This is how you get into the fashion industry fast

[bctt tweet=”These are skills you should acquire to make a resounding break in the fashion industry” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I remember telling my mom that I wanted to be a fashion designer and she looked at me weirdly and told me that I had to choose a degree program that would land me a well-paying job. She thought fashion design wasn’t a proper fit for me, however I thought differently. Eventually, I decided to study media and society studies as this was close to fashion. I am no fashion expert by qualification however my love and passion for fashion qualifies me to point out what I believe you should acquire in order to make a resounding break into the fashion industry. 1. Fashion is about PASSION You have all watched a romantic soap that left you teary and caught in the bubble of the love affair portrayed. I have personally have also fallen in love with the heartthrob (and I am sure a lot of us are guilty of this). The passion that exudes between these characters actually drives haters to bring them apart, because their love will be flawless. This is the same passion you should exhibit when you want to venture into the fashion industry. Passion gives you the hope you need in asserting that you will compete against existing huge brands such as Louis Vuitton and Chanel and become a household name. It’s what has driven Mustafa Hassanali, a renowned Tanzanian designer who is a doctor by qualification to become a pan-African designer behind the Swahili Fashion Week. Passion makes you resilient and helps overcome whatever hurdles that you may encounter. Passion is an attribute you should possess, I think it is essential for a fashion breakthrough. 2. Determination Determination yields results as the fashion industry can be frustrating. It needs self-driven attitudes that are built on determination and willpower. It is no secret why determined individuals always succeed. They are unstoppable and don’t allow negativity to thrive within and around them. This skill I believe is essential for you to make a breakthrough in the fashion industry. It is essential for young designers to build on your drive and multiply it by keenly building your brand through effort and determination. With these skills, despite the negative feedback you might receive from fashion critics, your brand remains alive. A good example of a determined designer is Archel Bernard a Liberian designer who did not let financial setbacks hinder her dream for setting up a successful fashion business. Be a determined fashion designer and you will soar to great heights. [bctt tweet=”You should market your brand exuding both your passion and determination” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 3. Marketing your brand How you market your brand should exude both your passion and determination. This is to win over potential suppliers of your brand. As a less known brand in an already overwhelmed fashion world, it is quite vital for you to market your brand effectively. It’s at this point you have to sell your idea and show belief in it. If you are unsure, it weakens your stance. There are several products manufactured worldwide that cause long-term health complications. Yet the way these products are marketed exceeds the negative publicity associated with them. Think about that. 4. Believe in yourself and your brand Trust yourself and that you will make it despite the opinions channelled your way; appreciative, negative or hostile. Belief in oneself is simple, you have what it takes to become the best you and this is essential to break through the fashion industry. In believing in your brand, you resonate with unimaginable force that not only keeps you going but also makes others solidly trust in your line. Fashion designers like Farai Simoyi exude confidence and character. Before being senior designer of Nicki Minaj’s line, she worked for Beyonce as head denim designer for her and her mother’s line. Farai’s example shows that determination should be a factor that motivates your dream. The drive you possess can rub off on the right people you need to catapult your fashion design dream. [bctt tweet=”Patience produces character and this world needs an individual with tonnes of character” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 5. Perseverance Patience produces character and the world we live in needs an individual with tonnes of character. Established brands did not start from the top, they built their way and came out strong. If people fail to understand the concept being presented to them, don’t give up. Instead, implement the skills mentioned above and patiently await because perseverance eventually pays off. Patience is a virtue, remember Rome wasn’t built in a day. Let that be a motivation for your eventual breakthrough in the fashion industry. 6. Educate your fashion abilities With a little education, you cannot go wrong. Building a fashion business needs knowledge, you need to understand how the industry operates. Though most of us think fashion is just about cutting cloth and recreating trends, there’s more to it. Research your fashion venture and acquire the business acumen that guarantees profit. Produce a sound business plan to lure and keep investors. This applies to all fashion enthusiasts, educate yourself, perfect your fashion abilities and refine your fashion sense, go on to create your own line and manage your fashion business. These are the skills I think one needs to venture into the fashion industry. If you feel I left something out feel free to hit me up.
Makhosazana Ndlovu: No matter what happens, stay true to yourself

[bctt tweet=”Makhosazana Ndlovu is a woman slowly making her way through the media industry” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Makhosazana Ndlovu is a woman defined by her values. Her strong value system ensures that she sees through whatever decision she makes. This has helped her move forward in the media where she is slowly growing as a content creator and producer. When she is not working at Hillbrow Radio Makhosazana also works at a NGO which gives young people skills they need to navigate their lives and careers as they grow up. Read on to see how this young South African woman is doing her own thing and making strides in her career. Tell us about your work as a producer. How has it contributed to your life? My journey as a producer has been a whirlwind of emotions. But I believe that through this job I have grown a lot both as a person and as a content producer. One of the exciting things about content production is that I get the chance to use my creative juices. And of course, my line of thought gets to be articulated by other people. How did you start in the media world and what challenges have you faced? I started early this year and I was motivated by my passion for journalism. I had just finished my tertiary education and luckily there is a radio station (Hillbrow Radio) near my neighbourhood. I work at Hillbrow radio on a part time basis and I must admit that it is creating a leeway for me in media. With my job, I am honing my skills as far as content production, news reading and presenting is concerned. I am also starting to appreciate and understand the celebrity culture more. You’re also involved in women empowerment campaigns, why do you think women need to be empowered First, I am involved with women empowerment campaigns because women empowerment is one of the causes that I am passionate about. I think women need to be empowered because we still live in a society where women are marginalized and objectified. I feel like elements of socialization still play a role in how women are treated or treat themselves. Therefore, my vision is to see a society where women make their own decisions independently without influences of socialization or patriarchy. [bctt tweet=”My journey as a producer has been a whirlwind of emotions” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Tell us about the NGO you work with. Currently, I work at an NGO that aims to develop the youth from cradle to career. The experience has been absolutely amazing and I have learnt a lot as I have grown both professionally and in general. The feeling of helping young people makes me sleep peacefully at night and puts my heart at peace. What do you feel most proud of? I am proud of most of the decisions I have made in my life. I am also proud of having completed my degree in record time. Then again, I am also proud of the #womenforwomen campaign that I put together with a colleague of mine. If you could travel anywhere, where would you go and why? I would go to China, just to see the Great Wall of China. [bctt tweet=”Helping young people makes me sleep peacefully at night and puts my heart at peace” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What words of advice would you give other young women? No matter what happens, stay true to yourself and stand for what you believe. Hey South African #MotherlandMoguls, the SheHive will be in Johannesburg from November 3-6. Find out more here.
Linda Mabhena-Olagunju: Entrepreneurs must learn to take calculated risks

[bctt tweet=”If you really want to venture into business you have to risk looking stupid.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] At SLA, we are always super excited to interview young African women that are trailblazers, game changers, leaders and positive role models for other African women. Linda Mabhena-Olagunju has all of the above qualities and more. Linda holds two law degrees: an LL.B. from the University of Cape Town and an LL.M. from the University of Aberdeen. She is the Managing Director at DLO Energy Resources, a renewable energy investment and advisory company based in Johannesburg. She is also the founder of the Renewables and Energy Forum in South Africa. Linda has received a number of awards. She received the 2015 Forbes Women Africa Best Emerging Entrepreneur Award. She also recently received the 2016 Elle Boss entrepreneurial award and the 2016 All Africa Business Leadership Award (Young Business Leader of the Year – Southern Africa). Congratulations Linda! Linda shares with SLA contributor Abisola, her challenges in the renewable energy sector, her entrepreneurial journey and her advice for young African female entrepreneurs. Did your legal education and training prepare you for entrepreneurship? I have always said being a lawyer gives you an overview of how a transaction works so that you get to understand the business model of a particular sector industry. Legal practice, not just my law degrees, prepared me to an extent for business. However, lawyers also tend to be risk averse, as our job entails avoiding risk. My legal training made me more afraid to take risks but after a while in the entrepreneurial space I learnt to take calculated risk. For a lawyer, that means risks that have gone through two sets of thorough due diligence. What would you attribute your current success to? Maximized opportunities or sheer good luck? Hard work, coupled with God opening the doors that needed to be opened and placing me in places and situations I had never imagined. I also attribute it to a strong support system. I stress a lot and my parents have been great pillars of support during these periods. My father, especially, who believed in my vision when I had basically no support. My husband also has this innate sense of calm and wisdom. His counsel has been the difference between me quitting at times and staying in the race. [bctt tweet=”Linda Mahbena-Olagunju recently received the 2016 Elle Boss entrepreneurial award ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What three things can help African women achieve their professional or entrepreneurial goals? Self – belief. God/Higher power belief. A real support structure, whether it be family or friends. What peculiar challenges do you face in the renewable energy sector, especially as you seek to expand to other African countries? A major challenge is regulatory clarity. Most countries in Africa need power but they do not create an enabling environment, at times, to encourage investment. Renewable energy projects are funded largely by banks and anyone that has ever borrowed money from a bank knows that lenders are averse to risk especially government risk and regulatory risk. [bctt tweet=”My husband’s counsel has been the difference between me quitting and staying in the race” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] The other challenge which is particular to Southern Africa, is falling tariffs. We have seen tariffs fall rapidly due to competitive price bidding. This is great for consumers, but may be a challenge for new investors that have to raise funds to finance projects. If you could go back in time, what advice would you give your younger self? You may be going through tough times now, but God has an amazing life planned for you. What final piece of advice do you have for aspiring female entrepreneurs? Take the first step. It may seem like a stupid idea but if you really want to venture into business you have to risk looking stupid. Hey South African #MotherlandMoguls, the SheHive will be landing in Johannesburg from November 3-6. Find out more here.
Refilwe Kumalo: The South African content junkie

[bctt tweet=”We have so much to learn from each other but we lack the time to.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Have you ever wondered what it takes to produce the content of your favorite television programme? Refilwe Kumalo is from South Africa and she is a content junkie who produces television shows that keep you both informed and entertained. Content is information and experiences which are directed to audiences or users. Refilwe’s purpose is to create content that will be consumed so knowledge can be transferred. She has to spark conversations that can inspire people to be better. She works hard at producing content that is entertaining and leaves one wanting more. Refilwe wants to be able to create memorable content that will leave a mark in society. What are you most passionate about? People… I believe that everyone has something to offer the world. Everyone has something good and remarkable to offer. My work has made me realize how important it is to treat every single person delicately. I studied Anthropology as a major for this very reason, which is to be able to study human norms and values in our society. We have so much to learn from each other but we lack the time to. People’s perspectives need to be documented so stories could be told and generations to come can learn from them. As vast and different South Africa is as a nation, it has many facets and molds. Every child, household, taxi driver, miner, men-in-service, artist has a story to tell. Who is your biggest inspiration? Funny enough a lot of people inspire me every day of my life. The ordinary person who wakes up every day to fulfill their dreams inspires me. There are many individuals in our country doing remarkable things in different fields. I’m inspired by people who work hard and who dream big. For me it’s not about how much money you make but how you change people’s lives through the work you do. It’s about creating jobs which will put food on the table and take children to school. [bctt tweet=”The ordinary person who wakes up every day to fulfill their dreams inspires me” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] A few people who inspire me are Khanyi Dhlomo, Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche, Basetsana Kumalo, Dr. Precious Motsepe, Folorunsho Alakija, Isabel Dos Santos, Victoria Beckham, Oprah Winfrey, Mamokgethi Phakeng, Nunu Ntshingila, Thuli Madonsela and Serena Williams. These women are game changers and I follow their work. What is the most interesting television show you have worked on? Every show I’ve worked on in my ‘short’ career has been interesting and has taught me what I know today about television. From Diski Divas, which is a reality show about South African soccer wives to Mzansi Insider, which I am currently in production of. Right now, I have enough experience to conceptualise an entire episode on my own. It’s a process but one which I’ve grown to appreciate. I’ve been privileged enough to work with great producers who allow my voice to be heard. It is rewarding to see my work and ideas play out on the screen and also see viewer responses. What makes a great television show? These days television content is measured by how much it’s talked about on social media and if it trends. Well unfortunately, Twitter trends won’t get show ratings. What makes a great TV show is the experience and message it leaves the viewer with. A great show’s content is what keeps audiences tuned in and it will result in high ratings. A lot of elements go into putting together a great TV show and in my opinion, the team behind the show plays an important role. [bctt tweet=”What makes a great TV show is the experience and message it leaves the viewer with.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Being in television production I am privileged to see a show from its conception. Therefore, there are many aspects to a great TV show. From the team which is pre- and post-production, the content which is the topics on the show and what message they drive which will of course, give you high ratings. Where do you see yourself in media ? Definitely in conceptualizing futuristic content. Content which will engage the youth to think better and be better people. Where will African media be in the next five years ? Firstly, we need to treat media as informative tool not just for entertainment. I see media in Africa being driven by young people in the next five years. The biggest voices we have today are the young people who use smartphones and social media to drive content. It’s amazing to see a lot big stories today being broken with the use of media platforms. [bctt tweet=”I see media in Africa being driven by young people in the next five years.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] In the same breath, all media platforms have to be monitored by stakeholders so that it can be used in the right manner and be preserved. What is the last thing I watched on TV and why? Botched! Hahaha I’m a sucker for reality TV. As I said, I believe that people need to tell their own stories which will in turn teach people lessons. Botched is an interesting yet daunting show that exposes you to body image alterations which people have done to themselves. With the rise of body image issues in Africa like skin lighting and back door plastic surgery, it is an informative show. We need to create content which seeks to engage these issues which our society faces and depict the long term results of altering or modifying our bodies in any form. If you were a mobile app, which app would you be? I would be Twitter, mainly because it drives a lot of content and allows users to be news makers. The simplicity of it is what makes it the number one go to for us content researchers. One is able to follow trending topics all over the world by
Sandra Lopez: Value extends far beyond money

Group travel is in at the moment and X-Plaw Travel is one group-based travel company aimed at taking young South Africans outside their borders. Sandra Lopez is the Founder and Managing Director of the Pretoria-based company, A firm believer in the power of “Africa by Africans”, through X-Plaw Sandra focuses on African destinations first for tourism and travel. Although it took a while to discover her passion, when she found it Sandra would work 9 hours after her day job building X-Plaw. As Sandra grew up in an organisation for orphaned and abandoned children, she’s also passionate about giving back through her travel initiatives. Read on to find out how Sandra’s grooming a generation of travel-hungry South Africans. How do you think X-Plaw Travel will disrupt the African travel industry? By bringing great affordable quality valued tours and experiences to our customers. This is and has always been our mandate. I believe that value is something which extends far beyond the monetary. It includes but is not limited to the type of service you give to your customers, how much you engage with them, how much you allow them to feel part of what you are building and how much you allow them to connect with the people they meet on these journeys. Education is also a key factor for us, most of our travellers have not travelled outside of their home towns or outside of South Africa. For them to experience going out of the country for the first time with us, is an experience that even we get to appreciate with them. In most instances, they return from these tours richer in knowledge having learnt something totally new about a different country and its people. Why do you think young people should explore Africa more? I am a firm believer of “Africa by Africans”, we are the only ones who have the power to change how our continent is perceived by the outside world. We are the only ones who can tell our stories better. I feel that in many ways, Africa is being misrepresented by the global media. Half the time, this forces people to forget the beauty that surrounds us, sometimes even by ourselves. Travelling thus gives us an opportunity to understand ourselves better as a people, our roots, our cultures, our heritage. It also paints a picture which allows us to understand vividly that we are all connected as Africans and as a human race in some way or the other. Only when we are fully comfortable and confident with who we are, will it become much easier for us to invite other young people from other countries to experience this diversity with us. How have you combined giving back initiatives with your travel company? Giving back has always been at the fore of what we do as a company. It is actually something that is very personal to me. All our tours have give back initiatives tied to them. On a 5-6 day tour for example, one day is dedicated to enriching the lives of the less fortunate. In countries where we are not able to actively engage in these initiatives due to certain constraints, we pledge the funds to local projects in South Africa. We have also just launched the “One Traveller, One Child” initiative. Where for every traveller who tours with us, we will send a disadvantaged kid on a weekend camp educating them about nature, travelling and most importantly about themselves. Hopefully in a few years, we would be able to look back and realise that we have groomed a generation rich with an appetite for travelling. What did you have in place before you quit your engineering job to focus on X-Plaw? A lot of things actually. An idea, passion, a sketchy plan and a few Bible verses, but mostly I had will power & determination. Nothing beats the will to want to succeed and see something grow from an idea into something tangible. Every day after my 9-5 job, I would get home to read, research and work on X-Plaw for an additional 9 hours. This went on for a full year until I decided that I was ready to let go of one. In what ways has your childhood shaped your passion today? As a kid I was an all-rounder and an overachiever, which meant that with most academic subjects or activities I participated in, I excelled. This actually made it quite hard for me to discover what I truly was passionate about. I grew up in an organisation called the S.O.S Children’s in Ennerdale, south of Johannesburg. It’s an organisation for orphaned and abandoned children. As ironic as it sounds, we were raised to believe in ourselves and to always extend a helping hand to others less fortunate. We were extremely fortunate growing up at the village. After school we were kept busy with sports and extra mural activities. During school holiday we were fortunate enough to travel or go out camping. This, in many ways is how my love for travelling started. However, I only truly discovered my passion for it much later in life. In your opinion, what is needed to successfully travel in a group? An open and curious mind. Travelling with an open mind gives you perspective, you see the world through different eyes, you appreciate things more. In some instances, you get to understand how little others have. You also learn to be patient, as time almost no longer defines your schedules. You get to slow down and enjoy the moments. Stay curious, by doing so you learn to expect the unexpected. And most of all, you learn something new every day. Hey South African #MotherlandMoguls, the SheHive will be in Johannesburg from November 3-6. Find out more here.
Lessons we can learn from Lynette Ntuli’s success

Many women in Africa and the world are making great strides in their respective industries. It’s also common that when you have someone you look up to, it’s usually someone in the field that you are in. Whether you’re in tech, construction, or engineering. We tend to overlook other women in other industries because we have that perception that our role models should be within an industry we’re familiar with. This doesn’t have to be the case. As a woman in the tech industry, my admiration for Lynette’s work ethic and passion was welcomed. I was introduced to Lynette Ntuli when I was previously at an incubator and accelerator and looking into which successful women we would approach to be a speaker at a conference. I’ve followed her journey since then. Lynette is in property, asset management and infrastructure development. She is the CEO of Innate Investment Solutions based in Durban, South Africa. She also has a passion for youth development and leadership and is also the Founding Director and Chairman of IgniteSA.com. She’s definitely a force to be reckoned with! Here are a few lessons we can learn from Lynette’s success and how she keeps making a difference: Be consistent For the past 11 years, Lynette has been a powerhouse in the making. One thing about her is that she does not stop achieving her dreams. From being the first black woman at the age of 24, to become the General Manager of one of Durban’s regional shopping centers to being the Co-Founder and CEO of a property, asset management and infrastructure solutions company. Tip: Lynette keeps consistent by focusing on not losing momentum. She believes that in anything you do, you will probably fall. Try and do things over again until you get it right. What is important is to keep your head high through all the trials. Help others grow In your pursuit of greatness and achieving your professional, personal and entrepreneurial goals, it is important to pay it forward. Some people make paying it forward their daily bread, and their passion. For others, you gain years of experience and want to share what you know. Sharing this knowledge will lead to making an impact in someone else’s life, whether the impact is big or small. At the age of 25, Lynette and 3 of her friends wanted to continue empowering others. This is where IgniteSA.com, a youth-oriented digital media and programme platform, grew. They had already grown their skills, and networks and wanted to share them with young South Africans from all sorts of backgrounds. From there onwards, they built an ecosystem in education, skills development and entrepreneurship. This initiative was to help change the future of South African youth. Work hard One may not work tirelessly, chase their goals and dreams, be successful and not have worked hard for it. Great work ethic and hard-work is what will get you where you want to be. This is evident in Lynette’s success and how she continuously pushes herself. Tip: When what you do on a day-to-day basis is your passion, it definitely is a bonus. It makes the hard work seem effortless so keep pushing #MotherlandMoguls! Stay true to yourself It’s important to also stay true to yourself when looking into grow into your career or business. This is one lesson that all women should keep in mind when on the road to success. Yes, we can look up to many people in our industries and in other industries. But staying true to who you are, and what YOU want to achieve will be key in continuing in your journey to success.
Fundi Zwane: It’s critical for artists to be exposed to business

Who says you have to choose between being creative and working in the corporate world? Fundi Zwane believes you can have both. As a Motherland Mogul, Fundi manages to successfully combine two unusual passions; art and the corporate world. Through her Industrial Theatre, Phezulu-Phambili, Fundi translates boring policies into informative theatrical shows. When she’s not running her creative/artistic company, Fundi acts and has appeared on soapies such as Generations. Find out why people in the performing arts should be exposed to business and the one important skill all artists need below. Why do you think people in the performing arts should be exposed to business? I think it is critical for artists to be exposed to business as it helps them navigate spaces beyond the creative world. It is a great arsenal in their “toolbox” when negotiating things like contracts and issues of strategically placing themselves as brands. It also adds enormous value to their package as an artist. Another way it comes in handy is that sometimes, as artists, we go through what we call “dry seasons” when there is not a lot of acting work available. So having a background in business can really assist in coming up with ways to sustain yourself during this period as it encourages thinking out-of-the-box and beyond your comfort zone. How does your Industrial Theatre, Phezulu-Phambili Collective merge both passions seamlessly? Phezulu-Phambili merges the corporate and creative worlds by taking something like a policy or a piece of legislation and presenting it in manner that is “out-of-the-box”. Another component that becomes critical is understanding the audience that you present that piece of Industrial Theatre to. Usually, it is a non-theatre going audience and most times, it’s their first contact with the creative world. So it becomes incumbent on my company to make the experience unforgettable and memorable. Phezulu-Phambili takes what is usually mundane, black and white, full of jargon and brings it to life! That is how we marry the worlds of corporate and creative seamlessly. How have you successfully combined your passions for art and the corporate world? What I mark as success is when Phezulu-Phambili did contracts for BROLL (one of the biggest property realtors in SA) and recently Transnet (one of the biggest parastatals in SA). The way we were able to interpret and communicate their health and safety policies through theatre was, for me, magical. I deem a project a success based on the response we get during and after a performance -and obviously the request for more business. It is always a gratifying feeling and makes all the hours spent combing through a policy and interpreting it through the creative process of writing and rehearsals worth it. I also consider it a success when Phezulu-Phambili manages to go into the corporate space and get people to engage with a policy in a way that is fun and interactive because of the way we present it to them. What keeps you going as a young black South African woman? What keeps me going as a young South African woman in business is an insatiable desire to succeed and leave a legacy. Not only for my daughter but for other young women who have dared to go into business in a country where the economic scales are still so imbalanced. Transformation, especially in the corporate space, is non-existent. I want to be part of the pulse changing the narrative of African woman, a pulse celebrating our glory and showcasing us as the amazing, determined success we are. What also keeps me going is my 3-year-old daughter, Bella-Rose. I’ve always wanted to be a mother that models black excellence to my daughter. Being a single mother in business has NOT been easy. There are times when you feel overwhelmed and want to throwing in the towel for something “easier” seems like the the “better” option. But keeping focused on the goal of leaving a legacy for my daughter and all other women who look up to me keeps me going. My motto is, ” I don’t stop because it gets hard, I stop when the work is finished”. What is one seemingly insurmountable challenge you’ve faced and how did you overcome it? One challenge that is forever present is the issue of capital. Be it to start a big project or to expand as the demand for work grows. This can be a very stressful and sometimes, a seemingly insurmountable challenge. The art of business, I believe, is the relationships you nurture and foster over the years. So in times where money needs to show up for operational purposes and the business coffers are running dry, there are strategic business synergies I have formed with people who are willing to assist. Creating a culture of taking care of each other financially is important. This obviously comes with one having to practice absolute financial integrity. Once our coffers are replenished, we give back what was borrowed to in times of need. You spent 4 years on the soapie Generations, what advice would you give on maintaining business relationships for the long run? I believe maintaining business relationships is absolutely crucial as I’ve mentioned above. Acting on a soapie like Generations really did teach me that. I always advise on maintaining a good working relationship, especially with people you enjoy working with, people who inspire you to do more and people who believe in your vision for success. What business skills do you think an actress must definitely have? As an actress, you MUST have the business skill of negotiating. This, I believe, is really important and makes people take you seriously. Be it negotiating a contract, or negotiating with producers/ writers about a storyline for the character you are playing, it is an important skill. I once witnessed actress Nambitha do this on the set of Generations and I gained such a profound respect for her. Nambitha knew her character in and out and there was a line in the
Twitter Chat with Thokozile Mangwiro: Starting a natural hair business in Africa (Oct. 27th)

All you natural hair ladies out there know that the struggle can be too real. Between trying to find products that work for your hair, to looking for products with organic ingredients. These struggles can be further exasperated when you live on the continent and you want to buy local or you have aunties telling you to go fix your hair. Now put this all in the context of trying to start a natural hair brand and you’ve got quite a complicated recipe on your hands. It’s in these complicated situations where champions are born and Thokozile Mangwiro is one such champion. After being unable to find locally made natural hair products in her native South Africa, she decided to start her own line. Join us Thursday Oct. 27th for a Twitter Chat with Thokozile as she shares how she built her natural hair business, Nilotiqa, in South Africa and her advice for other naturals and budding entrepreneurs. Whether you’re an African natural, a natural hair product junkie or an aspiring entrepreneur in the beauty industry, you don’t want to miss this chat. Follow She Leads Africa on twitter and use the hashtag #SheHiveJoburg to ask your questions and participate in the discussion. Topics that we’ll cover: What it’s like being natural in South Africa The importance of buying localy products How to start a natural hair line, from resources to customers and more Advice for natural hair ladies and apiring entreprenuers Twitter chat details Date: Thursday Oct. 27, 2016 Time: 1pm NYC // 6pm Lagos // 7pm Joburg Location: Follow She Leads Africa on twitter and use the hashtag #SheHiveJoburg About Thokozile Mangwiro It is in growing her own natural hair for the past 15 years that Thokozile Mangwiro found her inspiration to create a natural hair care product line. After going to several salons and an endless search of locally produced products that truly work for afro natural hair, it was clear that there was a HUGE gap in the market for professionally formulated products for natural hair. Thokozile, like many other women, struggled with extremely dry hair. This and the lack of knowledge led to intense research and experimentation of natural ingredients such as Shea butter and avocado oil for skin and hair. After several years of research, formulations and product testing, Thokozile launched Nilotiqa, a line of products that are proudly made with organics, natural and naturally formed ingredients to deeply moisturize and nourish ethnic Hair. Thokozile Mangwiro is an Information Technology Masters graduate from the University of South Africa, with over 8 years’ experience in the database administration, analysis and intelligence industry. She is a wife and mother of two energetic boys, Anesu and Omari. She is born and bred in South Africa, Johannesburg. A budding entrepreneur, she is driven and passionate by empowering and inspiring other women to feel naturally beautiful through products that are made in South Africa, are of the highest quality, are beautiful and luxurious, to showcase to the world.
Pretoria Girls High School: 5 lessons I learned from African girls fighting for their Afros

If you have not been living under a rock, you must have heard about the news that ruled the headlines last month. A group of girls in South Africa —who we would all like to adopt into our #SquadGoals— protested against their school for the subliminal and direct ways that they were being racist towards them. The subject in question was their natural hair. As an African living in the US, this trending topic about how unprofessional and untamed natural hair is, is not new to me. Growing up in Ghana, I had heard all the “hair is distracting” arguments. This is why most African girls rocked bald cuts for most of our childhood. What was news to me however, was someone telling African children that their natural hair was unnatural. There is a difference between distracting and unnatural. It’s like going to a school in London and telling the school children that their natural British accents were unnatural. From rocking a bald cut, to having permed strands to now growing kinky curls, I have experienced all the angles on the subject of ‘African Hair’. These are the 5 thoughts I had as I marvelled at the girls from Pretoria Girls High School. Stop telling us what to do with OUR hair Whether permed or kinky, whether braided or dreaded…African women know what they want to do to their hair. And we don’t need your two cents. If African women have to defend their hair everywhere else, should Africa be one of those places? When I heard this story in the news, the first question I had was “Where can we stand?” African features have been under attack since long before we can all remember. From our broader nose to our bigger lips. And now our hair. The fact that African features was being attacked in Africa of all places was unbelievable to me. I felt insulted, that this fight had found its way into our backyard. Are Africans not supposed to find a safe haven in their home? Representation matters I immediately thought of Sarafina when I saw Zulaikha Patel fighting with her fist up for what she believed in. African Americans and other minorities in America, fight every day to be represented respectfully in film, culture and the arts….so should African children not be represented in Africa where they belong home? We should not be denied the freedom of seeing people who look just like us and with hair just like ours. It warms my heart to know that almost thirty years after the movie Sarafina came out, these girls in Pretoria where able to draw the same kind of strength to stand up for what they believed in. Don’t tell us how to fight the issues that only affect us Don’t you love it when the people who are least affected by an issue tell the people most affected by the issue how to cope. (Looking at you, #AllLivesMatter). The problem with telling young girls to ignore the racial issues going on in their schools is that we neglect the fact that they will have to still deal with these same issue when their future employers are telling them their Afro is unprofessional. Problem #2 with the statement in the image above: How do you expect black girls to excel academically if they have to deal with the mental chains of society telling them that their blackness is unnatural? We are strong but we are tired of defending ourselves We are tired of defending our darker skin. Tired of explaining why saying “You are pretty for a dark skin girl” is not a compliment. Tired of hearing the snide comments about how our hair would be more manageable if it was straighter. Tired of hearing how the traits that are most natural to us are somehow unnatural. Teach girls to fight The future of Africa lies in the people who dare to fight for it….and the girls in Pretoria Girls High School fighting for their Afros are all kinds of #goals. These girls came together to raise their voices and change the dialogue in the culture. These girls stood up and peacefully protested. They got made the world listen. They captured the attention of world leaders, all because they decided to be girls who fight. Girls need to be taught that they too have the power to fight for a good cause. Fighting to change the world is not just an exclusive club for Nelson Mandela and other men. African girls can change the world if they will only fight.
Lona Mnguni: Motivation is like happiness, it shows on the outside

Some women look unemployment in the face without fear. When Lona Mnguni found herself unemployed after leaving her service consultancy job, she came up with Gracenet Logistics. Gracenet is a social entrepreneurship venture that aims to improve livelihoods in rural areas and townships in South Africa through logistics and distribution. When Lona shared her story with SLA, we learned that she has high strengths in empathy and motivation. Lona lets us know her tips on keeping herself and her small team motivated. She also reminded us of the importance of leading from a place of understanding. Tell us about the inspiration that led you to start Gracenet Logistics? Starting Gracenet Logistics was a case of making lemonade out of lemons while simultaneously creating an impact in rural areas. I grew up in a rural town and during school holidays, we would visit “home” in our rurals. I’ve always wanted to improve life for those who live in rural areas in one way or another. The opportunity presented itself at a time where I found myself unemployed. The only experience and qualifications I had were in banking, logistics and customer service. What better way to create the impact I wanted, create employment and also do something about my own unemployment than to create something that will combine my interests? Gracenet brings together my love for rural areas and the lack of access to resources because of a delay in logistics to them. As well as procedures and customer satisfaction measures that would ensure that timelines are in place and communicated to the end user. Why did you decide to leave your job as a service consultant? I wanted more, I had worked in my job for two years and found that in that time it was going to take me ages to move on to the next level. I wanted growth, and to develop as an individual. When I resigned, I had not resigned with the intention to start Gracenet. I resigned to join another organization in a position just above the one I was in. However, things backfired and the position was not available anymore by the time I had finished serving notice. Why do you think little attention is paid to deliveries in rural areas and townships? I would say it’s the roads. Also, the task that it is to actually deviate from a route that is on the main road to then get onto a gravel road. Most big companies have set routes and this would mean that there would be a delay in their delivery times. What was the situation that lead to resources such as school books and medication sitting for days on end in warehouses? What prevented them from being distributed? Delivering to rural areas, more so to public institutions, is not as easy as putting the address in the GPS and driving there. This is because the address might not be there or may be inaccurate. Sometimes, even when the drivers get to the area that they are delivering to, they still need to ask for directions. With school books for example, before leaving we would have to call the school to find out where they are located. All of this takes effort and I’m sure that the reason most of these resources are not distributed is because no one is willing to put in the extra time and effort to make it work. How do you effectively manage a small team? I recently did an emotional management session with my mentor. In a quiz, my two highest scoring strengths were empathy and motivation. This was comforting because it was confirmation of my ability to keep my team motivated and always lead from a place of understanding instead of being a dictator. Having scored high on motivation, can you share six ways you motivate yourself and your team? Keeping myself motivated, is the important part. Motivation is like happiness, it shows on the outside. When you are motivated, it rubs off. I keep myself motivated by; Looking after my spiritual health, Consistently practicing mental toughness Celebrating small victories and Reading and watching things things that motivate me (such as my SLA newsletters). Keeping a small team inspired can be challenging. At times, everyone will slack off or feel entitled as we all play multiple roles since the business is still at start-up phase. We have regular conversations about the current position of the staff in the business and the position of the business as a whole. I also constantly remind my staff of the company’s vision, and that we are in a growth process together. Hey South African #MotherlandMoguls, the SheHive will be landing in Johannesburg from November 3-6. Find out more here.