Sihle Hlophe: The film industry still largely sexist, and at times racist
[bctt tweet=”Sihle Hlope chooses the stories that she wants to tell through her communications business” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] In a modern world of film, deeply ingrained and out-dated sexist misconceptions are still stamped on film scripts and video cameras. It wouldn’t be a truthful to say the women working behind the scenes of some great productions, worked with smiles on their faces from beginning to end. In South Africa, there are some really talented women directors who do not get enough recognition. Sihle Hlophe is a rising 30-year-old film director who is challenging the ingrained sexism of the industry through storytelling. Sihle has openly spoken about sexism in film. She is a holder of the current ICA fellowship and the chairperson of Writer’s Guild of South Africa. Journalist, Khethiwe Mndawe got to interview Sihle for SLA while she was in London for the Screenwriters’ Festival with the Writers’ Guild of South Africa. Briefly describe how running your own business in the film and production industry has been for you as a young black woman. I started my company, Passion Seeds Communications in order to promote minority languages and make a contribution towards the alleviation of youth unemployment. I also wanted to give a platform to marginalized female technicians such as cinematographers, editors and sound recordists. Although the journey has been rocky, it has also been very fulfilling. The biggest challenge is the difficulty in accessing funding for films. However, the government has progressive incentives in place to help young entrepreneurs. Another challenge is that the industry is still largely sexist, and at times racist. One has to be persistent; knocking on doors and getting rejected repeatedly is not for the faint-hearted. The best part about owning my own production company is creating jobs, training young people and of course, getting to choose the stories that I want to tell. Which film production projects have you done that closely targets stories related to Mpumalanga or the neighbouring borders, eg, Swaziland? Both of my short films are SiSwati films. You can see some of them on my Twitter page. I have not had the opportunity to shoot in Mpumalanga. This is due to lack of support from the province, even though both my films are ‘set’ in Mpumalanga. I shoot in Gauteng because that is where I get support. I must mention though that I was deeply touched when the Department of Arts & Culture recognized my work by presenting me with a ‘Best SiSwati Film’ award at the Mpumalanga Provincial Arts & Sports Awards in 2015; I just wish that support would extend to actual productions. Also, I did a short documentary a few years ago based in Swaziland. Its topic is related to the reed dance of virgin girls. [bctt tweet=”One has to be persistent in face of the challenges in the film production industry” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Which countries abroad have you visited and what were you representing there? My film ‘As I Am’ has been screened at prestigious film festivals in the USA, Switzerland, Tanzania and here in South Africa. With support from the Department of Trade & Industry, my company Passion Seed Communications has been to film festivals and markets in France, the Netherlands, the USA, England, Germany and Canada. I was also an exchange student in Helsinki, Finland during my final year as a film student at Wits University. Other countries I have visited include Brazil, Kenya, Lesotho, Poland, Estonia, Holland, Swaziland and Botswana. I would like to visit Asia next. What unique experiences did you come across in these countries? I have experienced many unique things in many different countries. One of my greatest experiences as a filmmaker is when I am afforded the opportunity to share my story with people from different walks of life. To see that story resonate with those people is the most powerful thing a storyteller can experience. [bctt tweet=”@NubianStorytela’s films have been screened at prestigious film festivals in different countries” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What changes would you like to see in the industry when it comes to opportunities for African women directors? There are some really talented women directors who do not get any work or recognition because of deeply ingrained and outdated sexist misconceptions. It’s truly sad. Some directors are also subjected to sexism and sexual harassment. I would like to see this change! Enough is enough. I would also like to see the government of Mpumalanga investing in its talent and supporting filmmakers like other provinces do. I have more chances of getting support from the Durban Film Commission than I do in my own home province. For me, that is a tragic situation. What have been you greatest achievements so far? Finishing my Masters degree under very trying circumstances and writing and directing two SiSwati films. I am an advocate of minority languages. In fact, the title of my Masters paper was, “The Underrepresentation of Minority Languages on SABC 1: The case of SiSwati“. I have been passionate about promoting my mother tongue for as long as I can remember. You were recently granted the ICA fellowship, congratulations! What is it about? I was one of the fellows chosen by The Institute for Creative Arts (ICA) for 2016. The opportunity is awarded to creative thinkers and doers in diverse disciplines. ICA fellowships encourages collaborative dialogue around issues of urbanism, community, historical legacy and the postcolonial imaginary. Fellows are encouraged to test boundaries, engage with new publics, and to explore the critical potentialities of live art. The ICA is particularly excited about the diverse contributions and imaginative ways of thinking presented by this year’s fellows –from performative writing, dance and music, to art, curatorship and interdisciplinary research. Conversations, exhibitions and public interventions presented by fellows will be announced in due course. Tell us briefly about “Nomfundo”? “Nomfundo” is a short film about a conflicted, young woman whose life is irrevocably changed when she has a transcendental encounter with someone from her past. The film is currently in post-production. It is my second
Kgauhelo Dube: The European framing of public discourse is disturbing
[bctt tweet=”2015 Mbokodo Women in Arts nominee @kgauzagp shares why she moved to the arts sector” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Kgauhelo Dube incorporates her knowledge and experience in traditional advertising into the work she does within the arts, culture and heritage field. She combines these on an eclectic mix of projects, including her own brainchild, #longstorySHORT. #longstorySHORT was launched in March 2015 to promote African literature through interactive events. These events feature the work of African writers, discussions about important topics affecting literacy in Africa and the sale of books. Kgauhelo continues to be part of a wide array of projects from festival management, content production for TV to acting as a strategic consultant to various artists, cultural foundations and corporations. She was 2015 nominee for Mbokodo Women in Arts award in the category of “Promotion of Arts and Culture in the Media”. You worked as a brand strategist for a firm. Why did you make the move to literature? I didn’t move from brand strategy environment to literature. I’d say I moved to the arts, culture and heritage sector. I made the move because I believe there’s a big role that the arts, culture and heritage sector play in social change, especially in South Africa, a country with a huge identity crisis. The European framing of public discourse is disturbing. Popularising and normalising versus romanticising African ideas, identities, philosophy, languages are instrumental to unlocking the various economic, moral and societal crises we are currently facing. [bctt tweet=”The arts can play a huge role in social change, especially in South Africa @kgauzagp” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] #longstorySHORT has been well received since its inception in March last year. What is the ‘short’ story behind the name, and how was the idea born? Popular culture has in one way or another succeeded amplifying (whether tastefully or not) very important issues, and so we felt that we could tap into those same strategies and platforms to normalise the culture of reading. #longstorySHORT hosts a podcast in Setswana. Do you see any financial benefits to publishing in African languages? Is there a growing market for such books for young Africans writers to tap into? It’s difficult to focus on creating a business model around a culture that has been demonised over centuries. So, whilst there’s an opportunity in getting more Africans to read in indigenous languages, the first port of call would be for us as Africans to love ourselves enough to understand the potential transformative value of the wisdom that’s locked up in our languages. Being African shouldn’t be about wearing “costumes” on our independence days and during Africa month. There’s no point in pouring a lot of resources in creating African content and selling it to people who mostly associate upward mobility and sophistication with European brands, languages, lifestyles and frame of reference. Once we’ve dealt with the mind-shift, yes, then there are great opportunities for publishers, writers and content creators to disseminate exciting books, films, learning software in our languages! Think about it, Setswana is not only spoken in Botswana. SA has a huge population of Setswana speakers as well. Remember, we didn’t create the borders so there’s linguistic spill over in countries that border each other. [bctt tweet=”#longstorySHORT has celebrities endorsing African literature as its marketing strategy.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] It’s understandable for writers to participate in the reading events organised by #longstorySHORT. But no one expects a celebrity to participate in them. Why was it important to get them involved? This is where we use the tactics employed by the marketing industry. It is a classic case of celebrity endorsement. Instead of endorsing a beverage, the participating celebrity is endorsing African literature. With 92% of local libraries closed in South Africa and the rise of ebooks, are print publishers in Africa staring at a bleak future? The going statistic is that 92% of predominantly black schools don’t have functional libraries. However, there’s been a surge in local libraries being built in these areas post-apartheid, which is why a lot of #longstorySHORT readings happen there. How does #longstorySHORT engage with those who, for whatever reason, can’t attend readings and don’t have access to the internet? #longstorySHORT is one of many literacy/ literature promotion campaigns. The scope for the change that needs to happen is not only going to be achieved by us. There’s an exciting growth in literary entrepreneurship with many great young thinkers tackling the illiteracy conundrum in many different ways. There are festivals, online book clubs, bloggers, road-shows, master-classes and a host of other exciting things happening at the same time. It’s a special time for African writers. [bctt tweet=”According @kgauzagp to there’s an exciting growth in literary entrepreneurship” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] In addition to the work #longstorySHORT is doing, what else can be done to help Africans publishers thrive and encourage bookstores to stock more African literature? Since a nation’s literacy rate has a direct link to its GDP, more official interventions need to happen. There’s lots of policy around eradicating illiteracy, but there’s very little enforcement, monitoring and evaluation. Governments have to have a more urgent, creative and spirited approach to these problems. It’ll never be enough to highlight these challenges within the contexts of calendar days such as World Book Day and World Mother Tongue Day. Consistent intervention is key. What does the future hold for African literature, and more specifically for #longstorySHORT in the coming year? From a promotional perspective, we believe the brand #longstorySHORT has high equity. Now the challenge is maintaining the frequency of readings and reaching remote audiences all over the continent. That requires some brave brand managers and philanthropists pledging their marketing budgets and collaborating with us. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Rebecca Kanoerera Munyuki: Leaders lead from within, regardless of their position
[bctt tweet=”@RebeccaKano is a woman who simply refused to accept average” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] You know the famous Shakespeare quote: “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, some have greatness thrust upon them”? I am obsessed with hearing stories of how those who achieved greatness did it. Rebecca Kanoerera Munyuki is a great example of a woman who simply refused to accept average. She resolved that if it was possible to achieve greatness, she was going to be one of the ones who achieved it. I sat down with her to chat about her inspiring journey. You truly have humble beginnings. You started as a childcare giver, to working as a call centre agent, and then working for an international company. During your time at IBM South Africa, you held various management and key leadership roles. You ran their ‘Deal Hub’, then moved to marketing, covering multiple software technologies for Middle East, Africa and Turkey. Not to mention you served as chairperson for IBM Women in South Africa network group. What went into realising your personal greatness? Firstly, it is important to say that I actually don’t have to have it all figured out. Sometimes I stumbled into success. That’s not to say that I didn’t prepare and bravely accepted the opportunities that came and continue to come my way. This is what worked for me. If I had to give three keys of what got me here I would say: While you are figuring things out, make sure you stick with things and finish with excellence. You never know where opportunities come from. Mentors anchored me. You need people to encourage you and keep you accountable. Look for tangible models of how to get where you want to go. Even if you think you are doing something that no-one has done before. There is always someone out there who can model, if not your exact career path, at least a set of skills you will need to get there. This is why I am so insistent on women and Africans telling their stories. There is always something that someone can learn from you. [bctt tweet=”There is always someone out there who can model a set of skills you will need ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] When I left Zimbabwe and spent some years in America, I certainly didn’t know I’d be where I am now. Studying ICT was never in my plan. I always tell people not to ‘despise the day of small beginnings’ (which is from verse from the Bible and a useful thing to remember). One thing I admire about your journey is: it wasn’t linear. We see you now as a woman who has been successful in the tech space, but tech wasn’t your background. How did you chart a course in a space that I feel can be very exclusive? Keeping an open mind has been critical for my development. Thinking of your career opportunities in silo’s can limit you. After working for a bit, I realised that I wanted to enter the tech space. When I decided this, I didn’t only look for jobs in tech. I also seized opportunities that were tech-adjacent. For example if you want to work in tech, don’t just apply to traditional IT firms. Consider companies that may have a tech department and try get in there. [bctt tweet=” Thinking of your career opportunities in silo’s can limit you.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] You told me the story of a time when you were up for promotion. What should have been a great moment became a nightmare. Approval was held back because someone preferred a different candidate. After going through reviews and interviews, you were appointed. Your career journey was obviously not smooth sailing. How did you handle workplace opposition, and not take it personally. Also how do you continue to work with people who may have been difficult or who doubted your capabilities for a role? I have a philosophy for the companies I work for: They are my client and I am theirs. Ultimately I need to contribute to the success of the business results. In leadership and collaborating with colleagues and stakeholders, find a way to work towards a common goal no matter how diverse we may all be. While I can’t convince everyone to like me or believe in me, I make it a point to deliver. Also, in my case it was important to keep perspective. While there were people against me, I had mentors, team members and senior leaders who were incredibly supportive. [bctt tweet=”I have a philosophy for the companies I work for: They are my client and I am theirs” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Recognize the difference between potential and being capable. Potential is an intangible measure of the capacity you have inside to do a certain thing. Capability is usually measured by the tangible things you have already done. In trying to win people over, don’t just tell them you have potential. Show them why you are capable. Use past accomplishments to show you are capable, even if it’s a big step up. Also have willingness to learn and a teachable attitude. When taking up oversight of a team of people who are potentially hostile, be extremely deliberate in creating a new culture. Have one on one meetings; even if you are the leader, realize you are the new person. Do proper introductions, and get acquainted with the team. Learn the culture first before you change it; only impose ideas once you understand the context. Create systems and protocols to live by; make sure these processes are company standard to cut down on arguments. Never hide issues; Be deliberate in addressing things as and when they come up. Dealing with others’ criticism is tricky, but often we can be our own worst critics, right? You took an unconventional route to get into the tech space. Were there times where you didn’t feel qualified for promotions you received? Oh yes! An example is when I was looking to get into a more senior position, so I
Kgadi Mmanaka: I’m a self-acclaimed “possibilitarian”
[bctt tweet=”Kgadi Mmanaka’s photo should appear beside the dictionary definition of possibility” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Kgadi Mmanaka has made it her life purpose to plan the “seed of possibility” in the minds of people. Now we get why she calls herself a possibilitarian. At just 21 years old, Kgadi is heavily involved in equipping and inspiring people in her community especially around development and solving socio-economic issues. When she’s not inspiring people with her speaking, Kagid runs The Possibilitarian Group, See Beyond the Clouds Foundation and KM-CDS, a strategy consulting company. She’s also a certified Associate Fellow of the Royal Commonwealth Society, an organisation working to promote values of Commonwealth citizens. Tell us about your childhood. Born and bred in Ga-Matlala Ga-Ramalapa, a rural village in Limpopo, I am the fifth and last in my family. I’m also the first to fill out an application form to study further after Matric. I grew up in an abusive and violent home, an environment that gave me all the “good” reasons why I will amount to nothing in life. Growing up, I was a loner that was always depressed and felt so small around my peers. My turning point came when I was in Grade 8 (I was 14 years old), when I made a vow to myself that I want to make sure that whatever choice I make in my life will get me to a point whereby I can come back and make a change at home. I wanted to live my life as far away as possible from my comfort zone. At that point, I was really tired of being labelled poor and of waking up to bogobe ka meetse (pap and water) everyday. I knew that the tendency that has run through my family for ages can and will stop with me. I was the link between the past and the future. That vow that I made when I was 14 drove me to become the top Matric achiever at my school. Today, when my family sends, “Please call Electricity” messages I can reply them with the voucher. I never want to return to where I’m from (my childhood) again but I will honour it forever. [bctt tweet=”I was really tired of being labelled poor and of waking up to pap and water everyday” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] “Kgadi Mmanaka the possibilitarian”, why do you call yourself that? A possibilitarian is a person who knows that no matter how dark the clouds may be, there’s still the brightest sky up in there. A possibilitarian is a possibility thinker, has positive attitude towards life and gives a positive interpretation of a negative event that happens to them —they choose to see possibilities. Finally, a possibilitarian refuses to be defined by circumstances. If you could wake up in someone else’s body, who would you pick and what would you do? I would pick any person who has superpowers to convince the students at higher learning institutions that there are other ways to send a message or rather communicate their demands besides the destruction of property (learning infrastructure). For I think, the more the property is destructed the less chances of being granted their wishes i.e. free education. This regardless of the fact that they did the maths and free education is feasible. As much as I understand what they’re fighting for, I am against the destruction of property because that doesn’t only delay the processing of their demand, but also the academics. A new strategy is needed that still emphasizes the demands but that doesn’t destruct the property nor delay academic activities. [bctt tweet=”A possibilitarian has positive attitude towards life” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] “See beyond the clouds” is a very powerful name, tell us more. See Beyond the Clouds is a foundation I founded to create an enabling environment that is rich in information, support and resources for youth in rural and township areas to better their lives and the society. I was inspired to establish it for I have realized that past mistakes, failures and underprivileged background often-times are the reasons why most people’ dreams are diluted and why they give up in life. The mandate of the foundation is to create possibilities to help them “see beyond their clouds” and whatever attempting to dilute their dreams. The foundation seeks to transform youth from being job-seekers to job creators by introducing entrepreneurship as a long-term solution to unemployment through the Enterprise Development program. We also aim to increase higher education enrolment by exposing school and and out-of-school youth to post schooling opportunities and and information through the Career Development and Mentorship programs. Lastly, the foundation seeks to equip youth with computer skills and make internet services available through the ICT skills program. With all these, the foundation seeks to help them See Beyond the Clouds. [bctt tweet=”Kgadi Mmanaka’s foundation creates possibilities to help youth see beyond the clouds” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What have you always wanted? Did you ever get it ? I’ve always wanted to live my life as far away as possible from my comfort zone. To make choices that will get me to a point whereby I can come back and change the economic status at home. For me this is a process and not an event. Recently, I’ve just turned 21 and when I was reflecting, I was so proud of the choices I have made so far. Honestly, I can say I am off my comfort zone. I am determined to let those vows be the blueprint of my life. Congratulations, you were selected as one of the 60 emerging women leaders that participated in Vital Voices mentoring walk SA. How did you make it? Basically a mentoring walk is an event whereby emerging women leaders (mentees) are partnered with established women leaders (mentors) along industries. It creates an opportunity where time is spent together to give the mentee an opportunity to learn from the mentor and establish the mentorship relationship for the year ahead as they “walk in the park”. This
Shana Kay Derman: Perfection is something that I’ve always strived for
The first time I met Shana Kay Derman, she was dancing along to a music performance at a women in technology conference. Actually, she was the only person in the whole room dancing, so naturally I joined her. I will admit, I was bit shocked to see her go up on stage a few minutes later. Not only was she a speaker, but she was the Chief Innovator and co-founder of a successful internet security company. With a refreshingly authentic leadership style reminiscent of leaders like Richard Branson, Shana heads up innovation at IntelliCred in Johannesburg. While there remains a noted absence of women founder’s in the tech space, Shana has managed to find success. Who better to meet up with for a little inspiration? You have built an amazing tech company. Looking back on your journey, what do you wish you could have done differently? My journey is still very much in progress, but what is always top of mind is being less afraid. Being more willing to take risks is something that as a woman, I always thought was more of a “me” thing than a gender thing. But over 25+ years, and engaging with women from all walks of life, many of them including myself admitted to not big risk takers. An example of when I should have spoken up and taken a risk was with my first business. I wish I would have had the opportunity to purchase a larger share of the company I was building. At the time, I didn’t feel I was worthy of asking, when in hindsight, I definitely was. Another aspect of business that I wish I had been more vocal about was questioning things. I learned not to assume that if someone is older, or in the industry for longer, or even seen as knowledgeable, that anything they claimed should be taken as fact. Questioning engagements, partnerships, points of view, opinions and especially advice is something that I do more now. Whenever I feel that the point does not sit well with me or simply does not make sense, I question it. I know you worked incredibly hard in your first company. With that in mind I can’t imagine you being afraid to ask for the full value of your contribution. I’ve heard similar stories a little too often. With the wisdom of hindsight, how can women begin to have their value realized in the workplace? In my opinion, gender-roles are responsible for women (and I am referring to my experiences here and the stories shared by my female friends and peers) not valuing themselves in the business place. Sheryl Sandberg’s Leanin.org published a statistic that a man will apply for a job with only meeting 60% of the criteria where a woman will want to meet 100% of the criteria to apply for the same job. This takes me back to risk-taking and raises the topic of assertiveness. Being assertive doesn’t mean being a b***h or being a horrible person, it means we need to speak up more. Speaking up more means we start to be seen. Ensuring that our team members see and acknowledge the work we do is one of the ways that we can ensure that our value is visible. Perhaps men value themselves more because they are allowed to experiment a lot more when they are younger? As children, girls are not nurtured nearly enough to hone the skills that allow us to show and feel value, in a business context. However, having said all that, to me the essence of value resides in women supporting and uplifting each other. Women and men should consider showcasing women more as there are so many doing amazing things who no one ever gets to hear about. At this stage you have successfully brought your idea to life. What advice do you have on shattering our personal glass ceilings and nurturing entrepreneurship qualities? I believe that there are two core qualities in entrepreneurs that cannot be taught. The one is perseverance and the other is drive or vision. Perseverance is key to sustaining the entrepreneurship spirit. You’ll go through many challenges before successes and the challenges are many. A few tips on shattering any personal glass ceilings are: Constantly educate yourself, especially on the essentials of the marketplace. Find a mentor that can give you support and a boot in the butt when needed, and hone your skills irrespective of gender. Having a mentor is also key to challenging my thinking when I am in a rutt. Drive or vision is the key sustainer for me. Have a vision greater than yourself. Doing a greater good for the world at large while building a successful profitable business is something I’ll always come back to. I’ve heard it said that tech is ‘the great leveler’. Meaning that, it’s a space that doesn’t care about gender, as long as your product is good. Have you found this to be true? I would not say that tech doesn’t care about gender. It remains a very male-dominated industry. What I will say is that when you build something, no-one cares if a male or female built it. All they care about is that it works the way it is meant to. In this regard, tech is a leveler. In the beginning of my technology career, I worked ten times harder because the field was so sparse with women. Over time and feeling more confident in my ability (due to educating myself and working hard), I had to prove myself less and less. You do of course still come across the chauvinistic person every now and then. I deal with that by always speaking up in meetings or contribute to sessions where my contribution makes sense. I imagine being one of so few women in the industry you must have felt the need to be close to perfect? Perfection is something that I’ve always strived for in everything I do. With that said, I realize that one cannot
Irene Charnley: We women will lead fundamental change on our continent #SheHiveJoburg
[bctt tweet=”Have the conviction & fortitude to put forth your ideas – Irene Charnley #SheHiveJoburg” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Irene Charnley is an ex-MTN exec who led the company’s expansion into Nigeria and Iran. She’s also now a telecoms founder whose company, Pan-African, reigns supreme in Nigeria, Uganda, Tanzania and Congo. At #SheHiveJoburg Irene Charnley dazzled the crowd by sharing the key principles she has followed throughout her career to get to where she is today. With a net worth of around $150 million, it was clear to all in the room that Irene knows a thing or two about being a Motherland Mogul. Irene’s key principles to follow if you want to be successful Have some core values and let them guide you The most important relationship you will ever have is with yourself. According to Irene, when it comes to succeeding in business and in life, you have to realize that there is no magic out there, the magic is within you. You must cultivate some core values rooted in integrity, as these will help guide and sustain you on whatever path you choose to follow. Irene shared that her core value is this: everything is possible. There is always a way, it is up to you to find it. She talked about the difficulties she and her partner faced when trying to secure a building for their business. They faced challenges in getting landlords to rent to them. But having this “everything is possible” attitude, they were persistent in knocking on doors till someone finally let them in the building. “What are the core value that drove you to action everyday?”, Irene opened this question to the audience and the awesome ladies of #SheHiveJoburg shared some of the following responses: “I have the power to make everything I want come true”, “Be truthful to yourself and to others”, “Always follow through on your promises”, “Be present in everything that you do, both physically and psychologically”. Irene encouraged everyone in the audience to be true to their values every single day, to forget everyone else and please themselves first, to simply, “Be you!” [bctt tweet=”Irene Charnley’s core value is simple, everything is possible! #SheHiveJoburg” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Always aim to be a subject matter expert Irene talked about the importance of working twice as hard as everyone else in the room to become the expert, the one that people turn to when they want an explanation of how things work. This is the only way to stay ahead of the competition and to become comfortable being in a position of power and influence. When you prepare diligently, you’ll begin to see things outside the box and are able to come up with solutions that no one else has thought of yet. At the end of every day, you ought to ask yourself, “What did I learn today that was worth it for me?” My key takeaway from Irene’s wisdom was, “Know that it’s about you, know what your core values are and always be prepared”. [bctt tweet=”The only way to stand ahead of competition is to work twice as hard – Irene Charnley” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Business is logic. Business sense is common sense Sometimes what trips most people up on the way to success, especially when it comes to success in business, is that they waste too much time overthinking things. Women especially have the tendency to dwell too long on things. We are afraid to speak up and share our ideas because we feel like someone in the room must have a better one. Irene shared a very important lesson on this topic. After having spent a lot of time in several boardrooms, one thing that became clear was that no one in the room has all the answers. Have the conviction and the fortitude to put forth your ideas, even if they will be shot down or criticized. Use every opportunity as a learning point: ask questions, share your ideas, learn from others. That’s the only way to keep growing. Find voices you trust. Keep them around you Again, as women we have this tendency to want to shoulder all our burdens ourselves and fight and toil to get the answers we need. But Irene, as successful as she is, shared a key insight, “You can’t go through this journey alone. You need to find your angels and let them help you out along the way”. Irene talked about the importance of having mentors to guide you by offering advice and a fresh perspective. Also of importance is being a role model yourself to someone else who is a bit behind you on the same path. And as a sign of putting your money where your mouth is, Irene offered to share her email and phone number with all the ladies in the room. She promised to be available to mentor anyone who felt they could benefit from talking to her. [bctt tweet=”At #SheHiveJoburg Irene Charnley offered to be a mentor. See what else you missed out on” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Be a value-add. To everyone. All the time For a minute, stop and think about you. What is it that you bring to the table, to your business, to your community that no one else does? What is it that you do differently that makes you so special? Irene reminded us that we all have gifts that we should be nurturing. It is up to us to bring these gifts with us to every relationship or partnership. We should start to view entrepreneurship as a way to add value to what is already out there. Build sensible relationships, sensitively Last but not least, Irene talked about the important of relationships. Of cultivating the right relationships, with the right people at the right time. On the journey to success, we must strive to do our best to listen and learn, and to truly understand where others are coming from so that we might know how to best serve them. Irene ended her talk on
SLA Networking Brunch in Cape Town
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”16310″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]Cape Town we’re coming for you! We are so excited to be hosting our first event in Cape Town, South Africa on 15 November, 2016. We love connecting with our community and helping young women build the skills they need for successful careers and businesses. We’re excited to host an intimate and engaging brunch for young women who are ready to turn their creative passions into sustainable businesses. Join SLA cofounder Afua Osei for an intimate and engaging conversation around how we can turn our creative passion into sustainable and profitable businesses. Host: Afua Osei is a co-founder and digital guru of She Leads Africa, a community that helps young African women achieve their professional dreams. Shes been all over the world with her career serving as a Fulbright Scholar in Malaysia, working in the Office of First Lady Michelle Obama in the White House, and working on more than 6 different political campaigns as a strategy and communications consultant. She moved to Nigeria in 2012 to serve as a business and operations consultant at McKinsey & Company, advising large corporations and multinationals across 3 continents. She has a masters in public policy (MPP) and business administration (MBA) from the University of Chicago. What you’ll learn: How to identify the right customers for you (hint: it’s not everyone) How to understand what your potential customers are thinking and give to them what they want What you should be doing to get bigger brands and partners interested in you How to create a roadmap to grow your influence and revenue strategies for 2017 Not sure if you should attend a She Leads Africa event? You must be crazy! But in any case, this is what you can expect from a She Leads Africa experience: Fun and engaging content: We aren’t boring and strive to deliver business content in a fun and relatable way. Young women like yourself looking to make an impact: Our community is full of smart and ambitious young women who want to live their best professional lives. Access to real business experts: At our events we always have exceptional speakers who have been there and can show you how to do that [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”13784″ img_size=”300×200″ alignment=”center”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”13785″ img_size=”300×200″ alignment=”center”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”13783″ img_size=”300×200″ alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Find your way to Workshop17 [/vc_column_text][vc_gmaps link=”#E-8_JTNDaWZyYW1lJTIwc3JjJTNEJTIyaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZ3d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbSUyRm1hcHMlMkZlbWJlZCUzRnBiJTNEJTIxMW0xOCUyMTFtMTIlMjExbTMlMjExZDgyNy44MzEyMDI0MTAwNjU4JTIxMmQxOC40MTgxMzU3MjkyMDUzMzIlMjEzZC0zMy45MDcwMzg5OTg3OTAzNTUlMjEybTMlMjExZjAlMjEyZjAlMjEzZjAlMjEzbTIlMjExaTEwMjQlMjEyaTc2OCUyMTRmMTMuMSUyMTNtMyUyMTFtMiUyMTFzMHgwJTI1M0EweDNhYWRhNmU2N2JkYWYyNDQlMjEyc1dvcmtzaG9wMTclMjE1ZTAlMjEzbTIlMjExc2VuJTIxMnMlMjE0djE0NzgyMDI3NTAxMzMlMjIlMjB3aWR0aCUzRCUyMjYwMCUyMiUyMGhlaWdodCUzRCUyMjQ1MCUyMiUyMGZyYW1lYm9yZGVyJTNEJTIyMCUyMiUyMHN0eWxlJTNEJTIyYm9yZGVyJTNBMCUyMiUyMGFsbG93ZnVsbHNjcmVlbiUzRSUzQyUyRmlmcmFtZSUzRQ==”][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Twitter Chat with Iman Mkwanazi: Building your brand while in school (Nov 10)
Your university years are an important time to lay the groundwork of your career and build your brand. Many people even choose to begin a side hustle while in school. This side hustle can become a full blown business or just work towards establishing your authority in a certain field. While the idea of building a brand is great in theory, the practicalities of doing so can be daunting. We assure you it’s not too complicated. Building a brand consists of not acting a fool, and planning your moves. Whether you are looking to be a blogger, a model, an entrepreneur or simply be an authority in your field even before you receive your diploma, building your brand while in school is essential to all your future endeavors. Join us Thursday Nov. 10th for a twitter chat with South African entrepreneur, blogger & model, Iman Mwkwanazi. While studying for her BSc Honours, Iman was also hustling to co-found a construction company, build her modeling and blogging careers and establish herself as a creative director. Needless to say, it took lots of branding and planning ahead. She will be sharing her advice and processes for establishing her thriving brand while completing her studies. Whether you are in school or not, this webinar is one you will not want to miss. Some of the topics we’ll cover: What it means to have a brand Balancing school & your side hustle Finding and networking with people in the right industry Establishing your voice & authority early one What to do when your studies and the industry you are going into don’t align Webinar Details: Date: Thursday November 10, 2016 Time: 7:00am New York City // 12:00pm Lagos // 1:00pm Johannesburg Location: Follow She Leads Africa on twitter and use the hashtag #SLAChats Help us spread the word: [bctt tweet=”Tune into #SLAChats on twitter Nov. 10 @ 11am GMT to learn from @ImanMkwanazi about building your #brand in school:” via=”no”] About Iman Mkwanazi Iman Mkwanazi is a busy girl. As a Bsc Graduate, entrepreneur, blogger, model, creative director, influencer and speaker, she works with companies and brands to optimise their brand awareness through digital, content and social media marketing. She is also the co-founder of Mkweni Groundwork. Mkweni Groundwork was founded two years ago and they are contractors for City Parks and Studio Six interior design. In the short time that the company has been around, it has been featured in Forbes Woman Africa and Iman and her partner Nene Mboweni are Levi Pioneers Nation speakers. Iman is also the Creative Director and contributor for online magazine; MadMash, which focuses on lifestyle, health, wealth and fashion. She most recently covered Africa Fashion Week for MadMash. Iman has collaborated with various brands on an array of projects, including Puma, Spitz, and Styling for Mr. Price. Iman has also modeled for companies such as Edgars, Legit, Cell C, Adidas, Nike, Samsung and Foschini.
Tino Michelle Mavimba: Idle minds and hands fuel doubt
[bctt tweet=”@Kudzi_Siphiwe talks with Tino Michelle Mavimba, audio engineer and #MotherlandMogul” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] As a #MotherlandMogul, you know that comfort is the ultimate enemy of progress. Moving beyond the familiar is essential for growth. Tino Michelle Mavimba’s story illustrates this principle perfectly. She’s an Audio Engineer who is blazing a trail in South Africa’s audio production industry, which still has very few women. She has worked with the likes of Yasiin Bey (formerly known as Mos Def) and South Africa’s AKA. But before she set out on her mission of world domination, the ambitious Zimbabwean was a banqueting operative. I sat down with her to find out more about her journey. A few years ago, you had a nice job in hospitality, with a decent career trajectory. Then you decided it wasn’t for you and left. No smooth transition, you just ‘disrupted’ yourself! How did you convince yourself to pack up your bags in the UK, move to another continent, and start over in a totally new field? It was a very hard decision to make. I was someone who had a VIP parking spot in life’s comfort zone. I loved being comfortable, not taking risks and being in control of outcomes. But I reached a stage where I couldn’t ignore how divorced my job was from my talent and passion. For the first time in my life, I had to take ownership of my life, and that was scary. What was also scary was how isolated I felt. It persisted no matter how many people I consulted with, or how much encouragement I got. I accepted that at the end of the day I, and I alone, would bear the consequences of my decision. As a Zimbabwean, I’m aware that people still have traditional mind-sets about careers. I knew I could not expect a round of applause from many people for the choice I was about to make. ‘The dream’ is working out now, but in the challenging moments when you were starting out, you didn’t know it would. How did you push through moments when it seemed like you may have made the wrong choice? I think people who have the courage to ‘chase their dreams’ have a really tough emotional process to work through. For me, the question that always popped into my head was; “Is this realistic?” Over time, I resolved that my response to that should be: “It doesn’t matter”. I became so invested in what I was doing that I was willing to fail a couple of times until I achieved what I set out to achieve. I also found that idle minds and hands fuel doubt and that action is the best antidote to negativity; just keep going. [bctt tweet=”Tino Michelle Mavimba’s 4 pieces of advice to women looking to start over” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What advice would you give someone who is looking to start over? Do your research: Even though it may look like I just dropped the mic and left, a lot of research went into my move from the UK to South Africa. Connect with the right people, and get all the information you need together before you make any huge life changes. Don’t expect comfort: No matter how well you plan, you will be doing something you have never done before, and it will not be easy! You will need all the support you can get: Resist the urge to act like you have it all together. My parents, like-minded friends and SAE Institute were a huge asset to me in the transition. Get ready to create new measures of success: Traditional career path’s come with a level of prestige and ‘certainty’ that we use to measure success. It’s crucial to be very clear about what you want to do, and clearly define what success looks like to you. So fast forward to a few years, you have worked with some really great artists. We spoke briefly about the ‘imposter syndrome’, and how it makes it hard to fully own moments of success. How do you process your ‘big’ moments? The first call I got to work on a big project, I can honestly say I almost fainted! I have played small and just gone with the flow for a huge part of my life. The result of this is I felt undeserving, and the big moments were hard to fully own. I have had to be intentional about shifting my mind-set. By reflecting on the hard work, time and dedication that I put into sharpening my skills, I’m more able to own and celebrate my success. You told me a funny story —when you started out in the industry you wore a fake engagement ring. I notice you don’t wear the ring any more; what lessons have you drawn from being in such a male dominated space? When I started out, I was alarmed at how disproportionate the ratio of male to female was. It was a first for me, and honestly I felt out of place. I felt I had to prove that I was just as good as my male counterparts. In addition, some men see ‘female’ before they see ‘audio engineer’. This means that, not only are you not taken seriously, but you also have to deal with unwanted advances. For me, wearing that ring was a symbolic way of levelling the playing field. Looking back, I don’t know if it really was a deterrent! The reason I no longer wear it is because somewhere along the line, I internalized that symbol. I began to see myself as an audio engineer rather than a fish out of water. I am less annoyed now by men who have less than professional intentions. I am also far less apologetic about demanding that I be treated with respect. In short, I learned I couldn’t control my environment, so I took charge of how I processed it. [bctt tweet=”Tino Michelle Mavimba wore a fake engagement ring when she started out in the industry ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I’ve
Marcia Lebambo: I want to see my people in better conditions
[bctt tweet=”The Marcia Lebambo Foundation brings Spelling Bees to school learners in townships” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Marcia Lebambo is a woman passionate about developing marginalized communities in rural areas. A self-described village girl who came to Gauteng to claim her piece of gold, Marcia is giving back to the community through education in a unique way. Her foundation uses Spelling Bees to educate school children in rural areas and townships in South Africa. Marcia believes Spelling Bees are a great way to encourage confidence in children. Though she works as a senior campus officer and lecturer, Marcia is pursuing her PhD and is still digging for her gold. Tell us about the Marcia Lebambo Foundation The Marcia Lebambo Foundation was established in 2012 as a non-profit organization focusing on teaching school learners in townships and rural areas writing and reading skills. This is done using a popular competition called a Spelling Bee. In the competition, contestants are asked to spell a broad selection of words, usually with a varying degree of difficulty. This is a comprehensive learning process that allows children to learn the definition, pronunciation, and roots of the words. Learning grammar is not the only benefit, learners are able to enhance vocabulary, competitive spirit, greater knowledge, cognitive skills and confidence. Since 2012, over a thousand learners participated in the program. The initiative was motivated by improving the quality of basic education in the country, especially schools in the rural areas and townships. As an organisation, we believe that the fight for quality education cannot be the responsibility of government alone, but every South African. This is the reason why we are extending a hand to your organisation to help change the plight of our education system. What motivated you to starting Spelling Bees in South Africa? Coming from a rural school where the level of education was very poor, I didn’t value myself as a student. So when I joined TUT as a student in 2005, I felt like I didn’t belong and that affected my confidence a lot. After completing my degree, at only 19 in 2007, I then told myself that I cannot sit and feel sorry for myself. I had to do something not only for myself but other kids in similar backgrounds like mine. I wanted to go back and help kids from previously disadvantaged schools learn how to read and write. Because spoken words are written first, if you can master reading and writing you can master the speaking. In 2012, together with a group of volunteers, I founded the Marcia Lebambo Foundation which organises the Spelling Bee competitions. [bctt tweet=”If you can master reading and writing you can master the speaking” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Coupled with the rapid pace of social media and technology, writing has become a challenge globally, especially for learners in marginalised communities. I believe that if you cannot spell the word, you cannot read, and if you cannot read, you will not be able to write. We literally go school by school sending invitations and requesting collaborations from school teachers, principals and parents. It is very challenging because it is self-funded. But it is worth it. Do you have a favourite book or read much? I love biographies, they tell a story and invite the reader to meet the person behind the person. I call biographies intimate reads. Currently, I am reading Zuma, A Biography by Jeremy Gordin. In between, I’m also reading a local Author Sy Tshabalala’s book titled Being Positive in a Negative World, Daily Supplements of Inspiration. But the pace has been slow because I am doing my PhD which consumes a lot of time on research books and articles and a lot of writing. What keeps you awake at night? To see my community and people in better conditions than they were yesterday. Being raised by parents with no educational background and being the first in the family to receive a university qualification reminds me that I represent my entire community. That responsibility reminds me that I have to rise above the narrow confines of my individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity. I am driven by knowing that God has given us powers to be and do anything that we want in life, whether good or bad, the choice lies with us. I am also inspired by ordinary women with no education or employment who use whatever little resources available to sell fruits and vegetables to pay for their children’s education. My question daily is; If they can do it, what stops me? If the late Mandela could move the entire world behind prison bars, what is actually stopping me? That is what inspires me. Why did you choose your profession? I started with a course that I didn’t want to do because I didn’t apply on time to secure a space on the course I wanted which was law. So I went for any that was available and ended with administrative management. I completed it in Cum Laude because I wanted to quickly remove it from my face and register my all-time favourite. But as one can expect, life happened and I ended up doing so many other courses. My qualifications include: Diploma Administrative Management B-tech Strategic Management B-tech Public Management Masters in Entrepreneurship After so many years, it is only now that I have been accepted to study LLB. The plan is to complete my PhD first this year, 2016. I want to be an academic full-time. There still so much work to do especially in the black-dominated universities. [bctt tweet=”Marcia Lebambo was the first in her family to receive a university qualification” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How do you define family? Family is strength, family is love, family is light. To me, family is everything. They keep you grounded, when you go up they celebrate with you, when you go down they cry with you. They are our ultimate life cheerleaders. Three of my siblings are part of the Spelling Bee initiative. I must say