Peggy Ballou: Young women should create vision in their career
Sometimes, busy professionals need specialised one-on-one training to boost their businesses. That’s where the boutique coaching comes in. Boutique coaching is the art of discovering the best in people and getting them to utilise it. In Ivory Coast, Peggy Ballou is at the forefront of talent management and human capital. She is the founder of Social Achievers, a non-profit organization which aims to develop personal and professional skills in high school students in Ivory Coast. Peggy spoke to SLA about young women creating vision in their career while sharing top tips on improving career skills. What does it take to run a boutique coaching and human capital firm? Running a boutique coaching and human capital firm in Ivory Coast is a challenging experience. Especially when only a few have basic knowledge of the services you offer. A boutique firm is one of a small size and/or narrow line of service. In our case, we specialize in career coaching for professionals in their mid-career, on one hand. On the other end, we help SMEs strategically plan and manage their human resources. Our ultimate goal is to provide advisory services on the strategic function of HR as opposed to the traditional view of staff and payroll administration most business owners have. Managing a business of this sort requires experience, innovation, perseverance and excellent communication skills. I personally work from home and my team consists of a virtual assistant and a community manager. Sometimes, I work in a client’s office with other independent consultants. The biggest challenge is to get the first clients, especially corporate ones. I spend most my time educating and nurturing the prospects on the importance of our services to improve the results and performance of their staff. I do this by networking, writing articles in HR Magazines and doing public speaking. How have you sustained your business through the years? I have been in business since September 2013. I started while I was still living in Canada. I was running it in parallel with my corporate job, at nights and during weekends. I a humble beginning, and in 2015, I took a leap of faith, quitting my job. I went back to school to obtain my coaching certification and started working on my business full-time. I am still at the beginning of my entrepreneurial journey and still have a lot to learn. However, I have personally grown considerably over the past few years and learnt a lot on the do’s and don’ts in the process. For 2016, my main focus is to systematize and streamline my business in order to scale it and make it sustainable. What is your model for human capital development? I see the human capital (talent) management as a 360° integrated process as the image below: Very often, organizations, especially SMEs, don’t strategically plan and align their staff with the business objectives. They place less emphasis on employees development. We are here to help in different aspects of the human capital management from the workforce planning to the talent acquisition; from training and development to succession planning. Our vision is to make human capital the most important asset of organizations by maximizing the potential of each individual contribution in meeting the business objectives. Why is human capital the heart of a business? How can young entrepreneurs leverage human capital? Human capital is the set of knowledge, experience, and talent that people have and can benefit an organization. As entrepreneurs, we know how important it is to hire the best employees and put the right persons in the right position. When starting out, entrepreneurs don’t have enough resources to invest in the human capital. But they could leverage human capital by identifying and selecting staff according to the potential and natural talents of each person. They don’t need to rely solely on just past experience. To attract the best people, young entrepreneurs should think of career development and advancement opportunities in their companies. It’s also recommended to invest 1% of the revenues in staff training and development. That investment will improve the overall performance of the organization. How can young women improve on their productivity at work? For me, productivity is the ability to produce the best result possible in the shortest amount of time. As young women, we often have to balance work with family duties. Hence, it’s important that we are organized and focused on productivity. At work, it’s crucial to identify what are the main priorities and focus on what matters the most. It takes discipline and dedication. Productivity also implies systematization. Whenever possible, young women should create systems in their work and personal life (checklists, templates, various spreadsheets, automated email responses, menus, pre-made grocery lists etc.) and establish routines. Finally, it’s important to note that motivation is a driver of productivity so young women should find purpose. They should create a vision in their career and life to stay motivated and keep their productivity level at his best. If you weren’t in your current profession, what would you be doing? I would be a diplomat or an ambassador! Did you enjoy this article? Sign-up for our newsletter to get even more amazing content directly in your inbox. Click here.
Nthabiseng Nkosi: Working from home is the norm now in South Africa
Ah the dream. Managing a business and team successfully from your home. Nthabiseng Nkosi is living it. Together with her husband, Nthabiseng built and now runs a proudly South African design agency called Jutsu Design. Even though Jutsu’s first clients were friends and family, the agency now offers services ranging from web design, digital solutions, mobile apps to photography. SLA caught up with Nthabiseng to learn more about Jutsu and managing a business from home. Nthabiseng, tell us, how did Jutsu Design come about? Jutsu Design started out as a concept to build a small design agency that would offer affordable designs through the line services for SMME’s. My then boyfriend, now husband, and I worked on building a name for us – Jutsu. The name ‘Jutsu’ came about as a result of the team being avid anime fans. ‘Jutsu’ is a Japanese word meaning technique or skill. Once the name was decided on, the company was then officially registered in 2011. Friends and family were our first clients and we grew from there. Fast forward to five years, the company offers web design, digital solutions, mobile apps as well as photography. Jutsu also developed our first two title sequences for e.tv’s Heist and SABC 1’s Dreamworld. How large is the Jutsu Design team? What are the challenges of managing your team? Jutsu Design is a team of a husband, wife, web developer, PR manager, freelance writer, and photographer. The team was initially made up of four members when we started out in 2011. Two members left to pursue other career paths and the rest of us continued with business. One of the major challenges we face at Jutsu is keeping up with the workload. Most times, it gets a little too much to handle, but we try to meet deadlines. In the earlier years, it was difficult, but every project has been a learning curve. Did work from home from the start? How did you manage that? Being a micro- enterprise, Jutsu Design has always operated from home. We are able to save money that would otherwise have been used for rent. We keep costs at a minimal because our company is small. How do you create awareness or reach clients for Jutsu ? The funny thing is, we don’t. We get new clients through word of mouth from our loyal clients. We have a website up and that too has been working for us. Active promotion of our company might mean getting extra hands and moving to bigger premises. How do people react to your working from home? I think working from home is the norm now in South Africa. Some people can be a little envious, but it takes a lot of self-discipline to be self-employed. You may think you have all the time to just chill and work later, but you actually don’t. How do you draw the line between work and running a home? At first, it was extremely difficult working from home. I used to want to make excuses with that, but with deadlines closing in on me, my head would spin. So, I have learnt to be a lot more disciplined. If possible, I work half days on Mondays to Wednesdays. Thursdays and Fridays, I do house chores; laundry, cleaning etc. This schedule works for me as I do not have a housekeeper. But if things get too hectic, with meetings and events to attend, I leave house chores to the weekend. What’s the best way to unwind when your office is also your home? My husband and I sometimes, go on dates, engage in fun activities and fetch our little one from the crèche. I have my spa days and he has his boy’s night outs with his friends. We try to do this once or twice a week. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Beyond the passion – What you need to get into the caregiving business
Are you a woman who wants to ensure that her family and community is well looked after? Are you passionate enough to sacrifice time and energy? Do you have some basic administrative, managerial or business skills? Maybe you’re thinking none of these requirements apply to you, but are you ready to be spat on, clean washbowls or change thousands of soiled diapers? Then the caregiving industry might just be the revolutionary business idea that you have been seeking. Mind you, it’s painstakingly hard but it is one way to give back to society whilst paying the bills. Interestingly, a famous African saying says, regardless the source of the income, money is money. I am sure that at this point your heart might be doing cartwheels at the thought of the coolest business idea ever. The fact is that home care is one of the fastest-growing businesses in the world. You can be rest assured that without a large capital and clients, you can feed your passion by starting a daycare for children or a nursing home for the aged. Location If you have a roof over your head, then you have the space to start and work with. Is your child in preschool? Are you a divorcee living alone? Or are you an elderly couple with kids off to university? You can always make space with what’s available. It could be a nursery turned into storage, a den that no one sits in anymore, an empty garage or a basement without piles of laundry. It will surprise you just how well, using the right colours, textiles, paint and partitioning can transform a space. Furniture and equipment Getting your initial set up furniture and equipment can be as easy as reaching out to friends and family, A lot of times, families hoard furniture in the hope of re-using them, but most times, they don’t. If you have a network that is accommodating, reach out to them for their old stuff. Most of these items are barely used and have minimal damage. They can be repaired at little cost. Staff Hire retired nursing aides, nurses, and early-year teachers because, with their experience, they are typically patient, may have less responsibility or financial needs and will be willing to help you grow your business. Recruit young people who are willing to work as volunteers for the first couple of months till you settle your financials. Acquire knowledge The worldwide web has a multitude of free resources and courses for business owners in the caregiving industry. Sign up for these courses as often as you can, acquire knowledge on creating a business plan, new trends and best practices in the caregiving industry. Research successful businesses in the industry, you can target studying one business a day. Learn new skills to minimize calls to experts for help with things as basic as installing a nursing station. Train your staff on acquired skills. Create a dynamic team. Give yourself space to grow! Your clients are right here Your clients are never in space or in the next city. They are the people you meet within the marketplace, at the hospital and at your place of worship. Familiar people will feel more relaxed because they think they know your story and can relate to it. They will feel safer around you than some savvy business owner who launches a similar start up in your area. These are your clients; be sure to invite them to your open house. Seek their ideas before implementation. Also, find out what their immediate needs are. Would they work full time or would they prefer a full day care? Are they more focused on the social interaction a group setting will offer? Furthermore, the elderly might just need to be tended to at different times or a group where they meet and discuss. That cozy setting might be your house. You can set up games and make homemade goodies, to create the perfect setting for old stories of love and war. Marketing and advertisement Design and print catchy flyers. Distribute them at supermarkets, playgrounds, schools, and hospitals. Also, volunteer for community engagements. These will increase your visibility and increase your trustworthiness. Remember that your most valuable marketing tool is word of mouth communication. This will get people talking positively about what you do. Registration and legal requirements Always ensure that you do a research on the requirements of registering a business in your country. You would want to create an atmosphere that is loving and devoid of stress. Seek advice within your network. You might just know a lawyer willing to assist with the registration procedures at a discounted value.
Jessica Layado: I had to tough up and take it like a woman
I was barely done with my secondary school education when I found out I was pregnant. I clearly had no business having sex. Yet there I was, at the start of my long holiday, finding out I was pregnant. My first stop on finding out, was the house of the responsible other party. I got the shock of my life when he frankly told me that he wanted no part in the drama of unexpected parenting. So, here I was, fresh out of secondary school with no idea what was next for me. Watching people parent was one thing but being a single, young parent was a whole other thing. I could either decide to be a child and cry about how unfair the world had been or tough it up and take it like a woman. I cannot dispute the fact that I was very scared but one of us had to be the grown up and seeing as this miracle was growing in my womb, that person had to be me. I found a job and started to plan for both of my baby and I. Fast forward to a few months after, my dear little princess was born. Working with Family Life Network After that, I decided that I wanted to work with NGOs that focused on family planning and sexual awareness. That was how I got started with the Family Life Network. Five years and so many workshops later, I cannot even begin to say how remarkable a journey it has been to impact the lives and choices of youth. We encourage kids to know and understand their individual worth at such a crucial stage that is often subject to peer pressure. It is very rewarding for young girls to look up to me for mentorship, guidance and counsel. It is such a big deal to have the kind of power to influence their choices for good, to cry with them in their hard times and assure them that despite the storm and the pressure, in a little while, they will be just fine. Moving on to Lamera Over time I realized that my circle of influence was growing and a lot of the would-be young girls had grown into fine young women in the work force. Now, my focus has also grown to helping them maximize their financial ability and as much as possible, learn to be independent. A year ago, I started Lamera, a project that seeks to empower young women with as many necessary skills as they need to survive in this era. Some of the practical skills include jewellery making, knitting, cooking skills particularly making and packaging peanut butter better known as odi in Northern Uganda. The essence of Lamera is to empower women to know that their worth is determined by them and the world will only value them based on how they value themselves. I strongly believe when a woman realizes this fact, the world then becomes her stage. She becomes a force to reckon with and can do pretty much anything that she sets her mind to! Balancing my initiatives with being a single mum Starting Lamera is a dream come true for me. My biggest challenge was and still is breaking through to the woman at the grassroots. A lot of the women that have zero access to these skills are hidden in rural Africa. To work my way around this, I am building relationships with churches and individuals who have access to these women so I can assess their needs in order to be relevant to each set of women. None of my passions were negatively affected when I chose to have Stephanie. If anything, being a mother awakened my creative juices causing them to flow much better and faster. I kid you not! Amazingly, Stephanie is the split image of me. She loves singing, dancing, reading and always actively participates in her school productions. She is such a brilliant child! She recently reached the finals in her class spelling bee competition and I cannot begin to tell you how proud of her I am. Never give up I reckon my work is cut out for me and I’m enjoying the thrill of the challenge. I have been told that I cannot be relevant to all women but I believe in starting one woman at a time and that ultimately is my strategy. To work with one woman at a time and knowing how much women like to share, the knowledge will spread one way or the other. My biggest belief is that to start a thing is more important than to say you want to start it. Sometimes you’ll be the only person who believes in what you’re doing but keep right at it. If one way doesn’t work, don’t quit! Try it another way and if that doesn’t work, try another way! Keep at it until you find your way to what works for you. Believe in yourself even on the bad days, especially on the bad days and keep your head up knowing that it only gets worse before it gets better and surround yourself with positive people.
The 4 minute guide to SME marketing: Everything na packaging
This article in the on-going series was largely borne out of a personal experience. Did I mention that I am testing the entrepreneurship waters myself? To digress a little, I think there is a side-gigging bug making the rounds, especially in the city of Lagos. Let’s do a quick poll if you currently work a 9-5 job but still want to take charge of your working life, do what you love and not be dictated to by corporate rule, say Aye! Well, my business partner and I had a mini-debate about how products should be packaged for potential customers. My stance was a very practical and cost minimizing one seeing as ‘affordable’ was at the core of our proposition to customers. But she, on the other hand, believed in making an impression because from her perspective and quite truly, packaging can make all the difference! Let me quickly explain why this is so. Remember that saying about dressing how you want to be addressed? The same can be said of product packaging. Humans are largely visual beings and can form lasting impressions based solely on what they see. Also, seeing as we live in a cluttered world, you want to be able to, with your packaging, get people’s attention and inspire them to take action. Now I am not going to over-flog the “Packaging Matters” discourse because I am almost certain that as a (potential) business owner this is something you are definitely aware of. But while you do the needful, there are 2 things I think you should keep in mind: What’s your business model? As a new business, especially, one playing in an already saturated field, one way to win would be through your pricing model. You should actually aspire to deliver the lowest cost to your customers in the form of lower prices. This can guarantee you a spot on customers’ purchase considerations. I mean who doesn’t want to pay the lowest price for the best quality, right? If your promise is the lowest cost, perhaps you shouldn’t spend so much on the packaging of your product seeing as every cost you incur would have to be taken care of in your selling price. Of course, you should consider this if you intend to make a profit and remain in business. Going minimalist (please do not read this as tacky!) with your product packaging shouldn’t bother you at all if your proposition to customers clearly explains why that is necessary. So for example, ever noticed the difference in packaging when you shop via Jumia or Konga (proposition: lowest price guaranteed) as against shopping at a Montaigne Place (proposition: luxury at its best)? Packaging versus Product Quality I am sure we’ve all had this experience before. You go to a fancy restaurant with the most fantastic ambience and the food turns out absolute crap. Mind you, this is after much pomp and pageantry. Or you pick a pack of biscuit off the supermarket shelf because of a package design too catchy to ignore and discover that it tastes like sawdust. In both aforementioned instances, you’d have to be a masochist to want to relive that experience. The learning, therefore, is this: you can inspire an action (purchase) with package design but if the product/service experience does not meet expectations, there would likely be no repeat purchase. More important than the package design is the product/service quality because that’s what ultimately delivers value. There is the need to fully understand how your desired customers define value and give them that, else any other thing you do would be counter intuitive. So you start a hair salon business, what would your ideal customer appreciate more; gold-plated mirrors from Dubai or gifted and experienced hair stylists on your payroll? This is the ideal process: Know your intended customers. Understand their needs. Create a product/service that fully satisfies those needs. Then properly package that product or service. Do not attempt to prioritize no. 4 over no. 3. There’s so much more we can say about packaging but this is still the most important thing: “Packaging is a substantive aspect of your marketing strategy that you should pay keen attention to ”. Cheers!
Christine Kanana Mukira: Passion, the secret ingredient for a yogurt-making startup
Christine Kanana Mukira is a young entrepreneur with an academic background in law, business administration, and office management. Kanana quit her NGO job to start a yogurt-making business in Nairobi, Kenya. Maureen Murori, our SLA contributor paid a visit to an enthusiastic Kanana who shared her dream of having a one-stop shop for fresh, natural, products straight from the farm to her clients’ kitchens. It’s early Saturday morning. After beating the Nairobi traffic, I head to meet a lady whose yogurt business is gaining roots. She had promised to let me in on what keeps her going even when business goes south. Christine Kanana Mukira meets me at the entrance to an estate in Ngara. It is situated on the outskirts of Nairobi central business district. We sit outside her shop, which she co-owns with another business owner. While Kanana’s specialty is the production of natural yogurt, her friend makes fresh fruit juice. “I don’t think I’m an entrepreneur,” Kanana worriedly tells me as she settles into a chair opposite mine. After pleasantries and small talk to break the ice, she relaxes and takes me through her entrepreneurial journey. Kanana had always had an entrepreneurial spirit, way before her current yogurt business. Back in 2013, she used to own a poultry business but had to leave Nairobi when she got a job with an NGO. She worked in the social development world and enjoyed helping community members. But this was not to be for long, she wanted something different. “I needed a new challenge”, Kanana told me. After three years, she had had enough of being an employee. She quit and went back into running her own business. This time, it was yogurt making. Why yogurt? “After some research, I was concerned about the ingredients used in making yogurt, things easily found in supermarkets like milk powder, lots of sugars and flavours,” Kanana says. “I wanted to create a product that used purely natural milk and natural sugars.” According to Kanana, her yogurt is made of pure milk, natural vanilla plant, strawberries, and natural sugars. Her six-month-old business which started with just three litres of milk has since grown to over forty liters a week, and demand is still growing. ”To get to forty liters a week was not easy”, Kanana admits. She said were it not for her passion, she would have given up a long time ago. When she first started out, she was fortunate to not only find a reliable and affordable fresh milk vendor but also customers who believed in her new product. Without prior knowledge or skills, Kanana says she had to practically do everything from sourcing for milk, collection, producing yogurt, and even sales. However, she learned quickly how to get some of the workloads off her shoulders. With the increasing yogurt demands, she was able to convince her vendor to deliver milk at her shop once a week, or as demand increased. The challenges so far No sooner had she tackled the delivery challenge than another popped up. She realized that sometimes, customers did not drink as much yogurt as she had produced. Because she didn’t use preservatives, by the end of a week, she had to give out yogurt for free before it could go bad. The weather can also be a challenge for her business. “When it is cold, as it is now, not many customers drink yogurt. They prefer hot beverages,” Kanana said. She has since reduced the number of litres she makes per week especially during the rainy season in Nairobi. Is she seeking to become wealthy from the business? Although she acknowledges that capital can be a challenge for some entrepreneurs, she quips “a business idea is capital in itself.” “Wealth is the ultimate goal for every entrepreneur,” Kanana states, “but passion is the driving force, and love for the business makes it even easier and more enjoyable!” She cautions entrepreneurs not to be in haste to make profit from a startup. Business is a risk and stability usually begins between the sixth month and the first year, and for some, even longer. Eventually, only the passionate and patient remain strong enough to watch their business take shape. Future plans Kanana wants to expand to the sale of more natural products so she can encourage people to adopt healthy lifestyles. Since her business is located within an estate, she hopes to be the source of all natural products for homes within the locality. “My dream is to have a one-stop shop where I can sell fresh, natural, products straight from the farm to my client’s kitchen,” says the enthusiastic entrepreneur whose inspiration comes from her entrepreneurial parents. Kanana believes that natural products will help fight some of the nutrition-related chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, among others. Kanana says that customers often ask for fresh milk, and she is thinking of diversifying into that direction. Although many supermarkets have introduced milk dispensers, Kanana says this is not a challenge for her. After all, the stores specialize in skimmed milk, while she will go for whole milk which she says has more nutritional values for children, pregnant women and the elderly. Advice for other entrepreneurs Kanana urges upcoming entrepreneurs to ensure the right location for their businesses. This way, customers can easily access your product. And also, you’d enjoy proximity to raw materials needed for production. As for friends, the young entrepreneur says, “in business, you will lose or gain friends. Some will support you, and others will not even want to be associated with you.” How it all ended One good thing about interviewing entrepreneurs is that you get to taste their products or to take souvenirs home. I was in luck today. I was served some natural strawberry yogurt. It was thick, smooth, fruity and delicious! Tell us what amazing entrepreneurial things women are doing in your communities here.
Negotiating your way to financial success: 4 essential steps to effective negotiation
Women often shy away from negotiations for fear of being perceived as aggressive or of losing the offer. However, we tend to forget that the people we negotiate with are, sometimes, merely doing what they are hired to do – secure a deal at the best price possible! Indeed, at other times, the negotiator may be just be sticking to a strict budget or testing the waters. For example, I spoke to a Ventures Capitalist who stated that he could not trust an entrepreneur who never attempts negotiating an offer because such a person would most likely attract a lot of “lemons”, i.e. deals that no one wants. As such, when a potential business partner or employer offers a seemingly ridiculous price, do not take it to heart. Instead, Pause. Breathe. Negotiate! The goal of every negotiation process should be to negotiate effectively. Effective negotiation involves these key elements: Research Before commencing on negotiating a price, it is imperative that you conduct a thorough research. For example, if you have been offered a new job, you should embark on a prevailing salary research on the said job role. This information would come in handy and serve as a backdrop during your salary negotiations. On the other hand, if you are negotiating with a potential business partner, your pre-negotiation research might focus on determining your potential business partner’s interest and positions in relation to yours. This would greatly help create value during negotiation. Understanding your best alternative to any negotiation This is a great tool for preventing an undesirable outcome to a negotiation and guaranteeing financial success. For example, have you ever had those moments when just moments after agreeing to something, you blurt out, “why did I agree to that?” or “what was I thinking?” While this may be okay when negotiating with your siblings about who should do the dishes, this (hopefully) should never be the case when negotiating with a new employer for that dream job or with that new business partner. To this end, it is critical that before any negotiation, you determine your options (i.e. substitutes to your ideal negotiation outcome). To begin the process, first, determine your minimum threshold for the object of negotiation. For instance, if you are preparing to negotiate a new job offer and you are not willing to accept a salary below the current one, then your current salary is your minimum threshold. Secondly, on identifying your minimum threshold, determine your alternatives in the event you are unable to negotiate this with the new employer. Write these alternatives down in an order of preference. Your best option on the list should be one you’ll be happy with. Active listening It is also critical that you show some flexibility during negotiation by making a sincere effort to understand the other party’s points. This is can be achieved through an active listening habit. Active Listening ≠Hearing. John M. Grohol states that, “active listening is all about building rapport, understanding, and trust.” Active listening requires that you understand and make a genuine effort to understand the other party’s point of views. It requires: (a) Rephrasing what you believe you heard from the other party: This involves using phrases such as “to make sure I understand, you would like…”, “I understand you feel…” and “to make sure I capture your concern…” (b) Seeking clarity: During negotiations, it is also imperative that you seek clarity on fuzzy points. For example, if the other party has drawn a conclusion and you are unable to determine the logical steps to such a conclusion, seek to understand the underlying assumption. Examples of helpful phrases include: “You concluded XYZ, please can you explain the rationale?”, “what factors did you take into consideration in reaching that decision? etc. (c) Acknowledge the other party’s effort: It is good practice to acknowledge the other party’s sentiments during negotiations. This can be captured by using phrases such as “I understand you feel…”, “it appears that you are…” By implementing the different elements of active listening, you will capture the other party’s attention and help break down resistance (if any). Growing the pie (a.k.a. problem solving or value creation) Indeed, despite showing off superb active listening abilities, negotiations could still end up in stalemates. Even with a lot of patience, this is usually the time where people throw in the towel. But wait, not so fast! Do not give up yet, not without injecting a good dose of creativity into the process. So what exactly does injecting a good dose of creativity mean? This means looking for creative ways to make an unattractive deal attractive. The key here is to determine other factors outside your negotiation points like factors that the other party may be willing to consider (and vice versa). For example, assuming you own a sports drink company and currently seeking investors. On evaluation, your financial statements reveal the need to raise $60,000 and based on valuations, $60,000 equates to a 5% equity stake. Of course, you’d be confident to offer a lower equity stake for $60,000 as the minimum threshold for that percentage of the equity stake. If during negotiations, your preferred potential investor, who owns a sports club, offers $60,000 for an 8% equity stake. This counteroffer falls below what you’d expect but you would really love to have this investor onboard. Rather than end negotiations immediately, you could consider asking if she may also be willing to make your sports drink one of the choice drinks at the sport clubs or introduce you to other sports club owners who might be interested in serving your drink in their sports clubs. This could create publicity and boost sales for your sports drink. Some good phrases for these starting conversations may include “what if…”, “suppose we were to…” The agreement Once you have successfully completed negotiations, it is imperative that you put your agreement in writing. Writing an agreement is an essential step in ensuring that all parties are on the same page (indeed,
Getting comfortable with feeling like a fraud
Ever found yourself in the middle of a great moment —a graduation, getting a promotion, being praised by someone you respect or creating something new— and caught yourself feeling like you shouldn’t be there? Not in a nice, ‘Is this really happening?!’ kind of way. More like a, ‘I don’t deserve this, and I hope no notices I’m a fraud’ kind of way. Ironically, it is because of your greatness that you are more likely to experience feelings of being a ‘fraud’. This is commonly referred to as the ‘impostor syndrome’. Basically, if you attribute your success to everything except the fact that you really are that good, keep on reading. Categorized as “the domain of the high achiever”, Clance and Imes first coined the phrase after a study they did of high achieving women. They described it as feelings of, “phoniness in people who believe that they are not intelligent, capable or creative despite evidence of high achievement”. Instead of crediting success to ability, they attributed it to circumstances or charm. If you’re not sure if this relates to you, here’s a short test you can take to get a sense of where you lie on the spectrum. The concept really hit home for me when I read a quote by Maya Angelou. She said: “I have written eleven books, but each time I think, ‘uh oh, they’re going to find out now. I’ve run a game on everybody, and they’re going to find me out.” Listen, if Maya-Freaking- Angelou can ‘fess up to feeling what I felt and still be great, then there is a way to succeed in spite of it. So why is impostor syndrome so harmful? There are a few ways that this subtle form of fear could be holding you back from achieving career/business greatness: You don’t shoot your shots, and if you do they are less than they could be In her book Lean In, Sheryl Sandberg noted that impostor syndrome made people evaluate their qualifications lower than they should. In the long run, you end up only taking low-risk opportunities, or worse not taking them at all. It affects how you communicate Have you ever ended a well thought-out point with something like, “Does that make sense?” Or worse, do you find yourself apologizing all the time? Seriously, why do you start with “Sorry…” or “I just…” when you speak in a meeting? In an attempt not to be outed as a fraud, you actually can come off sounding uncertain of yourself. It affects your presence In the words of Amy Cuddy, “Impostorism steals our power and suffocates our presence. If even you don’t believe you should be here, how will you convince anybody else?” As with all questions of our ability, there’s no silver bullet to getting past it, but there are ways to not let it hold you back. Accept that you actually are a fraud The only reason you are so aware of how much you fall short is because you are brilliant enough to calculate how much you lack. Be aware of the deficit, but act anyway. Apply anyway, pitch anyway, write anyway. Everyone, brilliant or not, puts their best foot forward and there is nothing wrong with faking it a little before you make it. In the words of Queen Beyonce, “I have accomplished nothing without a little taste of fear in my mouth.” Communicate power Even if you aren’t completely comfortable with feeling like a fraud, at the very least stop sounding like one. Tara Mohr, author of Playing Big says, “I keep meeting brilliant women like you, with powerful ideas to contribute, important businesses and organizations to build, provocative questions to share. But so often, the way they communicate fails to command power. They equivocate, apologize, and look away as they speak.” Be aware of how you communicate. While there is a lot I could add, my one piece of advice would be, watch your cadence and don’t present statements as questions. Focus on delivering value Understand the value that you can bring to the table. We often assume that the skills we really excel at come naturally to everyone because we do them so easily. This then allows us to focus on the things that we can’t do, as we don’t see our skill set as valuable. Keep track of your strengths using tools like LinkedIn. But if you haven’t got it together like that (no judgement, I’m with you!), listen carefully to the feedback you get from colleagues. “I DID that” These three magic words, when said every time you do something awesome, are certain to gain you the respect of the only critic that counts, YOU.
Aina Fadina: I wanted to see a change in mainstream media
In a time where virtually anyone can discovering their production skills using their mobile phones, webseries have become a means to address the lack of diversity in mainstream media. I for Africa is one such series that features and celebrates African-inspired innovators across different industries. Its founder, entrepreneur, fashion model and creative director, Aina Fadina recently chatted with SLA about the series, which is now in its third season. What was the spark that leads you to create I for Africa? Living in NYC, I was surrounded by so many talented and innovative creatives, entrepreneurs, and innovative thinkers inspired by Africa, and I thought they needed to be celebrated. As I traveled around the world, I noticed the same examples. I realized there was something here. I felt that it was important to change the narrative of what mainstream media was reporting about Africans and immigrants. It’s important to change the narrative of our stories and the people telling African stories around the world. With so many web series, how do you stand out? The engagement with guests on the show is in a very relaxed format that draws the viewer in to the conversation. It is a conversation between two friends talking about what inspires them and motivates them to be pursuing their ventures. Additionally, the program highlights the transatlantic journey of people from different ports inspired by Africa. What defines someone inspired by the African continent? How do you brainstorm episodes and people to interview? Have you faced any difficulty finding personalities to talk to for the series? Someone inspired by Africa is in the manner in which they choose to celebrate the continent through their creative ideas. It’s the connection of the heart and soul to the continent. With coming up with episodes, I reflect on who I am inspired by personally and professionally. My finger is always on the pulse of what is happening, so it makes it quite easy to think about who to interview. Finding someone to interview is actually quite easy for me. I have a lot of friends who have recommended other creative friends. People have been very kind to say yes. There are so many dope people doing phenomenal things, so brainstorming is quite easy. An interview depends where I am, if I am able to connect to the people, and if they have a project coming out. Overall, coming up with a list of people isn’t challenging at all because there are so many creatives inspired by Africa. Did you have to learn any new skills to host a web series? I have experience modelling international. For modelling, I took commercial acting classes, which allowed me to transition to hosting. I have developed an acute understanding camera presence, engaging with people in the same space and how to engage with the camera. What has been the one I for Africa episode that stands out to you? They all stand out for me, every person I have interviewed has inspired me in so many ways. If I had to choose, perhaps it’ll be the first ones I shot in South by South West. Once we were done, I realized this is what I wanted to do. It also showed me that the path of content production wasn’t an easy one, but I wanted it. I wanted to see a change in mainstream media, rather than complain about it, I needed to create a solution. Taking that first step to create something is what stands out to me. Starting something isn’t hard; the challenge is how you chose to continue. As someone who travels a lot for work, which African city holds the most cheerful memories for you? Tough one…I have loved every African city for various reasons. Lagos fills the core of my existence. Cape Town challenged me the most from a psychological perspective. It was there that I met two friends —who became brothers— who welcomed me with open arms. Accra speaks to my soul. Cotonou brings beautiful childhood memories. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Lisa Chiriseri: Some people get offended at my confidence in reaching goals
When you’re a young, black woman trying to make a change in the world, there will be people who don’t take you seriously. If you’re petite and are blessed with that strong melanin that makes you look ten years younger than you are, chances are you’ll be taken even less seriously. This is a problem Lisa Chiriseri has had to deal with often. Lisa is a Zimbabwean social entrepreneur who has run social initiatives since she was in university. Now back in Zimbabwe, she’s running several projects and a start-up. Here, Lisa tells us about her social initiative program – Street Exit Strategies and her energy project for women. Lisa also lets us know why women need to support each other and why she returned to her country to help in the re-building process. Most young Zimbabweans who study abroad don’t come back because of the issues at the homefront. Why did you come back? I had so many reasons to come back home. In my first year schooling abroad, I started a social initiative in Zimbabwe which I ran from school. But I always came home during the holidays to help the team on ground manage it. Secondly, though Zimbabwe wasn’t out of the woods economically at the time I graduated, there were prospects of improvements since we had just dollarized. The economy seemed to be stabilizing and we had the GNU (Government of National Unity). I was determined to be a part of my country’s rebuilding process and I’ve stuck it out for the past 5 years since I returned. How were you able to manage this social initiative in absentia? I believe in the indisputable synergy of a passionate team. When you have committed team members like I had, things tend to go well. Also, while away, with online communication, a good friend literally ran the initiative. Tell us about this social initiative. What was it about? It was called Street Exit Strategies, which is actually the name of my current registered trust, under which I run lots of other projects. It was basically a soup kitchen and rehabilitation centre. We focused on teens and young adults, especially those who were kicked out of homes and centres once they turned 16. So, we focused on rehabilitating them, reconciling them with their families and helping them continue with their O levels and tertiary education. We’ve got several inspiring stories to tell of our efforts. One of the guys we took off the streets and helped through O levels just completed his secondary education. Another is concluding his Master’s program at the University of Western Cape. And oh, there’s still another who just completed his degree in Political Science at the University of Zimbabwe. Do you still run the soup kitchen? We run it on a case by case basis because, in 2013, organizations running soup kitchens reached a collective decision to stop supporting people on the streets. More people just kept cropping up on the streets. Struggling people who had homes starting showing up on the streets looking for support and we needed to be more accountable. It felt like we were forcing people to go to school, forcing them to attend rehab sessions and peer mentorship programs. However, we continued with referrals to drug and alcohol rehabilitation centres and also providing family planning advice. What other projects are you currently involved with? I’m currently working on a gas-related project called Women in Energy. It’s a known fact that for a resource that’s mainly utilized by women, the energy sector is a rather male-dominated industry. Women need heat to cook, and some walk for kilometers to get firewood. Imagine the energy and time wasted! Exposure to fumes from unsafe firewood and paraffin also have adverse health implications. In the rural areas, you find women with gray films over their eyes, cancer of the lungs and other ailments that could have been avoided. I’m out to change that by providing clean, safe and affordable energy sources to these women. As a young girl, did you always know this was something you’d do? I’ve always been passionate about helping the disadvantaged. I didn’t know it was something I’ll be doing full-time. Actually, it only dawned on me recently, when I tried working a full-time consultancy job and I hated it. I realized it wasn’t for me, I simply couldn’t work at something that benefitted someone I didn’t even know, or whose objectives I knew nothing about. I always knew I wanted to help people and I’ve always had a way of balancing several projects at a time. What would you tell that young woman who’s involved in a career she’s not too keen on, but also afraid to venture out? I would say reach out, it’s really surprising how useful people can be if you tell them about your passion. Ask for pointers and referrals, but be very selective on who you talk to about your ideas. When you get the opportunity, introduce yourself and exactly what it is you want to do. Networking is also very important. Who you know is everything! The world has evolved and people are much more open to helping young women. There are organizations, groups, and activities making access to information and networking easy. Take your time, get as much information as possible then confidently step out. There’ll never be a perfect time so you’ve got to start anyway.