We had a quick five interactive session with her and here is how it went!

What does Public Speaking mean to you?

Public Speaking is the art of speaking to an audience. Many people hear that and think of it as something you do in a hall filled with people, but it’s not limited to that. Whether you’re sharing your brand story with investors, pitching at work, recording a YouTube video, or giving a speech at your friend’s party, you’re engaged in public speaking. 

What are the important steps to take when building your speaking skills?

There are general skills every speaker needs, from storytelling skills like research, writing, and presentation to others like elocution and proper body language. However, each person’s path will differ, based on individual strengths and weaknesses. So, the first step is to know yourself. 

Public speaking will seem daunting if you haven’t figured out how to make it work for you. Self-analysis will reveal the skills you need to hone. For example, if you experience stage fright, focus on building confidence and elocution. If you’re a good orator who struggles with writing, then improve your research and writing skills.

Finally, keep practicing how to tell compelling stories, after all, your goal is to inspire your audience to an action, thought, or emotion.

In your opinion, why should women especially invest in learning the art of public speaking?

I think everyone should invest in the art, but I’m particularly passionate about women because our stories and contributions were silenced for centuries. Women have stories worth telling, and the world needs the multiplicity of our experiences and views. So, I encourage every woman to own her story and find her stage.

If you could have a lunch date with one Leading Lady right now, who would that be and what would you ask her?

Melanie Perkins, the Co-Founder/CEO of Canva. I’d ask her a gazillion questions about how she built an incredible and intuitive storytelling tool that has gained massive global adoption.

3 things you would recommend to women in career who would love to take on public speaking

Know your ‘why’. My first recommendation is, figure out your driving passion. The best public speakers make their audience feel something—they focus on connecting with and enriching the audience with knowledge, cheer, or something else. It’s hard to do this if you are not passionate about a cause, subject, or even a group of people. 

Work on the ‘how’. As with anything else, passion isn’t enough, so build the skills I mentioned earlier. Understand what works for your desired platform(s) by understudying others who are doing it—watch their speeches, read interviews, and attend their events.

Seek out the ‘where’. Actively put yourself forward for speaking opportunities that are connected to your ‘why’. You can start in small settings (on your social media platforms, amongst friends, at small events etc.) and build up to the stage you want.

Above all, bring your full self to your public speaking appearances. You have stories worth telling! 

To connect more with Adebola:

Instagram: Adebola Rayo

Website: Domestika

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.

Image credit: Blessing Abeng

Blessing Abeng is a branding and communications manager dedicated to helping entrepreneurs identify their value, identity and unique point of view. She helps brands communicate with their team, target audience, partners and investors. Blessing creates unforgettable experiences that reflect the personality of brands and convert strangers to loyal customers, friends, and community members. She is the Co-founder of Disha, Co-Director for Startup Grind Lagos, a mentor on the African Entrepreneurship Awards platform, a WIMBIZ associate and a Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Alumni.

She has worked with brands like Heritage Bank, Dark and Lovely Africa, MTN, Lights Camera Africa, Alomo Bitters, Victor Ehikhamenor, African Alliance, Lemi Ghariokwu and so many other global brands.

In this interview with Leading Ladies Africa, Blessing shares the inspiration behind establishing her companies, an important hiring lesson all business founders must imbibe and top 3 tips every female entrepreneur must incorporate into their daily routine. Lean in!

1. What does Entrepreneurship mean to you?

Personally, entrepreneurship is an outlet to make an impact in people’s lives by creating solutions to their pressing needs. What I love about entrepreneurship is that it rewards you for service. You get value and they get value. It’s a two-way street.

Image credit: Blessing Abeng

2. Tell us the inspiration behind establishing Disha & Startup Grind Lagos

For Disha, we realized that in this information age, being able to communicate across borders and have a consistent brand has become increasingly important and it is even getting easier. However, it takes time, money and efforts to build a globally-competitive site. So, we decided to create a platform for individuals to build one-page sites from the comfort of their mobile phones for just $5 with no technical skill required.

If you can use Instagram, you can use Disha. We also noticed that people who used Linktree are migrating to our platform because it gives you a professional and globally competitive look and feel.  We also went ahead to figure out SEO and ensure you can have your domain or host it on your existing website if you just want to use it as a link in bio. 

For Startup Grind Lagos, we identified the knowledge gap that existed in Lagos – such as how entrepreneurs were knowledgeable about the solutions they want to provide but lacking in knowledge in areas such as finance, branding, paying tax, policies, hiring, etc. a We decided to bridge this knowledge gap and every last Saturday of the month, we host a meetup with a thought leader with great experience to give us practical tips on Startup Grind.

3. What “Oh, Shit!” moments have you had since establishing your business and how have these mistakes shaped you to become better?

Wow! There are plenty and I am struggling to pick one. I loved to hire people with potential; and while this wasn’t necessarily bad, I didn’t create a balance. I had to learn how important it is for skill, potential, values and culture to be balanced in an individual. You can’t teach 3 of these things, you can only teach a skill. I also learned how important it is for an employee’s personal values and culture to align with your company values as well. One of our team members suddenly kept dropping the ball, and we lost several clients.

However, I didn’t fire him because I thought there was more to it. We endured his behaviour for 6 months and almost lost the business. The bad habits started spreading to other team members and I learned, that your company culture is as good as what you reward, tolerate and punish. I learned an important hiring lesson that day and our business has taken a great turn for the better.

4. If you could have a lunch date with one Lady Boss you admire – who would that be and what would you ask her?

I’d pick Genevieve Nnaji. I’d ask her about the challenges she faces as an entrepreneur and tell her how I can solve some of those challenges. Even the most successful people need something.

Image credit: Blessing Abeng

5. Your top 3 recommendations for entrepreneurs in our community?

i. While it’s important to know as much as you can about your field/industry, it’s also important that you glean as much knowledge as you can about other fields that interest you. It’ll help you hold intelligent conversations and build relationships with people.

ii. Don’t just network. Focus on building relationships. When you meet people, don’t just bombard them by talking only about you and your business. Rather, listen to them, know their needs, add value and they will never forget you if you nurture the relationship.

iii. Go for quality! Always ensure you are doing the best and giving the best that you can. We need to stop giving mediocrity if we want to compete on a global scale. Stay attentive to policies. Be aware of the changes happening around you. Be very quality-minded.

The Leading Ladies Lady Boss Quick 5 Series is a weekly interview series focuses on women of African descent, showcases their experiences across all socio-economic sectors, highlights their personal and professional achievements and offers useful advice on how to make life more satisfying for women.

Do you know any woman of African descent doing phenomenal things? Send an email to lead@leadingladiesafrica.org and we just might feature her.

Image credit: Lola Ayangbayi

Lola Ayangbayi is an entrepreneur and a trained editor and proof-reader who specializes in the non-fiction and academic niches. Also, a writer and writing coach, she is a personal brand and runs the editorial services arm of her business under the name, Beaelay Stories.

Having seen sub-Saharan Africans in UK universities struggle with writing and the consequences associated with this, she understands the importance of writing coherently in the grand scheme of seeking opportunities and communicating ideas.  This has fuelled her mission to help as many sub-Saharan Africans as possible become better writers.

Making a career switch is difficult. However,  the thought of making a career switch from a field such as Engineering to Editing would leave many aghast and scamper for their original jobs. However, one woman who has dared to do differently is Lola Ayangbayi, who originally an Engineer (with a Masters and PhD degrees), quitted her job and set up an editing business.

On the #LadyBossQuickFive series this week, we sit with Lola; who tells us the rationale behind making the career switch, how she’s been able to manage work-life responsibilities as a working mum (and working from home), and tips for women who intend to switch careers.

1. Can you briefly describe yourself and what you do?

I am a positive person who likes to do things properly. I wear several hats — wife, mum, editor and proofreader, writer, coach, entrepreneur, and volunteer. For full-time work, I run an editorial business and personalised coaching programs on self-editing, writing better, and book-writing.

2. From Chemical Engineering to Engineering Management, and then Energy and Power. How and why were you able to make a career switch from Engineering to Editing?

Engineering and editing are a far cry from each other; however, I was able to make the transition because I had a strong desire to harness my natural strengths for a livelihood. My desire was stronger than my limiting thoughts, so I persisted. I had never quite felt at home in Engineering and so, when the engineering company I was working for started to struggle financially and it was apparent that we won’t have any contracts for a while due to circumstances beyond their control, I took it as a cue to launch out on my own as a freelance copyeditor.

Once my mind was made up, I sought out reputable and globally recognised editorial entrepreneurs, followed them on social media, bought some of their courses and books on publishing, editing, and proofreading and started to get myself trained. I understood that there were a lot of things that I needed to learn. Being good at writing and having eagle-eyes was not going to be enough to achieve the kind of excellence I want my craft and brand to demonstrate. However, since I had a strong background in written and spoken English, it didn’t feel like I was doing anything out of the ordinary. I had always written, edited or proofread work for friends and family, so it felt like familiar terrain.

Also, my interdisciplinary training makes it somewhat easy to deal with the rigours of certain writing and editing specialisms like technical writing and academic editing.  As a child, I read anything that was within reach except newspapers (chuckles), and my parents encouraged me by buying me two novels every fortnight. I was interested in words and would pause my reading to check up meanings in a dictionary.

Image credit: Lola Ayangbayi

3. How do you manage work-life responsibilities as a working mum?

i. Planning and prioritising. Working from home can be a recipe for disaster if you do not prioritise your tasks. I have a ‘things to do today’ book where I list out everything that I have to do daily and number them in the order of priority. When I can, I try to write the list the previous night.  For me, house chores can be a major distraction; so, I’ve had to build up the self-discipline to ignore non-pressing house chores until I can fit them in without messing with my work-productivity. I tell myself that if I was leaving the house to a physical workplace, those chores would have to stay undone anyway.

ii. Mental health and quality of life rank extremely high on my list of priorities. I have come to terms with the fact that some things have to give for me to live life in a way that suits my purpose. I don’t put myself under undue pressure and would happily decline an invitation to a social gathering if I felt I could put that time to better use like spending quality time with myself or my family.

Image credit: Lola Ayangbayi

4. One entrepreneurship myth that’s being busted since you established your editing business?

The notion that working for yourself guarantees freedom is what it is — a myth. One of the primary reasons I ventured into entrepreneurship was because I wanted to be actively present in the lives of my kids who are growing up so fast. I felt that self-employment meant that my time was mine to use as I pleased. I have since found out that this is not completely so. While I can schedule work around my domestic commitments, this certainly isn’t freedom. It’s flexibility, which often comes with a price.

In my case, my time is now heavily accounted for. Most nights, I catch up on work after the kids are in bed and work late into the night. Giving up my favourite TV programs no longer seems like such a big deal and socialising just for the sake of it is something I now rarely do. It is not all gloom and doom, though. I like this version of myself. I feel more focused and fulfilled; I am using my time more effectively, doing something that I am really good at and building a legacy that will outlive me.

5. Three tips for women in our community who are thinking of switching careers.

i. Be sure about your ‘why’. Life will test your decision. You cannot afford to be emotional about this. If or when things get difficult, being sure about your reason will fuel your determination to stick things out.

ii. Do your research. Thoroughly research your options. The price of ignorance can be hefty. When I started my entrepreneurial journey, I jumped in with both feet and sometimes felt my way through. This cost me a lot of time and effort and resulted in a lot of frustration. In retrospect, I realise that I should have paced myself and researched things more deeply. I was more focused on the fact that I was good at the craft, forgetting that there are other vital supporting skills (like sales and marketing) needed to make a business thrive.

iii. Be willing and prepared to pay for your personal development. Most people would agree that paying for relevant formal training is a definite way to gain much-needed clarity and credibility in any career. However, many people neglect financially investing in their ongoing personal development. While freebies can be useful, it is important to bear in mind that good stuff rarely comes cheap. While self-learning will always be an option when switching careers, paying to stand on the shoulders of giants will save you time, effort and I dare say, some frustration.

The Lady Boss  Quick 5 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.

Image credit: Sola Adesakin

On the #LadyBossQuickFive series this week, we sit with Sola Adesakin, Founder of Smart Stewards – a Platform for teaching sound principles on personal finance management, especially for women.

Sola has authored 5 books; her latest being the “40 Frugal Rules For Your Journey To Financial Freedom”; A Practical and Pragmatic Guide For Wealth Management and the “Smart Financial Organizer”; A One year Money Diary to help people gain control of every area of their personal and Family Finances.

1. What does Entrepreneurship mean to you?

Entrepreneurship, in my opinion, is a fusion of passion, purpose and profit. Entrepreneurship is what you love to do (passion) on the journey to whom you want to be (purpose) and which meets your needs, the needs of people around you and the world at large (profit).

2. One of your favourite quotes/taglines is “What you earn isn’t what makes you wealthy.” Can you shed more light on this topic?

From my experience, making money is only a part of the requirements for building wealth. To build and sustain wealth, you must be able to make, manage and multiply your resources. And the skills to do each of these differ. Some people have made so much money in their lifetime and have nothing to show for it; because making money only will not keep you rich.

A tap that flows (making money) into a leaking basket; no matter the volume of water that rushes and gushes out from it, it cannot fill up the basket because there is a leakage. And even when there is no leakage and there are no deliberate plans to either scoop the water into other buckets, (multiplying), there still would be wastage. 

“You’ve got to make it, manage it and multiply money/resources deliberately.”

Image credit: Sola Adesakin

3. What inspired you to establish Smart Stewards and what 3 greatest lessons you have learned on your business journey while building a global brand?

My years of financial-illiteracy and the resulting experiences led me to establish Smart Stewards.

Qualifying as a Chartered Accountant many years ago did not amount to good use of funds on my part. I was chartered, but my finances were scattered. I made a lot of financial mistakes and took bad decisions. Once I was able to retrace my steps, I made up my mind to help as many as I can, tow the path of financial literacy and help them navigate their journey to financial freedom.

4. Three great lessons I have learnt in the process:

i. You cannot effectively and efficaciously preach what you don’t practice. (You can empathize and understand the emotions people have when dealing with money issues because you have been there). 

ii. Be passionate about what you do, but be equally passionate about the people you are seeking to help. 

iii. Be courageous because life and business will test you. 

4. Can you share some entrepreneurship myths you have encountered on your journey?

Entrepreneurship requires a lot of money to start/ huge funding.

Entrepreneurship gives you more money/wealth than working for someone else.

Entrepreneurship gives you more time.

Image credit: Sola Adesakin

5. What are the 3 top resources (book, podcast or website) you’d recommend for entrepreneurs in our community?

For books, I will recommend:

i. My book, “The Real Profit” – It’s your quick MBA for understanding the accounting aspect of a business.

ii. “Ï will Teach You Business” By Ronald Nzimora.

iii. “How To Win Friends and Influence People” By Dale Carnegie.

Image credit: Amba Eyang-Ajakaiye

On the #LadyBossQuickFive series this week, we sit with Amba Eyang-Ajakaiye, Founder of  I.Dare.Not.Dread, a Social Enterprise promoting innovation, creativity and enterprise in Nigeria.  What started out of identifying her fears and facing them square in the eye has birthed a company whose primary aim is to build women communities and empower them with creative and innovative skills for business growth.

In this interview, Amba discusses with LLA about how I.Dare.Not.Dread was birthed, the achievements her business has made, some entrepreneurship myths she’s had to contend with while building a global brand and some resource recommendations for female entrepreneurs. Lean In!

1. What Does Entrepreneurship Mean To You?

Entrepreneurship means many things to me – creating and innovating ideas, recognising opportunities, making decisions, making mistakes, failing, winning, valuing time, focus, discipline, understanding balance, partnership, sometimes losing friends, growing and much more.  At times, it can be lonely, but that in itself is a gift that has the capacity to birth the best rewards.

2. Your Business Name Is IDarenotdread. Tell Us How You Came About Your Business Name  &  How Your Organization Helps Businesses.

iDare.NotDread is a Social Enterprise promoting innovation, creativity and enterprise in Nigeria. Our focus is primarily to build women communities and empower them with creative and innovative skills for business growth. The name iDare.NotDread was inspired from a point of fear.

In the past, I have been really fearful. Fear crippled me. I would just lock myself in the room, creating content to post weekly on my blog. One night when I was creating a blog post, the name, “I DARE NOT DREAD” popped into my mind. I quickly jotted it down and kept on with my post.

A few years later, I had just returned from completing my Masters in the United Kingdom, and while job searching, I spent some time listening to TED Talks. Then the idea came to me! “Why not create a platform like this to inspire people to do great things?”

I applied for the licence to host a TEDx event, and when the point came to write what I would call the event, I simply filled ‘iDare.NotDread.’ Awaiting a response from the team in 6-8 weeks appeared too long for me; so, I proceeded to set up my own event in Abuja with the same name, creating the platform for people to share the stories and ideas that have made them thrive in spite of fear.

Over time, I realised I needed to do more to help people create their own stories. And that’s where the idea of building capacity came. Now, with my experience with digital marketing, iDare.NotDread’s approach from 2016 turned to contribute to conversations around digital technology and creating a good impact in the digital space.

Since then, our efforts have given birth superbrands taking great steps in spite of fear. In the past 3 years, we have successfully trained over 4,000 entrepreneurs on digital strategies as well as providing opportunities for business visibility. Many thanks to the opportunity Google granted us through the Digital Skills for Africa programme and a host of other partners who has trusted us to work with them.

Currently, we are setting up communities that take people through complete training programs to launch their knowledge, gifts and ideas to the world and solve problems for people globally. One of such programs which are doing really well is our eBook Launch Program which has trained over 200 women to become Authors, establishing themselves as experts in their niche, and exploring the numerous opportunities that comes with such bold step.

Our brand name is more than just a title. It’s a philosophy that has always driven me as well as others to act in spite of fear. We keep making an impact in peoples lives day after day.

Image credit: Amba Eyang-Ajakaiye

3. We Also Noticed That You Run An Ebook Program (with about 99% of the participants as women)? Tell Us More About The Program & The Achievements You’ve Recorded So Far.

Yes, the eBook Launch Program is one of the most rewarding initiatives I began in 2019. It started with me launching my first eBook on the 1st of March 2019, titled, ‘HOW TO WRITE YOUR FIRST EBOOK’. The book was free, and in it, I offered people the opportunity to join me on a 30-days eBook Challenge online, where I would train and guide them for free on how to write and launch their own first eBooks by the 1st of April.

This sparked lots of interest, and as intakes reached the number I thought I could manage, I closed entry and we all got to work. By the end of the month, I was thrilled to see the outcome. The people who joined me 30 days earlier (95% of whom were women), realised the potential they carried and understood the importance of establishing themselves as AUTHORities in their niche!

By April, a good number of them excelled with the challenge and earned the title ‘Author’ – a feat that previously appeared too ambitious for them. The reviews poured out, and by the next batch, intakes increased. Our community of doers grew as more people accepted the challenge to write and launch their ebooks in 30 days. And the feedback has been outstanding!

Some cases, in particular, have blown my mind! One of us, a PhD student abroad, who was in Nigeria on study leave, said she had this strong feeling to publish a book. Next thing, she went on Instagram and my advert was the first thing she saw on her screen. She quickly joined the program but wasn’t too sure about what exactly to write on.

After some interaction back and forth, including attempts to drop out twice, she was encouraged to stay on and complete the challenge. And in her first week of launch, she sold over 50 copies! Next thing, she published her eBook on Kindle (Amazon) and by month-end, she had already earned six figures. Note that this was her first time selling anything online. Her eBook, ‘How to Strip it off’, was exposing her to new audiences and helping people heal from emotional pain. Opportunities began to open for her, including media interviews and invitation to speak and host conferences.

Another outstanding result was from one of our Cohort 5 members who launched her eBook helping food businesses to improve their pricing with clients and eliminate losses. By the end of the first month, she had made over N1 million from her eBook. And not just that, she proceeded to build a Mentorship community, helping Nigerian food vendors to improve their businesses.

I could go on and on about how our program is helping transform so many women’s lives and businesses. Every other month, we release a new cohort of Authors publishing their ideas and solutions online, to the public. Cohort 6 is currently ongoing, and we have begun registration for the next cohort.

4. What “Oh, Shit!” Moments Have You Had Since Establishing Your Business & How Have These mistakes Shaped You To Become Better?

Before now, I ran my business alongside my 9 to 5 job, consulting for international organisations. I knew someday I would leave my job and focus entirely on the business, but I wasn’t quite ready. My ‘Oh, Shit’ moment happened in March 2019 when my consulting job in Kano ended abruptly. The contract was sure to be extended, but the news got to us that the project would be closing sooner than planned and some staff would be retrenched. I was in a team of two and almost certain they wouldn’t reduce our team to one person. But Oops! they did! And I just had 2 days to wrap up and handover. Then for real, I realised “Oh shit! Here we go!”

By the next week, I was back in Abuja, picking up my business full time! I was so glad I had something to pick up.

Image credit: Amba Eyang-Ajakaiye

5. If You Could Have A Lunch Date With One Lady Boss You Admire – Who Would That Be & What Would You Ask Her?

I would like to have a lunch date with Amina Mohammed, the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations. I am intrigued by her rise to that point of leadership and would like to ask her how she is able to balance things out as a woman in such a demanding international position, a wife and a mother.

6. Your Top 3 Book Recommendations For Female Entrepreneurs?

My 3 book recommendations for entrepreneurs would be:

i. From Mediocrity to Millions by Jay Abraham, the highest paid marketing consultant in the United States. This book got me screaming in my room and jotting down lots of points when I first read it in January 2019.

ii. Blue Ocean Strategy by Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne, which will expose anyone to the genius in them to differentiate, take over market space, and make the competition irrelevant. That book is powerful.

iii. Small Business, Big Money by Akin Alabi, for every Nigerian business to gain insight from a Nigerian perspective on how to market and grow our businesses.

The Leading Ladies Lady Boss Quick 5 Series is a weekly interview series focuses on women of African descent, showcases their experiences across all socio-economic sectors, highlights their personal and professional achievements and offers useful advice on how to make life more satisfying for women.

Do you know any woman of African descent doing phenomenal things? Send an email to lead@leadingladiesafrica.org and we just might feature her.

On the #LadyBossQuickFive series this week, we sit with Rea Ann Silva, CEO and Founder of revolutionary beauty kit, BeautyBlender. What started as an idea to get actors quickly glammed up but expertly too has birthed an innovation that has been adopted by millions of women across the world including (beauty) influencers like Kim Kardashian, Yara Shahidi etc. Rea Ann Silva discusses with LLA some entrepreneurship myths she’s had to contend with while building a global brand and some resource recommendations for entrepreneurs. Lean In!

What does Entrepreneurship mean to you? 

Entrepreneurship means that you don’t have the advantage of working in a predetermined structure where there are processes and rules. You have to manage yourself. At the same time, you are 100% responsible for everything that happens. You don’t get the luxury of passing the challenges off to someone else.

How did you set out with building the Beauty Blender brand? (your motivation and how you were able to forge ahead even in the face of many dissenting voices)

I was working on the makeup set for the show- ‘Girlfriends’ and it was shot in HD, so I needed something that made the actors and actresses look flawless on camera. I needed an airbrush look but I couldn’t use an airbrush machine, so I started to play around with some special effects tools and experimenting with wetting sponges/cutting them into different shapes. When people started stealing them on set, I knew I was on to something.

On dealing with dissenting voices, when you don’t really have a choice to succeed, you just don’t let that voice stay in your head. I was a single parent and taking a big chance, using all of my money and everything to start and being a resourceful person, figuring out how to overcome obstacles has always been something I enjoy doing so I just didn’t listen to the doubt. I’d just switch my focus and instead use that energy to overcome whatever my challenge was.

Can you share some entrepreneurship myths you have encountered on your journey?

The entrepreneurship myth that I debunked was that you won’t make money until year 3 of our journey. I’m here to say I didn’t make money until year 8 because I remained self-funded. I didn’t take a pay check and kept reinvesting back into my company which meant that I continued to work as a celebrity MUA to support my family and my company.

If you could have a lunch date with one Lady Boss you admire, who would that be and what would you ask her?

I would love to have a lunch date with Oprah. I would ask her “how do you run a business and make business decisions that aren’t necessarily in the same space as your heart?”

Can you share 3 greatest lessons you have learned on your business journey/while building a global brand?

Trust your gut- it’s stronger than you know.

We get really caught up in the moment and wonder about all these “what if’s” but things always have a way of working themselves out, we just have to trust ourselves and the process.

Patience is a virtue

If you have an idea, have the patience to see it through. It might be scary and there are definitely going to be moments where you feel discouraged, but you have to always keep moving forward. I never took ‘no’ for an answer—even when I was putting everything on the line. It’s hard advice to take but sometimes the risk is worth the reward.

Lastly, I have learned to be aware/okay with not knowing everything. What matters is recognizing the right person for the job you need to get done.

What are 3 resources (book, podcast, website) you’d recommend for entrepreneurs?

One of the books I read early into my beautyblender journey was the “22 Immutable Laws of Branding”. I currently also listen to the podcast “How I Built This” as well as watch many episodes of Shark Tank.

About Rea Ann Silva

Rea Ann Silva approaches her brand through an artist’s lens. Her experience spans a 20+ year journey as one of the most sought-after makeup artists in Hollywood – known best for the flawless, glowing looks she created on-set and on the red carpet. She used that talent to revolutionize the makeup industry as the creative force behind the original Beautyblender, the multiple award-winning genius cosmetic sponge applicator that has taken the beauty world by storm.

Beautyblender was born in the makeup trailer of television’s first Hi-Definition shows. The constant touch-ups throughout the day required damp, hand-cut, edgeless sponges to mimic the look of skin. Soon, every celebrity that sat in Rea Ann’s chair wanted their own sponge. A lot of ingenuity and creativity later the iconic pink sponge was born.

Minimal effort, maximum results – that’s Rea Ann’s mantra! She created an easy to use, versatile tool that the professional and everyday consumer could use anytime, anywhere to achieve a beautiful, flawless complexion. Fifteen years later, Rea Ann oversees a global brand born from a simple need that is now the driving force in beauty complexion innovation.

As a Latina, mother, “glamma”, celebrity makeup artist and beauty entrepreneur, Rea Ann believes that our time in front of the mirror needs to be easy, fun and should require as little mess and fuss as possible.

She has set her sights on continuing to develop tools and makeup products that incorporate the tips and tricks she has learned throughout her makeup artist career – ones that offer seamless solutions to some of our most
common beauty dilemmas.

Today, this “category creator” has changed the way consumers around the globe “makeup” and inspired a line of color cosmetics designed to deliver, flawless, effortless results.

Siba Mtongana is an international multi-award winning culinary extraordinaire, food expert, author, entrepreneur, mom and wife.

She is the first African Culinary Star to have a global reach and influence in over 135 countries, with her show on Food Network, Siba’s Table.

Siba’s Table has won Siba five international awards at the US Film and Television Awards for her cooking show, and another four awards locally for her contribution to the South African food and TV industry.

More recently, Siba was the recipient of the Prestigious Ubuntu Award, in the youth category, which recognizes the exemplary work she does locally and for flying the South African flag high on a global stage.

One of the biggest highlights for Siba and her company The Siba Co, was being hand-picked by the South African Presidency to direct and curate the VIP menu for the 2019 Inauguration of President Cyril Ramaphosa where she served 450 guests which included over 70 Heads of States, former presidents as well as kings and queens from the continent and around world.

In 2017, Siba won two awards at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in China, the first for her self-published cookbook titled ‘My Table’, and the second, the Prestige Award: Special Award of the Jury for the impact of her book in South Africa, the only African to ever have received this accolade.

Locally, Siba’s Cookbook went on to become the bestselling cookbook in the history of Woolworth’s cookbook sales.

Siba is now an ambassador for Foodbank South Africa, an organisation that helps fight hunger/malnutrition in the country. She’s also been interviewed and profiled on CNN International for her global influence in food and her work with Rise Against Hunger.

Siba Mtongana is our muse on the Lady Boss Quick Five Series. Dive in!

What does Entrepreneurship mean to you?

Entrepreneurship for me, speaks to innovation, identifying gaps in the market and finding creative ways to respond to them in ways that no one else has.

It means job creation, skills development and upliftment, and for me it is a way to contribute positively towards the South African economy on a greater scale.

It can also mean being self-reliant and independent in an economy where instability and uncertainty is the norm. It is a way of creating balance which I need by having flexible working hours that allow me some time with my children. It’s also about building a legacy and sustainability for myself and my family.

Can you share some entrepreneurship myths you have encountered on your journey?

“Once the business is on its feet, it will be smooth sailing.”

Business is ever evolving because customers and the economy are continuously evolving and as a business owner you need to be geared to adapt.

“Starting a business guarantees freedom.”

At the start, you are everything to your business- the accountant, the marketing department, human resource department and everything in between and using time effectively becomes critical.

More often than not, you work so much harder as the business owner and the first few years are often invested in the business – sometimes without pay in order to get it off the ground. Freedom comes later and even then, there are other needs that demands your time at that particular level.

If you could have a lunch date with one Lady Boss you admire – who would that be and what would you ask her?

Martha Stewart – I would ask Martha how she managed to upscale her business without compromising on quality and still maintaining control over all aspects of the business.

Oprah Winfrey – I would ask Oprah what her greatest lessons in building and running her own television network has been. Oprah has been public about the challenges that came with the transition from HARPO to OWN and she is still relevant now as she was back in the day.

3 greatest lessons you have learned on your entrepreneurship journey?

1. Good and impactful mentorship is priceless and the mentor doesn’t have to come from the same industry to have an impact on your personal and business outlook. If you don’t have a mentor, then the likes of Ted Talks, and many other meaningful resources like books on leadership and management should be your go to place.

2. Invest in the things that matter, and don’t cut corners. Your work force is one of those elements I would suggest you invest in as well as ensuring that systems and operations are sound especially as your business grows.

You must also make sure that you use your money wisely as there is no point in being in business if there is no ROI in the long run.

3. Never ever think you are ahead of the game. It is always important to keep researching, keep innovating to stay at the top of your game.

On a side note, if technology is not one of your strong points make the time and effort to educate yourself because it does not matter what industry you are in, technology has ultimate an impact on your business and its trajectory.

As customers become more and more “instant” you must understand which parts of your business and value chain you can either innovate through technology or how technology can be used to enhance your customer experience and convenience.

3 book recommendations for entrepreneurs?

Grinding it out – The making of McDonald’s – Ray Krok

The Starbucks experience- 5 principles for turning ordinary into the extraordinary- Joseph Michelli

Built to Last – Successful Habits of Visionary Companies – James Collins

The Founder and Executive Director of Style House Files, a creative development agency for Nigerian and African designers, Omoyemi Akerele is widely regarded as a driving force behind Nigeria’s burgeoning fashion industry.

Style House Files works with Nigerian brands on image, creative direction, brand positioning and retail strategies. Omoyemi also helps brands gain essential international exposure through showcases at Pitti Immagine in Italy, and through Lagos Fashion and Design Week.

Founded by Akerele in 2011, LFDW runs a four-day schedule featuring a select list of up-and-coming designers and fashion entrepreneurs. Partnered with the British Fashion Council , the show has been instrumental in raising the profile of the Nigerian fashion industry, and has drawn international attention and acclaim from journalists such as Suzy Menkes and Cristina Manfredi, as well as attracting a host of international buyers.

Prior to Style House Files, Akerele worked as senior style editor at popular fashion magazine True Love, and set up an image consulting agency with Bola Balogun, a local Nigerian celebrity stylist.

Trained as a lawyer from the University of Lagos, Akerele has also completed a masters in international economic law from the University of Warwick, and worked at prestigious Nigerian law firm Olaniwun Ajayi & Co from 2000 to 2003.

Omoyemi Akerele shares some of her thoughts on entrepreneurship on the #LadyBossQuickFive series.

What does Entrepreneurship mean to you?

Entrepreneurship means being a solution provider. At Style House Files, we believe fashion can be a vehicle for socio-economic change so we are driven daily by the need to contribute to closing some of the missing gaps in the textile / apparel sector and sub sectors.

If you weren’t an entrepreneur, you would… 

I would teach in rural communities

If you could have a lunch date with one Lady Boss you admire – who would that be and what would you ask her? 

Serena Williams – I’ll ask her everything!! 

3 book recommendations for entrepreneurs? 

Shoe Dog – Phil Knight 

Know Your Why – Ken Costa 

The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari – Robin Sharma

Outliers – Malcom Gladwell

Blow – By Blow

The social media platform that has helped your business the most is?

That’s easy – Instagram (The business of fashion) 

Helena Koudou is a 23-year-old Ivorian-American model, actress and hair braider based in New York City. Aside being a creative, she is also an undergraduate student studying Business marketing. “Slayed in Braids” is a braiding service and business that she started in 2018. In that same year, she collaborated with other creatives to create meaningful projects like ”Hair Appointment” which caught the attention of Essence, ID, CNN Africa, Vogue magazine and other publications. With any projects that Helena Koudou is working on, her goal is to celebrate the beauty of her culture and inspire other creatives as well. Read her thoughts on entrepreneurship below.

What does entrepreneurship mean to you?

When I think of the word “entrepreneurship”, I think of being a boss working for yourself and owning your own business. I also think of a hardworking individual making sacrifices to make their dreams come true. Those sacrifices can be losing sleep or working two other jobs to fund your business. Almost all of my friends are entrepreneurs, so I get to see the blood sweat and tears that they put into their businesses.

If you weren’t an entrepreneur, you would be?

I would be an actor. Acting is my first love but living in an African home, I wasn’t getting the support and encouragement that I wanted. So, I was really discouraged and decided to try other things. Thankfully, I discovered other talents like hair braiding which is a great side hustle and a beautiful art form. However, sometimes I think about going back into acting. So, we’ll see what I get into next.

If you could have a lunch date with one lady boss, you admire- who would that be and what would you ask her?

There are several women I would love to have a lunch date with but one of them would have to be Rihanna. Only because she is killing the game right now and it’s not even with music. She now has a billion-dollar makeup company which I mainly use on my skin, a lingerie brand and now a clothing brand in collaboration with LVMH. She is the definition of a boss! I would ask her “What advice would she give her younger self.” I think that question is a good question to ask anyone because most of the time, that answer would be a very important lesson that they learned and would probably pass it on to others.

3 book recommendations for entrepreneurs?

I am not exactly inclined to entrepreneurial books. I literally learn from everyone around me. I am however open to book  recommendations!

The social media platform that has helped your business the most is?

Instagram! That is where I get most of my clients, post all of my work, and network with people in the same industry. I’ve made some great relationships with some people through Instagram and also collaborated with amazing creatives on that social media platform.