Want to Join an Investors Club With a Low Budget? Here’s what you need to know
Ever heard of the term Plutophobia? Plutophobia is derived from Pluto (wealth) and Phobia (fear) is the fear of wealth. Yes, it is actually a thing that there are people who are afraid of being rich. It sounds funny, I even feel like laughing out loud as I type this, but looking at it deeply makes it not so funny. Like, how can someone be afraid of being wealthy when we all know that money answereth all things? (We are well aware of immaterial wealth but for the sake of this article, all mention of wealth refer to money and all the riches that come with it). There is also something called Chrometophobia. Chermato (money) and Phobia (fear) which is the fear of money. The key triggers of phobias are external events which might be heredity or life experiences. You might have heard time and time again that investment is not for the rich only. But then, you don’t know how exactly to invest with a low budget. What if I told you that you do not need huge amounts of money to invest in portfolios that can give you beautiful rewards. All you need is to have the right information and go where the opportunities abound. Before you invest, first decide if you are willing to invest either for a short term or a long term. This will enable you to look in the right places, thereby saving time and being decisive from the onset. Pay attention to the following before your first investment: Beware of “too good to be true” offers. Examples are investments that offer high returns just after two days. Understand the risks that come with the investment you are taking up. Do your own proper research. Always get the second opinion from friend, family or an investments expert. Ensure that there is physical paperwork stating all the terms of investment. Now that you have the information on what to do before you invest. Here are some investment opportunities you can start investing with as low as N5,000 monthly: Mutual funds Money market funds Real estates Treasury bills via i-invest app Agriculture Invest in a friend or family’s business with properly drafted contracts There are also private investment opportunities where you get up to 10% monthly on commitments from as low as N50,000 Remember that you won’t get rich by hoarding money in your savings account or leaving them in a piggy bank. It is by investing. A change in mindset would help you navigate away from societal misconceptions about being wealthy as a woman. It would also help you overcome the fear of charging your worth for services you render or the good you sell. And as time goes on, you will see yourself making the money that you were long due to make, but afraid to ask for. Like I mentioned earlier, decide on the type of investment you want and why you want it then go for a suitable opportunity. Now that you are well informed about investments and how it can help you become wealthy, do you still hold any reservations about it? How are you improving your spending habits this month? Click here to join the SLA #SecureTheBag challenge.
Tips to a winning introduction during your next interview
“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” – Eleanor Roosevelt I’ve realized that a lot of people find it difficult to introduce themselves during an interview. That ‘Tell me about yourself’ question is the ice breaker and most candidates are scared to break it because they are not too sure of themselves. Before I go into tips to a winning introduction, I would like to address a foundational problem that hinders us from selling ourselves properly and the “Lack of CONFIDENCE”. “Man often becomes what he believes himself to be. If I keep on saying to myself that I cannot do a certain thing, it is possible that I may end by really becoming incapable of doing it. On the contrary, if I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning.” Mahatma Gandhi Are you a fresh graduate or a prospective intern and not sure what to say when asked to Introduce yourself? Here are some things that would guide you: Think through what you want to say before opening your mouth to talk Mental preparation and a mirror exercise would do. You don’t need to cram a speech or start reciting it verbatim, rather it should provide a guideline on what how each point should be said. Avoid distracting words Words like ‘urm’ ‘erm’ ‘izz like’ ‘you know’ etc could be distracting for your interviewer and may imply you’re not prepared for the interview. If those interjections are too much, it can be a huge turn-off. Keep it concise and simple I remember one of the interviews I sat in a few months ago, this guy legit talked about himself for a whole 30minutes. Do you know that’s where the interview started and ended? At a point, he was just blabbing and we didn’t understand what he was saying but didn’t want to be rude and interject him. Besides, we already knew he was a NO and allowed him to land before saying we had no questions and dismissed him. Self-awareness is important If you are self-aware, it is easier for you to understand other people and detect how they perceive you in return. How well do you know yourself and the kind of direct or indirect message you are passing? Here are some things you need to build on to prepare for the next interview: 1. Your Bio Start with your name, your school and course of study, the aspect in your course that interests you and why (this is not compulsory if it’s not related to your course of study). 2. Your Strengths This could include something like being very organized, being able to manage your time and setting priorities, being able to communicate in a clear manner, being able to manage people regardless of their temperament, being able to work in a team. Take note that while talking about this strengths, you should include one or two examples of how you have demonstrated them while in school as a leader in your school project, school activism, Student union or department association and finally through religious bodies you have belonged to. 3. Your Value Proposition Talk about the value you would be adding to the team or organization. I would advise that you do extensive research about them and ensure what you are saying is relevant and relatable. If you have done your homework properly, they will fall in love with you!!!! Finally, this is a piece of golden advice that is like the icing on the cake for people who want to give a winning introduction. 4. Humility won’t help you I have met superb people who have great skills which companies are looking for but because they haven’t worked in a formal organization, they think those skills acquired through volunteering, internship, and personal development aren’t relevant. Sister, if you don’t sell yourself, who will ?? Be proud of your little achievements and don’t be too humble about them. In the end, the best salesman gets the contract! I hope you digest this information and deliberately work on your confidence. It may not happen overnight but with time, you can grow and become better. Interested in contributing for She Leads Africa? Click here.
AFFORDABLE FASHION STYLE FOR ENTREPRENEURS
Because budding entrepreneurs have to take on many roles while building their companies on a shoestring budget. They sometimes end up with little or no time (and a limited budget) to attend to their style/fashion needs. Appearance makes a good part of business especially when you are still climbing up the ropes and trying to spread your tentacles in the business world. It is however important for an entrepreneur to consider the industry in which you operate while putting your wardrobe together. It is best to keep in mind that what works for a tech entrepreneur who is constantly in meetings with investors might not necessarily work for a creative entrepreneur who attends more of networking events. Overall, the aim is to find a fashion style that’s affordable and gives a good impression of you as an entrepreneur especially when it matters the most. As a budding entrepreneur, you need to be able to slay on a budget. [bctt tweet=”Dressing for business is also dressing for success. Every entrepreneur must take note of this. Read more – ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Here are 2 factors for putting together a wardrobe that works and suits your budget. 1. DEFINE YOUR STYLE COMFORT: Always have it in mind that whatever your style is, it’s important to be comfortable in clothes. Clothes that are not comfortable can affect your mood, esteem as well as your general wellbeing. Ensure that whatever style you choose keeps you comfortable. CONFIDENCE: Even after dressing up in clothes, you must exude a level of confidence that helps you stand out in a crowd; So as you build your fashion style, remember to always step out with confidence and charisma. COLORS: Determine the colors that best suit your skin tone. After this, you can go further to determine which of these colors are most appropriate for formal than casual outfits. Overall, the goal is to understand how to coordinate outfits color wise so you always step out looking well put together. PHYSIQUE: Once you understand your physique, you can easily go for clothes that are the perfect fit for your body structure; clothes that flatter your good features and minimize the appearance of your “flaws”. ACCESSORIZE: Accessories can easily be used to give outfits an edge, depending on the occasion. Having accessories (like brooches, cuff links, belts, glasses, scarves, earrings) as part of your wardrobe can help you create different looks even without owning so many clothes. 2. FASHION STAPLES EVERY ENTREPRENEUR SHOULD OWN A well-tailored blazer (preferably black) – This can easily be put together nicely to achieve different formal and business casual looks. Jeans (dark rinse /black) – Ladies, you can pair this with heels and blazers to attend networking events; men can also pair with sneakers and blazers for the same purpose. Functional footwear – Neutral colored pumps should easily do the trick as they are comfortable, blend with other colors and are suitable for formal and business casual looks. Handbag or briefcase – A basic handbag/briefcase should do, it does not necessarily have to be expensive but should be in very good condition (not worn out). Dresses/pencil skirt – dresses and pencil skirts are very versatile and can be styled differently (with or without accessories) to get a variety of business looks. Ensure the fit is right and the length not too short Most importantly, choose quality over quantity when shopping for a business wardrobe; endeavor to buy the best quality you can afford. Handle your formal and business casual clothes with care especially when washing so you don’t have to replace them so often. Avoid clothes that are distracting and too revealing. Remember dressing for business is also dressing for success…. Slay on!!!
Smangele Nicolette Ngwenya: I am Enough
Born in the east of Johannesburg in Ekurhuleni, Smangele Nicolette Ngwenya is a self-motivated, systematic and confident woman. Having grown up in her grandmother’s green shack, she sums up her background as colorful and supportive. This background inspired her to start the WomenYouAreEnough organization. Through her organization, Smangele hopes to empower and inspire women. What was the motivation behind your organization? I’ve always wanted to be involved in meaningful & fruitful things. My prayer has always been, God helps me to give more than I can receive. Being raised by a giving grandmother made it natural to me. When the organization started, I only wanted to help take a disadvantaged girl child to school. Then suddenly, I also wanted to collect sanitary towels so that no girl child could miss class because of something that occurs involuntarily. The organization has since become a movement with a hashtag #WomanYouAreEnough which reminds all women that it’s okay to be imperfect, that it’s okay to help other women without taking the glory once they reach to the top. WomanYouAreEnough means that when Queens(Women) gather, wonderful things happen. What does confidence mean to you? Personally, confidence means complimenting another woman’s beauty & understating that their beauty is not in the absence of mine. It means recognizing the strength of another woman & knowing but also knowing that I too am enough. So confidence is about being happy in my own skin and also appreciating the strength of those around me. Has your confidence ever been compromised? Women have often compromised my confidence every now and then. I have had a very strong personality which has often mistaken for being a miss know it all. I was teased for my body weight and facial features. However, despite all these negative comments, I have never felt any less confident. In fact, I have been fortunate enough to attract confident women who see each other as Queens and not threats. What is your mantra? My daily mantra is reminding myself that I am enough. Even on my worst day, I wake up and dress up knowing that without any reasonable doubt, I am enough. I don’t have to force what’s meant for me as it will find me. Are women empowered today? I have to say that women empowerment is definitely on the rise. Especially with the use of social media, we are seeing more women in the corporate world holding higher positions. Different organizations and movements are making sure that women empowerment is on the rise. WomanYouAreEnough is one of those. We have different empowerment programs such as the matric dance campaign where we dress up disadvantaged girls for their big day. We also host seminars and share personal struggles to continue encouraging women. Therefore, females are inspired by everything we’ve done. Where do you draw your inspiration? My late grandmother Salamina Mafoka Molakeng Mimi truly inspires me. Though life has dealt with her, she has remained hopeful. My mother NoNhlanhla Ngwenya who from the age 18 has worked double shifts at various restaurants so that we can have a normal childhood also inspires me. Finally, every other female who decided to go for it even though their background didn’t allow them also greatly inspires me. Does overconfidence cause more problems than under-confidence? There’s nothing like being overconfident according to me. So, I’d say there are more problems caused by being under confident. Society still tries to tame females. They tell us we are too old, too confident or too much. At the end of the day, these things make us doubt ourselves & we end up in a certain box hating each other as females. If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your story with us.
9 Business Lessons from My First Year of Business
Like many people, I was faced with the dilemma of deciding whether or not I needed to attend business school to start my business as I had no experience. However, I finally decided to be brave and start my business without any experience. In my one year since starting, I have learned the following lessons. 1. Never take things too personally. When operating with people, it’s often very easy to make arguments, criticism and other relations personal. However, if you want to succeed in the business world, you need to remember that at the end of the day, how you deal with your customers and partners is strictly business and not personal. 2. Separate your business life from your personal life. When you have a friendly relationship with your clients, it is very easy for the lines to get blurred. Sometimes, this can end up in sticky situations where one party does not fulfill their end of the deal. To avoid these situations, it is important to set the lines clear between your business and your personal life. You need to maintain a work-life balance. 3. Be clear about your job description. As a service based business, one of my ethos is going beyond and above for my clients. Sometimes, this results in taking up certain duties (aka unpaid labor) that are not part of my job description. This can get overwhelming. Therefore, it is important to be clear about ALL the services that your offer from the onset. If necessary, you should draw up contracts that reflect your services and your limits. 4. Review your prices regularly. You might be doing yourself a great disservice if in a bid to come across as affordable you under-price yourself. It is important to review your prices as often as possible. Especially when you’re in an industry like social media where your responsibilities are flexible and subject to change. 5. Be accountable. In the absence of a business partner or a co-founder, you need to learn how to hold yourself accountable. This can be as easy as setting small, medium and long-term goals and working toward them. These goals are important to give you a sense of direction and to keep you in check. 6. Toot your horn. One of the few things I still struggle with is putting myself out there as I’d like for my business to speak for itself. But the game has changed and the internet is over saturated. The only way for you to be noticed or to come across as a thought-leader or an expert in your field is if you put yourself out there. There are no two ways about it. Do you want to be the go-to person for a particular service? Put yourself out there and let people know. 7. Have confidence in yourself. When you are running a business, you’re gonna need all the confidence you can muster for the tough days ahead. You will face people who don’t believe in your dreams and your plans may even fail. It is important to keep believing in yourself even when others don’t. 8. Find time to improve your skills. Work/Life can be overwhelming sometimes and before you know it, three months have gone by without you learning anything new. In this ever-changing world, there’s a need to constantly improve your skills. Thankfully we have the internet at our disposal but finding the time can be a challenge. To fix this, make a schedule maybe during the public holidays and learn something that would directly improve your daily activities. 9. Customer service is key. Just because you’re not selling a product to a consumer doesn’t mean customer service is any less important. You’re selling services. Treat your clients with courtesy. Referrals are still king. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
How to Build your confidence in the legal profession
To succeed in the legal profession, confidence is key. Whether it’s arguing an application in court, explaining to your boss why you should adopt an unorthodox approach in dealing with a client or trying to secure a client – confidence is needed to achieve success in the legal profession. After practicing law for a while, you will have attained a certain level of confidence. The experiences you have gained in the field and the mistakes and lessons you have picked up will build your confidence. However, a young lawyer who is just starting out in the field or who has little years of experience may struggle to gain the certain level of confidence needed to deliver results. In my few years of practice, I have had to innovate and think of ways to build my confidence. Along the years I have picked up these 3 vital lessons: [bctt tweet=”Knowledge increases confidence and results in excellence” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Always be prepared Over the years, I have come to realize that thorough preparation for any task or activity, has helped me in my few years of practice. Be it a client meeting, arguing an application in court, or going to trial and so on. When you are thoroughly prepared to carry out a certain task, you will have the confidence to convey your point or secure a client regardless of how apprehensive you naturally are or unexpected twists that occur when carrying out the task. For instance, if you are arguing an application in court, or pitching an idea to your boss or trying to secure a client in a novel filed that you have no real practical experience in, it is advised that you prepare extensively. This will involve reading and practice your arguments, cases, studying in depth and any other relevant information. Imagine you are having a conversation with your friend I had a conversation with my boss with respect to building my confidence when addressing a Judge in court and one of the key points he told me that has stuck with me all these years is “to imagine you are having a conversation with your friend”. I personally think this is an off-shoot of the first point discussed above. If you’ve done your homework, it should not be difficult to convey your submissions or points. However, if the client or the Judge may be cantankerous or erratic, you would probably have some fear when addressing them. One way to deal with this is to imagine that the person in question is your friend. Think of how you would explain the case or hold a regular argument with your friend. This attitude will help relieve whatever fear or apprehension you have. You later realize that your points come across much more clearer and eloquently. Also, it will help you deal with whatever unexpected questions you are asked. Believe in yourself This is the most important point. If you are well prepared but don’t believe in yourself, it will show! The impression you will create is that you are actually not well prepared. Take for example you are scheduled to argue an application for an injunction in court. You have studied your client’s case well and the relevant law on an injunction. If you aren’t confident and the Judge interrupts you questioning, “Why should the Court grant your Client this injunction”? Your thoughts will be jumbled up and you may end up confusing the judge. The truth is you probably know the answer to this. You just need to apply the law to the facts explain how the law favors your client. However, if you do not believe in yourself, you may begin to overthink the question being asked. Then you’ll start talking too much till you go off point. In summary, you have to believe in your self and your case. Even when you have a bad day or have received a bad review! Naturally, when such events occur, your morale is down and you lose all motivation to continue working hard. If you believe in yourself, you should not let this affect your productivity. Instead, you should use such negative comments to fuel your energy and motivate you to perform better. Do you have career tips on how to build confidence in a given industry? Let us know here.
Presence and Poise Web Series in collaboration with Dark and Lovely Africa
Have you ever wished that you had a fairy godmother that would come and bless your life with glitter, money and Versace? In the hyper competitive business world, we often only have 3-5 seconds to make a great first impression. Even if we don’t want it to be the case, the way we present ourselves can have a major impact on whether or not we get that job interview, business deal or media opportunity. Our mothers have blocked us from casting any spells (AMEN) but we have been able to pull together an amazing collaboration to help you upgrade your style, confidence and business in one quick swoop! We’re proud to introduce Presence and Poise, an exciting new makeover series to help improve the business skills and confidence of up and coming women in our community. In collaboration with global beauty giant Dark and Lovely in Africa, Presence and Poise will identify five women who are working hard to build a business but need coaching and support to get to that next level. Selected participants will win a complimentary trip to Johannesburg, South Africa, business coaching from a seasoned expert and a beauty and style makeover by Dark and Lovely Haircare Experts. After the makeover they will also be introduced to potential business partners, mentors or investors who can help support their business moving forward. To be considered for a makeover, follow these simple steps: Upload a video onto Instagram on why you deserve a business makeover and use the hashtag #PresencexPoise Include your City and Country in your caption Follow @DarkandLovelyAfrica and @SheLeadsAfrica Applications close on 14 April 2017 at 11:59pm WAT. After your makeover, you’ll be walking into your next meeting like this. Terms and Conditions INTRODUCTION: The Presence and Poise Makeover Web Series will provide young women with a business makeover including a new hairstyle, outfit and coaching to get their business to the next level. The goal of the show is to encourage young women to overcome obstacles and achieve their goals. The Promoters for The Presence and Poise Makeover Web Series (“the competition”) are Devorent Nigeria Limited (“She Leads Africa “) and L’Oreal South Africa (Proprietary) Limited (“Dark and Lovely Africa”) (collectively, “the organisers”). APPLICATION PROCESS: Open to Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Ivory Coast and South Africa residents aged 18 or over only, who are in possession of a valid identity document except employees and directors of She Leads Africa & Dark and Lovely Africa, and their associated, affiliated or subsidiary companies, their families, partners, agents or any other person(s) connected with the competition, including third party promotional partners. Competition opens at 12:00am WAT on 29 March and closes at 11.59pm WAT on 14 April 2017 (the Closing Date). Entries received after the Closing Date will not be counted. One entry per person. Bulk, automatically generated or third party entries are void. Each entrant must make a 60-second entry video uploaded on Instagram where they give a brief personal introduction and explain why they deserve to win the makeover. Each entrant must follow Dark and Lovely Africa on Instagram and use the hashtag #PresencexPoise for their submission to be valid. The Organisers reserve the right to publish entries (including parts of entries) other than the winning entry and publication does not necessarily mean the entrant has won a prize. Entrants will retain copyright in their submitted entries, however, by entering, all entrants give consent and provide the Organisers a worldwide royalty-free perpetual licence to edit, publish and use each entry in any and all media (including print and online) for publicity and news purposes. The Organisers reserve the right to publish entries (including parts of entries) although publication does not necessarily mean the entrant has won a prize. Applicants can opt out to this consent at any time by contacting the Organisers via written request at info@sheleadsafrica.org. Up to five Selected Participants will be selected by the Organisers at its complete discretion based on the uniqueness of the entry, need for the makeover and the business. Selection decisions will be communicated publicly via Instagram on the She Leads Africa and Dark and Lovely Africa pages by 5 May 2017 The Organisers reserves the right not to select any Participants if there are insufficient entries or if the quality of the entries is poor. The Organisers selection decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. By entering, all eligible entrants agree to abide by each and all these terms and conditions. Misrepresentative or fraudulent entries will invalidate an entry. Where a competition involves a voting process: offering or receiving any incentive for voting is not permitted and will invalidate the vote, and may disqualify the recipient of the vote. The Organisers reserve the right, with or without cause, to exclude entrants and withhold prizes for violating any of these terms and conditions. The Organisers reserve the right to amend these terms and conditions. Any amendments will be published on the Organiser’s website (the Website). THE PRIZE The Prize is a trip to Johannesburg, South Africa, a new hairstyle, a makeup session, a wardrobe styling session and a business mentorship session. Those outside of Johannesburg, South Africa will receive assistance with their visa application, an economy class round trip ticket, transportation within Johannesburg and feeding. Selected Participants within Johannesburg will receive complimentary transport from their homes to the filming location. The prize is non-transferable and there are no cash alternatives to the prize in whole or in part. Each Selected Participant must be available to travel to Johannesburg, South Africa for the makeover and video shoot between May 1 – May 30 2017. Each Selected Participant must have a valid passport. Each Selected Participant consents and agrees that they will, if requested by the Organisers, make themselves exclusively available for any publicity and promotion at venues, dates and times designated by the Organisers. The organisers will contact the Selected Participants telephonically by 28 April 2017 via the Instagram handle they have applied with. Should the winner not be contactable by the
Why 2017 will be the year of the extraordinary woman
[bctt tweet=”If you’re a Motherland Mogul, you’re already an an extraordinary woman. If not, this is for you.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Being a woman is a great privilege, it may not always feel like it, because society has never been taught the true value of a woman. However, we are now seeing more and more women embracing each other and celebrating the extraordinary beings that they are. More women are realising their worth and the world is slowly benefiting from this. As the new year starts, I predict 2017 will be the year of the extraordinary woman because: Her body The extraordinary woman will work to build and keep the body that she is comfortable with. An extraordinary woman will know that her body, that she is truly comfortable with, is the perfect body for her existence. An extraordinary woman will fall in love with her beautiful and healthy body and know, she does not need to compare herself to anyone else. She is enough and she is perfect. Her presence When an extraordinary woman walks into the room, her presence will be felt by all. Not because she will be loud, rather, her energy, spirit and positive mindset will fill the room. The way she interacts with others in the room will indeed be, extraordinary. She will be attentive when others are speaking, she will take a genuine interest. She will leave others feeling increased after speaking to them. They will remember her because of how she made them feel. Her presence is a privilege to those who meet her. Her love An extraordinary woman will not allow her love to be taken for granted. She will give unto the others the same love she would like to receive. However, should the same courtesy not be extended back to her, she will learn and fully understand. We all don’t share the same intentions in this world and just because you have been stung, does not mean you have to cage yourself off in order to stay out of harm’s way. Heartache builds character. An extraordinary woman will know, love starts within. She will fall in love with herself, flaws and all. An extraordinary woman will know, putting herself first is not selfish. Her cup needs to be full and over running before she can start pouring out to others. She will always love herself until the end of time. Her mouth An extraordinary woman will use her mouth to build. Before speaking out loud, an extraordinary woman will know to say the words in her head first. She will ask herself, “what purpose will these words serve?”. Each word that comes out of the extraordinary woman’s mouth will carry value. She will speak only words of increase to herself and others. Her mouth will be a tool and she will know and appreciate it. At times it is better to listen than to speak and silence is not ignorance, it speaks louder than words. [bctt tweet=”Four points that every woman needs to keep in mind to be extraordinary.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Her confidence An extraordinary woman will be so sure of herself that no praise or criticism will stop her flow. She will humble herself and her work will speak for her. She will not place her confidence in mankind, but in a higher power. The extraordinary woman will set standards for herself and if you cannot rise to her standards she will be happy to part ways. She will know we all have different callings and purposes for our existence. Therefore, she will not feel threatened by anyone else in this world. She will know if she tries to compete or compare herself to others, this will distract her from her purpose. An extraordinary woman will help others up knowing that despite her confidence, one day, she too may fall. Let’s hop aboard on this journey together and make this year our year. We might not be there yet, but thankfully we are not where we used to be. We are still on our way and that’s even more important.
9 personality traits for guaranteed success
Ever seen the look of surprise when certain men hear that you are the Managing Director or CEO? Most women are generally content and more likely to take a back-seat when it comes to leadership roles. However, being a woman shouldn’t hold you back or alter your chances of success. It all comes down to personality. You need to develop confidence and a fiercely independent attitude for determination to succeed. Read on to learn more about the important qualities that prosperous businesswomen possess and how to develop them. 1. Ambitious Being successful is not only about being an expert in your industry, but also having the desire to see the bigger picture, and play a greater role in society. A successful entrepreneur has a vision and can see the path ahead and be able to inspire others to help them turn a dream into a reality. 2. Entrepreneurial and hard-working Women can be extremely resourceful. We are able to identify opportunities and develop the relationships that are needed to get work done. Hard work is our secret to success and to be successful you has to learn to sacrifice most of your spare time to build up your business. 3. Passionate Successful female entrepreneurs have a passion for what they do because they tend to develop businesses through the things they enjoy doing. Women have been stereotyped as emotional leaders by men, but really we are just passionate about success and excellence. What you need to do is find your own passion and once you believe in it, turn it into something you can really be proud of. 4. Optimistic/Positive attitude In the face of adversity, you need to be bold enough to stand the test of time. The tendency to look on the positive side of events or conditions helps you maintain a hopeful outlook. With an optimistic perspective, one expects the most favourable outcome, and as such, is more likely to get that favourable outcome. The ability to analyse situations, see the good side of projects and the results showcases a person’s attitude and level of confidence. This trait is contagious. 5. Confidence One of the defining characteristics of being successful is confidence —the ability to understand what you are capable of. A confident personality is essential to win the hearts, respect and earn the trust of clients and build a profitable business with a solid reputation. There is no point in starting a business unless you are confident and believe that you are destined for success. To be a successful Motherland Mogul, you need to stand tall and hold your head up high. Whenever you are around and engaging with other people, smile, shake hands and always maintain eye contact. 6. Assertiveness You also need to be straightforward and confident in our communication with others to enable them to seize new opportunities. You’ll be greatly respected for this. In order to express your ideas, values and abilities you need to be assertive and confident. As a woman, when you are are self-assured, your peers will treat you with respect. Be fearless and learn to speak with authority and purpose. Remember though to also keep calm and deal with criticism rationally. 7. Aggressiveness Being aggressive doesn’t necessarily mean fighting all the time. It involves bringing constructive energy to projects to make sure that things get done. You can enhance this personality trait by developing a determined attitude to make sure you see things through until they are done. 8. Persistence We all get tested and life knocks us down now and again, the secret is in remembering to get back up when we fall. I have one motto, to always remind myself why I started even when I face challenges or opposition. Starting something is one thing, but keeping it going and making sure it’s a success is another. You need to learn the power of persistence and never give up. 9. Humility The business industry is always changing, so you will constantly need to keep up and remain innovative. Successful Motherland Moguls understand this and are willing to put in the extra work to learn and improve. Read books, attend workshops and learn from others. Remain humble and don’t ever be afraid to admit that you don’t know everything.
4 ways I was failing my business
A friend asked me to attend an event she was setting up to discuss the challenges that women have when it comes to running a business in Kenya. Everyone knows that running a business has its challenges but what does it mean to have ‘women only challenges’? Are we saying that it’s hard for Kenyan women to run profitable businesses? I can list the cost of doing business, from the licenses to the cost of raw materials. From the taxes to the high cost of living. From corruption to sexual harassment on these streets. However, while we talk about the external factors that affect our businesses, we rarely focus on ourselves as women entrepreneurs and what we do that may cause our businesses to fail. When I thought about it, I realized that most of the challenges I have had, have little to do with the business environment and more to do with my attitude. These are challenges that have been in my control and could be fixed. My doubts and my fears When I chose to be an entrepreneur, I wanted to create a solution to a problem that many girls and women face. It took me a long time to figure out my path and in that time, I lost some relations. I had friends who were far ahead of me in life. They were investing in property and driving big cars. They were employed and happy, or so I thought. When business was slow, I would always fantasize about the lives ‘other women’ are having and how easy their lives are. This affected how I ran my hustle. Then, I would often entertain the thought of going back to employment. I started doubting if I took the right path. I worried about how I would pay rent and fuel my small car. As this was going on, I was focusing less and less on the business. My doubts would show when I told someone about my business. They would see I was not sure of myself. Why would they trust me when I did not trust myself to run a business? My lack of confidence I hated speaking in public, so how was I supposed to pitch my business in front of 100 strangers? How was I supposed to show how passionate I was about my business? I think I lost out in my first pitches because they did not see a woman confident enough in herself to speak out passionately about her business. With practice, I have been able to speak in front of strangers. I start by telling a story, from the problems to solutions of my entrepreneurial journey. I find that the crowd is calm and ready to listen. I imagine that the crowd travelled thousands of miles to hear me speak and I cannot let them down. Now, I have been invited to speak at conferences and forums and before I take the mic, I remember the days I shook and stammered and I smile. My exit plan I always had an exit plan. If I did not do this business, I would run the best digital media house in Nairobi. I would spend hours imagining how I would bring Huffpost to my city and run it better than mainstream media. What I did not realize was that every time I would wander into the thought, I was detaching my mind from my main business. Every time I got a rejection email, I would always come up with another idea. This made my business slow down and I kept blaming it on the tough business environment. Yet I did not sleep, eat and breathe my business. I was entertaining other ventures and not giving my main 100%. I was not knocking harder on the closed doors because I filled my head with these other ideas. I felt that I needed an exit plan. Now, the only exit plan I have is to sell to a big corporate company when my company is worth millions of dollars. My social life Ever had love so good that you make your business an afterthought? Having relationships affects your business either positively or negatively. For a long time, I did not know how to balance my relationship and my business. I did not have the discipline to say no to those late night dates that affected my performance the following morning. I would spend time on the couch watching movies and enjoying our time together, then rush to beat deadlines the following day. What I realize as a Motherland Mogul is that I do not have the luxury to enjoy a weekend or a holiday as an ordinary person. Work comes calling at odd times and as the leader of the team, I simply cannot ignore the calls just to have a great night out. That time will come, just not now. Whenever I meet a great person, I make sure to tell them just how important my business is. I ensure they realize that my work comes first and when we have made those millions, we can afford to take a one month long holiday and relax. But for now, my work comes first. If he is understanding, he will stay. I have learnt to point the finger at myself first before blaming other factors for the poor performance of my business. Share with us what challenges you have learnt to overcome as a business woman.