Oluwaseyitan Awojobi: I am motivated when I see people growing
[bctt tweet=”Skill empowerment has become the best way to thrive as an individual” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Oluwaseyitan Awojobi is the founder of Developing Afrika. Developing Afrika is an initiative set up to empower young people with skills needed to become an entrepreneur at little or no fee, thrive as entrepreneurs and establish a sustainable business. Using social media she has raised an army of goal-oriented youth a and has succeeded in helping so many others reach their goal through free training. What was your motivation in creating Developing Afrika? In an environment where there are lots of unemployed yet talented youths, the crime rate has surged. There is also a decrease in proper jobs. Skill empowerment has become the best way to thrive as an individual whether male or female. I came up with this idea in 2013 as a fresh graduate with the aim to target young secondary school students. However, due to limited resources and knowledge, I decided to put it on hold. What has helped you to carry on so far? Starting the journey now has been the most fulfilling thing I believe I have done. I am motivated seeing people grow, seeing people achieve their dreams. It hurts to hear that people who want to achieve certain things are unable to due to financial restraints or finding the right mentors. Being able to create that solution makes the difference to me. When I tell people what I do, the first reaction I get is, “What’s in it for you, what’s your financial gain?” When I say nothing they go, “There has to be something you are gaining. What kind of business model is that.” I have learned to look beyond the snide comments and focus on the goal which is to reduce unemployment and help people achieve their dreams. I believe we can make Africa a continent to be reckoned with in the world. [bctt tweet=”It hurts to hear that people who want to achieve certain things are unable to due to financial restraints” via=”no”] How did your growing up shape who you are today? I wasn’t born with a silver spoon, neither was I born poor. I didn’t have all I wanted, I still do not. However, I learnt to see opportunities in every situation. I have had disappointments just like everyone else but I have also learned to rise above them and see the beauty in life. Life is beautiful to everyone who chooses to see it so. What are your thoughts on women-owned enterprises? I believe very much in women in enterprise. I support women working for themselves, being independent, and supporting people around them. Also, I believe that irrespective of the girl power, all women must respect their husbands or partners as it has been commanded by God. Women can only learn this by learning to support themselves in their actions first not just by words. What does your average day look like? On an average day, when I’m not on the move, I’m in my shorts and top, exchanging emails and closing deals. I also spend time running my business and praising God. I try to watch interesting movies too when time permits. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Tejumade Adefioye-Dairo: Social media helps me reach my target market
[bctt tweet=”Lazy sellers online are often competitive – Tejumade Adefioye-Dairo” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Tejumade Adefioye-Dairo is a graduate of Industrial Chemistry from Bowen University, Nigeria. She is also the founder of Haute Global company. Her brand, Haute Signatures specializes in the sale of handbags, shoes, jewelry, and sunglasses. When Tejumola is not thinking about new bag designs, she is looking for the next best fashion deals for her clients online. In this interview, she shares here growth from personal shopper to #MotherlandMogul and how she has used social media to grow her brand. What inspired you to start your brand? I started as a personal shopper but I got tired of traveling as a personal shopper. Also, I wanted to start a brand for Nigerians and sell at the same price or even more affordable than other international stores. How have you used social media to grow your brand’s publicity? I have profiles/pages on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. I put more concentration on Instagram because it gives me the opportunity to reach a larger audience and my target market is mainly on Instagram. [bctt tweet=”I have faced several challenges promoting my brand online- Tejumade Adefioye-Dairo” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What are some of the challenges you have faced online while trying to promote your brand? I have faced quite a number of challenges but the three biggest ones have been; Trust – Lots of Nigerians have been scammed online so they find it difficult to pay for items they have not seen. Competition from lazy people who just steal your pictures, brand it as theirs and try to rip off innocent people or buy from us and sell at ridiculous prices. Logistics problem in Nigeria. Fast delivery comes really expensive and people won’t want to buy a product of 500-5000 and have to pay as high as 2000 for delivery. Describe your product retail stages. How does your product move from your store to the final consumer after an online purchase? First, I think of and imagine a design, then I contact my manufacturer and we agree on a price. They produce the items and ship them to me. The last stage is marketing and sales. Which social media platform has been a better contribution to your sales? Instagram Are you satisfied with the current progress of your social media channels? Give reasons for your answer. No. There are still much more people who need to know of our brand. What advice would you give to someone who is intending to begin a social media business? Calm down and please keep investing your profit. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Joyce Muthoni: Starting entrepreneurship at a young age has given me time to make mistakes
[bctt tweet=”The name Viral Gorrrila came from a need to have our audience be curious about what we do ” via=”no”] She calls herself a spirited individual and she has accomplished a lot in a short span of time. Joyce Muthoni is the founder of Viral Gorrrila and has worked in her first business for 6 years. She started her first business Proteque Consulting while still on campus, just before she graduated. After six years of running it, Joyce started a balloon business, retailing helium balloons. In under two years, her balloon business is now getting into retail stores and expanding into other regions in Kenya, after successfully setting up the Nairobi and Mombasa offices. The balloon business led to the founding of Viral Gorrrila, a digital marketing agency. It was because of digital marketing activities that her balloon business grew its client base. Joyce quickly saw an opportunity to venture into an untapped industry and help companies gain more market share through digital activities. Tell us why you choose the name Viral Gorrrila for your business. Viral Gorrrila is a digital marketing company that deals with a number of things including website design, Google analytics, Google ads, social media marketing and advertising, and content development. I believe that content is king and conversion is queen. the coining of the name Viral Gorrrila came from a need to have our audience be intrigued, attracted and curious about what we do. The essence of our work is to ensure that as many people as possible get to learn about our clients’ brands and services. The ‘viral’ bit is coined from this while ‘gorrrila’ came from the word guerilla in guerilla marketing. The goal of the company is to develop creative, captivating and memorable content for our clients and this is what guerilla marketing is about. Our creative content seeks to fulfill this and create advocates out of the audience. The Viral Gorrrila term in its self-symbolizes disruption, doing things differently, changing the way digital marketing has been done in our country and helping our clients and other brands see the value of change. The “rrr” in Gorrrila reflects this. Why do you say you’re a new kind of digital marketing agency? What makes you different? There are a lot of agencies in the country, some with a wealth of experience and others starting out and learning the ropes as they go along. We have a strong team that is conversant with Google advertising and social media advertising. We also have a deep focus on creative content development and we have ventured into animated productions in 2D and 3D for our clients and are pursuing a digital channel that will air only animated content made in Kenya. This will, later on, open up to airing content from the rest of Africa. What exciting projects are you working on lately that you can share with us? My work and keen interest in the animation field has led me to work with a local gaming and animation company that is making great strides in the market. I was approached by the Director of ISHAKA LLC, Mr. Sagwa Chabeda, to assist in the project concept and fundraising. We are currently working on a gaming, animation and manga franchise that is set to take the African, European and American markets by storm. It is a bold statement to make but it is a viable endeavor. We have attracted interest from some international production and distribution companies who are looking for new content to market to the world. The ball is in our court and we want to tell our African stories and help the world understand who we are, our cultures, traditions, and heritage. We want to give our viewers an authentic display of the different countries in Africa, one story at a time. [bctt tweet=”My keen interest in animation has led me to work with ISHAKA a local gaming & animation company” via=”no”] You started your business while in school, what was your experience being a student entrepreneur? I started my business in my final year of campus. I had some work experience previously in my father’s company and it was here that I made the decision not to pursue employment after my education. Understanding my personality and passion, I knew what my dreams were and I didn’t want to wait to pursue them. The great thing about starting my business while I was still on campus was that I got business referrals from my fellow classmates who were older and already running their own businesses. I also received advice from them on business planning and execution. On the other hand, I was inexperienced in many things and my lack of experience cost me a lot of money and brought a lot of tears. I had no HR, finance or management skills. My background was in marketing. I had to quickly learn the ropes and continue to keep an open mind, learning attitude, build tough skin and pursue continuous development. Starting entrepreneurship at a young age has given me time to make mistakes, understand my strengths and grow into the business woman I am today. I am now very clear on what I can and cannot do and this has helped me to avoid taking up projects that I know I will not be able to adequately serve. Starting early has also been beneficial in giving me time to grow my network and I can confidently say I am a very resourceful person. I have come to appreciate the pains and pleasures of entrepreneurship and I have a big heart for those who want to venture into business. I appreciated the assistance I got when I was on campus as I started out and I would not hesitate to help anyone seeking advice as an entrepreneur. You have to tell us about your balloon business, how did the idea to run this come up? How exactly did you use digital marketing to grow it?
Zizipho Dyubeni: I understood the struggle of having inconsistent income
[bctt tweet=”Zizipho Dyubeni is behind an agency built on the premise of heightening the voice of creative Africa” via=”no”] Zizipho Dyubeni is a communications specialist and entrepreneur from Cape Town, South Africa. She uses her creativity to promote and uplift fellow entrepreneurs in the township areas where she grew up. Through her company Blue Apple Concepts, Zizipho curates and organises bespoke events aimed at entertaining and empowering the youth, especially those interested in entrepreneurship. One such event is the popular GlamHour, which serves as a platform for fledgling entrepreneurs in the beauty industry to showcase their work, network and gain new clients. The events also offer pampering massage sessions, facials, nail therapy and fresh delicacies for women who want to unwind in style- a rare and novel treat to the township areas of Khayelitsha. Then there’s the Lingerie Fair, aimed at encouraging young women from disadvantaged areas to openly talk about sex and practice healthy lifestyles. Apart from the pioneering strides, she’s made in the entertainment industry, Zizipho is also a speaker, entrepreneur, event coordinator, concept developer, a freelance communications specialist, content producer and a much-loved radio personality for 2OceansVibe, an online streaming radio station. Being such an inspiration, we just had to share her amazing story with you, our SLAy community, and find out what makes this ambitious creative tick. Tell us about yourself. Who is Zizipho Dyubeni? I am a young 27-year-old mom to 8-year-old Storm. I grew up in Milnerton where I went to high school. With a passionate love for all things creative, I furthered my studies at the University of the Western Cape where I later dropped out due to financial constraints. Fast forward nearly 8 years later I have created a creative agency built on the premise of heightening the voice of creative Africa, work in media. I enjoy a life wonderous and eventful! I am also an events coordinator with a specific interest in women related lifestyle eventing. What inspired you to start BlueAppleEye Concepts and where do you get the inspiration for all these innovative event concepts that you’ve come up with? I was and still am a freelancer, I understood the struggle and pain of having inconsistent income. The main idea behind the Creative Corner is to regulate work activity for creative freelancers and in doing so creating a solid creative e-commerce. What challenges have you had to overcome on your journey in the entertainment and communications industries? I would be lying if I said I have overcome a lot of the challenges, the creative industry is one that requires resilience. Right now our biggest struggle is merging business rationale with the creative concept. Tell us about your other creative and business pursuits… I am an influencer, MC, vocalist and radio DJ outside of running a small business. [bctt tweet=”Zizipho Dyubeni: The creative industry is one that requires resilience ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How do you manage to remain focused and disciplined to keep up with such a packed schedule? My work does not feel like work. I am passionately living out my dream every day, on hard days I cry and pray. My family, friends and business partner keep me grounded. What are your plans for the future? For my business to grow into the biggest service agent in Africa housing plus 200 000 or more freelancers with sufficient work monthly. That is the biggest dream. [bctt tweet=”My work does not feel like work. I am passionately living out my dream every day” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What do you do for fun and relaxation? I party, read, listen to jazz and spend time with my loved ones. What are the 4 skills you had to learn/use when entering the entertainment and communications industries? Listening Collaborating Paying attention to detail Concept development If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Nyaradzo Mavindidze: Work is a form of worship
[bctt tweet=”Nyaradzo Mavindidze is passionate about developing the ‘uncommon sense’ in leaders” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Nyaradzo Mavindidze, the Managing Consultant of Avodah Consultants, is a Holistic Leadership Expert who is passionate about developing the ‘uncommon sense’ in leaders, thus going beyond the five senses. A psychologist by profession, she enables leaders to draw on their inner and outer natural resources thus shifting personal paradigms and beliefs leading to transformed organisations. Over the years, she has developed herself as a brand to reckon with in dissemination of lasting solutions to performance deficiencies in individuals, leaders, and organisations. She says, “Every one of us already has power, it’s just a matter of peeling away the stuff that shadows who you are and what you are capable of…” As a coach, Nyaradzo creates an environment where you and your dreams, your challenges, fears, and victories are the focus. A time and space to be you, to find out who you are and what you want, and to then go out and create that despite external environmental challenges. Nyaradzo is a high-energy speaker with boundless energy and wit who is able to combine inspiration with insight. Her charismatic style and ability to engage emotionally with audiences have made her a sought-after keynote speaker delivering proven solutions on topical issues for corporations. Her mission as a speaker, coach, and trainer is to empower organisations to achieve sustainable success through holistic development and cognitive reconditioning. She has published a motivational journal, ‘Motivation for Success: Morsels in the Desert’ and is the co-author of; ‘Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Career Strategies for Women’. Her motivational articles are published in local magazines and tabloids. She currently writes a motivational column ‘Motivation for Success’ published in The Business Herald every Monday. She makes guest appearances on local radio and has been interviewed on a MNET TV program. In 2015 she was on the list of Young Zimbabweans to Watch’ and is the 2016- ZIWA Motivational Speaker of the Year. Nyaradzo is also the founder of QueenMakers Trust whose mission is to empower female leaders through training, mentoring and coaching, thus enabling them to contribute into the mainstream economy. How was Avodah formed? Avodah was formed through a series of events. Having been in the NGO and corporate sector for close to a decade, with Viva Network Dandy Zimbabwe and Standard Chartered, I took a career sabbatical and went to Uni in the middle of a third pregnancy. Halfway through my degree, I started a clothing business: Sheba’s Closet, in an upmarket area in Harare. I travelled to Asia and Europe at least once a month to purchase clothing for the two shops that I had acquired. After graduating in 2008 Avodah was formed with the realisation that it was virtually impossible to get back into formal employment due to the state of the economy. I decided to run the 2 businesses, my love for fashion and my natural speaking talent. It focuses on soft skills training, human capital development, recruitment, and coaching. Avodah is a Hebrew word meaning work is a form of worship. I believe that as you are working, you are exercising and using your gifts that were placed inside of you, thereby giving glory and worshiping the giver of that gift. In 2012, I went through a life altering experience that got me thinking about my purpose, passion, and desires. This led to me closing Sheba’s Closet to focus on something that left a legacy for my children. I knew that I was not going to be able to develop it to the level Edgars and Truworths (regional clothing stores), so I decided to focus solely on Avodah. [bctt tweet=”Every one of us already has power, it’s just a matter of peeling away the shadows” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What were the major start-up challenges? I started Avodah during the 2008 recession period. I was going in the opposite direction of the economy. The only reason I have managed to survive is my work ethic and excellence. I believe when you function in your area of passion and strength you have more staying power. Tell us a bit about QueenMakers? QueenMakers is a passion. I am passionate about women’s empowerment. I started QueenMakers to assist women developing themselves to function at their maximum potential. Culture, religion, politics, economies, and societies have made women a secondary species and made them feel like they don’t deserve a seat at the decision-making and power table. QueenMakers is an organisation where women come together, get trained, motivated, coached and inspired to reach within themselves and polish their potential. We network, encourage, expose women to opportunities that are around them, help them maximise their potential and occupy centre stage. What are some of the challenges that you have faced as a black African woman? Most of my challenges as a black African woman have been self-belief and going past that little voice inside your head that says it’s impossible. I have had to work hard to develop my confidence to put myself out there. What more can government do to support entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe I believe women have not even begun to utilise the ‘little’ that has been put on the table for them. Before we can ask for more we need to sweat what has been offered thus far. There is more that they can do but it’s also more of what we as women can do. For example, there has not been that many women in politics. Our generation aspires and desires, complains and bickers but no one has really stepped up, very few women take up such roles. [bctt tweet=”As you are working, you are exercising and using your gifts that were placed inside of you ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What lessons or advice would you give your younger self? Be bold and not afraid because fear is not real. It needs to be challenged through the stretching of our minds. Like Nike says; Just Do it. What can we look forward to in the
Isioma Onyegikei: Social media has helped reach our target audience
[bctt tweet=”It has not been so difficult to sell food online – Isioma Onyegikei” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 24-year-old Isioma Onyegikei is the founder and head cook at Brelunds, a food service provider startup in Lagos, Nigeria. Her startup offers services which include the running of office cafeterias, breakfast, and lunch weekly subscription plans, events catering, bulk soup and stew preparation. Isioma officially began Brelunds in September 2015 with a standard menu consisting of Nigerian dishes, finger foods, and Nigerian street foods. She is a graduate of Political science and public administration from the University of Benin, Nigeria. What inspired your decision to start a food retail business? The decision to start a food retail business was inspired by my experience as an employee for another company. I resumed work very early and got home very late due to heavy traffic in the city. Saturdays were the only days I rested, did chores and caught up with friends. On Sundays, I go to church and prepare ahead for the next week. I realized that it was the reality of most of my colleagues. Some even had to work on weekends too. Cooking is a huge chore because time and rest in Lagos is a luxury to a typical Lagosian. So I started out by making and delivering bowls of soup and stew. My intention was to ease my client of cooking as a chore, an important human need. Along the line, the idea of a weekly lunch plan to be delivered to clients at work came up. How have you been able to sell cooked food to people via an online medium? Describe the process from order to sales. For now, we sell our meals online via our Twitter and Instagram pages. We are currently working on a better website. We post information about our services on these platforms; potential clients see our information online and contact us for the service they want. They either pre-order for bowls of soup/stews or they subscribe for any of our lunch packages. They provide us with their names, phone number(s) and address for delivery. It has not been so difficult selling cooked food online because it is an important need and a food delivery business helps the client with one less problem to worry about. [bctt tweet=”Social Media has helped with referrals – Isioma Onyegikei” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How has social media enabled you to reach your target audience? Frankly, social media has enabled us to reach our target audience in the sense that a lot of young Nigerians (Lagosians) and even older Nigerians are online. The chances that our next client that we will market to offline has a Twitter, Facebook or Instagram account is 80%, so with social media, it is easy to market to a lot of people at the same time in different locations with just one post. Potential clients also come online to search for a service they need, we see this and market our service to them. Social media also has helped in terms of referrals. An old client can see someone asking for a similar service and refer them to our page. Instagram, for example, is pictorial so with a business page, anyone who comes across the page already knows what services to contact us for. The use of hashtags has helped in getting across to our intended target audience because people do search for the service thy want using related hashtags. Which social media channel do you consider to be the most responsive channel for your business? Twitter has been responsive and this is because people do not necessarily have to follow you to see your tweet on their timeline. Retweets are free. There is also the advantage of having others try out a service that one or two of their friends have used and Twitter seems to be the most engaging social network to set up that way. How often do you make sales from social media? We make sales from social media regularly. It is a food business and now, more than ever, people desire convenience. Also, the fact that we have two different service offerings: pre-ordered bowls of soups/stew and lunch subscriptions, helps to ensure that we are able to reach a broader segment of people and meet more needs. [bctt tweet=”Logistics is an issue for online businesses. – Isioma Onyegikei” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What are some of the issues you have faced while trying to run your business online? In running an online business, our main issue has been logistics. First of all, we run a value for money service, delivering high-quality meals at very affordable prices. Currently, a lot of logistics companies charge very high for their service and most times it makes no sense to ask a client to pay more for delivery than the actual food they are buying. Also, the logistics companies have other clients that they also trying to service while servicing you. In situations like this, it is very easy to get disappointed at any time or have a client’s order messed up on the way. There is also the issue of bad publicity when running an online business. Social media can make or mar business. An unsatisfied client can easily discourage others, totally within their rights, so for us at Brelunds we ensure that our customer service is top notch and intended to “wow” both clients and potential clients. What’s your perfect one-line statement for young females trying to build a brand via social media? Know what you do, learn what you don’t know and know those who know what you don’t know. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Munozovepi Gwata: Nobody is really taught how to manage their personal finances
[bctt tweet=”We want to instill financial literacy skills into children from a very young age so that they can understand money” via=”no”] Munozovepi Gwata is an ambitious entrepreneur and an aspiring Chartered Financial Analysts and Hedge Fund manager. She is the founder of the Aworks, a conglomerate with subsidiaries Arete’ Tech, Kukura Capital NGO and Kukura Capital Investment Trust. Her personal mission statement is to inspire people throughout the African continent and to create innovative solutions that will bring upon development, wealth, and success for the continent. Munozovepi’s goal is to build Awork to the same status and standard of Berkshire Hathaway which she has no doubt that she will accomplish. Why is financial literacy important and why start an organisation that educates people on the matter? I believe financial literacy is extremely important just like learning Maths and English. It is the fundamental skill that equips people with the essential ability to effectively save and make money. Unfortunately, nobody is really taught how to manage their personal finances. Not at one stage in our lives do we come across financial literacy education in the mainstream education system. I find this very alarming and I am a strong advocate that financial literacy should be included in the mainstream curriculum. The consequence that we have now, is that people are not equipped to manage their personal finances and they do not know how to save or grow their money. Therefore, instead of having the opportunity to pass down wealth to the next generation, they are passing down poverty and debt. I felt that I could no longer sit on the sideline and watch this continue to happen, this is when I decided to become a part of the solution and build an organization that addresses the problem. In starting Kukura Capital, did you decide to go solo or have a business partner(s) and why did you decide to go solo/partner up? In starting Kukura Capital, I decided to go solo. I do have a great team of friends and family that help me and soon we will be adding another 8 new team members to the Kukura Capital team. When I started Kukura Capital it was only an idea. A lot of people, even though they shared and agreed with my vision, didn’t share my hard work ethic, and because of this, I did not manage to find a full-time business partner. It still worked out great in the end. I was given a lot of good advice on how to develop the organization, leaned on some great books and to my surprise in such a short time we have managed to pick up and maintain a great momentum. We also have the support from other well established NGO’s and Institutions which is great. When did you establish Kukura Capital and what has been the biggest lesson you have learnt thus far? Kukura Capital was established last year in November and it was inspired by my own journey to learn more about the financial industry. In gathering information, I kept thinking to myself there has to be an easier way to learn about financial literacy, and from there Kukura Capital was born. The biggest lesson I have learnt? I have to say I have learnt so many things, but the biggest lesson is that knowledge is truly power. As an organisation, one of our main goals is to make knowledge about financial literacy easily accessible and to break down the complex concepts of finance and make it simple and easy to understand and apply. Doing such a simple task has proven to be powerful. When you tell an individual of any age, be it a high school student or a young adult, that if you save this amount of money every month and reinvest it either in the market, or in a business and you can get this x% in return, people’s eyes really light up, and they really do change their spending habits. The things people always say to me is: “Why didn’t anybody tell me earlier? I would have been a millionaire a long time ago.” What gave you the courage to start your organization? What advice would you give to someone who is thinking of going into business? Fortunately enough, my past experience in leadership positions and community involvement gave me a lot of confidence to start. Also, having a business and finance background also gave me the confidence to start Kukura Capital. However, to be honest, I didn’t really think too much about it, I really believed what the organization stood for and went for it. That would be my advice to anyone starting a business. In addition to running Kukura Capital I also run a FinTech business and when I started I had plenty of doubts but I quickly moved away from any negative thoughts and just went for it. In addition to that, I will advise anyone who wants to start a business to fully commit to their business and make sure that they love what they do, so even when it gets tough they are still driven to keep going and succeed. [bctt tweet=”I’ll advise anyone who wants to start a business to make sure that they love what they do” via=”no”] You have recently finished a children’s book “The Rich Life of Thabo”, what brought about the decision to write a children’s book on financial literacy and in what format and where will the book be available? I really love this book and wrote it with my talented friend Charisa Mujuru. I am really excited for this book because it is definitely going to inspire a lot of young kids to be like Thabo. Thabo is the main character in the book and he lives in a township and one day he decides that he is tired of never having enough pocket money so him and his sister, under the guidance of their grandmother, decide to start a business. The book really
Cynthia Okuwashaka: Everyone has a talent inherent they can work on
[bctt tweet=”I try as much as possible to come with something new to make myself stand out” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Cynthia Okwuashaka craving her own financial independence started out as an apprentice in a nail studio. Thereafter, she went on to acquire training in hair making and makeup artistry. All these skills she acquired while studying the English Language in University. A few years later, she enrolled at the Opral Benson beauty school and has now become a certified massage therapist. Cynthia worked in several beauty lounges and finally at Four Points before resigning to start her own business Spaquil Beauty Therapy, a mobile spa, and wellness business in November 2015. Since then, she hasn’t looked back. For Cynthia, she finds peace and fulfillment when she is able to help her clients get relief from aches they feel before the session. In addition, earning her own income in a decent way brings even more fulfillment. How did you come about the knowledge that you could self-sponsor yourself through the university rather than be financially dependent on anyone? I had the opportunity of meeting a friend’s sister who told me she supported herself through school fixing false nails. So I said to myself if she could do it so I can. That’s how I started working at a nail studio and went on to learn hair making too. Why did you leave your job at Four Points to start your own business? Four Points for me was a phase I knew from the onset will pass so when the time came, I had to leave. I have always pictured myself as my own boss and my years there were to gain experience so when it’s time for me to setup mine I will do it and be successful at it. [bctt tweet=”…there’s so much fulfillment in making your own money in a decent way” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How do you manage competition in your business? Knowledge they say is power, I try as much as possible to come up with something new to make myself stand out. You are a graduate of English language, how does your discipline impact your business? In the area of communication, my discipline has given me an edge as people see therapists as secondary school drop outs. When I have a conversation with my clients, they get to see a different side of me. Sometimes, they then ask why I had to settle for a therapist instead of working in line with what I studied in school. I tell them I have a passion for therapy. [bctt tweet=”I know for sure one step at a time gets me closer to my goal.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What plans do you have for the future? Like I said, knowledge is power so am working very hard to get more training in my field of practice. What is your advice for girls from indigent homes who feel they can only survive by being financially dependent on men? Where do they start from? First of all, they will need to make a decision about the kind of life they want and work towards it. Dependency cripples, and there’s so much fulfillment in making your own money in a decent way. Crafts pay off in the long run and everyone has a talent inherent they can work on and pray as well for God to bless and prosper. The journey of starting one’s own business and growing it is a very tough one, where do you get the inspiration to continue in down times? I would say my passion for massage therapy is what keeps me going, Spaquil Beauty Therapy was birthed in November 2015 and I have had the opportunity of traveling to South Africa for training in less than 2 years of starting up. And when I think of the difference I can make in the lives of people with my healing touch I keep going no matter what. I know for sure one step at a time gets me closer to my goal. You moved from making hair and being a nail technician to a makeup artist and now a massage therapist. It seems you have worked longer as a massage therapist. Is it that you are passionate about this than the other trades and why? Massage for me is my sole calling in life, it goes beyond touch, I find peace and fulfillment when am able to help my clients get relieved of aches they feel before the session. I see myself as a small doctor (lol). How do your parents feel about your accomplishments so far being a certified therapist and running a successful business at 29? My parents have always given me support. In fact, my father who is very educationally inclined actually gave me the go ahead to learn vocational skills while I was still at the university. Today, they are happy and proud of me which is the joy of every parent to see their child or children succeed in life. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Everlyn Nguku: Textile design and fashion technology is amazingly dynamic
[bctt tweet=”Meet Everlyn Nguku the woman setting Africa on a new journey toward advanced textile manufacturing” via=”no”] Everlyn Nguku is one of Kenya’s few and little-known textile scientists. She was more of the artsy type growing up. But while she was in University studying fine arts, her interest shifted to a more scientific angle. Unbeknown to her at the time, this shift in interest would catapult Everlyn to establish East Africa’s first silk quality control laboratory, and set Sub-Saharan Africa on a new journey toward advanced textile manufacturing. What exactly does a textile scientist do? A textile scientist specialises in various areas including; new technologies related to fibres, innovative textiles; textile chemistry, polymer and fibre science, processing, fabric development, quality issues among others. Textiles are multidisciplinary in nature. How did you come across this as a career? I did not start out as a Textile Scientist. I studied Fine Arts for my first degree and looked forward to a career in teaching design or design related activities (I am the “creative” in the family). However, as I studied my course, my passion for fabric and pattern shifted to fabric construction. I was intrigued and keen to understand the technical aspects of fibres and fabric. I then did my masters and the study focused on four natural textile fibres. This was the beginning of my journey with silk and science at International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE). I began to look at textiles beyond the design element. My Ph.D. focused on silk properties. I had to understand the science behind the silkworm that produces the silk, processing technology and quality of the resulting fibre. You are researching on the African Silkworm; tell us a bit about that? My work actually revolves around the domesticated silkworm Bombyx mori, although there are several commercial species of silkworms. B. mori is the most widely used for silk production; it is reared indoors and feeds on the mulberry leaves. This activity is referred to as sericulture, which is the practice of raisings silkworms to produce raw silk- the yarn obtained from cocoons spun by the worms. I take an interdisciplinary approach and multi-faceted research of silk that focuses on optimizing silkworm rearing techniques, and cocoon production, with a key focus on fibre quality and value addition initiatives for the production of various quality silk products. The research explores the mechanical behaviors of the silk fibre, which are key building blocks in the production of quality silk fabric. We also design silk fibre testing procedures to assess and systematically study the quality factor, tenacity & elongation, friction and wear traits. How many women are involved in this research? Within the institution, I am working with five female technicians who undertake rearing of the silkworms and processing of the cocoons and raw silk. A textile industry needs more professionals who understand the science and the business sense in manufacturing and processing the raw material, how can Africa tap into this? The industry is labour intensive and has the potential to offer significant employment opportunities. There is a need to equally invest in the skills and qualifications of people and promote the technical qualifications for people in the textile and apparel industries. African Universities do offer degrees and masters in textile design and fashion technology. What can be done to ensure that more of these graduates become the backbone of this industry? This sector in Africa is amazingly dynamic; however, it appears to be fragmented. Consequently, its potential remains largely unexploited possibly due to organizational weaknesses within the industry. In order to integrate graduates into the industry, there is a need for governments within the continent to prioritize the sector, unlock the potential, overcome existing problems of the textile industry and address issues that hinder the growth of the manufacturing industry. This strengthens and improves the entire textile industry and value chain for it to be competitive and remain relevant. In addition, possibly review the rules on textile imports especially the influx of cheaper clothing which seem to hamper the local industry in Africa. The industry should also recognize the potential of textile design and fashion technology graduates and the dynamisms they inject into the growth of the commerce and therefore need to nurture and engage this local talent. Some of the challenges you face revolve around ignorance and general disregard of research from a policy level. How are you pushing to get more attention on this issue and more government investment and commitment to grow the textile industry in Kenya? I am a member of Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) Technical Committee on Blankets, Nonwovens, Threads, and Fibres. This is a forum that presents an opportunity to interact with the main industry stakeholders on issues related to textiles, standards and to an extent policy. Who would win in a fight, Wonder Woman or Black Widow? Hmmm…I had to look up the Black Widow…. didn’t know much about her ? All the same, my take is Wonder Woman. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Elizabeth Akanbi: Make mistakes, learn, grow and do better
[bctt tweet=”We aim to reach women that have a passion to become game changers” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] If there’s something she’s known for, it’s adding value to other women’s lives. With over 7 years experience across different industries, Content creator and Marketing communications professional, Elizabeth Akanbi is Founder and Managing editor of For Working Ladies, an online career lifestyle hub for women. With a strong passion of understanding people’s journeys to success she uses this knowledge to inspire, empower and motivate individuals. Asides equipping women with inspiring and motivational content Elizabeth is passionate about sharing the African culture through art, food, music and social events. As such she co-founded a lifestyle brand, The Social Bloc which runs periodic social events in the UK to highlight the African culture. What inspires For Working Ladies? I have always desired a mentor, someone to tell me how to make decisions, someone to give me career advice, tell me the risks of starting a business, I’m sure you know what I mean right? But I have never been fortunate to have one. I would search the internet day and night looking for answers to my questions, read loads of articles, career profiles and then draw a conclusion on the topic. I knew I wasn’t the only person going through this and needed to create a platform where you could get career/entrepreneurship tips, read about other women that have taken your path and just daily lifestyle content. Why an online platform? Because the world is going digital and people are constantly on their phones so I saw this was the best place to share content and reach our audience. For Working Ladies is a career lifestyle hub for women created to motivate, inspire and give guidance. What kind of content do you provide and what women does your business aim to reach? Our content mainly focuses on career and entrepreneurship, however, we also share lifestyle content also. We aim to reach women that have a passion to become game changers, we want to equip them, motivate them and be that big sister that says we have your back. What innovations and future plans are you looking towards for your business? 2017 is the year that I hope to take For Working Ladies offline and create interactive events. Things are still in the pipeline; I am excited and currently looking for speakers and brands to partner with for our first interactive event. Asides from events we hope to start delivering content in new and fresh ways as the behavior of people are changing and they want more than just written content. Tell us about your greatest challenge as well as your greatest achievement so far? My greatest challenge has been creating content that is new, fresh and relevant on an ongoing basis. There is so much content out there that it is necessary to give people a reason why they should read yours. Luckily I have an amazing team of contributors who are constantly creating fresh and relatable content for women. My greatest achievement so far has been keeping this content-based site going for over a year, being the only editor, managing the digital marketing, overseeing over 15 contributors whilst working. It takes a lot of time and dedication; there have been times where I have gotten so tired of proofreading and writing that I just want to give up. I am working on building a team so that as a brand more can be achieved. What business tools have helped you in running your business successfully? My daily tasks consist of sending emails, a lot of emails! mainly to contributors and also to people I am interviewing. I am literally always stuck to my phone/Mac refreshing my inbox, it can be a headache but it has to be done. The best tool that has helped me in managing emails is Boomerang for Gmail, it allows you to schedule emails, receive notifications to follow up on an email and also receive a notification when they have read the email. It’s a really user-friendly plugin! There are so many great features, we have an article on our website about it. [bctt tweet=”Learn from every mistake, because every experience and encounter is there to teach you” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What personal values have guided you as an entrepreneur? Hard work and consistency. Results don’t just come; you must be intentional and put the work in. The first step is making the commitment but the next, which can be the hardest is consistency coupled with hard work. Also as Oprah said, “Learn from every mistake, because every experience and encounter, particularly your mistakes, are there to teach you..” It’s okay to get it wrong, it’s okay for that partnership to breakdown, it’s okay for that idea not to work out, but in all of that experience what did you learn? I try my best to analyse every experience I have had and learn from it. Without mistakes how would we learn? Make mistakes, learn, grow and do better! From your business name, it is safe to say you have nothing for the unemployed ladies? We have something for every female, whether employed or not. Our main focus is career and entrepreneurship, however, we touch on lifestyle, fashion and much more content that is relevant to all ladies. Everyone has something they want to achieve in life, a dream they want to pursue, something they are working on and we want to be part of that journey in inspiring, encouraging them that they can achieve whatever they set their mind to do. [bctt tweet=”Don’t allow the distance between where you are and where you want to be scare you” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Advice for entrepreneurs about to throw in the towel? Why did you start in the first place? Sit down and have a deep think. Remember your why at every low point and allow it to push you. Don’t allow the distance between where you are and where you want to be scare you,