Meet esteemed event planner Feyikemi Kukoyi, renowned for curating unforgettable experiences, who is thrilled to announce the highly anticipated Bond with Me 007; Lagos Royale Edition. After eight successful years in the United States of America, Feyikemi is bringing this extraordinary event to her home country, Nigeria, for its maiden edition. 

The Convener Feyikemi says, “Bringing Bond With Me 007 to Nigeria has always been a dream of mine and I’m happy it’s finally becoming a reality. I want Nigerians to enjoy Valentine’s Day in a way that hasn’t been explored here before. We call it the 007 style and I look forward to sharing that experience with all attendees”.

In this inspiring Lady Boss Conversation with her she takes us through her journey, experiences, importance of collaboration in the event industry and how she balances both work and personal life.

Can you share a bit about your journey in the event planning industry and how you got started almost two decades ago?

Absolutely! I’d love to share a bit of my journey. My name is Feyikemi Kukoyi, often called F. T. K. – the initials of my husband and me, Feyikemi Tosin-Kokoyi. About 17 years ago, pregnant and planning my daughter’s one-year-old birthday party, I realized my passion for event planning. From childhood in Nigeria to organizing a princess-themed birthday, my love for meticulous event details was ingrained.

Fast forward to a 3-day destination 40th birthday in Florida, featuring luxurious themes and stunning moments for 60 guests. Inspired, we founded FTK Konnect Events almost 20 years ago. It all started with my husband suggesting FTK Concept on Facebook, and it stuck. That’s a glimpse into how the journey began.

As an international wedding and event planner, what inspired you to specialize in this niche, and to start Bond With Me?

Yes, as an international wedding and event planner, what inspired me to specialize in the Bond With Me 007 niche? I noticed a gap in the market for a special Valentine’s Day event. Living in the States, I observed the early marketing for Valentine’s, and the events I attended fell short. So, in 2015, after a vivid dream, I felt compelled to create a luxurious, high-end Valentine’s event.

The first two years were held in Washington, D.C., featuring scavenger hunts, a casino Royale vibe, burlesque performances, and live music. Attendees from various states embraced the concept, showcasing the demand for a unique, high-quality Valentine’s Day experience. Now, eight years later, Bond With Me 007 remains our flagship event, growing stronger each year.

Event planning often involves handling unexpected challenges. Can you share a memorable experience where you had to overcome a major obstacle and how it contributed to your growth as a professional?

Oh yes, event planning has its different levels of expected challenges, and I guess that’s what makes us professionals. I’ve been doing this professionally for 17 years and anticipated, knowing that there would be multiple layers and different tiers of challenges, both expected and unexpected. Conquering these challenges is part of why you need a professional event planner, regardless of the scale of the event, whether small, medium-sized, or large.

A memorable experience occurred not too long ago, just last year in 2023. We planned a wedding at a Jewish venue, which brought unique challenges such as food restrictions and limitations on vendors. Cooking on-site was not allowed, making the venue a blank canvas. Every vendor, from tables and chairs to utensils and chafing dishes, had to be coordinated by my team. Two weeks before the event, a major vendor unexpectedly pulled out, providing utensils, plates, chafing dishes, and warmers. This was a multicultural wedding with the bride’s family from the Caribbean and the groom’s family from Nigerian.

Despite the challenges, we secured a refund and swiftly booked a new vendor, interviewing multiple options within a short timeframe. It wasn’t an easy process, but our experience and professionalism allowed us to overcome these unexpected challenges. Calming the couple down and assuring them that the issue would be resolved was crucial. Without a planner, this situation could have been overwhelming for the couple, and the last-minute changes incurred additional expenses.

This experience contributed to our growth and emphasized the importance of having options and being prepared for unforeseen circumstances. We learned valuable lessons, and each day, we continue to grow through new experiences in the world of event planning.

With your international experience, how do you navigate cultural differences when planning Bond With Me? Any memorable anecdotes or lessons learned?

Okay, as an intentional wedding and event planner, I honestly greatly pride ourselves in that we’ve been able to navigate different cultural differences. Not just at Bond with Me 007, but even at weddings and events with diversified guests. We’ve done many multicultural biracial weddings, such as Caucasian and Nigerian, Caucasian and Jamaican, Cameroonian-Nigerian, Senegalese-Nigerian, Ghanaian-Nigerian, and even Haitian-Nigerian, Haitian-Jamaican, among others.

One of the things I pride myself heavily with our branding and marketing is that we absolutely embrace and love diversity. With Bond with Me 007, in the years we’ve put up this event every single year in a row, the very first year was beautiful, almost feeling like an international football event with attendees from different backgrounds – Asians, Caucasians, African Americans, and mostly Nigerian. It was such a beautiful, well-balanced event, providing international validation and kick-starting Bond with Me 007 on a great note.

Since then, we’ve maintained the diversity, making it not just a very Nigerian and cultural event but a beautifully diversified one. It has become a well-balanced event where people come to network, meet new people, and mingle. We pride ourselves in being able to continue to grow with cultural differences and host beautiful, diversified events at Bond with Me 007.

Collaboration and networking are crucial in the event planning industry. How do you build and maintain strong relationships with clients, vendors, and other industry professionals?

Collaboration and networking are crucial in our industry, and it’s something I take pride in. Over the past 17 years, we’ve developed long-lasting relationships with both clients and vendors, relying on these connections for successful event planning. We have repeat clients for weddings, birthdays, and various events, and we value the longevity of these relationships.

FTK Konnect Events embraces and welcomes networking and relationship-building. We understand the dynamics of working with both new and established brands, appreciating the mutual support and partnership in the industry. Currently, we continue to collaborate with vendors and clients we’ve worked with over the years, and we are open to connecting with new partners in the field.

Balancing work and personal life is often a challenge for entrepreneurs. How do you manage your time effectively and maintain a healthy work-life balance?

 This is a common question I receive, even from clients. I’ve been planning weddings and events for 17 years. Around year 8 or 9, I started exploring the possibility of going into event planning full time. Prior to that, I worked in corporate America as a financial consultant. Eventually, by year 9, I transitioned into event planning full time. It’s been a blessing to turn my passion into a profession, allowing for a mostly flexible schedule. As an entrepreneur, mom, and wife, having my own schedule enables me to live a well-balanced life. Starting as an event planner at an early age and navigating through different life stages, including having teenagers, has made life easier. Despite occasional challenges, I’m thankful for the support of friends, family, and my husband, allowing us to balance responsibilities effectively. I feel blessed and thankful to do this full time, creating my own schedule and maintaining a well-balanced life.

Looking ahead, what excites you the most about the future of the Bond With Me event and Specifically it success in Lagos, Nigeria. 

I’m thrilled about Bond with Me 007! As a flagship event for FTK Konnect Events, it consistently exceeds expectations each year. Despite being a seasoned event planner, I still treat it like my baby, striving for perfection.

The future of Bond with Me 007 is international, and we’re excited to bring it to Lagos. There’s a significant buzz with potential partners and sponsors expressing interest. I look forward to expanding its reach to South Africa, Dubai, and other countries where we’ve previously executed events. The goal is to create a luxurious and beautiful experience, mirroring Bond’s global ventures. The future of Bond with Me 007 is poised to shine bright in different countries.

Lastly, what message or piece of advice would you like to share with fellow Lady Bosses who are pursuing their entrepreneurial dreams in various industries?

Here’s advice for fellow lady bosses pursuing entrepreneurial dreams: Don’t quit at the first step; success is a continuous journey. Challenge yourself, move forward, and take each step towards success. Fight through fears and resist the urge to quit. Push consistently, taking baby steps into giant strides. Don’t let the layman’s mindset take over; keep striving. It’s not easy, but every day, forge ahead. Believe that God will turn your baby steps into giant leaps. Good luck, lady bosses – you can do it, and I believe in you.

In your own words, who is Osayi Alile and what drives you? 

I am a mother, sister, friend and ardent believer in positive change. I am very passionate about the social sector as I believe strongly that impact must be made rapidly and consistently in a bid to foster development. Throughout my career from program management, learning and development to impact consulting the need for an indigenous grant-making organization was apparent.

Hence, I discovered that the non-profit sector could serve as a significant platform for rewriting the story of the continent and its people while positively influencing lives. I am constantly driven to pursue a purpose that will create opportunities to empower people who have no means of achieving what they want out of life. 

Amazing! You are the CEO of Aspire Coronation Trust Foundation (also known as ACT Foundation), can you share a little about the work you do? 

ACT Foundation supports sustainable high-impact initiatives that provide innovative solutions to social, economic and environmental challenges in Africa. Since its inception, ACT Foundation has committed to bridging the economic and social deficits in the African continent by promoting sustainability programs that revolve around the four pillars of health, entrepreneurship and leadership. 

That’s interesting! Why the specific focus on Africa? 

Our decision on where to focus our support was driven by the pressing needs of the continent. Up until recently, Africa had been in the headlines for all the wrong reasons – poverty, conflict, corruption, lack of leadership and the likes. Despite being home to some of the world’s largest deposits of natural resources and a large and growing youth population, Africa is yet to live up to its full potential. For Africa to change its fortunes, we believe that the continent must look within and make significant investments in education, health, enterprise development, environmental sustainability and leadership specifically.

The time has come for action-based initiatives on changing the African narrative. The world must see Africa for what it is; a land of enormous resources and potential. At ACT Foundation, our goal is to build sustainable societies by engaging initiatives that unleash potential and empowers beneficiaries in Africa. Over the years, we have seen a constant need to create and support ecosystems for businesses and innovation to thrive in Africa, therefore providing better solutions to challenges faced on the continent. We recognize the need for an indigenous grant-making organization that will play a significant role in positively changing the African narrative. 

Who would you say are some of the direct and indirect beneficiaries of the programs and projects ACT Foundation supports? 

Since our inception, ACT Foundation has managed to reach over 2 million beneficiaries from African communities through social impact solutions and initiatives in the focus areas of Health, Entrepreneurship, Environment and Leadership. The beneficiaries that ACT Foundation reaches represent the most vulnerable and marginalized of people in society. For example, within our focus area of health, we have impacted cancer survivors and health professionals, visually impaired people, low-income pregnant women, traditional birth attendants and individuals suffering from neglected tropical diseases. In our focus area of entrepreneurship, we have reached beneficiaries that are rural, smallholder farmers, unemployed young people, socially-disadvantaged women and girls, and business persons with disabilities. We have also managed to impact students, teachers and young entrepreneurs in the focus areas of environment and leadership. All these examples represent just a glimpse of the type of beneficiaries that we have impacted within the past 5 years.

Now let’s dial back a little bit. What sparked your interest in the Social Impact and Development sector? 

From a young age, I had always wanted to do good wherever I found myself. However, furthering my education opened my mind to a new level of consciousness. Hence, I discovered that the non-profit sector could serve as a significant platform for rewriting the story of a continent and its people while positively impacting lives. Ever since, I have been interested in fostering development in every area I have been opportune to be a part of, especially with regard to growth and empowerment. 

Do you ever get jaded or discouraged sometimes? 

I have been discouraged but never felt like quitting. To pick myself back up, I try to focus on the impact I see that we can have and the success of the work me and my team have had. It’s really about changing lives so I try to keep that in perspective always. I have also learnt to be my own cheerleader – believe in yourself, hype yourself, blow your own horn. I have a strong network of friends and family to rely on. 

Tell us about your team at ACT Foundation — how do their roles tie into the overall vision of the Foundation?

The vision of ACT Foundation is too big a dream to accomplish alone. As we know, teamwork makes the dream work. Leading the organization for over five years, I have been privileged to work with very skilled and seasoned professionals that make up the composition of unit leads and members at the Foundation. These units include the Programs unit, Communications and Branding, Administrations, Human Resources (HR), and every support staff working with us and together to create effective social impact in Africa. Knitted together as a team, we work together to ensure the growth and sustainability of grantee organizations and together create effective social impact across Africa.

A lot of young women (and men) see you as a role model — what tips would you give those who are looking to build a solid career like you’ve done? 

Leading in such a time as the one we find ourselves in is very crucial. As young, emerging leaders you need to find more innovative and creative ways to do things and prepare yourself for true leadership. In every situation we find ourselves, at work, in our day-to-day lives, in school, at home, we must always push for balance. Equal does not mean identical, equality is not equity – remember everyone has a right to choose, choose who they want to be, choose what they want to do. You have to be confident and own your personality, flaws, and all. You need to set goals and be committed in improving yourself and the lives of those around you.

TIPS

Set Clear Goals And Action Plans To Achieve Them. Goals, action plans and tracking are all areas a confident woman understands and uses well. 

Monitor Your Progress. The best way to reach your goals, big or small, is break them into smaller goals and to monitor your progress. Whether you’re trying to get promoted, get a better job, get into graduate school, change careers, eat healthier or lose 10 pounds, the best way to know if you’re making progress is to monitor it.

Find guidance. Mentorship is so important as you build your career. The right mentor can bring enough experience and knowledge, so you won’t make the same mistakes they did. Guidance can be offered as advice on how they handled similar issues in the past or red flags to pay attention to.

Constant Learning, Knowledge and Training. Learning and research can help us to feel more confident about our ability to handle situations, roles and tasks. Knowing what to expect and how and why things are done will add to your awareness and usually make you feel more prepared and ultimately more

Use Positive Thinking and Words. Positive thought can be a very powerful way of improving confidence. If you believe that you can achieve something then you are likely to work hard to make sure you do if, however, you don’t believe that you can accomplish a task then you are more likely to approach it half-heartedly and therefore be more likely to fail. “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence” -Helen Keller. As a woman you should constantly use positive words in conversations to build yourself and others up. You don’t have to put other people down in order for you to feel good about yourself.

Find your leadership style. What is your preferred leadership style? Do you ask others for their opinions? Do you tell everyone what to do and how you expect them to do it? Do you lead from the front? Do you worry about where your team is headed and whether there is a clear vision ahead? You’ll gain great insight into your preferred style of leadership by taking a few minutes to introspectively think about these questions. 

Improve on Your Communication Skills. Even someone who excels in many aspects of leadership will hit a ceiling if he or she is not a good communicator. Starting now, you should aim to communicate properly with everyone on your team, so nothing gets misunderstood or misinterpreted. Do you excel at written reports, but clam up when it’s time to speak during a meeting? Alternatively, are you a natural when it comes to conversation—but secretly worried that your lack of grammar know-how will hold you back? Instead of relying on your strong suit, improve whatever area of your communication skills is lacking.

Develop situational awareness. A mark of a good leader is someone who can see the bigger picture, and anticipate problems before they occur. This is a valuable skill to have when handling complex projects with tight deadlines. The ability to foresee and provide suggestions for avoiding potential problems is invaluable for a leader. This ability also helps you recognize opportunities that others overlook, which will certainly earn you recognition.

Build a supportive network. You can’t create a successful career in a vacuum. Seek advice from mentors and sponsors. Look for powerful female role models and observe how they exhibit executive presence. Build mutually beneficial relationships with people you can help and who, in turn, champion your ideas, provide advice and the information you need to be successful.

What are your views on mentorship, and are mentors an important part of one’s life/career journey? 

Developing professional relationships can be life-changing. A mentor/mentee relationship can be beneficial, engaging and energizing. Mentors are very important because they hold you accountable and can guide you through making decisions to avoid mistakes. Mentors use their knowledge and experience to help mentees develop a clear sense of their career and personal goals. I believe mentors are invaluable resources and advocates that can change the course of your career. A mentor/mentee relationship is not a one a way street —both parties will benefit from each other’s experiences, ways of thinking, educational backgrounds, etc. So, you shouldn’t think by taking the time to mentor someone, you stand to lose. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Mentors and mentees often learn from each other and share some of the same benefits such as increased self-confidence and self-awareness, in addition to growing communication skills and exposure to new, different, and varying perspectives.

Looking forward to the next 5 years — what do you see for yourself professionally and personally? 

In the next five years, I want to see myself as more responsible, knowledgeable and experienced. I will make sure that I explore skills and used opportunities so that I can contribute and share my knowledge, see myself learning and growing with every experience and last of course want to be happy.

As an organization geared towards sustainable impact, ACT Foundation hopes to build more effective partnerships across all sectors providing and promoting positive change in Africa. To this end, Africa led by ACT Foundation would be at the forefront of providing innovative, sustainable solutions to the various socio-economic challenges in our continent while also being able to have impacted more lives in Africa.

Leading Ladies Africa: If you could describe yourself with one word, what would it be?

Latosha Stone: Creative! I chose that because it basically covers everything that I do. I’m an artist but I can’t stick to one medium. Some days I feel like doing an oil painting, some days I feel like doing a digital drawing, some days I want to do graphic design, others I want to do a mural. All forms of art are beautiful to me and I’m constantly being pulled in different ways.

Leading Ladies Africa: Have you ever had any disappointments? If yes, how did you handle it?

Latosha Stone: A lot! It’s honestly part of being a skater because some days, especially starting out and learning something new, you try so hard but just can’t land anything. When it’s something like that, I’ll take a break and refocus, or just come back to it the next day. I’ve also had some business disappointments. From not being able to get loans, not being taken seriously at first in the industry, and even some items that I designed and loved doing bad when it came to sales. With the loans, I just put my head down, saved and reinvested, and made it all work without them. I just kept doing my thing and working in my truth, and eventually people saw what I was doing and started respecting it. I also had to realize not to take everything personal. If someone doesn’t like something I made, I have to look on the bright side and think it just might not be their style or what they’re into, but at least I enjoyed creating it.

Leading Ladies Africa: How do you stay innovative as an entrepreneur? And Your Plans for your business In Five Years?

Latosha Stone: I try new things often. I’m always open to new activities and ideas, whether it’s traveling somewhere new, a new painting or drawing technique, trying a new sport, going to a museum, etc. Inspiration can come at the most random times and in places that you least expect it. I also like to watch videos surrounding what I do, I make skateboards so I spend a lot of time watching skate videos and interviews, and trying to see where their pain points are and how I can solve some of their problems. Talking to the people in my community is also vital. I also like to read books and network, and just learn about people and their “come up” stories. That’s so inspiring to me which pushes me to keep going and take risks with some of my ideas. I also try not to limit myself or stay boxed in.

In 5 years, I’d like to expand our skate classes to more states. I’d also like to have a bigger retail space and even a couple more locations, and be able to hire and sponsor more women from the skate community.

Leading Ladies Africa: Tips on how you handle when the going gets tough?

Latosha Stone: I’ve had a lot of ups and downs through out my life, so I just think about how if I made it through those, I can make it through this too! One thing being a skateboarder does is give you a strong will, and persistence to keep going and follow through with whatever you’re doing. It may not be today or tomorrow, but things always get better eventually.

Leading Ladies Africa: Final words to entrepreneurs who want to go into this industry and women in our community?

Latosha Stone: Do it! It will be hard, especially because skating is still a male dominated sport, but it has gotten a lot better and more accepting over the recent years. Don’t let negative people get to you. Unlike in the past, there is plenty of knowledge available online and tutorials to help you learn to skate faster and learn more about skate culture in general. Stay consistent, be original, know your target audience, and be true to yourself.

Leading Ladies Africa: If you could describe yourself with one word, what would it be? 

Chiddie Anyasodo: Orchestrator. Like a music orchestrator who leads different sections of musicians in a band or choir to perform a musical piece in the desired way, I lead my clients and team to produce the desired outcome harmoniously and uniquely.

Leading Ladies Africa: Have you ever had any disappointments? If yes, how did you handle it? 

Chiddie Anyasodo: Disappointment is something I have had to get used to as I grow as a person and a business owner. In the past, this got me really upset. I have now evolved into seeing them as learning points or messages coming to me to help other people, a sign to slow down, improve or try another option. I remember an incident that happened so many years ago. As a young Nigerian female engineer working in different countries who wanted to find and get married, I faced many disappointments in finding Mr Right. At a point, this made me depressed as someone successful at a very young age; I felt like if I couldn’t get this one thing, then I must have failed. Finally, after working on my mindset and relationship skills, I found Mr Right, and we have a beautiful marriage. I did not stop there. I learned lots of lessons from that, including building my confidence, knowing the right person for me to experience, and building a more harmonious relationship. It was quite eye-opening to realise then that if I was going to be successful and achieve my dreams, then the person I married was very important and should have the right personality and values to work well. Sadly, I still see people making the same mistakes today that I made in the past. This made me turn this disappointment not just as my own learning point but as a learning point to teach other high achieving African singles going through the same problems. That is how Chotayah.com was born. Chotayah is a luxury relationship service company that helps people build fulfilling relationships using coaching & therapy to equip them to discover their authentic selves and find the right person for them.

Leading Ladies Africa: How do you stay innovative as an entrepreneur? 

Chiddie Anyasodo: It starts from the mindset and foundation. From the day we opened the doors to Chotayah, my aim has always been to be a Category of One. To build Chotayah as a company that delivers a magical, profoundly transformative experience to our clients. Our objective was to create a company that is so differentiated that we are the only one in our category that exists. So, we crafted our own path, which is quite different. We have a unique message to challenge the status quo. We have to keep learning from our environment and our customers to achieve this. We are always trying to know– how can we provide the most effective result for our clients in the shortest possible time. What can we do for our customers to ensure that their lives are easier and more beautiful? We use these answers as inspiration to create new things. I am not afraid to get the company to experiment with new ideas, and if they work, we embrace them. If they do not work, we cut them off immediately and try another. And because we are pretty small, it’s easy to evolve very fast.

Leading Ladies Africa: What and Your Plans for your business In Five Years? 

Chiddie Anyasodo: Get our clients to have more weddings, happy marriages, and babies. Hahaha, now let me be serious. We are a luxury boutique business and only work with a handful of selected clients. In the future, we want to broaden our reach to make it possible for more people to access our services. We want to fully include lots of our beautiful African marital traditions into our processes in a way that aligns with modern times.

Leading Ladies Africa: Tips on how you handle when the going gets tough? 

Chiddie Anyasodo: There are days when it can be pretty tough, and it just seems like nothing is working as it should. Imagine the IT system failing in the middle of launching a new product that many customers are already waiting for. Some incidents make me want to doubt myself and wonder if being an entrepreneur is a good idea. I take a short break from work at those moments – 10 -20 minutes. I centre myself by meditating, grounding or using breathing exercises. These regulate my nervous system, and I can think clearly to know the next action step. I also rely on my team to brainstorm and come up with solutions. No man is the sole connoisseur of knowledge. For me quitting is never an option. My fail-safe plan is always to pivot if all solutions fail.

Leading Ladies Africa: Final words to entrepreneurs who want to go into this industry and women in our community? 

Chiddie Anyasodo: Make sure you have a good plan and know where you are heading in the next 1-5 years’ time. Understand your business correctly and have a mentor if you can get one. I work with paid business coaches to help me see the future. Surround yourself with people going in the same direction as you are. Have a long-term vision, make small incremental changes and eliminate all waste of resources (money, time and people). Keep learning and implementing the lessons immediately.

Like every other industry, it has its challenges; you must hold on and keep building till it blossoms. The first five years are usually challenging. You are going to want to give up several times. Customers are going to drive you mad. This can affect your confidence, especially when you think you have gone above and beyond to deliver a service to make them happy, and they still complain. When this happens, take a step back and see if there is any lesson to be learnt. Could it be that your customer sees things from a different perspective? Or are you delivering your best which may not be what they are looking for?

Do not make the mistake of over-spending. Like I said earlier, eliminate waste. Spend as little as possible, especially when testing an idea for the first time. When it works, you can put more money behind it. Cash Flow is the lifeblood of any business. Make sure you have a system to sell your business and maintain cash flow. If it’s automated, better.

Tobi Olanihun is the Chief Experience Officer of WOW! Connect Services Ltd, an experiential event agency for individuals and corporates, creating exclamation-worthy experiences. She is also the founder of TEPS (The Experience Plug Systems) – an innovative platform that automates key elements of event management from online registration to ticketing, in-person and virtual check-ins, and post-event analytics. A certified UK Prince 2 practitioner, Tobi is a qualified Quantity Surveyor from the Obafemi Awolowo University. After working at Oando Marketing Limited, she left to pursue her passion in events planning and management. 

With over a decade of experience in innovative event planning, she has handled several high-profile events both in Lagos, Accra, Abuja & New York. WOW!Connect has organised several brand-owned events including five editions of the WOW! Connect Lifestyle event; a series of events comprising musical performances, exhibitions, and fashion shows.

Leading Ladies Africa: Who is Tobi Olanihun and what does she do?

Tobi Olanihun: Tobi is an entrepreneur who loves life! Everything I do is to make people enjoy life and maximize experiences. In relatable terms, I am an Event Experience designer, event producer, and event planner. I am a film producer- I love to tell authentic stories and I bring my project management skills and creativity to this space. I am also a tech founder of the amazing all-in-one event management platform TEPS!

Leading Ladies Africa:  Awesome! How did you begin this journey into experiential event design and production?

Tobi Olanihun:  Four things at different points got me on this journey. The first was that I worked in an organization that splurged on staff Christmas parties! We were treated like queens.  I loved how it made me feel and decided that helping organisations achieve that feeling for their staff in big and small ways was critical! The second route was the fact that I wanted to create platforms for businesses to get new customers through awesome fairs, exhibitions, concerts & festivals. I can’t remember what triggered this but it was so important to me and

fairs were actually how we started before they were a thing.

The third route was that I was already planning events for friends and family as a hobby. Finally, big productions have always fascinated me- for as long as I can remember, watching the Olympics, the Grammys, Oscars, etc have been a huge part of my life and they contributed to the seeds that were sown very early on.

Leading Ladies Africa: You recently launched The Experience Plug Systems (TEPS) — what is it and what challenges does it solve?

Tobi Olanihun:  TEPS is a 5-7 year dream! Ensuring tech makes events seamless right from how they register and buy tickets to how all attendees and stakeholders are communicated with in the entire event lifecycle. How easy it is to ‘get in’, be it virtual or an in-person event, and mining behavioural and actual data for brands after the event. It’s a one-stop event management platform for event owners, planners and corporate organisations. It’s a solution derived from the attendee and organiser perspective.

Leading Ladies Africa:  That sounds amazing! What’s the next frontier for TEPS, where do you see it going?

Tobi Olanihun: TEPS is a  vast platform that starts from how attendees engage to how they are taken on the entire journey. Our next steps are community-based features. After that, we will focus on AI, providing extremely intelligent analytics on both virtual & physical interactions. The improvements and features will never stop, every day it’s something new or enhanced.

Leading Ladies Africa: Let’s ask what might seem like a weird question — do you like being an entrepreneur, and why?

Tobi Olanihun: I love being an entrepreneur! I’d like to draw a parallel with exercise- it might be hard to start, but with discipline and consistency it gets better and then you can’t stop because of the immense benefits. I like that starting a business adds immense value to millions of people. It might seem small at surface value sometimes, you think you are adding value to a handful of people but it’s a cycle of value you will never be able to quantify.

Leading Ladies Africa: What should the world expect from Tobi Olanihun in the next couple of years?

Tobi Olanihun: I find that I love to learn and find new ways of doing even the most mundane things. I love to create and find new ways to add value! in the next couple of years – more dramatic and impactful events, many more tech solutions, many fun experiences, and many more stories curated for film, TV, and stage.

Leading Ladies Africa: For female entrepreneurs reading this, what are three things you want them to remember about building and sustaining a business?

Tobi Olanihun:  Keep adding value to people as the core of everything you do -that’s all that matters, everything else will follow. Remain authentic – be yourself never try to change the original YOU; Keep learning and innovating else you will literally DIE.

In honour of Small Business Week this May, Tobi Olanihun is giving LLA members and small business owners hosting events with 100 attendees or fewer the opportunity to use the platform and enjoy all the benefits for FREE, for the next 3 months! To enjoy this first-of-its-kind platform from any part of the world, go to https://www.eventeps.com/ and start creating today! 

Dr. Eleanor T. Khonje, PhD is a feminist scholar and gender specialist, motivational and keynote speaker, leadership trainer and coach, entrepreneur and activist. Dr. Elly is a TEDx speaker who presents professional and motivational talks as well as leadership training to public and private organizations including universities. She is a United Nations consultant in Geneva, Switzerland and is the CEO of ETK Leadership Solutions (www.etkleadershipsolutions.com), CEO of Zawadi Mode (www.zawadimode.com) and founder of the projects-based NGO, The African Diaspora Leadership in Action (ADLA) (www.adlaprojects.com). Dr. Khonje is a professor at the Business School Lausanne and is extremely passionate about building and motivating leaders to unleash their full potential and authentically walk in the totality of who they were created to be. You can find her blogging and sharing at @dr.ellyk 

Leading Ladies Africa: If you could describe yourself with one word, what would it be?

Dr. Eleanor T. Khonje: If I could describe myself with one word, it would be: unapologetically authentic. You did not ask us to share why but then me go ahead and unpack it. The day I learned that my superpower is my authenticity, I found the courage to exist in the multifaceted light that is me. I believe that when we are bold to live authentically, we are sending a message that God, I am grateful and proud to exist in the form that reflects a unique part of you! 

Leading Ladies Africa: Have you ever had any disappointments? If yes, how did you handle it?

Dr. Eleanor T. Khonje: Absolutely! I have had many disappointments in building my career and in building my business. When I am teaching about leadership and resilience, I often share the story of how after finishing my master’s degree, I did not get admitted into my dream PhD program that I had told everyone, literally EVERYONE, that I was going to go to. I had great grades, I had the perfect CV, and I even had a letter of support from my mentor (and was going to be my supervisor) who was at that point the deputy director of the school! When I got the letter that I had NOT been admitted into the school, I thought it was all a lie. I swear I was in denial for some days. I thought there must have been something wrong with the computer, or the internet, someone made a mistake! Nope, they did not admit me. After crying for what felt like weeks and being too embarrassed to face the world, I had told I would be going to that particular school, I wrote a letter to the Committee to reconsider me and guess what, the answer still came back as NO! I was devastated. I couldn’t see the way forward, and as much of a planner as I am, this was the only school I had applied to because I was so sure I would be admitted. It was one of the most difficult moments ever because I was forced to reevaluate my vision, and imagine something completely new. Even though it was initially hard for me to see how I would move ahead, I am grateful to my academic mentor who helped me see that I could use this disappointment as an opportunity to take time off school, work for a “maximum” of a year and during that year, apply to other schools. I really had to psyche myself into getting excited about the opportunity to work, something that I had never considered I would do before getting my PhD. Because I love learning, I also decided I would use that year to really delve into the French language and culture and learn it. And, God being God, during that time, I was offered the most AMAZING JOB that opened my world and inspired me to open up my first business in Switzerland years later. During that same year, I also had the opportunity to do my first TEDx talk! Thanks to my mentor who held me accountable to working for a “maximum” of a year, during that same year, I applied to other schools and was admitted! Reimagining what that gap year was going to look like was extremely hard, but once I changed my mindset and decided to make the most of it, it really offered some of the greatest opportunities. Sometimes the hardest work that we can do is reimagine ourselves and our lives differently. But, it’s also the best work that we can do because sometimes our initial vision is too small for the very big work that we have been sent to do. Having experienced that “great disappointment” I have applied that tool of reimagination time and time again to deal with life’s disappointments. 

Leading Ladies Africa: How do you stay innovative as an entrepreneur? And Your Plans for your business In Five Years?

Dr. Eleanor T. Khonje: I stay innovative as an entrepreneur by staying connected to the women that I serve and responding to their needs through my business practice. All my businesses target women, so whether that is through leadership work or through gifting as a practice of gratitude, it is so important to know your audience, to understand what they need, and find creative and transformative ways to offer them those solutions. So, when I am coaching or hosting conferences and workshops, I pay attention to the questions that I get as well as watch what people really respond to when I am teaching. In that light, as I am creating and developing training, I keep those needs in mind first and foremost, giving women the tools to most effectively meet their needs.

Each year, my goal is to increase my level of impact, therefore, 5 years from now I expect that my impact is going to be that much greater. Impact for me is measured in how many of the women I coach, mentor, train, teach find what I share to be useful in transforming their lives and living in the totality of who they are. As such, it’s not about reaching more women (although that is extremely important for me as well) but it is about ensuring that the message is substantive enough to create the transformative change that it is supposed to.

Of course, I have plans for expansion, plans to have a building dedicated to this leadership work in women, but the most important measure for me is the transformative work emanating from the inside. 

Leading Ladies Africa: Tips on how you handle when the going gets tough?

Dr. Eleanor T. Khonje: Remain positive! And be resilient! Life is going to have its challenges, no doubt, but what attitude do you choose to deal with those challenges? How do you choose to see them? To address them? The going is going to get tough, but like I shared on my Instagram a couple of weeks ago, life is for those who choose to consistently persevere. In those seasons when the going gets tough, do not allow yourself to be discontented, or to feel so low that it becomes difficult to imagine what it would be like to get back up! It’s okay to feel sad, yes, but pick yourself up, speak to yourself, encourage yourself, and keep it moving knowing that God is working things out for your good! Like everyone else, life gets tough and rough for me! I know what works – my attitude and what I choose to say about myself and my circumstances. I might not be able to control what is happening, but I can control how I respond to it.

Leading Ladies Africa: Final words of advice to entrepreneurs and women in our community?

Dr. Eleanor T. Khonje: Whether in business or in building your career, I say, live and own who you are! Your authenticity is your superpower, and remember that no one is going to make your dreams come true except for you! Because no one else lives in your body or knows what you desire from life, it’s only you who can bring out everything that you see inside of yourself. As such, own those dreams, own those businesses, own that career, and bring all of it out of you! Two of my absolute favorite affirmations that I often recite and speak over myself are: “I am authentically living all that is me” and “I am doing everything I can, everything in my power, to see myself succeed and reach my dreams.” Live everything that is you! You OWN your life, you OWN your dreams. Do everything that you can to see yourself succeed and reach your dreams.

Perpetual kendi is a panafric entrepreneur. She currently runs three organizations; a PR agency called Addleston Marketing which has now evolved to work with financial and technology companies across Africa, a luxury wine brand with three ranges of wines called ‘Laute’ (http://www.lauteluxury.com/ )and a food security business exporting fruits and vegetables from South Africa to the rest of the continent. 

Perpetual  has served banks, top global renewable energy companies as well as global investment companies . She has an incredible self drive and She’s more scared of not trying than the regret of failure. 

For her failing will only push me into the direction of her destiny and she believes she needs to be a trendsetter in the next decade in my generation.

Leading Ladies Africa: If you could describe yourself with one word, what would it be?

Perpetual kendi: Resilient. I am super laser focused with my ambitions and growth. I don’t debate on whether I am growing or not. When I feel I’m stuck I find myself detaching myself from comfort. As a young ambitious woman in my late twenties I have been through so many moving parts, from career to personal growth and one thing about me is I keep my head up no matter what and I don’t stop moving and growing.

Leading Ladies Africa: Have you ever had any disappointments? If yes, how did you handle it?

Perpetual kendi: Yes.

In business there are so many challenges. I am invested in different sectors that have extremely different challenges as well as a solution process.

I can say this, as you grow as an entrepreneur you need three basic people you have at your fingertip. 

1. A lawyer. They help in many ways which includes Protecting your contracts as well as seeking legal advice around different jurisdictions. They also give exclusive  legal advice and views on problem solving .
2. An accountant that will be able to advise on tax as well as keeping the company afloat.
3.  A human resource consultant. Most of the time sourcing for human personnel is so difficult being able to understand work cultures as well as the market value and being able to keep the company afloat. Employees are one moving part in business that you can really fall by having the wrong team players.

Leading Ladies Africa: How do you stay innovative as an entrepreneur? And Your Plans for your business In Five Years?

Perpetual kendi: With Addleston,With the current innovations in technology around Media and PR we launched ogora.news which is a press release distribution platform in 5 years we also hope to be in the three major markets, Kenya ,South Africa and Nigeria. These are markets that are really growing or too big to be ignored.

Recently having ventured into wine, our future objective is to work with different wine makers around the world who create vintage and limited edition wines, and create a range of premium and limited edition wines .

In the food export company, we hope to achieve food security and when it comes to food security especially in Africa, there are different segments in the value chain process that we want to be involved in in due course.

Leading Ladies Africa: Tips on how you handle when the going gets tough?

Perpetual kendi: I am a very positive minded person and I genuinely have a very strong supportive system. A group of close friends who are in business as well as in the same career path as I am. I barely take breaks off most of the time. I find myself shifting focus to what is working at the particular time other than what is not working. 

Leading Ladies Africa: Final words to entrepreneurs who want to go into this industry and women in our community?

Perpetual kendi: In my particular sector, purpose , passion and performance is very important . What is the actual motive of your drive? What keeps you going in case of challenges? and definitely performance, there is an absolute no shortcut to growth and a solidified foundation you have to put in the actual work.

 Women need to approach business with a non-mentality of their sexuality and be objective on     what needs to get done and make sure they get it done. In my career path honestly women have held my hands more and supported me and equally I have my fair share of setbacks.

The LLA Lady Boss Series is a weekly interview series that highlights the achievements and entrepreneurial journeys of African female entrepreneurs. The idea is to showcase the Leading Ladies who are transforming Africa and the African narrative through enterprise and business.

It is an off-shoot of Leading Ladies Africa, a non-profit that promotes leadership, inclusion and diversity for women of African descent.

If you know any kick-ass women of African Descent doing phenomenal things in enterprise, email lead@leadingladiesafrica.org, and she could possibly be featured.

Her west african background and her travel adventures enabled her to be culturally diverse and allowed her to instantly connect on a deeper level with a variety of individuals. Armed with an undergraduate in Economics, a master’s degree in hospitality, restaurant, and event management, and 17+ years in event, marketing, sales, and business development, she teaches, coaches and consult other brands so we can ALL make it to the top.

Her ultimate goal is to help entrepreneurs and brands stand out while simultaneously impacting African women/girls through entrepreneurship and education.

Her west african background and her travel adventures enabled her to be culturally diverse and allowed her to instantly connect on a deeper level with a variety of individuals. Armed with an undergraduate in Economics, a master’s degree in hospitality, restaurant, and event management, and 17+ years in event, marketing, sales, and business development, she teaches, coaches and consult other brands so we can ALL make it to the top. Her ultimate goal is to help entrepreneurs and brands stand out while simultaneously impacting African women/girls through entrepreneurship and education.

• Leading Ladies Africa: If you could describe yourself with one word, what would it be?

Cindy Maléombho-Codo: One word that will describe me, I will say fun. I love having fun in business and life. I love it. yes.

• Leading Ladies Africa: How do you stay innovative as an entrepreneur? And Your Plans for your business In Five Years?

Cindy Maléombho-Codo: I have several ways, but two of the most important ones will be, a lot of people look at the

competition and look at what the competition is doing. And try to emanate what they’re doing, because they think it’s the right way to approach things and the right way to do things. What I would like for you to do is look at your competition and ask yourself the question, “How can I do this differently? How can I put my imprint on this to make it work for me, for my company?” That’s what you need to be doing.

And then second, what I do is I look at industries outside my industry. I look at art. I will also look at healthcare, hospitality, every food and beverage, all other industries and get inspiration from that. And then, try to look at what they’re doing and see again, how can I make it work for me? How can I make it work for my company? These are the two ways that I stay innovative in what I do and I also tell my clients to do.

In five years, I would like to have touched 100,000 multicultural and African women to really create their banking brand so they can live the life, live their dreams. And then, create jobs that impact the continent. That’s the goal. That’s the goal. That’s the training. That’s the vision.

• Leading Ladies Africa: Tips on how you handle when the going gets tough?

Cindy Maléombho-Codo: I mean, in everything, may that be in business or not, you have to do things with intention. You have to know your big why. You have to know what you’re doing. Why are you doing it. For me, serving women, especially multicultural and African women in business, develops their brands, so that they can create businesses that impact other people and have repercussions beyond themselves.

And Africa is my big why. It’s my big why. And when it gets tough, this is what gets me excited. This is what gets me moving. This is why I wipe my tears and get going, because there is a bigger thing than me. I mean, it’s good to have money and all these other things, but you have to have the big why. And you really have to take some time to develop that and to write that down. So that when it gets tough, this is where you go to get re-energized and get going.

• Leading Ladies Africa: Have you ever had any disappointments? If yes, how did you handle it?

Cindy Maléombho-Codo: I mean, that’s part of life. Right. But what I usually do is ask myself what space do I play in this? What did I play in this big disappointment? Because I always have something to play with. Did I want the situation to get a certain way? If I did, that’s an expectation that I shouldn’t have had. I take my lesson and move on.

• Leading Ladies Africa: Final words to entrepreneurs who want to go into this industry and women in our community? 

Cindy Maléombho-Codo: If you want to get in any industry again, about any industry, may that be consultancy or anything else, get some knowledge. Meaning going back to school, or getting some online classes, or getting a coach to coach you through that. And then get some experience. If you don’t have experience, go get some. Go back to the workforce, or get an internship. Or get some friends and family together, ask them if you can do whatever you want to do for free or for a discounted rate so that you can get their testimonials and get social proof to put on your websites and to get more clients later. This is it. Go dream big, but most importantly, take action towards your dream. 

The LLA Lady Boss Series is a weekly interview series that highlights the achievements and entrepreneurial journeys of African female entrepreneurs. The idea is to showcase the Leading Ladies who are transforming Africa and the African narrative through enterprise and business.

It is an off-shoot of Leading Ladies Africa, a non-profit that promotes leadership, inclusion and diversity for women of African descent.

If you know any kick-ass women of African Descent doing phenomenal things in enterprise, email lead@leadingladiesafrica.org, and she could possibly be featured.

Aderonke Onipede is a  trained Business Development manager and is also certified in  various Strategic and Managerial training for NGOs at top lead schools like Lagos Business School, etc. 

She is an author of a non- fictional collection of different life stories book called BEAUTIFUL MEMOIRS

She is  the CEO and lead facilitator at Acomms Media Limited. A marketing and training facility organization for SME businesses, Mental Skills and Character building for children and Recruitment services for SMEs.

She is the host of Aderonke Live Show an Online show that showcases Inspiring Nigerians doing great works (though presently on hold), a radio host, compere, speaker, trainer, an advocate for children, youth and women development. 

She is also the founder and president of the NGO called ONE CHILD, ONE CARE INITIATIVE. An initiative to support less privileged children in Orphanages, Low Income Communities and the society for the past 15years. 

Aderonke has been featured on some of the works of the NGO on Radio, TV, social and print platforms like Plus TV, NTA 10, The Nation Newspaper,  Workbooth, Women and Career, Union Bank Covid Challenge mention and donation, SheLeadsAfrica as top 3 Heroes of 2020 to mention a few.

Leading Ladies Africa: If you could describe yourself with one word, what would it be?

Aderonke Onipede: ENERGETIC

Leading Ladies Africa: Have you ever had any disappointments? If yes, how did you handle it?

Yes, several disappointments in business but will share this because it was my first official lesson in business.

We offer training services and so we had a training on Digital Marketing. Some business owners saw it and wanted me to re-organize another for them even though I do it quarterly so I obliged.

I got the team together and booked the facilitator down because down payment confirms booking for him. I then followed up with the interested participants and they kept confirming their attendance.

Word of mouth? Worst business negotiator!

I have 9intending participants booked, only 3 showed up and those were the ones who registered a day or two to the training on referrals. The participants the training was created for didn’t show up. So I learnt payment confirms booking the hard way.

Leading Ladies Africa: How do you stay innovative as an entrepreneur? 

Aderonke Onipede: Innovation they say is the father of all businesses while marketing is the mother.

I started the business shortly after Covid lock down and it was majorly focused on facility rental and training.

However, because of the Covid’19 and its challenges we had very low sales, so we re-strategized.

We had a targeted market survey of our neighbourhood and evaluated our target market. So the goal is to bring up new services but still in line with the business vision and goals.

Most training companies had their courses online and many corporate organisations preferred it to physical training due to Covid’19 and of course reducing cost as well.

So, we had to refocus from Organizations to SMEs and also to families. For the families we targeted the children who were into Computers or loved creating stuff.

We then began Coding for children which is one of the top soft skills in the Tech world. Every 6months we review our performance and look at the business which is thriving more, why and if not, why? 

And from the evaluation of the business, we also look at how to make it perform better or re-channel the solution to a different market.

Leading Ladies Africa: And Your Plans for your business In Five Years?

Aderonke Onipede: To be the renowned training facility and training organization in business in Lagos with branches in top 5 locations in Lagos and top 3 cities in Nigeria – Ibadan, Abuja, PH and 2 West African Countries.

Also be the leading Mannerism & Character Club for children in Lagos and among the Top 5 sought after recruiting companies in Nigeria. 

Leading Ladies Africa: Tips on how you handle when the going gets tough?

Aderonke Onipede: Firstly, I remind myself that what can’t breathe can’t control me and what I can’t control I let it be.

2. I take time to seek God’s face for guidance 
3. I write out the challenge and how I think I can resolve it and I share it with my hubby who is also my business partner.

If I need further support, I seek support from safe places that I am sure won’t use me as a public project. 

4. Then, I take it one step at a time, trusting that tomorrow is another privilege to see how I can overcome.

Leading Ladies Africa: Final words to entrepreneurs who want to go into this industry and women in our community?

Aderonke Onipede: If you are still in paid employment, serve well with your whole heart and be genuine about it. You will need the lessons when you start yours.

If you are not resilient and humble to seek support or sales not as a beggar but as a determined goal setter, don’t leave your paid job yet. Get all the don’t and mental skills you need.

Entrepreneurship is beyond passion and to live for what you do, you need people and skills to succeed. People as your customers and that can come in different settings.

Never assume you know enough, keep getting knowledge about the industry and other relevant skills for the business.

And for every woman out there, let go of the desperation to be seen or heard, let your works speak for you.

Take time to build yourself up, build strong networks and most importantly build a strong connection to God and you will achieve more than you can ever imagine. 

The LLA Lady Boss Series is a weekly interview series that highlights the achievements and entrepreneurial journeys of African female entrepreneurs. The idea is to showcase the Leading Ladies who are transforming Africa and the African narrative through enterprise and business.

It is an off-shoot of Leading Ladies Africa, a non-profit that promotes leadership, inclusion and diversity for women of African descent.

If you know any kick-ass women of African Descent doing phenomenal things in enterprise, email lead@leadingladiesafrica.org, and she could possibly be featured.

Ayaan Mohamed Ali is the Founder of Digitech Oasis, a full-service digital marketing agency creating custom unique strategies for clients in alignment with their needs & goals. She is a business strategist and a digital innovator.

She was born in Nairobi, Kenya and her parents are originally from Hargeisa, Somaliland. She spent most of her younger years in Nairobi. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Business and Management from Leeds University. She holds a Postgraduate Certificate in International Business, Finance and Banking from Leeds University and a Master’s degree in Entrepreneurship & Innovation from the University of Essex. 

She enjoys watching crime documentaries in her free time, going to new places, & trying new things.

Digitech Oasis is dedicated to providing highly effective and innovative digital strategies that generate business growth — how did the journey start?

Digitech Oasis is a full-service digital marketing agency creating custom unique strategies for each of our clients in alignment with their needs & goals. We use technology designed by Digitech to deliver an all-encompassing digital experience to your customers. Our software solutions are the heart of our business.

The journey started in 2016/2017 when I was still at University (Leeds, UK). Let me backtrack a little – in my second year of University (2014), I began learning how to code in my free- time through online courses. I always had part-time jobs & internships in between studies since 2013 because one thing about me is that I can’t stay idle. After a summer program at Google, I just did not picture myself in an office for the rest of my life.

I began freelancing in my local area (West Yorkshire) providing digital marketing services from branding to application development etc. After seeing my digital strategies generate value to these clients, I started thinking up ways on how I could make this permanent. In 2017 after graduation, I was not ready to join the real world so I made the decision to go back to school pursuing a Master of Science in Entrepreneurship & Innovation (Essex).

This bought me time (one year to be precise) to strategize and figure things out. After graduation in 2018, Digitech Oasis was born and the rest was history. Ever since Digitech Oasis has been driven by commitment; a commitment to innovation & excellence to provide value to each of our clients.

How did you know that this was what you wanted to do? That you wanted to make this level of impact?

I’ve always been interested in technology so it was always a field I saw myself in. During the holidays whilst I was at University I would sometimes return to Nairobi. I remember using a lot of Uber’s at that time & of course, with any Uber journey comes to the rider-driver conversation lol. Quickly brought to my attention was these drivers were well-educated youth with amazing degrees in amazing fields (mostly STEM); just lacking the opportunity. From there I knew I wanted to change that narrative because I believe everybody deserves a fair opportunity. Digitech Oasis seeks to facilitate job creation for youth in the STEM fields across the country.

Let’s backtrack a little bit — who is Ayaan Mohamed — and what makes her tick?

Ayaan is a very ambitious 25-year-old with a constant willingness to acquire more knowledge. I’d call myself a digital innovator. Growing up a third culture kid – born to Somali parents but raised in Kenya, then going to an American school; I was exposed to numerous countries & cultures. I think new environments and new people give me new perspectives and that’s what makes me tick. I’m always thinking “what next?’, I am never satisfied; I guess you could call that a blessing and a curse.

We imagine that there’ve been highs and lows. What are the significant milestones and challenges you have encountered in your entrepreneurial journey?

I think in life typically 2 things define us. Our patience when we have nothing & our attitude when we have everything. Entrepreneurship can be a humbling experience; people usually see success but never the underground work it takes to get there.

I always compare the start of one’s entrepreneurial journey to a stock graph; with so many ups and downs. Milestones in my journey started with seeing my product/service in action. Turning a profit makes another significant milestone; creating something from nothing and seeing it actually generate value is rewarding and a key motivator in my entrepreneurial journey.

Challenges include initial rejection and limited access to external funding. You typically have to start your journey with your own personal investment. Taking risks is all a part of the journey.

And what are the major lessons you’ve learned being an entrepreneur?

I think as an entrepreneur you are always learning; good or bad. I’ll summarize the top 3 major lessons I’ve learned.

Firstly, You should take time to think up your pricing strategy. It’s easy to compromise and undercharge or overcharge your product/service in the beginning. Secondly, not every client should be YOUR client. You’d want to take on every client/customer; don’t do it. And lastly, balance your time, your friendships/family/relationships. Life is too short to not spend it doing other things you love or with people you love as well.

Do you think that there are challenges that are specific to female entrepreneurs in Kenya?

For starters, I think society already makes things difficult for women to do anything really. You already have to prove your capability as a woman so defying social expectations is at the top of that list.

Challenges specific to female entrepreneurs in Kenya are largely due to the culture embedded in African society that the man is the head of the household and the woman should not even be at school. While we’ve made tremendous progress to move away from that mentality, the reality still remains we are not seen as equals to our male counterparts.

Access to funding is a major challenge; I think it’s important for women to seek out female investors for their ventures. Also, not being taken seriously is a challenge; female entrepreneurs should actively join communities and groups with other female entrepreneurs.

At the same time, I will say women are strong and defy all odds in every aspect of life and we certainly overcome every challenge thrown our way. Sub-Saharan Africa boasts the world’s highest rate of female entrepreneurs at 27%. African women are doing amazing things and breaking all social constructs while at it. We are the future. Information technology continues to be a largely male-dominated industry/field, & a large number of unemployed youth in Kenya are women in the STEM fields.

Name 3 women who inspire and motivate you?

The first woman who inspires me would definitely have to be 28-year-old Conna Walker, Founder of fashion brand House of Celeb Boutique. She went from selling on e-bay at age 17 to building a multi-million-dollar empire. That’s definitely not an easy thing to do, her entrepreneurial spirit and her ability to build a global brand at such a young age is certainly something I admire.

Soujourner Truth would be another woman who inspires me. One of her most famous quotes being “I feel safe even amongst my enemies; for the truth is powerful and will prevail”.  I think her strength was very admirable, her eloquence, her grace, her willingness to keep on keeping on despite all the traumatic events that went on in her life.

My late mother, in the short time I shared this Earth with her I can describe her as powerful. Her strength and intellect were unparalleled and she continues to be my everyday inspiration and motivator.

Now for some more personal stuff — what books are you reading now, and what music do you have on your playlist?

You know how people say “fitness journey”, I feel like I’ve had my own “book journey”. My parents always had a large book collection in the house and I was around 10 years old when my siblings went off to University. With nobody in the house to play with, I started reading all the time. I always had a book with me everywhere I went. At University, I dropped reading books for leisure & started reading more articles or listening to audiobooks. In the past 2 years, I developed my love for reading for leisure again.

I am currently reading Emily Chang’s “How to Break Up the Silicon Valley Boy’s Club”. An insightful take on the huge influence of technology on our world & the barriers women working in the industry take on that put them at a professional disadvantage. Without giving too much away it contains stories from hundreds of women working in tech companies such as Facebook and Google. Definitely, a MUST read for any woman in the industry.

My music playlist contains various different genres. I listen to different music for different activities/situations. Right now, Black Coffee’s new album; the instrumentals take me to a different dimension. Mahalia is another one, her voice is so unique & intriguing to listen to.  

What does self-care mean to you, and what three things do you do to unwind?

I think self-care means consciously being aware of your 3 states (physical, mental, and emotional state) and continue taking care of them. Whether it be making time for relaxation, setting boundaries with people, picking up a new hobby. The three things that I do to unwind are regular exercise during the workweek which keeps me energized, celebrating/treating myself for every little win or goal accomplished, and prayer.

If you had an intention or wish for 2021, what would it be?

My wish for 2021, would be an end to the pandemic so we can travel & live without regrets with our loved ones.

The Lady Boss Series is a weekly interview series that highlights the achievements and entrepreneurial journeys of African female entrepreneurs. The idea is to showcase the Leading Ladies who are transforming Africa and the African narrative through enterprise and business.

It is an offshoot of Leading Ladies Africa, a non-profit that promotes leadership, inclusion, and diversity for women of African descent.

If you know any kick-ass women of African Descent doing phenomenal things in enterprise, email lead@leadingladiesafrica.org, and she could possibly be featured.