TV Role Models Every Motherland Mogul Needs
T.V. has become more than a pastime after work, recently shows have moved from solely entertaining to also providing commentary on key social issues. Shows that are brave enough to address race, gender, family and relationship issues have sparked conversation that we so need in today’s society. Women are leading more t.v. shows, especially women of colour which is so important for representation. So here’s my list of T.V Role Models who inspire me to be a flawsome, hardworking and yet still witty Motherland Mogul. Oprah Winfrey, the Oprah Winfrey Show and her own television network HARPO We all grew up watching Oprah. Seeing her ask the hard questions, share her story and watch her rise as one of the most powerful figures in television history. When in doubt, I always ask myself ‘What would Oprah do?’ If there is any inspirational figure to look up to, it’s her. She shows the power of determination, hardwork and most importantly not leaving anyone behind. Her dedication to telling the stories of the marginalized and giving back shows that no matter how high you rise, you don’t have to do it alone. Gina Torres, Jessica Pearson in Suits Where do we even start: her impeccable dressing, her sharp one liners, or maybe the fact that Jessica was the managing partner of her own law firm. Her confidence is calm and elegant, with a sharp sting when she is tested. Feel inspired by her ability to always be calm even when things are unraveling and how she always manages to rise above the mess. Tracee Ellis Ross, Rainbow Johnson in Blackish I consider Rainbow the coolest and funniest mom on t.v. Blackish is one of the most intelligent shows, that deals with the dynamics of race, politics and society, in a way that isn’t lecturing but, rather starting the necessary conversations. She balances her work and home life, showing us that sometimes doing things the unconventional way may at times be the best way. Yvonne Orji, Molly in Insecure Now listen up, Motherland Moguls, if you have not watched Insecure you will be disowned. My love for this show aside, Molly is one of characters on t.v who is career driven and won’t let her hard work go unrecognised. When her bosses fail to show appreciation for her abilities, she doesn’t sit in a corner complaining, but instead, shows initiative by taking up more responsibilities; and when that still even is not enough, she seeks to have her talents appreciated elsewhere. She pushes her own career boundaries and so should you. Don’t be afraid to ask for that raise or promotion when you know you deserve it. It also doesn’t hurt to take on more tasks and various projects, as this indicates you are a team player. The biggest lesson we can learn from Molly? Your career is in your hands, the choices you make, and how you react to adverse situations will determine how you’ll move forward and succeed in your journey to the top. Naomi Campbell, The Face, Empire, Star Naomi is well known for being one of the world’s most famous supermodels. So having her on this list may be confusing but, she’s also a t.v. diva. Naomi has an attitude and she owns it. A lot of people may see this as a questionable trait, but I believe that a little attitude ‘ain’t never hurt nobody’. Naomi is inspirational to the Motherland Mogul who is told her brazenness is intimidating or unfriendly. She also doesn’t sleep on herself; know your worth and make it work. Kerry Washington, Olivia Pope in Scandal This one is for the entrepreneurial Motherland Moguls because: let’s admire Olivia’s business acumen; she is smart, outspoken and when push comes to shove, she stands firm. Her loyalty to her team is admirable, the gladiators stick together and they know they can rely on Olivia. Questionable life choices aside, her white coat and hat are untouchable; her clients come first and she always goes the extra mile to get things done. Plus we all want a piece from her enviable wardrobe. Gabrielle Union, Mary Jane Paul in Being Mary Jane I think anyone who watches the show has a love hate relationship with Mary Jane. She tests our patience often but you cannot fault her ambition or her confidence. The show does not gloss over her complex relationships and friendships and navigates around the ideas of suicide, infidelity and infertility, topics that are taboo in black communities. So how is Mary Jane inspirational? She takes risks at work showing that sometimes to propel yourself forward, you have to throw caution to the wind. It is completely okay to be invested to your career, set goals and be determined to make it work. Your professional ambitions are a character strength, and you have the right to make them your focus. Who are your T.V Role Models and why? Let us know here.
Why Sustainability Makes Good Business Sense
You’ve likely heard of business “going green.” From installing solar panels on rooftops, utilising recycling bins, and switching off lights after hours, there are a number of ways both employers and employees can adjust their behaviour to operate in an environmentally responsible way. But that’s just one part of building a sustainable business. Along with environmental well-being, it’s also about social impact and economic viability. This could include skills training for employees, and improving the quality of life in the communities in which you operate in. Sustainability at What Cost? There’s often a misconception that sustainability initiatives are expensive and will erode profits. On the contrary, it has shown to be beneficial for business owners from the bottom-line up. Using the example of Egyptian agri-business SEKEM, that used biodynamic agricultural methods to start Egypt’s first organic farm in the middle of the desert forty years ago, a Harvard Business Review article titled ‘Making Sustainability Profitable’ offers three approaches for companies to ensure their environmental efforts pay off financially: Many, like Sekem, took a long-term view, investing in initially more-expensive methods of sustainable operation that eventually led to dramatically lower costs and higher yields. Others have taken a ‘bootstrap’ approach to conservation: they started with small changes to their processes that generated substantial cost savings, which they then used to fund advanced technologies that made production even more efficient. Some have spread their sustainability efforts to the operations of their customers and suppliers, in the process devising new business models that competitors find hard to emulate. You don’t need to incur high costs upfront, but rather adopt a model that works with your available resources, and adapt it to your sector. That’s exactly what AccorHotels set out to do when they launched their internal sustainability management system, dubbed Charter 21, which recommends over 60 actions hotels can take to reduce their environmental footprint. The French hotel chain group, that operates in over a dozen African countries, commissioned two independent studies to assess the financial return on a number of their sustainability initiatives. The first study focused on the corporate social responsibility expectations of the hotels’ B-to-B customers, while the second provided a statistical analysis of the influence of several sustainable development indicators on profitability and guest satisfaction. Both revealed that the more a hotel invests in initiatives that reduce their environmental footprint, the more positive its paybacks are, both in terms of (1) reducing costs of water and energy for example, and (2) increasing revenues partly due to enhanced reputation and guest satisfaction. Other key takeaways: Sustainability should not be viewed as a cost to the business. Highly visible sustainability initiatives can be a very effective way to differentiate a company in the minds of customers and strengthen customer relationships. Formal programmes that include specific, measurable objectives and a framework for managing progress towards achieving them are critical to making sustainability a core part of doing business. Another core part is getting the buy-in from staff members. One of the key actions of AccorHotels’ Charter 21 is training employees in environmentally friendly practices. Fostering a Culture of Sustainability By encouraging employees to follow sustainable practices, it could soon become a norm that has a lasting impact in the workplace and in their private homes. Think about something as simple as using energy-saving bulbs at office desk lamps, or utilising reusable glass instead of plastic cups at the water cooler. Consider the possible knock-on effect if this results in a conscious behavioural change where the employee now turns the household water geyser off when not in use, or ploughs biodegradable kitchen scraps back into the garden instead of disposing as waste. It’s this way of sustainable thinking that lead a turtle conservationist at Cape Town’s Two Oceans Aquarium to start an eco-rooftop garden. Initially meant to feed the facilities’ green sea turtles, it soon evolved into a lush garden of waterwise indigenous plants and herbs that is shared among employees. Not a drop of water is wasted here, with the vegetation being nurtured by the condensation from nearby air conditioners. The sustainable rooftop garden now also functions as an oasis for employees during break time complete with recycled artwork, and a worm farm that feeds off lunch scraps which in turn becomes fertilizer that can be ploughed back into the garden. Nurturing Community-Based (Business) Partnerships Sustainability relates to the future of your company and the broader community. Consider the impact of procuring goods and services from local businesses, or spreading your sustainability efforts to the behaviour of your suppliers and customers. Kenya-based ICOSEED (Integrated Community Organisation for Sustainable Empowerment and Education for Development) have successfully nurtured a mutually-beneficial relationship with local farmers. Winner of the 2017 SWITCH Africa Green-SEED Awards, they buy banana stems from farmers, process it into balls of fibre, and then use them to produce (biodegradable) products such as bags and table mats. They even take it a step further by giving the by-product (slurry) back to the farmers to use for biogas or compost. ICOSEED factors in all three key tenets of sustainability in that they’ve accounted for environmental well-being by producing environmentally friendly products and promoting the use of slurry for compost and biogas digesters; social impact by providing job opportunities for stem transporters and extractors along with an alternative source of income for hundreds of farmers; and economic value. The company now plans to Increase the number of farmers supplying banana stems from 400 to 9,000 by 2018, scale up the production capacity of banana fibre by buying new machinery, diversify the product range, and establish two new production sites in key banana growing areas. ICOSEED has adopted a sustainability model that works with their available resources. They’re now able to reap the rewards by funding the advanced technologies that will increase their production efficiency, while also spreading their sustainability efforts to the operations of their suppliers. They encapsulate the ideal of a sustainable business, where environmental well-being,
5 #MotherlandMogul characteristic’s when it comes to relationships
When was the last time that a song took you to church like this? Or this? For me, it was yesterday. The song? “Add To Me” by Ledisi. I identified with this song on such a deep and personal level because, it perfectly outlines some of the thought patterns that I have as a #MotherlandMogul when it comes to dating and entering into relationships. Like… I seriously considered playing it to the next nosey aunty to ask me why I’m not married yet. Heck, it made such an impact that I was inspired to write a little ode to it! As such, here are 5 characteristics of Motherland Moguls, regarding relationships (as told through Ledisi’s “Add To Me” lyrics). I’m sure you, as a member of the SLA community, will be able to identify with these too. So, without any further ado… #1 They are self-sufficient “I can be good on my own (can you add to me?) But I don’t want to be alone (can you add to me?) Paying all my bills on my own (can you handle me?)” As these lyrics show, Motherland Moguls are the epitome of the old adage “she wants you but she doesn’t need you” because they are independent and able to cope with or without a man in their lives. To summarise the late, great Dr. Myles Munroe, this is because they understand that singleness is not the same as incompleteness. Understanding this, Motherland Moguls can, indeed, “be good on [their] own”. #2 They prioritise their needs and practice self-care “I’ve been in a spiritual place; so when it gets hard I don’t break” Boss women have worked hard to become [spiritually, mentally, financially] self-sufficient. They are not interested in being destroyed by the wrong choice of relationship. As such, they may actually elect to remain single in order to maintain their “good” status. They also recognise that if they: Don’t have a healthy relationship with themselves, they will never be able to have a healthy relationship with another person. Are not happy or fulfilled within themselves, nobody else will be able to draw these things out of them or place them inside. In addition, they recognise that these qualities come from a strong relationship with God, as well as a positive intrapersonal relationship (relationship with themselves). #3 They have goals “Made a lot of money last year (can you handle me?) Plan to make more this year (can you handle me?)” Not only have they worked hard to become the person that they are now, they have clear goals for the future. Boss ladies are not stagnant ladies; so they don’t want to be with anybody who is going to stand in the way of their progress or the fulfilment of their goals. They want someone who truly has their best interests at heart and is not a distraction because, as Cindy Trimm once said: “Everything in your life rises and falls on a relationship. If you have the wrong relationships, you are going to end up in the wrong place” and vice versa. This means that positive relationships can advance us and move us forward , whereas negative relationships can stagnate us and cause us to regress. Bosses understand and apply this wisdom, knowing that the person that they are with can determine whether they get to their destiny or not. #4 They are not easily impressed “Took a lot now you’ve got my attention… But I’m the type that needs a little more” Because Motherland Moguls are so self-sufficient and focused on building their empires, they are not easily wooed or impressed. With all that they want to accomplish, they also don’t have time for games. This may earn them the reputation of being “cold,” “too picky” or even “a man hater” but, that’s not the case at all. They simply are not looking for a savior or to be in a relationship for relationship’s sake. #5 They are looking for a partner “But you got to have it all together (can you add to me?) So we can be stronger together (can you add to me?)” One of my favourite personal development books is “The Wisdom of Andrew Carnegie” by Napoleon Hill. In it, Carnegie advised that two of the steps to major achievement are: definiteness of purpose (a goal) and choosing a master mind team so that those in it can experience the benefits of synergy. This, in a nutshell, means that when two (or more) individuals unite and join forces in order to achieve a given purpose, they will be able to produce something that is exponentially greater than they ever could have done by themselves. Most people tend to understand this concept of “teamwork making the dream work” from a business point of view, but what sets #MotherlandMoguls apart is that they are also seeking this in their romantic relationships. As Ledisi quite rightly put it- they want someone in their life who they can build with; who can and will “add to [them]” and who they can add to in return. What other #MotherlandMogul characteristic’s would you add to this list? Let us know here.
5 tips to starting a side hustle whilst working at your 9-5
When people consider launching a new business, most imagine quitting their jobs and risking it all. However, aspiring entrepreneurs should stick with traditional jobs, rather than take a complete leap of faith by quitting their jobs. This is to ensure they can take the necessary time to grow their brands whilst earning multiple streams of income. A side hustle is a business you run in your free time, which allows you to pursue what you are most interested in. It is a chance to delve into different areas such as fashion, food, hair ,the not- for- profit world or whatever you are passionate about- whilst keeping your day job. Yes we love working our 9-5’s! But, extra cash from something we really love is vital. The good thing about having a side hustle is that you can make extra money and use talents that are dormant in your 9-5 day job. Starting a business whilst employed gives you the opportunity to make a meaningful impact in the world, doing work that you love on your own terms. It is not easy as you’ll have to share and balance your time between your day job and business. However, it is possible. Here are some tips for starting a side hustle: Pinpoint your passion – choose something you are really enjoy, which people need and are willing to pay for. E.g. Event planning, logo illustrator etc. Use your network – don’t be afraid to let your contacts know that you are open for business. Post it on social media, send emails, make phone calls get the word out! Stick to the schedule – set time aside for your business periodically, like an appointment. Have a specific time during the day to work on your side hustle. It is important. Collaborate/Network – the bigger your community, the more potential opportunities you have. Also, always make time to meet with new people. Hire an assistant – remember, you have a day job, and most of the time you won’t be able to have meetings with clients or customers. Hire someone who can help with the work while you’re at your job. Starting a side hustle is not easy and you probably won’t get it right the first time. Just be patient, focus and plan and it will happen! Do you have side hustle? How do you balance your side hustle and 9-5? 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
Juggling post-grad studies, family, a briefcase and the world
[bctt tweet=”You need a tribe of humans who will be there when you need some downtime and rebooting” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What exactly does this mean for us when juggling work, studies, and the world? It is a universal assumption and truth that women are the backbone of every family. We are inherently prepared for a purpose. Prepared on purpose. What does this entail and do we have any choice in what we allow to take up space in our lives? How can we better channel our energies into affirming our loved ones, building empires and pursuing our innermost desires and dreams? I am a Womxn. What is your superpower? Firstly, a solid support system is necessary. You need a tribe of humans who will be there to listen, extend a helping hand and generally hold you down when you need some down time and rebooting. It is imperative that we know where to go or when to refuel so that we can do the things we are equipped to do. Contrary to popular belief; this is not at all selfish, this is a reminder to oneself that you are a soft thing and that you should breathe. Inasmuch as life is often a juggling act, one needs to attend to the body, mind, and soul. With a consistent circle of support, it is easy for one to focus and achieve the objectives you have set out for yourself. A great way to stay on the ball is to write up a set of goals and hold yourself accountable to them. A human being actually… How does one strike the work-life-balance? Is this even an attainable feat? This would undoubtedly be a pertinent question for working mothers as one would want to be there for the kids’ milestones whilst breaking new ground on the work front. There have been ongoing studies regarding how one can achieve all this and then some. Ultimately, you should live a life that doesn’t require that you need a vacation from your day to day existence. Sometimes all it requires is doing the things that really get you going, like reading a book, going cycling, having tea with your mother or just having a night out with the girls and/or date night with your partner. Down time is really necessary. [bctt tweet=”You should live a life that doesn’t require that you need a vacation from your day to day existence” via=”no”] Sometimes the lemonade may taste like medicine It is not the end of the world, some experiences are lessons that need to be learned along the way. At the end of it all we need to make decisions about the kind of partners, colleagues and parents we want to be and stop self-sabotaging ourselves. Facebook COO and author of Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead, Sheryl Sandberg shares, “If more women lean in, we can change the power structure of our world and expand opportunities.” She further states, “Shared experience forms the basis of empathy and, in turn, can spark the institutional changes we need. More female leadership will lead to fairer treatment for all women.” Whenever in doubt, or when we question if we can lean in; we ought to remind ourselves that we are the magic and the medicine; and most importantly, we were born for such a time as this. [bctt tweet=”We can be selfless whilst putting ourselves first, it is possible” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] The world was never ready for your juggling prowess We can be selfless whilst putting ourselves first, it is possible. We can be there for our humans – juggling our itinerary, to-do lists and still have an endless reservoir of love and sustenance for ourselves.We have the power to be whomever we want to be and with the assistance of a steady routine, consistency and positive affirmation, anything is within our reach. Thus, one cannot stress enough the importance of engaging with activities which reaffirm your calling or destiny. It’s also important amidst the juggling to remember that self-care also means giving yourself permission to go through the ups and downs of life and get within your feels. Inasmuch as it takes more than nights away or hours lost in a book; but you can certainly be assured that any dose of self-care can and will go a long way for the spirit, body, and mind. Go out there and SLAy!
Standing up for yourself: Having more confidence in the workplace
[bctt tweet=”There is power in being proud of what you do, especially when you’ve worked hard” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Have you ever noticed yourself submitting work to your supervisor and uttering the words “I hope you like it”? I know I have and as the words came out of my mouth I hated it. Why? It sounded as if I was unsure of the quality of my work and above all, myself. The truth is I was confident, I had done the research and written multiple drafts but I felt lowering expectations would make my supervisor like my work more. But ultimately I was cheating myself under the guise of humility but rather I was showing a lack of confidence in my work. I knew I had put in the work but I didn’t feel that it was good enough or that no matter how good I thought it was my supervisor wouldn’t feel the same. So feeling and showing uncertainty was the better option to feeling great to only receive disappointing feedback. Confidence is key Basically, I was scared to show pride for my work in case it was not well received. I’ve come to realize there is no room for that in the workplace, confidence is key. There is power in being proud of what you do, especially when you’ve worked hard. Supervisors are more receptive to work that is submitted without a doubt on your behalf. Their reliance on and expectations of you rise, and that’s a good thing. This is great when you are gunning for a promotion or raise. Your actual work will speak for you but your presentation is just as important. Sell your work as well as letting the work sell itself. There is no shame in promoting your game. It is a lesson I have come to learn. But knowing isn’t as easy as putting into action. It takes small steps. So when it comes to talking up in meetings, I no longer shy away. If you’ve got a good suggestion, don’t hesitate. Speak. It’s important that we speak up in meetings with clients or colleagues when you know the work. It will push you further and build stronger bonds with your client and show your boss exactly why you are in the position you are in. Speaking up can lead to standing out. Don’t shy away from raising your voice, especially when it counts. [bctt tweet=”If you’ve got a good suggestion, don’t hesitate. Speak.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Changing your language Confidence is also necessary when you have to defend your work. We all have that one colleague who likes to push and challenge you. That shouldn’t back you into a corner. You know your work, there’s no reason to shy away when challenged. This doesn’t only make you a force to be reckoned with, it will also bolster your ability to address tough situations when the need arises. Another small step? Changing your language. Take out phrases such as “I would just like..” or “I wonder if” and replace them with stronger more self-assured words. The point of this is to come across as more self-assured with regards to your request. People are likely to respond positively to a statement that is said confidently. When sharing an opinion say it with conviction, “I would like to talk to you about..” or “I suggest that…” This enables you to get what you want when you say what you need. It yields better results in terms of ensuring efficiency from colleagues and getting your point across. Being more confident isn’t just to gain the respect of your colleagues of supervisor, it is also great for your personal and professional development. When you believe in yourself, it will show in the way you carry yourself, and your professional outputs. The more you feel this way, the brighter you will feel and that will reflect in everything you will do. Accepting compliments Accept compliments with pride. When you hear the words “Well done”, what is your immediate reaction? Shonda Rhimes states three reactions to receiving compliments in her book Year of Yes; dismissal of the compliment; shyness; and laughter/embarrassment at being complimented. At the root of this is the little voice saying, “not me, I don’t deserve this. I was just lucky”. Humility is great and all that but it honestly doesn’t hurt to show your pride when someone recognizes your awesomeness. It is not overconfidence when you accept a compliment with a thank you. We have internalized the fear of appearing confident because it appears cocky. But you’re awesome and that is okay, actually, it is better than okay. It is pretty damn great and its okay to stand in your shine. You’ve worked hard and being recognized for putting the work in is a great feeling so don’t shy away from it. [bctt tweet=”Humility is great but it doesn’t hurt to show your pride when someone recognizes your awesomeness” via=”no”] So what does it mean to be a confident woman to me now? It means speaking up when I know I have something valid to say. It is being able to back up my work when challenged. It is me acknowledging that I have reached where I am, not by default or mistake but because I am genuinely smart and talented. You are exactly where you are because you deserve to be, don’t ever doubt it.
Elizabeth Akanbi: Make mistakes, learn, grow and do better
[bctt tweet=”We aim to reach women that have a passion to become game changers” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] If there’s something she’s known for, it’s adding value to other women’s lives. With over 7 years experience across different industries, Content creator and Marketing communications professional, Elizabeth Akanbi is Founder and Managing editor of For Working Ladies, an online career lifestyle hub for women. With a strong passion of understanding people’s journeys to success she uses this knowledge to inspire, empower and motivate individuals. Asides equipping women with inspiring and motivational content Elizabeth is passionate about sharing the African culture through art, food, music and social events. As such she co-founded a lifestyle brand, The Social Bloc which runs periodic social events in the UK to highlight the African culture. What inspires For Working Ladies? I have always desired a mentor, someone to tell me how to make decisions, someone to give me career advice, tell me the risks of starting a business, I’m sure you know what I mean right? But I have never been fortunate to have one. I would search the internet day and night looking for answers to my questions, read loads of articles, career profiles and then draw a conclusion on the topic. I knew I wasn’t the only person going through this and needed to create a platform where you could get career/entrepreneurship tips, read about other women that have taken your path and just daily lifestyle content. Why an online platform? Because the world is going digital and people are constantly on their phones so I saw this was the best place to share content and reach our audience. For Working Ladies is a career lifestyle hub for women created to motivate, inspire and give guidance. What kind of content do you provide and what women does your business aim to reach? Our content mainly focuses on career and entrepreneurship, however, we also share lifestyle content also. We aim to reach women that have a passion to become game changers, we want to equip them, motivate them and be that big sister that says we have your back. What innovations and future plans are you looking towards for your business? 2017 is the year that I hope to take For Working Ladies offline and create interactive events. Things are still in the pipeline; I am excited and currently looking for speakers and brands to partner with for our first interactive event. Asides from events we hope to start delivering content in new and fresh ways as the behavior of people are changing and they want more than just written content. Tell us about your greatest challenge as well as your greatest achievement so far? My greatest challenge has been creating content that is new, fresh and relevant on an ongoing basis. There is so much content out there that it is necessary to give people a reason why they should read yours. Luckily I have an amazing team of contributors who are constantly creating fresh and relatable content for women. My greatest achievement so far has been keeping this content-based site going for over a year, being the only editor, managing the digital marketing, overseeing over 15 contributors whilst working. It takes a lot of time and dedication; there have been times where I have gotten so tired of proofreading and writing that I just want to give up. I am working on building a team so that as a brand more can be achieved. What business tools have helped you in running your business successfully? My daily tasks consist of sending emails, a lot of emails! mainly to contributors and also to people I am interviewing. I am literally always stuck to my phone/Mac refreshing my inbox, it can be a headache but it has to be done. The best tool that has helped me in managing emails is Boomerang for Gmail, it allows you to schedule emails, receive notifications to follow up on an email and also receive a notification when they have read the email. It’s a really user-friendly plugin! There are so many great features, we have an article on our website about it. [bctt tweet=”Learn from every mistake, because every experience and encounter is there to teach you” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What personal values have guided you as an entrepreneur? Hard work and consistency. Results don’t just come; you must be intentional and put the work in. The first step is making the commitment but the next, which can be the hardest is consistency coupled with hard work. Also as Oprah said, “Learn from every mistake, because every experience and encounter, particularly your mistakes, are there to teach you..” It’s okay to get it wrong, it’s okay for that partnership to breakdown, it’s okay for that idea not to work out, but in all of that experience what did you learn? I try my best to analyse every experience I have had and learn from it. Without mistakes how would we learn? Make mistakes, learn, grow and do better! From your business name, it is safe to say you have nothing for the unemployed ladies? We have something for every female, whether employed or not. Our main focus is career and entrepreneurship, however, we touch on lifestyle, fashion and much more content that is relevant to all ladies. Everyone has something they want to achieve in life, a dream they want to pursue, something they are working on and we want to be part of that journey in inspiring, encouraging them that they can achieve whatever they set their mind to do. [bctt tweet=”Don’t allow the distance between where you are and where you want to be scare you” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Advice for entrepreneurs about to throw in the towel? Why did you start in the first place? Sit down and have a deep think. Remember your why at every low point and allow it to push you. Don’t allow the distance between where you are and where you want to be scare you,
Chellie Clarkson-Brown: Designing for women of color and overcoming the #icebergsyndrome
[bctt tweet=”Chellie Clarkson-Brown wants to make African-inspired apparel an everyday staple in Western Europe” via=”no”] No one ever tells you about the amount of work that goes on underneath the surface of the water- #icebergsyndrome… but keep keeping on and eventually the tip of your iceberg will emerge. Enter entrepreneur Chellie Clarkson-Brown the Founder and Creative Director of Afro Couture Designs LDN, a fashion brand focusing on sizes and designs for women of colour. With SLA contributor Neo Cheda, Chellie shares her entrepreneurship journey and what has pushed to her to success. Tell us about you and how Afro Couture Designs come about? I studied Pattern Cutting and Tailoring at London College of Fashion but left this to work within the retail industry. Well, it wasn’t for me so I returned to university at University College of the Arts. My time there was traumatic, to say the least. I was often denied the opportunity to express myself based on what I felt represented me. Everything I designed in reflection of my African heritage and life experiences, was, in my opinion, belittled and rubbished. I lost so much confidence in my abilities and myself, that I became depressed. To add insult to injury, I wasn’t even able to get any real retail therapy without having to break the bank. Come on now, we all know that the only way to make a girl feel good about herself in circumstances like these, is a good old shopping trip. The only items I could get on the high street were ill fitting for my body shape. As almost any woman of colour will know, it may fit everywhere else, but it “sho’ ain’t gone fit” around your hips, rear and thighs. Or you would go up or down a size to alleviate the problem above and guess what, it would fit everywhere else, but not your waist #BlackGirlIssues. So I did some extensive market research in order to collate a sizing criteria for women, particularly focusing on women of colour, as our primary target market. This has allowed us at Afro Couture Designs to create a more inclusive sizing range which is a better reflection of the modern day woman. Most importantly, it incorporates the proportions of women of colour too. As part of our initiative, we are committed to being environmentally friendly by being as sustainable as we are practical. Tell us about your vision for Western European Demographics. At Afro Couture Designs LDN, we design and create on trend contemporary African-inspired apparel and products and our intention is to make these products an everyday design staple within the Western European demographic. Our products are not intended to exclude or to be divisive, rather our products are primarily intended to celebrate and embrace all things African and showcase the beauty within the continent and how it can compliment European fashion trends. We use high end design techniques, pattern cutting, and production techniques and source the highest quality fabrics. At Afro Couture Designs LDN, we fuse and mix together an eclectic range of fabrics from the both the Western European and African Hemispheres to bring you our AfroEurocentric collections. The collections within these ranges are African inspired with a contemporary twist and are intended for those who not only think outside of the box but actually go one step further and throw it away altogether. Afro Couture Designs LDN, provides a multi-faceted design and production service from fashion, products, and interior design to delivering fashion workshops and property development. Afro Couture Designs LDN’s business objective, is to be the one-stop shop or boutique for all your design requirements. Akin to the likes of the Selfridges of London or Macy’s of New York- for all things Afrocentric. What accomplishments are you most proud of? Getting it all together again from being homeless after my home was repossessed and I lost my job. The struggle was harder as I was a single mother at the time. But all things are possible through God. “Everything is possible for one who believes” Mark 9:23. #Ifyoucanconceiveit- #youcanachiveit What challenges have you faced that are unique to your business? Trying to blend Afrocentric influences harmoniously with the Eurocentric to create the AfroEurocentric brand. Additionally, trying to secure financial support for such a new concept with the intention of making the brand available to the mass market. [bctt tweet=”Afro Couture Designs aims to give exposure to established & emerging African artisans” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Which 3 African women that inspire you and why? My Grandmother, the late great Madam Margaret Ntiamoah For her determination, her tenacity and most importantly how resourceful she was. I remember growing up in Ghana during the coup d’état of 1979. Food was rationed and money was tight. There were so many of us living in one room and my Nana, would create gourmet dishes for all of us from one tin of baked beans, or even crack 2 eggs in a spinach stew and manage to make that stretch around 6-8 of us, with some left over for the next day. On the days we had money for coal, in the morning before school, Nana would set the coals in the coal pot (which I’d fan) to make the morning porridge, the smouldering coals would then be put into a cast iron, hence the name, to iron our uniforms. After that, the hot cast iron would then be dipped into the cold bucket of water to warm it up for our morning baths. Talk about resourceful! She got up at the crack of dawn every morning well into her later years to go set up her market stall at Mokola market without fail. Her work ethic has stuck with me till this day. God rest her beautiful soul. Ghanaian designer, Christie Brown For being self-taught and still managing to make it into the mainstream fashion world. I’m inspired by her style and the fact that she has slowly over the years managed to place herself
Olwethu Mabumbulu: We have everything we need
[bctt tweet=”If we can leverage from one another, we can do so much towards growing prosperity within our communities” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] While we all sang along to Solange Knowles’ A Seat at the Table album, Olwethu Mabumbulu was propelled to create something that is for us, by us. By day, Olwethu helps people trade derivative instruments as a Sales Executive at a listed global trading company. She has gained four years of experience within the financial services industry, particularly investments and trading. The rest of the time, she nourishes her entrepreneurial appetite as founder of the subscription box startup, Heart of Brown (Pty) Ltd. Heart of Brown offers a bi-monthly lifestyle subscription box for women of colour, which features, natural and artisan products from local, black women-owned businesses. Olwethu’s subscription box aims to affirm young black women, and expose us to products that are great for our skin and hair, and helps us highlight the importance of self-care. Olwethu aims to make a difference in the lives of busy millennial women and lift up other fellow black entrepreneurs with great products and she shares how she plans to achieve this. Talk us through what Heart of Brown entails? Heart of Brown is a lifestyle subscription box for brown beauties. We curate lifestyle products spanning skin, hair, beauty, accessories and edibles based on our bi-monthly theme. Our purpose is to help busy young black women discover the best in local products. We have two boxes: a HOB box, which costs R400 plus shipping, and HOB mini box priced at R200 plus shipping. How do you choose the products for the subscription boxes? This is the part of the business that I thoroughly enjoy. I’m always on the lookout for good products. Firstly, I love visiting local markets and trying new products. I also spend an insane amount of time researching about local entrepreneurs. At any given time, I have a notebook with a running list of vendors and products I would like to feature in future. I then purchase and test the different products. If they meet the criteria in terms of the box’s vision and criteria then I will curate products that fit the theme and approach the vendors to purchase from them. Does innovation play a role in the course of running your business? Yes, in fact running a business successfully is a constant process of going back to the drawing board to come up with something new. In my experience, the quest for innovation has manifested in a new way to connect with local vendors, a new way to gain customers and frequently trying new products. Also, every second month, the box has a new theme. For example, the theme for the box running between April and May is ‘’Autumn Renewal”. [bctt tweet=”Running a successful business is a constant process of going back to the drawing board ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Are you looking to expand beyond the South African market? In the short term, my goal for HOB is to increase our customer base and dominate the subscription box market locally, while really showcasing and uplifting brilliant products made by independent entrepreneurs. In the medium term, I would love to expand our reach by collaborating with other African entrepreneurs and shipping our box to brown beauties across the continent. A friend of mine encouraged me with these wise words just the other day, “we have everything we need”, I believe this is true of us as Africans. If we can leverage from one another, we can do so much towards growing prosperity within our communities. So far, what happy days have encouraged you? The day I registered the company was a milestone for me. Heart of Brown really started its humble beginnings as a “Eureka moment” brainstorm I had while studying for my exams late last year. I had been researching the subscription box concept, particularly prominent in North America and the UK. I had a clear vision -to localise the concept and offer products to women who are like me. Once I actually registered the company, then got the logo done it really started to click that the vision was slowly becoming a reality. The real challenge that lay ahead though, was getting my first customers. After much trial and error, when I got that first sale I felt happiness and validation all wrapped in one. This still encourages me to keep going on a daily basis. Tweet: when I got that first sale I felt happiness and validation all wrapped in one What tools and skills have played a vital role to support and grow your business? An array of online tools have proved to be time saving and invaluable to my business (the great news is that they all have free versions) -Evernote, MailChimp, Hubspot, Canva, Google Ads express, Reddit, and of course, social media platforms as well. Skills needed to survive include passion, voracious reading, keeping abreast of industry developments, adaptability and people skills. Tell us about the Solange Knowles song being inspiration for you I have been a Solange Knowles fan for a long time; what I love most about her is her ability to honour her own path and not conform. A Seat at the Table, to me, is actually the pinnacle of her following her truth and this paid off. The whole album was a meditation on being unapologetic and proudly black. Having this message on rotation became a catalyst for me to ask what I can do to express my own truth. My favourite songs on the album are “FUBU” and “Don’t Touch My Hair” these songs resonate because they empower the black community, especially black women. What has been the greatest challenge so far in the course of the business? As a bootstrapping business, the number one challenge is making the best possible use of a limited budget, but I’m quickly learning to be creative as I go and that is also the fun part. You learn to let go of perfectionist inhibitions