Anita Ottenhof: Bringing world-class luxury to Accra through Villa Monticello
[bctt tweet=”We look for the very best talent and often for us that has happened to be a woman” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Villa Monticello is Accra’s premier luxury boutique hotel. It’s run by a team that comprises mainly women in leadership positions. One of them is Anita Ottenhof, she’s the Deputy General Manager at VM with nearly a decade’s worth of experience in the international hospitality and travel industries. Like most other industries, hospitality and travel tend to be male-dominated. Villa Monticello stand out despite never setting out to hire only women. They’ve just found that the best talent aligned with their goal to bring a world-class luxury experience to Ghana are women. Nothing beats that! Was it a conscious decision to have women in key leadership positions at Villa Monticello? Although we have several men on our team that have worked with us since we’ve opened, most of the leadership roles happen to be held by women. The women on our team are also some of the top talent in the world! Take for example our Executive Chef, Ruby Paintsil who has over 25 years’ experience at a number of prestigious companies in the UK, such as Sanctuary Spa, BBC Television Centre and Restaurant Associates a division of Compass UK. It is rare to see a woman as a head chef and in countries such as the US, there are reports that there are less female chefs than female CEOs. We have never said, “We only want to hire women” but we look for the very best talent whose vision is aligned with our mission to be a leader in African hospitality and often for us that has happened to be a woman. Was Accra ready for a luxury business when you launched Villa Monticello? How has Villa Monticello being received since launch? The idea for VM came about through our desire to create an establishment that paralleled some of the international 5-star niche boutique hotels that we loved in cities around the world such as New York, Marrakesh, Johannesburg, and Provence where luxury and service were not mutually exclusive. This sort of hospitality experience appeals to a very unique clientèle. Accra is a very cosmopolitan city and we believed that people who live in and travel here would appreciate our vision. It was a new concept in Accra but we have been very well received by guests and recognized by international hospitality industry vanguards such as World Travel Awards, Conde Nast Johanssens and Trip Advisor. [bctt tweet=”Villa Monticello was the first to introduce the concept of intimate luxury hospitality to Accra” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How has Villa Monticello changed Ghana’s hospitality industry? When we first launched in 2011, we were the first to introduce the concept of an intimate luxury world class experience in hospitality. Over the past few years, the luxury landscape has really begun to develop in Accra —in real estate, hospitality, retail, and dining. It’s still at early stage but we believe we have contributed to its growth. Customer service is another concept that is still growing in Ghanaian business. Impeccable customer service is core to VM’s values. We strive to provide an unforgettable experience for our guests. We are beginning to see a more customer centred service being adopted by others in the hospitality industry and across sectors. How has your “unsaid commitment to women” (mentioned here) translated in running your business? Although we don’t discriminate based on sex in any way, we have attracted a very powerful core group of women leaders who share the same values, international outlook and passion for excellence. The way we approach our customers is the same way we work together as a team. We are constantly meeting, reviewing feedback and making necessary adjustments as a team and as a business. [bctt tweet=”We have attracted a very powerful core group of women leaders who share the same values” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Tell us more about The Lady initiative, why did Villa Monticello start this? We understand that it can be challenging for many young women to get the opportunity or nurturing that they might need to excel. Working in collaboration with Ghanaian businesswoman Isobel Acquah, we launched The Lady in January as an empowerment initiative for young women aged 18 to 25. Through the initiative, young women participate in practical foundational courses covering key topics such as wellness, confidence building, financial awareness, social and business etiquette, and personal grooming. The Lady, is an effort to impart to young women the ethos and values that have driven Villa Monticello to a leading position in the Ghanaian hospitality market. At the end of the program (which ended last month), we granted internships to participants and to one promising young women at the university level, a scholarship to further pursue her education. You offer a number of services including The Koncierge and Bespoke Weddings. How do you ensure that you maintain the same values and quality in everything that you do? Our ultimate goal is to deliver exceptional service and provide an experience for our guests which is second to none. This outlook is applied to all aspects of the VM brand. We are constantly striving to play a significant role in transforming the standards of the hospitality industry in Ghana and the role of women in the industry. We also want to have a positive impact on the next generation of African women business leaders. What are three hidden treasures in Accra that visitors tend to miss? Chapter One Restaurant! Even if you don’t stay at VM, experiencing a meal at our fine dining restaurant is a must. The African fusion inspired menu combines flavors from Africa, Asia, India, and Europe using locally sourced ingredients. Enjoying a traditional tea, classic brunch or an exclusive bottle of wine from our Barrels Wine Club cellar can be a highlight for any visitor’s trip to Accra. Legon Botanical Gardens. There are very few green spaces in the city and this gem provides a necessary respite. Escape the hustle of the city for a picnic
Michelle Ntalami: Entrepreneurs have a fire
[bctt tweet=”Cosmetic scientists told @MichelleNtalami that the African natural hair market isn’t quite ready” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Michelle Ntalami, a strategic brand and marketing expert, is the founder of Marini Naturals, Kenya’s first 100% organic, natural hair care line. With her wealth of branding and design knowledge, she has conceptualised and designed the Marini Naturals brand, from its name to its logo, colours, scents, packaging, label design, brand plan and marketing strategy. Here, Michelle discusses her fruitful journey to creating Marini Naturals. Marini is Swahili for ‘beautiful’ or ‘attractive’. What was your inspiration behind the name Marini Naturals? From the get-go, I wanted the name to mean “gorgeous” or “naturally beautiful,” just like women are intended to be! I also wanted something very African-sounding and easy on the tongue and mind. So I Googled how many other ways to say “beautiful” or “charming” in any African language. I didn’t mind the language, so long as it was African. And right there was the name “Marini” which is Swahili for the same. I instantly fell in love with it. Marini Naturals is Kenyan’s first 100% natural hair product company for natural hair. How did you find and convince the scientists and other experts who helped turn your dream into a reality? In fact, when I approached a few cosmetic scientists, most told me that the natural hair and skin market is not quite ready in Africa. They advised me to go for generic, synthetic products which “sell more and have higher margins.” But I had a set focus and vision in mind, and to me it was producing 100% natural products with no compromise on quality. However, a few formulators and one factory believed and shared in my vision, and the rest followed. We worked together to make Marini a reality. Soon after our first batch hit the markets and flew off the shelves, most of the ones who had convinced me otherwise expressed interest in working with us. How do you strike a balance between running your branding company, Brandvine Group, and Marini Naturals simultaneously? I have got a team of 10 employees who work on both Marini Naturals and Brandvine Group. Brandvine is mainly run by my partner Niyati Patel, with her team of 8 who manage it very efficiently. I do not want to spread myself too thin, therefore my focus now is more on Marini Naturals. Your team of 10 is within the same age range as you. Was this a deliberate decision on your part, and if so, what are the pros and cons of working with people within your age bracket? Yes, it was. I wanted a young, vibrant and energetic team. I knew there was going to be a lot of running around, fieldwork and logistical work. Therefore I needed employees with that same kind of energy and vibrancy to roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty, so to speak. I led by example in the first few months. Today, they are the ones on the ground making things happen. [bctt tweet=”@MichelleNtalami wanted a young, vibrant and energetic team so hired people her age” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] If you had the ear of your president, what would be your advice to him about financing start-ups? Great question. I would tell him to have a serious sit-down with banks to encourage them to believe in young entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs have a fire and a passion like no one else does because they have their entire future ahead of them and the determination to make it is ten-fold. I’d tell him to them to help us realise our business ideas, rather than shut the doors on our face at the mention of supporting our start-ups. What’s the biggest hurdle currently facing Marini Naturals? We have all these plans to expand our product range but capital stifles us. Additionally, meeting the demand both from Kenya and off-shore markets is quite challenging. As much as we have systems in place to alert us on re-order levels, the fact that sales have picked up pretty well always makes it a balance of how fast we can manufacture before the next Curling Gel runs out. [bctt tweet=”@MichelleNtalami is building Marini Naturals to be one of Africa’s premier beauty products” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What does the future hold for Marini Naturals? The future looks bright! We just got featured on CNN, and after the show a lot of Africans reached out to us to find out how they can get our products. We have solid plans to slowly expand to the rest of Africa. Also, we’re considering exciting new products from Marini Naturals. We believe men, kids and even our dreadlocked brothers and sisters need to be taken care of too! There has been a lot of demand from these markets and we are working on something fantastic for them. We hope for this brand to slowly and steadily be one of Africa’s premier beauty products for natural hair and skin. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Rosaline Kariuki: There will never be a better time to be an entrepreneur
[bctt tweet=”I want to do small things for kids, but in a big way – Rosaline Kariuki” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I have had the pleasure of knowing Rosaline Kariuki since childhood. I’ve admired Rosaline as an amazing enterprising lady and recently imbibed some of her wisdom over froyo. Rosaline is a lawyer by profession. For a long while, her mind was fascinated by case laws, contract proceedings, ‘caveat emptors’, ‘de factos’ and ‘ipso jures’. However over time, Rosaline’s heart chose business. And as with all resilient, passionate, all-the-way-up hustlers, business chose her right back! Before we get to the crux of the business story, what was your childhood dream? Has that been the same all through or did you change some things along the way as you grew up and discovered yourself a little bit more? I always wanted to be a dancer, thanks to the influence of Channel ‘O’. Then in the usual progression of life, that evolved to a writer. However, there was no J.K. Rowling in my time who inspired me as such. After that, I moved on to the dream of owning and publishing a children’s magazine. Think of this as an enlightening kids magazine, giving them their voice where they get to write, showcase their skills, creativity and pretty much cover anyone with genuine interest in kids who would like a platform or a way to contribute. Finally, I settled on being a childrens’ lawyer. You really have a passion for children, Rosaline. Where are we now with the dream? Yes, kids! I want to do small things for them but in a big way. I figured that the ladder to a lot of ideas that I had for them would need me to climb up by sticking to the legal profession. So with my new-found energy and charm for business, I realized that I could use the proceeds to set up something for them on the line of quality medical care. The current providers are mostly overpriced, queues are long and rarely does a wonderful story spin out of these hospitals, private ones included. Don’t get me started on public hospitals. That’s brilliant! I think that good medical care has a long way to go and not just in Kenya, but in a lot of developing countries in Africa. After mulling over business ideas, what did you first settle on? I started by helping my mom set up a snack shop next to a major university in Kenya, Catholic University. I have always loved sandwiches and smoothies! If you want to take me on a date, you better get a perfect recipe for those two! [bctt tweet=”My first business was like a kindergarten teacher on day one holding me through the ABCs” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I was engaged there for a couple of months before getting into tenders for school suppliers. This first business taught me a lot: it was more like a kindergarten teacher on day one holding me through the ABCs. I perfected my entrepreneurial rocket launch pad, it was also a test of my courage for business and my very first baby. On to the tender business, would you share how that is coming along? So far so good, and so rewarding. My company is called Petmil General Supplies, or PMG in short. I tender to schools supplies in the range of cereals, dry food and stationery. It is bulk business and is very promising. My dad has been a major mentor especially for stationery supplies, having been involved in a similar business when I was small. My younger brother is my partner and I am looking to grow this and then strike another venture, the serial entrepreneur style. [bctt tweet=”Whatever it is that you are passionate about, stick to it long enough to make it happen” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Would you like to go deeper into the lessons and what other Motherland Moguls can learn from you? Oh yes! Always stick to the plan: My idea was to be a healthy snacks vendor but we found ourselves trying lunch meals. This shifted focus and by far has been my biggest lesson. Whatever it is that you are passionate about, stick to it and focus long enough to make it happen. Financial: For what you think you’ll need to start out as capital, double that. The buffer is necessary as other operating expenses or hidden expenses crop up and can be a tad overwhelming. Vision & employees: Your employees need to see your vision, understand it and buy into it. Even if not all, at least one. This keeps them on toes, gives them a direction and motivates them in times of uncertainty. Sometimes, it will be only one employee, the loyal kind. Such handle the business when you are away or have other commitments to take care of. Outsourcing: Get help or you’ll burn out. I burnt out a few months into the business because I was doing everything when I could actually outsource some help. Accounting/website design/social media…any functions that you can pay a reasonable fee to be taken care of will ease up your schedule for business development. Personal: There will never be a better time to be an entrepreneur. We are the change makers and this is the time. We are much like the American baby boomers who our kids will be talking about 20 years to come. I will die an entrepreneur. Want to see women you know featured on SLA? Tell us what amazing things women are doing in your communities here.
Josephine Forson: At Tekura, quality means everything!
[bctt tweet=”Tekura started in 2000 with only two local artisans, crafting baskets under a mango tree” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Josephine Forson founded Tekura, an interior decor enterprise, in 2000 with only two local artisans, crafting baskets under a mango tree. By 2009, she was exploring other art forms made from locally sourced materials developed by artisans within the community. In partnership with Ghana’s Forest Research Institute and the Forestry Commission, Tekura sources reclaimed wood (off-cuts and dead wood) from forest plantations in Ghana for their furniture pieces. Tekura designs have been exhibited in USA and Europe, and have won the Africa Growth Institute of South Africa’s Trade Sector Award in 2008. Behind the scenes, Tekura is run by a mother, father and daughter team, and is inspired by the rich, diverse cultures of Ghana. Tekura is a family business run by a mother, father and daughter team. What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of working closely with family? And when it comes to decision-making, whose call is it? Working closely together as a family has and continues to propel our loyalty and commitment to our brand and business. This makes pooling of resources much easier and everyone is empowered to bring along their own skills to grow the business. Like any family business that cherishes unity, we were concerned external investments would trigger a takeover. But with our well-structured succession plan, we will soon be on our way to going public. We’re grateful to God for Tekura’s success but what’s great is the opportunities and potentials for higher achievements. Our success mix is hard work, perseverance and love. The direction of policy is led by the board of Tekura. The Managing Director leads the daily consultative decision-making process. Your daughter, Audrey, is the manager of Tekura, what’s the biggest business disagreement you’ve had with her? And how are business skirmishes handled? Disagreements are essential for growth. It can be hard for us to agree on the definition of the various markets for our product lines. [bctt tweet=””Disagreements are essential for growth” – Josephine Forson, founder Tekura” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Something like this could be a major issue if you don’t make room for frequent team discussions and consulting with industry experts for fresher views and advice. Aside from Ashanti and Fanti cultural artistry, where else do you find inspiration for your unique pieces? Our inspiration goes beyond the cultures of Ghana. We pride ourselves in the rich cultures and heritage of Africa like the Fulani, Fang and Guoro. And since we’re in a land of beauty and natural wealth, we express all of these —who we are as African people through our furniture, handicrafts and other pieces. You mentioned in an interview how difficult it is for artists in Ghana to protect their furniture designs from forgery or reproduction, what’s your advice to aspiring furniture makers? Nobody likes copycats but we all in one way or the other have to deal with them. For us at Tekura that means staying ahead of others, focusing on innovative design and not compromising on quality. [bctt tweet=”Nobody likes copycats but we all in one way or the other have to deal with them” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Climate change is an issue on everyone’s lips. As a furniture company reliant on wood from reforested woodland, what role does Tekura play in sustaining the forests and in turn its business? Tekura is committed to keeping its environment safe and so we have a strict policy not to cut down trees in order to do our work. Our work involves recycling wood, and working with the Forestry Commission to collect and transform waste wood. A lot of African business struggle with quality control and consistency. How does Tekura ensure standard procedures are being followed at every stage of the design process and that every piece reaches customers in perfect condition? At Tekura, quality means everything! It’s not been easy but over the years we have engrained a kind of obligation in everyone to ensure the highest level of excellence and quality. This has been through supervision and other forms of checks and balances right from pre-production stage until the final product. What does the future hold for Tekura? The prospects for Tekura are great. Our partnerships with World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) and the Centre for the Promotion of Imports (CBI) from developing countries has been successful as Tekura has penetrated global markets, particularly in the US and Europe. Also, Tekura’s space in the local market has grown and achieved great strides. There are so many opportunities out there with changing trends, markets and even competition, and that excites us. Tekura’s vision is to be the world’s go-to brand for hand-crafted furniture and décor. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Leslie Ossete: Improving lives through better transportation
If your mission is improving the lives of millions, you’ll find some similarity with Leslie Ossete. She is one of four co-founders of Magic Bus Ticketing, an offline SMS based ticketing system. Magic Bus Ticketing aims to improved lives by simplifying how they interact with transportation. It’s a student start-up that lets bus commuters know when the next bus arrives and how much it is charging. It also allows payment through mobile money. Recently, Magic Bus Ticketing won $1 million dollars from the Hult Prize. Pretty amazing, right? Let’s start with the Hult Prize. Congrats on winning the $1 million! How do you plan to use the money from the prize? Thank you! After a year long process, Magic Bus Ticketing has finally won the Hult Prize, which awards $1M in seed funding to the winning start-up. My team was among the 5 finalists out of 25,000 applicants worldwide to compete in what is now the largest student competition for social good. This September 20th at the Clinton Global Initiative in New York, we pitched our innovation in front of notable judges such as Bob Collymore, CEO of Safaricom, and Akinwunmi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank Group. And, we won! The $1M prize is distributed to Magic Bus Ticketing through monthly instalments. Depending on how much is required to effectively run the business, the Hult foundation makes funds available to Magic Bus Ticketing. Magic Bus Ticketing will use the million to fully launch its operations in Kenya, and scale fast to other East African countries with similar market conditions, Tanzania and Uganda by the end of this year. You are from Congo Brazzaville and Madagascar, why set a company in Kenya? I grew up in Brazzaville, and my team-mate Wyclife is from Nairobi. Both of us as Africans had experienced similar challenges in public transportation; long wait times at the bus stop and inconsistent pricing when it comes to bus fares. We decided to focus our pilot in Kenya because first, Nairobi is one growing tech hub on the continent. Second, Nairobi has the fourth highest commuter pain point according to IBM. And third, there had already been a lot of research and initiatives done towards using technology to improve public bus transport. In fact, Nairobi is a place of innovations. Several projects to introduce cashless payments in the bus system had been led, such as Google’s BebaPay bus card. What sparked the idea to integrate urban commuting with mobile payment? The public bus system in Africa is mostly privatized and informal. The day-to-day operations are run by a crew of drivers and conductors who earn little money from their hard work. That pushes them to overcharge commuters for their own benefit. They abuse the current cash system to set higher fares based on demand and supply. For instance, in Nairobi when it rains, the bus fare triples. Commuters themselves don’t like to carry cash around. They worry about pickpockets, and not being able to get their change back in the bus. Furthermore, the police also abuses the cash system. Police officers know the bus crews carry cash 24h/24h, and do not hesitate to fine them for absurd reasons. We envision that cashless payment in the bus industry will bring more safety and order. We believe the way to implement a cashless bus system is through the use of mobile money, which is already widely used in East Africa. It is quick, accessible, and locally relevant. Prior initiatives have been using bus cards linked to banks, but most people don’t have bank accounts, banks have high transaction fees, and buses need liquid cash on a daily basis. What steps did you take to grow your company by 5000 booked tickets in less than two months? In order to acquire a customer, you must spend on marketing. We did a lot of mass-marketing through social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Whatsapp groups. We also do outreach marketing, implementing stalls at university campuses. Furthermore, we do collaborative marketing with the bus operators themselves, handling flyers to commuters, in order to build trust with potential customers. Last but not least, we also do product demos of our technology at major bus stops. As we launch in Nairobi, we will expand to advertising through radio, TV, and billboards. What does a student start-up need to thrive and be successful? A student start-up needs to be backed by a board of advisers, with a diverse background and expertise. Magic Bus Ticketing consistently asks for feedback from renowned experts in the fields of transport, technology, finance, and organizational management. Our advisers come from valued institutions such as the World Bank and MIT university. Briefly, a student start-up needs to create for itself a network of mentors who understand the goals and challenges of the organization —no, they don’t have to come from particular institutions, but they have to be right for your organization. For example, for Magic Bus Ticketing, one of our key advisor is Bernard, who has been a bus driver in Nairobi for the past 10 years. That’s real knowledge! Perseverance is key, even more for student start-ups, to succeed. I remember our humble beginnings on our campus at Earlham College. Our initial plan was to add more buses on the roads, and to provide commuters with a subscription model to access buses on-demand. Our buses were supposed to have TV screens, Wi-Fi, bike racks, online libraries, and much more. We presented this idea at the local Hult Prize at Earlham, and were not selected to attend the regionals. It was extremely upsetting because we all knew we were tackling a real challenge in public transportation. We had to iterate our business model, and re-apply online to ensure our spot at the Hult Prize Boston regionals, which we won. Without perseverance, we would not have come this far! What do you think of the industry you work in? How do you plan to remain consistent? Magic Bus operates in
Valentine Njoroge: If you have an idea, do something about it
Entrepreneurs are a dime a dozen in this millennial age. Here on the African continent, the main obstacles preventing one from getting their business started is the lack of enough capital and investors ready to believe in your new, cool idea. Valentine Njoroge, a young entrepreneur from Kenya, saw this problem and decided to fix it by starting an online crowdfunding company for African businesses, Mradifund. Her passion about financial inclusions and development, entrepreneurship and impact investments, not only inspired the start of this initiative but also landed her the coveted role as projects director at East Africa’s leading investment firm, Centum Investments Ltd at the tender age of 24. SLA contributor Diana caught up with Valentine and got her to share her tricks and tips to making it in the fast paced financial world and why she is determined to help other young people get their dream off the ground and become a success. When did you first get interested in the investments industry? One of my first internships was at Kenya Women Finance Trust (KWFT), a micro-finance institution focused on funding low income women. The women who got these loans had such incredible stories of transformation. They would start very impressive businesses and see their lives changed because of these loans. This got me really interested in the investments space and I got to discover all sorts of other verticals in the industry. How did the idea of Mradifund come about? Mradifund has been a journey of sorts. One of my senior seminars while I was pursuing my undergraduate degree was all about economic development. I chose to focus my paper on alternative investments in Africa (with a bias on Kenya). While researching for this class, I came across Kickstarter, which was still fairly new at the time. They had applied crowdfunding to social/cultural works of art that the public wanted to see. I thought the same concept could be applied to businesses, so I wrote about Equity Crowdfunding. I envisioned a situation where the general public could fund ‘cool’ companies that were too small to be interesting to the traditional investor. Fast forward a few months, I was working in Private Wealth Management aiding high net worth individuals to allocate their wealth to various investment opportunities. Then, one of my clients asked if there was a way he could invest in African companies. At the time, I said I didn’t know, but kept researching. When I next visited home, I started finding out more about start ups and SME financing. I eventually connected that same client to a startup which he invested in. He later asked me how much I would charge for the connection which triggered the thought that this could be an actual business. I moved back home a few months after that and spent some time fine tuning the ideas from my paper. The experience of actually connecting a business to an investor is what inspired Mradifund today. You currently have various investors from not only Kenya but all over the world. How did you manage to get them on board with your vision for online crowdfunding? I still know all of my investors personally, so I met each of them and explained the concept to get them on board. Most of Mradifund’s investors already have an interest in funding businesses due to a variety of reasons including past experience or passion for SMEs or a certain sector. Investing with other people is valuable to them because it allows them to spread the risk of investing in SMEs over several opportunities by putting less money into each opportunity. The fact that the investment is shared among several people also means that investors can make more investments. Again, this spreads the risk which makes investors happy. (If an investor has KES. 10M, they can invest KES. 1M in 10 companies and the probability of 10 companies failing/losing money is lower than that of 1 company failing). This is what makes them stay. You are also currently the Projects Director at Centum Investments. How do you juggle running your own company, working at such a big corporate company and still get time to live life? Haha, well… I have learned how to use the resources around me to the max! My board at Mradifund, my team at Centum, my friends and family all help me achieve my goals in little ways, even if they don’t realize it sometimes. I kill two birds with one stone on very many occasions, especially in the work/friends’ quadrants. Also, I have had to learn how to be very efficient with prioritizing the urgent and important stuff. I say no to stuff that’s just interesting (but not value adding) or just feels like an obligation when it’s really not. Did you ever see yourself going the entrepreneurial route or did you just chance upon it? I have always kind of had an entrepreneurial spirit in me. I sold everything as a kid and I grew up in a very entrepreneurial family, so maybe in that sense I never had to think about it much. It became clear to me once I was already in it that it was a big passion of mine. I did spend a ton of time dreaming up my career in corporate (it was constantly changing) —wearing suits and carrying a briefcase as a teenager though. What has been the proudest moment of your career? One of the founders of the a business that Centum Foundation supported wrote me an email saying how much impact we had on his company through our mentorship program. He spoke about the knowledge and opportunities it opened up to him, as well as how much more confident it made him. As a result, he was able to partner with a major retailer which turned his business into an overnight success. It was really heartfelt and was very inspiring! As a young woman working in the male-driven field of finance, what
Stacey’s “big move”: Tips for when you’re a repatriate
[bctt tweet=”@Staceyy_Stace traded London for Kampala and was welcomed with open arms” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Born and raised in London, I’d never imagined living anywhere else —until I graduated from University and joined the working world! The rising cost of living, poor work-life balance and miserable weather (which I will never get used to) slowly made me lose love for my home city. Meanwhile, the ‘Africa Rising’ narrative was opening my eyes to the opportunities on the continent, including Uganda, the land of my parents. My holidays to Uganda became more frequent —and boarding my flights back to the UK became more of a battle! With my parents indicating that they would move back to Uganda within a few years, the idea of joining them became an attractive option. By early 2015, I was certain that I would try living in Uganda at some point, but I had no idea it would be this soon —even before my parents! The opportunity arose earlier than I expected and I couldn’t pass it up. Getting into Jumia Uganda I’d been applying for new jobs in London, until one day, a tweet advertising an attractive marketing role with Jumia (Africa’s biggest e-commerce platform), appeared on my timeline —and it was based in Kampala. I reached out to the Country Manager through LinkedIn expressing my interest in the role. A couple of Skype interviews later, I was offered the job and was on a flight to Kampala the next week! It all happened so fast, I didn’t have time to over think the move or discourage myself. If things didn’t work out, I could easily be on the next flight back to London —so it was worth the shot! [bctt tweet=”At times, I was made to feel like an expatriate and at others, a local” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Life in Kampala Generally, Kampala welcomed me with open arms. My job has been exciting; the sunny weather makes days more pleasant; the social scene is popping and although my immediate family are in London, the majority of my relatives are here, dotted in every corner of the city. I felt new to the city, but I also felt at home. At times, I was made to feel like an expatriate and at others, a local. I wasn’t quite sure what to refer to myself as, until I learned the term ‘repatriate’: one who has returned to their country of birth, citizenship or origin. I’ve met a few other repatriates which is encouraging, however I wouldn’t say there’s much of a ‘repat’ scene here just yet, unlike in places like Lagos and Accra. As of now, returnees and repatriates tend to blend in with Uganda’s local middle class and expatriates. It’s also important to mention that absolutely every one has a side hustle! There are many opportunities to make (legal) side money and it’s the way people overcome the challenge of earning a weak currency. Now that I’m in Uganda, I’ve been inspired to utilise my time better and actively seek paid opportunities beyond my job! [bctt tweet=”Us Londoners tend to speed walk, it took some time to get used to the laid back way of life” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Main challenges Note: Having a generator and a mifi means I do not have to complain about power cuts or lack of consistent WiFi. Money: The Ugandan Shilling is not the strongest of currencies, especially in comparison to the British Pound. Travelling abroad now requires more careful consideration than I was previously used to, due to how weak the Ugandan Shilling is when exchanged. Furthermore, a lot of business in Kampala involves dealing in US dollars, which isn’t always easy! However, although I’m earning less than I was in the UK, the cost of living in Kampala is a lot less —so my money does go a longer way in Uganda. Friends: As expected, most people in Kampala have friends whom they’ve grown up with —and having never lived here before, I did initially feel disconnected in that aspect. I had to actively try to make new friends, but I never wanted to come across as desperate! Nonetheless, with the help of cousins, colleagues and people I’d met on previous visits, I’ve networked, met and continue to meet some great people. The laid-back culture: Us Londoners tend to speed walk regardless of whether we’re running late and get frustrated if our train is delayed by any more than 2 minutes. It took some time to get used to the laid back, less time-conscious way of life in Kampala. At first, I criticised it, but later realised it probably contributes to how happy and stress-free most people seem here. The slower pace isn’t necessarily wrong, it’s just different and requires a lot of patience if you’re not used to it!
Dr. Ettamba Agborndip: Anyone can excel in the sciences regardless of their gender
It is widely believed that science is an all “male affair”. In fact, a walk through the science departments of most colleges or universities in Cameroon could convince you that girls don’t exist. This is because girls are stereotypically considered weak in sciences. But in recent times, many young girls are challenging the myth about girls and science and doing it so well. 25-year-old Ettamba Agborndip, a medical doctor and fellow of the Moremi Initiative for Women’s Leadership in Africa, is one such lady challenging such stereotypes. Dr Ettamba has been practicing now for 14 months since her excellent results from the Medical school at Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, Cameroon. She told me in a late night WhatsApp chat that, “anyone can excel in the sciences regardless of their gender”. Ettamba’s vision is to inspire women and young girls to make informed health decisions by educating them about the common pathologies affecting our communities. What is the greatest feat of being a doctor? A lot of personal time is consumed depending on the kind of patients you have in the wards. Sometimes, I end up spending 24 hours in the hospital because I have an unstable patient and I cannot be at peace at home. Did you encounter any challenge during the pursuit in becoming a doctor? The whole process of becoming a doctor is a challenge. From the long hours in class, to late hospital hours and sometimes gruesome ward rounds, to having to miss out on family events. But so far, I don’t have any regrets about being a doctor. How did it feel when you received your medical degree? It was an emotional day for me. I was happy to have conquered those 7 years, the look of pride and fulfillment on my parent’s face was priceless, and I was happy to have made my teacher’s proud. I wouldn’t be where I am without my teachers. Girls are stereotypically considered to be weak in science. How did you break that? I went to an all-girls school so I did not get to experience that stereotype. However, I do believe that anyone can excel in the sciences regardless of their gender. It’s all about passion, hard work and determination. What advice can you give to young girls on challenging the myth about science being a guys thing? I would advise young girls to believe in themselves and work hard. It always helps to get orientation about your desired field so as to better prepare yourself for the task ahead. Secondly, I’ll advise them to equally have a mentor who can hold their hands and guide them especially when it gets difficult. Did you have another career goal apart from being a doctor? I have always wanted to be a doctor. At some point engineering was tempting, but medicine has always been my passion. What do you love about your job? I love fact that we actually save people’s lives. There’s no amount of money which can replace the fulfillment you get when a patient says; “thank you doctor”. It means the world. The sad thing about being a doctor is that you can’t save them all. Some patients don’t make it and it’s a fact that we must live with. Want to see women you know featured on SLA? Tell us what amazing things women are doing in your communities here.
Sandra Lopez: Value extends far beyond money
Group travel is in at the moment and X-Plaw Travel is one group-based travel company aimed at taking young South Africans outside their borders. Sandra Lopez is the Founder and Managing Director of the Pretoria-based company, A firm believer in the power of “Africa by Africans”, through X-Plaw Sandra focuses on African destinations first for tourism and travel. Although it took a while to discover her passion, when she found it Sandra would work 9 hours after her day job building X-Plaw. As Sandra grew up in an organisation for orphaned and abandoned children, she’s also passionate about giving back through her travel initiatives. Read on to find out how Sandra’s grooming a generation of travel-hungry South Africans. How do you think X-Plaw Travel will disrupt the African travel industry? By bringing great affordable quality valued tours and experiences to our customers. This is and has always been our mandate. I believe that value is something which extends far beyond the monetary. It includes but is not limited to the type of service you give to your customers, how much you engage with them, how much you allow them to feel part of what you are building and how much you allow them to connect with the people they meet on these journeys. Education is also a key factor for us, most of our travellers have not travelled outside of their home towns or outside of South Africa. For them to experience going out of the country for the first time with us, is an experience that even we get to appreciate with them. In most instances, they return from these tours richer in knowledge having learnt something totally new about a different country and its people. Why do you think young people should explore Africa more? I am a firm believer of “Africa by Africans”, we are the only ones who have the power to change how our continent is perceived by the outside world. We are the only ones who can tell our stories better. I feel that in many ways, Africa is being misrepresented by the global media. Half the time, this forces people to forget the beauty that surrounds us, sometimes even by ourselves. Travelling thus gives us an opportunity to understand ourselves better as a people, our roots, our cultures, our heritage. It also paints a picture which allows us to understand vividly that we are all connected as Africans and as a human race in some way or the other. Only when we are fully comfortable and confident with who we are, will it become much easier for us to invite other young people from other countries to experience this diversity with us. How have you combined giving back initiatives with your travel company? Giving back has always been at the fore of what we do as a company. It is actually something that is very personal to me. All our tours have give back initiatives tied to them. On a 5-6 day tour for example, one day is dedicated to enriching the lives of the less fortunate. In countries where we are not able to actively engage in these initiatives due to certain constraints, we pledge the funds to local projects in South Africa. We have also just launched the “One Traveller, One Child” initiative. Where for every traveller who tours with us, we will send a disadvantaged kid on a weekend camp educating them about nature, travelling and most importantly about themselves. Hopefully in a few years, we would be able to look back and realise that we have groomed a generation rich with an appetite for travelling. What did you have in place before you quit your engineering job to focus on X-Plaw? A lot of things actually. An idea, passion, a sketchy plan and a few Bible verses, but mostly I had will power & determination. Nothing beats the will to want to succeed and see something grow from an idea into something tangible. Every day after my 9-5 job, I would get home to read, research and work on X-Plaw for an additional 9 hours. This went on for a full year until I decided that I was ready to let go of one. In what ways has your childhood shaped your passion today? As a kid I was an all-rounder and an overachiever, which meant that with most academic subjects or activities I participated in, I excelled. This actually made it quite hard for me to discover what I truly was passionate about. I grew up in an organisation called the S.O.S Children’s in Ennerdale, south of Johannesburg. It’s an organisation for orphaned and abandoned children. As ironic as it sounds, we were raised to believe in ourselves and to always extend a helping hand to others less fortunate. We were extremely fortunate growing up at the village. After school we were kept busy with sports and extra mural activities. During school holiday we were fortunate enough to travel or go out camping. This, in many ways is how my love for travelling started. However, I only truly discovered my passion for it much later in life. In your opinion, what is needed to successfully travel in a group? An open and curious mind. Travelling with an open mind gives you perspective, you see the world through different eyes, you appreciate things more. In some instances, you get to understand how little others have. You also learn to be patient, as time almost no longer defines your schedules. You get to slow down and enjoy the moments. Stay curious, by doing so you learn to expect the unexpected. And most of all, you learn something new every day. Hey South African #MotherlandMoguls, the SheHive will be in Johannesburg from November 3-6. Find out more here.
Lona Mnguni: Motivation is like happiness, it shows on the outside
Some women look unemployment in the face without fear. When Lona Mnguni found herself unemployed after leaving her service consultancy job, she came up with Gracenet Logistics. Gracenet is a social entrepreneurship venture that aims to improve livelihoods in rural areas and townships in South Africa through logistics and distribution. When Lona shared her story with SLA, we learned that she has high strengths in empathy and motivation. Lona lets us know her tips on keeping herself and her small team motivated. She also reminded us of the importance of leading from a place of understanding. Tell us about the inspiration that led you to start Gracenet Logistics? Starting Gracenet Logistics was a case of making lemonade out of lemons while simultaneously creating an impact in rural areas. I grew up in a rural town and during school holidays, we would visit “home” in our rurals. I’ve always wanted to improve life for those who live in rural areas in one way or another. The opportunity presented itself at a time where I found myself unemployed. The only experience and qualifications I had were in banking, logistics and customer service. What better way to create the impact I wanted, create employment and also do something about my own unemployment than to create something that will combine my interests? Gracenet brings together my love for rural areas and the lack of access to resources because of a delay in logistics to them. As well as procedures and customer satisfaction measures that would ensure that timelines are in place and communicated to the end user. Why did you decide to leave your job as a service consultant? I wanted more, I had worked in my job for two years and found that in that time it was going to take me ages to move on to the next level. I wanted growth, and to develop as an individual. When I resigned, I had not resigned with the intention to start Gracenet. I resigned to join another organization in a position just above the one I was in. However, things backfired and the position was not available anymore by the time I had finished serving notice. Why do you think little attention is paid to deliveries in rural areas and townships? I would say it’s the roads. Also, the task that it is to actually deviate from a route that is on the main road to then get onto a gravel road. Most big companies have set routes and this would mean that there would be a delay in their delivery times. What was the situation that lead to resources such as school books and medication sitting for days on end in warehouses? What prevented them from being distributed? Delivering to rural areas, more so to public institutions, is not as easy as putting the address in the GPS and driving there. This is because the address might not be there or may be inaccurate. Sometimes, even when the drivers get to the area that they are delivering to, they still need to ask for directions. With school books for example, before leaving we would have to call the school to find out where they are located. All of this takes effort and I’m sure that the reason most of these resources are not distributed is because no one is willing to put in the extra time and effort to make it work. How do you effectively manage a small team? I recently did an emotional management session with my mentor. In a quiz, my two highest scoring strengths were empathy and motivation. This was comforting because it was confirmation of my ability to keep my team motivated and always lead from a place of understanding instead of being a dictator. Having scored high on motivation, can you share six ways you motivate yourself and your team? Keeping myself motivated, is the important part. Motivation is like happiness, it shows on the outside. When you are motivated, it rubs off. I keep myself motivated by; Looking after my spiritual health, Consistently practicing mental toughness Celebrating small victories and Reading and watching things things that motivate me (such as my SLA newsletters). Keeping a small team inspired can be challenging. At times, everyone will slack off or feel entitled as we all play multiple roles since the business is still at start-up phase. We have regular conversations about the current position of the staff in the business and the position of the business as a whole. I also constantly remind my staff of the company’s vision, and that we are in a growth process together. Hey South African #MotherlandMoguls, the SheHive will be landing in Johannesburg from November 3-6. Find out more here.