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
Kundai Chiyanika: Not every job will be for you, bloom where you are planted
[bctt tweet=”Entertainment in Zimbabwe is hard, you need to become visible to build your brand” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Kundai Chiyanika is a Zimbabwean television and radio host. She is fun loving and always keen for an adventure. An explorer at heart, she loves new places and new people. A proud mommy of two, Kundai is building a name for herself in the entertainment industry. Her life motto is ‘Be happy and stay happy’ and she’s focusing on building her brand around that. SLA contributor Ruva Samkange recently caught up with Kundai to learn more about her brand. You recently moved back to Zimbabwe, what did you want to do when you came back? I had lived in Cape Town for a long time and had some personal issues so I felt that it was time to move back home to be with family and regroup. At first, I really didn’t have an idea of what I wanted to do. I had enjoyed baking so I started a small baking business in my hometown. The market was not sustainable and I felt like it wasn’t what I really wanted to do. [bctt tweet=”@KundaiChiyanika wanted to make sure she was not just working because she had to” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Even though I struggled with what I what wanted to do, I always knew I wanted to work actively with people and that an office job wasn’t for me. I wanted to make sure I did something that suited my personality and was not just working because I had to. You ultimately went into radio at ZiFM. What made you go into radio? Well, radio found me. A friend of mine sent me a flyer about an entertainment company that was looking for a female co-host for a radio slot. I shared it with another friend and she asked me why I wasn’t trying out. I was scared but she encouraged me. The experience has been amazing, I never thought I would love it so much. My co-presenter Dannythatguy and I get along like a house on fire, we present The Switch and Fire Friday. Our show is the pre-party, helping people get ready for a Friday night. You now work on Kwese Sports, what made you venture into television? I’ve secretly always wanted to be an actress since I was a child. So television has always been something I would jump at the chance for. I think it is a natural progression. A lot of people I work with did radio. I get to diversify my portfolio through television with exposure to different mediums, Kwese Sports is a Pan- African channel. Even though I’m a couple of months in I have traveled and will continue to travel between across Africa and I can’t wait to get more African stamps in my passport. How hard has getting into media been? I have been very fortunate that an opportunity became available when I was not looking. But the industry is so competitive. Once you are in, the pressure is on to produce a quality product because there are 10,000 people behind you hungry for your job. I have learnt that passion is not enough. You have to keep chasing the dream. Fight for it and keep trying to improve. There is always room for more. [bctt tweet=”You have to keep chasing the dream. Fight for it & keep trying to improve – Kundai Chiyanika” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How different are radio and television? With radio, my personality comes out a whole lot more because my show allows that. Television is a whole different beast. If you are nervous people can see it a mile away and there is more pressure to be perfect. Like I said its a very natural progression. Television is the next step for a lot of radio personalities. Once you conquer one, you’re hungry for the next challenge. I am lucky I still get to do both. What advice would you give to someone looking to get involved in television and radio? Don’t copy anyone. Be inspired but always be yourself. Also, keep making demos and keep sending them. Try to make those contacts. Entertainment in Zimbabwe is hard, you need to become visible to build your brand. Do promos, host events, be relevant. [bctt tweet=”Be inspired but always be yourself if you’re looking to get in TV and radio @KundaiChiyanika” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I’m not a social media person but I had to open myself up and become active online. Having updated Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts will let people know who you are. Make sure your name comes up when people are are looking for an entertainment personality to host events or when job opportunities arise. What are the most important lessons you’ve learnt on your journey? Try not to compare your journey to someone else. Unfortunately, this industry is about comparisons and people’s preferences so you have to sometimes put blinders on and focus on what you need to do. Not every job will be for you. Try not to dwell too much. The hustle never stops. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Fungai Nembaware: I am not your average fashion designer, I am a cultural ambassador
[bctt tweet=”Drawing on ancient Africa, Fungai Nembaware creates accessories from African fabric” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Fungai Nembaware, a mother of two boys, a five and eight-year-old started Zuwa Re in 2008. It started as a hobby and building it into a company was something that was just playing in the background. When her son was six months old she decided to go for it, and make shoes, earrings, jewelry, from African fabric. She terms herself a cultural ambassador. Zuwa Re officially started in 2008. Fungai had no formal training but believes what she does is is part of her gift. “African fabric celebrates who we are, and Africa is bright and full of life”, Fungai says. She was looking at re-living and preserving our culture and history. Read on to discover how Fungai Nembaware is teaching people about this history through her art. Where does your name come from? And what does your logo signify? Most of my influences are from ancient Africa. The name is both Shona and Egyptian, Zuwa which means “sun” in Shona a Zimbabwean dialect, and Re which means “sun” in Egyptian. So it basically means Sun of God because I believe every gift comes from a higher source. My logo is a scarab beetle, from ancient Egypt made from the shabaka stone. You can see the sun’s rays from the back shining. What distinguishes your business offering from the competition? I am not your average fashion designer, I am a cultural ambassador. My work comes from well thought out research and isn’t the same as the work out there. For example, when I started the totem earrings, people were skeptical about them and they thought they were anti-religion. Being in the Diaspora, the totem earrings were a way of bringing people together because the family nucleus is diluted. It was to re-emphasize the importance of our culture through oral and creative tradition and educating people of our culture and the importance of togetherness. The totem earrings will help in identifying another sister in a foreign land. It is hard to keep our culture alive because there is so much diffusion. Putting this across in wearable art was very personal. It involved the reawakening of people to a certain level of consciousness and understanding of our histories and culture. This was also a way for me to contribute to the writing of the story of our ancestors as this identifies us as a people. I would like to restore and reclaim our position as African people. [bctt tweet=”I would like to restore and reclaim our position as African people – Fungai Nembaware” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How would you describe your business model as you are based in the UK, but have a presence in Zimbabwe? My umbilical cord is in Zimbabwe and therefore I try and work with a few tailors in my home country. I believe every woman’s hands are gifted, and with the use of our hands, we will never be found lacking. We should always think of how we can create our own work. What more can government do to support small businesses? The government needs to find more sustainable ways of supporting women in Zimbabwe. They should speak to young girls and identify people that they can teach and or give loans to. There are a lot of people with visions but they lack resources. What business advice would you give your younger self? Firstly, I would say to parents don’t discourage your children if they want to venture in a particular field. When I was younger I wouldn’t dream of saying I want to go to dress making but had I gone there, I would have achieved my dream a lot sooner. To younger me, I would say do not be ashamed of following your passion, go in and go hard. Be resilient and focused and know that every time you send a positive vibe or word into the universe, a positive vibe will come back to you. Find a tribe of like-minded people, who can encourage you. Know yourself, your strengths and weaknesses but improve your strengths. When you get into business, you should know what you want, and believe in yourself 100%. Pursue good business practices, research, have a mentor, get inspiration from people who have done it before, and find out what made them different, what made them survive? You shouldn’t just wake up and want to do a business without a plan. You should remember that we are all unique, even if there are a 100 people making the same thing that you are making. Improve your skill every time. Don’t limit yourself. [bctt tweet=”Fungai Nembaware – You shouldn’t just wake up and want to do a business without a plan” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How do you achieve a work home balance? I am a mother of two boys, studying and running a business. I won’t say that is easy but I will say that I am a strong person mentally. Then I have a great support system, which is really important, we pray and encourage each other. I have a lady who helps me with school runs and the children when I am overwhelmed with work. How do you market your business? I haven’t done a lot of marketing, it has mainly been through word of mouth and via my facebook page. However, I do plan on going bigger this year, 2017. I want more and more people to understand what my work is all about and be able to relate to it. Where can people in Africa buy your creations? Online. I have quite a number of loyal customers in Zimbabwe and I have been shipping to the US and Canada and recently Dubai. There was and still is a huge gap in shipping. What should we look forward to in the next 5 years? In one word, it will be diversification. I plan to do a lot more charity work and incorporate this into my art. If you’d like
Jackie Mgido: It’s taken me years and I’m still in the infancy stages of my business
[bctt tweet=”They were thinking, “Who is this Zimbabwean that claims she knows how to do makeup?”” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Jackie Mgido left Zimbabwe about 24 years ago; now that’s a long time. Always a dreamer, Jackie wanted to do the unexpected and always wanted to feel fab. In the United States, she looked into what she loves best and found that was everything to with makeup and hair. But, you know that struggle with being African and having passions that are considered outside the norm. First, Jackie did what her parents wanted her to do then after that she decided to go with her passion because it just felt natural. Jackie Mgido is a talented makeup artist and founder of Vault cosmetics. Where did your passions originate? As a little girl I was very insecure, I never thought I was cute. I grew up at a time where there was a division between whites, coloured and blacks. I grew up in a time where women bleached a lot in order for them to be noticed. That’s where it all started; I also wanted to be noticed. I wanted them to say, “Hey, you’re so pretty!” but I realised early that bleaching cream wasn’t going to do that for me. Your passions sprouted from wanting to be noticed as a dark skinned girl just like the light skinned girls were noticed. What are some of the things you would teach your daughter about loving herself? I have a 9 year old daughter. I will continue to speak of kindness to her. You can teach your child confidence all you like and tell them you are who you are but if inside they don’t feel it, it’s a misdirected arrow. When you are kind to other people and people start seeing you for your heart, they really start seeing you for your beauty. Because it will just draw in those people, your popularity goes up; you attract the people that are amazing and your confidence goes up. What would you say are the fundamentals of maintaining a business and keeping it going after you have started? Connecting with your customers! They are the ones that make your business, if you lose that connection with them, then you have completely lost it. Let your customers drive whatever it is that you are selling. Yes, I am the expert but my customers are the ones that buy the stuff, so if I am not giving them what they want and what they like then it’s not going to sell. [bctt tweet=”If you lose connection with your customers, you have completely lost it – Jackie Mgido” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] The fundamentals are: Understanding your customer Connecting with your customer Letting your customer drive your business Where do you see Vault in 5 years in terms of sustenance of your business? So far Vault has been a trendsetter, we started a revolution. Vault is fostering the mind-set of people trying to start their own businesses, the mind-set of people wearing things that they’ve never tried their whole entire life and most importantly the expansion into other countries and education. Education is key! We are going to be one of those makeup lines that are an education-based and that have hubs all over the world not just in Africa. It’s going to be one of those makeup lines where the customer also feels a sense of ownership because its important for the customer to feel like they are part of something bigger than themselves. Have you felt like changing people perception and the mind-set around makeup has been easy in Africa? I’ll speak on Zimbabwe particularly because it’s my culture, I know the people because I am part of the people. Interesting enough it is harder to show and it’s easier to show and tell. Our philosophy is, teach it, feel it then they’ll buy it. The reason Vault has grown so much in four years is because it’s been a little easier for us to show and tell. So changing the mind-set hasn’t really been that difficult because we are getting people to understand why they are wearing makeup. When, people come in we ask them why they’re wearing makeup. “Are you wearing makeup for you?” That changes everything! Who is the most interesting person you have put makeup on? Charity, she’s a newspaper vendor in Msasa, Harare who stands with a bunch of men at the traffic lights and sells newspapers. Charity had no exposure so she never thought, “If I put on a suit, high heels and glasses, I could sell more”. When we saw Charity and I told my girls we had to Vault her. Now not only does Charity have her glasses, she has her lip-gloss and she can fiercely sell her newspapers. Sometimes, she works for us at big events, handing out pamphlets to attendees. When I’m in Harare, I make time to go and see her. Which man would you love to put makeup on? All the ministers in Zimbabwe
Judy Goddard: I make it a point to re-frame every failure as a lesson
[bctt tweet=”Judy Goddard: As an entrepreneur…you never really ‘arrive’.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] “Trapped”. Ideally, that isn’t the word you would want to use to describe how you feel about your 9-5, but it is a word I hear all too often. It is for this reason that I love meeting women like Judy Goddard. Her boldness and single-minded dedication to creating the life she wants to live is the stuff #MotherlandMoguls are made of. The Johannesburg-based entrepreneur is the founder and director of Masiwela, co-owner, and director of On Pointe at Longpoint, and has most recently she became the director of The Rand Club. What would you say was your biggest frustration when you started out as an entrepreneur? Looking back I realise that I wanted to be at ‘the end’ before I did the work. I had established a career in hospitality before I became an entrepreneur, but the corporate world has different markers of success. I credit this uncomfortable start with helping me understand that the destination is the journey. As an entrepreneur there are always new targets to work toward, you never really ‘arrive’. Masiwela’s continued success is a testament to the fact that you do not shy away from setting audacious goals. Often people lose their momentum after they experience a few failures. How do maintain your contagious tenacity in spite of failure? The key is to make sure that you learn to trust your own judgement. Failure happens to even the most competent people; you need to learn from every failure and keep track of the lessons. It also helps that I am an optimist. I make it a point to re-frame every failure as a lesson. When I lose money in my business I refer to the loss as paying ‘school fees’, and I only ever pay it once. We dissect the failure as a team and keep track of the lessons learnt to help us make better decisions in the future. What helped me quite a bit is that I have also become intentional about creating a strong positive process. This means I surround myself with people who genuinely want me to succeed. I also spend every second of my spare time learning new things that can help me lead better. I love that you refer to yourself as an ‘Africaneer’ (African Entrepreneur), and I notice Masiwela steadily increasing its presence across the continent. As a young company, what has been your strategy for breaking into the various African markets? I am originally from Zimbabwe and at first, it was not easy to break into the South African market. In hindsight, being an outsider here was fantastic practice for my continental vision! The biggest lesson for us has been to think laterally. Invest as much into gaining trust and forging relationships as you do into the technical parts of the business. This also means not shying away from collaborating, even if it’s just to get your name out. You will be amazed at how much you can get done with the right relationships. [bctt tweet=”Don’t focus on the big wins. Consistent hard work is the key – Judy Goddard” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Secondly, and this is good advice in general, don’t focus on the big wins. Consistent hard work is the key. The small wins always add up and help you to create the big wins. Last year Masiwela took over management of the historic Rand Club in Johannesburg inner city. Not only is it in an older part of town, but the club itself has a complicated history. What motivated you to take on the challenge? As someone who studied and worked overseas, I understand the temptation to benchmark our cities against cities like New York and London. That said, young African entrepreneurs are in a unique position in that we must create the environment we want to operate in. We need to think long term to get this done. Personally, I have always wanted to live in New York, so I resolved to be part of creating the African version of New York in Johannesburg. [bctt tweet=”Judy Goddard: Young African entrepreneurs…must create the environment we want to operate in” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I took up the Rand Club because I realised how important and unique our role as young Africans is in writing Africa’s story. ‘History’ is currently being created and it is our role to help write a better history for our children to learn. The Rand Club has quite a negative colonial history, so it excites me to be able to change that narrative. What has been the biggest leadership lesson running a business has taught you? What distinguishes entrepreneurs is that they always need to be prepared to make a decision. The mistake I made early on was that I thought that this meant I had to make every single one. This slowed everyone down and I became a bottleneck for my company. [bctt tweet=”Entrepreneurs always need to be prepared to make a decision – Judy Goddard” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I have come to realise that as a leader of an organisation, leadership automatically involves becoming a coach, and empowering my team. When a member of my team asks me a question, I resist the urge to give them an answer. The goal is to get them to show initiative and to trust their judgement. Instead, I ask them what they think they should do to fix the problem. Only give input on how you would handle it if the team member is totally off the mark. When you do, make sure you explain the reason behind why you would go in a different direction. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Enny Ethnic: All our products are manufactured in Zimbabwe
[bctt tweet=”Being your own boss means you have to continuously work @EnnyEthnic1″ username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Enny Ethnic is an ethnic fashion online shop run by two sisters from Zimbabwe, Mercy and Matipa Nyamangwanda. They are currently based in the US and their online shop provides unique, stylish and hard to forget pieces for and inspired by every woman. Their target ranges from the ethnic-centric type, to the urban chic, modern classic, vintage-chic to trendy. Named after their mother, Enny Ethnic’s prints can be purchased online and are currently shipped to Australia and the UK with hopes to expand to other African countries. Where and how was Enny Ethnic formed? We started in 2014 by making clutch purses from the fabrics we collected everytime we travelled home. The clothing line started a bit later towards the end of December 2015 after we noticed the amount of attention we got when we rocked our print. We now make clothes, earrings, bags and scarves. [bctt tweet=”Travelling kicks in our creative process we are proudly African & Zimbabwean – @EnnyEthnic1″ username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Tell me about the inspiration behind your design and the process of creation? Travelling kicks in our creative process, we are inspired by everything and the different cultures we see. We go through our creative life as a blank page hence we are able to write on it. We keep an open mind when we do what we do. Also, we are proudly African first and more importantly, Zimbabwean and we are always thinking of how we can represent the African woman. We work with women from Zimbabwe who put the pieces together for us -they are part of the process. We create a sample and they sew, and they have great work ethic too. Because we come home often, it makes the process easier and having people who understand our language is a great creative bonus. It’s really important that we do it in Zimbabwe, not only is it our motherland but it gives us some time to spend with family. What makes you different from other African print labels? We are very modern, and our pieces alternate between modern and traditional. Our line is huge and as we also create beach and office wear. At Enny Ethnic, we fit multiple lifestyles and most of our pieces are one track. You recently showcased at the San Francisco fashion week. Tell us a bit about that? We got an email from the organizer telling us that he wanted us to showcase our line and we were terrified. Enny Ethnic was only in its eight month. We were part of the emerging designers at the week, and we learnt a lot and managed to pull through perfectly well. Showcasing at the San Francisco fashion week really put pressure on us as we had to fly out home in September for two days. Fitting was the following week and a couple of weeks later was fashion week. The models were picked by fashion week so we had Asian and Russian models. We were not sure how their skin colour would look on African print but it came out well. Our line was showcased first and more models were added to make them twelve in total. How has the market responded to your product? Most people have loved it and including white Americans, Asians -this brings so much diversity to the product. Because of this support, we had a pop up shop in New York from the 25th to the 30th of October 2016. This enabled people to come in and physically see the merchandise. There is always something about people seeing the product physically and we wanted to give Enny Ethnic’s clients this opportunity. What type of woman are your creations targeted for? Our creations are ageless and can fit into every lifestyle. So every woman can rock Enny Ethnic, the good thing is that you can either dress them up or down. [bctt tweet=”It means a lot to say our product is from Zimbabwe and to say we are Zimbabwean – @EnnyEthnic1″ username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] In the process of creating your business, what things did you have to do that you had not accounted for? Marketing. We did not think it was a big deal but, hello biggest surprise. Then, we had to sit down and think about the manufacturing. Where is it that we could get this manufactured? We did not want China, so we settled with Zimbabwe. This has huge cost implications as we buy the fabrics from Zimbabwe and get the things made at home as well. However, it is valuable to not just us but to our culture as well. It means a lot to say our product is from Zimbabwe and to say we are Zimbabwean. This gives people an opportunity to connect with our country. What can we look forward to from Enny Ethnic? Things have moved so much faster than we expected. We are really excited as we are already looking at our pastel spring collection. We are looking forward to bringing another show stopper to fashion week. It will be ready-to-wear pieces that people can snatch off the runway. We are also looking at creating a men’s line. Then, there are the physical shops, we want, to bring Enny Ethnic to our clientele in Washington DC and California. We know that by bringing in something physical, we get that connection with our customers. We are also looking forward to shipping our merchandise to African customers. How do you manage the business since you both have jobs? Coffee! Because being your own boss means you have to continuously work especially when you are still starting up. We are always working because the fashion industry is fast paced and it is sometimes mentally exhausting but there is also a certain renewed energy you have when you are doing something that you love. Want to see women you know featured on SLA? Tell us what amazing things women are doing in your communities here.
Tafadzwa Bete Sasa: I wanted to get more things done and be a GoalGetter
[bctt tweet=”Tafadzwa Bete Sasa wanted to be one of those people who kick butt with their goals” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Tafadzwa Bete Sasa is an admirable achiever who has navigated the professional world mostly as a learning and development professional. She has several accolades under her name and has also been name a Global Shaper by the Lusaka Hub —an initiative of the World Economic Forum. Tafadzwa also recently started her own line of planners called GoalGetter Planners which are customized organizers to help individuals set and track goals. SLA contributor Kudakwashe Mulenga sat down with Tafadzwa to get insight into her start-up. She discovered how Tafadzwa Bete Sasa has navigated her career to get where she is. Where did you get the inspiration to start the GoalGetter planners? The GoalGetter planner was born out of frustrations with my year, in year out recycling of New Years resolutions and being at the same place come year end. This frustration grew as I began meeting other young people who were my age. We all had the same 24 hour days but were just not getting more things done and being GoalGetters. You know the people who just hit the ground running and are already ticking off milestones and kicking butt whilst the rest of us are reeling in January blues. I got tired of being in the latter group and decided I wanted in on the Goal Getter life. As part of that process I started asking questions, observing, studying and listening to the Goal Getters to understand what helped them get things done. I noticed a common thread of behaviours and patterns. This was further confirmed by the insights some GoalGetters shared in a series of interviews I ran for my blog called The Process. It is these mindsets and habits that became what I call The GoalGetters seven winning ways to getting things done. I combined those with my favourite goal setting and goal tracking tools to create the GoalGetter Planner. What difficulties did you face producing your own planner, how did you find a client base? I first thought of designing a planner several years ago but sat on it for the longest time because I just was not sure how to go about it. I was confused about the design, content, production, branding, marketing, distribution, financing. In addition, I was convinced it would just not work out until I had a certain level of expertise, money and influence. However, I mentioned the idea to some friends and my coach who have always encouraged and nagged me to get it done already. I decided I would produce the first samples of the planner for two friends, have them use it for a year give me feedback before rolling it out to everyone else. I had my friends Moreblessing, Glen and Epi review the raw versions of the planner then paid for a professional designer and editor. By the time I submitted the final content to the printers I was a bit more confident to sell to more people. Now, when I decided to sell the planner, I dared to set a Big Hairy Ambitious Goal of selling 20 planners within the first year. On the 14th of November, I shared the planner on my Facebook page. You can only imagine my shock when within the first two weeks more than 75 people had placed orders. As the early adopter friends started sharing pictures of their purchased planners, their friends also wanted in. This way the GoalGetter planner customer base continues to grow. I get a bit overwhelmed keeping up with orders as I am running the project as a lean start-up. I produce the planners to order, receive feedback from one batch and try to improve within the next. It has been an awesome start but we are definitely still learning. I am grateful for my friends and their friends who are willing to navigate the learning curve with me. [bctt tweet=”African society has many expectations and limitations on the young woman – Tafadzwa Bete Sasa ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What advice would you give to young professional women across Africa? The African society has many expectations and limitations on the young woman that contradict the reality of the global village the world has become. This places young professional African women in a great predicament; trying to balance these expectation with their own growing ambitions. We are becoming more and more exposed to what other Motherland Moguls are up to. As such, the professional African young woman has to decide what races to run and which medals they are chasing. We can’t have it all and to be honest I do not think we want it all. Sometimes, ‘all’ involves things we don’t really aspire towards but that have been prescribed by society. The disappointment of not getting what we may have wanted is compounded by the fear of society’s disapproval of us for not having it all. African young professional women must decide what they want for themselves. They must then pursue that whilst gracefully accepting whatever life may bring them; without the extra burden of fearing to disappoint. You have taken on many responsibilities career wise in recent years including becoming a Global Shaper and serving as JCI president. How did you realize your ability for greatness and what was your journey like? When I started off I would never have imagined I would be here today. But as a principle when I commit to something, I fully plug in to ensure I learn as much as I can. I always step up to a challenge or opportunity. As such in the several organizations I have been over the years, I have refined various skills which are all coming together to create different opportunities. If I were to give examples, I would start at BancABC Zimbabwe where I had my first job as an HR intern. I arrived raw as they come and left with a good understanding of
Rose Mutsau: I believed in myself enough to make my own perfume
[bctt tweet=”@Summer__Rose – All I ever wanted was to make women feel beautiful” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Rose Mutsau is a nurse, a nutritionist and runs an online shop. But perhaps what she’s really known for is her personal brand, Summer Rose. Summer Rose is also part of the name of a fragrance Rose has created. Belle by Summer Rose is a perfume that the streets are saying smells like a million bucks and lasts the whole day. We’re tempted to add perfume-making to our growing list of unusual business ideas. Think about it, how many scents created by African women do you know? Read on to learn how Rose Mutsua found her way to creating her own fragrance line. Please briefly tell us who Summer Rose is. If you don’t mind me asking, is it your real name? My name is Rose Mutsau but most people that know me via social media know me as Summer Rose. Summer Rose is my brand name and my social media handle. I was born in Gutu, Zimbabwe and I grew up in Glenview area 8 Harare. I also lived in Gwanda for a couple of years, then Gweru before I moved to the UK in 2002. You have ventured in one of the most difficult fashion businesses and produced your own fragrance line, what inspired you? My business inspiration is definitely my mother. She was always selling something at any given time, what a woman! God rest her soul. I have always had love for fragrance and over the years I have spent a lot of money on high end perfumes such as Tom Ford, Dior, Jo Malone etc, they are a few of my favourites. When a business opportunity presented itself to me, the first thing that came to my mind was perfume. I knew that it was not going to be easy. At that point, I did not have a clue on how to make perfume let alone convince buyers that it was a worthy product to spend their money on. I believed in myself and that I could turn this dream into reality, so I started working on it straight away. My aim was to produce a fragrance just as good in quality as the high-end fragrances but a lot more affordable so that women from all walks of life could afford it. I think I have managed to accomplish that. How long did it take for you to discover the final scent of Belle? It was a longer process than I anticipated. I had to change the mix three times before I was happy with it. I wanted to release a product that I would be happy to use on myself before I expect other people to love it. All in all it took about six months to approve the final scent. I noticed that your clientele all love Belle and have been gushing over it, how does that make you feel? Are you going to offer a different scent as yet? It makes me so happy, you have no idea! I believed in myself enough to make the perfume and I totally loved the scent. Yet, I was not sure how people would receive it. The feedback has been so amazing. Most of my customers send me pictures of them holding their Belle boxes and it makes me so happy. The name Belle simply means “beautiful woman”. All I ever wanted was to make women feel beautiful and boost their confidence and I have managed to do that through this beautiful fragrance. As for what’s coming next, just watch this space… [bctt tweet=”Rose Mutsau: Business is actually at an all time high during this period” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Besides producing your own perfume line what other business are you into? I have an online shop where I sell the perfume and clothing items. I’m working on revamping the website soon. I’m also a rep for a nutritious weight loss programme which has helped me and many women reach their weight loss goals. In addition to that, I am a mental health nurse by profession, a role I’m very passionate about. We are in the festive month and about to close up on 2016, is this a slow time for your business? Business is actually at an all time high during this period. Many people are buying the perfume as Christmas presents for their family and friends. There’s no better time for business than right now. Describe your fashion sense in three words. Also, what’s one 2016 fashion item you will take with you in 2017. My fashion sense is trendy, adventurous and elegant. One fashion item I will take with me into 2017 God willing is none other than my Belle By SummerRose. It goes everywhere with me, my little bottle of heaven. [bctt tweet=”@Summer__Rose – Believe in yourself first before you expect anyone else to believe in you” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Any words of encouragement to aspiring business women out there? Dream big and work hard to turn your dreams into reality. Believe in yourself first before you expect anyone else to believe in you. In your journey, there will be many obstacles but never give up. Let that drive you to push even harder until you reach your goals. Don’t be too proud to ask for help, you’ll be amazed how helpful people are if only you ask. Above all pray. Never under estimate the power of prayer. Compliments of the season to you all. Want to see women you know featured on SLA? Tell us what amazing things women are doing in your communities here.
Nonku Jijita: I make anything and everything with my hands and dolls was one of them
[bctt tweet=”Nonku Jijita: I have always been very crafty since I was little ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Move over Barbie, Love Nonku dolls are here to stay. Each doll in the Love Nonku collection is hand-crafted by Nonku Jijita. Raised in Zimbabwe but now based in the UK, Nonku chose to make dolls in order to share her love for craft with the world. Loving the satisfaction of sewing is one thing but making a business out of it is another. Watching cartoons with her kids lead Nonku to realise that comical cartoon characters are more beloved by children. Nonku Jijita currently plans on establishing a workshop in Zimbabwe that will distribute her dolls across Africa. Why did you decide to make a business selling dolls? I have always been very crafty since I was little. I make anything and everything with my hands and dolls was one of them. I wanted to chose one of my craft activities to share with the world, so I decided to share the dolls. What ideas went to developing this doll that is “not your typical Barbie-style doll”? I wanted to create a design that is simplistic enough to let a child use their own imagination as to what they want that doll to be. I’ve spent years watching cartoons with my kids and noticed that the comical simple cartoon characters are what made my kids laugh and be happy. This is as opposed to characters that where created to look a certain way. Children are a blank canvas when they come into this world. They should be given a chance to use their own imagination without being bombarded with certain imagery they feel obliged to conform to. What’s a typical day like for you? A typical day for me goes like this Take my kids to school, Come back home, make a coffee Get sewing in my home studio I have until 3:30 to collect the kids from school. When they are back home, I tend to them Sometimes, I go back to sewing in the evening. [bctt tweet=”Nonku Jijita: Each Love Nonku doll is made individually to ensure quality” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] In which countries do you operate and do you have plans to expand? I am currently delivering to UK, USA and Europe. My dream is to expand into Africa, particularly in Zimbabwe, so I am still looking for opportunities to do so. There are some very talented and gifted people in Zimbabwe who do not have access to opportunities. I want to empower and inspire them so they know that there is no limit if they wish to use their gifts and talents. Once my workshop is set up in Zimbabwe, I would like to use it as a base to later connect with toy stores and boutiques throughout Africa. I get a lot of requests for my dolls all over Africa and it would logistically make sense to have a distribution hub in Africa. The dolls would be easily accessible if they are in boutiques across different African countries. Before expanding, I will also need to start connecting and networking. I want to establish relationships with boutique owners, as well as look at marketing strategies that cover the whole of Africa. What processes have you put in place to ensure that your business is effectively run? Attention to detail is key. From the fabric used, to the quality of the thread and paying attention not to waste precious fabric. Each doll is made individually to ensure quality. There is a lot fine cutting as some pieces can be quite small. A steady hand and a good eye is required and definitely lots of light needs to be accessible. The eyes, lips and hair of my dolls are all done by hand and getting the correct measurements is crucial to achieve a uniform look. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Chiedza Mahere: Social media is the cornerstone of entrepreneurship
“Downtown Harare evokes people’s emotions”, says fashion blogger and rising #MotherlandMogul Chiedza Mahere. Chiedza is the woman behind Diary of a Smurf Dinkie. Despite the fact that she started blogging without a solid plan, Chiedza is the Zimbabwean International Women’s Award (ZIWA) Blogger of the Year 2016. It’s no secret that at SLA, we love Beyoncé but Chiedza Mahere’s actual person is Solange. Believe it or not, Solange inspired Chiedza to start her blog and establish her brand. Diary of a Smurf Dinkie is a thrifter’s heaven, through the blog Chiedza reveals the (affordable!) fashion gems that can be found in Harare, Zimbabwe. Using social media, Chiedza has expanded her website to include a store and is now making moves to become a stylist. And guess what’s also really cool? Chiedza works for/with her boyfriend! Of course, she shared tips from her experience below. Tell me about yourself and what you love… I am Chiedza Mahere, I am 26. I love fashion, clothes, I love shopping and I love to see people happy. Clothes reflect what a person’s feeling on that day. On a gloomy day you’ll see me wearing all black. Then on a happy day you’ll see me wearing all sorts of colours because it evokes my emotions. It happens lots, it’s just that people hardly notice what’s really going on. Clothes were made for feeling. Tell us about what inspired your blog You know Solange Knowles? That’s my actual person! After listening to her first album 5 years back, I introduced her to everyone I knew. They’d ask, “Who is she and what’s she all about? Oh, Beyoncé’s sister!” She was never just Solange. I felt a deep connection to Solange not only because I loved her music and had a passion for fashion just like her but because I could relate. I was always Tari’s sister, so I understood exactly how she must have felt. Everyone had been telling me to start a blog but I just wasn’t ready. I didn’t feel comfortable, I was a size 16 then, much bigger than I am now. I didn’t like the idea of having something made just for me because I couldn’t fit in the sizes the clothes came in. It wasn’t until I listened to Solange’s second album that I thought, she really is growing. People were starting to identify her as an individual and not just as Beyoncé’s sister anymore. She was breaking the mould and I wanted the same thing. It was time for my blog. During a discussion with Zash, my boyfriend, he told me different clothes reminded him of the city, —downtown to be exact. Downtown Harare evokes people’s emotions, it makes them think their parents would have worn jeans like this; their grandmother probably would have worn a dress just like this and been in this exact place. So I decided I’d mix designer pieces like a Haus of Stone dress with thrifted shoes or a thrifted belt. We did our first photo-shoot in the city, I had no idea it would be that big, everyone loved it. I decided that Diary of Smurf Dinkie is only going to be in the city, it doesn’t matter which city just downtown. I can’t wait to do a shoot in downtown Cape Town. People neglect the downtown part of their cities, Zash and I want to show that downtown a beautiful place. [bctt tweet=”@smurfdinkie believes downtown Harare evokes people’s emotions, even in fashion” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What is does blogging mean to you? Blogging’s like a little magazine you can draw inspiration from but you don’t have to buy because it’s online. Blogging helps me express who I am, how down to earth I am and how I want to inspire women to be confident in their own skin. I don’t do the typical upper class look, I like old school clothes because I want you to feel like you aren’t pressured to be something you’re not or wear something that you can’t afford especially because we are young. My blog shows that you can go to Mbare, Avondale Flea Market and get a top for 50c and a dress for $5. My blog lets you know about the joys of thrifting, what’s hot at the moment and about what people are working on so that you discover local fashion designers in Zimbabwe and support them. How did you fall in love with thrifting? During our time in Botswana, my mom and I went to the mall one day, I didn’t feel like going into Mr. Price so I went straight into the second hand store next door. As I walked into the store, I saw a real pretty dress, similar to one I had when I was 6. This dress was orange and had daisies on it, my mom used to call me Daisy because she said the daisy was almost like the sun. My name “Chiedza” which means light, represented the sunshine I brought into her life. The dress was only 10pula, I was 11 years old at the time and and I fell in love with thrifting then. When we moved back to Zimbabwe, my mom’s friend asked me if I wanted to tag along, she was going to Mbare. I didn’t know what that was because I hadn’t grown up here, she told me it was a ‘musika’, a market where they sold everything from building material to clothes, I was so excited. We got there and I went punk, I was so excited to find a pair of original Calvin Klein jeans. You get all these cool things that no one else is going to be wearing. [bctt tweet=”Through Diary of a Smurf Dinkie, Chiedza Mahere highlights Zimbabwean fashion designers ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] So your love for thrifting yielded a blog and you recently won a Zimbabwean International Women’s Award (ZIWA) for Blogger of the year. How does that make you feel and why do you think you won? I don’t