Chioma Ezekwesili highlights the Essentials to Building and Growing Your Blog
“The main essential for starting a blog is to first have a passion for something”. – Chioma Ezekwesili Blogging is a great platform to express yourself, build a brand, and even make a source of income. Due to the diverse benefits of blogging, there is an influx of blogs and bloggers. This can make the process of building and growing your blog daunting. You might question whether it is worth it and how do you go about building this presence online? In this interview with fashion and lifestyle blogger Chioma Ezekwesili, she provides inspiration for prospective and current bloggers on her experience of starting and building her blog and brand. When and why did you decide to start your fashion and lifestyle blog and what were the essentials to beginning it? The main essential for starting a blog is to first have a passion for something. It could be cooking, fashion, gossip, politics, and other topics. You don’t have to be an English guru but you should always endeavor to read something new about your passion. This is significant because you can then provide your readers with new insights into your niche. In addition, you will be able to come up with new and diverse ways to relate to your readers. Secondly, you should draft a consistent timetable. It’s hard at the beginning but once you start, keep at it. Every day, have a topic you can write on. What will help you is approaching each day with an open mind? Also, make sure the photos, write up or videos are original because it allows your readers to connect with your originality. As for myself, I started my fashion and lifestyle blog in 2015 but I couldn’t keep up with it. This was because I started the previous blog with the sole purpose of making money. The blog was just alive for about three months and that was it. Then, I officially started www.yhitschioma.com in July 2016. This blog is out of my love for fashion. I also felt the need to express my opinion on lifestyle tips. I try to make my posts inspirational. I merge fashion styles to relatable inspirational quotes. I want to let people know that fashion is more than wearing designer clothes. Fashion is also a way of passing a positive message to the people around you. [bctt tweet=”I grew my 7k followers on Instagram by posting my Sunday bests every Sunday and tagged it #fashionforchurch – @Yh_ItsChioma” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What is the best platform for intending media influencers to be on and why? Instagram and Twitter are the best platforms, dependent on the type of influencer you are. Instagram is mainly for fashion, lifestyle, and style. It’s best for visual appeal through photos and videos. Then, Twitter is good for sports lovers, especially soccer. The discussions on Twitter around the leagues is something that anybody building his/her brand around soccer needs to be on. Twitter is also a good platform for having discussions about politics, sports, music, health tips and more. I advise that you be linked on both platforms. That way, whatever you post on one can reflect on the other. However, more attention should be placed on the social media platform primarily for your type of brand. Social media metrics are ever changing and for those looking to make an impact online, the competition is increasing. Is it possible to grow one’s social media organically? Yes, you can grow organic followers and I am a testimony to it. I grew my 7k followers on Instagram by posting my Sunday bests every Sunday and tagged it #fashionforchurch. Every Sunday, people were looking forward to what I wore to church. Once you find out what your followers like, stick to it and be consistent. Do not buy followers because interactions on your post will not match your followership. That matters because people and brand will immediately see through that. The first year might not be easy but keep posting. Also, make sure you use hashtags because they work like magic. What is your process of growing your brand presence? Building your brand starts with a conscious effort to actually build the brand. Find the social media platform that suits what you are trying to build Try to make your followership on any social media platform that you are on organic. If you are on Instagram, never miss relevant hashtags like #MCM #MondayMotivation #WCW #TBT #FBF or things like that. You can even come up with your own personal hashtag that people can follow through your post. For me, it’s #LifeOfAStartingEntrepreneur and #yhitschioma. If Twitter is your platform, be sure to check the trending hashtags and draft your tweets around it. Finally, you have to be consistent your post on social media. Be sure to have your contact details available for people to reach you. Reply and like comments so that there is a discussion around your post. How can one stand out and be unique online? You stand out by being real. Don’t try to be in competition with anyone. Rather, you should strive to be a better version of yourself. Keep doing what you love and don’t copy others. Be original with your posts. What steps should an aspiring media influencer take to attract opportunities to work with organizations, brands, and collaborations? Keep your profile open not private. Make sure you give credit to other brands you are wearing or using on your page. Then, you get other brands to notice that you are promoting other brands. They will then want to work with you. For blog collaborations, if you never reach out to people, you might not have anyone reach out to you. Last year, I sent about 5-6 messages to other bloggers like myself for collaboration. However, I got turned down by about 4 and I didn’t mind. I did a collaboration with the bloggers that wanted to. The result is that other bloggers saw it and then reached out to
Nnanke Essien: The Visibility Expert
Nnanke Essien is a visibility strategist and business transformation coach. She helps individuals with awesome ideas, products and services to get seen and found by their ideal clients. She does this using a 5 step visibility building process to build an effective and efficient visibility roadmap. Nnanke believes that the path to success is littered with awesome but poorly marketed ideas, hence her mandate is to support businesses find this sure pathway. She is a John Maxwell Certified coach, a HR professional and a visibility builder round the clock. She has been supporting start-ups and businesses since 2007 even through college. Why is it important to stay visible? If nobody knows you exist, nobody will buy from you. It’s really that simple, you must always find a way for your ideal clients to remember that you exist. We call it top of mind awareness. In other words, if at any point your client has a need, your brand name should be top of mind. How can brands stay visible despite strong competition on social media? Truthfully, social media isn’t going anywhere and the earlier business owners understand this and take ownership the better for brands. Firstly, to stay visible, brands must adhere to a stellar mindset. Beyond this, brands need clarity on why they are in the business. This is in terms of the business mission, vision, values, identifying their business playing field (niche), their core message and their brand positioning on the value chain. Brands also need clarity on their ideal clients. Who are the people whose lives and businesses will be transformed by virtue of the fact that this business exists? Understanding the client’s exact needs, desires, challenges, what they need to transform, lifestyle, spending power and motivation is key to business visibility success.Finally, brands can also stay visible by authenticating their authority in the market. Having consistent, attractive and meaningful bio’s on their social media platforms can contribute to this. Their bio must contain relevant information on who the brand is. Also, nurturing communities i.e groups, leveraging on content and becoming an information reservoir for clients can be a great way of authenticating authority. In all of these, consistency and building revenue generating models, systems, processes and assets are key to success and visibility. What are your top three tips for business owners to incorporate into their brands? Have a consistent brand voice and visual appeal that is easy for people to spot and recognize. Focus on building relationships using KLT (Know, Like and Trust) techniques like live videos, Instagram stories, guest appearances et al. Leverage on content that your ideal clients need. How can women balance putting themselves out there while not appearing too forward? Woman know what you want. Don’t do things out of compulsion or pressure. The woman you buy shoes from didn’t shy away from her calling, the woman who sells human hair didn’t shy away from her calling. Recognize your hustle. Validate it! Look for a group of persons or coaches and mentors who can help you identify your hustle, find your sweet spot, stay there, flaunt it and own it. What do you wish more entrepreneurs knew about today’s changing marketplace? I wish they would spend more time actually researching than copying and wasting endless time doing idle and non-income generating activities. Behaviors are changing. The spending power of your ideal clients is changing. Algorithms on all the social platforms you are using are changing. [bctt tweet=”Spend more time researching, strategizing, building systems and processes that will stand the test of time – @gnnanke” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What is the next step for you in 2018? I want to have intentional positioning. This will include focussing on my visibility cure show and collaborating with industry veterans. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Joy Eneghalu: Using Strategy to Conquer Social Media
Joy Eneghalu is a social media strategist. She helps businesses and teaches individuals how to leverage social media to boost their brand awareness, increase their sphere of influence and make a profit. She is also the founder of the Influencer Marketing platform called Influensah. Can one thrive in today’s marketplace without social media? Social media has taken over and has the potential to expose one’s business to a larger audience. It is highly important to have your business on social media so you don’t lose out on the goodness. However, there is the offline part that people also have to maintain. Social media has become a must-have tool for every business to thrive in today’s marketplace. So, if social media is here to stay, what are the career opportunities open to young people? There are tons of career opportunities open to young people and the beautiful thing is that some of them are largely untapped and it costs almost nothing to get started. Young people can now go ahead and become some of the following professionals: Online TV Hosts Online OAPs Social media and community managers Online event planners Influencers Data specialists and Facebook ad experts Funnel experts Website designers and social media graphic designers Content creators All you basically need is a phone, internet, knowledge, skill, and visibility. If you are wondering if people do these as actual jobs and cash out, there are many of them and they aren’t even enough for the market. What were the mistakes you made when you started out? How can others avoid them? When I started out, it was basically trial and error. Eventually, I invested in courses that helped sharpen my skills. The number one mistake I made was not documenting an agreement with a client and that cost me lots of money because of the lacking proof. This lesson was very important for my success. Before discovering the essence of a community, I played a lone game for a while. However, I now belong to about 6 communities that have provided me with immense support and knowledge. With many people coming on to the social media space, what would you advise to stand out amidst the noisy marketplace? This may sound cliché but nothing beats being authentic, genuinely caring about people and adding value. These have been my own sauce and it works pretty much for everyone you see doing great things. If you are fake, people will find out. Let your style of delivery on social media speak for you. [bctt tweet=”Overnight success doesn’t exist as a social media strategist or manager; you have to put it in the work – @joyeneghalu” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What are the myths in your line of business? Overnight success!! It beats my imagination when many say to me ‘Joy, I want to blog or I want to start managing an account. They said this thing is like oil money. If I do it like this now, by xxx time, I will have xxx amount of money’. It baffles me a lot. Overnight success doesn’t exist as a social media strategist or manager; you have to put it in the work. Some people even take 10 years! Money doesn’t grow on trees in the online world. Secondly, just because one is visible and popular online doesn’t mean the person has billions sited in their account. It can be very annoying to have people asking you for money because of your online fame. If one is being visible on social media, please understand that it is part of the journey and not the destination. Could you briefly share with our Motherland moguls on WhatsApp for business? WhatsApp for Business is a highly innovative tool that businesses can use to offer fast and efficient customer care services to their customers. With a range of different features such as analytics and labels for pending payments; WhatsApp for Business is a highly effective tool for online business. I personally advice having the ‘Click to Chat’ feature on your website or social media platform. This feature enables people to easily chat you up and maintain a human relationship with your business. Final Words You can do this. You can achieve anything you want with the right mindset. [bctt tweet=”Hone the skill of recognizing opportunities and jump on it before the crowd does – @joyeneghalu” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I look forward to having lots of young ladies kicking butts in the social media/online space. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Blogging: Business sense or business nonsense?
[bctt tweet=”If your business blog provides people with much-needed information you easily become an authority” via=”no”] Is your business blogging? We are living in a digital age. Anything analogue is left out of the dialogue. And, my good friend, dialogue is what drives every business. If people are not talking about your business: You lose out on free marketing 2. People can’t trust your brand 3. Your product is ignored What does all this have to do with blogging? Everything. A well-maintained blog solves all the above problems and more. Let me elaborate. Here are 10 reasons your business needs a blog (no matter the industry). 1. A great way to market your business With the advent of the smartphone, traditional advertising is fast becoming redundant. This is because information about everything is right at our fingertips, thanks to Google. The infographic below shows the increase in internet usage globally. This is where blogging becomes a powerful marketing tool. A well written, SEO optimised and maintained blog will put you on Google’s front page. Simply put, a blog has the power to put your business in front of 3773 billion people. 2. Builds authority and influence One ingredient that drives sales more than others is trust. People buy products they trust and trust is a by product of authority. That is what a blog does for a brand; it builds authority. A brand that has authority is an influential brand. If you do a search for any online marketing tactic/tip in Google, you’re most likely to see a Hubspot article as one of the top results. Forbes Now that’s authority! Through their strategic blogging, Hubspot has become a powerhouse in digital marketing. If your business blog provides people with much-needed information or resources, you easily become an authority in your niche. With authority comes the power to influence people’s buying decisions. 3. Key ingredient to branding Modern consumers have indicated that they look at companies in a negative light if they cannot find them online. Chrysalis Communications A brand is a business’ identity. Contrary to popular belief, this identity is not established by fancy packaging and logos alone. To establish your brand, you need to be ubiquitous. Everywhere people turn, they must see you. This is one of Coca Cola’s strengths. They have a presence everywhere. Need I say more about their brand power? You may not be physically present everywhere but make an effort to be found where it matters; in cyberspace. 4. Gives customers a reason to remember you A blog is a simple way of connecting with your customers. If your business blog is engaging enough, people will remember you. And next time they need a product your business deals in, you will be their first port of call. This is why as a business, your blog must not just be informative. It should also be entertaining. Your blog should be an experience to be remembered. 5. An amazing traffic attractor In today’s world, profit is spelt T.R.A.F.F.I.C. The higher the traffic, the louder the cash register rings. Consider two shops selling the same product at the same price. Both in the same densely populated location. One shop plays popular chart topping music, the other, blue grass (pardon me fans of this genre). Which shop will rake in the profits? My point exactly. A blog is an amazing traffic attractor. Run properly, it will draw people to your business while your competitors sing the blues [bctt tweet=”Run properly, a blog will draw people to your business while your competitors sing the blues” via=”no”] 6. Easiest way to turn leads into customers I talked about traffic in the previous point because it’s important for every business. But traffic for the sake of traffic won’t cut it. That’s why businesses should invest in good copywriters for their web copy and blogs. Writers who possess the skill (dare I say magic) to subconsciously drive people into making “the right” decision. What better decision can a visitor to your website make other than becoming a customer? A well written blog has the potency to turn leads into life-long customers. That, in business terms, means life-long profits. 7. Deepens relationship with customers Relationships in the 21st century are fluid. When people find one that’s solid, they hold on to it for dear life. This is where your business should leverage the emotional deficit in your customers. Be there for them. Let them know you care. I get an SMS from my bank every year on my birthday. I know it’s automated but somehow it still tugs at my heart. I feel “connected”. Your blog has the power to deepen relationships with your customers. Use it to answer their questions, solve their problems and even connect on an emotional level. If you can succeed in relating with your customers through your blog, they become more than customers. They become an army that will fight for your success. 8. Makes public relations easier and cheaper PR campaigns are a thorn in the flesh for most companies. Their Return On Investment (ROI) is usually disappointing. Is PR essential? Yes. Is it expensive? Painfully so. The easiest and cheapest way to drive publicity (which is what PR is for) is by maintaining a good social media department. With a good content marketing strategy, you can do most, if not all, of your PR at a fraction of the cost. Cheap, minimum effort and yet maximum impact. The “public” nowadays is found online. Relate with them there. Can it be easier and more cost effective than this? 9. Strengthens your email marketing campaigns Talk about massive ROI! Email marketing is the obvious marketing approach for every serious business. But email marketing is weak without a blog. This is because: It’s easier to get people’s emails from your blog 2. The blog keeps them informed and entertained while email does the power selling Email marketing can’t survive without a good blog. They need each other. 10. Gives
Aida Bamba: The gourmet in the city
[bctt tweet=”What makes Serial Foodie unique is me and my pen – Aida Bamba” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Ever heard of the saying that the period after a break up is your most creative? Aida Bamba started blogging in July 2015 after breaking up with her then boyfriend. Aida had put a pause to her passion for writing for her ex but then after the break-up decided not to put the desires of others ahead of hers. Firm in her resolve not to stop herself anymore, Aida Bamba eventually started blogging at Serial Foodie. Serial Foodie explores and reviews restaurants in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. As a foodie with a flair for cooking and an Agro-Food engineer, Aida brings her unique background to food blogging. This lady can tell if you haven’t put enough mint in a mojito. Why did you decide to start Serial Foodie? I decided to launch Serial Foodie in December 2015. I started my blog on advice from Orphelie Thalmas one of the best bloggers in Ivory Coast. She informed me that several people had loved an article I’d written reviewing a restaurant and suggested that I might have to specialise. I had already made a tour of many restaurants at that time. Not to mention, I have a talent for cooking and I’m an Agro-Food engineer by training, therefore have an understanding on a number of processes. I decided it was a good idea to specialise in food blogging and that I was going to follow Orphelie’s advice. Together, we chose the name of the blog, Serial Foodie and the slogan, “A gourmet in the city”. And that’s how Serial Foodie was born. You started blogging after a break up, can you tell us about that? I have always had complex emotional relationships. I have too many things to think about, there are many things in mind that I would like to achieve. This often disconnects me from reality. When you’re in a relationship, it is not obvious. In that relationship, I wanted to give the maximum and that lead to sacrificing myself. I put my passion for writing on hold. Unfortunately, my sacrifices did not lead to anything and we parted ways. What do you think makes Serial Foodie unique? What makes Serial Foodie unique is me and my pen. My way of transcribing the experiences lived in restaurants is my own. For me, to describe an experience in a restaurant is not limited to just saying; “I went here, I tasted these dishes, I liked it or not, the price ranges are, the place is located here and the number is…” For me, what counts is reception. How did I get to this restaurant? Do I like its decoration and ambience? What of the hygienic aspect? Then, my special feature is to focus on the dish. To give information on the components that I perceive; the recipes, the good flavours, the bad flavours. I will know for example if a cocktail lacks an ingredient or if a step has been missed. This is what I propose to those who read my blog; a unique experience that until now has only been offered by me. Abidjan has the reputation of being very cosmopolitan, what’s the foodie scene like there? Since the end of the crisis, the city of Abidjan has seen an increase in the number of restaurants. These restaurants cover all edges and are diverse. From Asian specialities to local cuisines, the foodie scene is moving and well. What do you do outside blogging? Apart from being a blogger, I’m an assistant at Instant2Vie, a photo studio. I’m also a social media manager. I manage brand image, from person to enterprise. I am freelance and work from my home; it’s not easy but I love this! I entered into the world of freelancing through my blog but I’m also an Agro-Food engineer as I mentioned above. [bctt tweet=”I will know if a cocktail lacks an ingredient or if a step has been missed – Aida Bamba” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] You’re also a writer with a published novel, can you tell us more about this? I wrote my first non-fiction book in 2005. The title is, “Les Revers de la Vie” or “The Reversal of Life”. To be honest, the publishing house has never paid me my rights even though the book is still on sale. I decided to overcome this disappointment on my own and come out anew after the loss of my father last April. “The Reversal of Life” is available on Amazon Kindle. #love #instagood #follow #followme #foodie #picoftheday #abidjan #food #france #blog #blogger #foodblog #foodblogger #serialfoodie #follow4follow #followforfollow #followback A photo posted by Bamba Aida (@serialfoodie) on Oct 24, 2016 at 3:11pm PDT Breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner in Abidjan, where would you recommend people reading this go? My suggestions for Abidjan are: Breakfast: Pause Café, Nougatine, Comptoir des Artisans, Bao Café, Couleur Café, Flow. Brunch: Flow, Nougatine, Norima, Pause Café, Radisson Blu Lunch: Le Kallisté, le Rallye, Salad and Sun, La Maison des Combattants, Norima, Le Bao, Le Comptoir des Artisans, Dinner: Wasabi, Oishi, Kanpai, Kallisté, Don Antonio, Hippopothamus, Norima, Mondial, Saakan, Chez Jay’s. If I were to choose one restaurant, it’ll be Norima Restaurant Vallon. My menu options are; mini cowboy burger and buffalo chicken wings for starters. The Mongolian beef rice bowl for main and kiwi mojito or pina colada for drinks! If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Twitter Chat with Bloggers: How to become a pro-blogger
Is becoming a blogger one of your goals for 2017? Have you started a blog but can’t quite get it off the ground? Interested in blogging but not quite sue what it entails, if it’s right for you or how to start? Are you already a blogger but want to connect with other bloggers and ask some of your pressing questions? If you answered yes to any of the above questions, then you need to join our twitter chat. You’ll get a chance to hear the stories of 4 awesome bloggers around the African continent and ask any questions you have. Join us Thursday Dec. 22nd for a twitter chat with 4 bloggers who have been in the game for a while. Nantobeko Tshabalala is a Swazi blogger who writes about pressing topics in politics and culture. Tuke Morgan is a Nigerian blogger who writes about fashion, travel and food. Thembi Terry Zulu is a Zimbabwean blogger who blogs about her personal life and the adventures she faces daily. Cassie Daves is a Nigerian blogger who writes about fashion, blogging and her lifestyle. All of them have unique and interesting stories and insights to share. Follow She Leads Africa on twitter and use the hashtag #SLAChats to ask your questions and participate in the discussion. Topics that we’ll cover: Is blogging right for you? How to get started in blogging Best tips for growing your audience How to balance your blog with other life goals How to use your blog to make connections Twitter chat details Date: Thursday Dec.22nd, 2016 Time: 1pm Lagos // 2pm Lobamba // 3pm Harare Location: Follow She Leads Africa on twitter and use the hashtag #SLAChats Help us spread the word: [bctt tweet=”Dec. 22nd @NonoTsh @TukeMorgan @cassie_daves and @ThembiTerry will give #blogging tips on #SLAChats ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] About the bloggers: Nontobeko Tshabalala, a blogger and social media extrovert, believes good writing enhances the experience of life. She is passionate about the youth and its involvement in making worthwhile contributions to the discourse around issues such as gender disparity, Afrocentricity and firmly believes they hold the answers to how we can achieve sustainable development as a continent. Nono is a member of the AUC/IPPF young Journalist’s Network and has worked in her country, Swaziland, to sensitise other youth on using their voices to speak out more on global issues. Adetuke Morgan is a Vivacious Nigerian Lady with a keen interest in the Arts. With a BSc in Economics from the Prestigious University of Nottingham, UK, she is paving a name for herself in the Creative World by expressing her talents through various outlets. She is an award winning , Food Photographer, Lifestyle Blogger, Saxophonist, Content Creator and Performing Artist who blogs about Style, Food, Beauty, Hair, Events & Experiences at www.tukesquest.com. Thembi Terry Zulu studied Journalism and Media Studies at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST). She is a personal blogger by passion and a publicist by profession. Her interests lie in women’s development, the youths in arts and the environment. Thembi contributes to several publications such as Induna Magazine, Divas Inc magazine, Kalabash Media and Kwantuthu Arts magazine amongst others. Her blog is an opinionated yet humorous take on a young woman’s journey through life, love and everything else. She has been blogging for over 3 years and aspires to go into vlogging next. Cassie Daves is a Medical Doctor. Creative Entrepreneur, and a fashion and lifestyle blogger.
Sekayi and Tukiya: We want MaFashio to represent Zambia on a much more international scale
[bctt tweet=”When sisters Sekayi & Tukiya started @MaFashio they didn’t know that fashion blogs existed” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] With big smiles and charming personalities to match, Sekayi and Tukiya Fundafunda have a star-like quality about them. Popularly known as Kahyi & Kii, the powerhouse sister-duo are behind Zambia’s hottest fashion blog, MaFashio. According to the sisters, “MaFashio” is a slang that describes someone who either looks really good —or really strange. In other words, fashion that makes a statement. That is essentially what MaFashio aims to deliver —content that celebrates the uniqueness and strangeness of Zambian fashion and culture, packaged in a way that is fun, inspiring, and accessible. Since bursting onto the scene in 2012, MaFashio has positioned itself as the premier “style house” in Zambia with its one-stop shop approach to fashion solutions, including blogging and styling and creative direction. Kahyi & Kii have carved out a permanent place for themselves on the fashion and lifestyle scene in Zambia and are well on their way to becoming a successful and well-recognized international fashion brand. The sisters recently opened up to SLA contributor Uloma about their blog, fashion, and some of their favourite things from 2016. How did MaFashio begin? Where did you find the inspiration to start a fashion blog? Kahyi: We had a lot of artistic influences growing up —mom made wedding dresses and dad was an artist. As teenagers we dressed very differently from our peers, which wasn’t something that was popular in Zambia at the time. One summer towards the end of our high school years, Kii and I happened to spend a lot of time together, and we discovered just how cool the other [person] was. As we spent time getting to know each other and observing the people around us, we both simultaneously had this realization that we were encountering a lot of people dressed in really interesting and diverse ways. That was how the idea for MaFashio came about. One day we just decided that we were going to start telling people they looked nice, take their pictures, and create a place where we could post and share these pictures. At the time we started, we didn’t even know that “fashion blogs” existed. All we knew was that we had found this project that we were really passionate about and we were determined to pursue it as far as we could. We built a simple blog on Blogger put up pictures, then spammed everyone we could think of to direct them to our blog. One day we got a call from Gareth Bentley, who had somehow caught wind of our site and was impressed by what we were doing. He showed us how other bloggers were doing it and gave us tips on how to make the site appear more professional. From there things sort of took off. When did you realize that MaFashio had finally broken onto the Zambian fashion scene in a big way? It was definitely when we got invited to attend and blog at Fashion Week in 2013. It was such a surreal experience, getting the VIP treatment and being introduced to some major players in the Zambian fashion industry. Being at that event and getting to blog about it definitely put us on the map and opened doors for us. After that, we knew it was time to take MaFashio to the next level and that was when we decided to register the brand as an official entity. [bctt tweet=”We never back down from a challenge and we are motivated to continue improving our skills” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Your story sounds almost like a fairytale. Coming from an artistic background, having a flair for fashion and design, and then starting what was probably the first fashion blog in Zambia at a time when there was no one else in the space. Were there any parts of this whole process that did not come easy to you? You’re right, we do have a natural affinity for styling and writing, but the photography and other technical aspects didn’t come easy and took a lot of effort. In fact, we are still learning, but that’s what I love about us. We never back down from a challenge and the more MaFashio grows, the more motivated we are to continue improving our skills, acquiring new ones, and also asking for help when there is something we can’t do ourselves. How does the division of labour within MaFashio work? Kahyi: I have a background in Economics and Finance, so I would say I am the more business-savvy one of the team. I love structure and I enjoy creating systems so I am always looking for avenues to incorporate that into our business. Kii: I have a background in Law, which has come in quite useful in interpreting the contracts we are presented with. When it comes to MaFashio, while Kahyi focuses more on the planning and organization, I would say I contribute more to creating the content and aesthetics for the site. In the best of ways, Kahyi is the yin to my yang and we complement each other in a way that is good for the business. As frontrunners in the fashion blogging industry in Zambia, how have you embraced this role as leaders and mentors? Also, as others come onto the scene, what has it been like dealing with the competition? Kahyi: Last year we organized an event called Fashion for Brunch and honestly it was a struggle to scrape together 16 bloggers at the time. This year, we hosted the same event again and we had 35 bloggers. We even had trouble picking the 20 we needed for the event! It has been a pleasure for us to watch this new generation of bloggers come onto the scene, and we don’t necessarily view them as competition because we understand our role. The only yardstick by which we measure our growth and success is ourselves. Kahyi: I attended a lecture earlier this
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.
Juanita Abrahams: Set yourself apart & stay true to yourself
Blogging has taken the world by storm, whether it’s done as a hobby or as a job, some are creating careers out of it! When fashion bloggers first hit our screens on E! Entertainment, it gave some of us a little insight into what fashion bloggers actually do. We now know a bit of how they work with various clients and create an income through doing something they love. So, still on my quest to explore various fashion-related careers, I got chatting with Juanita Abrahams, the Creative Director of Juan Leo. Juanita is a BCom Accounting student, who is currently completing her under grad, in pursuit of the esteemed CA (SA) designation. She is also a SAICA articled clerk and trainee accountant. Please tell us a little more about yourself I am also a SAICA articled clerk and trainee accountant, currently completing my third year of articles in pursuit of the esteemed CA (SA) designation. From an early age, my hobbies included; design, art, photography and dance —and I dabbled in all of these for many years and often still do. So let’s fast-forward to 2016, where that interest in design, art and photography has fully formed into what we know as Juan Leo Lifestyle, your blog, please tell us a little more about it I’ve always loved fashion and design, and became quite involved in creative arts from an early age so the next befitting step after being exposed to so many opportunities within the industry and similar industries was to start a blog, which looked much easier at first. We started out as “Faith, Fashion & Living Fabulously” which encompassed everything I believed in and loved. But my real goal was to build a different type of fashion community —one which isn’t focused solely on looking or feeling good, but one that focuses on others as well. And naturally, the brand progressed and we underwent some rebranding of sorts and landed up as Juan Leo Lifestyle. It hasn’t lost the meaning or purpose of the brand —focusing on faith and fashion with a greater purpose. It basically refers to not competing, but offering something more to the world and distinguishing ourselves from everyone else. I must say, that’s rather unique, combining fashion and faith, so how do you marry the two? Through networking and building relationships with businesses, companies and local entrepreneurs. It’s about ensuring the cycle of giving back never stops. Although, we do focus on fashion and lifestyle aspects, we retain being a platform for a purpose and our current focus is on being a support to local designers, entrepreneurs and start-up businesses, and not just in Cape Town. We’ve identified gaps in the market and I think it’s quite obvious that many individuals have the dream and the talent, but lack knowledge in terms of social media and marketing themselves and that’s why they struggle or they become stagnant in the growth of their business. And that’s where we come in. I think that’s quite important, considering I’ve come across many companies that position themselves as ‘being there for the small businesses’ but when it comes to working with them, they shy away. How do you help small business? We’ve also recently started Pedro by Juan Leo —a menswear fashion and styling division aimed at the modern man. I have wanted to branch out for a while and we’ve finally found the perfect team for this. This allows us to reach even more start-up companies and brands, and also impact a greater audience. So on one end, you’re driving traffic to smaller brands and business, how does the other end work? How does a blogger create income through blogging? I would say I wouldn’t know because this isn’t our first priority but bloggers do charge per post, or per Instagram photograph posted and this is dependent on your followings. This is by means of sponsored posts primarily. Many bloggers with a huge influence can be seen being hired for commercials/advertising, campaigns with big retailers and the likes —there’s opportunity everywhere if done right. I’m sure bloggers get paid for every little thing under the sun that you haven’t even imagined yet —from public appearances to promoting garments at an event and online and everywhere in between and I’m not too sure how I feel about it. I believe you should stand by your brand and quality requires payment. Juan Leo’s main income would be from; Brand photography Content creation Fashion photography for other bloggers (and it’s my favourite! Passion drives everything) Would you say that blogging is a viable career choice? Career? Perhaps. Viable —I’m not sure. Blogging itself can become a full-time job if you’re prepared to make a few huge sacrifices in the beginning and are also prepared to stand your ground when it comes to payment. Your following and content quality play a huge role in securing work —real work. I’ve watched many bloggers or creatives evolve and boom straight to the top without realizing it. Once you reach a certain point, managing a full time job and a blog is quite time-consuming and if blogging is your passion, it will eventually pay the bills while you’re having fun and doing what you love. Would I do it? Yes and no. ‘Yes’, because I love it, and ‘no’, because there’s more to blogging than just looking good and showing off a lifestyle. I’ll blog and do everything else that isn’t shown online —that makes me happy. Bloggers move through ranks in my opinion (and if no one has noticed). It starts off as a blogger, and evolves into everything from a digital or fashion influencer to a brand ambassador, social media marketers and eventually lands positions on radio or TV. It’s amazing how the ripple effect just takes over. With such opportunities that can come from being a blogger, I can imagine that there would be an influx of new bloggers —and with so many, there would surely be some common traits
Laura Eboa Songue: Social media made us
Sometimes, the most compelling reason for starting a media company is also the most simple: it’s a vision you just can’t give up. Since its launch in 2007, FASHIZBLACK has gone from just being a blog to an online community for Francophone Afropolitans. That’s rarely ever easy to pull off, but Laura Eboa Songue, the company’s co-founder did it by utilizing social media to its fullest potential. If you’ve ever thought about starting your own media company, there’s lessons from looking at what’s driving FASHIZBLACK, the journey so far, and the plans for the future. How did FASHIZBLACK come about? Originally, we created our media company out of a need for more representation. The idea started off in late 2007 with a blog. Street-style was starting to get momentum in Paris and out of all the cool blogs, there was nothing representing black people. That’s how the blog was launched. We went on to launch an official website in September 2008, a print magazine in 2012 and build a solid community online. How have you used social media to grow your audience? Social media made us, to be honest. It helped us understand our readership on a daily basis, connect with them, and have consistent feedback. We truly can say that we know our audience. Also, it helped us financially, since we raised $45,000 via Kickstarter during the summer 2011. Twitter and Facebook were the main reason for the campaign’s success. It’s really our foundation and we are thankful for our followers, they are our accountability partners. What is your vision for African fashion? The industry is still in its infancy, so the posibilities are endless. The structural challenges are amazing opportunities to grow and build an industry that fits our values and identities. Do you mind sharing with us the multiple projects you work on? Sure. Right now we are re-launching our premium print magazine so we are finalizing our contents production. My daily tasks can go from brainstorming about creative input like editorials and interviews, to corrections. I also work on partnerships, from influencers to affiliates and advertisers. On a personal level, I work with states, institutions & key-players in the fashion industry in France and Africa, via the AFRICAFRANCE foundation, to continue our actions structuring the industry. From market studies to training solutions, lobbying and trade shows, we try to push projects that will serve as strong basis for a more consistent industry. I also do speaking engagements here and there, when time allows it. I think it’s important to share my experience, not only to further our brand but to help out where I can. What trends can we expect to see in African fashion in the next three years? It’s definitely about growth and saturation. As governments and institutions (very) slowly realize how vital our cultures and know-how are core to our development as economies, the fashion industry will be provided will more efficient tools. I’m looking forward to the birth of more African brands, both commercial and creatively successful locally and/or abroad. How have you managed your relationship with your co-founder(s)? That’s an awesome question. First of all, I think I am blessed with incredibly talented, but most importantly, amazing human beings as my partners. Before being highly skilled, they have great (work) ethics, and strong values. So, it’s not hard to solve any conflict that could arise. We are pretty much always willing to learn and try not to get stuck in our own ways. Now, I’m not saying that everything is always perfect, but I can say that we are always trying our best. And we have the company’s best interest at heart, always. What advice would you give young African women looking to starting a career in the media? Just do it. We need so much more voices to speak volume for us, and to us. Starting a media is a very difficult task because it’s an extremely complex product to build and to sell, but if it’s your vision, you just can’t give up. One thing I wish I took more seriously, is getting a mentor. It would have saved me so much hassle and opened so many doors. We had nobody to show us the way, and made all the possible mistakes in the book. But hey, at least I can truly say now that I am a master at what I do and I know many different areas of business, media, fashion and self-development. Also, interning and training is key. Once again, I worked in luxury and fashion but we are 100% self-taught when it comes to media. So, if you can learn on someone else’s dime, please, do! Last but not least, be extra persistent, resilient, and stick to your vision no matter what. I believe in the law of attraction, so your vision is your reality. It’s going to happen for you! Want to see women you know featured on SLA? Tell us what amazing things women are doing in your communities here.