Diana Odero: I have had years of practice travelling on a budget
[bctt tweet=”Patience, an open mind and other skills you need to master the art of budget travel” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Diane Odero counts being a journalist (and contributor to SLA) among her growing list of accomplishments. She is also an avid travel lover and is able to do even though she was a student until just recently. For Diana, travel is an enriching experience and an opportunity for African women to get out there and see the world for what it actually is and not for what we think we know about the place. Travel is more than just time to re-energize, reboot, press the reset button on life, it also helps bring in some Chi back into your life. Diana has only ever travelled on her own and has found that travel can be therapeutic. Let’s talk finances, how do you find the budget to travel so widely? I save constantly! I’m just like every other young woman who likes to shop, eat out and have a pamper day once in a while but then I also love to travel. And if you know anything about travel fares, they sure don’t come cheap. So I usually compromise on most things that I would like but don’t necessarily need. I also make sure to put some money away with every income earned to keep up the saving habit. Also, I started travelling a lot while I was quite young, so I knew early on that I wanted to study abroad at some point and I was fortunate enough to do it twice for undergrad and for my Masters. I also signed up for various sky miles programs years ago, not knowing how beneficial they would be in the long run. The miles started accumulating a lot while I was in college and before I fully understood the magic of sky miles. Now those miles have come in handy in the past two years and with more flights made, more miles are earned —it’s a beautiful cycle. Lastly, I have mastered the art of finding really cheap flights. Would you believe me if I told you that my direct return flight to Italy from London only cost me £100 on British Airways? Insane. I couldn’t believe it myself, but booked it instantly before it disappeared. (Fares like those on such airlines don’t come by every day). I’ve had years of practice since my college days with my friend Fiona who would scour the web with me at wee hours of the night (best time to find flights, also best days are Tuesday & Thursday in my experience). I also realized most of the travel packages out there put out a really good deal if you research very carefully. What about visas? Have you faced any difficult travelling within or outside the continent as a Kenyan citizen? The one place I have had minor issues was in the US where the Kenyan passport isn’t as valued as others. My visa was never an issue but the way I was treated compared to other people with passports from non-African countries, was really disappointing. Nonetheless, America is still a second home to me and I know as more people of colour travel and even more Africans get out there, these unnecessary stereotypical discriminations will stop in due time. In terms of visas, the UK visa was quite the struggle to obtain particularly for school. It’s not an impossible task, they just make it ultra difficult so you need to have a lot of patience when travelling to the UK. One single step missed in the application process and you’ll be denied one as soon as your interview is done. Having applied for various visas before, I already knew what to prepare for and the dos and don’ts of the process; the lengthy process was what I had not expected at all. Within the continent, I haven’t had any problems with travel and visas so far. What five skills does every African travel lover need? Why these skills in particular? Time management skills I have never missed a flight and I’ve only ever been close to missing one once in my life. That was because I had a 7:30am flight and woke up at 5 (the time I was meant to be at the airport). I literally got there as they were closing the gate; I had to beg them to let me in because I was rushing to school to make it in time for an exam. Why I woke up late you may ask? I was up the night before until 4am —silly, I know but I really thought I would hear the alarm clock. Be very time conscious so as to never miss flights because rescheduling is such a pain and costs so much as well. Patience I’m usually a very patient person but some things can drive you insane. Traveling a lot has made me appreciate the art of being patient with people everywhere because not all places work the same as where you are familiar. You have to be patient enough to scope out the environment around you, to learn how things work instead of forcing your ways upon someone who has no idea what you mean or are doing. You need to be patient with the visa processes while going through security and customs at different ports, and you need to be patient when flights/trains get delayed over and over again. Keeping calm is much better than blowing a fuse believe me, you’ll get to your destination eventually. An open mind It’s really the only way you will enjoy anywhere you travel to including the traveling process as well. The world is a huge ball of diversity and with so many cultures living in it, no one person is the same so keep an open mind wherever you go to embrace what all these different places and people have to offer. A lot of Africans are very rigid and very
Judy Goddard: I make it a point to re-frame every failure as a lesson
[bctt tweet=”Judy Goddard: As an entrepreneur…you never really ‘arrive’.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] “Trapped”. Ideally, that isn’t the word you would want to use to describe how you feel about your 9-5, but it is a word I hear all too often. It is for this reason that I love meeting women like Judy Goddard. Her boldness and single-minded dedication to creating the life she wants to live is the stuff #MotherlandMoguls are made of. The Johannesburg-based entrepreneur is the founder and director of Masiwela, co-owner, and director of On Pointe at Longpoint, and has most recently she became the director of The Rand Club. What would you say was your biggest frustration when you started out as an entrepreneur? Looking back I realise that I wanted to be at ‘the end’ before I did the work. I had established a career in hospitality before I became an entrepreneur, but the corporate world has different markers of success. I credit this uncomfortable start with helping me understand that the destination is the journey. As an entrepreneur there are always new targets to work toward, you never really ‘arrive’. Masiwela’s continued success is a testament to the fact that you do not shy away from setting audacious goals. Often people lose their momentum after they experience a few failures. How do maintain your contagious tenacity in spite of failure? The key is to make sure that you learn to trust your own judgement. Failure happens to even the most competent people; you need to learn from every failure and keep track of the lessons. It also helps that I am an optimist. I make it a point to re-frame every failure as a lesson. When I lose money in my business I refer to the loss as paying ‘school fees’, and I only ever pay it once. We dissect the failure as a team and keep track of the lessons learnt to help us make better decisions in the future. What helped me quite a bit is that I have also become intentional about creating a strong positive process. This means I surround myself with people who genuinely want me to succeed. I also spend every second of my spare time learning new things that can help me lead better. I love that you refer to yourself as an ‘Africaneer’ (African Entrepreneur), and I notice Masiwela steadily increasing its presence across the continent. As a young company, what has been your strategy for breaking into the various African markets? I am originally from Zimbabwe and at first, it was not easy to break into the South African market. In hindsight, being an outsider here was fantastic practice for my continental vision! The biggest lesson for us has been to think laterally. Invest as much into gaining trust and forging relationships as you do into the technical parts of the business. This also means not shying away from collaborating, even if it’s just to get your name out. You will be amazed at how much you can get done with the right relationships. [bctt tweet=”Don’t focus on the big wins. Consistent hard work is the key – Judy Goddard” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Secondly, and this is good advice in general, don’t focus on the big wins. Consistent hard work is the key. The small wins always add up and help you to create the big wins. Last year Masiwela took over management of the historic Rand Club in Johannesburg inner city. Not only is it in an older part of town, but the club itself has a complicated history. What motivated you to take on the challenge? As someone who studied and worked overseas, I understand the temptation to benchmark our cities against cities like New York and London. That said, young African entrepreneurs are in a unique position in that we must create the environment we want to operate in. We need to think long term to get this done. Personally, I have always wanted to live in New York, so I resolved to be part of creating the African version of New York in Johannesburg. [bctt tweet=”Judy Goddard: Young African entrepreneurs…must create the environment we want to operate in” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I took up the Rand Club because I realised how important and unique our role as young Africans is in writing Africa’s story. ‘History’ is currently being created and it is our role to help write a better history for our children to learn. The Rand Club has quite a negative colonial history, so it excites me to be able to change that narrative. What has been the biggest leadership lesson running a business has taught you? What distinguishes entrepreneurs is that they always need to be prepared to make a decision. The mistake I made early on was that I thought that this meant I had to make every single one. This slowed everyone down and I became a bottleneck for my company. [bctt tweet=”Entrepreneurs always need to be prepared to make a decision – Judy Goddard” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I have come to realise that as a leader of an organisation, leadership automatically involves becoming a coach, and empowering my team. When a member of my team asks me a question, I resist the urge to give them an answer. The goal is to get them to show initiative and to trust their judgement. Instead, I ask them what they think they should do to fix the problem. Only give input on how you would handle it if the team member is totally off the mark. When you do, make sure you explain the reason behind why you would go in a different direction. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Yoli Mqoboli: I wanted to start a business that is meaningful to me and to other businesses
[bctt tweet=”I fell in love with Business Management during my undergrad studies – Yoli Mqoboli” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Yoli Mqoboli is a certified global Remuneration Specialist with extensive experience in reviewing and developing total remuneration policies, packages, and frameworks for both public and private sector organizations. Her career started off at the South African Reward Association (SARA) as an intern —gaining exposure in all aspects of total rewards such as basic remuneration, benefits, and total reward elements. She has worked for blue chip companies focusing on expatriate reward management and Africa reward. After her last stint in corporate, she started Sunguti Business Solutions, a 100% black woman owned human capital solutions consultancy specializing in tailored remuneration, reward and benefits solutions and talent acquisition solutions. Yoli then approached her former Director and pitched the idea of coming back to the organization as an independent consultant, as such giving her the independence and time to start-up and nurture Sunguti. What was the spark that led you to start Sunguti Business Solutions? Sunguti Business Solutions, before the name ever came into existence, was always a dream of mine. I fell in love with Business Management during my undergrad studies. As such, I decided for my postgrad studies to specialize in Business Management. I had in mind a Business Solutions consultancy focusing on each of the various business functions. My business model would be that of a sub-contracting arrangement as I don’t have experience in all of the business functions. This was also aimed to collaborate with other professionals and hopefully, garner more business participation. I wanted to start a business that is meaningful to me and to other businesses. What services do you offer your clients? Are they only limited to South Africa? If yes, what are your goals to grow Sunguti to rest of Africa and the world? Currently, our capacity is in Human Resource solutions, which include Remuneration and Benefits consulting and Recruitment. We focus on permanent placements, response handling, and headhunting services. Our service offering is in South Africa and we plan on expanding it to Swaziland first, and then the rest of Southern Africa. Our short-term plan is to penetrate the southern Africa region, due to the geographic reach and ease of doing business. As a 100% black women owned Human Capital solutions consultancy company, do you find it is easier for black women to start their own consulting firms, especially in your industry? If not, what are some of the challenges you’ve faced? Starting a business is hard for anyone, and as a black woman within the Reward fraternity is twice as hard. This industry has and still is owned by elite white-owned professional service providers. Women face hurdles such as access to funding, lack of access to other types of business due to non-exposure as these fields have been traditionally deemed to be male gender specific. Also the lack of a support network and lack of advisors or mentors in these areas of business. [bctt tweet=”For Yoli Mqoboli, starting a business within the Reward fraternity was twice as hard” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Reward management, which is a specialist function within HR, is currently a scarce skill with fewer black professionals. Yes, there has been an influx of black talent –however, the skill is not mature enough. The major challenge for us as black-owned consultancies is getting taken seriously by companies and peer competitors. You’re deemed an unknown and your credibility shaky because your brand is not yet established. Corporate South Africa prefers to reserve remuneration consulting projects for the big professional services. There is little confidence in smaller consultants who ironically have consulted for the same corporates under these big professional service providers. How can the challenge of small black-owned consultancies being overlooked be overcome and ensure that they make a mark in the consulting world? There is no perfect answer, however, in light of the new developments in BEE procurement regulations –bigger professional services providers who aren’t fully representative in black ownership and participation will be urged to partner up with smaller black consultancies. Some have already done that therefore the rest will probably follow suit. [bctt tweet=”Yoli Mqoboli: The major challenge of black-owned consultancies is being taken seriously” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] In the meantime, it’s us smaller black consultancies who have to create the opportunities, approach potential partners and keep abreast of developments in the market. However, the same needs to be done by bigger competitors. What advice would you give to women looking to venture into the remuneration management and talent acquisition space? You need to have a flair for people, numbers and the evolution of human capital solutions. You need to love what you do, and you will never have to work a day in your life! Secondly, you need to network and keep abreast of the developments within the area of reward management, both locally and globally. What are your goals for Sunguti in 2017? How will you ensure you meet the goals? My goals for Sunguti in 2017 is to focus more on business development initiatives; this includes joint ventures and collaborative partnerships with some of the bigger corporations, and expand the service offerings to Swaziland. We also aim to register with the relevant SETA in the introduction of accredited training and development services. Lastly, we aim to strive for standards of quality and commitment to our current clients. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Samba Yonga: Working to document African women’s history
[bctt tweet=”Samba Yonga: I am now more interested in communicating real impact ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Samba Yonga is a Media Communications specialist running her own firm Ku-atenga Media. A trained journalist, Samba initially worked with one of the daily papers but found the job extremely boring. She then joined a media company that worked in development communications, this opened up more opportunities in development communication role. Samba also recently co-founded the Museum of Women’s History in Zambia with Cultural Specialist Mulenga Kapwepwe and eight other women in Zambia. The Museum of Women’s History in Zambia aims to highlight women’s role in the history of the country. SLA contributor Kudakwashe Mulenga sat down with Samba Yonga to find out how she navigated her career to end up running her own businesses. You took on several roles at a fairly young age, did you face any challenges? I know the narrative of the ‘struggle of women’ is real —most people ask me how being a woman has impacted my work. I am aware that there are inequalities everywhere and work towards addressing them. In my case, I think I am very fortunate that women are encouraged to take on the work that I do. I have also been very lucky to be surrounded by people that encourage me and recognise my ability. [bctt tweet=”Samba Yonga: I think that women are encouraged to take on the work that I do” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] We also live in an environment that is malleable, meaning you have to work around your situation. You have to create life hacks and develop market-creating skills for your business. On my end, we largely had to develop the market and I think it is the same with a lot of people in the creative/communications sector here in Zambia. You are co-founder of the Museum of Women’s History in Zambia, tell us about that. I co-founded the museum with a group of women who want to highlight the importance of women’s narrative in history. In the work I do I network with a lot of people and I took an interest in Zambian history. My work involved research to a great extent. And I would find intriguing stories about the past that I had never learnt in school even at college level. [bctt tweet=”Samba Yonga co-founded a museum to show the importance of women in Zambia’s history” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I then found a lot of things that were not in the mainstream narrative and that I felt should be known by all. As I researched more I found more and more interesting information. I met and listened to experienced cultural actors such as Mulenga Kapwepwe. I followed her work and also collaborated with historians such as Marja Hinfelaar, she was responsible for digitizing the National Archives of Zambia. Last year, I undertook a research in collaboration with a Swedish organization on these buried narratives. We met with communities who confirmed narratives of women having an active role in Zambia’s history but not being documented. One of my favourite ones is of the Mukuni Kingdom in which there is actually a dual leadership. Bedyango, as confirmed by Chief Mukuni was the Matriarch of the kingdom. Mukuni was a wandering ruler of the north who was strong and mighty. Bedyango realized that this was a threat to her kingdom and she offered a dual leadership instead. However, when the colonial authorities arrived they refused to recognize the woman as a leader and that is how Chief Mukuni became the more prominent leader. This information was never documented and many people don’t know about it though the dual leadership is still practiced today. This showed me how we are not using our own information to strengthen our communities. This is the concept for the museum. [bctt tweet=”Samba Yonga: We are not using our own information to strengthen our communities” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How has the reception been so far? The reception has been really good and we didn’t expect it. We just opened our virtual space and so many people have reached out with resources including stories and collections. A lot of history in Zambia is oral and the establishment of the museum has encouraged people to contribute. Our main goal is to get this information into the curriculum and make it part of mainstream knowledge. Who in your museum do you think every African should know? Immediately it is Bedyango the custodian and Matriarch of the Gundu kingdom, which is now Mukuni Village. She is a modern day example of a feminist. Bedyango is an example of someone who was able to stand for justice and used proven methods of leadership that progressed her kingdom. There is no other person who is a great example. Another notable one is Mumbi of the Shila people and she was responsible for the protection of the now Bemba people. Mumbi played the role of what could now be referred to as a modern-day diplomat. There are many examples and these show a very different perspective of women. Our history has obscured such figures and has limited the positions and roles that women played. We would like women and girls today to realize their own capabilities to achieve their dreams from the women of the past. [bctt tweet=”Our history has obscured such remarkable women – Samba Yonga” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Let us talk about your other baby Ku-atenga media, what does it do? Ku-atenga is primarily a communications consultancy. I have a background in communications both corporate and development. These unique skills allowed me to have a good understanding of what communication entails and what responses work for Africa. We combine these skills to create communications packages for Africans. Now there is huge interest from outside Zambia and Africa for African content. We design communication tools and content for different organizations at Ku-atenga. We have done work with varied local and international organizations. And more recently we are getting involved in doing more transformative communications that would effect change. I am now more
Assia Sidibe: I am building a better Africa for myself and my daughters
[bctt tweet=”Your first husband is your job. It is important to be independent – Assia Sidibe” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] At only 32 years old, Assia Sidibe heads the pool of Francophone countries for the African Risk Capacity (ARC) – a specialized institution of the African Union that insures African countries against the risks of extreme weather events. Assia is from the beautiful land of Mali; she grew up in Côte d’Ivoire but had to leave this second home 16 years later, after a coup in the country, for France, where she lived for a decade. In this interview that took place on a plane, 3 hours away from a Madagascar business trip, SLA contributor Meguy Massoudi attempts to capture just what a trailblazer Assia is. Assia did a great job at answering with candor and a lot of humor. What did you want to be when you grew up? Why? I have no idea. I was not one of those people that knew what they wanted to do. All I knew is that I wanted to work in development and help people. Growing up in Côte d’Ivoire, I could sense the inequalities in society. I wanted to help people that were less fortunate than I was, just not in a charity sort of way. That idea only became concrete when I was around 18 or 19. How did you decide that finance was the route you would take for your studies and later your career? When I was supposed to decide what to study, I had no idea what to do. My parents pushed this idea that finance was the best place to start on me. They believed that it opened a career in everything. So I studied finance in high school. After my Baccalaureate, I did a PREPA (preparatory school) in Superior Classical Letters. I was curious about learning about history, languages, and philosophy. After that, I knew what I wanted to do. So I did a Master’s degree at Science PO Paris in Finance and Strategy. And from then, it opened up a career in development very easily. Have you ever done any volunteer work? If yes, how has it been important to you? If not, would you be interested in volunteer work? When I arrived in South Africa, I gave contemporary dance lessons to teenagers in the Joburg CBD. I wanted to give back to the community. I wish I could volunteer more. If I had more time I would. Have you ever faced problems in the workplace because you are a woman, how have you dealt with them? No. I have faced problems in the workplace more because I am young. Working with African governments however, it has not been as difficult. Being a woman can be challenging, but if the work relationships are based on mutual respect, that is good. [bctt tweet=”Assia Sidibe: I have faced problems in the workplace more because I am young” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I have been pleasantly surprised by the open-mindedness of senior government officials who are willing to work with women of every age, especially in West Africa. Africans are not as closed minded as we are often made up to believe. You have a career that allows you to surpass yourself every day, and meet the game shakers in climate change and in governments. How do you find the confidence to talk to so many high profile people and get them to align with your vision and participate in your work? I am not at all impressed by high-rank people. At the end of the day, we are all working for the continent. I don’t scare easily or get impressed easily. That doesn’t mean I don’t respect them. I also think it is important to share our different views with one another, Minister or not. You would be surprised how friendly and open-minded people on the continent are. Was there a time you messed up and felt like you failed? What did you do to recover? I wouldn’t say messed up. But last year, one of my countries didn’t get on board with ARC. I didn’t feel like I failed because I was on maternity leave. But I felt guilty. It’s a woman thing. When I had to travel after giving birth and leave a little baby, I also felt guilty. I always leave thinking to myself, did I make the right choice? But I wouldn’t be happy staying at home. I tell myself, I am building a better Africa for myself and my daughters. And If I can make that impact, then that’s good. What keeps you going in the most stressful times? The belief in the potential of our continent keeps me going. I believe in what I do. I admit to being a bit of an idealist. But the bottom line is believing in what I do. I meet exceptional civil servants who work in hard situations but they never give up. In hard times, these people inspire me and keep me going. [bctt tweet=”The belief in the potential of our continent keeps me going – Assia Sidibe” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] When we talk about the continent, we don’t talk enough about those that do everything in their power to make Africa better. We only talk about those that are corrupted. What are your success habits? My success habit would be never giving up. But I wonder if I even really have success habits. I am just a person who never gives up. It’s in my personality. Nothing is impossible. So my success habit would be to explore a hundred ways to solve a problem before giving up, in every single thing I do. What advice do you have for women wanting to make advancements or drastic changes in their careers? I will start by addressing the point about drastic career changes. Speaking from experience, I resigned from my job in France. You have to find the courage to do it. When you want to do something, do it. For
Anyiko Owoko: It starts with you
[bctt tweet=”Anyiko Owoko is a writer and PR maven who has worked with many Kenyan & African stars” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] A celebrity publicist, a Public Relations maven, journalist, blogger and all round music and entertainment aficionado -Anyiko Owoko is the perfect definition of more than a triple threat. The young connoisseur is the publicist to award winning East African music group; Sauti Sol. Starting out as their friend and assistant, Anyiko has risen to media success thanks to her work with the boy band. Anyiko also works with many other talented artists on the continent and beyond who have seen her prowess as an influential communicator and brand strategist. Now she intends to expand her growing PR company –Anyiko PR and let SLA contributor, Diana Odero in on her journey to where she is now and why she is fuelled by creative people. You have the incredible role of being Sauti Sol’s publicist. How did this come about? I have always been their friend to begin with. I was initially friends with Chimano in particular, who I met in 2006 at Alliance Francaise where I was studying French. Funny thing is, we weren’t even in the same class so I don’t really recall how we became friends. Chimano would always tell me about his friends and him singing in high school and now that they were done, they were thinking of starting a music group. He wanted my opinion on that. So I sort of became their advisor from back in the day and I encouraged them to take on the music group idea. Chimano and I joined the choir at Alliance and we really liked it but Chimano felt that he needed his friend (from high school) to join in as well. We both convinced the choirmaster to allow his friend -Bien Baraza to join, even though non-students weren’t allowed in the choir. Later on Savara and Polycarp, Chimano’s other friends were brought in and they were a full singing group in a choir. After we completed the French program, we enrolled into University and surprisingly Chimano and I ended up in the same school, in the same course and in the same class. That’s really how it all started and as for me, I’ve always loved writing and communicating. As a friend, that was a great quality I had that was able to help them get their group off the ground. I have been their road manager, an assistant, I got them onto social media and after several years, they realized that I was the main person doing their publicity. I knew they would become big stars from way back in the day and so I did all I could to secure their brand and maintain their presence in the music industry. They of course now have a bigger team; I even have my own assistant as well, so at least we have a lot more help than we did when it was just the boys and I. Did you always want to get into the public relations field? No, I never saw myself doing this kind of work. PR kind of just found me because of the work I was doing with Sauti Sol. My plan had always been to get into writing and become a journalist. PR is part of communications so it still lies in my preferred field but I guess you can say I ended up specializing in it. [bctt tweet=”Anyiko Owoko: PR kind of found me because of the work I was doing with Sauti Sol” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I wanted to do broadcast journalism, which I have been doing actually; I’ve been working in TV for the past seven years. I still write though, I write for DStv, for the Daily Nation, I run my own blog and I also write for the Coke Studio website. So I’m still doing what I always wanted to do and I’m grateful to have found something else that I can do that contributes to the industry. How did you know that it was time to leave the employee life and become your own boss? I recently stopped working in TV this past September because I wanted something new and more challenging and needed a break from my broadcast career. About three years ago, I started feeling this way, I always wanted to leave but it was a bitter-sweet decision to make as that was my first official paying job. I was still in college when I got that job and for a journalism student, landing a job hosting an entertainment show in a national network was and still is quite a big deal. It was a really great show with great content that you don’t get much of nowadays in Kenya. I knew I wanted to leave when I realized I wasn’t learning anything new. People would come on the show and I would train them on hosting, reporting, scriptwriting etc. and no one was teaching me anything new. The producer of the show who discovered me had already left the network and I was now answering to his juniors even though I had more creative experience than they did. In addition, things were really changing fast in the world of media, including social media . The show was stagnant and I started interviewing the same artists all over again due to lack of content so it was getting too monotonous for me. [bctt tweet=”I knew I wanted to leave my job when I realized I wasn’t learning anything new – Anyiko Owoko” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Now I have my own column in Yummy Magazine where I interview all kinds of celebrities discussing food and lifestyle, which is something I never thought I would do. I started my own company and all this has been the breathe of fresh air that I really needed. As a celebrity publicist now, can you tell us which artist has been the most pleasant to work with and which interview has been the
Vuyi Zondi: How I turned my natural beauty hobby into a thriving business
[bctt tweet=”Management consultant Vuyi Zondi started making skincare elixirs for herself and close friends” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Vuyi Zondi is a Management Consultant by profession with experience in strategy consulting to optimize business performance. She is also Founder of Corium Naturals. The spark for her to venture into the natural beauty space started as a hobby, where Corium Naturals was born, an area in which she had an organic interest in. Vuyi had started making skincare elixirs for herself and close friends as a past time. She received good feedback, which encouraged her to start offering these products for money. Vuyi spent a considerable amount of time researching natural skincare and traditional skincare practices of African and Indian people. This is how Corium was born. Vuyi shares with SLA contributor, Anelisa Kasper, her journey in starting Corium Naturals. What was the spark that lead you down the natural beauty industry to start Corium Naturals? Organic interest in beauty and personal care and a generally experimental nature. I love all things relating to personal beauty and the interest was born of that. Are you highly involved in the making of your skincare products? Was it fairly easy to learn the skill? What have been the benefits and challenges of making the products yourself (if you still make them yourself)? Yes I am. I have partners who supply the raw materials and whose guidance we rely on, and who have “trained” us in some areas, such as the new addition of ECOCERT certified preservatives. The products are largely hand crafted and only the black soap is received already fully made from our partner in Ghana. The products are not complex to make. The challenge that we have faced with hand crafted cosmetics is batching; you have to get the measurements and batching identical so that the end user satisfaction is uniform. When we experience a bad batch, it results to wastage therefore we take the utmost pride in making sure that the products are of the best quality achievable. How do you ensure that your products are safe for your customers to use? Our partners provide Certificate of Analysis of the raw inputs and testing dates, as well as expiry dates. Our partners carry SOIL, ECOCERT, FDA and BCS Oeko-Garantie certification and registration. They have the labs and resources which test everything and declare it safe for cosmetic use. This is a highly important part of the business. The shea butter and African black soap are received from Ghana and our supplier is part of the Global Shea Alliance and adheres to Fair Trade principles. You started Corium Naturals while having a full-time profession, how has the journey been from when you started your own business and to where it is now? Has the corporate/start-up balance been smooth? I would still say that I have not perfected the balance and I probably will never feel that it is perfect. However, it works for me –as a professional and business owner. My profession is to assist businesses optimize their performance and to solve business problems. Entrepreneurship is also defined as solving a problem for the consumer. In my head, I see the two easily complementing each other. It isn’t smooth at all times, but what I learn from one, I can transfer to the other. It is a tough journey, and I am not sleeping enough. However, the journey is rewarding. [bctt tweet=”Vuyi Zondi: What I learn from my corporate job, I can transfer to my start-up” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Where do you see Corium Naturals in the next year, or two years? How do you plan to grow it? I would like to see Corium listed in more stores –we have just entered our first listing at Plush Luxury Concept Store in Braamfontein. I want Corium products to be ECOCERT certified in their formal form, rather than the certification of the separate input ingredients. Maintaining the fast growth of Corium Naturals is a great achievement, what keeps you going to ensure that it becomes an empire and who are your biggest cheerleaders that motivate you to keep going? The fast growth of Corium has taken myself and the team by surprise. It has been exponential. That puts us under pressure because we have to perform to that standard and keep the magic formula. What we have done really well is our marketing strategy, especially on digital platforms. What keeps me going is my strong hunger for achievement and my own private ambitions. I also have a great network of friends and supportive family. They are so supportive. [bctt tweet=”What keeps Vuyi Zondi going is her strong hunger for achievement” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What advice would you give to women looking to venture into the natural beauty space? Do your research, read up from credible sources. Reach out to the suppliers of raw materials because they have a wealth of knowledge and guidance. Become a sponge, always soaking in new knowledge and new learnings. Do your market research and find out what the market wants. Corium has grown from the online shop, to being stocked at a physical store in Johannesburg. Please tell us where SLA readers can get hold of your products, the different kinds of products you stock and where the physical store can be found. We have soap, cleansers, serums, facial masks, and body butters. All of these are available on our online store, and our best sellers are found at Plush Luxury Concept Store, 38 Melle Street in Braamfontein, Johannesburg. Want to see women you know featured on SLA? Tell us what amazing things women are doing in your communities here.
Ronelle Steenekamp: Be aware that everywhere can be a learning space
[bctt tweet=”Ronelle Steenekamp: I am just a woman who doesn’t over think & pursue what is in my heart” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Ronelle Steenekamp works in consulting and training but what keeps her motivated is not passion but her sons. As am a mother to two interesting and independent boys, Ronelle keeps motivated, inspired and challenged in many ways. The start-up RSA Consulting breaks boundaries in the workplace through transformation. They design learning programs for employees, advise organizations on learning and development projects and help companies to carry out more effective learning interventions. RSA Consulting also aims to support businesses in designing, delivering and evaluating learning. While building her start-up, Ronelle doesn’t joke with finding time for herself and being in her own space. Self-care is on the top of her list of priorities. With the boys, studies and a business Ronelle Steenekamp still manages to make time for friends and family. What learning techniques have you found are the best to maximise learning? The best learning techniques starts with the acknowledgement that you can learn from anyone, any time. We need to be aware that everywhere can be a learning space full of information, knowledge and lessons learnt. One does not only learn from experts. What are the mindsets that you believe need to be changed in organisations? Why? We need to change the mindset having your own business is incredibly hard and that it is for people more intelligent, more creative, more experienced etc. Yes, having your own business has it’s challenges, but so does working 9-5. If you have a challenge, you also have the solution. If we are going to believe it is so difficult and impossible —it is going to be just that. You might as well just enjoy the journey, bumps and all. [bctt tweet=”One does not only learn from experts – Ronelle Steenekamp” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] You mentioned your sons motivate you. You’re also a divorced single mother, how have you managed to over the challenges of this? I remember making the decision to leave my great job that was comfortable and secure. Then I quickly started to doubt and told myself —Are you crazy?, you are a single mother, two boys, a bond and vehicle to pay. This was a good reason to rather stay in my job and not take the big risk into being an entrepreneur. My kids was a enough reason to stay in a secure job rather than take a risk, right? Wrong! They were the reason why I had to JUMP and pursue my dreams. The challenges I experienced are no different to anyone who takes a big leap of faith. However, I overcome them by knowing that if I have the challenge, I have the solution. Do you have a motto that keeps you through? My personal favourite motto is; Pray then slay. Before pursuing interests, goals and objectives, I pray. Thereafter I boldly pursue with positive energy and confidence; that’s the slaying part. [bctt tweet=”The motto that keeps Ronelle Steenekamp going is, pray then slay!” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Let’s talk about RSA Consulting, what plans have you got brewing for this business? I have plans to expand and have a greater presence nationally and also on the rest of the African continent. Collaborations are key drivers to achieving this! What can we expect from you and RSA Consulting in the next three years? In the next 3 years we want build a stronger foundation. It is important that we spend more time securing the base in order for the building blocks to stand when storms come. This can be done by focusing and maximising the strengths of the organisation. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Rajah Saparapa: Sawaree aims to bring people what they need
[bctt tweet=”Rajah Saparapa: Togo needed a platform where people can get packages from anywhere” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Rajah Saparapa is both a student and the CEO/founder of Sawaree. From Togo, Rajah lives in the US where she saw an opportunity in launching a business that could easily make people in Togo access goods and products from abroad. Rajah has always wanted to be a leader, especially in Africa. She is able to balance her studies and business as Sawaree is an online store, enabling her to work remotely. She was able to launch and run Sawaree using her own money that she saved up enough to invest. Now Rajah’s looking for new investment and opportunities to grow her brand. Take us through the first 6 months after launching Sawaree. The first 6 months were intense. I am going to be honest with you, it is still intense. After Sawaree was launched, we had no sale for a month and half. A friend volunteered some hours to help me with the online advertisement; we tried to maximize our social media ads on Facebook, Instagram and so on. Since it is a new venture in Togo, many people were skeptical about using our website; unless someone they know had given it a good review and could vouch that it is safe and reliable. It is all about trusting Sawaree and trusting us. I literally harassed my family members to talk about Sawaree and to order from Sawaree. I wanted them to share their experience not only with us but also their communities. [bctt tweet=”Sawaree is a new venture in Togo, many people were skeptical about using it – Rajah Saparapa” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Our first customer was a family member, then his friend ordered. It was exciting. However, Sawaree is still struggling to get its name out there, and to earn the trust of the Togolese diaspora. We listen to comments that people leave and try to bring them what they want and need. At first, Sawaree did not have a currency exchanger on the website. The prices were posted in US Dollars and some clients from Europe complained that it makes them feel like they were not our target audience so we installed a currency exchanger to facilitate prices our clients. We have also learned that our clients like sales and so we use sales to attract new clients. Feedback is very important to me, it is how I know that what we are doing right and what we can improve. As a CEO, it is very important to be open to criticism and make room for improvement. When I started Sawaree I knew it was not going to be easy. I have learned how to work twice as hard and to manage my frustration by tackling issues head on. Why was it important to have a platform that allows the Togolese diaspora to deliver groceries to their family in Togo? I always heard stories in the Togolese communities here in the USA or in Europe about an individual sending money back home. This was money to be used to buy groceries, but the money ended up being used in another way. This is a problem not only among the Togolese diaspora but others too. When my best friend from Cameroon told me about a platform like Sawaree that was available in her country, I thought to myself that Togo needed something like that. Something to make it easier on its diaspora, something convenient where people will not need to get out of their home and drive to a store to send money. A platform where family members back home in Togo will be receive packages without having to make any effort. Most of the platforms that are available in other countries do not guarantee delivery. The customers have to usually come and pick up their packages in the store but with Sawaree, we do delivery. How do you manage to keep your promise of delivery within 24 hours from anywhere in the world? The idea of having something delivered to your home is a new concept in Togo. After doing my research, I found that there isn’t any other store that does delivery in Togo. That is what makes Sawaree different, we literally come to you. As stated on the website, all orders that are made before 6PM are delivered the next day, within 24 hours. We have a partnership with our providers that we send orders to as soon as we get them; our provides have it ready for us for pick up and we deliver. The delivery process involves a lot of phone calling. In Togo, knowing or having a physical address number and street name is a hassle so Sawaree does it the old fashion way. We call the recipient of the package and ask him to identify to us where he or she lives. It has been a challenge but after we have a client order to the same home twice, it is much easier for the delivery man to know where he is going. I am proud myself in knowing that Sawaree has never missed its delivery window. [bctt tweet=”Rajah Saparapa: Sawaree promises global delivery within 24 hours and it has never missed” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Is there a story behind the name “Sawaree”? I was figuring out name for the company with my mother and my sister and it took days. Any name I came up with was already taken, then I thought, why name it in French or English? I decided to name it in Tchokossi which is a dialect in the North of Togo, where I come from. I speak Tchokossi and it is part of me, so I thought it was good to go back to the root. Then Sawaree came to me, it means “patience”. I knew that the journey for building and establishing Sawaree was not going to be an easy road. I wanted to remind myself that any time I read up Sawaree,
Lauren Jacobs: Forget perfection, embrace what you have to give
[bctt tweet=”Published author, ordained minister and gender equality activist Lauren Jacobs inspires us” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Lauren Jacobs identifies herself as a woman, a sister, daughter, wife, leader and child of God. These markets combine in her passion which lies in empowering women to see their lives as full of possibilities and as a landscape for dreams. Lauren is an activist committed to speaking about issues such as domestic violence in faith communities. She is also a story teller, researcher, author, journalist and an ordained minister in full time ministry with her husband. How do you define storyteller? When I close my eyes, and picture a storyteller, I am immediately transformed out in to the African landscape. A circle of men and women gather around the blazing fire and the storyteller completes the circle, up on her feet. She tells the stories of generations passed, the ones entrusted to her to hand down. She tells the stories that encourage, that teach, that rhyme and that are complex in its riddles and songs. In many different cultures and tribes, the storyteller is essential to the survival of the community. Many different cultural and religious groups rely on oral storytelling to stay unified and connected to the past. For me personally, I love telling stories that are factual, historical fiction, poems that reflect truth or true life stories that teach us about ourselves and those around me. To be a storyteller for me, means that I am telling the stories that can change mindsets and set us free, and keep us connected to the hidden stories of the past that carry deep meaning for our present wanderings. [bctt tweet=”To be a storyteller means telling the stories that can change mindsets – Lauren Jacobs ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What do you think makes a good storyteller? I think different people would answer this question differently, depending on what they are looking for in a story. For me, I love stories that teach me something. I gravitate towards storytellers that make me feel something, with their language, their wording and even their silences. The kind of storyteller that draws me in and I am lost, coming out of the story as though I had encountered a little slice of heaven on this side of earth. That’s a good storyteller! What led you to embark on this path of standing up for justice again gender violence in faith communities? I saw abuse in my family growing up and I saw it around me as a child. In the lives of friends, at school and in the lives of family members. Gender-based violence with its injustice must have sat deeply inside of me. When I was just 14 years old, I told my mom that one day I wanted to build a safe house for abused women and children. As I grew older I met survivors of abuse and when I enrolled at university, I started a B.A degree in English and Psychology. I went on to do my master’s degree in counselling and I specialized in Gender–based violence in South Africa. For me, I feel that our faith communities should be places of refuge and safety, but in essence they are often the opposite. Religious leaders do not know how to overcome abuse or how to empower victims. I have it in my heart to help them, to empower them to be vessels of healing and hope, instead of vessels of secondary trauma and victimization. I believe this is part of my God design, the way He made me, to pursue justice and stand up against violence. [bctt tweet=”I never saw myself as a minister, I wanted to be a psychologist & researcher – Lauren Jacobs” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Can you tell us about your journey to become an ordained minister? I never saw myself as a minister. When I met my husband, he was studying to be a pastor and was already knee deep in the work of pastoring at a community church. He always knew that was his calling, I just wanted to be a psychologist and a researcher, helping the community and aiding healing. The year before we were married however, we started up a ministry together, I wrote and did community work and he preached. I was happy to be in the background of the ministry, until God called me forward, which was a shock! Then, I knew I had to be ordained and take a more active role as a speaker and teacher, in the ministry. I was ordained in 2013 and am so thankful I was. Our ministry has a big outreach heart and we have been blessed to travel and minister. I have also been blessed to have more opportunities to help communities through my role as a religious leader. How can women discover their unique identities? Firstly, I always say go back to the innocence of your childhood dreams. What did you desire to do as a child? What was your innocent dream, before the world came and told you that money or position was important? Was it painting, dancing, writing, acting, directing others, helping, shelving books? Sometimes, a big part of your identity and your “sweet spot” can be found when you rediscover what you longed for as a child. What do you enjoy and what makes you unhappy, and weary? Some people love working in an environment buzzing with people, others love being solitary, that’s part of your unique design. Invest in a hobby, something that you can lose yourself in, take a course and discover a different part of yourself. Pray, there is no better way to discover who you were created to be, than by going back to the Creator. We each have an individual stamp on us, that only the Manufacturer can understand. To be fully alive, means we need redemption within, it’s the simplest way to discover the true you. [bctt tweet=”Your sweet spot can be found when you rediscover what you longed for as a