YETUNDE TAIWO-SHORTERS: 7 POWERFUL WAYS TO LEVEL UP YOUR PERSONAL BRAND IN 2019
It’s Yetunde Shorters here, chiming in sharing with you, as we plan for the New Year, seven powerful ways to level up your personal brand in 2019. This year flew by so quickly that we couldn’t even catch a breath, but it’s never too late. You can start now and start today, and let’s plan for manifestations in 2019. Below are my suggestions of 7 powerful ways to level up your purposeful personal brand in 2019. PLAN AHEAD Planning means take the time one of these days before the year is over and sit down and plan for the things you want for your brand or your business. Plan what your social media would look like, what each quarter would look like, and what products you’re going to launch. Write it out. You have plenty of time to do that this year so that you can be prepared and schedule things for next year. That way, you save yourself some time. [bctt tweet=”You can start now and start today, and let’s plan for manifestations in 2019 – @Yetunde .” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] MANAGE YOUR TIME Manage your time like a boss. We all have 24 hours in the day. If you’re a solopreneur or you have a small team, you have 24 hours a day. You have a lot to do. What that means is you need to be conscientious of how you spend your time. What are you doing with your mornings? Do you find yourself on Facebook or Instagram immediately? STOP IT!!! The first 90 minutes set the tone. Be intentional about those 90 minutes. CONNECT, BETTER That means online and offline. Sometimes we get caught up in posting, and we forget that we have to engage other people, so dedicate 20 to 30 minutes of your time per week and go back to the people that follow and engage on their pages. Like the comments, like their pictures, read stuff, and leave your thoughtful feedback. Also, do this in live events. That means go out more, look for networking or marketing events that you can be a part of. MAP OUT YOUR SYSTEMS If you are going to be doing events, a photo shoot or consulting with clients, write out what that looks like. For example, when a client inboxes you, what is your response? Or when a client responds to you. What do you reply to that? Write it out step-by-step. Having automated content helps in a way that when anything happens, you’re literally just cutting and pasting again saving you time. Or you can use e-services to create an auto send out. DOCUMENT IT This is one of the things that were actually in the recent book I had with the Better Business book. I shared the 10 things I’ve learned from my 10 years in business. If I knew then, I would have documented any good thing that happened in my business. When you’re going to do a review of the year or an analysis to a client, you can go back and have documentation. [bctt tweet=”Documenting things is a great way to track your progress – @yetunde” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] So, at the end of the year, if you have to do a year in review, you have all your ducks in a row. You have content for your portfolio. You have content for testimonials. It’s a great way to track your progress. TRACK AND ANALYZE This often depends on how engaged you are on social media or your newsletter or in person, to see what’s working. Test it out and then come back and take off the things that are not working. Tracking and analyzing helps you see that your efforts are being put to good use. That way, you will get into the quality of what works for your brand, and so you just rinse and repeat and use the things that work over and over again. AUTOMATE YOUR PROCESSES Create your automation systems. What does it look like when someone signs up for your newsletter or signs up for talking to you, what is that process? If there’s anything you can automate, which means use a mailing service where something is automatically sent to them without you, your business can function without you; you automatically automate all the stuff that you want your customers or potential clients to know. Again, you have a plan ahead, manage your time like a boss, map out your systems, connect better and more, document the milestones, track and analyze often, automate, engage, and convert. These 7 steps are what you need to level up for your brand in 2019. Interested in contributing for She Leads Africa? Click here.
Chantal Fraser: When I switched careers, I began looking at design as more than just a hobby
Chantal Fraser is a fashion designer and house singer based in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. She started her fashion label Chante Clothing in 2010 as a side hustle and transitioned it to full time in 2014. Her clients comprise of everyone from local celebrities, to brides and bridesmaids and any young lady wanting to look chic and well put together. Chantal also works with locally based international brands like Edgars which is part of the Woolworths Group of companies. Following the family tradition, Chantal finally decided to venture into music in 2017 and released her single Better than Yesterday. When did you fall in love with fashion? I’ve always had a passion for it since I was young – like seriously young. My passion started with creating beadwork and eventually sketching fashion ideas. What gave you the courage to pursue Chante Clothing full time? Passion full stop! My passion was burning so much that I just could not ignore it. I was miserable, working and doing other things. Even though I was getting paid well, I just didn’t have the passion. I said to myself, if others can dive into their passions and do it, why can’t I? What setbacks did you have during that transition period? Definitely, finances. I was jumping into an unknown business. Yes, I had passion but obviously, I was still trying to weave my way through it. In addition, I had to patiently grow my clientele which took a lot longer than I anticipated. When people are committed to their designer you know that’s it. It is hard to convince them to try someone new. Before setting up Chante Clothing, what were you doing and how did it help you later on? I was doing accounts. I hated it! But for some reason, I’d find myself doing accounts in jobs. But when I did switch careers, I began looking at design as more than just a hobby – but a legitimate way of making an income. This made establishing the business easier. Do you feel like there are enough structures that help women build a business? Yes and no. There is still a mindset that it depends on what the trade is. Some people don’t look at design as a business; they still see it as a plaything. But if there are women seeking financial assistance for something like chickens they are able to source funds much easier than us. I believe that there is a bias against fashion to some extent. Have you had any mentors help you in your entrepreneurial journey? Yes, I have. I’m privileged to know loads of people in the same business as me. My fiancé has been in the fashion industry much longer than I have. Since we collaborated on C and C Clothing, I have been able to learn a lot from him and his support. I also have friends who helped me learn to sew. While I did have the passion, I needed to acquire the skill. This led me to camp at a friend’s house and eventually learn how to sew. I really appreciate her for doing that for me. What has opening a business taught you about yourself? It’s taught me that I can have discipline when it comes to money lol. Initially, I didn’t think I would be this disciplined, but opening a business had really exposed me to some of my strengths. [bctt tweet=”Fashion fades but style never fades – @chanteclothing ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What do you want Chante Clothing to represent as a brand? I want it to represent elegance and style. It’s about bringing out the inner you. It’s about genuinely feeling confident and beautiful and not conforming to what people say is the latest trend. That’s what my business is all about! Who are your style or fashion icons? I really like David Tlale and his tenacity. Dolce and Gabbana are also inspiring as they are a team like my fiancé and I. We look up to them. If they can do it, so can we! You currently have a single out, Better Than Yesterday. How did you get into singing and why a motivational track specifically? My parents are actually musicians, they had a band ages ago. I didn’t choose music, music chose me! It was in the blood! I’ve always had the passion and have been singing from forever. When I released my track, I chose motivational music because there’s a world out there that is extremely confused. A lot of people do not know who they are really. If media says this is the style everyone moves to that. No one has a backbone to stand on. So, with my motivational music, I hope to inspire people to be who they are no matter what situations they are going through. The themes vary but basically, it’s about you being you being proud of who you are! So where did you get your obviously innate sense of confidence? I think I got it from my parents (Not I think, I know!) and especially my mum. She was a very bold person and I learnt a lot from her. I was fortunate to have parents that allowed us to be who we wanted to be. No matter what you wanted to do they supported you all the way. What advice can you give about being true to yourself and following your dreams? Every child is born with a dream, and as time goes on, people that surround you can slowly discourage you. Don’t forget what that first love was. Go back to it and don’t allow anyone to stand in your way. Even if it seems hard just keep going, keep at it because at the end of the day, that’s what you were born to do. There’s nothing as depressing as doing something because it’s a trend or because family is pressuring you. Misery is the most disheartening thing ever. Indulge your passion and you’ll get there eventually. How do balance two careers (and
5 transferable skills you need to go from homemaker to employee
What happens when the homemaker decides to return to formal employment? She is usually greeted with disdain for having ‘wasted’ her time at home and missed out on the latest developments in the industry. Though she is likely to be a bit out of touch with the nitty gritty of being an employee, a homemaker will, during the course of her homemaking, acquire some fine skills that make her an even more valuable employee than someone who has not experienced life outside the workplace. [bctt tweet=” A successful homemaker makes a successful employee” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Here are some of the transferable skills a homemaker already has: Time-keeping With so much to achieve on a daily basis, successful homemakers always keep their eye on the clock. If your meetings tend to stretch forever, and you cannot seem to stay on schedule for your targets, someone with homemaking experience can turn that around for you. Through experience, homemakers understand the effect of allowing tasks to take up too long to complete, of failing to have something done in time, and of the benefits of scheduling right off the bat. Planning Homemakers are, of necessity planners. From household chore to family events, these women have a skill that some employees still need to be taught. A homemaker understands the difference between a daily, weekly and monthly plan. Meal planning is one way they practice this. She needs to plan for daily meals, which will be the foundation of her weekly or even monthly shopping trips. At the same time, she masters making adjustments, improvising, scheduling and reviewing. [bctt tweet=”If your team needs someone who seamlessly integrates tasks together, you may need a homemaker” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Multi-tasking Homemaking tasks are varied, numerous and as diverse as the lives involved. The basics of homemaking encompass cooking, cleaning, childcare, gardening, tutoring, house maintenance and so on. In a single day, she will have to deal with some or even all of these tasks. With only 24 hours in a day, multi-tasking is something learned out of necessity. The trick with multi-tasking is that while it is necessary, it needs to be done in a logical manner to be effective. While you can listen to your child’s reading while cooking, for example, it becomes illogical to attempt it while you are vacuuming. If your team needs someone who seamlessly integrates tasks together, you may need to give the homemaker a chance. Creativity Creativity is one of those skills that is difficult to define and teach to a person. It is best learned in context. And what better context than in the home, where routine can soon lead to boredom in so many ways. From the layout of furniture to meals and family activities, there comes a time where a new approach is demanded of you. When work and business solutions start to get mundane, the homemaker will seldom be out of depth. Negotiation Who engages the part-time help to complete a task in the shortest time possible for the lowest cost? Who meets the meter man at the gate and diverts any attempt to disconnect services? Who sets the terms for play dates, physical boundaries, and social events? The very same tasks in the context of a formal work environment can be assigned to the woman who already has lots of experience form home. In some cases, it’s the homemaker herself who needs to be reminded of all the wealth of experience that she brings to the workforce. There is no reason to feel inferior or incompetent. A successful homemaker makes a successful employee.
How to maintain your figure 8 this holiday season
It’s the end of the year again. Christmas parties, end of year get-togethers, Thanksgiving feasts and lots more. My dear Motherland Mogul, if you are not very careful, while your bank account might get leaner from all the spending, I’m afraid it might be quite the opposite for your beloved figure. Therefore, being the good friend that I am, I have put together in this post, 5 steps to avoid unwanted weight gain and keep your energy levels up this joyful season. Have a plan Yes! Be deliberate about not adding any extra kilos. As with every other aspect of life, planning sets you up for success. So write down (please be realistic) what weight/size you want to attain/maintain at the end of the year and how you hope to achieve it. Let water be your close pal Drinks lots of water before and during parties. This will help control your appetite. If you can, drink a mouthful of water before eating or drinking anything else. The best way to buffet When on a buffet line, choose a small plate, walk through the line, taking in everything that’s on offer and decide what you want to eat. Then go back in line and take exactly what you decided. Walking through the line will prevent you from eventually filing your plate with everything that’s on offer because you didn’t know it was there until you got to it. Be the party queen Dance your heart out! Dancing is a perfect way of burning those pesky calories that keep shrinking your clothes (yes, I know it’s their fault, not yours) plus you’d really be having fun. Just don’t overdo it if it’s an official event. Don’t stop exercising It’s very tempting to stop your exercise routine in view of all the fun ahead but babe, you’re gonna regret it! (And this is to all of you that are planning to abscond from My Figure 8 fitness club and others this holiday season) Nuff said.
Facebook Live with Adepeju Jaiyeoba: Finding a purpose and choosing a career path (May. 19)
Have you been asked many times what you want to be, or do with your life, and every time, your answer has been different, or you stutter? When it comes to deciding on what career to face, some people get it right the first time, while others find themselves twirling and spinning, until they find a rhythm. Join us for a Facebook Live session on Friday 19th May, with Adepeju Jaiyeoba – White House Emerging Global Entrepreneur and Founder of Mother’s Delivery Kit and Brown Button Foundation. She’ll be talking extensively about finding your purpose and choosing a career path. Adepeju will be answering individual questions during the Facebook Live, so register below and ask your questions. [bctt tweet=”Join @pjlalah to discuss finding your purpose and choosing a career path on Facebook Live (19 May)” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Some of the topics we’ll cover Life after university: Your next steps 7 ways to finding your purpose Making the right professional and career decisions Facebook Live Details: Date: Friday 19th May 2017 Time: 1pm Lagos// 2pm Joburg// 3pm Nairobi Where: facebook.com/sheleadsafrica/ Watch video here: https://www.facebook.com/sheleadsafrica/videos/1885847208305257/ About Adepeju Adepeju Jaiyeoba is the Founder of ‘ Mother’s Delivery Kit ’ social venture which provides ultra affordable sterile supplies for women to use at childbirth while also increasing access to quality healthcare services, as well as Brown Button Foundation, an NGO which trains traditional birth attendants that takes more than 55% of child delivery in Nigeria. Although she’s a graduate of Law, she has a strong background experience in global health with the United Nations Foundation and background knowledge in Business from the University of Texas, Austin USA. Adepeju is a White House Emerging Global Entrepreneur honoured by President Barack Obama, and has been mentioned in the 2017 100 Most inspiring Women in Nigeria, She Leads Africa’s top 10 female entrepreneur for Diaspora Demo day, 2017 ONE African Champion, 2015 YNaija top 10 most influential Nigerians under 40 (Advocacy), and an acknowledged Global Change Leader by the Coady International Institute, Canada.
Begin with the end in mind
I am sure we have all heard the saying ‘begin with the end in mind’ more times than we care to remember. Most times this is said in the context of our own lives and how we should be approaching the goal realization process. Perhaps the best-known individual on this is Steven Covey in his ‘The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People’, where habit 2 speaks to this directly. I was reminded of this very saying a week ago when I had a one-on-one meeting with my mentor. In conversation my mentor asked me what my end goal is. I asked him what he meant and at that very moment I realized that in so much as I understand where I see the business going, I have not actively put together my business end goal. A business end goal is all about where you see yourself as a businessperson in seven to ten years. Unlike a typical business mission and vision statement, this is about you the person in as much as it is about the business. Take for example a person who wants their business to be the leader in providing information communication technology (ICT) on the African continent; the key question is how will this person know when the milestone has been reached? What are they using as a yardstick for success? More than that, what is the ultimate role you would like to play in business? You may want your company to be a regional leader in its area of work, but your personal ambition may be to have multiple business interests without you being necessarily involved in each business on a day-today basis. It may be that your passion is unrelated to the daily grind of deal making and operations management, but rather in advocating for a particular cause that gives meaning to your life. In this particular case, what drives you is the ability to derive income while not being bogged down by the minutia of managing a business or multiple business interests. Your end goal is thus to create businesses that allow you to spend your energies on things that bring you meaning. Thus, by year x, you want to be in a position to have built businesses that run independently of your daily input so that that you can focus your time on what your care most about. When you begin with the end in mind, you are letting your imagination guide you. As Steven Covey puts it, the exercise of imagination is based on the principle that all things are created twice: first mentally and then the actual physical creation, with the physical following the mental in the same way a building follows a blueprint. The world of business is challenging and often times we are stretched beyond our limits. It is during those times that our bigger goal/end needs to carry us through. Taking the ICT company example, say now an opportunity comes to take the business to other markets, your end goal enables you to make an informed decision on what you need to do. For instance, will the time requirements of moving beyond conquered markets square up with your personal end goal? Perhaps you may end up concluding that the potential revenue does not justify sacrificing these goals, or that your team requirements must support this ambition to the largest extent possible. You can only square up your personal vs. business interests once you have made an honest determination of what is important to you and where you see yourself at your predetermined timeframe. Lack of such a determination may leave you drifting and following others’ priorities/ambitions without the gratification that your journey should bring you. While waiting to reach your pinnacle point, you can still do something towards achieving your personal ambitions by doing small tasks towards that very end. How do you start you may be wondering? Below are three actions you can start with you to ensure you are continuously working towards the end in mind: Develop a business and personal goal statement This statement should answer the questions of what and who you want to be. Aligned to that is what you would like your business end to look like at point x; in other words, what is your ultimate business objective? Be sure to be as clear as daylight when you work through this- the clearer and specific you are, the better will be your ability to continuously measure your progress. This statement should be an articulation of that mental picture which will form the beginning to the physical realization. Take it one day at a time When you begin with the end in mind, your days will never be the same again. Each task, or project will be a clear fit into the bigger end. Only then are you able to make things happen for your personal and business ambitions. Your decision-making improves, as you know instinctively what makes sense and in what way this makes sense. Conflicts between personal and business goals are clearly identifiable and can be resolved in a more systematic way. It’s not cast in stone In as much as your business plan is a fluid document, so is your personal plan. Just because you have a desire to advocate for children’s’ rights in your 20s does not mean that’s what you ultimately want to do. Be open minded to the changes you need to make as you go along, review your timeframes, and reassess your priorities from time to time. When you are true to yourself, irrespective of what your goal statement looks like today- the values you hold and your passions stay with you. When you begin with the end in mind, you put yourself in a better position to succeed. You do not make haphazard decisions around your business and personal life. It is only then that you can have a better grip of you in your entirety.