Second Stop on the Delicious Naija Food Tour? Ibadan
Delicious Naija is back with a trip to Ibadan, ‘the city at the edge of the savannah’ – capital of Oyo State. After a visit to Mapo Hall for a good dose of history, Bunmi is off to visit with her good friend Saka. Yes the very same warm and funny Nollywood actor & comedian Saka is Bunmi’s first host. They visit the lush Agodi Park & Garden and then move on to have a meal that is always in the same sentence with Ibadan. You guessed right: Amala! But the trip isn’t complete without making a meal traditional to Ibadan and so the MAGGI Star of this episode, Grace Obagunwa, teaches us how to make the local Ishapa soup. This mother, wife and teacher tells us the perks of being on good terms with your mother-in-law, one of which is learning traditional recipes like Pounded Yam and Ishapa Soup! The food journeys of Delicious Naija can always be watched at 7:30pm Saturday on Africa Magic (Family), at 5pm Sunday on NTA and at 5:30pm Friday on Arewa24. But if you can’t get to these, that’s okay – there’s Facebook, Instagram & Youtube to keep you updated! Go watch! Sponsored post
Tanaka Nombulelo Mandidi: My spirit is awakened with every opportunity to remind someone what their beautiful is
[bctt tweet=”From plaiting hair in high school to celebrating African beauty, Tanaka Nombulelo Mandidi” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Tanaka Nombulelo Mandidi is the creative mind behind the Cape Town-based Slay Studios, which is building its reputation in providing quality affordable products and service offerings that celebrate African beauty and heritage. She is driven by helping people take their dreams and turn them into business concepts. She is a makeup and hair enthusiast who loves to team her passions with social entrepreneurship. Tanaka considers wine her first love (apart from her husband), hates hiking and loves having a good laugh. What was the spark that led you to start Slay Studios Cape Town? I’ve always loved hair. I’ve been plaiting hair since high school and as time went on (through Youtube gurus) I taught myself more intricate styles and methods. In 2015, I had a near death experience that made me reflect on how I was spending my time. I had a successful career, was married to the love of my life and adulting was finally making sense. Yet something in the deepest depth of my core was missing. I felt a joy in my heart every time someone asked me about hair, makeup or self-awareness. And before I knew it, I had resigned from my job and stepped into what I believe God was calling me to. Society has taught us that different is not ok. That there’s a standard of beauty we should all aspire to. That #proAfro means #Antiweave. There are so many distorted truths that have been sold to women of colour and its time those truths are unravelled. That’s what Slay Studios is. A place where who you are is perfect. [bctt tweet=”Tanaka Nombuleleo Mandidi’s Slay Studios is a place where who you are is perfect” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What services do you offer your clients? At the Weave Bar, we specialise in all things lace -closures, frontals, wigs and customisation. We talk through exactly what the client wants so everyone walks away from the experience satisfied. Our premium virgin hair is sourced directly from India and undergoes a UV treatment before being retailed to our customers as Slay, our hairline. Currently, our services include bridal makeup or special event makeovers. Our Designer Accesories include our #eyecandy, #armcandy, #scentcandy and #clutchcandy collections. At the heart of what we do is the Slay Foundation. 10% of sales from our services and accessories go into the foundation. Sometimes we makeover young girls, or wash and care for a homeless mother’s hair. Our mission is to make a difference in one person’s life a day. Why Cape Town? It’s very hard to find a clean, modern space where African people can get their hair done without compromise. We’re so used to bad service that its normal to not like your hair when you leave. Cape Town has so much room for improvement in services provided to young, modern black women. [bctt tweet=”Tanaka Mandidi: Cape Town can improve in services provided to young, modern black women” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Our next target cities are Johannesburg and Harare in Zimbabwe -the latter being our attempt to staying close to home and bringing change in our home community. How has the journey been from when you decided to open up shop to now? Start up a business they said. It will be a walk in the park they said. THEY LIED. When you work for a company you’re hired to perform a specific task. With a start up, you are EVERYTHING to your business. You are the accountant, marketing director, lawyer, and stylist. Your business requires you to fulfill all those roles (or hire someone who will) for the cogs to move. And that’s where its so easy to drop the ball. It took about a year for me to figure out what I was doing and a good 5 months after resigning for me to open up the storefront. Some days are amazing. Some days aren’t. Those amazing days keep me going. Planning and vision are also very important. The details? – not so much. When the small stuff faces you, you make a quick decision and move on. The key word there is moving on. Where do you see Slay in the future? My dream is for Slay to grow, influencing fashion, beauty and having an impact on social issues. Our *top secret* in-house makeup line for women of colour is under construction. We plan to expand into the African accessories platform and exclusive virgin hair extensions line. My hopes are to interact with different women and inspire them to own their identity. [bctt tweet=”My hopes are to interact with different women and inspire them to own their identity” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] We’re hoping to grow our team and move into a bigger space to allow for content production, hosting makeup workshops and development classes. With growing sales, we’ll have more contributions to our social impact ventures and be able to bring beauty to more women in the Western Cape and one day, all over Africa. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Teta Isibo: There is so much potential for African artisans to increase the value of their products
[bctt tweet=”Teta Isibo: The whole essence of @InzukiDesigns is the fusion of traditional & contemporary” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Teta Isibo is a Rwandan fashion entrepreneur and the founder of Inzuki Designs, a Rwandan brand specialising in jewellery, home décor and accessories that fuses Rwandan traditional craftsmanship and global contemporary design. Teta founded Inzuki Designs out of a combined passion for design, style and everything Rwandan. Her brand seeks to transcend traditional Rwandan design and customise it to suit a modern and international market. What started a few years ago as a hobby designing jewellery for herself, has since grown into a dynamic brand selling beyond Rwanda’s borders. You quit your job as a land planner to start a jewellery business, which you had no background in. How difficult was it to take that leap? It was not easy at all in the beginning, but I was really excited about finally taking the leap to be fazed by the hurdles I faced. I learned by doing, made a lot of mistakes and learned from those mistakes as well. [bctt tweet=”Teta Isibo started out designing jewellery for herself, now @InzukiDesigns is dynamic brand” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Do you think there’s an interest by African artists to break away from the touristy art and crafts? Presentation is really important in retail, it can make a whole lot of difference in what people perceive the value of a product to be and in how much they are willing to pay for it. As much as there will always be a need and a love for the conventional arts and crafts market, there is so much potential for African artisans to increase the value of their products through better presentation and I think there is certainly a growing interest in that. Inzuki Designs works with roughly 10 local cooperatives. Why was it important for you to partner with these cooperatives? The whole essence of our business is the fusion of Rwandan traditional and global contemporary, and the traditional comes from the skills of local artisans. They are therefore an intrinsic component of our business. Their craftsmanship is a unique skill that we as a business greatly value. I wouldn’t be able to be in this business without them. [bctt tweet=”Teta founded @InzukiDesigns out of a combined passion for design, style and everything Rwandan” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What was the biggest mistake you made starting out, and what lessons did you learn? Trying to do everything by myself, the designing and creating, the marketing and branding, the admin., the day to day running of the business. My logic was that I didn’t have money to hire staff so I had to do it by myself. But that sort of thinking can be a costly mistake and stunt your growth. I learnt that you grow so much faster if you have the right people on your team. If you were to choose one colour that represented Inzuki Design’s ethos, which would it be and why? I’ll go with yellow. Inzuki means bees and yellow is our brand colour. It’s a bright, happy, bold colour. It’s the colour of sunshine and it symbolises joy and energy among other things. It also happens to be one of my favourite colours. [bctt tweet=”Teta Isibo: I learned by doing, made a lot of mistakes and learned from those mistakes as well” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What does the future hold for Inzuki Designs? We are working on expanding our home décor line, getting into apparel, starting a line for men and for kids as well and finally getting our online store up and running. Our vision for the future is to become a contemporary African lifestyle brand with a global reach. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here
Webinar with Pryse: Breaking into the music industry (Dec. 13)
The Nigerian music industry is booming! While there are a few female artists in the game, there are hardly any female rappers. Pryse is changing all of that around. She has smashed her way into the music industry and is playing no games. Within her relatively short career, she has already done collaborations with people like Burna Boy and has created her own record label, ICON. Join us for a 30-minute webinar with Pryse on December 13th, 2016. We’ll be discussing what it takes to get into the music industry and the Nigerian music industry in particular. If you are an artist, or anyone interested in any aspect of the music industry, you don’t want to miss this. Register below to get the exclusive link to the webinar. Some of the topics we’ll cover: What the music industry is like for solo female artists What it’s like to be a female rapper in Nigeria Staying true to yourself What is takes to create and run a record label What’s next for Pryse and her record label, ICON. Webinar Details: Date: Tuesday December 13, 2016 Time: 8:00am NYC // 2:00pm Lagos // 4:00pm Nairobi Watch this Webinar: About Pryse Princess Esindu, popularly known as Pryse is regarded as one of the best female rappers in Nigeria. Born in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, Pryse is a graduate of media and communications from Nottingham Trent University, UK. She started her career in the Nigerian Music Industry with the release of her debut single, “Eleto” featuring “Kolewerk” singer, Koker in 2013. She later released “Niger Delta Money” and “Kolo” featuring Burna Boy. After the expiration of her recording contract with former label Chocolate City, Pryse launched her own record label ICON in October 2016 and released “Queen Kong” featuring Eva Alordiah as part of her Pryseless Freestyles Series. “Queen Kong” is currently receiving reviews and airplay on major radio stations across Nigeria. Her first official single under ICON, “Her Excellency” will be released later this month.
Twitter Chat with Tania Omotayo: You, Your 9-5, Your Side Hustle & Your Brand (Dec. 8)
Balancing your day job and your side side hustle is never easy. It’s even harder when your 9-5 is with a budding company in the entertainment industry and your side hustle is a modeling career, among other things. Top that all off with aspirations to start your own company and build your personal brand and you’ve got one busy schedule. How do you keep track of it all and how do you get the skills to do so many separate things? Join us Thursday Dec. 8th for a twitter chat with the one and only Tania Omotayo. She is making a name for herself across the entertainment, marketing and modeling world and she is about to reveal some news about a fashion business she has been working on for a year. Don’t just wait and watch! Learn from this Motherland Mogul that is moving and shaking across the Nigerian sector and beyond. Follow She Leads Africa on twitter and use the hashtag #SLAChats to ask your questions and participate in the discussion. Topics that we’ll cover: Breaking into the entertainment or fashion industry What does it mean to be a Creative Analyst How to start your own business in entertainment, marketing, or fashion Staying on top of everything Twitter chat details Date: Thursday Dec. 8, 2016 Time: 7am NYC // 1pm Lagos // 3pm Nairobi Location: Follow She Leads Africa on twitter and use the hashtag #SLAChats Help us spread the word: [bctt tweet=”Join @SheLeadsAfrica & @TaniaOmotayo for #SLAChats on Thurs Dec. 8th at 12pm GMT. ” via=”no”] About Tania Omotayo Tania Omotayo is a versatile young lady born in Lagos to Austrian and Nigerian parents. From age 14, she studied in the UK and America, and graduated from the Art Institute of Atlanta with honours in advertising, before returning to Nigeria to start a career in Brand Management. She has over 4 years’ experience working in branding and media companies that have managed and worked with some of Nigeria’s biggest profile entertainers and corporate clients including MTN, Pepsi, and Nigerian Breweries. She also runs her own company, a branding and digital marketing consultancy for small and medium size enterprises. She is passionate about midwifing the growth of brands. Tania’s formal career as a model started in 2014 when she was the face of a leading Nigerian fashion house Jewel By Lisa’s ‘Print Party’ campaign for online retailer Fashpa. In 2015, Tania became the face of fashion designer Maju’s ‘Rinnovo’ collection. In 2016 she became the face of Last Shot recovery drink as well as the face of Nigeria’s prestigious designer eyewear storehouse ‘House of Lunnettes’. In the same year, she made her debut on the runway, closing for bespoke designer Mai Atafo at the Lagos Fashion and Design Week.
Sandra Myambu: Uplifting young people through social entrepreneurship
[bctt tweet=”Sandra Myambu is working towards giving school-leavers the skills that will make them employable” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Sandra Myambu is currently a Portfolio Programme Analyst at Dimension Data where she is involved in delivery and support of global, strategic projects. She is also the MD for Masana Social Innovations. During her university years, Sandra joined Enactus as Project Manager then Vice President. She also volunteered as a Skills Development Trainer and Project coordinator at an NGO. When Sandra began working for Dimension Data, she still wanted to continue having an impact to society. By seeing the number of graduates increase in parallel with youth unemployment, the idea for Masana Social Innovations was stimulated. Sandra found out from various research exercises that many graduates lacked skills that deemed them employable, especially in the ICT sector. This is when she started Masana Social Innovations to uplift young people. Sandra shares with SLA contributor, Anelisa Kasper her challenges and motivators of starting Masana Social Innovations with a full-time job. How has your journey/transition from corporate to entrepreneurship been like? As I’m currently still in corporate and have recently started with Masana, my transition into entrepreneurship hasn’t been hard. Masana’s aim is to use technology innovations to enable the civil society, corporates and state entities to deliver sustainable social solutions to communities. This will be achieved through bridging the skills gap in the ICT industry with a key focus on women, through the facilitation of various skills development programmes. This doesn’t mean it will be easy for everyone, as experiences vary from one person to the next. I haven’t had to transition as much. The most important thing was to find a balance between my corporate and my entrepreneurship venture. I have always been involved in entrepreneurial activities so juggling my job and my new business is familiar territory. There have been serious adjustments, where Masana and my job are demanding at the same time. What has helped me keep the balance was to be able to effectively manage my time. As I am the MD of Masana, it’s easier to manage my work and assign work to myself that also ensures that my job does not take major strain. [bctt tweet=”Sandra Myambu found out that many graduates lacked skills that made them employable” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What have been your hardest moments, and how have you overcome them and still overcoming them? I have big dreams and aspirations for Masana as a social enterprise, and not just as an NGO. Articulating my vision for the organisation has been one of the biggest challenges to date. What I’ve learned from trying to explain that vision is putting it into smaller goals, e.g. this is where Masana is going this year in order for it to get where Masana ultimately needs to be. Articulating the vision to people will still be a problem in the future because Masana is trying to use innovation to drive real social change. The issue is that people are still not ready to invest in social innovation or community programmes. The hope is that reaching out to more people in smaller scales and trying to explain the vision will help in increasing the buy-in. One of the major challenges that Masana is still experiencing is getting the right buy-in from the right people. It takes time to establish those relationships and to most importantly, maintain them. Common ground and common interest are key in getting buy-in from investors for your business. [bctt tweet=”Sandra Myambu: I’ve always had entrepreneurial activities so balancing is familiar” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What keeps you going in making sure you make Masana Social Innovations an even bigger success? It’s about knowing how whether small or big the initiatives Masana has, they are valued and they have a real impact on young people and the community. Recently, Masana hosted Africa Code Week in October. During the code week, Masana trained over 600 young people on basic coding skills. In addition, 60% – 70% of the participants were women. The programme had a big impact, and has opened up more women to coding, even if it’s starting at basic coding skills. The initiatives that Masana holds have had a big impact. Not just to impart people with coding skills which are essential, but also to make people realise that technology is also essential. The success of a business can also be determined by the technology you choose to run your business with. Uplifting young people is a motivator for continuing with my entrepreneurship venture. My target market has been young people from under-serviced communities and previously disadvantaged areas. Uplifting young women who do not believe they can get the same opportunities that our male counterparts receive. Most importantly, to uplift these young women in believing that they can do well in the world of tech. [bctt tweet=”According to @_WisaniSandra people aren’t ready to invest in social innovation” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Who have been your biggest supporters through your journey? How have they been supportive? My biggest support system is my family, my friends and a few of my colleagues. I have also received support from mentors in my professional and academic life, and conferences. Those mentors have played various roles in different stages of my life. My mom and sister have been the most supportive where I’m able to bounce off ideas with them. What has also helped has also been surrounding myself with friends that are also entrepreneurial and who have similar interests. Attending the #SheHiveJoburg event this November, in that short period of time, meeting amazing, young black woman who are also visionaries and have aspirations of their own. Those ladies have become key individuals in my networks. [bctt tweet=”Masana is uplifting young women who don’t believe they can get the same opportunities men receive” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What are your plans to ensure that Masana reaches a bigger audience and brings value to more people? Masana is still at it’s very beginning stages. So far, we’ve successfully implemented the Africa Code Week initiative. A SAP
Webinar with Nnenna Kalu Makanjuola: Building a business in health & wellness (Dec. 6)
Nnenna Kalu Makanjuola, founder of Radiant Health Magazine, is a staunch advocate for living a healthy lifestyle and has been involved in public health for most of her adult life. Join us for a webinar with her on Dec. 6th, as she shares her health and entrepreneurship. Health and wellness is an important part of any Motherland Mogul’s lifestyle. You can’t expect to run your empire while running yourself into the ground. Exercise and eating well aren’t always emphasized in African communities, particularly exercise for African women. So where do you turn to for information on living a healthy life? How about those that love health and wellness and want to create a business focused around that industry? How do you make sure there is a market for what you are selling or providing? Nnenna Kalu Makanjuola has thought about all these problems and more and, she is ready to share her knowledge with us. From pharmaceuticals to the World Health Organization and now to being the founder and editor-in-chief of Africa’s #1 Health Magazine, Radiant Health Mag, Nnenna is passionate about helping Africans and others live their healthiest lives. Join us for a 30-minute webinar with Nnenna Kalu Makanjuola on December 6th, 2016. We’ll be discussing what it takes to live a healthy lifestyle as an entrepreneur and tips for starting a business in the health and wellness industry. Register below to get the exclusive link to the webinar. Some of the topics we’ll cover: How to make time for your health What it means to eat healthy How to start a business in the health industry How Radiant Health Mag became the #1 Health Magazine in Africa & the diaspora Webinar Details: Date: Tuesday December 6, 2016 Time: 7:00am NYC // 1:00pm Lagos // 3:00pm Nairobi Watch this webinar: Don’t miss another inspiring webinar! Join our community today! Click here. About Nnenna Kalu Makanjuola Nnenna Kalu Makanjuola is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Radiant Health Magazine, Africa’s leading health magazine. Radiant Health began as Nigeria’s first women’s magazine and has grown globally to reach African women on the continent and throughout the Diaspora. Nnenna’s lifelong commitment to improving health outcomes for Africans began with her work as a pharmacist. Wanting to make a larger impact, she transitioned to the public health sector starting as an intern at the World Health Organization (WHO) Geneva where she helped to develop data for the WHO Global Infobase, a country-level database of non-communicable disease risk factors. Nnenna served as a Global Health Fellow at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), where she spent a year in Tanzania working to strengthen the laboratory system for HIV/AIDS diagnosis and treatment monitoring. She continued her public health work at CDC Atlanta and later as a consultant for the D.C. based Advocates for Youth before going on to launch Radiant Health Magazine. Nnenna completed one year of study in Pharmacy at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, prior to moving to the U.S. She earned her Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree from Texas Tech University and her Master’s in Public Health from Columbia University. Nnenna has been featured in How We Made It in Africa, Voices of America, YNaija’s Leading Ladies Africa, She Leads Africa and was recently named one of 41 Nigerian Women Entrepreneurs Putting the Country on the Global Business Map by Lionesses of Africa.
SheHiveTour2017
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”21196″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]The SheHiveTour is back and better than ever. Scroll down to see when we’re coming to your city. Look back at #SheHiveTour2016. What to expect: Expert led sessions that will teach you tangible business and career skills Networking opportunities Access to senior business leaders Turn up moments and explosions of #AfricanGirlMagic [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”16980″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”16979″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]Our Joburg ladies gave us love as usual. Click on the image below to relive the fun from SheHiveJoburg (February 2017).[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”31805″ img_size=”500×400″ onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://sheleadsafrica.org/shehive-joburg/”][vc_column_text]Our sold out SheHive Kaduna (April 2017) was an incredible experience. Check it out by clicking below.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”33424″ img_size=”large” onclick=”custom_link” link=”http://sheleadsafrica.org/shehivekaduna/”][vc_column_text]We’re coming to Toronto July 2017 to enjoy the summer weather with you! Click the image below to join us.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”28413″ img_size=”500×400″ onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://sheleadsafrica.org/shehivetoronto/”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]Cape Town was fire!!! Reminisce on the fun from SheHive Cape Town by clicking the image below (February 2017).[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”31806″ img_size=”500×400″ onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://sheleadsafrica.org/shehivecapetown/”][vc_column_text]Of course we have to come to Washington DC to pay homage to the city of Olivia Pope. Click the image below to join us (June 2017.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”31823″ img_size=”500×400″ onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://sheleadsafrica.org/shehivedc/”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Don’t see your city on the list? Then let us know that we’re crazy for skipping your hood. Sign up below and get your entire squad to do the same. We come where our community calls.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text] Not sure if you should care about attending a SheHive? You must be crazy! But in any case, this is what you can expect from a She Leads Africa experience: Fun and engaging content: We aren’t boring and strive to deliver business content in a fun and relatable way. Young women like yourself looking to make an impact: Our community is full of smart and ambitious young women who want to live their best professional lives. Access to real business experts: At our events we always have exceptional speakers who have been there and can show you how to do that [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text][instagram-feed type=hashtag hashtag=shehivetour2016 num=30 cols=5 height=1000][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Spinning straws to gold the Coco Chanel way
“Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself” – Coco Chanel Ever felt a scent so distinct, so exotic and yet so familiar that it makes your head spin? That is what Chanel number 5 perfume does to you. The best-selling perfume in the world, and yet so few of us know the story behind this liquid gold…or the mastermind behind it, Coco Chanel. Coco Chanel is one of the most influential entrepreneurs of all time, but very few people know the story behind the brand. And when they do, they do not approve of it very much. Nevertheless, her brand, which she started with meagre savings before World War II was an estimated $118 billion in 2015. That’s right, Motherland Moguls. That business has been tested through the worst times in the world, and it still came along with a lump sum. The backstory Coco Chanel, born Gabrielle Chanel to a poor French peddler and a shop girl. Her mother died, her father ran off, and she was raised in a convent. When she turned 17, nuns got her a job as a seamstress. But since she secretly wanted to be a singer, she went and tried that out but failed miserably at it. She later rejoined the fashion world after Etienne Balsan helped her out with a dress shop in Paris. She expanded the shops, and chose to dress women in her form of rebellious dresses, rather than the puffed up dresses ladies dressed in back then. It’s the classic Cinderella story. My mother always told me that there is nothing new under the sun. There are so many lessons we can learn from Coco Chanel’s marketing and branding skills, and how to tough it out in times of war (literally in her case). Here are some lessons I’ve learnt from Chanel’s legacy. Brand yourself early in your business Coco Chanel knew that she wanted luxury, but practical. And everything that she made carried her name along with it, with its simplicity and elegance. She started out with hats and putting her two relatives to strut on the street as a marketing strategy. Make it stand out If and when you do choose to have a distinct look or brand, make it scream so loud that it represents you despite your absence. Chanel made her looks using cloth that was originally used for men’s underpants. She made her perfumes unconventional from the flowery scent that was used by ladies then. She invented the little black dress. And with each one of her products, she made a statement without screaming to the world in words. It does not matter where you come from What matters is where you are headed. How many times have we heard this slogan, huh? Coco Chanel made it true. And to escape poverty, she worked herself off using everything that was thrown at her. What excuse could you give not to make a difference? It is never ever too late to make a comeback.. …and slay while doing it. Coco shut down her business for a while after her brand plummeted under allegations that she was harboring a German spy during the war. After a long time out of business, she decided she wanted to rejoin the fashion business…at 70 years old! Even though she failed that first year, she did not give up. She put her big girl pants on like the woman she was and conquered it…again, at 71. I think all women need to have this kind of rebellious attitude to succeed in business. There are no words that can put this woman’s actions and life into justice. We need to applaud women of the past that have shaped the world and learn from them. Women that knew themselves so well, that they span themselves into a legacy. Coco Chanel should be at the top of that list. Jusqu’à la prochaine fois, Motherland Moguls! “Everyday is a fashion show and the world is your runway” – Coco Chanel
Holding on to your business, your day job and your sanity
Itching to be an entrepreneur but not ready to give up your day job? Lots of people begin their businesses as a side hustle. It definitely makes sense. When you first start your venture might not be the time to leave your full time job. Or you are still learning from and enjoying your day job. And let’s be honest, it pays the bills and entrepreneurship is a huge risk. Whatever your reason may be for doing it, juggling your day job and a business is hard. But it’s not impossible. This guide will teach you the essentials you need to hold on to both AND keep your sanity. Topics this guide will cover: Deciding if this is the right choice for you How to stay accountable to yourself and your new business How to not burn out Staying motivated through rough times Don’t let this be you: Complete with worksheets and lots of ideas for helping you manage your time and energy, this guide is a can’t miss for anyone trying to juggle it all. Getting access to this guide is easy: just fill out the form below to join our community and get access to this guide, as well as AWESOME weekly content. [ninja_form id=26]