Are children the enemies of progress?
[bctt tweet=”How do you balance the priorities of having a child and building an empire? ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Being a woman is one of the greatest privileges I feel I have been given in this life. We are all aware of the history of oppression that women have suffered in the past and the many women who fought off the oppressors and paved the way for us. Now we delight in the possibilities and opportunities presented to us, to carve out our own destinies. I once heard someone say, “Some of us (women) have become the men we dreamt of marrying”. That is certainly an ode to all you badass females kicking down doors and handling your business. That is not to say, we don’t need our wonderful men. Should my time upon this earth be up very soon, I will forever be proud of starting Demur and hope to be counted amongst those badass women who have kicked down doors and shaped history. I know I have started something that will forever live on. Along with that, one other thing that I know I want to leave on this earth when my time is up, are some little Noreen’s. Some beautiful children who I can help mould into pleasant human beings who will also go on to make a significant contribution to the world during their time here. I also want to be able to chase them around whilst I’m still young and fit. [bctt tweet=”Is it selfish to want to build something first and delay starting a family?” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Putting your empire building on pause Whilst I am working hard to build an empire and ensure I have all my ducks in a row, the little Noreen’s project is not an urgent one, but it’s one that’s on the agenda. Never mind the fact that I’m fast approaching 30 and should I not reproduce soon, society will be looking at me with cause for concern as if I am some strange creature. The body clock theorists do not help much either. I am surrounded by friends and family members who have given birth in the last 2 years. Not only have I had the joy of watching these beautiful children grow, I am also a godmother to three of these children. I can certainly tell being a mother is not an easy job at all from watching these mothers raise their kids. Being a mother to a young child is very demanding. There are many sacrifices you have to make including for some women, putting their careers on hold. If you are in employment you get your maternity leave and various allowances but when you are going at it alone, can you afford to take a year or so out of your own business? I have a friend who has a business that has just taken off and there are opportunities lined up that will only take her business higher. However, those opportunities require her full attention to go forward and now her partner is asking for kids. She asked me, “Can you choose between having kids and taking your business forward?” You can’t chase two rabbits at the same time that’s for sure. The choice to take a career break and have kids or try and juggle both is a personal one. No one can choose your destiny for you, not even your partner. For me personally, I feel, if I was to have a baby in the next year or two, one is going to have to suffer. It’s either I will not be able to give my child the full attention she deserves (I really really really want a girl first by the way) or I will not be able to fully commit myself to Demur. So, I am seated here asking myself the same question as my friend, what do I want more? To some people that is an absurd question to even ponder about. You cannot compare a baby to a business. Although to a certain extent it often feels like I have a baby already. As much as I can delegate things to other people much like leaving your baby at the babysitters, you still must make sure that the baby is looked after. You must protect your baby, you must protect the integrity of your business. I cannot go on holiday yet without worrying or checking in on Demur, just like a Mother who has left her child at home. [bctt tweet=”You can’t chase two rabbits at the same time that’s for sure” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] So, can my friend say to her partner, “Baby I want a child but you are going to have to wait until I finish building my business,” When will that be though? I can certainly understand why some women chose not to have children at all. Oprah once said she chose not to have children because she knew it would get in the way and well look at the incredible empire she has built. There is no telling whether she would have had the same level of success had she chosen to have kids. You can have your cake and eat it too On the other hand, there are women who show us that you can have it all. Beyoncé had her first child when she had already created a wonderful legacy and went back to business and there is no doubt she will get right back to business after the twins. I once read a quote by Shonda Rhimes, where she said: “Motherhood is not about shrinking down, it’s about showing your kids how to be a powerful woman.” For Shonda Rhimes that means juggling being a mother and running her Shondaland empire. How do you balance the priorities of having a child and building an empire? Is it selfish to want to build something first and delay starting a family? Success is a long winding road, what if it takes you 10,20,30 years to get
I come from strength: What my mother and Africa taught me about entrepreneurship
“I come from strength.” Those are words that I often utter to myself when it is late at night, I am tired, and I am still working. The reason why I remind myself of my foundation is because during those same hours I know that over 100 miles away there is an African woman who is just starting her work shift. She is my mother, a Nigerian woman. The work ethic, resilience and fortitude of African women is nothing short of amazing. When I think about the fact that my mother completed her nursing schooling in Nigeria, moved to the United States then returned to school to become a nurse (again), I am in awe. And she is just one of many African women with stories of sacrifice and determination that ultimately led to them achieving their personal and professional goals. It’s almost as if the continent breeds women who innately do what it takes to survive, adapt, and push past obstacles time and time again. Long hours and late nights are just one of the many things that come with entrepreneurship. I accept it because it is the path that I chose. And as the daughter of an African woman I know that I am built for it. So… how did I get here? How did I become this “Legally AMBITIOUS” entrepreneur? Let me share… Growing up, I was always considered the creative and outspoken one amongst my siblings therefore all roads seemed to point to me pursuing a law degree. However, I never made it to law school or pursued my interest in entertainment because when I got to college, I realized that I was strong in science and math so I decided to pursue a degree in Computer & Information Sciences. The course work was rigorous but in the end pursuing a STEM degree was the right decision. After graduation, I immediately began working in the corporate world. I worked as an application developer and systems analyst for years but I still desired a creative outlet. Eventually, I began networking and I realized that many of the women that I encountered were similar to me in that they had full-time jobs but other interests. I realized that there was a need to connect women to resources and each other so when an opportunity presented itself, I launched Signature RED. Signature RED began as a company focused on women-targeted marketing. I built an extensive portfolio of events for clients and created the “Legally AMBITIOUS” brand: a series of fun yet educational networking events for women. The purpose of the events was to equip women with different skills to help them make transitions in their careers and personal lives. Each event taught women a skill and provided an opportunity for networking, some of the events included Golf 101, Cars 101, Networking 101, Building Mobile Apps 101, and more. In 2013, I began to make a transition of my own when I attended a tech event for women and it awakened my inner geek. During the event, emphasis was put on the need for more women to pursue STEM degrees and work in the technology industry. The event was pivotal because it allowed me to realize that I could merge my computer science background, marketing skills, and my love for working with women into services for Signature RED. It hasn’t been an easy road to navigate but today I provide technology consulting to companies and reinvention marketing strategies to women. Additionally,“Legally AMBITIOUS” events have more of a focus on women interested in tech. Some of my forthcoming projects include creating resources and tools for women like TechWomenNetwork.com and TechiesWhoBrunch.com. My workday usually consists of managing tech projects during the day and working on everything else at night. Entrepreneurship with all of its ups and downs is not for the weak or lazy because it requires a good work ethic and strength in many ways. My mother is not a businesswoman therefore she didn’t teach me about business but what she did teach me is to keep going. Pivot, start over… do whatever I need to do, just keep going. I always reflect on those lessons and values. As the daughter of an African woman who walked miles to go to school at times carrying large items (on her head), I come from strength. Therefore when it comes to fatigue or handling all that comes with entrepreneurship, I will always do what it takes to move forward.
Webinar with Clarissa Bannor: Managing The Freelance Life (Apr 22)
Missed this event? Make sure you don’t miss the next one by joining our community today. Salute to all the Motherland Moguls out there who’ve decided that they’re going to use their hard earned skills and talents to freelance full time and create an independent lifestyle for themselves. While the daily independence and opportunity to wear sweatpants while taking conference calls is exciting, not knowing where your next paycheck will be coming from and how to access bigger opportunities can be very stressful. If you want to maximize your life as a freelancer and grow your business, join us on Friday April 22 for a webinar with Clarissa Bannor who has built a successful career as a freelance writer and public relations consultant so that she can spend more time with her two daughters. Some of the topics we’ll cover: How to build your portfolio and find new opportunities Tech tools you can use to manage your time, finances and projects How to make sure people actually pay you on time What to consider when thinking about how much you’ll charge Webinar Details: Date: Friday April 22, 2016 Time: 10:00am EST // 3:00pm WAT // 5:00pm EAT Location: When you register below you will be sent the private webinar link About Clarissa Bannor: Clarissa Bannor is a Ghanaian-American freelance writer and publicist. Get Out There PR (GOTPR?), her boutique PR agency, is her solution to helping startups, creatives, and small businesses gain market share and international visibility on a shoestring budget. She blogs at www.ThisAfropolitanLife.com.
Divinity Matovu: You don’t want women dropping out of the workforce
She Leads Africa interviewed Cofounder and CEO of MBA Mama, Divinity Matovu. As a mother of two, she is pursuing her MBA at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania with a focus on entrepreneurial management and finance. She has launched four start-ups, lived and worked in East Africa and prides herself on being a global citizen and an advocate for women’s empowerment. This is what she had to say about navigating family and career planning as an MBA Mama. “The biggest barrier for women with children interested in pursuing their MBA, women in business is: childcare. Many women find themselves saying: Oh, I have a child, I’m not going to be able to keep up. What will I do about childcare? Will I have any money going in? If we can develop something that helps women to save time and money on childcare, it becomes much easier to have a conversation and for them to continue advancing in their careers. You don’t want highly educated, highly qualified, and highly trained women dropping out of the workforce. Our brand, MBA Mama, makes visible: women who successfully maintain their careers after maternity leave and even women who have children during the MBA. We are an online platform that provides ambitious women with tools and resources to leverage an MBA, and strategically navigate family and career planning. Because of the childcare issues, there are a lot of women who are not at the table to lean in. That is not good for our economy or for business. We want to help women navigate having a child during their post MBA career so that they don’t fall behind their male peers, and so that they don’t feel like they have to drop out of the work force. From our perspective, an MBA is a great degree that women should leverage to have career advancement. Firstly, an MBA is a graduate degree with the highest return on investment. During the MBA program, you can gain a set of skills that are transferable to any industry and add value to any career. An MBA can increase your access to an excellent network. Lastly, the types of careers available post MBA have wonderful benefits.” Whether you’re a mother, a woman who is passionate about going back to school, a woman interested in starting a family or all of the above, Divinity provides you with these useful tips. Here’s her top three tips for a successful family planning during the MBA: 1. Timing is crucial There are quite a few women who are timing their ovulation cycle when pursuing their MBA. They work with their partners to make sure that they will be pregnant when they want to be pregnant. These women give birth during the winter break, which is 3-4 weeks. They come back that next semester, and for most of them, they are only taking classes maybe two days a week. There are also women who work to have children the summer before they start full-time work, and after they graduate. 2. Maintain consistent family time When I’m with my daughter, I’m with my daughter. I’m unplugged and not checking emails or on social media. My philosophy is: quality of our time together as opposed to quantity. Even though I’m really busy, that really helps us to maximize our time. So, figure out what time works best for you. Mornings are really good for us because we’re up and about and getting ready together. 3. Prepare for the week I do meal preps on Sunday. So, I cook many meals on Sunday and then I’ll Tupperware everything into portions so that throughout the first three days of the week I have all of my meals ready to go. We do take out Thursdays, so I know I don’t have to cook dinner that day. Fridays and Saturdays are easy, because I don’t have class. Sunday, I start my meal prep again. On her four tips on successful business planning: 1. Create your own brand I am an MBA Mama, and I see myself in my consumers. I’m investing time in the community and I hope that leads people to our brand. I launched the company and was very excited to get my partner Nicole on board. That was a challenge because I had to make sure that my vision was clear, and that I could get someone else to buy into the idea. 2. Gain Financial Skills Finance is central to any business operation. You can have a great brand and people can be excited about what you’re doing, but if you don’t know how to manage the money, if you don’t know how to read a balance sheet, and if you don’t know how to get your finances in order—nothing else really matters. 3. If you want to build an online community, communicate and be engaged Be engaged with your online community—whether that’s responding to a tweet or re-tweeting someone mentioning your brand, communicating with fans on Instagram or featuring people on your blog. By staying connected, people know that you actually see enough value in what they have to say. 4. Utilize Social Media! Finally, any of word-of-mouth that can help your business will be good for your brand. People love referrals because it’s a trusted source and it’s even more trusted than paid advertisements. Through our blogs people find us, and the women we feature also spread the word to their followers. Also, we feature women who share their stories through our “MBA Mama of The Month Initiative.” If someone can recommend your brand by word-of-mouth, that’s really the best way.
Gloria Barasa: Balancing my baby with my startup
It was my last day at work and the first day of the next phase of my life. I had decided to become a full time entrepreneur and solely focus on building my own business. My 10-month-old baby daughter would be my constant companion since my nanny was going away on leave at that time. This meant that it would take me longer than expected to get my business up and running. Several weeks later, I now realize that setting up a business is a gradual process that requires time and dedication. Things also don’t always go as planned. Here is what I have learnt from my journey: Have short, medium and long term goals Dividing your goals into these categories will help you to focus while managing your time effectively. A popular acronym developed by George T. Doran is S.M.A.R.T. This means that all goals should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timely. Practising this approach can be beneficial if adopted at the initial stages of business development. Overlooking any of the criteria could hamper progress and create frustration. I, for example, wanted to have my company up and running in two weeks. However, this was not possible given my home situation. I was able to adjust accordingly and establish my company within a more realistic time frame. In taking this approach, I quickly learnt that focusing on gaining a large customer base and revenue without fully building and understanding my business model would not work. Adapt quickly According to Martin Reeves and Mike Deimler in their Harvard Business Review article, Adaptability: The New Competitive Advantage, a company must have its antennae tuned to signals of change from the external environment, decode them, and quickly act to refine or reinvent its business model, and even reshape the information landscape of its industry. Going into the same industry as my previous employer, I initially believed that developing a similar work structure would lead to business success. However, I realized that this approach would not be ideal given the lack of human and financial capital on my end. I chose to adopt the most relevant aspects for my business such as customer relations. I opted to take a different approach on other aspects such as marketing. Goals are moving targets Business goals are moving targets. You can’t afford to get comfortable as this leads to stagnation. It is important to be open to providing current market needs. Keep abreast of the happenings in your industry as well as related industries. This can be done through reading business journals and articles, attending conferences with industry peers, or simply carrying out research to understand the latest developments in the market. As an entrepreneur you need to keep up with the ever-changing market needs. Enjoy the ride Make the most of your experiences. Learn from each of them. Don’t be consumed by the business, however, as this will result in stress. In order to avoid frustration devise various coping mechanisms. According to Forbes magazine, this could be as simple as scheduling breaks throughout the day or focusing on other interests that are unrelated to your business. Most importantly, appreciate your family in this moment. In my case, being with my baby daughter was the best stress reliever I had and probably will ever have. At the end of the day, my nanny being away turned out to be a blessing in disguise.