Your boo, your woe
You’ve heard it said that one of the most important career decisions you can make is the choice of a boo. Your bae could be a nightmare for your career goals, hence the need to choose wisely. Unhealthy relationships can and will affect both your career and personal growth. As a matter of fact, it is an Achilles heel for some African career women. Yes, I just went there. Get it right From my point of view, everyone starts their day from the home front. And at the end of each work day, you also need to return there. That’s why it is important to be in the right place to avoid tales of woe. We’ve all had that classmate or colleague who was such a bright star with the prospect of making the headlines someday. The person voted most likely to succeed that somehow lost track. The one that the rumour mill says stopped working because she was making more than her husband. It’s bad enough that societal pressures make the absence of a relationship seem life-threatening. However you should never be in a relationship that trivializes your dreams, goals or hustle. Love actually matters And hey, I’m not asking that you believe the narrative that love doesn’t matter. Of course, it does matter. A loving relationship is the best foundation for reaching new heights. The right boo is a great asset and we want our Motherland Moguls to ace life in all spheres. Just imagine having a “global” vision and being unduly yoked with a partner with a “local” mindset? Even the Bible says, two cannot go together except they agree. We need boo to support your hustle It’s been said that if you stand for nothing, you would fall for anything. Therefore, it’s important to understand yourself: your persona, temperament, beliefs and goals. Knowing who you are and what you want out of life will help you navigate the relationship waters. So your boo has money but belittles your dreams and talks down on you, what are you waiting for? On your entrepreneurial journey, there would be times of trials, tears, joys, victories and growth. You’ll need your ‘A team’ to be on point. A bae to encourage, motivate and cheer you on, not demean or be envious of you. See what I mean? You’ve got to hand it to the Obama’s, they give us awesome couple goals. They didn’t get here overnight but we have now seen a true picture of how a great relationship can make or mar your career. With this in mind Motherland Moguls, next time you’re on operation seize the bae remember to, as we say in Nigeria, “shine your eyes”.
Meet our Accelerator Moguls: Koko’s Kitchen
As you know the first ever She Leads Africa Accelerator Program is currently ongoing. Out of the 120 startups from across Nigeria who applied for the program, we identified 10 as the next generation of Nigeria’s brightest female entrepreneurs. These 10 selected businesses are now benefitting from our intense accelerator training. One of them is Koko’s Kitchen, a brand that makes baking easier for Nigerians. From cakes to cookies, Koko’s Kitchen answers the demand for locally made easy-to-bake mixes. Sifa Asani Gowon and Oluwatosin Olaseinde started the brand to build an indigenous brand within Nigeria. They hope the Accelerator program will help take them there. Why did you decide to apply to the SLA Accelerator program? While I, Sifa Asani, was busy fiddling with cake mix formula, trying to tweak it to perfection, Tosin was working tirelessly to build a strong foundation for the business in terms of accounting, mentoring and the like. Tosin has been tracking the She Leads Africa voraciously and when the accelerator opportunity came up, we seized the opportunity. We decided to apply for it because we know it will help us to strategise and position the company to achieve critical pace. It would also help us to network and expose Koko’s Kitchen to potential investors. What do you intend to take back home after the Accelerator program? As a preamble, let me say that I had actually attended a SheLeads program earlier this year, in April: SheHive Abuja. I really liked what I saw and was so impressed with the organization, the speakers and the overall ambience. There were women from all over the nation with one thing in common; ambitious dreams and the drive to succeed while adding to their communities and families. I liked that women were being encouraged to bring out the best in themselves as well as be considerate and help other business women when and how they could. When we applied for the Accelerator program I expected no less from SheLeads. I anticipated a learning environment especially suited to African female entrepreneurs in terms of advice, tools and mentoring. We intend to take back home a stronger company in terms of controls achieving KPIs and also a stronger network that we can leverage on. How do you intend to stand out and improve your business after the mentorship programme? Considering Koko’s Kitchen is a really young company, we have been fortunate to have reliable collaborations. This ranges from that of the co-founders to the ecosystem such as She Leads Africa, amongst others. We plan to execute all the key decisions that we have taken from to SLA accelerator programme. To glean knowledge from the outstanding entrepreneurs who have walked the road before us and have shared their stories and give us advice. We’ve been taught the value of time and of discipline. We are also accountable to our SheLeads mentors, which goes a long way in keeping us in line and focused. After this program, we intend to take all we have learned and all the contacts we have made and utilize it to our advantage. We intend to streamline and stretch our ideas to build a strong and reliable business that is here to stand the test of time.
Oby Igodan: I’m teased for all the business ideas I come up with
If you’re a #MotherlandMogul and a mom, you know the struggle of finding the right kind of daycare facility for your young kids while you hustle. For Oby Igodan, what disturbed her was that the facilities she came across did not feel like home. Running a daycare can be a profitable business but as a mom, your child’s development is of utmost importance. Looking to start a crèche and daycare that’s a home away from home, Oby launched Home Also Crèche & Daycare. She runs this while also working as a Managing Partner at VIL Consulting. As the children in her crèche grow, she is looking at expanding into a preschool to cater to our older kids who love it at the crèche. Oby spoke to us on the challenges, joys, and satisfaction of providing children with a secure and stimulating experience in a comfortable and relaxed setting. Why start a crèche? While raising my own children as a career woman, I realized something interesting. The facilities I took them to in their early years didn’t really provide the feel of a home environment or afford them the gradual transitioning into the academic arena. A lot of those outfits were run purely for business with little or no consideration for the unique developmental needs of each child. I set up Home Also to identify every child’s uniqueness and help foster proper development. What challenges did you face starting your business and how have you overcome them? Majorly, it took some convincing to get my family to surrender the living room space. In fact, I wanted the entire ground floor of our home to run the crèche. It sounded ludicrous. With persuasion and the knowledge that this was my dream upon retirement, they agreed to let me use the space. Secondly, finding the right staff that has been difficult. My staff has to be well-trained to offer young children —from 12 weeks to 3 years— a fun and educational experience. And of course, there was raising the required capital to start paying staff without having a single child enrolled. Then, paying for staff training while anticipating that it would translate to enrollment. I will say that God has been gracious to me and I give Him all the credit for helping me overcome these challenges. Has it been any difficult working with other people’s children? Actually, it’s been really rewarding and thrilling to have these little angels kept in our care. We feel that their parents trust us and we must guard that trust jealously. We’re grateful that they trust us enough to leave us their babies at such tender ages. Some are as young as 3 months. It’s a vote of confidence that we uphold. From your experience, what does one need to have covered to open a crèche in Nigeria? First, ensure you have the passion and the required aptitude for the business. Then, good, knowledgeable and experienced staff. A safe, secure and hygienic environment is also very important. Be sure to meet the requirements of regulatory bodies. And of course, there’s the all-important start-up capital. What keeps you inspired in hard times? My life has been dotted with ups and downs. Through it all, God has helped me. The knowledge that I have a father who loves me gives me inner strength to weather storms. His mercy and grace have brought me this far and will see me through the years ahead. When it looks like there is no way out, the voice inside will read out relevant scriptures to give me confidence and hope. That’s just it. On occasion, I’m inspired by stories of people I admire. People like Joyce Meyer, Stormie Omartian, and Oprah Winfrey. If you weren’t running a crèche, what would you be doing? If I wasn’t running a crèche, I would be working full-time running a consulting firm. This is something I am engaged in at the moment, but on a part-time basis. It’s called VIL Consulting and it’s a homegrown management consulting firm set up by a team of experienced professionals. We have the best from businesses and institutions who help to provide expert advice and assistance to clients. I participate as a managing partner, providing the required strategic direction for my partners. My daughters always tease me about all the business ideas I constantly go on about. So, if I didn’t have my hands full with two start-ups at the moment, I’d be working on starting another. You see, I need to prove to them that mummy’s not all talk! If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
4 genius business tricks to steal from Genevieve Nnaji
It’s obvious to every Nigerian it-girl and our African sisters that ignoring Genevieve Nnaji’s pristine and effortless beauty is a bad idea. This is regardless of whether or not you watch her movies! Luckily, there’s a lot to learn from her streamlined, hyper-organized disposition. Even if we never completely get it, as we’re mere mortals. Have fancy dinners with a view Yes, you heard right. Head to some trendy island, club or restaurant for dinner. It should have an amazing view and probably stocked with successful, inspiring, rich and maybe good-looking people too. The food might be a little pricey, but it’s the connections you’re paying for. It’s called networking, girl! Somehow, these celebrities seem immune to the business problems that the rest of us mortals are afflicted with. From me to you, there’s a shameless networking routine that they follow. Don’t head on starting that business without connecting with the people who are going to be instrumental to your success. Take it all off… the make-up I mean This is debatable, but it feels even better to take the make-up all off sometimes. This is especially useful when the Nigerian heat perpetually threatens to melt it all off anyway. Genevieve gives us the no-makeup look often enough to keep us envious and wanting for more. Being a celebrity or even the owner of that unique start-up may be a good reason to have flapping eyelashes, gold-toned smoky eyes, and perfectly done nails… you know for the optics. But how about you shake things up a bit and get us all confused by actually getting down to work? Like, if you’re not doing anything lucrative besides getting your face done, what are you even doing? Be authentic. It’s all that matters. I am really eager to know the stories behind movies with impossible titles —who decided that “Blackberry Babes” was a good name for a movie? Okay, my argument is —why spend much money scouring for classics when you can watch an affordable ‘sub-standard’ movie? Here’s the thing, as an aspiring or already established business woman, you’ve got to be authentic, otherwise, you’ll ruin your own magic in no time. You’ve got no business copying every new or trending business idea. Be real, girl! Be unique! Talk less, unless of course, you’re telling us about what you do Traumatic consequences aside, being a little secretive is a necessity . Especially, if you’re involved in ventures that don’t feature story-telling as a requirement for practical reasons (like being an OAP or writer). If your business is not one of those, the least you can do is choose to give us short, simple, or playful dozes of your life every other time, just to add a little charm to your image. Minimize that icky feeling that comes with people knowing too much, too often about your business. In summary, all you need is to devote yourself to learning/mastering your craft, tirelessly networking, being authentic and a little tight-lipped when necessary. It’s pretty simple and practical.
Lessons from the demolition of small businesses in Lagos: Three steps to protect your small business
Last week, we woke up to the news that Nuli Juice Company, Nuts About Cakes, The Drug Store —all small businesses in the upscale Ikoyi area of Lagos— were on the verge of being demolished. The Drug Store had only opened for business a week earlier and Nuli Juice opened six weeks earlier. The owner of Nuli Juice only became aware of the demolition when the bulldozer showed up ready to reinstate her shop to what was once her imagination —she did not receive any prior notice. She was shocked, as like most savvy entrepreneurs, she had obtained all relevant permits, licenses, paid her taxes, etc. In the midst of the chaos, she found out that the demolition was as a result of the landlord’s failure to pay N40 million in permit fees. The landlord was given prior notice before her lease term commenced. Within a few hours, the only evidence of the stores was rubble. Unfortunately, Nuli Juice, Nuts About Cakes and The Drug Store represent a few of the many businesses that experience this issue on a yearly basis. Given the recent trends, it is evident that applying for a business permit, registering the business and registering with the tax authorities are not sufficient to safeguard businesses. Business owners must take additional precautionary steps to further protect their businesses from unexpected disruption or in this instance, demolition. Below are a few additional precautionary tips. 1. Dig deeper Treat your store lease like you would treat the purchase of new land. Before signing a lease, conduct a thorough search on your potential landowner, the land, and the building. Tips: Not every alleged landowner is indeed the true landowner. Ask people in the neighborhood about who owns the building. Investigate to make sure that the alleged landowner indeed owns the building. Ask about the landowner’s reputation. Has the landowner had any brushes with the law (personal or otherwise)? If the landowner has a multitude of legal cases (personal or otherwise), it may not be wise to lease from him or her as the building might become subjected to legal processes. Ask whether the property has been subjected to any extraordinary visits from government officials. Such regular visits could be a sign of disaster waiting to strike. Confirm from the landowner that all relevant permits have been obtained. Thereafter, negotiate his or her assertion into the warranty section of the lease agreement. Do the same for licenses, permit fees, etc. If the store has been recently renovated, ask the landowner to confirm, in the lease, that all renovations are in compliance with all relevant laws. Ensure that there is a valid certificate of occupancy for the building. Check with your local government officials to make sure that the neighbourhood has indeed been marked for business purposes and not strictly residential purposes. Your business will most likely be kicked out of the neighborhood if the area is strictly a residential area. 2. Negotiate Many small business owners ignore the importance of negotiating the content of their lease agreements. Despite the fact that as a small business you may not have much bargaining power, you still owe it to your business to take all necessary steps to protect your investment. So, before you sign the dotted lines, negotiate! Tips: Include a clause in the lease agreement that covers you in the event that your store is destroyed or damaged as a result of the landowner’s act or failure to act. Such provision will allow you to seek damages (i.e. seek payment for losses) from the landowner in the event that something the landowner did or failed to do caused disruption to your business. Most business owners assume that the landowner pays for repairs and often skim through the repairs provision of the lease. Please do not be one of those. Do not assume. Ask! If the lease contains a provision that requires you to pay for repairs, try to negotiate an exemption for normal wear and tear of the premises. Under such arrangement, the landowner will cover repairs for damages that are not caused by you. Also, pay close attention and negotiate who will be responsible for big-ticket items such as plumbing, roof leaks, air conditioners, etc. Review your lease agreement to make sure that it includes a clause that states that the landowner does not owe any duty to any other persons or third parties (e.g. taxes, liens, restrictions). That way, you will be protected contractually should there be any third party interference on the property. 3. Ensure your business is covered Many small business owners underestimate the importance of business insurance. Business owners should ensure that their businesses or their buildings are covered by insurance. Such coverage will minimize the impact of a disaster to the business cash-flow. Tips: Consider obtaining business insurance that covers material damage to your business premises and their contents. This should cover malicious damage, strike, riot, flood, storm, burglary, and litigation. Alternatively, consider requesting that your landowner purchase a building insurance that will cover your business in the event of a business disruption (such as a fire incident, obviously, not a fire you deliberately caused). Such insurance policy should be able to provide an alternative store location in the event that your current store is inhabitable. This process might seem daunting. However, as the saying goes, “its better to be safe than sorry.” These steps, though not exhaustive, can add an additional layer of protection from undue external business disruptions. If you would like insights on a particular topic, write to us! We are listening.
What Jhene Aiko showed us about divorce in Nigeria
Remember the not-so-shocking end of Jhene Aiko’s marriage to her Nigerian husband, DotdaGenius? It really brought to the forefront how most Nigerians view divorce. The lessons to learn from this bitter and public divorce are numerous. Let’s look at what not to do when a relationship goes sour. Don’t ever feel the need to air your dirty laundry in public For absurd reasons like getting “support”, even if it’s from outsiders, people tend to share more than they should. Jhene Aiko sort of did this on social media after the divorce news broke. Rather than do this, how about settling the rift(s) with the other party without the prying eyes of people who may not really care? Especially as we all agree that there’s some sanctity to marriage. Your value kind of diminishes when you give third parties undue vested interests in your business. Infidelity Being in an unhappy marriage is better imagined, especially when a partner is cheating. But cheating to get back at the spouse is never the best solution to an already terrible situation. Playing the two-can-play-the-game revenge tactic is never the way to go. Rather than cheat, please girl, opt out! Fear Nigerian women have this inexplicable fear of divorce. This may have been fueled by the myth that kids from “broken homes” don’t make good homes themselves. Unfortunately, there is still a never-ending stigma associated with divorce. Nigerians have a way of labeling divorcees (especially women) as rude and not submissive. It’s always the woman’s fault. Making women feel this way because a marriage didn’t work, has made a lot of women stay in unhappy relationships “for the kids”. No one wants to be stereotyped unfairly. Starting over Marriage offers some form of validation for women in Nigeria, and maybe even other parts of Africa. It is believed that irrespective of what a woman achieves, she is nothing without a man. Owing to these beliefs, even otherwise strong women would rather stay in a loveless marriage while enduring being treated badly or even cheated on. In conclusion, Nigerian women need to realise that a divorce can never be the end of one’s life. Everyone is entitled to a new beginning and even after a divorce, there’s still hope. There you have it, ladies, it’s time to have a fresh outlook on love and relationships, and marriage.
The fault in Nigeria’s stars: The war between business & government
The fault, dear Shakespeare, is occasionally in our stars —and if you’re Nigerian, occasionally in our government. Yesterday, while all of Nigeria nursed a hangover from Mark Zuckerberg’s stealthy visit to Lagos, local government officials handed out an overdose of Advil, with complementary sunglasses, to smack us all back to reality from the ephemeral excitement. Amongst other properties on Rumens Road in Ikoyi, the Lagos branch of the Nuli Juice Company—a rising local healthy fast food company—was demolished by local government officials who claimed that warnings had been sent to the respective landlords concerning outstanding fees. A worrying trend A few months ago, the Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), slammed a $5.2 billion fine on MTN for failing to disconnect unregistered users, dragging the telecoms giant’s bottom line to a headline loss for the first half of 2016. This was amidst questionable monetary policy decisions by the Central Bank that have now seen the Nigerian economy, along with the constituent businesses of the flailing economy, crumble in 2016. The tug of war between Nigerian businesses, their predominantly foreign investors and the government has never been more obvious. And Nigeria’s economic situation, more disheartening. The same business owners, investors and government officials who vivaciously graced the dance floor to the tune of the “Africa is shaped like a gun and Nigeria is the trigger” chant led by McKinsey & Company and The Economist appear to be trickling off. Standard Chartered and Atlas Mara are leading the exodus from Nigeria with United Airlines and Sun International in tow. The Garden of Eden has proven that when trouble strikes in paradise, the blaming game begins. Adam blames Eve, Eve, the serpent and we Nigerians, our government. That’s just the way the chaos crumbles. However, the Nigerian government is not alone but in good company. The Chinese government has driven Uber to a $1.3 billion loss in the first half of the year. The Tanzanian government abruptly passed a bill requiring all telcos to list on the Dar Es Salam Stock Exchange. The South African government’s proposed sugar tax has the potential to squeeze the life out of Coca Cola’s operations in the country. This chasm between the private and public sector across the globe could not be more glaring. Thankfully, in my lifetime, I’ve experienced the magic that happens when the chasm is bridged. I spent the summer of my sophomore year in college interning at Sahel Capital, a leading agriculture-focused investment firm. Sahel Capital manages the $100 million Fund for Agricultural Finance in Nigeria (FAFIN). Nigeria’s Ministry of Agriculture established the fund and now, Sahel Capital manages it. I am the daughter of my father, a brilliant agricultural economist. He spent the bulk of his career in Nigerian agribusinesses—the private sector. My late maternal grandfather spent his life in public service. In his day, he worked in the agriculture sector of Nigeria’s Western Region. Interning at Sahel Capital, the epitome of public-private partnership, my two worlds collided. And not just mine, but Nigeria’s too. Collaboration between the public and private sector is by no means beyond the bounds of possibility. Here’s blowing the whistle on our leaders for attempting to prove otherwise.
How to make money as an artist in Nigeria
You must be familiar with the image of the starving artist in Nigeria who doesn’t get recognition until she dies. Were you discouraged from studying the arts because it was believed to be an unlucrative industry? Or maybe because you were a girl? Well, what if I told you they were wrong? You don’t agree? Here’s my argument – if you’re artistically inclined, why settle for broke when this image below could just be you? In many countries across the world, artists make their living from selling art. However in Nigeria, it is often difficult for artists to break into commercial success. If you are still not sure how this article can help, stay with me. I’ll show you how to start making that money while holding on to your creativity. Create a unique brand Your brand needs to have a selling factor that is personal to you as an artist, be it your style, your market, your subject. Check out Francis Sule for example, who uses a highly illustrative style in his work. Have a day job A lot of artists hole themselves up in their studios expecting their ‘dope’ work to speak for itself. You see girl, your work isn’t going to speak without you doing some talking. A day job that lets you meet people and maintain a flexible schedule is a good idea. I work as a graphics designer in a sports entertainment company and that helps me meet a lot of people. Another case in point is Stacey Okparevvo who works as a yoga instructor. Hire a talent manager/art agent. Most artists are not really business savvy, they’re just not very good at marketing their own work! Think about it, if they were to be left on their own, galleries would probably be making far less money. We hear of veteran artists with agents and managers taking care of business, but most new artists don’t care for such ‘luxuries’. The truth is it is not so difficult getting people do to do these things for you. David Oamen is one of the few people who does something along those lines in Nigeria. Sell affordable art There is actually nothing wrong with selling affordable art. A number of artists are creating and selling affordable stuff. For example, Art of ajet, Mode, and lawyartist are examples of artists who sell art, phone cases and so on, online. You can do phone cases, T-shirts, logos, mugs, book covers, snap backs, the possibilities are endless. Network network network Ah, yes, artists network. Are you serious about making commercial hits? Then you surely have to go out and meet people. Ayoola has a huge network across the world and is a friendly chap. AAF and ArtContemporary also artists who organise networking events for other artists. Collaborate outside your field Again this may feel a little too tasking, but you need to go outside your comfort zone to sell your art. Collaborating with fashion designers and musicians is a great way to make collaboration work for you and bring in constant work. Set up a store at Jakande Yes, I said Jakande! What were you expecting though? A lot of foreigners and Nigerians visit Jakande with the intention to buy art. And if your art is affordable and your brand amazing, you’re sure to find great customers there. If I were you, I’d get someone to handle sales, and may even sell my work myself. Contact galleries across the world Galleries worldwide are usually looking for new artists. Don’t rest on your oars girl, contact them, be at the top of your game. Art21, Omenka, and Rele are some of the galleries in Lagos. Finally, the arts business might be a tricky one. I’m not sure what the defining factors of a ‘good’ art piece are but I do know that for every work you create, you’ll need to be authentic and true to who you are. Strive to create pieces that you actually love. And make lots of money along the way.
Adedoyin Jaiyesimi: People tend to trivialise the writing process
Adedoyin Jaiyesimi writes and edits books, manages blogs and creates content for websites. Through her coaching and training platform, The Sparkle Writers Hub, she is helping other writers achieve their writing dreams. So far, some of her trainees have moved on to start successful blogs while others have been able to gain access to platforms to showcase their work. Adedoyin fills SLA in on not just the excitement of writing, but what she is doing about it, for herself and other writers. How can a writer turn her craft into a profitable business? Turning your writing craft into a business starts with having a plan. What kind of writer do you want to be? What range of services do you want to offer? Do your research and find the niche you can excel in. There are people who stop at editing and proof-reading while others take it further by writing web copy and coaching other writers. Once you identify the services you are able to offer, you should talk to an intellectual property lawyer to know the steps to take to protect the content you produce. You also need to think about how you will publicize yourself and your work in order to build your client base. Build the right structure and most importantly, get people to work with you. As you get more clients you will discover that you can’t do it all by yourself, especially if you want your business to grow. What are the right principles to turn a small idea into a profitable business? I would say the number one principle is passion. You need to be passionate about what you are doing otherwise, the business will fizzle out. Then there’s the part of creating value. For any business to be profitable there has to be some value that is being added. This is essentially the ‘why’ of your business and it goes beyond money. What need is the business meeting? How does it improve the lives of people? One thing I have learnt over the years is the importance of building a brand and not just a business. You must be able to connect with your clients and deliver on your brand promise. This involves going the extra mile. It also involves making the choice to be excellent in your delivery of service and be innovative. Have you faced any challenges that are unique to your trade as a writer? How did you overcome them? Yes, I have. They are so many, to be honest. One of the challenges writers face is managing writer’s block. When I first started out, I was a lazy writer and I used to write only when I was inspired. You can’t run a profitable business as a writer if you only write when you are inspired. So I had to discipline myself and learn how to come up with creative content whether I am inspired or not. It was tough, but I’m glad I went through that process. Another challenge I faced was putting the right price to the services that I offer. Something that I used to hear a lot when I started was, “Is it not just to edit the content on my website? Why are you charging this amount?” There is a way people tend to trivialize the writing process especially when you are able to deliver quickly. I did a lot of trial and error before I could find the price that I was comfortable with charging because there is no industry standard. Now, I have set prices for every service I offer. I’ll add one more because like I said, they are many. Putting the right structures in my business was challenging. Creative people don’t like structure. We just go with the flow. This will hinder the growth of your business. So I had to take the time to put the right structures in place. I registered my business name, Content Craft, opened a business account, set up a proper accounting system and so on. It’s not perfect yet but we have a process for most of the operations we carry out. Realistically, in what ways can an African woman live off writing? There are many ways an African woman can live off writing. Like I tell the writers that I coach, you just need to be creative and be able to identify the gaps that exist. When I started out, what I knew how to do best was to write articles and edit magazines. Now my expertise has grown to creating and editing books, managing blogs, writing web/ social media copy and creating content for social media. So the possibilities are endless. If you want to live off writing, you can become an editor, you can be a content creator, you can be a copywriter, you can write voice over scripts, you can write content for training materials and so on. As you improve your skill, you can also earn money from coaching other writers and organizing training sessions for businesses and individuals. How do you help other writers achieve their dreams? Is it through mentorship or any other means? I created a platform called The Sparkle Writers Hub and our main aim is to help everyone who has a desire to write to achieve their writing dreams. We work with all kinds of writers; the ones who have a nudging in their heart and those who have started writing but want to take their work to the next level. We offer a basic training program where we teach writers the basics of writing and how to attract readers. We also offer a more intensive coaching program where we work one on one with writers to achieve their goals. Since we started, some of our trainees have moved on to start successful blogs while others have been able to gain access to platforms to showcase their work. What will be the name of your first book and what will it be about? The
Aysha Tofa: No business idea scares me
Aysha Tofa is a 24-year-old entrepreneur who is not afraid to try her hands on several, diverse business ideas. She discovered her passion for business as a young girl in college and even now, is an inspiration to many young women in Northern Nigeria, where she resides. Aysha shares with SLA her experience and the driving force behind her entrepreneurship. How did you become an entrepreneur? My first brush with the business world was in my 3rd year in college. I often bought clothes to sell to other students and my friends. However, my biggest and scariest opportunity was when a friend was getting married. I had assured her I could supply 400 pieces of fabric for family and friends even though I had no idea how. Fortunately, things panned out; I made good of my word and some good money too. That first big opportunity opened up more business doors as I invested the profit in other ventures. At the time I was done with school, I was already a known name -an entrepreneur in her own right! You are an entrepreneur involved in a lot of things. Tell us about them. Yes, I am involved in a lot of businesses. My scope covers just about everything – textiles, traditional caps, electronics, properties, food, fashion, etc. I also own an advertising company called Waves Advertising Limited. I am, in fact what they call a hustler in the Nigerian parlance. I believe that for any business idea, no matter how novel, a detailed research would tell me exactly what to do. Away from business now, we understand you had a project called Pink Waves. Tell us about it. Pink Waves was another of my many projects. Our focus was on creating awareness on the cancer scourge, starting with northern Nigeria. Twice, we were on Voice Of America’s radio show, Yau da Gobe, to discuss the project. We reached out to influential people, government agencies and organizations soliciting support and sponsorship, but that never came through. It was a good project but sadly, it had to be put on hold. How are you inspired? I have a solid support system. My parents believe in me and that alone keeps me going. I want to keep making them proud. How do you keep yourself going as an entrepreneur? I read books on both successful and failed businesses. Through them, I have learned and mastered the act of taking risks. For someone who has tried her hands on many things, I believe failure in business can be a learning curve. The entrepreneurial route can be tough, but I try to be as focused and patient as possible. What is the business climate like in Northern Nigeria where you live? Are there challenges? How are you overcoming them? Around here, people are more amenable if you are able to convince them of a product’s usefulness. But of course, a prevalent preference for quantity over quality negatively affects sales. Also, due to religious and cultural beliefs, there’s the erroneous belief that successful women tend to be arrogant and may never find husbands. Notwithstanding, I never let these things stop me from reaching my dreams. I believe an empowered woman is not only a gift to her family but the society at large. What is your driving force? Through my various ventures, I want to inspire other women to reach heights they never thought possible. The ultimate goal is to add value to my society and I am taking it, one day at a time. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.