences harmoniously with the Eurocentric to create the AfroEurocentric brand. Additionally, trying to secure financial support for such a new concept with the intention of making the brand available to the mass market. [bctt tweet=”Afro Couture Designs aims to give exposure to established & emerging African artisans” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Which 3 African women that inspire you and why? My Grandmother, the late great Madam Margaret Ntiamoah For her determination, her tenacity and most importantly how resourceful she was. I remember growing up in Ghana during the coup d’état of 1979. Food was rationed and money was tight. There were so many of us living in one room and my Nana, would create gourmet dishes for all of us from one tin of baked beans, or even crack 2 eggs in a spinach stew and manage to make that stretch around 6-8 of us, with some left over for the next day. On the days we had money for coal, in the morning before school, Nana would set the coals in the coal pot (which I’d fan) to make the morning porridge, the smouldering coals would then be put into a cast iron, hence the name, to iron our uniforms. After that, the hot cast iron would then be dipped into the cold bucket of water to warm it up for our morning baths. Talk about resourceful! She got up at the crack of dawn every morning well into her later years to go set up her market stall at Mokola market without fail. Her work ethic has stuck with me till this day. God rest her beautiful soul. Ghanaian designer, Christie Brown For being self-taught and still managing to make it into the mainstream fashion world. I’m inspired by her style and the fact that she has slowly over the years managed to place herself
Mandy Shemuvalula: Youth development must be the starting point of all business models
[bctt tweet=”Mandy Shemuvalula: the youth of the African continent are the most powerful demographic” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Mandy Shemuvalula is a 29-year-old Namibian who is a revolutionary at heart. After graduating in 2010 from Monash University in Malaysia with an Honors Bachelors’ degree in Business and Commerce (majoring in International Business), she knew the global business arena was where her heart laid. Mandy asserts that her life purpose is to challenge the status quo for the greater good. Having participated in reputable summits and interned with global brands, Mandy experienced a radical paradigm shift from her view of empowerment and philanthropy and how it can be closely tied to business growth. This greatly influenced her new journey to starting Youthia, which she is steadfastly building as a revolutionary youth economy and easing intra-continental youth trade in Africa. At what point did you decide empowering young Africans is what you want to do? It all started during a five-day trip to India in September 2014, as part of my internship at the World Headquarters of Coca-Cola in Atlanta, Georgia. The trip was a social media experiment by Coca-Cola called Women of the Web. We took eight influential American mom bloggers across five cities in India to expose them first-hand to Coca-Cola’s global women empowerment initiative, 5by20, running on the ground. During the trip, although short, I began to experience a paradigm shift observing how Coca-Cola was building its powerful business while simultaneously developing local communities. Almost instinctively, I knew this was how I needed to approach doing business moving forward. Not too long after my trip to India, I was off to Kenya for three months to do another internship with Microsoft. While in Nairobi, I engaged with the SME community and observed the stellar innovation coming out from the young people over there. I knew this was a breeding ground for more, coupled with the largest population segment on the continent, the youth. God was ordering my steps. It was definitely divine! Who is that one role model that fueled your drive for youth empowerment over the years and why? I wouldn’t say I was particularly passionate about youth empowerment growing up. In fact, it was something I just kind of stumbled into while in India. But I think the seeds began to be planted during my experience participating in the inaugural class of the Mandela Washington Fellowship of Young African Leaders in 2014. While attending the Presidential Summit in Washington DC with Barack and Michelle Obama, in a room full of progressive young Africans, a light bulb went on that the youth of the African continent will be the most powerful demographic. I think that’s when it officially clicked that young people in Africa are actually a big deal. The biggest deal. [bctt tweet=”Young people in Africa are actually a big deal. The biggest deal.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What are some of the setbacks you faced starting up Youthia and how did you pull through? I knew that if I was to dedicate my life to Youthia, I had to shoot for a massively huge goal. I couldn’t and shouldn’t play small because I wanted to have monumental impact with my work. Because the vision is huge, it was incredibly hard to find the right talent who understood the mission and was able to commit to it for the long haul. I truly believe Youthia is from God so slowly but surely, the right people began to be directed to me in weird serendipitous ways. At first, I became a little frustrated at how slow things were moving but I had to trust the process and the right people continued to show up. Another big hurdle was definitely start-up capital. We are trying to do things that have not been done before so convincing funders and investors that this could work was and is challenging. But by being consistent and persistent, we were able to gradually win them over. The struggle continues. And lastly, our biggest challenge to date is trying to educate the public that youth economic development can no longer be an NGO, charity or philanthropic organization’s work. It will be a conscious, for-profit business industry and we need to lead the way. It has to be an actual youth economy that is contributing billions of dollars to African nations’ GDP. We want it to be as cool as the Apples, Googles, and Facebooks of this world. The world is changing and changing fast. Youth development can no longer be an afterthought but the starting point of all business models. An objective of Youthia is to empower one million youths by 2025, where do you see yourself also in 2025? Personally, I see myself living an extraordinary, fulfilled and peaceful life. [bctt tweet=”A wrong mindset and character are the biggest barriers for youth entrepreneurs.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] In your experience, where would you say most youths miss it in business? Undoubtedly, the wrong mindset and character. We often talk about youth lacking relevant skills or capital, little access to markets, amongst many others. These are legitimate hindrances. But the mind-set and character are the biggest barriers for youth entrepreneurs. They do not prioritize developing mental and emotional strength to weather the storms. They feel entitled. This holds them back. What do you think are the 3 attributes of an enterprising youth? Resilient, patient and self-aware. Oh, can I add one more? Resourceful. If you were made Minister for Youth Affairs in Namibia, what are the first two things you will do in office? Thank goodness this is theoretical as I don’t think I can survive in politics. I’m too radical and honest, lol. I would definitely push for better regulations governing youth entrepreneurship and youth job creation. And most importantly, I would prioritize developing a supportive entrepreneurial ecosystem that is driven and powered by youth. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Zakithi Mncwango:I keep following the great yellow brick road of my career and trusting in my bliss.
[bctt tweet=”The truest version of yourself as you make your way through your career will get you far” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] In addition to being Stevie Wonder’s biggest fan, Zakithi Mncwango is also the Africa marketing manager of Safilo. Safilo is an Italian eyewear creator and distributor of global fashion and lifestyle brands such as Fendi, Jimmy Choo, Hugo Boss and Marc Jacobs to name a few. Zakithi is an economics graduate happily working with the world’s leading fashion brands. She is highly skilled and experienced in luxury brand marketing management across the continent, with an interest in luxury brand strategy. When she is not building brands, Zakithi mentors marketing graduates and enjoys lunches that turn into dinners with great friends. Walk us through your career journey to this point of Marketing Manager at Safilo? In a way, my career journey has been a series of decisions and moments of grace that have arisen as result of my decision to “follow my bliss”. I loved economics in school, the idea that I could have a contribution more meaningful than just an opinion on the workings of the world; lead me to the study in university. While at university I sort of wandered into marketing, and in the line of my life, I followed my curiosity and throughout the course of some years since I graduated I have been able to work on some of the world’s leading food and beverage, cosmetics and fashion brands. As a marketing manager, your days are truly never the same. Through the many industries I have worked in, I’ve been exposed to all kinds of wonderful and interesting consumers. Our team must find new ways to communicate our key brand messages in this dramatically changing digital connected age. Now, I work with the Italian company Safilo that distributes some of the world’s leading fashion and lifestyle eyewear brands. I consider myself to still be in the early stages of my career journey but I’m having fun, reveling in challenges that come and finding new ways to talk about some truly iconic brands. I keep following the great yellow brick road of my career and trusting in my bliss. Share with us two major lessons learnt climbing your career ladder? Be authentic. The truest and realest version of yourself as you make your way through your career will get you further than a put-on version of someone else. It’s wildly rewarding to feel valued for who you are, and I’ve learnt in time that it will probably get you further than anything else. Do the very best you can with what you have and BE YOURSELF. I’ve seen time and time again that as you build a circle of influence throughout your career, authentic connection is the primary quality that directs the power of the relationships you can build professionally. Secondly, decide. It’s a common state I think to always seek external counsel or opinion before you make any decision. Be it what you’ll have for lunch or whether you’ll take the red pair of shoes or the green pair and inevitably bigger professional decisions such as whether to re-shoot a big budget tv ad or change direction on a brand strategy. The point is, at one stage or another there will be no one to co-opt the decision making with. There’ll be no time. You may have a set of choices with various probable outcomes and not enough time to explore them all. Whichever stage in your career, don’t shy away from leading the decision-making process. It could all go wrong. Or it could all go wonderfully well. Either way, at the start of it, you must decide. So, decide. What do you enjoy most and least about what you do? I work with some of the world’s most beautiful and inspiring brands. I love this! Every day, our team must find new ways to keep these brands fresh and interesting, I love that challenge. Everyone wants to be at the top. It’s a constant process of having to re-invent and this is sometimes very difficult. The competition is fast, so we must be faster. A challenge we rise to! Working at Safilo gives you great exposure to luxury brands, are there times you get star struck or rather brand struck working with some huge brands and how do you manage to keep your cool? Yeah sure, working with global icons, of course, I get a secret thrill! This doesn’t go away I’m afraid, and I hope it never does. I think with time I have managed to gasp and shriek a little less loudly in the office environment. But to be honest I love the brands I work with so I really revel in the chance to talk excitedly about them. What would you say is your major goal for 2017 and how do you plan to achieve it? In 2017, I would like to get the “cobwebs and dust” off my French. For working purposes it’s fundamental to me as I travel. I’ve already signed up for a class so I’m looking forward to that. I’m also looking to grow my professional network as I think it’s vital to personal growth to be connected to people especially from all walks of life. The major 2017 goal though is to have fun. Lots of it! We know you love Alber Elbaz, which other designers do you fancy and why? I don’t think there are any additional accolades I could give to Ozwald Boateng that he hasn’t yet received. He is truly a pioneer. His design philosophy and how it continues to evolve is truly magic. I’m lucky to be alive in a world where I can witness that kind of genius. I used to have my own blog and in that time found the work of Aisha Obuobi’s Christie Brown. Her work is truly wonderful. It’s a contemporary African aesthetic that belongs all over the world. I continue to watch and marvel at her work!
Nike Fagbule: Public Relations is an industry that is constantly evolving.
[bctt tweet=”We are not a one size fits all company because all clients are inherently different” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Nike Fagbule is a seasoned PR professional in Nigeria. In 2013, she founded Zebra Stripes Networks, an integrated marketing agency based in Lagos. Over the years, her company has been able to focus on delivering quality service as well as contributing to the development of different economic sectors. They also offer their quota to Corporate Social Responsibility. Nike’s triumph story is one that resonates round passion and commitment to what she does and she has inspired and empowered people along the line. How do you distinguish your brand from other PR labels? Zebra Stripes Networks (ZSN) is very hands on with client activities, especially those that relate to an interaction with their primary audience and the general public. We are not a one size fits all company because all clients, even if they do business in the same industry, are inherently different. At ZSN, we tailor make strategies and techniques for each client. What are some of the common issues/challenges in the PR industry? Like every other industry, sourcing for efficient employees is a major challenge; a lot of people come to this job with no understanding of what is expected of them as a public relations specialist. Public relations is very challenging and requires that you’re great at multi-tasking. It is also an industry that is constantly evolving. Some years ago, public relations in Nigeria was all about media relations -sending releases and monitoring media, but these days it has a lot to do with creating engaging stories and having your audience’s ear till you say I am done. It is no longer limited to traditional media. I’d need an entire interview simply dedicated to PR challenges. If you were not doing PR, what would have been your next option? I’d probably be a writer. It’s what I thought I’d be doing when I was a child. [bctt tweet=”Nike Fagbule: Working non-stop is counterproductive in the long term. ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What sacrifice have you made for your company to exist today? Uncountable sleepless nights, a handful of friendships and conspicuous absences at family functions. In the early days of ZSN I did not have weekends to myself and it was a couple of years before I could go on a vacation. I had to take a step back because eventually working non-stop is counterproductive in the long term. Describe a day with Nike Fagbule. When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I do is to read a Bible and book chapter. Then I exercise, check my emails for client alerts and then I go into the office. I also watch a lot of American television so I find a way to infuse it into my day. Which celebrity would you like to work for and why? I’d like to just have a conversation with Shonda Rhimes and her publicist. Shonda is obviously not a celebrity so that probably doesn’t even count, but that would be goals for me. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Maxima Nsimenta: How to build a successful cosmetic brand
[bctt tweet=”Maxima Nsimenta is proving to herself & the world that quality can be made in Uganda” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Ironically, some young people are spending countless hours drafting and sending job application letters in search of white color jobs, while those employed, are quitting pursuing their passions in businesses. What’s more, the latter are not only becoming regional brands but also going ahead to create employment. With the ever eluding job opportunities and increasing cost of living, it is time young Africans started thinking of what “they can do to their countries” instead of the other way round. That said SLA contributor Maureen Murori caught up with a young entrepreneurial Ugandan lady, whose life’s motto is: “Why not?” Maxima Nsimenta is the CEO and managing partner at Livara, a cosmetics company dealing with natural skin and beauty products. The Steve Jobs inspirational quote: “Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me. Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful, that’s what matters to me,” is what keeps Maxima awake striving to do something different but wonderful! Maxima and Maureen spoke extensively about founding Livara and Maxima’s personal growth since the venture. Here is what Maxima shared: For some young people, starting and running a business is a challenging task that they would rather not take up. What was/is the inspiration behind your venture? While I was still employed as a Field Engineer at one of the world’s largest oil and gas service companies, I had the opportunity to travel vastly. During my travels, I noticed that some of the high-end cosmetics products used oils and ingredients from Africa. It is these oils that especially made the products that much more valuable. Whenever I’d return home, I’d notice that we weren’t adding value to these oils locally. This seriously perplexed me. In addition to this, after about one and a half years of employment, I stopped getting the fulfillment I initially had with the job. I felt empty and purposeless. It started becoming more of a mechanical aspect of my daily life. Yet, when I indulged myself in beauty and cosmetics, I felt content. I then proposed to build a company that would manufacture top quality natural and organic cosmetics that would compete with the international brands. However, I’d do it from my country, Uganda. I planned to prove to myself and the world that quality can be made in Uganda. It took me about a year to prepare for Livara; mentally, financially, structurally. Then when I had my minimums in place, I took the leap. When people are starting out a business, there are several things that they learn on the job. What are some of the things (positive or negative) that you learned about your business or self since starting your venture? Patience! Before I started out in business, I was used to getting what I wanted when I wanted and how I wanted it. In business, especially the manufacturing business, everything is based on processes and systems. Given that I’m building my company based on systems, it always hits me at home where it hurts. Not everything is instantaneous; perfection takes time and is worth the wait. I have learnt to respect people’s time and competencies a lot more. I have also come to understand and learn the value of teamwork from a front row seat, I cannot do everything alone. Business has taught me to learn to trust and rely on people to do their job, a lot more than I used to before. I have become addicted to knowledge acquisition. Nowadays, I read a lot more to be on top of my game. However, because of this, I realize that I have less time to build my other personal relationships -many of which have been affected. I hope it pays off eventually. Most importantly, I have become more spiritual than before. I have put my hope and trust in God, to guide and help me with the things that are beyond my control. There are several things that could have gone wrong but suddenly and unexplainably did not. For me, that is my God at work; leading me through this journey. [bctt tweet=”Not everything is instantaneous; perfection takes time and is worth the wait” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What skills did you acquire either through practice, work placement or learning institution to improve business? I’m not certain if research is a skill or a culture! But it is the most important thing that I picked up from my previous jobs. I only executed plans after more than adequate research had been carried out. Before my business, I had three jobs that were all scientific and research based. I’d literally spend nights up learning about different things related to one particular aspect of a bigger picture. It was my job to adequately understand the pros and cons and have a comprehensive yet conclusive position on any decision I made. This research-based decision making has been a fundamental skill for my business today. Presentation skills: Many may overlook this, but this is crucial. Although acquired and built over time since my university days, presentation skills have become a great acquisition that has helped me to negotiate better deals for myself and my business. Report writing: This includes writing project studies and reports. This is a skill that helped me write my business plan that won me incubation space at the Uganda Industrial Research Institute where we are based. Had I not known how to write a business plan and adequately present it, I do not know how far I would have come by now! Communication and interpersonal skills are other skills that keep on resurfacing and pushing me forward. The two keep evolving and changing with different circumstances. So, the basics molded me. And they continue to do so, even today. In the end, I’ve learned that it is always the relationships we have that help to either build us or break us in life. What is
Chika Madubuko: Creating a platform of care and support for the elderly
[bctt tweet=”I was able to identify winning business routes and steered Greymate Care in that direction” via=”no”] A young woman’s trouble in finding a safe and reliable caregiver for her bedridden granny, made her think of filling that void for others. As a #MotherlandMogul who believes in improving the African economy by identifying and solving problems, Chika Madubuko is using technology to support Nigerians, one elderly and disabled person at a time. Making life easier in Africa is one of the causes Chika is passionate about, she has businesses in the agricultural and health sector including her caregiving online platform Greymate Care. Greymate Care offers a safe and secure platform for people to look for a caregiver for their elderly family. With experience in multinationals such as Amazon Inc. and Guinness, Chika is gradually turning Greymate Care into an empire and improving the lives of the vulnerable people. In this interview, Chika talks about the selflessness and business acumen of African women when it comes to unconventional business ideas. What is the story behind the birth of Greymate Care? Greymate Care was created so Nigerians never have to experience the same hassle we did when my granny became bedridden due to diabetes. We were all busy and couldn’t provide her with the care she deserved. Hiring a caregiver for her was so complicated. Sometimes miles were travelled in futility to interview one caregiver, and we often ended up with a poorly trained caregiver. Not to forget the security issues that had to do with having a total stranger in the home. I asked around and discovered it was not peculiar to our family. The busy professionals complained too. Greymate Care addresses the problem and is an online platform that connects the vulnerable to a competent, insured, and professional caregiver. Our caregivers are background checked thus taking the stress of care off busy professionals. The icing on the cake is that you can get even a doctor or a nurse from the platform. Even in the event there’s a strike, doctors never have to worry as there is a source of income for them. [bctt tweet=”The African market is a very unique one and a foreign business idea would fail if necessary tweaks are not carried out” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What skills have come to play for you in the course of running your business? My meticulous nature and business acumen have been pivotal to the success of Greymate Care. I was able to identify winning business routes and steered Greymate Care in that direction. The business also requires a lot of personalised activities per service user; I could spot each peculiarity by paying attention to detail. Did you experience hiccups in localizing this western business concept into the African market? And how did you scale through? The African market is a very unique one and a foreign business idea would fail if necessary tweaks are not carried out. One marketing or recruitment error can grind the business to a total halt. For Greymate Care, it was hard initially to convince everyone on the value chain, from the investors to the consumers. The consumers were worried about safety due to concerns about crime rate and the investors, viability. We subscribed to premium insurance and background checks from experts and with that, we were able to convince the prospects on security. They were converted to paying clients, and when the numbers increased, the investors became convinced on viability. What business support(s) have helped you so far in the course of running your business? Mentorship from successful entrepreneurs has helped a lot. Attending relevant networking events has also proven useful in the growth of Greymate Care. [bctt tweet=”Build an excellent product and watch it sell itself – Chika Madubuko” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How do you sell your business to your clients and make them trust you? First is developing a good product that speaks for itself, our methods are different. For example, instead of manually lifting a service user, we insisted on hoists. We then sell our uniqueness and reviews from existing customers through social media, press releases, and offline marketing. Our best bet is influencer marketing where we partner with key individuals/firms and gain referrals from them. Gaining their support is easy as our services are unique and of world standard. Our mantra remains ‘build an excellent product and watch it sell itself’. What four words resonates with your business Priority, Attention, Technology, Compassionate. [bctt tweet=”With the right business strategies, your market share will be significant – Chika Madubuko” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] As a young entrepreneur, what are your expectations in the business world? I am mentally prepared for the daunting process called entrepreneurship. I hope to achieve my milestones, such as gaining 30,000 service users by 2018, and raising enough funds to expand to other African countries like Kenya and Ghana. Does monopoly from a starting a new business concept play any role for start-ups? Running a monopolistic business can be likened to a life-size oxymoron. With the right business strategies, your market share will be significant but your marketing budget has to be really high since you’re first on the scene. If not Greymate Care, what other name would you go for? Iya Care If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Nelly Olang’: Women, sanitation & basic hygiene are the key to creating lasting change in Africa
[bctt tweet=”Nelly Olang’: Lack of sanitation remains one of the world’s most urgent health issues.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Nelly Olang’ is the founder and Managing Director of Connel Enterprises Limited, a company that brings relief to women and girls through provision of sanitary services. With good use of her creativity and drive, she is improving personal hygiene to transform lives and boost health and survival in Kenya. Nelly thrives on challenges especially those that aim towards making her company grow. In her words, “I believe that the question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.” SLA Communications Fellow, Tonye Setima-Benebo was able to get more insight on Nelly Olang’s entrepreneurial journey in this interview below. Please tell us more about your business? My company is registered by the name Connel Enterprises Ltd. It is a hygiene services company which aims to bridge the gap in health promotion. The company provides quality foot-pedal operated sanitary bins that are placed in female washrooms. The sanitary bins fit feminine hygiene requirements since they are placed with liners, perfumed disinfectant and strong granules that kill bacteria. This provides a safe and discreet disposal solution for female dressings. The bins are regularly maintained, serviced and contents are incinerated. Our clients include hotels and restaurants, hospitals, schools, offices, NGO’s, parastatals and churches. We are currently providing services in the Nyanza and Western Regions and rapidly expanding countrywide. Why choose to focus on women’s hygiene? Women, sanitation and basic hygiene are the keys to creating lasting change in Africa. Lack of proper sanitation and poor hygiene play a major role in mortality. Ensuring that girls and women are provided with a means of observing their personal hygiene, could transform their lives by boosting their health. Lack of sanitation remains one of the world’s most urgent health issues hence bringing relief to women and girls through provision of sanitary services will result in better services for all and benefit entire communities. With limited resources, how were you able to run your start-up? The first years were very challenging with cash flow. I had to plough back profits to keep the business running. This also made me run a one-man show for a while, as I had to play almost all the roles single-handedly (playing the marketer, director, messenger, accountant, service lady) till I could afford to employ staff to assist me. I really had to reduce expenditures as much as possible and put all the cash I had growing the business as much as possible. [bctt tweet=”Entrepreneurship is about living like most people won’t to spend the rest of your life like most can’t.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] As an entrepreneur, what are some of your skills that have been useful in business? Marketing skills: I am a very good marketer and very good at creating rapport and conversations. This has played a huge role in driving clients to have interest in our services and has greatly contributed to our growth in the two and a half years. Customer focus: My number one priority is to ensure all our clients get quality service and that our service crew delivers professionalism which we promise our clients. Communication skills: Through this skill, I have been able to charm new clients as well as retain our clients. This skill enables us to have a good relationship with our clients. What lessons have you learnt from owning a business? I have learnt that sometimes all you really have is just yourself to help you get what you want so you really have to go confidently in the direction of your dreams to get what you want. People will only show approval/support when things start taking shape. I have also learnt that entrepreneurship is not an easy journey; most people never share the challenges. It’s all about living a few of your years like most people won’t so that you can spend the rest of your life like most people can’t. Then I have learnt not everyone is genuinely happy for someone else’s accomplishment, loyalty is also very rare and you have to be careful about who you keep close to you. Finally, passion, drive, patience, persistence and loving what you do and understanding your reasons for doing it, is very important to help you get started. [bctt tweet=”Go confidently in the direction of your dreams to get what you want” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] You started your business at younger than 25 years old, where do you see yourself at 50? The future is bright, I have plans to scale it up and expand the business by incorporating hygiene-related services and expanding to the East African region. Which would you spend more money on, make-up or lingerie? I would spend more on lingerie. Lingerie is the foundation of your everyday wardrobe so investing more on it would be better as it makes me feel comfortable. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Veronica Otogo, The Asoebi Guru: I’ve always wanted more than a degree and a job
[bctt tweet=”I’ve always been driven to be the best version of myself – Veronica Otogo” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] As #MotherlandMoguls, no matter what is thrown at us, we need to bounce back stronger. Enter entrepreneur Veronica Otogo. Ronnie as she is fondly called, has been hit by her fair share of challenges however, she is not letting up. Veronica Otogo was recently all over social media and in our prayers. With SLA contributor Ugochi Obidiegwu, she shares her entrepreneurship journey and how her business runs in her absence. What lead to the Asoebi Guru business? I have a degree in accounting however, I have always wanted more than a degree and a job. I graduated and got a job in an investment company but something wasn’t just right, I just wasn’t happy even though I had started my business. My sister and I co-founded AsoebiGuru Fabrics. We started fabric retail in 2014 because it was something we both knew about. It wasn’t easy at first, reaching our target market and finding loyal customers due to our location (we weren’t very visible). In 2015, we lost our dad. He had been our main pillar of support and had convinced us to quit our respective jobs to grow AsoebiGuru Fabrics since we loved it. Even when we felt the stress was too much, he encouraged us. When he left in January 2015, it was devastating, even now, nothing has come close to the pain we felt (and still feel). We closed down the business, but with God, we picked up again in October and from then it was all about making our dad proud. AsoebiGuru Fabrics is better than ever, we have the best customers, we get to meet new people everyday especially women and get to share in their stories and experiences. In 2016, it was all about growing the business, having a good background and a sustainable system. I am a strong believer in this -there’s nothing that can stop you from achieving YOUR greatest except you and this has pushed me. I’ve always been driven to be the best version of myself, to motivate someone to go higher than they are. Why did you choose fabric retail despite other businesses similar to yours? I’ve always wanted to be in the fashion industry, but I wanted to do something different. So we decided to make the best of the fabric business my sister started when she was in school. We don’t just offer the regular fabrics you find in a typical Nigerian fabric store, but something exceptional, something different. How did you make it in a seemingly overpopulated industry? When you have a vision of what you want to do, you cannot afford to second-guess yourself. You have everyone else to do that for you so, focus on the vision. Next, you have to find people who are already in the business to learn from. It is important to find these mentors and watch them. The importance of mentors cannot be oversold. If you are in an overpopulated industry, you cannot afford to be mediocre, strive to have the best product, the best service. Recently, you were away from your business, did business still go on in your absence? How? My business did go on in my absence but it wasn’t easy! It was like everything was paused for 10 days. Yes, we had a structure and staff who work in our store, but it wasn’t just the same. Business was really slow then (I could tell from the records). Some customers were scared of coming to the store, my sister was only concerned about my whereabouts and safety, staff input was really poor. I am a strong believer of “a happy heart produces good results” and at that time, no one was happy. In all, I am grateful for my team. They stood by us through that rough period. We came out stronger. I am not one to stay down after a fall. I am blessed to have amazing people around me so the healing process was fast and easy. Business is back to normal now, and we are looking forward to an amazing year ahead! Why are systems necessary even in a small business? When you have structure everything flows. When people working with you understand your vision and know where you want your brand to go, it automatically makes your business easier. We cannot control what happens around us but we can control how we react to it. Setting up a system not only eases your business but it prepares you for the unknown. What is the most difficult part of being an entrepreneur and how do you manage it? There are a lot of ‘difficult parts’ of being an entrepreneur but I’d say one that is tough to fight is unfavourable government policies that affect everything from travelling to sourcing for fabrics to shipping to renting shop space. We have no other choice but to push through it. When a new policy is enacted that makes business tough, we always find a way around it. God is on our side. What do you wish you knew before you started your business? The power of advertising. For about a year when we started, we struggled because we didn’t get the word out. [bctt tweet=”The secret to being a successful woman in today’s market is to walk to the beat of your own drum” via=”no”] What are your final words to young women in business and career. I’ve not had a lot of experience, but one thing I am sure of is the secret to being a successful woman in today’s market is to walk to the beat of your own drum. Always listen to your intuition. Use your stumbling blocks as stepping stones. When you feel you have greatness in your heart, go for it! The worst thing that can happen is that it wouldn’t work out, but you get a medal for trying. Always keeps moving, even if
Gina Din-Kariuki: Treat your business like you would a lover
[bctt tweet=”I wasn’t doing what I was doing just to be an entrepreneur, I was doing it to build a life I love” via=”no”] Gina Din Kariuki is a great example of the trade she practices perfecting the public image. An expert in the communications and Public Relations field, Gina has grown her company Gina Din Corporate Communication into the award-winning machine it is today. After 14 years with finance giant, Barclays Bank, she took a leap of faith and decided to be her own boss. The communication agency has been responsible for the strategic PR work for major brands like Kenya Airways, Red Cross, Safaricom and Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB). SLA contributor, Diana Odero engaged with Gina to discover the tricks of her trade and on why she thinks being a boss isn’t always as glamorous as people think. Why did you choose to get into the communications and PR field? I am actually a trained journalist but I have never practiced. After school, I got a temporary job at Barclays handling their shares issue and ended up working there for 14 years. I started off as aPR manager and rose to become Head of Corporate Affairs. After that amount of time, I decided it was time to start my own company. October of this year will mark 20 years since we opened the doors to the Gina Din Group. What has kept you going in this industry for almost two decades? 20 years in October! Quite a feat, it has been an incredible journey, let me break it down a bit for you. Keep evolving: I have always set a high standard for the work we do. There is nothing we do today that will be good enough for tomorrow. We don’t place limits on what we can achieve and keep pushing ourselves further. We have always had people who gave us opportunities. Starting out as a relatively unknown brand playing in the field with only international players (at that time) was challenging. We were lucky to have businesses that rolled the dice and gave us a shot well before I earned it. I am grateful to them 20 years later. Perseverance. The ability to roll with the punches and hang in there even when things weren’t great. To have an inner faith and belief in yourself that tomorrow will be another day. Remaining optimistic is so important when running a business. A great team is indispensable. I have had the opportunity to work with incredible people. Many who came to me with little to no experience but with passion and drive. Treat your business like you would a lover. Give it love, attention and nurture it. Reignite the fire every now and again and always stay relevant. What skills do you think one needs to be a great communicator? You need to know what you are talking about. Obtain knowledge, insight and earn the respect of people in your industry so that you actually know your subject well. Don’t just talk, listen. Focus on understanding what the other person is saying. Watch out for the non-verbal communication. Be open to other points of view. Build relationships. [bctt tweet=”20 years running a communications agency is quite a feat, @gina_din breaks down how she did it” via=”no”] Running a company is no easy feat and you have probably felt burnt out a few times. If yes, how did you deal with it? What do you think is the best way one should deal with that feeling? Of course, I have, as most business owners have. When I do feel a sense of burnout coming I take time to recognize I am human. Sometimes when one is successful we can be perceived as super humans… we can be seen as invincible and never failing. I have failed often and suffered burn out and fatigue. The key for me is to keep evolving as a person and as a brand. As Benjamin Franklin once said, “When you’ve finished changing, you’re finished.” On a personal level, I keep a good balance between work and pleasure. I start the day with quiet time and set the tone for what my day will look like and that really helps in ensuring my mind doesn’t get too overwhelmed. Also, I travel a lot and love visiting new countries and seeing new cultures. I exercise, practice yoga and spend time with loving, supportive people. As an expert in your field, you’ve had your fair share of multitasking jobs. What skills would you advise young business women to have in order to be effective multi-taskers especially when working in a profession as demanding as Public Relations? I like to break things down in blocks so it doesn’t appear too overwhelming and I try as hard as I can to avoid distractions. Being efficient with your time is important when you have to juggle. It’s also crucial to learn to prioritize tasks and delegate what and where you can. [bctt tweet=”What has kept @gina_din going – the ability to embrace success & failure in equal measure” via=”no”] Building an award-winning company from scratch must have come with its various challenges. How did you overcome any challenges that you faced and how would you advise the women reading SLA to handle challenges that may come their way? I have faced many challenges and failures in business and in life but through everything I have found my inner strength and that is what has really kept me going -the ability to embrace success and failure in equal measure. When I first started my business, I took failure very personally but as my inner strength has developed, I have developed the knack of quieting the voice of resistance and stepping outside my comfort zones. I have always tried to keep my spirits high and now fully understand my ‘big why’. In my 20 year journey, I have come to understand you never know what’s around the corner. It can be
Mutsa Majero: There are many companies for self publishing
[bctt tweet=”I am looking forward to highlighting Zimbabwean women who are creating waves all around the world” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Thirty-year-old Mutsa Majero has been living in the US for the past 14 years. She is the author of “Meet Chipo”, a children’s book. Mutsa is a licenced Mental Health Therapist and holds a Masters in Counselling Psychology. She took time off in June 2016 to finish her Ph.D. in International Psychology, as well as self-publish “Meet Chipo” and other children’s books. She is the brains behind Zim.Babe.Iwe! an online platform for empowering women and girls as well as promoting literacy. Mutsa has a passion for working with children and as a Mental Health Therapist, she has worked with children and adolescents for the past six years building their esteem and resilience to get through difficult times in their lives. What is Zim.Babe.Iwe! all about and why the name? The name is inspired by two things, my love for Zimbabwe and for women. It’s a play on Zimbabwe with an emphasis on “babe” or women. It’s a brand created to promote literacy and women empowerment. “Meet Chipo” was published under Zim.Babe.Iwe! and at the moment I am looking forward to highlighting Zimbabwean women who are creating waves all around the world and doing big things. That is where the Iwe! comes in, it’s women who have people’s heads turning and doing big things and have people saying, “Iwe!” Why did you decide to start a series of children’s books? I always knew I wanted to write a book but felt like I didn’t have the time, until one day I just decided to do it. My love for education, reading, Zimbabwe and young girls also built on this decision. Growing up my parents put a lot of emphasis on reading and for that to continue and for me to pass it on, a children’s book was ideal and I knew a lot of people would be inspired to read. I wanted Zimbabwean children and non-Zimbabwean children growing up in the Diaspora to have a feel of life in Zimbabwe and therefore connect with it. And for children in Zimbabwe to relate to Chipo and some of the things she goes through in the Diaspora. Where do you draw your inspiration from? A lot is from my experience as a child growing up in Zimbabwe, those were the best days of my life. Some came from my fathers’ experience as a child -he grew up in rural Zimbabwe like Chipo did. So it was bringing out those different experiences and fun aspects of Zimbabwean culture. How has the journey to self-publishing been like for you? It was really challenging getting someone to publish “Meet Chipo”, so I sat on it since 2010 until I decided to take it in my own hands, and discovered I could self-publish. The self-publishing process started in 2014 when I got an illustrator to draw exactly what I was looking for, for the book. It has been a long journey, but I am glad I self-published and did not go any other way. What can you tell other writers about self-publishing? It is important to do your research and to do it early, figure out what works best for you as a writer. There are many companies that one can go to for self-publishing. Talk to other people who have done it before and find out their experiences and some do’s and don’ts. What major start-up challenges did you face? Self-publishing is expensive therefore one has to have some sort of financial stability especially when publishing a children’s book where there are illustrations and a lot of pictures included. And so I encourage women to save because you never know what financial endeavour you may want to start in the future. Another challenge was trying to figure out where I fit in the children’s books world because there are a lot of them. But I think my book stands out in that it is multi-cultural and talks about life in two different cultures. It’s educational as well as fun. I encourage other writers to scan the market to see where they fit in and how they can stand out. Tweet: Self-publishing is expensive therefore one has to have some sort of financial stability How has the market responded to your book? People have actually really loved it because it has taught them about some aspects of the Zimbabwean culture. Many people can relate to resettling, and therefore this book is easy to relate to. What are some of the challenges you have faced as a black African woman living abroad? People have pre- conceived notions of how an African should be, talk, or look like. These kinds of assumptions used to frustrate me before, but I now take it as an opportunity to teach people about Africa, and more importantly, about Zimbabwe. Which African woman has had the strongest influence on you? Definitely my mother. She embodies a lot of what African women are known for, hard work, selflessness, she is inspirational not just to myself but to people around her. Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie. She once said, “Many stories matter. Stories have been used to dispossess and to malign. But stories can also be used to empower and to humanise. Stories can break the dignity of a people. But stories can also repair that broken dignity” I resonated a lot with that because as an immigrant in America, it is important to be inspired and stay inspired because it is easy to be swallowed up and almost lose yourself to the culture you have migrated to. Not that there is anything wrong with acculturation, but I do think that it’s important to recognise and maintain your heritage.Therefore the stories we tell continue to empower and humanise people. I love her books and a lot of what she stands for. Danai Gurira is a strong Zimbabwean Woman who emphasises on telling stories for us by us. I love her