Lusanda Worsley and Nosipho Dumisa: 2 South African females changing the creative industry’s landscape
Lusanda Worsley of Empire and Nosipho Dumisa of Gambit films are black South African female creatives changing the landscape of the creative industry. They have known each other for six and a half years after meeting through a mutual friend. Nosipho attended film school called AFDA in Capetown, soon after formed Gambit films which is made up of six team members. Nosipho is the only permanent female on the team. However, Gambit film collaborates with many women writers and directors. These collaborations are always project based as the company keeps the core team small. Gambit Films core focus is Film as well as TV. Lusanda comes from a family of entrepreneurs and has been greatly supported in starting her business by Nosipho. Gambit films provided her with knowledge, office space and things that start-ups struggle with that nobody tells them. They talk about making the South African creative industry recognized, filmmaking, and working together as African women. [bctt tweet=”“We gel together, we stand for the same thing although we are in different industries. – Lusanda Worsley and Nosipho Dumisa ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Running South Africa’s first black female-driven experiential marketing agency what is your niche and what do you want to be known for? Lusanda: Starting a business in our generation is exciting, where everyone wants to start something that provides an impact on other people’s lives. Our unique selling point is that Empire is a platform for young African creatives to come together as a community to collaborate and execute advertising and branding for clients. The industry is male-dominated, and it really hasn’t changed over the past 20 years. The content that is being produced for African people does not resonate with our true and rich stories. We don’t actually get to know the in-depth of our history because we don’t get to tell these stories ourselves and now is the time to do that. Empire and Gambit films are movements, what kind of movements are they and what ideology do they stand by? Lusanda: Empire is based on a shared economy model, we partner with different agencies; and or freelancers on specific projects. Our ideology is storytelling by Africans for Africans. Nosipho: Gambit films started in 2009. We saw a gap in the kind of stories that were being told. There was a lack of original content, especially in Capetown. It was becoming a service industry in that we would service Hollywood and international productions. We did not have ownership of the stories and that’s when I knew we needed to be in charge of the stories that were being told about our people. We wanted our stories to travel. However, we knew that it would be hard as young filmmakers to sell the idea so we thought let’s start our own thing and lets travel and create our own narratives. Therefore we took charge of the stories we told through Gambit Films. In chess, a Gambit is an early move in which the player will sacrifice one of their pieces in order to gain the upper hand later on. We were the sacrifices, sometimes not even making ends meet but we held onto our vision. We want to bring people along with us who hold the same vision, whether its companies like Empire or individuals. But mainly to see this industry grow and be more diverse. How do you identify whom to work with? Lusanda: Shonda Rhimes explains it perfectly to me. She talks about the “hum”. So I look for people with the hum, it is about that specific drive one has she says, “The hum is a drug, the hum is music, the hum is God whispering right in your ear. For me, it’s quite rare finding someone with that specific drive. A drive that isn’t necessarily looking to service themselves but wants to be a part of creating something bigger. Nosipho: People that are always taking initiative and are not waiting to be offered an opportunity. I think talent is overemphasized, one gets a lot of talented people but I look for people I like. Before we work together we need to engage and I need to feel we share the same energy, goals, view of the industry and our roles within that industry. If I feel your energy is positive and is going to add instead of taking away, then I gravitate towards that. There are people doing things on their own despite the fact that there are no jobs. They are resourceful and want to push. Talent is one thing when you do what we do, you are working with people and not just their talent. If someone is willing to learn and push harder than what is required that’s the kind of person I want to work with. [bctt tweet=”I co-founded @GambitFilms_ so that my truth wouldn’t be filtered with someone else’s – @NosiphoDumisa” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Being storytellers in your own ways, what kind of narrative would you like to see out there about Africans? Nosipho: I gravitate towards stories of survival. Stories where people have to make do and overcome any situation they are in. So this is where people who shouldn’t be making it do. This can be from a thriller to an intense drama. A story that at the end of the day there is some hope that is being communicated, those are stories I love and would want to see more of. Stories of people’s hardships are important to portray. I think I want to see a diverse storytelling field with hope. I have recently made a film called Nommer 37, which is a story that seems dark on the surface and can even be perceived as a horrific story, but when one looks at that characters, the couple is just ordinary people who are in a world that feels like a prison to them. The one character is obsessed with money, and the escape he assumes it will give him. He makes terrible decisions
Nothabo Ncube: You are bigger than your surroundings
When Nothabo Ncube was only 14 years years old, her mother died in a tragic road accident. Before she died, Nothabo had made a promise that she would become a doctor. 15 years later, Nothabo is not only a doctor, but she is also a consciousness speaker and entrepreneur featured on TEDx. Her journey to becoming a doctor was not easy. After joining her dad in Canada, Nothabo lived in the projects which were subjected to high crime rates, prostitution, and drug dealing. In order to survive, Nothabo had to listen to a deep voice within herself that told her she was more than her environment and she will rise through it. Looking back at her journey, Nothabo concludes that every moment was important as it revealed to her what her purpose was. Now she lives her life inspiring and helping other women find themselves. In this interview, Nothabo talks about her mentorship program – Esther. What projects are you involved in at the moment In August 2017, I launched an online mentorship program for young women. The program called Esther’s Mentorship aims to assist women to win back their power, settles into their true selves, realize their potential and be the best of who God created them to be. I use my personal experiences and testimonies to empower and assist women to realize that it doesn’t matter where one has been. That through their broken pieces, there is hope at the end of the tunnel and God can use their pain. Before I always played victim to my journey and it took time to get to a place where I started seeing things differently. Now I understand that some of the things that happened were launching me into my purpose. Therefore it is my intention to be a medium, a voice, a source of guidance to enable the mentees to see through their pain. Why did you name it Esther? While speaking at an event in South Africa, one of the speakers took an interest in me. We began talking about my life’s journey, my vision and plan for the future. I told her about the mentorship program and she suggested that I call it Esther. Upon return, during a conversation with my spiritual mother, she said I reminded her of Esther. As if this was not confirmation enough, I then decided to name it Esther because we are raising queens. How is the mentorship structured? The mentorship runs every Sunday for 30 minutes, in one on one sessions. As we have women from different parts such as Zimbabwe, USA, Canada and South Africa, we needed a day where everyone would be easily available. During the mentoring session, I help women structure their goals and create guidelines on how best to move on their journey. I aim to empower the young women and open them up to a different sphere of who they are. What are your 5-year plans for the Esther Program? Currently, we have one on one mentorship sessions. However, in the future, I would want the girls in Zimbabwe to have meet up sessions at least once a month. This will help them in creating a platform where sisters come together and support each other. I also intend on having centers especially in the big cities and branching to the rural areas where I feel those in the rural areas need it the most. My intention is to build a community of sisterhood that reaches every girl that needs it. Tell us more about your TEDx Talks My friends have been very instrumental in my TEDx journey. My friend instigated my first TED talk in Canada. She submitted my story to the TEDx recruiters. They then interviewed me and asked me to share my story on their platform. My talk was titled: A inspirational Story of Hope, Faith, and Grace. Then again in Zimbabwe, another friend also submitted my name for the Bulawayo TEDx Talk. This talk was very historical as it what it the first time TEDx was being launched in Bulawayo. However, my first talk was what opened the door for other speaking engagements. Where does your inspiration come from? I think my inspiration stems from my own pain of not having had a mother figure. Growing up, I yearned for that backbone from someone I trusted. This wasn’t always the case but I had a few people that I was led to along my journey who have guided me. Driven by this, I would want to be that person to someone else. Which women have been the most influential in your life? Oprah Winfrey was very influential in my life. In 2011, I was looking for money to go to school and a friend of mine suggested I go on her site. There was nothing on scholarships or bursaries but what popped up was a box that said tell us your story –“you become what you believe”. I typed my story and put my cousin’s number as my contact details. They called her three times and she kept hanging up on them thinking it was a prank call. She eventually asked me about it and of course, I was shocked, “How does one hang up on Oprah? When Oprah calls, you answer!” Fortunately, they called again and I got to talk to Oprah. While I did not get money to go to her school, she told me of her journey from her childhood to where she was today. This truly encouraged me and made me change the way I perceived my journey. I started seeing my pain through a different lens. I started understanding that purpose was birthed by my pain. That’s when I knew I was called to speak. What advice would you give other young people in a context like Zimbabwe? Never allow your circumstances to define who you are, you are bigger than your surroundings. God is bigger than the current reality of what Zimbabwe is going through. When you tap into that
Rutendo Beverly Mpofu : A lot of people feel there are no returns in basketball
Twenty seven (27) year old Rutendo Beverly Mpofu, was born in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. In September 2015 she started a basketball team, Lynx Ball Queens, with four other women, Tanya Kazembe, Celestine Karimbika, Sarah Kabiseni and Melisa Maganga. Beverly is the team captain and currently plays number 15. She also holds a Communications and Media with Management degree from Monash University in South Africa. [bctt tweet=”One doesn’t have to be social but on the court there has to be unity” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] When did you decide to start a basketball team? I joined a basketball ladies association team soon after my undergraduate degree, but realised we had different goals. This pushed me to start my own team. At first there was a lot of slacking and not taking things seriously. But, after the loss of one of the team founders, we decided to be serious about the team. We joined another team called Hustlers in Mufakose, Harare and after a while we branched out on our own to become Lady Hustlers. We recently rebranded to Lynx Ball Queen. We started out small with a group of about seven women and now we are more than 12. Our team is made up of women between 16 – 27 years of age. Within our first year we managed to make it to the top six in the national league with only seven players. It was really challenging but we were happy with the results. Last year (2016) we were number two. So I clearly see a great improvement. Where do you get your sponsorship? We currently do not have sponsorship, because a lot of people feel that there are no returns in basketball therefore they do not want to sponsor it. We have approached many people and Net-One (a telecommunications company in Harare) has given us t-shirts before. We take whatever small donation we get and are open to working for our sponsorship. Because we do not have sponsorship, we purchase our own kits, and cover transportation costs to and from training and tournaments. A subscription fee of $10 is paid every month by each team member, but because of the current economic conditions we have agreed that people pay whatever they can. This is what is used for the basic running of the club. Where does your inspiration come from? My brother used to play since primary school. So that was my grand entrance into basketball. All the women on the team started playing when they were young, so it’s just a passion for most of us. What does a normal day look like for you? We train during the week but it is very challenging to get everyone in the same spot at the same time because of our many different commitments. We have players that are still in school and some work, so we have to incorporate training with other clubs that have venues with good lighting. This is so that we are able to train late into the evening. We generally try to put in work where we can. On the day of the tournament, we do not train. We sit, talk and strategise and do warm ups 15 mins before a game. It also helps if we know the people we are playing. Which women have been the most influential in your life? My Mother. She continues to teach me that you can’t wait for other people to do things for you. You need yourself first before you need someone else. [bctt tweet=”When you get on the court, you leave your quarrels on the line” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What is the greatest lesson you have learnt when setting up your team? To be patient. I deal with people from different backgrounds who have so many things going on, so I have really learnt to be patient. How do you manage conflict within the team? When one gets on the court, they leave their quarrels on the line, they can always pick them up after if they choose. But basketball time is basketball time. One doesn’t have to be social but on the court there has to be unity. That being said, people don’t bring their problems on the court. What personal traits are necessary for what you do? A high basketball IQ. One should be able to take theory and apply it on the court. A fighting spirit and perservance. The ability to work within a team and realise that one cannot do everything by themselves. Do you run a business in the sports industry? If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Carol Nyazika: Ndanaka is not just a beauty brand, it’s a lifestyle brand
We last spoke to Carol Nyazika 10 months ago, when she was still in the process of launching Ndanaka. Ndanaka is an au-natural lifestyle brand with products predominantly from Zimbabwe and other African countries. It brings together a variety of beauty elements and infuses them into one. Hence their tag line, A Fusion of Beauty. Revisiting our last sit down this is what she had to say about it. How was the seed planted? I started Ndanaka in 2011 when people were not really talking about natural products. Ndanaka started as a lifestyle blog and YouTube channel that promotes natural skin and hair care. I was suffering from dry skin and my mothers skin was breaking out due to menopause. All the products she was using were not working for her, so I started mixing up a few ingredients that she could try. I then trained as a formulator and are now qualified to create products. How did the name, Ndanaka, come about? I gave my brand a Shona name because there are so many products with either French or foreign names we can hardly pronounce but we learn to. The word or statement, Ndanaka, has several translations and can mean ‘I am beautiful’ or in slang, ‘I’m good now’. Fast forward to 2017… Ndanaka was launched in January and it took four weeks. The process included: formulation, procurement, manufacturing, packaging, marketing and eventually making it available to the public. What attracted you to this industry? My initial drive and motivation was seeing my mothers confidence return when she felt beautiful and happy with her appearance. Later on, my mum would say, “You keep running away and going into other industries and even though you excel in those, you are not using your God given gift”. Before, I was scared of entering the beauty industry because of the labels that sometimes come with it, but eventually I decided to give it a go. God gives us the power to profit, so I believe that now I am using my God given gift. How was it like leaving your full time job to start a business in a struggling economy? It’s interesting and the economy pushes you a bit more because now you are literally eating what you kill. I have nothing to fall back on so I have to learn to budget and also work very hard to generate sales. But, it is not only about me, but our service providers as well. Even though the economy is struggling, we are forward thinking and putting sustainable structures in place. Structures that cover our cost to meet demand. The company is self-funded. Like any business our profits are still going back into the business and we are grateful that we have managed to increase our profit every month ever since we started. We work from home, where we have a work station or lab and a garage that we converted into a storage. Because I am a trained formulator, I make my own products. It is therefore easier to come up with new products that our clients require or ask us to make . We started off with four products and we now have seven. How has the market responded to your brand? The response has been overwhelming. We started selling on the 28th of January, since then it’s been a whirlwind. The demand is growing within Zimbabwe and other countries like Kenya, Zambia, Tanzania, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and the UK. In our first week of operation, we sold out in four days and our first retailer sold out in the first week. We are now currently in three retail shops and working to increase our presence across the country and into different markets. We aim to maintain good quality products as we continuously build, evolve and grow. What challenges have you faced with the launch of Ndanaka? Not meeting demand. However, we started taking this into consideration when pricing and formulating our products. At the end of the day we aim to provide an affordable brand because we understand our vision and goals. Another setback is packaging. We are still not where we want to be but it is all a work in progress and we understand that. With the issue of unavailability of cash in Zimbabwe, how are you managing to run your business? We have all methods of payment – most people pay cash, our second biggest method of payment is Ecocash (a mobile money transfer powered by Econet), swipe then transfers. We make sure we have nothing to hold our customers back from purchasing our products. We work with what we have, always searching for a solution and not letting the current hardships set us back. How does your brand support the Zimbabwean economy? Besides paying my taxes, I try to work with Zimbabwean companies and service providers as much as I can. Printing and graphic design is done locally. Some of my ingredients are sourced in rural Zimbabwe, therefore creating jobs. I am also pushing for my brand to be recognised internationally as a Zimbabwean brand. What personal traits are necessary to run a business like Ndanaka? Resilience Confidence in one’s product Ability to constantly evolve Good listening skills A good support system Be good at delegating Ability to take criticism A hunger to learn What advice would you give to your younger self? Just start – figure it out as you go. Have a skeleton and add flesh as you progress. Do not be afraid to ask. Be humble enough to ask for help and its okay if you dont know. Be curious about everything. Always have a contingency plan. Be resilient. People will always say something about you. Don’t take it personal. Feel your feelings – feel challenged, sad but move on- keep going. Try and be authentic – do what comes naturally to you. Try and be supportive of others. Put the work in and do what it takes to
Tsitsi Mutendi: I am the Queen of Start-Ups
[bctt tweet=”Entrepreneurship has its pro’s and con’s but it has taught me responsibility” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Tsitsi Mutendi, founder of Jewel Magazine, Mucha and Mufaro dolls is a girl from Masvingo, born in Harare and partially raised in the UK. She spent eight years of her childhood in the UK before moving back to Zimbabwe. Tell us a bit about Tsitsi Mutendi I decided earlier on in life that I was more suited for entrepreneurship than I was to a career. Mostly because I enjoy starting things. I love creating new companies or entities and seeing them succeed and/or learning from their failures. My entrepreneurship journey started when I was 24, back then I wanted to be a fashion designer. I have had the privilege and honour of creating different products and taking them to a market. How was Jewel Magazine born? Jewel started in February 2011 after I lost my child. I loved reading magazines and decided to create my own that would be an outlet for the different ideas I had. Ideas to inform women about things that could help them empower themselves. The first issue went to print in June 2011 and came out in July. I wanted a magazine name which reflected what I thought of women and what they should think of themselves. I couldn’t think of any other name better than Jewel. To me women are like precious Jewels, sometimes they are covered in the earth, growing roots and preparing to germinate, sometimes you have to dig deep to find them. Do you have any plans of reviving Jewel? Jewel for me was a journey; it’s unfortunate we got to a place where we couldn’t print it anymore because we kept breaking even. The decision to stop printing was hard because I felt like I was giving up on my baby and no mother wants to give up their child. I think Jewel is one of those product pieces in the journey that has made me grow stronger. It has brought me more focus, and has always had the power to renew my will and vision to move forward. Unless we can bring Jewel back bigger and better than it was, without having to shelve it again, I think for now it will always be a part of Zimbabwean history. Tell us a bit about Mucha Fashion Mucha was born before Jewel. I love African print fabric and loved what West Africans were doing with it at the time; It was so modern and chic and no one in Southern Africa was doing it.It involved a lot of creativity with fabric and garments, and most of our clients allowed us to revamp their wardrobes. Unfortunately, I had to let go because the market became saturated and there was a lot of replication. What is Danz Media all about? It is our flagship product company which has been running for many years. So many great products are housed under it. For example, my husband, Daniel Mutendi’s Nama’s award winning children’s book, Tsuro na Gudo: Misi yese haifanani. We have also produced other Shona educational books, and continue to work with organisations and schools. I love Danz media because it allows me to be creative and to explore different media platforms. How did Mufaro come about? Mufaro came from wanting a soft cushy doll for my daughter. I could not find it in shops so I learnt how to make one. Wanting to venture into the toy market only came after realizing no one else was doing it and the opportunity was there. So my husband and I decided to attend the Spiel Warenmesse toy fair in Nuremberg which was held in February 2011, to exhibit our Mufaro Dolls. It is the biggest toy fair in the world and it ran for six days. Africa is very much underrepresented in the toy industry, so it was an amazing learning experience for us. We are in the process of implementing and working with the different partners that we met when we were there. Where is the Woman of Legacy Foundation now? I stopped running the foundation as a stand alone organisation but instead focused on corporate social responsibility. I invest in other women and provide individual and organisational mentorship. We provide scholarships as a family, not only to students who excel academically, but those we feel will invest in tomorrow. [bctt tweet=”Entrepreneurship is not easy but gives one the flexibility to choose when to work” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What are your entrepreneurial journey highlights thus far? The ability to spend time with my family. Entrepreneurship is not easy but gives one the flexibility to choose when to work. Meeting so many remarkable women. It’s not when you start profiling women, knowing who they are, and learning why they do what they do ,do you truly realise how powerful we are as women. Risk taking. I don’t know what a comfort zone is. Entrepreneurship has taught me that risk taking is not for sissy’s, neither is it something that you should be afraid of. Most of the lessons I have learnt are because I have taken chances. I wouldn’t change my entrepreneurship journey and I definitely wouldn’t get a job. What are your top entrepreneurship lessons? Entrepreneurship has its pro’s and con’s but it has taught me responsibility. You never stop learning really. It has also taught me that I am the master of my own destiny. No amount of capital or investment is going to make a crappy idea work, you have to go out there and put in the work. At times you might not know if you are going to reap or how you are going to pay the next bill but it’s still important to stay true to your dream or vision. How do you prioritize your time between being a mother, wife, entrepreneur? I work with my husband and we both work from home- so our children see us all the time. I also have a good support system. It includes my
Diana Washe: Because I do what I like, my work and lifestyle are interlinked
[bctt tweet=”I covered my shoe with African fabric, posted it on social media & the next thing I was getting orders” via=”no”] Diana Mano is a Digital Marketer for a direct marketing company, a blogger, a BA Communication Science graduate and a mother of two boys. Diana, known by most as Diana Washe, is the founder and creative designer of Shaina an African inspired accessory designing business based in Johannesburg, South Africa. Her products are handmade and fuse African fabrics with different textures to create unique handmade pieces. She named herself Washe a name which comes from her faith in the Lord meaning “of the Lord”. Tell us a bit about Shaina. Shaina started in 2014 when I was diagnosed with depression. I was in a dark place having lost someone very close to me. I started seeing a therapist and one of the things that she encouraged me to do was to look for a hobby in an effort to help me with the depression. So I went to YouTube and found a video on how to make crafts using the fabric. The first thing I did was cover my shoe with African fabric, posted it on my social media page and the next thing I was getting orders. I wasn’t keen on making this an income generating hobby but my therapist advised me otherwise. So I started with a few orders and boom, Shaina was born. I started with small things like accessories because if you can’t wear fabric, you can at least accessorize. With each year I get better at the craft. Shaina basically means shine. I named it Shaina because I don’t believe that people should just sit and wait for things to happen, they should flourish where they are planted. Shaina is an extension of my personal life, I am a lover of accessories. How would you describe your designs? I make contemporary African accessories which is a fusion of other fabrics and African print. I have in cooperated a combination of leather and African print into my line. Basically my brand is an affordable luxury brand. What inspires your designs? The different people I meet in African print either on the streets of Johannesburg, Harare or in magazines. If I see something I like, I am always thinking of ways to make it better. I love fashion and prints, I find them very vibrant but I also feel like a lot of people do not really appreciate print. [bctt tweet=”If I see something I like, I am always thinking of ways to make it better – Diana Washe” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Tell us a bit about Soweto Fashion week? Soweto Fashion Week (SFW) is a platform for upcoming fashion designers to show the world what they are made of. For me it was nerve-racking, exciting and a great eye opening experience. It was my first time showcasing at a fashion show but I feel I executed my work very well. It was a good place for me to be because of the media coverage, exposure and meeting new people. How has your educational background helped you in managing your business? So firstly, my work background as a Digital Marketer assists me in running my own pages as it includes a lot of social media, email marketing, web-page optimising. So because I do what I like, my work and lifestyle are interlinked. What are the challenges of running your own company? Time. One just never has enough time. I wear many hats, student, mom, blogger, digital marketer and my personal life, therefore, there is not enough time. Tell me a bit about your blog. My blog is called Parenting in Heels and it is a lifestyle parenting blog started in April 2017. A lot of people ask me how I manage to do what I do so I decided to share my everyday life and how I make it work. What is your advice to those aspiring to enter the fashion industry? Have a passion for it, determination, work hard and stay focused. What were the major start up challenges you faced? Trying to move Shaina from being a hobby to it being a business. Where would you like to see your brand in future? I am looking at expanding my brand into African Inspired interior design and a kids clothing line. I want to have a concept shop and also work with other designers. I would also like to see my products being recognised and available in shops and major fashion shows. [bctt tweet=”Diana Washe: I am self-taught and I am willing to help other women ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What can we expect from Shaina in the next five years? A more solid brand that is found all over the world. Empowering and encouraging women especially single parents to be self-sustaining and use what they have. I am self-taught and I am willing to help other women. I believe the world is so abundant of things to work with. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Nyaradzo Mavindidze: Work is a form of worship
[bctt tweet=”Nyaradzo Mavindidze is passionate about developing the ‘uncommon sense’ in leaders” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Nyaradzo Mavindidze, the Managing Consultant of Avodah Consultants, is a Holistic Leadership Expert who is passionate about developing the ‘uncommon sense’ in leaders, thus going beyond the five senses. A psychologist by profession, she enables leaders to draw on their inner and outer natural resources thus shifting personal paradigms and beliefs leading to transformed organisations. Over the years, she has developed herself as a brand to reckon with in dissemination of lasting solutions to performance deficiencies in individuals, leaders, and organisations. She says, “Every one of us already has power, it’s just a matter of peeling away the stuff that shadows who you are and what you are capable of…” As a coach, Nyaradzo creates an environment where you and your dreams, your challenges, fears, and victories are the focus. A time and space to be you, to find out who you are and what you want, and to then go out and create that despite external environmental challenges. Nyaradzo is a high-energy speaker with boundless energy and wit who is able to combine inspiration with insight. Her charismatic style and ability to engage emotionally with audiences have made her a sought-after keynote speaker delivering proven solutions on topical issues for corporations. Her mission as a speaker, coach, and trainer is to empower organisations to achieve sustainable success through holistic development and cognitive reconditioning. She has published a motivational journal, ‘Motivation for Success: Morsels in the Desert’ and is the co-author of; ‘Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Career Strategies for Women’. Her motivational articles are published in local magazines and tabloids. She currently writes a motivational column ‘Motivation for Success’ published in The Business Herald every Monday. She makes guest appearances on local radio and has been interviewed on a MNET TV program. In 2015 she was on the list of Young Zimbabweans to Watch’ and is the 2016- ZIWA Motivational Speaker of the Year. Nyaradzo is also the founder of QueenMakers Trust whose mission is to empower female leaders through training, mentoring and coaching, thus enabling them to contribute into the mainstream economy. How was Avodah formed? Avodah was formed through a series of events. Having been in the NGO and corporate sector for close to a decade, with Viva Network Dandy Zimbabwe and Standard Chartered, I took a career sabbatical and went to Uni in the middle of a third pregnancy. Halfway through my degree, I started a clothing business: Sheba’s Closet, in an upmarket area in Harare. I travelled to Asia and Europe at least once a month to purchase clothing for the two shops that I had acquired. After graduating in 2008 Avodah was formed with the realisation that it was virtually impossible to get back into formal employment due to the state of the economy. I decided to run the 2 businesses, my love for fashion and my natural speaking talent. It focuses on soft skills training, human capital development, recruitment, and coaching. Avodah is a Hebrew word meaning work is a form of worship. I believe that as you are working, you are exercising and using your gifts that were placed inside of you, thereby giving glory and worshiping the giver of that gift. In 2012, I went through a life altering experience that got me thinking about my purpose, passion, and desires. This led to me closing Sheba’s Closet to focus on something that left a legacy for my children. I knew that I was not going to be able to develop it to the level Edgars and Truworths (regional clothing stores), so I decided to focus solely on Avodah. [bctt tweet=”Every one of us already has power, it’s just a matter of peeling away the shadows” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What were the major start-up challenges? I started Avodah during the 2008 recession period. I was going in the opposite direction of the economy. The only reason I have managed to survive is my work ethic and excellence. I believe when you function in your area of passion and strength you have more staying power. Tell us a bit about QueenMakers? QueenMakers is a passion. I am passionate about women’s empowerment. I started QueenMakers to assist women developing themselves to function at their maximum potential. Culture, religion, politics, economies, and societies have made women a secondary species and made them feel like they don’t deserve a seat at the decision-making and power table. QueenMakers is an organisation where women come together, get trained, motivated, coached and inspired to reach within themselves and polish their potential. We network, encourage, expose women to opportunities that are around them, help them maximise their potential and occupy centre stage. What are some of the challenges that you have faced as a black African woman? Most of my challenges as a black African woman have been self-belief and going past that little voice inside your head that says it’s impossible. I have had to work hard to develop my confidence to put myself out there. What more can government do to support entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe I believe women have not even begun to utilise the ‘little’ that has been put on the table for them. Before we can ask for more we need to sweat what has been offered thus far. There is more that they can do but it’s also more of what we as women can do. For example, there has not been that many women in politics. Our generation aspires and desires, complains and bickers but no one has really stepped up, very few women take up such roles. [bctt tweet=”As you are working, you are exercising and using your gifts that were placed inside of you ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What lessons or advice would you give your younger self? Be bold and not afraid because fear is not real. It needs to be challenged through the stretching of our minds. Like Nike says; Just Do it. What can we look forward to in the
Joy Makumbe : Engineering is all about networks
[bctt tweet=”I felt the need to test my strength & capacity to build, grow & sustain a company – Joy Makumbe” via=”no”] From an early age, Joy Makumbe, the founder of Majolic Construction and The Joy Makumbe Trust, both based in Harare, Zimbabwe, has always been passionate about turning her ideas into tangible physical reality. Knowing that these realities assists women and girls in alleviating some of the problems they face daily with regards to water and sanitation gives her satisfaction. Did you always want to be a civil engineer? No, not really. I didn’t know much about it until I was attached to engineering companies during school holidays. Most of these companies were mainly involved with mechanical engineering but that is where I realised my passion for building things. After graduation I mainly worked in consulting companies whose projects were mainly structural in nature. This was a good foundation for me as I worked with elderly white engineers who were really bent on detail, teaching, training and mentoring. From there I moved to another consulting company that exposed me to the projects management side of civil engineering. [bctt tweet=”I didn’t know much about civil engineering until I was attached to engineering companies” via=”no”] Tell us about Majorlic Construction. Majorlic Construction is a company I formed in 2008 after I felt the need to be directly involved in the communities, and to test my strength and capacity to build, grow and sustain a company. The name is a combination of letters from my first and last names. Majorlic’s focus has been water and sewer reticulation networks and structural design. We have also incorporated the use of green technology in construction with the use of solar energy to provide water heating and lighting in the houses we construct. To date we have done servicing of residential stands, house and road constructions in Harare, Zimbabwe. What challenges have you faced as a black African woman in engineering? Most of the time people assume that I am a man. The community’s awareness with regards to women in engineering is still very low. As a result my gender makes it harder to get contracts because people lack the confidence that a woman can really deliver. Contracts mainly come because of referrals from people who have worked with me and know my work. For me, there is no excuse for quality so it always comes down to proving myself more as an engineer. [bctt tweet=”Awareness of women in engineering is still very low. Most of the time people assume that I’m a man. ” via=”no”] What were the major start-up challenges? Capital and not being known in the construction circles meant fewer contracts. Not many people want to engage an engineer that they do not know. When you get that opportunity to do a project, the project just looks too big in your eyes and can be overwhelming. Looking back I have learnt that sometimes we are overwhelmed because we think we have to go at it alone but you will find that there are so many established companies who are willing to partner with you on some projects. Your company can learn from these established companies. I know TechWomen 2015 was a life changing experience for you, tell us a bit about that. You leave your country with one perspective on women, technology and science and you come back changed. I left the US with newly found relationships, sisterhoods, zeal, and a renewed form of energy. I met a lot of powerful young women from different parts of the world who are making a difference in their home countries and beyond. This challenged me and I realised that I too could bring such impact. How do you connect your experience at TechWomen with your work? During my mentorship I was attached to Sun Power – one of the major players in solar technology in the US. I realised that there was so much untapped potential in Zimbabwe for solar power on the domestic, industrial and agricultural fields. This was an area which we needed to explore more of in Zimbabwe. Since then I have been looking at ways of introducing different forms of energy in Zimbabwe through my trust, The Joy Makumbe Trust. It has been difficult in the past couple of years to rely solely on Hydropower due to seasonal changes and drought patterns. We have started exploring more on green technology and how we can use it to make our lives better. For example those in the rural areas have resources to use like Biogas, they just do not have the knowledge. We plan to bridge this knowledge gap in the communities. Overall, my experience at TechWomen has given me lifelong networks of sisters across the globe. Sisters who share opportunities and information to build our businesses and increase impact in our communities. Sisters who share achievements to encourage each other and show that it can be done. How has it been moving from being a lecturer to managing a multi-million dollar project in a foreign country? Engineering is all about networks. I got this job because an engineer colleague of mine informed me of the opportunity and I submitted my CV. The thought of relocating was overwhelming and being part of a million dollar job funded by the World Bank made it worse. So many questions ran through my head, “am I woman enough to pull it through?” But I have a very supportive family that really cheers me on. This contract came at the right time when I felt I was ready for something new. The TechWomen experience had elevated me to a level where going down again was not an option for me. I was restless. I needed to do more. I needed to make more impact. It has been challenging dealing with contractors and being in a different setting, but it has been an amazing experience.[bctt tweet=”Joy Makumbe: I was restless. I needed to do more. I needed to make more
Mutsa Majero: There are many companies for self publishing
[bctt tweet=”I am looking forward to highlighting Zimbabwean women who are creating waves all around the world” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Thirty-year-old Mutsa Majero has been living in the US for the past 14 years. She is the author of “Meet Chipo”, a children’s book. Mutsa is a licenced Mental Health Therapist and holds a Masters in Counselling Psychology. She took time off in June 2016 to finish her Ph.D. in International Psychology, as well as self-publish “Meet Chipo” and other children’s books. She is the brains behind Zim.Babe.Iwe! an online platform for empowering women and girls as well as promoting literacy. Mutsa has a passion for working with children and as a Mental Health Therapist, she has worked with children and adolescents for the past six years building their esteem and resilience to get through difficult times in their lives. What is Zim.Babe.Iwe! all about and why the name? The name is inspired by two things, my love for Zimbabwe and for women. It’s a play on Zimbabwe with an emphasis on “babe” or women. It’s a brand created to promote literacy and women empowerment. “Meet Chipo” was published under Zim.Babe.Iwe! and at the moment I am looking forward to highlighting Zimbabwean women who are creating waves all around the world and doing big things. That is where the Iwe! comes in, it’s women who have people’s heads turning and doing big things and have people saying, “Iwe!” Why did you decide to start a series of children’s books? I always knew I wanted to write a book but felt like I didn’t have the time, until one day I just decided to do it. My love for education, reading, Zimbabwe and young girls also built on this decision. Growing up my parents put a lot of emphasis on reading and for that to continue and for me to pass it on, a children’s book was ideal and I knew a lot of people would be inspired to read. I wanted Zimbabwean children and non-Zimbabwean children growing up in the Diaspora to have a feel of life in Zimbabwe and therefore connect with it. And for children in Zimbabwe to relate to Chipo and some of the things she goes through in the Diaspora. Where do you draw your inspiration from? A lot is from my experience as a child growing up in Zimbabwe, those were the best days of my life. Some came from my fathers’ experience as a child -he grew up in rural Zimbabwe like Chipo did. So it was bringing out those different experiences and fun aspects of Zimbabwean culture. How has the journey to self-publishing been like for you? It was really challenging getting someone to publish “Meet Chipo”, so I sat on it since 2010 until I decided to take it in my own hands, and discovered I could self-publish. The self-publishing process started in 2014 when I got an illustrator to draw exactly what I was looking for, for the book. It has been a long journey, but I am glad I self-published and did not go any other way. What can you tell other writers about self-publishing? It is important to do your research and to do it early, figure out what works best for you as a writer. There are many companies that one can go to for self-publishing. Talk to other people who have done it before and find out their experiences and some do’s and don’ts. What major start-up challenges did you face? Self-publishing is expensive therefore one has to have some sort of financial stability especially when publishing a children’s book where there are illustrations and a lot of pictures included. And so I encourage women to save because you never know what financial endeavour you may want to start in the future. Another challenge was trying to figure out where I fit in the children’s books world because there are a lot of them. But I think my book stands out in that it is multi-cultural and talks about life in two different cultures. It’s educational as well as fun. I encourage other writers to scan the market to see where they fit in and how they can stand out. Tweet: Self-publishing is expensive therefore one has to have some sort of financial stability How has the market responded to your book? People have actually really loved it because it has taught them about some aspects of the Zimbabwean culture. Many people can relate to resettling, and therefore this book is easy to relate to. What are some of the challenges you have faced as a black African woman living abroad? People have pre- conceived notions of how an African should be, talk, or look like. These kinds of assumptions used to frustrate me before, but I now take it as an opportunity to teach people about Africa, and more importantly, about Zimbabwe. Which African woman has had the strongest influence on you? Definitely my mother. She embodies a lot of what African women are known for, hard work, selflessness, she is inspirational not just to myself but to people around her. Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie. She once said, “Many stories matter. Stories have been used to dispossess and to malign. But stories can also be used to empower and to humanise. Stories can break the dignity of a people. But stories can also repair that broken dignity” I resonated a lot with that because as an immigrant in America, it is important to be inspired and stay inspired because it is easy to be swallowed up and almost lose yourself to the culture you have migrated to. Not that there is anything wrong with acculturation, but I do think that it’s important to recognise and maintain your heritage.Therefore the stories we tell continue to empower and humanise people. I love her books and a lot of what she stands for. Danai Gurira is a strong Zimbabwean Woman who emphasises on telling stories for us by us. I love her
Shamiso Ruzvidzo: Kusika Design Centre was born from pivoting my other businesses
[bctt tweet=”Kusika means to create. We go beyond that, we design, create & develop @ShamisoRuze” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Thirty-four-year-old change practitioner, traveller, and foodie, Shamiso Catherine Ruzvidzo, relocated from Australia back to Zimbabwe in 2012. She had been in Australia for 12 years, where she did her degree in Information Technology and worked for Rio Tinto before finding her love and passion for the fashion and design sector. She is the founder of Catherine Ruze, a boutique modelling agency which was first set up in Australia and later on moved to Zimbabwe. Catherine is also the founder of Fashion Weekend Zimbabwe and now Kusika Design Centre which is based in Doon Estate, the design district in Harare. Kusika is a hub that supports the economic development of small businesses in the fashion and design sector. As if that is not enough, Catherine is the regional director of programs for a local NGO. She juggles these two passions with her everyday life. From IT to fashion, why fashion? I started in the fashion industry when I was 16. My mom sent me to Medusa, a modelling agency in Harare, where I did a modelling course and ended up modelling for them. That is how I plunged into fashion. [bctt tweet=”@ShamisoRuze started in the fashion industry when she was 16 at a modelling agency in Harare” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Fast forward years later, I was doing freelance work with photographers in Australia and I got introduced to local designers who I started working with. Australia really lifts up its local talent and this is where my love for local design and supporting local designers came from. I produced my first fashion show for Betty Tran, then Betty Sugar. I just brought together a pool of models and publicists I was working with and we made it work. I realised that there are many designers wanting to see progress in their businesses but as start-ups, they normally don’t have the resources to hire models, or even create a full fashion show because they are putting all that they have into their collections. This idea gave birth to the Catherine Ruze modelling agency. When was Kusika birthed? Kusika is a new initiative which was born from pivoting my other businesses; Catherine Ruze Modelling Agency and Fashion Weekend Zimbabwe (FWZ). It was officially birthed in July 2015. As an entrepreneur, you are always pivoting until you kind of get to that place where you feel like you have finally found the right model. We had outgrown what we thought we wanted to do with FWZ and therefore took a step back. We then decided to slowly transition into Kusika using FWZ as the face. Fashion Weekend Zimbabwe paved way for Kusika; we will not be doing annual events anymore but we will be doing pop-up shops instead. We have hosted a variety already, both in and outside Zimbabwe. In 2016 we did four pop-up shops and this year we are looking at six. Why Kusika as a name? Kusika means to create so it’s all about creation. But there is more to creating and creations. People can create, then what? We go beyond that, we design, create and develop. When one looks around Zimbabwe, everyone is creating something but a lot of people are copying creations that have been done by various other people. So what does Kusika do? We are pretty much a design incubator. By design I mean if you use your hands to create something, then you definitely fall under our mandate. We are trying to support the economic development of designers and artisans in Zimbabwe. It’s a 50/50 partnership where we put our resources to get the product line going. We work with them on three levels: Production/development of their collections, be it clothing, home décor, bags, and accessories. We provide artisans with access to information on what’s trending, how the market is like etc. Training- on product quality and how to run a business. We want Kusika to be a design hub where people come to learn new skills and get inspired to use their hands for livelihood. One may have had skills in the past but times and people’s needs change. So we are bringing in new skills and ways to develop these old skills. Currently, the products we have been exposed to are not very impressive and therefore we saw a huge gap on quality assurance. Marketing, the final level is taking the products to markets. At the moment Zimbabwe is lacking a market. There is not enough local consumption for someone to live off their talent but we are trying to change that narrative, to say to them, no you can use design to pay your children school fees, to put food on the table. So Kusika is a place you come to create and we help you to take it a step further. How have people received this type of business in Zimbabwe? Kusika is a medium scale business and our target market is not local. Our customers are people outside Zimbabwe who currently have lesser problems than we do and have a different appreciation of the product. Zimbabweans have bigger problems at the moment and furnishing their homes and themselves is not one of them. How big is the team? We have four local people working at Kusika and other external contractors including one buying agent who is based in France. She is the one who helps source out the buyers. What are some of the challenges of running a business in Zimbabwe? Remaining inspired in present day Zimbabwe is a challenge, it’s very easy to be stagnant. The world is moving so fast right now in terms of innovation, and unfortunately, we are being left behind. It’s important to step out of Zimbabwe from a leadership point of view to get inspirations, new ideas, and concepts. [bctt tweet=”Remaining inspired in Zimbabwe is a challenge, it’s very easy to be stagnant @ShamisoRuze” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] The hijacking of concepts or business ideas