Pempho Chinkondenji: Do not let what you do not have stop you from pursing your dreams
[bctt tweet=”Pempho Chinkondenji co-founded Loving Arms Malawi to create a safe space for girls/women” via=”no”] Co-founder of the Christian nonprofit Loving Arms Malawi, Pempho Chinkondenji is a bright and inspiring #MotherlandMogul committed to public service and to championing women’s rights. She is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Cross-cultural and International education at Bowling Green State University. An avid volunteer, in May 2016, Pempho became a member of a non-profit organization known as the Pan-Pacific and South-East Women’s Association (PPSEAWA-USA). At the end of 2016, PPSEAWA USA appointed Pempho to be their youth delegate to the United Nations. SLA contributor Uloma Ogba caught up with Pempho to learn what ignited her passion for volunteering and social entrepreneurship. When most people finish university, their first thought is usually how to land that high-paying job, but you chose to start an NGO instead. Could you tell us what inspired you to do so and what your NGO is all about? I actually co-founded Loving Arms Malawi in July 2014, a year after I graduated from undergrad. I have two friends, Livinia and Sungani, who share the same passion and desire to reach out to girls in our communities. Together, we co-founded Loving Arms Malawi. As a first-generation college graduate, when I got to college I learned the importance of having educated female role models who I did not have when I was younger. Also, my friends and I grew up in communities where discussions about abuse were considered taboo. Yet a lot of girls were going through the experience and suffering in silence. After college, my friends and I started talking about the issue of girls lacking role models, and the need to deal with the problem. We also talked about the sexual and physical abuse happening in our communities right under our noses. In our country, the problem is not regarded as a health issue, hence the lack of counselling facilities to help the affected girls. After a lot of discussions, we decided to start Loving Arms, as a haven that provides free counselling, educational support, and spiritual mentoring to young people, especially girls that have been abused. We do outreach programs to boarding schools, communities, and churches to support adolescents who have been through these experiences, or just need support. We identify educated role models to speak to the young people and work with survivors of abuse to share their stories with the young people. How active are you currently in the leadership of Loving Arms Malawi? What lessons would you say you have learnt from running an NGO that you have been able to apply to other areas of your life? I currently serve as a Co-founder for Loving Arms and also as the Program Director for the educational support project. There are a lot of things that I have learned through my experiences at Loving Arms. I have learned how to be optimistic, how to build a good rapport with others, and how to develop a “go-getter” attitude. During our first outreach program, we were going to a boarding school that had over 800 girls and we were bringing them some cake for dessert. Since in boarding school, the food is not as great, and you do not get cake, we thought of giving them a treat. We had about 40 volunteers, and our church community was very supportive of in this program. But this was the first time I was going to present at such a big event with this audience. I was nervous. Not only about my speech, but was wondering if what we shared with the girls would make a difference in their lives. Also, I was worried about whether I would be able to connect with the girls and get them to open up about issues that they normally would remain silent about. To my surprise, the event was a great success. I could talk openly with the girls, and it was amazing to see how they responded and wanted to engage with us! You are now completing a Master of Arts in Cross-cultural and International education in the US. What led you to choose this major and how do you see it contributing to your future career goals? My interest in education developed because of my experience with Loving Arms. Since we seek to provide girls educational support and get them to realize the importance of education, I started to develop interest in this area. More specifically, my interests centered on female education and development. I was enrolled into the Master of Arts in Cross-cultural and International education where I learned a lot about educational policies and systems across the world. Because of my professional interests, I developed a self-designed cognate called Education Policy and Development. I have learned a lot about how the issues of gender, education and development interact. My goal is to develop a career in education policy, especially for developing countries in the Sub-Saharan African region. I hope that the skills and expertise that I attain will not only benefit Malawi, but I will be able to contribute to other parts of the world. [bctt tweet=”Pempho Chinkondenji’s goal is to develop a career in education policy for developing countries ” via=”no”] You are now an active member of the non-profit Pan-Pacific and South-East Women’s Association (PPSEAWA-USA). Could you tell us what this organization is all about and what role you play in the organization? I am an active member of PPSEAWA-USA. I currently serve as the Chapter President for our Toledo Chapter, and as one of the Youth Delegates to the United Nations. PPSEAWA is an international organization that strengthens peace by promoting better understanding in the Pacific and South-East Asia. It also promotes cooperation among women in these regions to the improvement of their social, economic, and cultural condition. For example, PPSEAWA-USA provides scholarships to girls in this region to enable them obtain an education. PPSEAWA USA recently appointed you to be their youth delegate to the
Idala Ogufere: I’m determined to enlighten many women
[bctt tweet=”Idala says ‘Don’t work out for the wrong reasons. Do it for your active 90 year old self.’” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Idala Ogufere is the go-to fat-burning, body-transforming FlexiMum Coach, she left her career as Chartered Accountant to serve and add value to young mums, grooming them spirit, soul, and body to live and maintain a sustainable healthy lifestyle. This dream was birthed after a near-death experience with eclampsia. Doctors say she’s a walking miracle, but it was for a greater call to help young mums see the importance of healthy living. Idala gives tips on her FlexiMums Facebook Community and Instagram page @IdalaOgufere showing how she shed her 30kg baby fat and stays toned after two boys. Have you always been a fitness enthusiast? Not exactly. Although I used to do lots of yoga stretches with my dad (I didn’t know it was yoga then, I just loved exploring my flexibility), my dad has always been the fitness enthusiast. I started taking fitness seriously after I gave birth to my first son (who’ll be 5 years old in June), but I would just workout and not eat right or I would starve myself, now I know better. When did you start taking fitness seriously? It was after the birth of my second son. His birth was very seamless even though he weighed 3.73kg. I was discharged two days later but when I got home, settling in was tough because I’d developed severe headaches and swollen feet. I thought it was just the normal postpartum stress but the headache became intense. My mum pleaded that I should see the doctor and so I went to the hospital to find that my blood pressure (BP) was outrageous! Here I was with BP reading 180/100, I’ve never had high BP before, so this was strange and ridiculous to me. I was tensed and had to be monitored for a while with ice packs in my head but there was no improvement. Eventually, they had to rush me to the ICU to stabilize my BP and I had seizures during the process. Honestly, how I survived that saga, is still a miracle. God kept me for this purpose, to preach the gospel of healthy living to all young mums I come across. It’s much more than work for me, it’s my ministry! So I take it your experience is why your ‘ministry’ is targeted at young mums? Yes, because obviously as a young mum I know and feel the pain of other mums. This feeling inspired my first business @MyBabyStoreNG which helps young busy moms to shop for their kids. I’ve always been endeared to the challenges young mums face. After my second son and a near-death experience with eclampsia, which was majorly due to my obesity, I felt the calling to enlighten more mums about it. There have been maternal deaths caused by eclampsia although it’s a small percentage, many women and even young ladies need to be aware of this deadly eclampsia. Choosing young mums/ladies was very deliberate as many in this category, haven’t “hung their boots” yet with regards to child-bearing. It’s thus important for them to embrace fitness and good nutrition so that they live healthy lives. [bctt tweet=”I’m impacting more people and that deserves all my time -Idala Ogufere” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Now I’m interested in this business, MybabystoreNG. Is it still up and running? Before I answer this let me give a brief story about how I started MyBabyStoreNG. About a year after I had my first son, I had no clue what to do. I loved shopping for my son and I kept putting up pictures of cute baby outfits I saw in the market, people liked it and boom! I saw a business opportunity. MyBabyStoreNG was birthed yet it still didn’t fulfill my desire to help young mums so I decided to help them work on their bodies through Wholly Groomed Academy. These mums that I had sold baby items to wanted to know how l lost so much weight in less than a year. I got more attention as a Fitness Coach and I began to impact them positively. I thought I could handle both businesses together, but it was impressed in my heart to hold off activities in MyBabyStoreNG. This was because it was becoming burdensome for only me to handle both as a sole proprietor. I still have great dreams for MyBabyStoreNG, she’s my first baby, but now Wholly Groomed Academy has taken the lead. I’m impacting more people and that for me is very fulfilling and deserves all my time. My target was busy mums because it was a relief for someone they trusted to help with shopping for their kids. They just gave me a list of what they wanted and I shopped it. More like a Personalised BabyShopper. My dream is to create a Made In Nigeria Showroom where all items are locally sourced and produced here in Nigeria for Nigerians with our cartoon-inspired stories! How easy/difficult was it to actually get MybabystoreNG properly functioning according to its purpose? It was easy when I started at first because I just loved helping mums shop for their kids’ outfits. It became very challenging at a point because I didn’t have enough stock to meet up customer’s demands. I was acting as a middleman and I couldn’t control their stock. As we began to grow, it became increasingly challenging. Then my dream to create my own line of Made In Nigeria Kiddies Line was birthed, it’s still in my dream box. I haven’t given up on it. When the time is right, it’ll manifest. Ok, let’s get back to workouts. Other #MotherlandMoguls might want to know the importance of a fit body, why is it important? I always say, man is a spirit, has a soul and lives in a body. These three elements need to be taken care of effectively to achieve wholeness. Most of us went to school to feed our mind (the soul, seat of our
Molepane Nkopodi: I had a lot to lose but I was not ready to lose it all.
[bctt tweet=” Molepane Nkopodi, proving that young black women can win at being entrepreneurs” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Molepane Nkopodi, popularly known as Mo in both professional and social circles, was born in Glen Cowie, a village in Sekhukhune land and raised in various parts of Mpumalanga and Gauteng thus becoming “bundu girl wa le pantsula in surburgatory.” She is a Communications graduate from the University of Johannesburg and after five years of corporate and agency employment, she decided to face her fears and become a social entrepreneur. Mo is the founder and managing director of Darkie Communications, a start-up marketing communications agency that aims to provide tailor-made comprehensive and strategic integrated marketing solutions. She is also an ambassador for rural education and women development through the Kaelo Foundation. She says this about herself- “I have a thing for good food and wine and I’m working on my bank balance to match my wanderlust desires.” In an interview with SLA contributor Jeanette Nkwana, Molepane tells us all about herself, entrepreneurship and Darkie Communications. What does Darkie Communications mean, what desired effect did you mean for the name to have? Darkie Communications is a full house marketing communications boutique offering integrated, strategic comprehensive and tailor-made services to our clientele. The name Darkie came about after a cold call with a current client. I was operating informally with the name “Prodigal Child Concepts”. Upon our first meeting, he frankly said to me that he was “surprised” that I was black. When I asked why he said he “did not know many young darkie (black) women who could give a winning pitch over the phone”. Darkie is a 100% black owned company and we want to inspire the black child that they can dream it, they can work at it and achieve it. Especially considering that I am from a rural area where the majority of the people are poor and marginalized in terms of development. What were some of your biggest fears launching Darkie Communications and how did you overcome them? I resigned from a comfortable middle-management position because my bosses told me it was impossible for me to work for them and myself at the same time. They made me choose between working for them and running my own business, so I chose my business. I had a lot of fears, among these fears were how on earth am I going to launch a business without start-up capital. All I had were a tablet, cellphone, wifi router and lots of pen and paper. And also how was I going to pay my bills, I knew all too well that it would take a while until I sign my first client and my savings would only carry me a short distance… I survived through determination and resilience. I had a lot to lose but I was not ready to lose it all so I worked hard and chased clients for meetings. Also, I had a great support system made up of other entrepreneurs who guided me and connected me to people who would help me launch and operate Darkie Communications. Who do you look up to or follow in the communications industry and what are some of the lessons you’ve learnt from them that you can share? From the top of my head Khanyi Dhlomo of Ndalo Media; for me, she leveled the playground for young, black female entrepreneurs. She took a huge risk and regardless of the odds, she prospered. A young woman whom I see as big league player is Kealeboga Moremba of the Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation; she is young and her go-getter yet humble spirit reminds me of how much we are capable of regardless of where we come from. Like most industries, communications isn’t easy to break into. What are some of the challenges you faced and what strategies did you use to overcome them? This is definitely a “who do you know?” industry. I made it a point to attend every seminar/network session possible. Rejection was one of my biggest challenges but I learnt to not have rejection deter me from the main objective. Especially since I was starting out in Polokwane where the concept of marketing is not a huge priority. Of course, I am human and it’s cute to wallow in my misery but I never wallow for too long. I take my failure as guidance to what I may have done wrong and what I need to amend in order to break through. [bctt tweet=”‘Make sure your prospective clients understand clearly what you want to pitch to them’ -@sassy_mo” via=”no”] Funny thing is, after a few rejections, I came to realize that I was being rejected because the prospective client did not understand what I wanted to talk to them about. So I learnt that in my pitch, I would have to break down a lot of concepts (make them user-friendly because not everyone understands the new age integrated marketing concepts.) What are 3 tips you’d give to entrepreneurs trying to break into the communications industry? Network like your life depends on it- your network does contribute to your net worth Collaborate with other entrepreneurs- the comms industry is huge and you will not be the master of all aspects thereof (PR, Digital Marketing, Copywriting, Publishing, Advertising, BTL, TTL, ATL etc.) Challenge your fears, especially when it comes to putting a price on your services. Often people underestimate the amount of work that goes into marketing communications, they think we only come up for the nice PR photo shoots when it’s actually tough behind the scenes. [bctt tweet=”‘Collaborate with other entrepreneurs- the comms industry is huge & you won’t be the master of all’ -@sassy_mo” via=”no”] If you had to describe your entrepreneurial journey using a movie title, which would it be and why? It’s more of a series called Pitch. Share 3 communication/marketing strategic pointers startups can implement in their businesses. Identify your strengths, or better yet that old boring grade 8 SWOT analysis thing, do
Kat and Lezita: Building a brand based on treating yourself
[bctt tweet=”One of THEE most important tools of success is simply staying true to yourself” via=”no”] Diving into the uncharted waters of starting a business is no easy task. But attempting to encourage women to treat themselves to self-love while you do it could be nearly impossible. However, the founders of the Unapologetically Single gift box, Kat and Lezita, managed to do so, and for that we needed to know how. Both founders who have backgrounds in fashion and retail, play a role in carefully selecting the items in the boxes to ensure the products align with their mission to make women feel great about themselves whether they’re single or in relationships. After scrolling through the Unapologetically Single market, it’s clear that Kat and Lezita created these gift boxes for a market that most retailers sleep on, literally. Give us an overview of Unapologeticallysingle.com. Kat: We want it to feel like a lifestyle destination where women can come and talk about love, life, and everything in between. We also have a market where we feature items lovingly curated with single women in mind. What drove you to create UnapologeticallySingle.com? Lezita: It was the end of August in 2016 and I was on the way to buy my 3rd baby shower gift and my 1st bridal shower gift of the year. As I was walking around the store looking at the gift registry, I immediately started to think, “I’m 29 years old and I’m not in a relationship nor am I interested in kids at the moment. What if no one ever celebrates me?” After I left the baby store, I immediately called Kat and we started to brainstorm. Six months later, Unapologetically Single was officially born. Kat: I was tired of being judged and feeling less than just because of a status. We graduated from college, have great jobs, take care of ourselves and people still feel they can knock you down by saying things like: “You still aren’t married yet?” “That’s why you’re single.” “Pretty, successful and single! You must be crazy.” Our site is not meant to bash men or relationships. We want to create a place to celebrate single women of color, and not continue to inundate them with tips on how to not be single or constantly tell them what they are doing wrong. We want to encourage them to live their lives unapologetically single and to enjoy the process. [bctt tweet=”Kat & Lezita push back against the pressure to ‘settle down’ with UnapologeticallySingle” via=”no”] What do you feel are the most successful tools you used to build your brand? Lezita: One of THEE most important tools of success to me is simply staying true to yourself and representing your brand how you want to. It’s so easy to look at what the next company or brand is doing and you may find yourself trying to compete. To me, that’s a losing battle and it’s exhausting. When you stay true to who you are and what you want your brand to be, people will gravitate towards that authenticity. Also, for the obvious reasons, never take rejection or negative opinions personal. A lot of times it’s so easy to feel slighted and hurt when someone doesn’t like your idea or they don’t necessarily want to work with you. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve shared my ideas with someone and their reaction was LACKLUSTER or downright rude to say the least lol. Everyone can’t see your vision and that’s ok. Rejection will never dictate your success AND/OR your worth. Always keep pushing. What resources would you recommend for Black woman who are self-employed? Kat: Honestly, it has been a real learning experience for me. I just try to follow a lot of small business accounts and bloggers who have been where we are and who are not afraid to share their struggles and how they’ve overcome them. One of my current favorite resources is the page Brand, Build and Launch with Arsha Jones. It’s a group with like-minded members that are supportive and freely share any tips that will help you build and grow a brand. It’s a really positive community and I’ve been inspired to keep pushing from the women there. Lezita: NETWORK LOCALLY! It’s so easy to want to reach out to your Instagram and Twitter favorites to network, however, always keep the local organizations in mind too. Go to that alumni meeting that you’d never normally attend or get involved in city events! You’d be surprised the people that can inspire you or even invest in you just by participating in local events. I’m a woman in my mid 20s who would love to create my own business but I have no idea where to start. What’s your best advice towards doing so? Kat: Like Nike says, “Just Do It.” Lezita and I have had so many great ideas but we could never seem to get started. Initially, it can be overwhelming and easier to just sink back into your normal routine or that cushy 9-5, but once you take that initial leap (create a website, buy product, etc.), it’ll be hard to turn around. Lezita: Start out by writing down your goals in pencil (because they will change) and from there set a timeline. There is no right starting point for anyone, but having a timeline will help to keep you on track and in line. Also, be extremely open to change. When Kat and I first started discussing what we thought our business should look like, it was nowhere near where it is today. What is your target audience and what challenges have you faced that are unique to your market? Lezita: Our target audience is women from the ages of 21 and up. The biggest challenge has been defining single. When some people see the words “Unapologetically Single”, they’re automatically off-put because they “got a good man at home” or because they don’t want to identify as being “ the lonely, single girl.” We’re constantly brainstorming ways to get the message across that “ Unapologetically Single” doesn’t
Mphela Yelane: The agriculture sector should be the highest paying employer in the continent
[bctt tweet=”We don’t think just being natural is enough. Products should deliver results – Mphela Yelane” via=”no”] “To me, it shifted from the mindset of being a policy maker to becoming an individual championing the comparative local development concept. Africa trades more in agriculture, the agriculture sector should be the highest paying employer in the continent I thought.” These were the thoughts of a 31-year-old Mphele Yelane while in Italy on a student exchange program that exposed her to the real context of local development. Born and raised in the African Eden (Limpopo province), “in our backyards you find plants for food and healing remedies. It’s natural for me to take advantage of the wealth in our soil. In Tzaneen my hometown, we produce oranges, lemon, nuts, avocadoes, litchis etc. I know in June I get avocado and orange for consumption and also apply as a face mask”. The cosmetic products started as a creative thing to do for Mphele, her sisters and friends started coming for more after trying her products. While doing her Masters it clicked to her that this should be a business, Mphele realised she could empower her neighbours by buying from them and producing organic products for profit. Hence Ezamazwe Skin Solution brand was conceived. Ezamazwe means “of the world” or “from the earth”. Tell me more about Ezamazwe Skin Solution. Ezamazwe Skin Solution is 100% organic skincare products. We source our ingredients from all over the African continent to ensure we only work with top quality products. A good example is our unrefined shea butter which comes from Ghana. Our passion is to source out pure products from local traders in order to produce products that are truly pure, environmentally friendly and have never been tested on animals for quality control. The fact that we do all our own research and development and produce all our products from start to finish in one location, ensures high quality every step of the way. Ezamazwe Skin Solution is proud to guarantee that we use the recommended dosages for all our actives. We don’t think just being natural is enough. Products should deliver results. Our product is completely organic, and healthy for the environment as it is for human skin. Starting its life as nuts, raw materials are carefully crafted into many useful products, including oil and butter. The beauty of shea butter is that it is infinitely recycled from plant to skin butter. Recycling nuts products therefore, contribute to the preservation of our planet. As a sustainable skin solution, it takes nothing away from the environment and leaves nothing behind. How did you get your idea or concept for the business? I am born in an entrepreneurial family, my parents own a tuck-shop, taxi business and are involved in community projects. I know more about business management than being an employee. When people started making regular orders I knew this must be formalized. What was your mission at the outset? My dream is to have Ezamazwe Skin Solution become one of the very few local organic skincare manufacturers in the South African cosmetic industry. When did you “charter” the business? The business started officially in 2007, now to celebrate 10 years I decided to register a formal business in 2017. The brand has grown and the market is ready to receive the Ezamazwe Skin Solution brand. [bctt tweet=”Mphele Yelane ran Ezamazwe Skin Solution for 10 years before formally registering it as a business” via=”no”] How do you advertise your business? I advertise my business mainly through word of mouth. I also utilise social media and am now ready to sponsor TV programs and beauty pageants. How long do you stick with an idea before giving up? I have a solid support system from my parents, my sisters (Olgah, Sharon and Lerato) and my husband. I run my ideas with them, if they buy it, I start doing research and officialise it. If they say it’s not viable I leave it there. Also, I never give up, I just postpone and re-focus my energy. Giving up is never an option if I am sold onto something. Describe/outline your typical day? I am still employed full-time and work on Ezamazwe Skin Solution as part-time. My husband is a hands-on father, a typical day starts with “morning ritual”; drop my son at school, off to work, during lunch I work on Ezamazwe Skin Solution. After work, driving back home I start planning my day as MD of Ezamazwe Concepts. Once I get home, I do house chores, then from 9pm to 2am I work on Ezamazwe Skin Solution; processing orders, delivery arrangement, and manufacturing process. How has being an entrepreneur affected your family life? It doesn’t, my husband is a businessman too and my mentor, we don’t know anything besides working smart as parents. What motivates you? I am motivated by the desire to be financially fit so that even if I don’t work for a year, my lifestyle don’t change. How do you generate new ideas? Ideas are not generated, they just come when one is content. When you are at peace with self, your mind starts working right and ideas start popping up. [bctt tweet=”Ideas are not generated, they just come when one is content – Mphele Yelane” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How far are you willing to go to succeed? I won’t rest until Ezamazwe Skin Solution becomes a household brand and number one skincare solution in Africa. What is your favourite aspect of being an entrepreneur? Changing people’s lives through employment is something that brings me joy as an entrepreneur. I also enjoy exploring new markets and take pride in producing Proundly SA brand. To what do you most attribute your success? What would say are the five key elements for starting and running a successful business? Wow! If I had to limit it to five elements, they would be, Know yourself in Christ Commit and focus on your plan Believe in yourself and stick to the plan Do
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