Here’s how you can jumpstart your career and business in 2019!
New year, new you right? 2019 is all about turning ideas into goals and turning concrete goals into actual results whether it’s in your career or business. Here are 5 ways you can jumpstart your 2019 and keep winning all year long! Set goals! I love setting goals at the beginning of the year because it’s a wonderful opportunity to take a break, think about what you’ve accomplished so far and where you want to go in the future. This SLA article gives you a step by step guide to setting goals in 2019. Look the part I remember in one of my first jobs after school, there was a colleague who never wore makeup and people definitely clowned her. They would say she didn’t look professional or always looked tired. Hate it or love it, in the professional world, how you present yourself can be the difference between you getting that opportunity to shine and people overlooking you for not looking the part. Makeup is not compulsory to look the part but looking neat, clean and pleasant will. This Forbes article explains how savvy business women should dress for success. [bctt tweet=”Jumpstart your career and business this year with 5 tips from She Leads Africa’s co-founder @helloafua! More in this article.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Fail forward Failures and setbacks in life are inevitable! Even the most successful people have failed at something. To fail forward means to become better because of your mistakes, you can only do this by acknowledging your mistakes, and learning from them. Here’s a great article by a Google employee, Tanuja Ramchal on how to fail fast and fail forward. Be accountable! The key to achieving your goals is ACCOUNTABILITY. This can be in the form of a Vision Board that you check every week or in a club where you share your goals out loud. However you choose to do it, accountability can make or break whether you see real progress in your goals this year. The SLA team has pulled together resources to help you set and achieve your goals in 2018. Visit sheleadsafrica.org/2019 to find out more and jumpstart your 2019. Don’t forget to take out some time for yourself Don’t forget to take out some time for yourself! When it comes to self-care; the main lesson I’ve learned is that you have to control your life so that you don’t wake up one day and not recognize the person you’ve become. Be mindful. Be thoughtful. Be present so that you enjoy every single experience on your journey to becoming a better you. As Nigerians say, I can’t come and kill myself! In this article, Arianna Huffington, the founder of the Huffington Post makes the argument that you should sleep your way to the top! She means sleep, catch actual zzzz’s. Here’s wishing you an amazing 2019! See you at the top. Visit SheLeadsAfrica.org/NewYearGoals or OkadaBooks.com to learn how to jumpstart your 2019. She Leads Africa is a social enterprise dedicated to supporting young African women and their journey towards professional success. The organization has been featured on CNN, CNBC Africa, Black Enterprise and Fox Business and has more than 600,000 community members across Africa and the diaspora.
5 things you need to start doing to grow your business online in 2019!
When Yasmin Belo-Osagie and I decided to start She Leads Africa in 2012, we had no office, no team, just a shared vision. We didn’t have fixed plans, but we both had a strong passion to help young women do better in their careers and businesses. Since then we’ve built an amazing team, grown a community to more than 500,000 women across 135 countries, been featured in international media like Forbes, CNN and CNBC, generated hundreds of thousands of dollars through partnerships with global brands like Facebook, Samsung and Google, and was even invited to ring the Closing Bell at the New York Stock Exchange! Here are 5 lessons I have learned along the way: Set goals At She Leads Africa, our goal has always been to create a platform to help millennial women create their own version of success so it’s exciting to be able to design experiences and opportunities to help them get closer to it. This goal is broken down into many smaller goals and tasks that help us achieve this overarching goal. Create content that stands out There is such a significant need for interesting and creative content from diverse voices that there is no niche that has been overdone. Those who want to be successful must move beyond creating content and discover how they can create community, experiences, and commerce to build a sustainable business. Develop a brand layout or creative guidelines so your content looks consistent over time. [bctt tweet=”5 things you need to start doing to grow your business online in 2019 from She Leads Africa’s co-founder, @helloafua. Learn more.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Think beyond social media Make sure you’re creating a brand that goes beyond social media and these algorithm changes. Be able to connect directly with your customers, fans and industry decision makers without relying on someone else’s shine. One of the ways you can do this is by growing a mailing list. Help your team members develop through feedback As an entrepreneur, one of the most important responsibilities to your team members is to give them feedback. When your budget is tight, you can’t always afford to hire people with the most experience so you and your team will need to learn and grow together. Honest and consistent feedback is the way to make that happen. Network Find like-minded people in your community who can help you grow, and who you can help. Business relationships should always be symbiotic. Go to networking events. As an introvert, my go-to method before any networking opportunity: Breath. Research. Practice. The digital economy provides one of the most significant opportunities for young women to generate their own independent income and monetize their skills and personality to a global audience. Previous economic transformations required significant capital or permission from gatekeepers. That is no longer the case. The SLA team has pulled together resources to help you set and achieve your goals in 2019. Visit SheLeadsAfrica.org/NewYearGoals or OkadaBooks.com to learn how to jumpstart your 2019. She Leads Africa is a social enterprise dedicated to supporting young African women and their journey towards professional success. The organization has been featured on CNN, CNBC Africa, Black Enterprise and Fox Business and has more than 600,000 community members across Africa and the diaspora.
Learn how to set and achieve your goals in 2019!
In the last 5 years, I’ve built an amazing team, grown a community to more than 500,000 women across 135 countries, been featured in international media like Forbes, CNN and CNBC, generated hundreds of thousands of dollars through partnerships with global brands like Facebook, Samsung and Google, and was even invited to ring the Closing Bell at the New York Stock Exchange! One thing that has helped me to successfully do all of this is goal-setting. I love setting goals at the beginning of the year because it’s a wonderful opportunity to take a break, think about what you’ve accomplished so far and where you want to go in the future. Here are 5 ways you can set goals and achieve your goals in 2019: 1. Create a vision board Vision Boards are the bomb.com. At the beginning of the year, my friend Edibly and I sat down and thought about what we wanted to get accomplished this year. It was hard to narrow it down but it’s been great having my goals written down and staring me in the face every single day. 2. Find an accountability partner Find for an accountability partner or a group of like-minded people. Share your major goals for the year and what you’re looking to achieve every month. [bctt tweet=”Want to achieve your 2019 goals? She Leads Africa’s co-founder @helloafua shares her 5 tips on how to jumpstart 2019… Learn more” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 3. Focus! Last year I decided to focus only on projects that were solely aligned with my passion for travel, digital and entrepreneurship. That focus and strategic positioning helped me secure great opportunities that probably wouldn’t have been available if I hadn’t taken a more targeted approach. I had the opportunity to serve as the Host of the first ever Airbnb Africa Travel Summit in Cape Town, South Africa. 4. Plan your finance and Investments If I don’t have it, I don’t spend it. If I have it, I want to spend less of it. If you ask me to spend money, I won’t return your calls. See how easy it is. Seriously in 2019, you need to get serious about budgeting, investing and planning. In her book, the Smart Money Woman, Arese Ugwu breaks down financial concepts as simple lessons to help you achieve financial freedom in 2019. 5. Find a natural mentor I’ve always found it quite awkward to go and ask a complete stranger to fill such an important role as a mentor. It doesn’t mean you can’t learn from them by reading their articles, listening to their speeches or by attending a class, but a mentorship can be such a personal relationship and you want to make sure your values and personality types align. Look for people in your immediate circler who could serve as a source of inspiration to you. The SLA team has pulled together resources to help you set and achieve your goals in 2019. Visit SheLeadsAfrica.org/NewYearGoals or OkadaBooks.com to learn how to jumpstart your 2019. She Leads Africa is a social enterprise dedicated to supporting young African women and their journey towards professional success. The organization has been featured on CNN, CNBC Africa, Black Enterprise and Fox Business and has more than 600,000 community members across Africa and the diaspora.
7 power tools every Motherland Mogul needs in her purse to SLAY 2019
What is in your purse? Every day we see Motherland Moguls go about their bizness in stylish purses and handbags. However, no matter how pretty the bag looks or what the label says, the content of a woman’s purse is a sum of how she takes charge of her day. The content of a woman’s purse is King! Every woman has some little essentials and fav things they carry around every day, mostly in a smaller pouch in their purse. It could be hand sanitizer, hand lotion, medicine, perfume, etc. Whatever it is, they help keep you safe and secure to take on each day as they come. On the other hand, some women carry a lot of baggage around every day, just for the sake of it, which they never use or touch. [bctt tweet=”#WhatIsInYourPurse? Here are 7 essential tools every woman needs to #SLAY 2019… Find them here” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] We’ve put together a list of power tools and essentials every Motherland Mogul needs to conquer each day this year. 1. Cash/ ATM card Why look like a bag of money if you have no money in Yo bag? We might be living in a cashless society, but you never ever want to get stranded somewhere without having some cash to bail yourself out. Even if you’re on your way to the bank, always carry some cash with you (or vex money as Nigerians call it), as well as an ATM card (with cash in it) for emergency purposes. Another savior for you could be to have your bank app downloaded on your mobile phone, to enable you to transfer money easily. This is your first commandment to SLAY 2019. [bctt tweet=”#WhatIsInYourPurse? Why look like a bag of money if you have no money in Yo bag? Always have cash with you!” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 2. Samsung Smartphone Having a good smartphone with a long-lasting battery in your purse at all times keeps you connected with the world and helps you stay organized for your daily routines. Beyond texting and scrolling through social media all day, there is SO much you can do with your mobile phone. And even much more if its a Samsung smartphone. With a Samsung smartphone, you can: Take notes and write down fresh ideas in your daily light bulb moments Take the best photos and document live events all day with its outstanding camera quality Create personalized videos and content with the AR emoji tool Collect your client’s contacts by using the SnapBiz app from Samsung Galaxy apps store Keep track of your health and wellness with the Samsung Health app – even better if you add the Samsung Galaxy Watch on your wrist. In light of our February theme at SLA which is – Good Living, we’re ensuring that all Motherland Moguls have a sound mind, body, and soul. 3. Powder pallet/ Lip gloss Girl, you never know who you’re going to bump into at the most random place. Always have some light make-up in your purse to get you fresh-faced for impromptu meetings, or quick drinks with your girls. In the absence of a powder pallet, let your lipgloss call the shots. 4. Business Cards Even though you can collect clients info on your mobile using the SnapBiz app on your Samsung smartphone, you might meet some traditional clients who would rather have a hard copy of your business card. It’s important to always have this in the small section of your purse, for easy accessibility. 5. Notepad + Pen A notepad or post it pad and a pen equal as back up for your phone. This always comes in handy for when you have to write down contact details or ideas in a moment’s notice when you’re out of your comfort zone. 6. Sanitary towel/ Tampon Nature always has its way with us, and we really can’t cheat it, but you should always be prepared for the “red robot”. If possible, have a pad/ tampon in every possible place, like your car, office desk, laptop bag, etc, just so you’re never caught in a compromising situation. If you feel you have a pattern and are never caught unawares, do it for the culture. You never know, a sister might be in need of this, and you get to save the day. 7. A Book Just because #WeStayLearning, always have with you a book to pass time while commuting or waiting to go into your meeting. Now depending on the size of your purse, you could either have a paperback book, or an e-book on your smartphone. So tell us Motherland Mogul, #WhatIsInYourPurse? [bctt tweet=”Keep track of your health and wellness with the Samsung Health app – even better if you add the Samsung Galaxy Watch on your wrist -@samsungmobileng” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Sponsored Post
Leave This Shit In 2018…
Happy New year Motherland Moguls! 2018 was a year filled with events and lessons for me. So, I thought I would share with you some of the lessons learned that apply to life, career, and business. Life is full of surprises and often take unexpected turns. Our successes are a result of how well we respond and adapt to the life changes. My hope this year is that we are all able to embrace change and let go of what is holding us back. Welcome to 2019! Now let’s talk about the shit you need to leave in 2018. You don’t need that baggage with you in 2019! [bctt tweet=”Here are 5 habits you need to let go of this year #leavethatshitin2018″ username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Resenting others Nothing good comes from resenting others. I’m telling you this as someone who is guilty of holding grudges for long periods of time. I resented the person who took this picture for a while. I blamed them for making me miserable. I wished them all the bad luck in the world because I felt they were somehow the origin of everything bad happening in my life (and it wasn’t the case). I don’t resent them anymore and I am so much happier for it. Don’t get me wrong, I still highly dislike this person, but as soon as I was able to refocus the time and energy I was spending brooding over the situation, amazing things started happening. Nothing good ever comes from resenting others. Take it from a champion in the resentment Olympics. #LeaveThatShitIn2018 Snoozing your life away I am usually pretty good at waking up early and getting on with my day. But every so often I think that I could do with “5 more minutes” of sleep and hit the snooze button for the next 2 hours. The problem? When you snooze, you not only wake up more tired than you initially were, but you then spend your entire day playing catch up. You waste time, miss opportunities, and get caught up in a vicious circle. The same is true for life. I didn’t get to see my grandmother one last time because of this viscous snoozing circle I had slipped in. So now, I try my best to make things happen ASAP. One of the best trips I had this year was possible because I did not snooze (when I really wanted to). I was able to discover part of Cape Verde, meet great people, and have an amazing experience.Don’t postpone things you can do now. Finish (or start) that degree you have been thinking about for so long. Take that art class. Visit with your friends and family. Explore the world. Launch that business. And when that thing you want to do seems impossible, just remember that Rome was not built in a day, it was built one stone at the time. (And stop snoozing that alarm clock!) You snooze you lose. #LeaveThatShitIn2018 Being a technology zombie Technology is wonderful. It enables us to take great selfies (and groupies) and more importantly it enables us to connect with each other and the world. We, however, have to be very careful. Technology is a double-edged sword. It can be a nice distraction. But it is a distraction nonetheless. It is a distraction that turns us into shallow versions of ourselves.I took this picture while I was waiting for my car to get fixed. And I was so glad to have my phone with me at the time. It made the wait so much more enjoyable. But more and more I find myself scrolling on my social media feed while I’m on the phone or watching TV. I like to think that technology is not the boss of me. But I have noticed lately that I miss pieces of conversations, movies, and I waste time that could be put to better use because of it. [bctt tweet=”Be present. Connect with intention. Don’t be a tech zombie. #LeaveThatShitIn2018″ username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I feel this negatively affects the quality of my relationships. It turns me into a passive, absent-minded, and monosyllabic individual. And this is not the type of person or friend I want to be. I want to be a friend that remembers what we talked about. That friend who is attentive, present and listens actively and with intention. The friends we have and the relationships we build are what make life interesting and beautiful. So, we owe it to each other to be mindful, engaged, and attentive. Be present. Connect with intention. Don’t be a tech zombie. #LeaveThatShitIn2018 Letting fear cloud your judgment We often think of fear as this scary monster that makes us do crazy things. But more often than not, fear comes posing as a gentle and wise friend that has your best interest at heart. Fear is eloquent and charismatic. Fear is (seemingly) insightful. Fear is convincing. In fact, Fear is so convincing that it will have you believe that your neighbor must be dangerous since they do not look like you. It will convince you to stay quiet in the face of injustice. It will convince you that putting your head in the sand is the best way to solve your problems. I have been there. Fear had me paralyzed. It made me watch a personal situation getting worse and worse and interpret anything as a sign of improvement. I was very fortunate at that time to have a great friend who guided me through this fog of fear. But sometimes, you have to be your own guide and ask yourself: what would I tell a friend in the same situation? Don’t let fear cloud your judgment. Be your own friend. Take fear out of the equation. #LeaveThatShitIn2018 Traveling someone else’s journey When we are young, it is the responsibility of our parents, our family, (and, to some extent, our community) to prepare us for life. They make choices for us, take decisions about our activities, our lifestyle, and our beliefs.
A case study from The Safety Chic on How to crush your 2019 goals
It’s a new year and you’ve set those amazing goals that will propel you to your next level. How do you go from being a novice to getting international recognition? How do you go from your current great level to the higher rung on the ladder of success? I would be sharing with you a few tips that worked for me while building “The Safety Chic” brand from zero to almost a hundred. I am not at my destination yet but I am a good distance from where I started. Even though I’m still a work in progress, I believe you can pick a thing or two from my experience. In my opinion, there are 5 major things that you’d need to consider to ensure you go from zero to influence or from the level you’re on currently to the next. [bctt tweet=”How do you go from your current great level to the higher rung on the ladder of success? Learn from – @TheSafetyChic ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Preparation What do you have in your hands right now? Do you have some training or certifications in a certain area? Do you have work experience either paid or unpaid? How about requisite soft skills and good behavior? What life experience do you have which has charted you on a certain path? These things are tools available to you that if used correctly will prepare you for your next level. As someone with a communications background, I later got interested in the Safety profession but had to ensure I was qualified by getting the right certifications and gaining work experience through volunteer work. While working for free, I put my best foot forward with good behavior and that led to my bosses recommending me for jobs that paid and took me out of state. Based on your set goals, what do you think you can begin to do NOW to prepare you? It’s never late to start Grit and Consistency When the going gets tough, the tough get going. As motherland moguls, you need to decide upfront that you’d have staying power no matter the disappointment or challenge you face. What would you do when friends disappoint you or when no client shows up? What will you do when no one is reading your blog, watching your videos or listening to your podcast? Would you still continue? There was a time it felt like no one was seeing all the work I was putting in. There were times friends I asked to give me a shout out on social media did not do it. [bctt tweet=”At a time, I had no customer. I had to keep doing my bit because I knew this was just a phase that would pass – @TheSafetyChic ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] When you stay consistent, even though your audience is unresponsive, you’d have what we call a top of mind awareness and when something comes up in your niche, you would be the first person remembered. There were many times safety situations came up in the country and everyone would be seeking my opinion on social media. This made me appreciate my consistency. More importantly, I honestly assessed what I was doing and decided to seek help in areas where I needed it to ensure I achieved my goals. Seek knowledge He that knows not and knows not that he knows not is a foolish man. If you know you do not know something, seek knowledge centers. There are many ways to acquire knowledge in today’s world. Besides Google, there are thought leaders in almost all subject matters. Read and listen to what they say, pick up what is relevant to you. Do courses online and in-person. Find mentors and coaches. There are a lot of mentors you can learn from by watching them, they do not need to be in your DM for you to get it. I learn a lot from reading Strive Masiyiwa’s posts on Facebook but he does not know I exist yet. When my business needed redefinition in 2016, I took Steve Harris’s Mastering the Business of your Talent Course. That exposed me to the path to tow, increased the number of quality people in my network and he linked me to my current Coach Rotimi Eyitayo who works in the Education space. [bctt tweet=”Prepare yourself for success by doing courses online and in-person. Find mentors and coaches. – @TheSafetyChic ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] This placed me on the right trajectory because I needed to break into the education space. I’m also very selective of the people I listen to on social media and the groups I join. There is a great Facebook group with so much knowledge being shared regularly that has helped me tremendously. It’s called Headstart Africa. This is a good way to get informed. Look around you, how do you plan to acquire knowledge for your desired goal? Remember, you can get this formally and informally. Execute the tasks Whatever thy hands find to do, do with all diligence. There are so many coaches, mentors and courses can do for you. If you do not execute, you will not move an inch. Put your learnings to work. Create products, organize events, write blog articles, shoot videos, record podcasts, write a book, collaborate with others etc. Basically, step out in faith and do what you need to do. Do not lose focus because of what people are saying. You must also be your own PR agency. [bctt tweet=”It is important you have a digital trail so that when a search is done, you and your work will pop up. – @TheSafetyChic” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] As you execute, talk about your work and document digitally on your social media for a start. As you go, you’d eventually get mentions in blogs and other media. It is important you have a digital trail so that when a search is done, you and your work will pop up. This is really important most especially if you want your work
How to Achieve your 2019 year resolutions
Happy New Year Motherland Moguls. Let’s jump right into the year, shall we? More than half of all year resolutions fail, but this year, they don’t have to be yours. Many people find it difficult to maintain and accomplish their resolutions. Here is a list of things you can do to help make sure you accomplish the goals you set for the New year, create a plan on how to reach it, and become part of the small group of people that successfully achieve their goal. Believe in yourself Self-confidence is the first requisite to great undertakings.”- Samuel Johnson. Your values in life determine your beliefs, about yourself and the world around you. When you believe in yourself and chose to be a good person you will find yourself to be more positive and successful in life. Believing in yourself is the first step to success whether it means your life, your career, or simply your confidence, and in that lies your power. Say it again and again The more you say it, the more you believe it. The more you believe it, the truer it will become as you strengthen yourself and your confidence! The beginning of a new year is a good time to make a resolution to change your behavior in some way because you know millions of people are doing the same thing. So you get positive reinforcement when family members, friends, and coworkers talk about making and trying to stick with resolutions. You feel like you’re part of a worldwide self-improvement movement – and you are! Be Accountable People make better choices and perform at a higher level when they know they are being watched by others. The reasoning is simple when you are held accountable for your actions, you will work harder. Share your goals with people around you. It’s important to have another person ask you about your progress. When there is someone else other than yourself holding you accountable, you are more likely to get your tasks completed Track your progress What separates a person from achieving their goals and not achieving their goals is staying focused and being persistent in following through. There are many different ways to track your progress toward your goals. Look at the big picture Why do you wanna accomplish this certain thing? What is the purpose? Think about these things and answer these questions with the end result in mind. Take the time to reflect upon your goals and imagine what the big picture looks like. motivation. Plan and Organize Everyone has dreams and goals, but without planning and organizing what you need to do, you’ll get nowhere Celebrate Celebrating your wins not only feels great physically, but it reinforces the positive attitude and behavior you want to show up when you face a new challenge or opportunity. [bctt tweet=”Believing in yourself is the first step to success whether it means your life, your career – Makalela Kgotlelelo ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Interested in contributing for She Leads Africa? Click here.