5 Career Lessons Sho Madjozi Taught Us In 2019
If you have not heard of Sho Madjozi, you must be living under a rock. This year, the 27-year-old proud Tsonga ambassador from Limpopo solidified her spot as an international superstar with hits like John Cena. While she’s been in the rap scene for barely 3 years, she’s found major success in a short time. This year, she won the Best New International Act category at the BET Awards, launched her first fashion collection in collaboration with Edgards, and got the world taking the #JohnCenaChallenge. After learning all we could about Sho Madjozi’s career, here are 5 lessons all Motherland Moguls can apply to accelerate their career growth. 1. Use your strengths Maya (Sho Madjozi’s legal name) has spent years honing and leveraging her writing skills to build a career for herself. Whether she’s doing screenplays, poetry or rap, she understands her core strength and has used that to explore career paths including journalism, performance poetry and rap. Develop your strengths and use them to build your career. When you bring something valuable to the table, you set yourself up for accelerated success. 2. Get involved in your community Sho Madjozi has always used her talents to try to shape or change the community around her. As a poet and journalist, she discussed racial identity and the effects of colonialism on the modern African. Now as a rapper, she promotes Tsonga culture and inspires young Africans to be proud of their roots. How does that apply to you when you get to the office in the new year? Plug into the issues of your company, clients, customers and see how your talents can change things. Your involvement keeps you visible and valuable. 3. Collaborate with strategic partners One major way Sho Madjozi accelerated her career growth this year was through her strategic partnership with Edgars. Through her collaboration with the retail brand, she launched her first clothing line at the same time as her album. To reach your career goals, it’s always easier and faster to get some help. Seek out strategic partners within your network that will help you reach your business goals. A great start is to find a mentor. 4. Know your worth In an interview with Africori, Sho Madjozi explains that African artists need to understand that they are very hot in the market right now and need to negotiate their value appropriately. Understanding the value of your skills and experiences is important to accelerate your career. 5. Bet on yourself The most important to take away from Sho Madjozi’s hustle this year is to bet on yourself. Sho Madjozi’s success in the past year has been with no label support. She has continuously taken chances and invested in herself. You must take swings and get out of your comfort zone to grow – volunteer to be team lead on a project, pitch that idea in your head, and start that side hustle! What lessons will you use to SLAY your career in 2020? SLAY Festival is coming to Joburg in 2020! GET YOUR EARLY BIRD TICKETS NOW
Words of wisdom from Africa’s first lady of entertainment Bonang Matheba
There is nothing better than seeing our fellow African women killin’ it in the game. Bonang Matheba is a South African television host, radio personality, and business woman. From, hosting the red carpet for E!, being the brand ambassador for Revlon South Africa and mentoring South African girls. Bonang can be inspiration for all of us due to her passion for African women and woman empowerment. Here our some word of wisdom from Bonang that any #MotherlandMogul can apply to their lives. Cutting out the negativity “I’ve had to cut out a few acquaintances after realising that negative energy from people I associated myself with would weigh me down, letting go of such relations helped me focus on my career and self development.” As DJ Khaled affectionately put it, stay away from they. Negative people can take up your time and time is money. As the old saying goes you are who you surround yourself with. If you surround yourself with Negative Nancies and Debbie Downers soon enough you will find yourself becoming one of them. If you want to be fulfilled, successful, and career focused, make sure you constantly surround yourself with people who are the same. Be whatever you want to be “We live in a world where everyone has the ability to be whatever they wish to be no matter the circumstance or environment one comes from.” Sometimes we get into the habit of letting opportunities or great ideas we have pass due to our previous experiences or the situations that we are in. Your dreams are valid. Your circumstances don’t define your future. Never let go of an opportunity you believe in. Never doubt yourself or let where you’ve come from define you. Hold on to your confidence “Always be confident in your skin and your capabilities. I can’t tell you how many times people have told me, “No, you can’t do this. No, you can’t do that,” but I always remained confident in myself.” Don’t let a few no’s or failures tarnish your confidence. Bonang didn’t easily reach over a million Twitter followers or become one of the most influential people on the African continent. She isn’t an overnight success story. Bonang was turned down in at least 25 auditions before her first big break at YFM radio, she auditioned 9 times to be a presenter on Live Amp. Some of us would have threw in the towel after the first 3 rejections but Bonang didn’t take no for an answer. “Rise above, replace hate with love and pray, work hard, dress up and kill it.” “You need to grow so hard and so thick and so strong to a point where it doesn’t matter what people think, you need to do what makes you happy.” In others words, Hey South African #MotherlandMoguls, the SheHive will be landing in Johannesburg from November 3-6. Find out more here.
Patricia Kihoro: Create the work you want!
Patricia Kihoro needs no introduction. The multi-talented Kenyan singer and actress has only grown since becoming a finalist at Tusker Project Fame 3 (TPF) in 2009. Now, Patricia has produced her own musical stage show, worked with a variety of renowned musicians and performed across Europe. Through all this, what matters most to Patricia is harnessing positivity and creating a great product. “As people in the creative industry, we are always tarmacking. I got to a place in life where I decided I wasn’t going to stay in the house waiting for work so I created the work I wanted ”, Patricia says. Obviously, music is not all there is to you. Tell us about the other things you do. As an entertainer, my interest spans singing, acting, writing, stage performances and photography. In the spirit of creating work for myself, I wrote, directed and produced my own stage show, Life in the Single Lane, a narrative involving interactive storytelling, acting and singing. The name was inspired by my then single status. In this show, I had put in all my savings and was a bit nervous. The play sold out, reaffirming my belief in authenticity. Life in the Single Lane was not fiction, I was not acting, I was being me. I wanted to create a product that was original and authentic. It ended up being something that people were comfortable bringing their friends, parents and even their teenage children to watch. Evidently, the love bug bit again and it’s a wrap for Life in the Single Lane, literally. So, how much of our personal issues should we let into our businesses? When creating a product, say a play or music, my current state of mind matters a lot. I know I am my greatest enemy. But the good thing is, I was able to harness into my heartbreak positively and create a great product. You were in the Because You Said So stage show. How was it? In 2014, along with a group of friends led by Jason Runo, we staged an improv comedy show dubbed ‘Because You Said So’, a hilarious comedy improvisation stage show. Improv comedy is a form of live standup comedy that is unscripted and entails off the cuff responses to scenarios created by a host. The show has gone on to enjoy tremendous success over the past 2 years. Do you worry about everyday things other entrepreneurs worry about? I mean issues like paying bills or paying late. As a creative especially, I worry that my product may not be good enough. Tell us about your radio show. What kind of music do you play? My radio job at HBR 103.5 is something I take pride in. My show Afrocentral showcases urban and contemporary music from across Africa. I also host creatives making waves on the continent. There’s a lot of good music out there, songs that don’t enjoy any or enough airplay. This is the kind of music I play. Africans are so talented. My greatest joy is when I receive feedback from delighted listeners who call in asking more about the music or the artist. This sounds like a fun and easy job. Is it? I sometimes have to turn the internet upside down looking for music on YouTube and even reaching out to artists directly. Before HBR, I worked at 1 FM radio as a News Presenter. I would say persistence and networking have helped a lot. You’re also an actress. Tell us about it. I was cast on MNET’s production Changes (my first TV gig), Sauti and Rush TV pilots and the 1st & 2nd season of Groove Theory (Africa’s first ever musical TV series). These were not roles that were handed to me. I had to rigorously audition for each and every one of them. I have even had to audition for a role in my best friend’s production. You’re multi-talented but do you ever suffer indecisiveness, especially with what project to do and when? Unfortunately, I can never choose music over my acting, radio or vice versa. These are all abilities that make up who I am as a creative person. Of course, I become indecisive at times. Some friends have advised me to concentrate on one thing, say music. But if I did that I feel I would be selling myself short. Are you involved in other ventures outside the creative industry? Besides being involved in the creative industry, I am one of the mentors at Blaze. Blaze is a recently launched platform that empowers youths to be in control of their careers and future while helping them succeed in their specific chosen fields. It is a sub-brand of Safaricom, a leading mobile service provider in Kenya. I also mentor in media, arts, and journalism. How are you inspired? I keep a group of close-knit friends who inspire, build and challenge me to grow in my career. We want your stories! Tell us what amazing things women are doing in your communities here.
What the misadventures of Koffi Olomide tell us about violence against women
Koffi Olomide has had quite a week. To be honest with you, I’d never heard the name before. My taste in music seems to run parallel with his specialties. I got to know him recently though, and for all the wrong reasons. If you aren’t aware already, let me fill you in. The renown rhumba singer from the Democratic Republic of Congo was kicked off Kenyan soil on July 22 after clearly kicking one of his dancers. On the same day of his arrival and still at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, he assaulted the lady in front of Kenyan airport police and the media. Now, in another place and time, this incident would have blown over pretty quickly after a few comments thrown around here and there and a slot in the day’s prime-time news. He’s a celebrity after all. All publicity is good publicity. Unfortunately for Olomide, these are different times.As soon as the videos of his assault hit the interwebs, a barrage of condemnation and censure descended upon him like hell-fire in the form of social media outcries, especially on Twitter. The 60-year-old singer, known for acting on his anger outbursts, was not getting away with it this time. The jig was up. Olomide’s scheduled performance was cancelled after public outcries to boycott it. He was then taken to the police station and deported, along with three of his dancers the very next day. Catching up on these events, what first came to my mind was, “Shame on you!” I don’t get how a man old enough to be my father was caught kicking a woman. When confronted about the issue Olomide gave some nonsensical excuse about protecting the lady from muggers. Bah! I wasn’t hearing it. And neither were a lot of people, men and women alike. Even the higher-ups of Kenyan society spoke out. In a statement, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Youth and Gender affairs, Sicily Kariuki, described his conduct as an insult to Kenyans. The Constitution states that violence against women and girls cannot be accepted in any shape, form or manner. When he landed back in Kinshasa, Olomide was received by a wave of jeers from the gathered crowd. He was booed by fans as he left the airport for his house in Kinshasa. Following this fiasco, Zambia, where the singer had a series of shows, also cancelled his performances. One of the organisers of that show Njoya Tembo, said, “Koffi has proved to be violent when musicians are generally peace ambassadors.” But it did not end there. Olomide was then charged with assault in a Kinshasa court and sentenced to three months in jail. This came after a rigorous campaign to have him arrested was started by Congressman Zakarie Bababaswe, who had filed a petition on behalf of the Congolese public to get the musician punished for assault. His arrest – which was ordered by the attorney-general– was received with jubilation by locals and foreigners, who feel justice must be done for all, and especially in enforcing women’s rights. As I watched all these events unfold in the space of a week, I just knew I was witnessing a revolution. African countries have generally lagged behind in condemning (and enforcing laws against) violence towards women. Yes efforts are being made, but it is taking longer for us to see the effects. However, this outward condemnation of a seasoned musician in the face of his actions is a sign of progress. If even he can be charged in court and receive a sentence to serve jail time, then we are definitely moving in the right direction. To that I say, hongera! (Swahili for ‘congratulations’). My cheering didn’t last very long. After just one day, Olomide was released from prison on July 28. For some weird reason, another twitter campaign got him out. This campaign was started after an outcry from his team for DRC to rally behind the singer as he had been ‘unfairly prosecuted’. Please tell me, what unfair prosecution are they referring to? He got what he deserved as far as I’m concerned. Kicking a woman is inexcusable, especially with his past record of similar transgressions. But you know, what? I still see a victory. Africa has learned something. One cannot get away scot-free for such gender-based violence any longer. Olomide’s trials through the past week will serve as a warning to anyone else even thinking that they can get away with such actions. It is a victory for women in Africa. Mess with us and you’ll receive a stern reminder that we are people too and assault is assault. You can go to jail for that, whether you’re famous or not. Motherland Moguls, what do you think of the singer being released from his sentence? Sound off below in the comments.
4 career lessons from Akothee, Kenyan singer and entrepreneur
Earlier this year, Akothee set off a storm on Kenyan gossip forums as curious minds wanted to know about her wealth. The singer is thought to be one of the wealthiest celebrities in the country and her rapid rise to fame sparked rumours. Wagging tongues suggested that she got her wealth from a rich man and that she is part of the Illuminati. She was even accused of human trafficking. Just goes to show that there is still a long way to go before haters will stop saying horrible things about successful women. Akothee has quite a lot to teach us about life and business, get your pens ready. It’s okay to have a rough start Akothee left school aged 14 to marry the man she thought was the love of her life. In her own words, she came from a stable family but rebelled against expectations placed on her. She stayed at home, working as a housegirl for her mother-in-law over the course of seven years. All this while, her husband was in school getting his degree. He would eventually leave her for another woman. It was after ten years of marriage that Akothee returned to school. She was 24 years old. It is never too late to make a change in your life. A bumpy ride should not stop you from moving forward. Nurture your inner hustler After her divorce, Akothee moved from her village to Mombasa. There she learned how to drive and took to driving a taxi as part of her brother’s business. Yes, you read that right, she drove a taxi (some sources say it was a matatu). Akothee is known to be a great dancer and although she has made money from it, when she started she was dancing for free. It was others who suggested that she consider dancing as a business. She followed this advice and went on to earn a living as a professional dancer, dancing at high-end parties in cities across the world. Write this down, you can make profit from doing something unconventional. Always persevere and like Akothee land on your feet not on your back. Diversity is the spice of life Looking at all the things Akothee does begs the question, what exactly is her side hustle? Is it her music? Is it her business? The parties she hosts? The acting she does on the side? On the business side of things, Akothee has admitted that her ventures fund her Instagram glamorous living. She is the woman behind Akothee Safaris, a travel agency and transport service (remember the taxi company mentioned above? It has now expanded to a fleet of cars and will soon acquire a private jet). She also owns a 5 star boutique hotel in the coastal city Diani. In addition to this, she deals in real estate and property, buying and selling luxurious homes along the Kenyan coast. These days, everyone is expected to find their niche and stick to it but Akothee shows us that you can choose to buck the trend. You can be a mama and an entrepreneur On top of managing all that showbiz and entrepreneurship, Akothee is a mother of five! She has said that having kids is a hobby and she won’t mind a number six. As a single mum, she’s both the mother and the father, add to this her diverse hustles and her as a person outside her celebrity status. Her children have seen her through all her struggles and respect her for it. Akothee is a huge inspiration to single mums. You can be everything you want to be in addition to being a great mother. It’s been said that her past European partners are the ones that gave her money but after studying Akothee’s entrepreneurial spirit, I’ll take that with a pinch of salt. Here’s to living life to the fullest while generating your own wealth!