4 ways to cop Your Goals vs your Glow (Number 3 is our favorite)
The average working-class woman gets caught up in an entangling web where she is trying (so hard sometimes) to achieve her goals, reach her maximum potential, score-in on every success story and look effortless while at it. It is like she wanting to be wonder woman; hair blowing in the wind (or no hair at all), athletic legs standing firmly in the ground, and beauty unhinged as she saves the world, in this case, hers. Most people say you can almost never have it all. You can almost never be extremely successful, which comes with a lot of to-do list, running around, and still look glamorous while at it. Or to be specific, keep to your health/beauty goals as you slay in both financial figures and that figure 8. But at the end of the day, it all boils down to having a balance, realizing that in this thug life of achieving your goals and your glow, you can manage it all, because it is your life and you are in charge, always. Here are a few pointers to help you Set up realistic and achievable plans Sometimes, when you set up a far-reaching list of what you want to achieve, that is all they are going to be – far-reaching. Where you stretch yourself beyond every elastic limit until you crack and the pressure becomes visible. Create a list of practical success plans, or health/ beauty regimen you want to achieve for the next one month (it is always good to do it in bits. When you flood yourself, you overwhelm yourself) and stick to it! Have a scale of priorities In this case, I would say your health first, but, different strokes for different folks. So make a decision of what takes the front seat and have the other at the passenger seat, with the seat belt on. That way, they are both on the same level, but one thing has the wheels and navigates the other, which happens to be secured and safe regardless of a crash. [bctt tweet=”Passion makes everything look stress-free because you exude a different kind of joy while ticking off the goals that reflect on your skin and glows you up. ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Strive for contentment, NOT perfection This is when you know that there is no perfect balance and sometimes wonder woman gets a hit or two. The ultimate goal should not be perfection but rather contentment. This way, you’re able to find the core of things, that you hold them firmly yet delicately together. We all have it. Look for yours. Make sure you are passionate about what you do Passion makes everything look stress-free because you exude a different kind of joy while ticking off the goals that reflect on your skin and glows you up. “Find what you love and let it kill you”. According to Bukowski, this is a great tip for being happy and fulfilled enough to run that errand, set up that meeting and not dreading it all every step of the way. And because you are away from that toxic and draining environment it is most likely to reflect positively on your glow. Give yourself love, backed up by smart thinking, that way you will not put yourself or your business in jeopardy. How are you growing and glowing this month? We want to share your story! Click here to share.
Introducing the Money Talks Series – addressing financial issues young African women face
She Leads Africa and FSDH Asset Management partner to bring you an 8 episode web series focused on common money issues young career and businesswomen face. Want to make serious money moves in 2019 and start taking steps to reach your financial goals? Whether you are getting married or are married, part of the bridal team, just started working, planning to pursue your master’s degree and more, the Money Talks series is here to help you! With each episode focused on different financial issues most Nigerian women face, the Money Talks series aims to help women reach their financial goals through various FSDH product offerings. The Money Talks series is brought to you by She Leads Africa in partnership with FSDH Asset Management and will be hosted by She Leads Africa’s Head of Content, Hilda Awomolo. Each episode will feature successful career and businesswomen, including our co-founder – Afua Osei, who’ll share their insights and provide tips on each topic. Watch the trailer here: https://youtu.be/vN-_bULPGiE Through this series, viewers will: Gain tangible advice on how to deal with various financial – related issues. Have access to 4 Quick Math guides to help make money moves at the end of each episode. Participate in a LIVE chat during the premiere of each episode on She Leads Africa’s YouTube channel. Be provided with an opportunity to discuss topics in a Twitter chat every Tuesday on She Leads Africa’s Twitter page. The episode guide is as follows: Episode 1 – Who gets your first salary? You or your parents? Episode 2 – Are you a bad person if you don’t buy Aso-Ebi? Episode 3 – Should you have a separate investment/bank account from your husband? Episode 4 – What’s the actual cost of having a baby? Episode 5 – How do people fund their master’s degrees? Episode 6 – How do you react to friends and family who borrow from you? Episode 7 – Do your friends help you spend or save your money? Episode 8 – Does your spending personality match your account balance? The first episode will be released on Thursday, 28th February 2019 at 6pm WAT on the She Leads Africa YouTube and Facebook pages. Brand new episodes will go live every Thursday at 6pm WAT from 6th March on both platforms. More about FSDH Asset Management FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD – FSDH AM is a wholly owned subsidiary of FSDH Merchant Bank Limited. They are one of Nigeria’s leading asset management and financial advisory firm. FSDH AM is versatile in financial transactions and investment strategies that meet the need of investors in an emerging economy like Nigeria. They recognize that today’s investors need the services of dedicated and expert professionals to provide them with intelligent investment counsel. Therefore, their strategies are dedicated to preserving investors’ wealth while maximizing the value that they receive.
7 Ways to Inspire your Team this Year
As a Boss Lady, I happen to have a lot of mentees and team members look up to me. And by all means, I want to inspire my team and bring out the best in them. For one, I want to inspire them to keep putting out great work, and secondly, I want to remember that they are not tools for work but human beings. I have to be sensitive to them. In my Boss Lady life, I have taken a few notes that I will like to share with other Boss Ladies to help them serve their team better. Here are seven ways to inspire your team this year. ?? Don’t Talk Down On Your Team So, remember we are raising leaders – people who can stand tall with us. The word superior mustn’t necessarily be taken literally in a way that it makes those who work with us feel the exact opposite of that word. You always want to make your team feel respected as humans with differences. Don’t display any character that puts down people. For example; Don’t make a joke about a team member’s religion. Everything is about inspiring confidence. Language tops it. Always be polite even when you are giving criticism. Ever heard of commend and recommend? (Ask a Toastmaster ?). Christine Porath in her TEDx presentation on incivility in the workplace says, “How you show up and treat people means everything. Either you lift people up by respecting them, making them feel valued, appreciated, and heard or you hold people down by making them feel small, insulted, disregarded or excluded. And who you choose to mean everything”. Show That You Want Them To Succeed I know we say professionally, “don’t refer to yourselves in the workplace as a family” but to get people to grow an organization with you. You have to be all about the people who are all about your work. The CEO of House of Tara – Tara Durotoye said she learned very early as an entrepreneur, that for the people who leave their homes every day to come to a workplace there has to be more. She learned to stop referring to the company as ‘my company’ but ‘our company’. You have to make people see a greater reason for coming to work. Make them buy into the vision, and show them that you care about their personal affairs. Ever heard of Linkedin’s Tour of Duty? Where employees are moved up the ranks periodically depending on their career goals. That’s a way to identify with the needs of the team. Learn more in The Startup of You by Reid Hoffman. Sir Richard Branson says, “Train people well enough so they can leave. Treat them well enough so they don’t want to”. Always find ways to add value to your team. Constantly Give Kudos For A Job Well Done I read the One-minute Manager many years ago, about effective people management. How the one-minute-manager was able to, in one minute dish out praises, and just in the same vein dish out reprimands, – an intentional leadership style. Team Leaders have to praise team members as a habit, not only reprimand them. It creates conditioning – that they are appreciated and valued, and reinforces learning. Many times I have realized I hold the keys to many team members happiness and self-esteem, and the worst thing to do is abuse that privilege. Many people are going through stuff or trying to believe in themselves. Realize they could use some hope from you. The toastmaster’s sandwich method of ‘Commend and Recommend’ is the recommended feedback standard, especially when there’s a reprimand coming. You have to always find the good in a team member’s work first, and commend it before reprimanding. Commend their good intentions, or make reference to their usual good works. There has to be something to commend. Then move unto how they can do better. Notice I said ‘how they can do better’ not necessarily focusing on what they did wrong. Remember they have to feel good about themselves at all times. Set High Standards For People Experience I worked with a friend last year and was so impressed by her high standard of people experience. It inspires loyalty, as even I look forward to working with her again and again. I like it that House of Tara refers to her HR Department as the People Experience Team because this aptly puts their job. In fact, I was so impressed by this that at a Managers’ Training on Empathy and Emotional Intelligence I used HOT as a case study. Now that we have established that incivility is a no-no! And that this whole article is about inspiring team members. We are well on our way to implementing a culture. How do you mark the workers’ special days? What are the benefits put in place? Do you show interest in their work process or just the end result? How do you react at a failed expectation? Do they feel anxiety or inspiration towards work? Do they feel treated better by other work teams/workplaces? Do you deliberately paint them in a bad light before people? It is when we can genuinely answer these questions as boss ladies, and take action to get our people to experience right, then we will be doing right by the people who work with us. Don’t Set Unreasonable Goals Ahan! So, there’s this impossibility fairy who told us doing the impossible means setting unreasonable goals. The truth is being Miranda Priestly is no longer cool. Of course, it turned Emily into a go-getter but wasn’t Miranda only trying to get Emily fired at first by driving her nuts with unbearable tasks? Oh! look at me talking to only those who have seen ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ While we want to keep team members challenged, there is a difference between being motivated and being anxious. You want people to go out of their way but within reason. Don’t push people. Don’t set
Still haven’t set your 2019 Goals? Read this…
This year I have chosen to try something a little bit different. Instead of writing down resolutions, I have decided to set goals for the year. What’s the difference? Resolutions are a decision to do or not do something. It could be giving up alcohol for the first month of the year, or resolving to go back to the gym after a few months of slacking. Goals, on the other hand, are an aim to achieve a specific result. This could be to run a marathon or take an online course. So why pick goals over resolutions? Well, resolutions really don’t seem to last that long into the year and they are usually founded in some displeasure with your current state of being/ living. Now don’t get me wrong, there isn’t anything wrong with setting out resolutions. More often than not people seem to struggle to keep them or even remember them by mid- January. Goals are more proactive, its a determination to achieve something. [bctt tweet=”Stop making New Year Resolutions. Set Goals Instead. Read this article to find out why. ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] So, Motherland Mogul, how do you set our goals for the year? First things first… Write it down! There are a couple of ways you can do this, journaling or if you are more of a visual person you can create a vision board. If you write your goals down somewhere you can see them everyday it helps you stick to them, a constant reminder isn’t to make you feel bad but more to remind you what you are working towards. A vision board is not only fun to make but can enable you to see your goals as an actual reality making it much easier for you to stick to them. Think of the short term and long term Set out goals that you want to achieve by the end of the year, by a certain month/ date. This means you can work on consistent goals as well as focus on the short term. This means you are not only waiting for the end of the year to see results but throughout the year you will have bursts of success that will continue to motivate you to achieve your more long term goals. So what falls into each category? Short term goals could include taking an online course in a certain month, running a marathon, reading a set number of books per month. These goals require you to train/ learn/ work to achieve them within a certain time frame, so get to work!! Long term goals such as the 52-week saving challenge, launching your own business, changing jobs or even volunteering on a monthly basis. These are goals that require consistency and usually take longer to achieve. The rewards may take a long time to reap but just imagine how it will feel to finally achieve a goal you have been working long and hard on. Categorize your goals Not all goals are the same, sometimes you have to realize what part of your life you want to improve or change. Personal and professional goals are the obvious categories that we can turn to but do not forget other aspects of your life that can give you joy. You can set out goals to travel to a new country (or a few), to complete a crafts project, grow herb garden or practicing daily gratitude. This helps you focus on your creative side and develop healthy self-care habits. Put in the work Each goal you set out is going to require a lot of work and determination by your part. what is important in realizing your goals is identifying what you have to do to achieve them. Let’s take the marathon for example. You can’t wake up on a Saturday morning and just run the marathon, you need to train in order to run the race. This would require you going for more parks runs and working out to build the strength and endurance needed. So you set a mini-goal, for example following a training program that guides you over a period of time. These mini goals help you determine what you need to do on your part to achieve your goals and provide small successes on their own. Be realistic You don’t want to run yourself into the ground trying to achieve your goals. They are not meant to tear you down or make you feel worse about yourself. Focus on goals that help build a better version of you, whether professionally or personally. Don’t set out goals too ambitious or far fetched, but also do not forgot to throw caution to the wind. It is not time to sit back but rather to step up for yourself in the aspects that matter. If you really struggle to hold yourself accountable, why not find a goal buddy? This person will remind you of your goals throughout the year and check how long it is taking you to achieve them. They may also provide you with great advice and be a support system when things seem hard. Reap the rewards I do not know about you but sometimes I need an incentive to work on something. And considering there is no one to hand out badge saying “Well done”, it’s up to you to set out your rewards. So let’s say you have finally managed to start your open your own business, why not throw a small soiree to thank those who helped you achieve your goal or even just to launch your business. Again, such rewards make the achievement of a goal so worth it, so why not reward yourself for all the hard work you have put in. Got some advice that can help others succeed in 2019? Click here to share.
A case study from The Safety Chic on How to crush your 2019 goals
It’s a new year and you’ve set those amazing goals that will propel you to your next level. How do you go from being a novice to getting international recognition? How do you go from your current great level to the higher rung on the ladder of success? I would be sharing with you a few tips that worked for me while building “The Safety Chic” brand from zero to almost a hundred. I am not at my destination yet but I am a good distance from where I started. Even though I’m still a work in progress, I believe you can pick a thing or two from my experience. In my opinion, there are 5 major things that you’d need to consider to ensure you go from zero to influence or from the level you’re on currently to the next. [bctt tweet=”How do you go from your current great level to the higher rung on the ladder of success? Learn from – @TheSafetyChic ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Preparation What do you have in your hands right now? Do you have some training or certifications in a certain area? Do you have work experience either paid or unpaid? How about requisite soft skills and good behavior? What life experience do you have which has charted you on a certain path? These things are tools available to you that if used correctly will prepare you for your next level. As someone with a communications background, I later got interested in the Safety profession but had to ensure I was qualified by getting the right certifications and gaining work experience through volunteer work. While working for free, I put my best foot forward with good behavior and that led to my bosses recommending me for jobs that paid and took me out of state. Based on your set goals, what do you think you can begin to do NOW to prepare you? It’s never late to start Grit and Consistency When the going gets tough, the tough get going. As motherland moguls, you need to decide upfront that you’d have staying power no matter the disappointment or challenge you face. What would you do when friends disappoint you or when no client shows up? What will you do when no one is reading your blog, watching your videos or listening to your podcast? Would you still continue? There was a time it felt like no one was seeing all the work I was putting in. There were times friends I asked to give me a shout out on social media did not do it. [bctt tweet=”At a time, I had no customer. I had to keep doing my bit because I knew this was just a phase that would pass – @TheSafetyChic ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] When you stay consistent, even though your audience is unresponsive, you’d have what we call a top of mind awareness and when something comes up in your niche, you would be the first person remembered. There were many times safety situations came up in the country and everyone would be seeking my opinion on social media. This made me appreciate my consistency. More importantly, I honestly assessed what I was doing and decided to seek help in areas where I needed it to ensure I achieved my goals. Seek knowledge He that knows not and knows not that he knows not is a foolish man. If you know you do not know something, seek knowledge centers. There are many ways to acquire knowledge in today’s world. Besides Google, there are thought leaders in almost all subject matters. Read and listen to what they say, pick up what is relevant to you. Do courses online and in-person. Find mentors and coaches. There are a lot of mentors you can learn from by watching them, they do not need to be in your DM for you to get it. I learn a lot from reading Strive Masiyiwa’s posts on Facebook but he does not know I exist yet. When my business needed redefinition in 2016, I took Steve Harris’s Mastering the Business of your Talent Course. That exposed me to the path to tow, increased the number of quality people in my network and he linked me to my current Coach Rotimi Eyitayo who works in the Education space. [bctt tweet=”Prepare yourself for success by doing courses online and in-person. Find mentors and coaches. – @TheSafetyChic ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] This placed me on the right trajectory because I needed to break into the education space. I’m also very selective of the people I listen to on social media and the groups I join. There is a great Facebook group with so much knowledge being shared regularly that has helped me tremendously. It’s called Headstart Africa. This is a good way to get informed. Look around you, how do you plan to acquire knowledge for your desired goal? Remember, you can get this formally and informally. Execute the tasks Whatever thy hands find to do, do with all diligence. There are so many coaches, mentors and courses can do for you. If you do not execute, you will not move an inch. Put your learnings to work. Create products, organize events, write blog articles, shoot videos, record podcasts, write a book, collaborate with others etc. Basically, step out in faith and do what you need to do. Do not lose focus because of what people are saying. You must also be your own PR agency. [bctt tweet=”It is important you have a digital trail so that when a search is done, you and your work will pop up. – @TheSafetyChic” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] As you execute, talk about your work and document digitally on your social media for a start. As you go, you’d eventually get mentions in blogs and other media. It is important you have a digital trail so that when a search is done, you and your work will pop up. This is really important most especially if you want your work
WEBINAR WITH FBNQUEST TRUSTEES: DISCOVER THE POWER OF ESTATE PLANNING (DEC 5)
Wealthy or nah, we all have an estate and it’s important to have a plan for it. Without a solid estate plan, your friends and relatives can spend a lifetime scrambling over your assets – we wouldn’t want that to happen would we? While you’ve worked super hard to build a secure and comfy lifestyle or are still working towards it, it’s time to protect those assets with a proper estate plan. Tune in on Wednesday, December 5th, 2018 for a LIVE webinar with certified Estate Practitioner – Mofoluke Keshinro, in partnership with FBNQuest Trustees. [bctt tweet=”Discover the power of estate planning with @fbnquest & @sheleadsafrica during a LIVE a webinar on Dec 5th at 2 pm WAT! Reg here: bit.ly/fbnquestEP” via=”no”] Some of the topics we’ll cover Why you need Estate Planning Keeping your wealth within the family Planning for your loved ones 10 Common Estate-Planning Mistakes Women Make Register below to access this opportunity and submit questions that you would like Mofoluke to answer. Webinar Details: Date: Wednesday, December 5th 2018 Time: 2pm Lagos // 3pm Joburg // 4pm Nairobi Location: We’ll send you the link to watch once you register Watch the webinar here: About Mofoluke Mofoluke Keshinro is the Head of Private Trust at FBNQuest Trustees Limited and is one of only two certified Trust and Estate Practitioners (TEP) in Nigeria. Her experience includes roles at Liberation Partners, Wema Trustees Limited, and Great Nigeria Insurance Plc. She is a full and certified Member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and has attended STEP seminars/conferences in Johannesburg, Dubai, New York and Singapore. FBNQuest Trustees is part of FBN Holdings Plc, one of the strongest and most dependable financial groups in Africa. They assess your needs and provide tailored solutions for the safekeeping of assets. From estate planning to government bond issuance, FBNQuest Trustees holds a solid market position as a leading trustee services provider.
A MINIMALIST’S PERSPECTIVE TO SETTING GOALS
Goal setting is paramount to individuals as it helps with the rebranding, focus, and orderliness of life. I mean, we all have aspirations and dreams and accomplishments we would love to attain yes? And when it comes to aiming that peak, it’s all about good intentions, yes? When it comes to sharing our aspirations with others, we get bold, we get optimistic, and we get daring, yes? Most people even go as far as creating reward systems for themselves, like when I positively tick so soon my goal list, I have to get me some Birkin Bag because I sure deserve it! Right? So why do we let the negative kill our vibe? Why is it that we often fall short of the goals we set for ourselves? How come we wonder why we are at the same place we were years past, with the same poor habits and no sign of progress? It’s simple. [bctt tweet=”Start simple and work your way from the ground up” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] The answer to the entire why questions are because as human beings, complicated is our tag names, no offense. We tend to overcomplicate and make vague the steps necessary to accomplish the goals we set for ourselves. As there are loads of various perspectives to setting goals, this article gives you another strategy to set and look at your goals progressing from a minimalist’s perspective. LITERALLY, HUG BIG PICTURE IDEAS This may be very contrary to what minimalist’s belief in but its standard. Embracing that big light bulb idea will make one hone in on what we tend to get out of this life. This idea may range from securing a major deal in your niche, wanting a big family or just being financially well off. It could be anything that tickles your fancy, just make sure you write it down on a paper with your lovely pen. Note: it’s important to take the time to grasp what you want your life to be all about, and what you would want to achieve big time. PRIORITIZE THE PARAMOUNT This is the forte of minimalists. So once you’re done listing out your big ideas and dreams’, noting the order of importance is the next step. When you create a prioritized list, you are getting rid of the confusing clutter and allowing yourself focus on what you truly want to accomplish. So this is it: you create a list of your goals beginning with the most important to achieve at this point in your life to the least important. Note: One has to realize that the goals found at the bottom of the list are still important but not as crucial as the ones found at the top. Now, success is just around the corner because you have something real, a real end goal you wish to achieve and not just wishful thinking goals. CREATE TANGIBLE STEPS Now that your priorities have been set, you can start using this information to pinpoint steps that would help you achieve the most important goal on your list. Remember, you need to take time out and think deeply for you to establish well thought out steps to achieving your goal. Now, try to begin with the most basic achievement you can think of. As with how we humans evolved, and our learning process, we started learning A, B, C before forming sentences. So start simple and work your way from the ground up. Remember with previous steps, it’s important to note them down so you can refer back to them later.It helps when you keep your laid out thoughts short, black & white and precise so it’s clear to see if you have successfully accomplished a step…or not. This phase is more or less, understanding the significance of creating a solid foundation that is easy to grasp and build upon. GET RID OF THE CLUTTER As a minimalists’ main goal is to declutter in all aspects of life, this works in setting goals as well. Any step or thing that doesn’t aid in your success should be scratched out, with every ounce of intentionality and no looking back. Anything that proves as a barrier in achieving your goals, be it an excess of social events, ideas, obligations, people or items, scratch ‘em out, please. Now don’t get me wrong, they may not be negative influencers, in general, but they may be distractive and you won’t be needing any distractions when it comes to pinpointing the goals and heights you want to attain at a certain period. We need focus vibes and not distraction vibes. [bctt tweet=”If you want to lead a simple life, scratch the reward system, let go of that chocolate and be bold.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] REWARD SYSTEM…OR NOT. Reward system is an innocent idea but totally unnecessary. For minimalists, they see value in the lifestyle they have opted in for and they know there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. They know the rewards and gains they have to look forward to by achieving their goals and so they embrace the simple idea that for every phase completed, they are a step closer to achieving their desired goals. This setting goal strategy may be very tough on people and opting in for the reward system is not a bad idea but if you want to lead a simple life, scratch the reward system, let go of that chocolate and be bold. REVAMPED LIFESTYLE A minimalist strategy to setting goals gives a more defined approach to things and a simple approach to creating and meeting your desired goals. Once you’re done setting your goals, you start getting results in your overall lifestyle, positive results as that’s the beautiful outcome of setting goals. It’s more like you put in hard work in one area of your life and you see a transformation in other areas. Keep that in mind. Note: Don’t try to skip previous steps to jump. It doesn’t work that way as the steps
Kene Rapu: Find something that makes your brand different from everyone else
Kene Rapu is the founder and CEO of ‘Kene Rapu’, the No.1 Nigerian footwear brand championing local production, established in 2011. Her brand has played a significant role in changing the face of ‘Made in Nigeria’ footwear. Kene is a fully qualified lawyer with an LLB law degree from the University of Bristol, UK and a Masters Degree in Fashion Entrepreneurship from the London College of Fashion, UK. In 2016 she was selected by the Tony Elumelu Foundation as one of 1000 African Entrepreneurs who’s idea could “change Africa”, in 2017 as one of 100 ‘Most Influential’ women in Nigeria by Leading Ladies Africa and most recently listed in the prestigious Forbes Africa ’30 under 30’ class of 2018, in the business category. All Kene Rapu slippers are proudly made in Nigeria for the global community. [bctt tweet=”Dream big but start small, grow as organically as possible – @KeneRapu ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What vision did you have when you started out, is it different from what you are experiencing now? Our vision was to be the No.1 Nigerian footwear brand championing local production, and it has remained the same. We are excited about the progress we have made so far, and are looking forward to getting the nations wearing KR. What is it like making it to Forbes 30 under 30 lists? The journey so far makes me more excited for the road ahead. I’m passionate about what I do, and it is humbling and encouraging to know that something I started 7 years ago, has morphed into a business that is recognized globally. How has this exposure impacted your brand? Having a world renown brand highlight your business as one of 30 emerging brands in Africa, is definitely gratifying for a business owner, increases consumer trust and opens you up to a new network of professionals and investors. How can an entrepreneur build a solid brand? In whatever area you want to go into, do your market research. Find a unique selling point, find something that makes your brand different from everyone else in that market. Know your customer, define him or her, have a clear vision of where you want your brand to go; stay focused and remember why you started. Having come this far starting out in 2011, what important lesson can aspiring entrepreneurs take from your journey? Dream big but start small, grow as organically as possible. Understand that there is no such thing as an overnight success. Hard work pays. Consistency and integrity are important. Provide value; a quality product will market itself. How do you deal with gender biases you encounter as a woman running an enterprise? As a female in business, sometimes there are unnecessary issues you have to deal with, that should not be the case. However, challenges make you stronger, whether gender-related or otherwise; deal with them head on and move on. When you jump past hurdles, it is a testament that indeed you are a survivor. I also believe surrounding yourself with the right company is helpful. I have female friends in the business, and we spend time discussing how to resolve our common challenges. Having strong ladies in your corner certainly makes the journey easier. What message do you have for women who need the courage to follow their passion? Go for it. The road is not easy, in fact, it is difficult, but it is certainly gratifying when you begin to break through. Seize the moment and start now. If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your story with us.
How to set goals like the motherland mogul that you are
To me, setting a goal is like aiming that bowling ball at the white pins; the amount of effort and calculation put in determines how many bottles will be cleared which is why your goals do not matter more than the mode of setting them. I’ll give you a better illustration. Setting a goal is similar to aiming a missile at a spaceship from this planet, you don’t know for sure if your aim is going to bring results but you just close your eyes and do it anyway! IT MUST SCARE YOU The number one lesson which is fundamental to setting goals is going way beyond your limit. Now I’m not asking you to be unrealistic, set a goal within your human capacity just let it scare you a bit. How does your own goal scare you? You know you’re scared of your set goals when: I. It’s within the limits a motherland mogul like you does not have II. It’s something you can do even though you think that you cannot attempt it III. You don’t believe it’s something you can do or someplace you can get to BE REALISTIC When it comes to the art of setting goals, my dear you must be very realistic. For instance, you shouldn’t submit your CV for a job which requirements are higher than your professional level knowing fully well that you cannot get those papers before the interview. You must meet the requirements of your requirements! You have to strive to reach the eligibility level and never relax on your oars. UPGRADE YOUR OS I know this is 2018 so everyone probably knows OS means Operating System right? Right. Ever wondered why Apple keeps upgrading the performance level of their gadgets? To keep up with the consumer market! Same way you cannot stop being eligible! You have to continue being the best person for that position, the one they are losing out on if they don’t put their monies on! How do you do this? I. Get professional The ‘masters syndrome’ in today’s Nigeria has ravaged most appointment seekers. What they don’t know is that professional certification singles you out of the master’s multitude. You need to attend a course today, start from somewhere, be it WIMBIZ or a Nigerian Women Techsters training just do something! II. Build your experience Fill your resume with internship/externship experiences, work for free if you have to! III. Get out of your comfort zone Your comfort zone is that place in your existence where you feel totally at peace, rested and fulfilled. I will tell you a secret today (promise not to tell nobody?), your goal will never be in your comfort zone! Beyonce had to go solo, leaving behind friendships and carbs to become who she is, Malala went over the fence of children and women not being heard in a rather conservative state and Joe Okei-Odumakin had so many visits to detention and prisons to be an activist. None of these people felt entirely happy leaving the comfort of friendship, being obedient to repugnant laws and the comfort of their bed and peace to be moguls but they did anyway! That’s my point exactly! Don’t reject offers in other regions! Stop telling yourself you’re too young! Stop telling yourself you’re a woman! Just stop! Learn something outside of your known area of specialization, think of a business idea someone in your society is not taking up, be creative. IV. Don’t try to be regular Try setting goals negating what you were expected to do. For instance, in the legal profession, most ladies decide to work in the civil service to minimize stress in order to combine law with making a home but some outstanding ones still take up jobs as company secretaries, private practice, maritime legal experts etc. Sometimes our purpose lies in our ability to think outside of the box, in order to get the honey out of the rock, you might have to roll up your denim and begin to cut it out instead of just taking your mind off it totally. These tips are great life builders and I hope they help someone. If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your story with us.
Quick Maths (1): How to generate income to start a business with FDSH Asset Management
Smart moves early in life can pay BIG long-term….. Now, what’s the point in looking good and slaying when your bank account isn’t smiling back at you? Listen. This is the year to SLAY 100%, and we’re ready to show you how to make money moves the right way. So, are you ready to cash out like Cardi’s got nothing on you? We are partnering with FSDH Asset Management Ltd to share with you a 4 part downloadable guide to enable you to boost your finances. We want to make sure that every Motherland Mogul is prepared to master the money world. [bctt tweet=”Learn how to generate funds to start your business with @FSDHCoralFunds. Click here for more: bit.ly/FsdhGuide1″ via=”no”] Topics this 4 part series will cover: Seed Money: How to generate income (capital) to start a business. Diversifying: Different ways to save and protect savings (for low and high-income earners). Bottom Line: How to use your business net income to your advantage Emergency Funds: Why you must have some investments. Now let’s talk about you. You’re about to start a business but you need capital to begin? Girl, we’ve got you! In this first downloadable guide, we’ve done some Quick Maths for you, highlighting how you can generate capital for your business or launch your new project. First, you need to understand that money does not come for free, as a MotherlandMogul, you have to know what your options are, and work towards them. After reading this first downloadable guide, you’ll understand what moves to make to get closer to your money goals. But what’s next after you get that capital and the bills start rolling in? We have more juice coming your way. To continue learning basic principles that will lead to a happier and healthier financial you, get prepared for our next guide. Because girl, we’re going deeper. FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD – FSDH AM is a wholly owned subsidiary of FSDH Merchant Bank Limited. They are one of Nigeria’s leading asset management and financial advisory firm. FSDH AM is versatile in financial transactions and investment strategies that meet the need of investors in an emerging economy like Nigeria. They recognize that today’s investors need the services of dedicated and expert professionals to provide them with intelligent investment counsel. Therefore, their strategies are dedicated to preserving investors’ wealth while maximizing the value that they receive. Once you’re through with this guide, visit FSDH Asset Management Ltd to know more and get all your pressing questions answered. Getting access to this guide is easy: just fill out the form below to join our community and get access to this guide, remember this is only part 1, there’s more to come – so stay updated. By joining our community, you also get to enjoy our AWESOME weekly content as well.