Dr Yabome Gilpin-Jackson: My work is about developing our human capacity to be, think and do things differently and better
Dr. Yabome Gilpin-Jackson was born in Germany, grew up in Sierra Leone, and completed her studies in Canada and the USA. She is a social scientist, organization consultant, academic and writer. Dr Yabome Gilpin- Jackson considers herself to be a global African, dreamer and storyteller – a curator of African identity and leadership stories. She’s been named International African Woman of the Year and Emerging Organization Development Practitioner 2017. The author of Identities: A short story collection, and initiator and co-editor of We Will Lead Africa, Volume 1. Best known for: Her laugh. Yabome, who is married and the mother of 3 children, has also published several journal articles and book chapters and continues to research, write and speak. Most recently at Princeton University – on the importance of holding global mindsets and honouring diversity and social inclusion in our locally global world. What is We Will Lead Africa? We Will Lead Africa is a platform for inspiring continued change and transformation on the African continent, in two ways: First, we collect, curate and share the stories of everyday African leaders who are making a real impact on the progress of the continent. Second, we encourage networks of everyday leaders to gather in their communities to share, learn and inspire each other to continue taking actions that make a difference. At our root, our work is about sharing inspiration and action, through the power of storytelling. We know that the personal narratives of ordinary everyday leaders are in fact extraordinary. Our first volume shows this powerfully. It reminds us everyday that Africans are taking charge of their destinies and futures, despite popular opinions. [bctt tweet=”Africans are taking charge of their destinies and futures, despite popular opinions” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What inspired you to create We Will Lead Africa? My inspiration came from a deep desire to be part of the movement of Africans reclaiming our own narratives. When you live in the West/Diaspora, you are bombarded by news, images, and everyday negative stereotypes, that imprint the challenges and deficits of the continent on entire populations that don’t know any different. As this is perpetuated, Africans ourselves become hooked into a sense of helplessness and hopelessness, even when we know that the dominant view is an incomplete one. We do not hear about all that is going well, the innovations occurring, the industries emerging and expanding, the people and groups who are no longer waiting for our political leaders and foreign aid to fix all our problems. As we lose hope, our conversations become like the very dominant Western narratives we are subsumed in. For example, I received a call for submissions to the Kwame Nkrumah International conference a few years ago and the list sparked a deep desire for change in me. The list was focused on all the historical issues that have led us to the political leadership challenges we face on the continent. Then, I thought what about leadership NOW and into the FUTURE? What does that look like? That was what sparked the idea for We Will Lead Africa. When I met my co-founders and co-editors, Sarah and Judith, they shared similar thoughts and sentiments and off we went. It’s important to say also that we are not interested in a one-sided view or only the positives…we want to know and be inspired by the fullness of stories of everyday leaders. How do they navigate and overcome the challenges they face everyday, to solve complex problems on the African continent? [bctt tweet=”My inspiration came from a deep desire to be part of the movement of Africans reclaiming our own narratives” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What one story had the most impact on you? This volume is so full of inspiration and examples of courage! I was impacted by all of them in different ways. But, the one that I keep remembering though is, Chris Mulenga’s story about starting a program to help get street children recognized for their resilience and innovative capacities and reunited with their families. Chris describes how he has done this work that has a 90% success rate. He describes himself as poor when he started and says he is still poor. Yet at the time of writing the book he had helped over 6,500 children and has been recognized with international humanitarian awards. He attributes his inspiration to the value of being hospitable-which he learned as a child- whereby his family would share what they had no matter how little; and to the orientation of service to the poor that comes from his Catholic faith. I just keep thinking about the resources available to so many of us, and yet, we are stopped by the myth that we do not have enough to make a meaningful difference to the lives of others. What if we just tried? What if we just started now, with whatever we have? What are the 3 main steps you’d advise for an aspiring author ? 1. Get clear what story you are passionate about telling and why 2. Get clear who you want to tell it to 3. Be focused and determined…and just start writing. There really is no magic to it – it’s 90% determination and the willingness to make time to do the work needed. Growing WWLA brand… Our priorities are growing We Will Lead Africa networks and encouraging other African leaders to take on editing volumes as well. The three of us have identified a volume we will work on next, and we are documenting our process, which we will make available to others interested in editing a volume as well. For now, stay tuned in the next 18months to 2 years for the following volumes: We Will Lead Africa: Technology; We Will Lead Africa: Women; and We Will Lead Africa: Governance. Our priority is in growing our impact in inspiring everyday Africans to take action for the change and transformation of the continent. We are in this for the long haul and are choosing to go
Fatima Babakura: Social Media Made Our First Collection Successful
Fatima Babakura is a 21-year-old final year student at McMaster University and the founder and creative director of Timabee, a luxury accessory brand which she created out of her passion for sketching designs. Within 3 years of starting the business, Timabee has won a best fashion brand of the year award. Fatima has also been listed among 22 women redefining luxury in Africa by the Lionesses of Africa group, and has also received the WEF “Iconic Woman” award in 2017. Her passion for women and girls has inspired her to continue to grow Timabee, as well as start other businesses that would create job opportunities, especially in Africa. She is also the co- founder of Signature Boutique in Canada, a multi-brand boutique that aims to showcase the works of African based designers to the world. Fatima enjoys cooking, traveling and sharing her success story. [bctt tweet=”I have always loved accessories and handbags” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What inspired the Timabee brand? I have always loved accessories and handbags. Growing up, I remember being called “mummy’s handbag”, not because I followed her everywhere as that title would suggest, but because I was always holding my mother’s handbag when we went out together. I guess it was only natural that after I sketched a handbag, I became very curious to see it come to life. That is how Timabee started. What other services do you offer? Timabee currently has a bespoke section that allows the client to be a part of the design team for their handbag. You get to pick your leather, style and a whole lot more. I think it’s really cool. Do your services include any form of offline transactions or are they strictly online? Kindly tell us how the sales chain works. Being a full-time student and juggling a business doesn’t allow much time for offline interactions but I find ways to work around it.We have events from time to time and I also offer one on one bespoke sessions, depending on my availability. I am responsible for the bespoke side of design, amongst other things, so my schedule definitely affects those sessions. [bctt tweet=”With everyone being on social media these days, it is the best way to connect to a wider audience” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What are the major social media channels you make use of? Instagram and Twitter. Instagram is our first love. It made our very first collection a success. What has been the most challenging moment on social media so far? So far we haven’t had any challenge’s with social media, thankfully. What would your response be to someone who is contemplating whether or not to use social media as a marketing tool? I think it is a very great tool and it is inexpensive too. With everyone being on social media these days, it is the best way to connect to a wider audience. I would definitely say do it! Are you in the fashion accessories industry? Share your story with us, let us know more about you and your story here.
Just Omomo Ibe: Rule as a Boss, Rock like a Mum, Slay as a Wife
Business strategist and work- life balance expert, Just Omomo Ibe, is helping women create a balance between their work and personal life, so they can chase their dreams and make money while at it. She also helps individuals identify the various opportunities in their business to make more profit. Just Omomo Ibe has been in the banking sector for over seven years and is the founder of The Just Ibe Network; thus living her dreams while been an employee. She is involved in speaking engagements, coaching calls, online courses and business consulting for SME’s. Recently, she launched a Youtube show which focuses on motivation and strategies from experts in various fields, the channel is aimed at further helping her target market achieve success in their life and business. [bctt tweet=”It’s an act of self sabotage to neglect your dreams because you have a job” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Tell us about The Just Ibe Network The Just Ibe Network is a group of company that comprises our consulting firm, training and mentorship platform, it also includes an online training academy and media arm. At The Just Ibe Network we pride ourselves in delivering superior quality trainings, coaching and consulting for our esteemed clients both offline and online. What market research did you carry out in the course of starting your business, and how did you go about it? The first research was that of my competitors, I needed to find out what my competitors were offering and what gap they are not filling. This helped me make informed decisions as to how best to penetrate the market. A lot of businesses offer homogeneous products, therefore market research helps you understand how best to position your business in a way that not only meets the needs of your consumers but also positions your business as authentic. [bctt tweet=”Innovation keeps you in the business long after your competitors have gone” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What challenges have you faced so far in the setup of your business? The greatest challenge I faced in setting up my business was creating time to actually execute my plans; creating and fine tuning strategies that would keep me relevant in the market place today and always. Innovation keeps you in business long after your competitors have gone, so you must constantly innovate. What are your launch plans once your business registration is completed? Honestly a business registration isn’t stopping any major launch of my business, as all facets of my businesses are in full gear at the moment. The registration would just allow me operate a corporate account in the designated banks. So my take is it doesn’t matter if your business name is ready or not, keep adding value to your ideal clients and grow your business regardless. [bctt tweet=”It doesn’t matter if your business name is ready or not; keep adding value to your ideal clients and growing your business” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What inspired the book ‘Rule as a Boss, Rock like a Mum and Slay as a Wife? Rule as a Boss, Rock as a Mum, Slay as a Wife is a book dedicated to helping women create a work life- balance. Last year I started my career in public speaking, leveraging on several online platforms and offline avenues, despite been a full time banker, wife and mum. So people started asking me how I was doing all I was doing, so conveniently. I started documenting steps I have taken that helped me overcome my otherwise very tight schedule and results I achieved. This book is aimed at providing practical steps that can help women fully integrate all aspects of their lives, thus living a balanced and fulfilled life. What kind of investors and partnerships are necessary for your kind of business and what strategies are useful in achieving this? Media investors are required for the talk show arm of my business, which is targeted at providing strategies that would help entrepreneurs succeed and grow in business. Corporate investors also play a major role, especially companies who have CSR projects, ours can successfully pass as a CSR project aimed at helping young and budding entrepreneurs. Who is the one person from anywhere on the globe, you would love to interview and why? The one person I would love to interview is President Barack Obama. He is the one person I look up to the most, because he is probably about the best public speaker that exists in this day and age. [bctt tweet=”If you can think it you can definitely birth it” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What quote resonates with your business and how does it inspire you? We at The Just Ibe Network live by this mantra: if you can think it you can definitely birth it. So dear corporate ladies, your dreams are valid, they are your dreams for a reason, it’s an act of self sabotage to neglect your dreams because you have a job; the world needs you to live to the fullest. Have you mastered the art of work-life balance? Share your story, let us know more about you and your story here.
6 steps to quit your current job for your dream job
[bctt tweet=”“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity”” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] A little while ago, I got a text from a good friend to ask for my advice. She wanted to quit her current job to go pursue something she was passionate about. But, she was having trouble mapping out a plan. Thinking through how I’ve handled similar situations in the past. Here is a summary of the advice I gave to my friend on how to quit her job in 6 steps. Pick a date and plan your exit strategy It all starts with having a plan. Decide for yourself what is the absolute last day you can see yourself being in your current job. It can be 3, 6 or 12 months from now. Write it down somewhere you can easily refer back and be reminded of the commitment that you’ve set. Once you’ve picked an “I’m outta here by X” date, then you need to come up with a specific and detailed plan of all the things you need to do in that time-frame. This plan will map out priorities which will enable you to leave conveniently and support your transition into your dream job. Know exactly where you want to go What is your dream job? What are the profiles of people in the positions you aspire to? Identify 5 of these scenarios. How do you stack up against the competition? Are there any common threads across these profiles and are these things that you see in your own profile? If yes, great, if not, then you have to get serious about acquiring those skills, attributes, qualifications. Focus on building your brand In this age of social media, it’s all about perception. Sometimes you get that next job not because you’ve been the best at your current job, but because you’ve learnt how to get better at promoting yourself and your work. These days, its not enough to just “stay in your own lane”. You have to find a way to strategically be seen and heard, while remaining authentic and true to yourself. Think about your long-term goals and ask yourself whether the things you’re doing now are in line with that vision. Network, network, network Like it or not, you have to put yourself out there, be it virtually or in person. Attend more events where the people who have the job you aspire to, will be present. Challenge yourself to talk to these people, ask them questions, get their contact details and be proactive about following up with them. Approach people, not with the intention of showing off, but rather to find out what they are interested in and see how your interests align with theirs. Be purposeful and intentional about networking and watch it pay off. Put in work behind the scenes At the end of the day, when the right offer comes your way, you’re still going to have to back it up with experience. So whether you need to go back to school; take a course online; spend more time at your local bookstore; or schedule coffee dates with your mentors; the reality is that you are going to have to put in work. Turn the job hunt process into a fun experience. Give your CV a makeover and add new certifications to your LinkedIn profile. Talk to people you look up to and realize that all of your goals are within your reach. You must be willing to work hard for the life you want! Be your biggest cheerleader Finally, learn to be your biggest cheerleader. But also surround yourself with a tribe of people that are committed to your success, both personally and professionally. Keep working towards your goals. Know that when you cross that line, all the people who love and care about you will be right there cheering you on. Have you ever left a job for your dream job? What steps did you take? Let us know more about you and your story here.
5 tips on how to talk your way into a promotion at work
Do you feel like you are stuck in a rut in your current position? Is the thrill of having a challenge long gone ? Are you having a hard time connecting the dots between how your current position will lead you to the position you aspire to be in some day? If you’re feeling any of the above, the obvious choice might be to move on from your current job, to “greener pastures”. However, there is another alternative. Maybe all you need is a “current job makeover”. I applied the 5 tips below when I found myself in a similar situation and the result was that I got a promotion, a significant salary increase and renewed passion and excitement for my job. [bctt tweet=”In the end, facts win over feelings when it comes to your professional life” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Make yourself indispensable From day 1 when I started my current job, I was eager to prove that I could do the job better than anyone else who had come before me. I came in early and left late. I often took work home in the evenings and on weekends (I had just moved to a new city in a new country so, in a way, work was also my solitude). I asked lots of questions. Read as much as I could to help me understand the new industry I was working in. When the opportunity to do tasks outside of my job description came up, I jumped at them immediately. Soon I started to see that my boss was getting more comfortable letting me do things that were technically above my pay grade. Work hard to make yourself indispensable. Figure out what you still have left to learn In the early days, I would sit in meetings with my boss and the higher ups, and realized that half of what they were saying was Greek to me. Granted, I was doing a kick ass job in my little corner, but there was so much about the work that I had no clue about. I made it my personal mission to learn from every member of the team, by offering to help them out with various assignments. The more I learned, the more I realized that the higher ups in my team started to pull me into the inner circle. Eventually, they even started asking for my opinion about things. Pitch a new position which reflects where you are trying to go Realizing that I could do so much more in this field was probably what brought on the itch to leave in the first place. Suddenly my role became too small and too confining. On one hand, I wanted to grow and take on even more responsibility. Bur on the other hand I knew that I did not have the over 10 years experience the colleague next in line had. What to do? I drew up a list of the things in my current job description that I wanted to keep doing; the things outside of my job description that I wanted to do more of; and the things that I wanted to learn to do. In doing this exercise I came up with a whole new job description. I pitched this idea to my boss. She took my proposition seriously and brought this to the attention of the higher ups. After some deliberation and modification; they agreed to create this new position for me. Back up your request with facts I didn’t just rock up into this meeting and demand to have them switch things up for me for no good reason. I took the time to document every single thing that I had done on the job, including the things that were outside my role. From the big things where I’d helped out with projects in other countries, to the little things like the new initiatives I’d spearheaded within our country team. For every new task and responsibility, I included in my new job description, I backed it up with examples that showed that I was up to the task. In the end, facts win over feelings when it comes to your professional life. No one is going to hand you something just because you ask for it. People are never going to pay you what you think you’re worth. You’re going to have to get in there and show yourself as worthy and then claim what is yours. Keep your cool and be prepared to walk I remember walking out of the meeting thinking “What if my boss takes this to the higher ups and they say no? Then what?” I knew that if it came to that then I would have to make a decision to leave. If you realize that you are in an environment that is not invested in your growth and is not helping you actualize your full potential, then I think that is always the best time to walk away. Luckily for me, I didn’t have to. A week later, they came back with an offer that was even better than I could have imagined. So I stayed, and I’m committed to growing but also contributing to the growth of my team; and doing my part to help them achieve their objectives. Have you been in a similar situation at work? Let us know your story here.
Nneka Obianuju Onubogu: I have never felt inferior because of my gender
Read how Nneka Obianuju Onubogu a Mechanical Engineer; and currently a research assistant at Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman Malaysia, is unperturbed by gender stereotypes in the industry. A Harvard Business Review article of 2016, was an answer to an inquiry of ” why do so many women who study engineering leave the field?” And one of the reasons given was “gender stereotypes”. So, if you are contemplating abandoning your career in one of the STEM fields due to gender stereotypes or any other reason, before you throw in the towel, wait! [bctt tweet=”I have a passion for fixing things” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Having a role model and following your passion makes it easy Nneka’s motivation for pursuing a career in mechanical engineering were influenced by two things: “First is my dad, who is a practicing Mechanical Engineer. I admired and still admire him so much that I wanted to be just like him. Secondly, I have a passion for fixing things. I am very inquisitive on the mechanics behind any machines’ motion. Right from childhood, I had a habit of unscrewing all my toys and fixing them back over and over again.” When you are passionate about anything, it will be very hard for you to throw in the towel, especially when the going gets though. [bctt tweet=”being different means making a difference anywhere you go and anywhere you find yourself” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Remember that you are a woman with talents and abilities Being a ‘woman’ should not make you feel less than a human being when assigned to male dominated teams, you are as capable as your male colleagues! Nneka says “Our research team actually consists of all men (Professors, Doctors and lecturers) and one lady (myself). We treat each other equally and there has never been a period when I felt inferior because of my gender”. When you still feel overwhelmed,borrow a page from Nneka’s book,”sometimes I feel like ‘a woman in a man’s world’ hence, I give my best contribution to my team”. Nneka is currently working on a project tagged ‘Wide acceptance angle optical fiber-based day- lighting system using two-stage non-imaging solar concentrator’. “This is a project sponsored by the Ministry of Energy, Malaysia”. The papers can be found in the links below: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S187661021 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030626191730750X [bctt tweet=”I have met many ladies like me who are in male dominated career paths and they also strive hard to be the best and make a difference” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”]Blend in Whether you are in a local or global community, do not isolate yourself. Nneka, although from Africa, found herself working and studying in Asia. She quickly learned the language and befriended some locals. “Even though my University is generally Chinese dominated, everyone speaks English and every lecture and research is conducted in English. Irrespective of that, students and my research team members still switch to Chinese language when they discuss within themselves. This is not a problem for me as I have learned the Chinese language (conversational) and I can understand what they say. Right now, I am a professional at eating local foods with ease. I am also the only foreigner (African) in my office, but I still participate in every event weather Chinese, Malay or Indian”. Conquer any inferiority complex by actively making a difference Nneka’s slogan is ” Being different means making a difference anywhere you go and anywhere you find yourself”. She adds that “the fact that you are in a career path where you are the only lady in a team of men is the key reason for you to stand out”. Some African people say, ‘Mechanical Engineering is not for ladies; a lady should be a teacher, a lawyer or even a house wife’. I can boldly say from experience that it is a blatant lie! “I have met many African ladies like me who are in male dominated career paths, who also strive be the best and make a difference. This should inspire other women who have dropped out to get back on their feet and even do better” she says. [bctt tweet=”… I show them that Africans are not racist by braiding the hair of the kids for free.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Making a difference includes contributing to the community you find yourself. Nneka does this by using one of her skills to make children smile. “I have made an impact in the lives of the locals here, especially via my hair braiding skills. I was so surprised when I made it to the Chinese newspapers for just that little kind gesture “. In addition, Nneka has many solar technology ideas that she intends to implement when she arrives in Nigeria. You see why she just can’t turn her back? When you are full of dreams and know that the world is waiting to feel your impact, you wont turn back! Networking is one the keys to staying motivated Networking is today’s currency to getting up the success ladder and staying motivated. Nneka advises those in a global career and STEM fields to “try creating a network with people who are pioneers in that career path. In that way, they stay motivated and become significantly better”. Are you in male dominated field/ industry? Let us know more about you and your story here
Flo Awolaja: Don’t take your talent for granted
[bctt tweet=”Flo Awolaja represents a lot of things in one, as a writer, poet, and photographer” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Growing up in a household rich in colour, born to parents of Nigerian heritage and a culture that inspired her artistic talents, it’s no surprise that Flo Awolaja grew to become an incredible burst of creativity. Flo is a fun loving and exuberant personality that exudes a quiet confidence and steely determination to succeed in all things. She has been influenced by many of her mother’s collection of African fabrics, various painters, designers, textile artists, photographers and inspired by a plethora of contemporary Nigerian and African American artists in the likes of Chief Nike Davies-Okundaye, Abdoulaye Konaté, Peju Alatise, Victoria Udonian, Hayden Palmer, William H Johnson, Elizabeth Catlett, Romare Bearden et al. Flo Awolaja represents a lot of things in one, as a writer, poet, and photographer, she continues to take delight in all visual pleasures which stimulate the senses. She also has a successful career as a graphic designer and lecturer and has combined her passion for art, design, and photography with teaching, working to raise achievement in her learners by encouraging them, raising their self-esteem, and aspiring confidence in them. [bctt tweet=”The things that are random are not your calling, they are your passion” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Tell us about your work on African Arts. There is an expression that I have been carrying around with me for the best part of a year now. When I stumbled upon it, whilst surfing through social media, it was so profound that I have it permanently on my screen saver on the laptop to remind me to keep striving and designing, and how fortunate I am to be doing the things I like. The quote is, “The things that are random, are not your calling, they are your passion”. This is what essentially guides me, and I really do try not to take my talent for granted. Like most things, the body of work that I am now exploring happened by accident, (the best things usually do) it occurred whilst I was at home looking after my son, who had been in the hospital and was now convalescing at home. I had travelled to Ghana in 2013 and brought back a lot of batik fabrics. Not knowing what I wanted to do with them, they lay dormant, until 2015. Whilst looking after my son, I remembered that I had them, and had added to the collection by purchasing metre samples in all colours from friends who would travel to Nigeria and Ghana, gently asking them to bring me back whatever they could. In those moments as a designer, the light bulb goes on and you find yourself creating pieces, which is how the first few ideas transpired. Gradually one became two, and the pieces began to materialise, to the extent that I had about 20 small pieces which I had framed. Enter my son, who saw me spread them out on the floor and was marvelled at how I had managed to hide them around the house, out of the eyes of my mother. Quick as a flash he had photographed them and posted them onto his Instagram account, I still do not have one! From that moment the genie had been released and it was not going to go back into the bottle. It became a question of how to showcase the designs to a wider audience. Each opportunity has acted like a stepping stone, I have been most fortunate in the breaks that have come my way I tend to look at my work much in the way a painter starts with a blank canvas. No two pieces that I create will ever be the same. Whilst I am creating these textile paintings, I am only aware of the colours that I will use, but not the journey of the piece, each one has its own rhythm and story, that for me is what makes each one off piece unique. [bctt tweet=”The universe has a lovely way of conspiring to tell you something different – @Maverikartz” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What inspires your art works and exhibitions? Wow, that is a difficult question, but I can honestly say that I am inspired by many things, from listening to music, conversation, hearing and reading a line of poetry, along with photographs that just capture my imagination. I also think that being raised in a culture steeped in Yoruba tradition, has been instrumental in my journey as a designer. My mother was a printer and my father was a draughtsman, so design and the love of design have been instilled in me from an early age. I am inspired by anything that delights and tickles my visual senses. How would you compare the Western and African market in terms of values for art works? Like most things we have been constantly conditioned through no fault of our own to have the idea that African works of art are somewhat in inferior; that is certainly not my view, and anyone who knows me will tell you I am the most ardent and fervent champion of our African Ancestry and Heritage. The African market is far more exciting. The current resurgence and proliferation of African art is taking the art world by storm. Our trajectory of art has always been rising, however presently its stock has never been higher, why is this? Artists from Picasso to Hirst have made more than a passing reference to the art of Africa, even to the point of appropriating whole elements in the quest to claim works as their own. So why the sudden interest? What many curators were happy to call ‘tribal’, that somehow adding the word ‘tribal’ made it somewhat less authentic and therefore was not really valued. Fast forward, the last few years have seen a sudden surge of interest as new kids on the block enter. From photographers and sculptors to painters and textile designers, old and new now
Tope Hassan: Our team functions entirely on social media
[bctt tweet=”We successfully created a diverse and a multi-networking hub for Africans to know about each other” via=”no”] Tope Hassan, the “Disruptive Diasporan”, is the founder of ISOKO Africa. She is a multi-lingual young African entrepreneur specializing in marketing, compliance, and media to create multi-dimensional business systems where start-ups and multi-national companies can operate fairly in a corrupt free environment and standardized economy. Tope is popularly known as an African Tourist, backpacking through African nations to discover African brands and entrepreneurs; a yoga teacher dedicated to health and well-being lifestyles of professionals and entrepreneurs; as an advocate for African brands helping them reach a wider market than their local communities; and a Media and Public Speaker sharing experiences of Africa, its brands, commerce and industry, healthy lifestyles, life lessons and inspiration. She also blogs at TopeHassan.com What inspired your decision to start ISOKO Africa? I am popularly known for my passion for Africa, which is not limited to Black girl magic, Ankara print, melanin skin and all the paraphernalia that comes with it. The commercial and inter-relations sectors of Africa pumps my passion from my lifestyle to my dreams so much that African brands in all sectors are my first option before seeking foreign brands. People get shocked when I show them products/services/apps/companies that beat global standards and wonder why they never knew about it. This made me the go-to person to recommend best options for African brands. So I decided that instead of responding to tons of calls and emails per day, how about if I created a platform for African brands to reach a global target market beyond their local communities? This platform would also to help them sell their brands globally thereby gaining the recognition and market they rightly deserve. ISOKO Africa is born out of the urgent need to eradicate the popular misconceptions and stereotypes around African brands and exposing them globally. It is geared towards repositioning minds of African entrepreneurs to build their companies as brands and not just a shop/business. ISOKO Africa, a media, and marketing organization is simply “African market” in the Swahili Language. How has social media been able to help increase your productivity? When I started out last year, my focus was to inform the world that Africa has a lot to offer commercially. It’s disturbing how Africa is patronized simply for two things: its human resource and raw materials. The social media publicizes Africa as either Black girl magic and talent or famine and war zone. Our commercial brands hardly make headlines. I started podcasting through iTunes, Soundcloud, Midas Radio and other media platforms and backpacked through African nations to discover and interview remarkable entrepreneurs and thought leaders. These podcasts were publicized through social media, reaching to a diverse audience beyond Africa. Not only that, it also encouraged more Africans to use and listen to podcasts. We successfully created a diverse and a multi-networking hub for Africans to know about each other which led to trans-national sales for entrepreneurs. This ecosystem further fostered partnerships between entrepreneurs, service providers, and customers. Gradually, ISOKO Africa developed communities in several countries where we formed teams that have become voices of Africa quietly on the search for African Brands. Our team functions entirely on social media through messaging and meeting apps that have helped us to build the vision together achieving pellets of the milestone at a time. [bctt tweet=”The best way for us to build an influential online presence is to foster communities-Tope Hassan” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What major social media campaign helped to increase your online presence? Kindly give details of the plan and how it worked. The campaigns that focused on community inclusion buffered our online presence. We advertised our tour of West African nations and this attracted a diverse audience and lots of entries. We asked our followers to recommend brands within their area for us to interview and received an overwhelming response. The messages recommended amazing brands interested in joining the experience of new Africa by either documenting, making videos, inviting us for a talk or simply to enjoy the trip and meeting entrepreneurs. It’s amazing to discover that Africans desire their friends and nations to be represented globally. This lead to our conclusion that the best way for us to build an influential online presence, is to foster communities. To achieve this, we Invested in awesome and relatable HD graphics and images: One of the greatest assets on our team is the graphic design and photography fellow. People are intrigued by appealing and great images. It’s easy to attract attention when they can relate to what you say. Defined our audience: Before publishing our posts, we ensure it would be appealing to our target audience. We also ensured to update our followers about each decision every step of the way. Fostered partner communities: We connected our vision online by engaging with our audience offline to build communities around our goal. We did this by partnering with similar event campaigns, communities, and movements. This helped to build trust, inclusion, and network and convert talk into action. It also got us a lot of feedback. [bctt tweet=”I use social media to showcase a positive side of Africa.- Tope Hassan” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Have you ever had any downside on social media? I have had to learn how to build everything we used on our platform from the website to recording and uploading podcasts. Our platform started its content through podcasting which is relatively an untapped market in Africa. Unfortunately, social media platforms do not have the capacity to run podcasts and our listenership on the website was very poor. We ran surveys to find out how best to reach our audience and discovered that majority of African youths prefer to listen or read media on their mobile phones. This meant hosting podcasts on the website would be less effective. We changed our methods and I quickly had to learn the tricks of uploading our podcasts on iTunes, podcasts for Android, Soundcloud, Stitcher and
Anisa Mpungwe: Now clothing brands are offering a lifestyle
[bctt tweet=”I am African so that aesthetic cannot disappear, it will always be there – Anisa Mpungwe” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Anisa Mpungwe is a Tanzanian born, South African raised fashion marvel. She started her career at age 19 working for various fashion houses, magazines, and apparel factories within Africa, America, and the UK. Not a stranger on international runways, Anisa has showcased her work in fashion weeks in South Africa, Mozambique, Angola, Italy, Sweden and New York. You might have spotted this Motherland Mogul’s garments on stars like Solange Knowles, Anele Mdoda, Lira, Simphiwe Dana, Amel Larrieux, Sharon Smith, and Yukimi Nagano from Little Dragon. The former US first lady Michelle Obama donned Anisa’s clothing on her first visit to Johannesburg. Anisa has won the African Fashion International Emerging Designer Award 2013 and was the MTV Transform Today Award nominee. She has collaborated with brands such as LG, SPREE, Samsung, Maserati, Converse, Nestle, BET and Bobbi Brown. You can find Anisa between Johannesburg, Pretoria and Dar es Salaam studios. SLA contributor, Kutlwano Mokgojwa, checks in with the humble and spirited Motherland Mogul to get the lowdown on celebrating 5 years in business, creating a lifestyle brand and shipping worldwide. It has been 5 years since you opened the door to your flagship store, what would you say you owe to still being in business today? I think consistency is important in any business and across everything that you do. There are certain things that you must always do and always take care of. Another important thing is having a good team. There are days when you will not feel so great and you do not want to deal with customers, you can always pass the responsibility along when you have a good team and in my experience, getting a good team together takes a while. Your brand is described as having a strong African influence, prints and modern tribal. Do you think this description limits the brand or does it open the right doors? I think it is all of the above. People always need to relate your brand to something, whether it is an experience in their lives or something they have seen. I am African so that aesthetic cannot disappear, it will always be there. Our aesthetic will always be around the African heritage but I am also really interested in sportswear for example. I have travelled and moved around a lot and because of that, I am able to come back and tell a story through the garments. The change in the design is not that I am trying to target a specific person but it is just where the LoinCloth and Ashes (LCA) story is. You have paired up with vibrant talk show host and radio personality Anele Mdoda as your brand ambassador, how does she embody the LCA brand? Anele is quite a complex woman and that is an LCA girl – somebody who is strong and vulnerable. Somebody who has something to say wants to elevate and fully enjoy her life. Anele is all those things and she is crazy too, she is completely nuts and I love her for that. I identify the LCA girl in her; she really aspires for better in all areas. You are known to feature on a lot of runways. How do you come up with inspiration for each collection? How do you incorporate your brands aesthetic to ensure your collections are true to the LCA brand whilst still being fresh and relevant? It has to do with what is happening for us at that time but also keeping in mind who our audience is. For example, if you do something like New York Fashion Week, what they would expect is a whole lot of bead work and when you show something else it creates a kind of shock wave. When you take African print somewhere like Stockholm where they are known for being minimalist you will blow their mind with so much colour. Same goes for Germany or Berlin. I know we have one of the biggest client bases in Berlin and they love the print because they don’t have that sort of thing there. So when we create collections it is about flying the flag but doing so in a manner that is relevant to the audience and to the brand. [bctt tweet=”When we create collections it is about flying the flag in a manner that is relevant to the audience” via=”no”] Since your establishment as a women’s wear brand, you have ventured into quite a number of things such as your junior wear, home décor, giving industry talks and consultations. What motivated you to head in that direction and how has that contributed to LCA being such a big brand in the fashion industry? There was a time when you went into a clothing store and it only offered clothing but now many brands are offering a lifestyle. So if I can’t afford the dress, I can maybe afford to buy a napkin or to buy my little baby a dress. I wanted LCA to also follow that suit because we don’t only talk about women’s wear when we are in the studio, we talk about everything else. I am not known to hide my experiences so that is where consulting and mentoring comes into play. [bctt tweet=”We are looking to celebrate feminism and rediscovering the word sexy – Anisa Mpungwe” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] You have a new collection coming up, can you tell us more about that? Well, I cannot say much but it is a summer/spring collection. We are looking to celebrate feminism and rediscovering the word sexy. What does it mean for LCA? It means there will be lower necklines and high hems. You started shipping your clothes worldwide this February, how would you advise a small business owner who wants to extend their distribution in the same way? Firstly, I think it is important for one to evaluate their international client base. A lot
Chidinma Othuke-Okpokoro: Why I got into the education industry
[bctt tweet=”I wanted a job that will give me this satisfaction so opening a preschool was it for me” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Chidinma Othuke-Okpokoro is a wife, mother, and a Montessorian. Her love for kids and the family unit moved her to open an early years foundation centre – Olly’s Hive Montessori, located in the heart of Port-Harcourt, Nigeria. Her values are geared towards helping kids discover their full potential and abilities through work using the Montessori curriculum. A graduate of the University of Port Harcourt, she also holds a Diploma in Early Years Foundation stage with Modern Montessori International (MMI) London, UK. A chat with Chidinma about her startup gives us a deeper insight into the world of early years business education. How did you get into the education industry? I love children very much and enjoy their company. I have a very good relationship with kids and they are comfortable around me even if I have just met them. Then I had friends who would drop their kids with me and go about their daily routines and they urged me to look into turning it into a business venture. After I got married and lost my job, I had my son and I really wanted to be close to him and watch him grow. I have very strong family values and I desire a close knit one. I wanted a job that will give me this satisfaction so, opening a preschool was it for me. Finally, I set up one in September 2013. Did you decide to only focus on preschool? Why? When I started, I decided to run just the preschool for a while and be grounded in it. The early years period, also known as the sensitive period, is very crucial in the life of a child. We must take advantage of this period to aid them to reach their full potential. From 0-5 years, the child should be exposed to a prepared environment. The sensitive periods are blocks of time in the life of a child when he or she is absorbed with one characteristic of his environment to the exclusion of others. Education today is said to be expensive in Nigeria – why do you think that is? Yes, education is expensive and this is because of the resources (Montessori materials) that need to be put in place to aid the child in his development. These resources are incorporated into the fees. Montessori materials are the very best to use to help a child. A lot of funds must be made available to make this work. Does it mean schools that aren’t expensive lack basic educational tools for the child? Well, yes! Montessori schools need a lot of resources in place to help a child develop. Materials are usually sourced abroad. You have to be trained and constantly improve your personal skills to ensure you are up to date in line with the requirements. Getting teachers who are qualified to teach the Montessori method is a challenge because not everyone is exposed to it. You have to train these teachers to fully assist the child in their care. Not so many people are familiar with the Montessori method of education in Port Harcourt or Nigeria. A lot of people are used to the traditional method of teaching which is stressful and difficult for children to grasp. Traditional schools lack the tools needed to help the child develop and fit in properly into the environment they live in. Would you say we have a lot of young women like you in the education sector today? My answer to this would be yes. I know and have friends who are working so hard and succeeding in this area. These women have inspired me and keep pushing me to work hard. I see how passionate they are, how much time they spend giving of their energy to help kids and ensure they get the education they need to thrive in the society. [bctt tweet=”Children are the leaders of tomorrow and what better way to be a part if this than impacting the life of child?” via=”no”] What key things should we know about investing in a child? We all will reap the rewards of well-behaved children in the society. Raising good children means better societies, free from danger and crime. If we focus our energies on children, understand them, we should be able to provide for an educational system that will help solve problems faced by the world instead of going to wars. Is there a difference between schooling and educating? Please enlighten us. Yes, there is a big difference. Schooling is done in school. Education can happen anywhere. Education to me means something of high standard and schooling is whatever quality a school offers. Schooling is the teaching of students and hoping that they retain the knowledge and later learn to apply it in life. That’s where education comes in. [bctt tweet=”To have an education is proof that not only have we learned what knowledge was offered to us” via=”no”] Where there start-up challenges? Please kindly share them. Oh yes, as with every business, there were challenges. There were days I would come in to work and cry for so many hours praying to God to help me. I didn’t have the number of kids I dreamt of when I started and this was because of the location of the school. I set it up in an area where the market wasn’t favourable. Lesson learnt. It was difficult to get qualified teachers and pay them the fees that would make them stay. The ones I got didn’t really have my vision and I was constantly frustrated. There was the need for a school bus and I initially used my personal car to do school runs. This really pushed me to continue no matter what. Would you say that the education business is a profitable venture? Why? All businesses are profitable, I bet no one would venture into