Webinar with Odunayo (PushCV): Writing your cv and cover letter for your dream job (July 13)
What do the first six seconds of your CV say to a recruiter? If you’re attending many job interviews but never get a call back from employers, we’re about to solve your job hunt misery. It doesn’t matter how smart you are, or how much skills you possess, having a bad CV and NO cover letter can end your chances for a job in no time. [bctt tweet=”Learn all you need to know from @OdunEweniyi about rewriting your CV and cover letter. (July 13)” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Now, whether you’re planning to write your CV yourself or get a professional writer, you also need to understand the difference between your CV and cover letter and know how to construct and present both to potential employers. We’ll be chatting with tech founder and Chief Operations Officer of PushCV – Odunayo Eweniyi on Thursday, July 13th, about how to get the attention of recruiters, through your CV and cover letter. Odunayo launched PushCV for both employers and job seekers – to fully harness the power of technology in the search for the perfect candidate or the perfect job. Register for this webinar below. Some of the topics we’ll cover Techniques for Job application Rewriting your CV and cover letter How to get the attention of a recruiter in 6 seconds (Presentation) Interviewing processes every job seeker must know of Webinar Details: Date: Thursday, July 13th, 2017 Time: Lagos 1pm // Joburg 2pm // Nairobi 3pm Place: We’ll send you the link to watch once you register Watch here: About Odunayo Odunayo Eweniyi is the Chief Operations Officer of Sharphire Global Limited – which owns subsidiary companies like PushCV, Piggybank.ng and FrontDesk. Odun, as she is called, is very passionate about education, employment and most importantly, female empowerment, which enabled her to work with her team to build products to achieve that goal over the past 4 years. She graduated with a first class degree in Computer Engineering from Covenant University. She loves to write a lot, and when she’s not working or eating, she’s watching TV shows.
Sylvia Nwoko: Running a social media business has not been easy
[bctt tweet=”With good internet connection, a social media business is less work and more fun- Sylvia Nwoko” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Sylvia Nwoko is a 22-year-old graduate of Foreign Languages from the University of Benin, Nigeria. She established Thatpurpledotcouture, a unisex clothing brand in Nigeria as a fashion blog in October 2015. After a year, she developed interest in turning it into a business and ventured into fashion services such as fashion designing, retailing Ankara fabrics, fashion accessories and other ready-to wear fashion items. At the beginning, Sylvia was her own model, alongside a couple of her friends. Asides doing this, she has interests in singing, travelling and reading good books. How have you managed to successfully run a social media business? Running a social media business has not been easy. However, with good internet connection, good publicity and my love for social media platforms such as Instagram, it has been less work and more fun for me. I have a deep passion interacting and starting conversations with different people. I also have a good edge at convincing people. What are some of the challenges you have faced while using social media for promotions? My major challenges are poor internet connection, high data costs, cost of running adverts and trying to get the attention of the public to follow my account and patronize me. What is that thing that gives you an assurance that you have successfully run a campaign online? The fact that I can post several pictures and my followers react to it in different ways is a good feeling. Even without posting a single picture in 2 days, I still get comments and orders coming through. [bctt tweet=”I use social media to promote my business everyday- Sylvia Nwoko” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How often do you make use of your social media channels? Every day, I must confess. I think I’m an addict. Which is your favorite social media channel for business and why? Instagram is my favorite social media channel because my page is not private. Anybody can scroll through see what we’ve got to offer and send us direct messages. I always get an instant notification via Instagram unlike other channels such as Snapchat where customers have to add me up first. [bctt tweet=”Social Media is ideal for every kind of business- Sylvia Nwoko” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Do you think social media is ideal for every kind of business? Give a reason for your response Yes, I think social media is ideal for every kind of business because we live in a virtual world where all most everybody believes what they see on the internet. I think it is the best thing that can happen to any business especially when you have a speedy growing fan base that trusts your services. What advice will you give to someone who is intending to start a social media business? Be prepared, social media business is very competitive and tasking. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Onyinye Okwuofu Okocha: Learn from the experience, make the necessary adjustment and try again
[bctt tweet=”…I fought for my future, fight back for your destiny – Onyinye Okwuofu Okocha” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Onyinye Okwuofu Okocha was a 26 years old lawyer (non-practicing )when she lost her husband to the Dana Air flight crash in 2012. Faced with the reality of having to fend for herself and her daughter Jessica, Onyinye had to take her destiny into her hands and make a success of herself against all odds. Onyinye enrolled in the Fate Foundation Aspiring Entrepreneur’s programme and also attended a catering school. She is now the creative director of Kairos Treats. Outside running her hustle, Onyinye is a member of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Neca Network of Women Entrepreneurs (NNEW), and International Cake Exploration Society (ICES). What gave you the courage to turn your hurdle into success at a time you were going through a very tough situation? With the death of my husband, I was faced with the reality of having to fend for my then 15-month old daughter and I. Though I had the sympathy of friends, family, and colleagues who rallied around to support me, I was aware that everyone also had their lives to live and responsibilities to shoulder. I, therefore, told myself that I couldn’t afford to be a burden to anyone. I wanted my dignity as a woman and mother intact. When one keeps going cap in hand to seek for assistance, it is only a matter of time before things go south. I had been trained by my parents to be independent and content, then to consistently reach for more and do better. I have a daughter who I want to be proud of me, I knew I had to fight back and succeed for her. Most of all my courage and confidence came from the promise I had in God. I made up my mind to show forth God’s goodness irrespective the circumstance. The fact speaks for itself. Before I started Kairos Treats I had tried other business which did not work out work out so well. I eventually attended an entrepreneurship course at Fate Foundation and also attended a catering school following a leading from God to so do and the rest is history. [bctt tweet=”You would succeed if only you try. If you do not try you have already failed” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What can you tell other women who are going through difficulties they think they can’t get past? How they can pick themselves up? To every woman out there who may be going through a hurdle, it seems like the bottom is caving in and you are sinking fast and you just can’t stay afloat. Whether you lost a spouse, child, job, your business is struggling whatever be the case; I say to you, innate in you is the capacity to not just go through it but to come out refined as gold. Precious jewels go through the fire before the beauty we see is brought forth. Know that you are more than the situation and will come through a success. I fought for my future, fight back for your destiny. God has got your back, do what it takes to get better, obtain knowledge, enter strategic relationships, walk out of unproductive or abusive relationship. Don’t just sit back and throw a pity party, get up and go. You would succeed if only you try. If you do not try you have already failed. If you try once and things do not seem to work, do not give up; learn from the experience, make the necessary adjustment and try again. I first began to import and sell shoes, which did not go so well. I then went back to my first love makeup artistry, but I had to give that up because of its mobile nature, my daughter needed me. [bctt tweet=”Precious jewels go through the fire before the beauty we see is brought forth” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How has it been running your business and taking care of your daughter as a single parent? Raising a daughter and running Kairos Treats has not been a piece of cake, but God’s grace has been sufficient. The early days was pretty tough, I didn’t have a help. I would attend to my daughter by myself, get her to school, do all the baking and decoration. I often had to work over night, effect deliveries, pick her up from school, attend to her again, think of ways to increase sales and clientele, find a way to pick our bills, grapple with personal and family issues…then there was a pending law suit plus all the drama dished out by the solicitors representing Dana air. Wth all that, I still had to manage to look good, put on a smile and carry on like all was well. God lovingly held my hand through it all and it all got better with time. Could you give us some insight of how you started Kairos Treats? How have you built the business so far to become its creative director? As I mentioned earlier, some months after my husband passed on, I began to import and sell shoes. That did not go so well, so I decided to go back to my first love, makeup artistry. The mobile nature of being a makeup artist made me have a rethink, I needed to be available for my daughter so I took time out to inquire from God what to do. I needed to make money and also have time to attend to my daughter. While I waited, I attended Aspiring Entrepreneurship program at Fate Foundation to obtain requisite entrepreneurial training. Towards the end of the programme, I got clear directions to attend a catering school. On graduating, I registered my company as Kairos’n’kosh with the help of a dear friend. We started really humbly, it was just me. I had just basic equipment and had to borrow some things initially. A major boost to our sales and clients came via a strategic partnership with DealDey.
Kalaria Ejindu: From Africa to the world
[bctt tweet=”Africaneurs Inc provides startups with the platform to expand their network & grow their business” via=”no”] Kalaria Ejindu is a value oriented, driven entrepreneur with years of experience in leadership and skill building training. She is the founder of Africaneurs Inc, a platform for African entrepreneurs to build their skills, expand their network and grow their businesses. Through her engaging online contents and events, Kalaria hopes for Africaneurs to become the number one destination for African entrepreneurs. In this interview with SLA contributor Gracious, Kalaria talks to us about her growing business which aims to rid the degrading stories about Africa. What problems do Africaneurs aim to solve? Africaneurs provides African startups with the platform to build their skills, expand their network, get business tips and grow their business. We are an organization that motivates Africans to contribute to the development of a new Africa through our engaging online contents and events. Because most of the stories out there about Africans are disturbing, insulting and ridiculous, Africaneurs Blog is dedicated to sharing stories and achievements of Africans. We also have an online shop that leads the way to allow every African entrepreneur and designer to present and sell his/her products to a cross-cultural market where all the profit made will go back to funding start-ups, Africaneurs events and projects. How have you challenged yourself in the years since the start of your business? In the past year till date, I have challenged myself by creating time from my busy work and school schedule in other to equip myself. I attended business related conferences, seminars and events. I was at the Harvard Business conference, Columbia conference and many more skill building events. At these conferences, I learned new business skills and equipped myself for the work ahead of me. It is always good to learn from Moguls. What kind of support is necessary for startup entrepreneurs? For startups to be successful, they need support from family, friends, and the government. They need mentorship, funding, skill building and all the support they can get from the community at large. [bctt tweet=”A good team of investors can take an organization to the next level of success – Kalaria Ejindu” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What kind of investors do you need for your business and how do you tend to attract them? A good team of investors can take our organization to the next level of success. At this time, we need angel investors, personal investors, and event sponsors. At Africaneurs, we exude confidence in the value and impact of our programs in hopes that we can attract investors. How do you connect to your target startup and how easily do you reach out to African based start-up entrepreneurs from the diaspora? Through our engaging online content, we are able to connect with thousands of African-based startups. We have also partnered with some organizations such as the Xperience Media Online and Abiriba Exhibition Fair to host events in Nigeria. We are planning another pan-African event in Nigeria this year and will keep all our followers in the loop. [bctt tweet=” Our mission to for the world to see how beautiful, creative and great Africans are” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What support system and tools have helped you in the course of running Africaneurs? I consider myself very blessed with a community of supporters. Just to name a few, I have my family, my friends -the founders of Dashiki Pride and the founder of Kajai Media. They have been very supportive of me and my entrepreneurial journey. In terms of tools/resources that have helped me, I always fall back to books about entrepreneurship for example “The Power of Broke” by Draymond John and online contents from websites such as She Leads Africa. What global concepts have greatly influenced your business strategy? The concept “Africa to the world” has a great influence in my business strategy. At Africaneurs, we showcase the greatness embedded in Africa through our online contents, and Pan-African events. Our mission to for the world to see how beautiful, creative and great Africans are. [bctt tweet=”Follow your passion and surround yourself with positive and smart people” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Tell us your one business mantra. One mantra that helped my start my business and keep my business sailing is “Follow your passion and surround yourself with positive and smart people” If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Aileen Hlongoane: I didn’t envision that our organisation would have such a great impact on the country
[bctt tweet=”The lack of sanitary pads is a human rights issue. It infringes on the right to dignity, education, health & privacy” via=”no”] Founder and president of Pledge a Pad SA, 28-year-old Aileen Hlongoane was born in Kwa-Ndebele in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa. Upon completing her high school with a distinction, Aileen enrolled for an LLB degree at the University of Pretoria. It was whilst volunteering at the institution’s Centre of Sexualities, Aids, and Gender that she discovered that young girls from underprivileged communities are forced to miss 3–4 days of school every month because they do not have access to sanitary pads. Aileen then established Pledge a Pad SA, a non-profit organisation that aims to educate young girls from lower income households about menstrual and reproductive health as well as provide them with sanitary towels in a bid to lower the high school- absenteeism rate of these young girls. SLA contributor Kutlwano Mokgojwa catches up with the 2015 Mail & Guardian top 200 young South Africans about challenging social myths and taboos surrounding menstruation, appealing to the Constitutional court to have provincial governments provide free sanitary pads to schoolgirls and increasing the access to sanitary pads across the country. [bctt tweet=”I figured that when faced with a decision between bread and sanitary pads, they’d always choose the former” via=”no”] Prior to Pledge a Pad SA, there were virtually no organisations founded for the sole purpose of affording schoolgirls from lower LSM communities to attend school during their periods. What triggered you to change that in South Africa? My tenure as a volunteer at the Centre for the Study of AIDS was my springboard. Whilst I was pursuing my LLB degree, I volunteered at the Centre for the Study of AIDS, at the University of Pretoria. We visited many orphanages and like places of safety, which houses many girls, yet have very little resources. I figured that when faced with a decision between bread and sanitary pads, they would always choose the former. Therefore, that “time of the month” would be a nightmare to the affected girls. The subject of menstruation is still very much a taboo what impediments, if any, did that cause for your organisation? Requesting donations from males and older women was difficult and sometimes impossible. Men think this is something that only women should talk about. The elder women feel disrespected when a young woman or a man speaks to them about anything that has to do with the menstrual cycle. [bctt tweet=”Requesting donations from males and older women was difficult and sometimes impossible” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Since the establishment of your organisation, other Non-Profit Organisations dealing with the same issue have been established. As of this year, the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government has started an initiative to supply schoolgirls from lower LSM schools with sanitary pads. Did you envision that your organisation would have such an impact? Why do you think the issue wasn’t tackled earlier? I really did not envision that our organisation would have such a great impact on the country. Not enough awareness was created on this issue and many people needed to be educated on the plight of young women and girls who cannot afford sanitary pads. The lack of sanitary pads is a human rights issue and it infringes on the right to dignity, education, health and privacy. Therefore there exist constitutional grounds to bring an application at the Constitutional Court to compel other Provincial Governments to provide free sanitary pads. There have been several petitions to have the South African government levy the tax on sanitary pads and tampons. What is your view on that? As Pledge a Pad, our main concern is the access to sanitary pad, therefore we support initiatives that will increase access to sanitary pads. You started the organisation whilst still studying, what effect did it have on what you initially wanted to do after school? How has running such an organisation affected your worldview and what has been the most gratifying experience you have had since the establishment of Pledge a Pad? I lost the interest in studying towards my LLB degree and I wanted to run Pledge a Pad full time and turn it into my career. I realised that the reasons we judge and discriminate against each other as people stems from ignorance and lack of education. Women suffer much prejudice just by virtue of being women; unless the status quo is dealt with, women will always lag behind compared to their male counterparts. What would you say is a skill that is essential in running a Non-Profit Organisation? A combination of business skills and care for people. [bctt tweet=”You need a combination of business schools and care for people to run a non-profit @Aileenhlongoane” via=”no”] What is the way forward for Pledge a Pad? Expand our operations and engage more state holders. Continue to advocate for women’s rights. What tasty food do you think would be disgusting over rice? Cake If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Titilope Oyewole: Social media was very easy to incorporate into my business
[bctt tweet=”My inspiration was to provide quality and beautiful outfits at affordable prices” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Titilope Oyewole is a 23-year-old graduate of microbiology. She is also currently running her postgraduate studies in Parasitology and Bioinformatics at the University of Lagos. While she pursues her studies, Titiliope owns Efab Creation and General Merchant, a start-up fashion house in Egbeda, Lagos. What was the inspiration behind starting E-fab Creations? The inspiration behind starting Efab Creations was to provide quality and beautiful outfits for Nigerians at extremely affordable prices. Our motto at Efab Creation is ‘Everything Fabulous and Affordable’. How were you able to successfully use social media as your primary marketing point? I have been using social media even before I started my business. By the time I started my business social media was easy to incorporate, I used to do some online PR for major brands. As part of my initial marketing strategy, I talked to other social media influencers as well and they have helped greatly in marketing my products. Describe a sample social media campaign carried out for any of your product? When we launched, we carried out our first social media campaign. I got some influencers and made them ambassadors of the brand so they talked about the brand itself across their entire social media platform. The idea was to introduce Efab Creation to the online community. We had a total of 8 influencers and the campaign ran for three days. They all posted different contents on their various platforms for the three days. Most of their content covered talking about Efab and what we do. We were able to achieve followers and customers because it was evident in our sales after that. [bctt tweet=” I talk about my business to everyone I come across – Titilope Oyewole” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] You have a following of about 11.7k following on Instagram and 11.2k on Twitter, how were you able to achieve that? When I started using social media, I referred people to follow the Twitter and Instagram pages, I also organized giveaways. The first rule of all the giveaways was for participants to follow our social media accounts first. That way we were able to grow the platform. Also most of our customers tag us when they wear outfits received from us and that brings more followers and customers to our pages. Which other ways have you tried to acquire new customers for your brand? I do some word of mouth marketing. I talk about my business to everyone I come across. Also, I have printed flyers that I share to people. [bctt tweet=”Titilope Oyewole: Be consistent and give it your very best” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What advice would you give to other ladies trying to build a business online like you have been able to achieve? The first thing I’ll tell anyone trying to build a business is to be consistent and give it their very best. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Mahlodi Legodi: I manage the business, God owns it
Public relations is basically free advertising. The thing is, it is important to be able to relate with the people on which your business relies. It is those relationships that will make people support your vision by choosing your product or services over your competitors. As a client I’d want some transparency, I mean who supports a vision they don’t understand? Mahlodi Legodi will help you with that. With 5 years experience in Public Relations, Mahlodi has managed and improved the media relations and reputation for prominent African and international brands. Notable among these are Carlson Rezidor (Radisson Blu Hotel group), LG Electronics, Bosch power tools, Ask Afrika and Subinite. With this extensive clientele base spanning corporate, consumer and retail sectors, Mahlodi has overseen and executed successful internal and external campaigns, exhibitions, product and service launches, media roundtables, internal and external communication strategies. SLA content fellow Rumbie had the opportunity to interview Mahlodi Legodi and this is what the PR guru had to share… Mahlodi Legodi, some of the readers would want to know what the few months before starting up your company were like. Starting a company isn’t an easy process! The first few months before I decided to embark on this entrepreneurship journey I spent in prayer, research, planning and preparation for the birth of FR Communications Pty Ltd. It is very important to gather as much information about your business venture. Speak with a few industry players about what worked for them and what didn’t in order to position yourself well in the industry. From the outset what was your mission? Our mission is to create and deliver award-winning services to our clients by providing modern strategic and creative ideas that are tailored to clients’ business objectives. We aim to be crucial creative partners to the brands that require effective and professionally executed PR and Communications solutions. Did you ever consider letting go and probably getting yourself a 9 -5? No, I have never considered getting another 9 to 5. The beauty of venturing into business for me came with the assurance that I had nothing to worry or stress about for greater is He that is in me (1 John 4:4) than he (challenges or struggles) that is in the world. I manage the business but God owns it! What gets you out of bed every morning? What gets me up in the morning is the reminder that my clients trusted me enough with their brands (dreams, aspirations and livelihood) accompanied with the love and passion for what I do. [bctt tweet=”When you lead your industry through communication, ensure it’s not just pretty but right” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] ‘FR Communications believes in the importance of not just having a great idea but to have the “right idea”.’ How do you know your idea is the right idea? We are committed to setting brands apart in a crowded marketplace by offering unique, innovative and media savvy PR services that don’t only focus on creating great ideas but delivering the right ideas. Ideas which produce proven results that have a direct and positive impact on our clients brands. The right idea is more than just something you’re excited about —it is an idea that is actually viable to ensure the overall success of the clients business and communication needs. The right idea will always solve a business problem and set your brand apart in the industry in a memorable way. It is extremely hard to consistently create content that’s truly unique and new. So when you do have the chance to lead your industry through your communication, you have to take it and ensure it’s not just great (pretty looking, sounds amazing) but it’s right (viable, educational, factual, and speaks to your target audience) It is extremely hard to consistently create content that’s truly unique and new. So when you do have the chance to lead your industry through your communication, you have to take it and ensure it’s not just great (pretty looking, sounds amazing) but it’s right (viable, educational, factual, and speaks to your target audience) What is the most gratifying part of your position as owner and senior consultant? In this role, I learned that if God puts authority and credibility in your life, the title (owner and senior consultant) is irrelevant. I do everything from filling, writing, recons, mentoring, and media monitoring. What does it take to be a co-owner of a company? Who do you need to be connected to and what does one need to bring to the table as a cofounder/ coowner? Being a co-founder of a company means that you are part of a team that came together to compliment each other and validate the plans concerning the company before implementing them. When you decide to get into partnership with someone in business (being a co-owner/co-founder), it is very important to have a mutual understanding and vision of the products and services that you want to provide to the market and how you will ensure the company continues to grow. A partnership agreement should contain the following: It needs to define who contributes what: You need to discuss with your business partner what you both will be bringing to the table in terms of labour, cash, clients, property etc. Who plans on working on the business full-time, part-time or just act as a silent partner? It is very important to define who gets paid what: This consists of an outline of how profits will be distributed. Will each partner be paid a salary for his or her role in the business? If so, how much? And what about any extra profits for the year? You need to be able to define how decisions get made: What type of decisions require unanimous votes, and what type of daily decisions can be made by a single partner? Discussing these matters upfront and deciding what decision-making structure will let your business run the most effectively is important in a joint venture. If a co-founder doesn’t come to their part
Nthabiseng Mapela: Knowing that I made it happen makes all the hard work worth it
[bctt tweet=”Entrepreneurship was never something I dreamed of doing – Nthabiseng Mapela” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Entrepreneurship is about offering solution to problems. Nthabiseng Maphela, founder of Beyond Measure, an event company for growth is one of the few to say that money was always a motive to her. Even though it is not the primary motive. Nthabiseng certainly did not have sleepless night thinking about money but because she wanted to offer a better service for all. It is a passion for what she is doing for others that drives her. What does self employment mean to you? Self employment to me means building a legacy for the world, a legacy that will reflect who entrepreneurs are and change life of others. Self employment is a mean of giving back. What do you like most about your job? How do you stay motivated when things don’t go as planned? Despite all the stress and horrors, all the cancellations and technical difficulties, event planners wouldn’t have it any other way. What could be more rewarding than the end results? Seeing people enjoying themselves, seeing everyone connect and share an experience. Knowing that I made it happen makes all the hard work worth it and that’s why I love working in events. What are the most common/serious problems you have encountered as an event manager? We face three major problems; unexpected weather, technicaly failure and most importantly, guests not showing up The trick is to always have a backup plan. What is close to your heart? Entrepreneurship. It was never something I dreamed of doing but it’s important to the country. Entrepreneurship contribute to the economy and this made me want to be part of the team that changes the world. It is something that makes me feel very important and make me feel like i am contributing towards the economic growth. What do you enjoy more about you job ? The planning itself and putting it into action is exciting at all times. That’s because to me it is always an opportunity to explore new things, meet people and explore different environments. just love planning for my company because no matter how impossible it might look to people, I just love planning for my company because no matter how impossible it might look to people, I am going to put it into action as the owner of my company. Can you tell us about your services? Sure. Regarding our services, outside planning events, we supply promoters, hostesses, actors, brand ambassadors, dancers and extras. What is the first thing you do when you plan an event? Assemble a team. In union there is strength. What do you live by? Everything in this world began with a thought, respect your thoughts, value them and put them into action. Those thoughts comes from the world of possibilities. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Joy Makumbe : Engineering is all about networks
[bctt tweet=”I felt the need to test my strength & capacity to build, grow & sustain a company – Joy Makumbe” via=”no”] From an early age, Joy Makumbe, the founder of Majolic Construction and The Joy Makumbe Trust, both based in Harare, Zimbabwe, has always been passionate about turning her ideas into tangible physical reality. Knowing that these realities assists women and girls in alleviating some of the problems they face daily with regards to water and sanitation gives her satisfaction. Did you always want to be a civil engineer? No, not really. I didn’t know much about it until I was attached to engineering companies during school holidays. Most of these companies were mainly involved with mechanical engineering but that is where I realised my passion for building things. After graduation I mainly worked in consulting companies whose projects were mainly structural in nature. This was a good foundation for me as I worked with elderly white engineers who were really bent on detail, teaching, training and mentoring. From there I moved to another consulting company that exposed me to the projects management side of civil engineering. [bctt tweet=”I didn’t know much about civil engineering until I was attached to engineering companies” via=”no”] Tell us about Majorlic Construction. Majorlic Construction is a company I formed in 2008 after I felt the need to be directly involved in the communities, and to test my strength and capacity to build, grow and sustain a company. The name is a combination of letters from my first and last names. Majorlic’s focus has been water and sewer reticulation networks and structural design. We have also incorporated the use of green technology in construction with the use of solar energy to provide water heating and lighting in the houses we construct. To date we have done servicing of residential stands, house and road constructions in Harare, Zimbabwe. What challenges have you faced as a black African woman in engineering? Most of the time people assume that I am a man. The community’s awareness with regards to women in engineering is still very low. As a result my gender makes it harder to get contracts because people lack the confidence that a woman can really deliver. Contracts mainly come because of referrals from people who have worked with me and know my work. For me, there is no excuse for quality so it always comes down to proving myself more as an engineer. [bctt tweet=”Awareness of women in engineering is still very low. Most of the time people assume that I’m a man. ” via=”no”] What were the major start-up challenges? Capital and not being known in the construction circles meant fewer contracts. Not many people want to engage an engineer that they do not know. When you get that opportunity to do a project, the project just looks too big in your eyes and can be overwhelming. Looking back I have learnt that sometimes we are overwhelmed because we think we have to go at it alone but you will find that there are so many established companies who are willing to partner with you on some projects. Your company can learn from these established companies. I know TechWomen 2015 was a life changing experience for you, tell us a bit about that. You leave your country with one perspective on women, technology and science and you come back changed. I left the US with newly found relationships, sisterhoods, zeal, and a renewed form of energy. I met a lot of powerful young women from different parts of the world who are making a difference in their home countries and beyond. This challenged me and I realised that I too could bring such impact. How do you connect your experience at TechWomen with your work? During my mentorship I was attached to Sun Power – one of the major players in solar technology in the US. I realised that there was so much untapped potential in Zimbabwe for solar power on the domestic, industrial and agricultural fields. This was an area which we needed to explore more of in Zimbabwe. Since then I have been looking at ways of introducing different forms of energy in Zimbabwe through my trust, The Joy Makumbe Trust. It has been difficult in the past couple of years to rely solely on Hydropower due to seasonal changes and drought patterns. We have started exploring more on green technology and how we can use it to make our lives better. For example those in the rural areas have resources to use like Biogas, they just do not have the knowledge. We plan to bridge this knowledge gap in the communities. Overall, my experience at TechWomen has given me lifelong networks of sisters across the globe. Sisters who share opportunities and information to build our businesses and increase impact in our communities. Sisters who share achievements to encourage each other and show that it can be done. How has it been moving from being a lecturer to managing a multi-million dollar project in a foreign country? Engineering is all about networks. I got this job because an engineer colleague of mine informed me of the opportunity and I submitted my CV. The thought of relocating was overwhelming and being part of a million dollar job funded by the World Bank made it worse. So many questions ran through my head, “am I woman enough to pull it through?” But I have a very supportive family that really cheers me on. This contract came at the right time when I felt I was ready for something new. The TechWomen experience had elevated me to a level where going down again was not an option for me. I was restless. I needed to do more. I needed to make more impact. It has been challenging dealing with contractors and being in a different setting, but it has been an amazing experience.[bctt tweet=”Joy Makumbe: I was restless. I needed to do more. I needed to make more
Mariam Sule: Social media exposes me to a lot of readers
[bctt tweet=”I want to serve as a bridge between readers & writers- Mariam Sule, founder of @TheBookDealerNG” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Mariam Sule is a writer and educator. Her fiction and nonfiction have appeared in the Ake Review, Brittle Paper, Ebedi Review, ITCH Creative Journal and Litro Magazine UK. She was a writer-in-resident at the Ebedi International Writers Residency. TheBookDealerNG is her tech startup that provides a platform where book lovers can access titles published by writers of color. Mariam currently lives in Ilorin, Nigeria. What inspired your decision to start selling books? I have always really loved books. I love being around them. The scent of a book makes me happy. Also, I discovered that many other readers found it difficult to find books particularly African Literature and other books by people of color. I recognized a wonderful opportunity and I was happy to invest in it. What are the three key things you consider while trying to promote your brand online? Readers, publishers, and writers. I think carefully about what the readers see when they go through my pages. I make sure what I am offering is appealing. Also, I want to make sure that writers and publishers see me as a great outlet to distribute their content and that I can serve as a bridge between writers and readers. I achieve this by starting conversations on my pages. How has social media been able to help increase your productivity? Social media exposes me to a wide range of readers. Because of social media, I can keep people engaged by talking about books and writing and also collecting orders. [bctt tweet=”I haven’t encountered fraud on social media – Mariam Sule ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What was the major social media campaign/experience/incidence that put you into the limelight? The very first giveaway I hosted was in December 2016 and it was a Christmas-themed giveaway. A classic buy-one-get-one-free promotion. Free books were given out to people and TheBookDealerNG received a lot of positive publicity including a blog feature. How have you been able to cope with social media fraud? So far I haven’t encountered fraud on social media. I am careful when I interact with people and I ensure that my transactions are transparent. Apart from social media, are there any online methods you use for promotions? Not at the moment. TheBookDealerNG’s site is still under construction. What’s your perfect one-line statement for young women trying to build a brand via social media? Go girl, I’m rooting for you! If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.