Women of Rubies, Author at Women of Rubies

In Career Gems October 27, 2026 By Women of Rubies

Hephzibah Emereole Leads UnlockYou Consulting’s Strategic Partnerships to Advance AI Adoption Across Industries

Artificial intelligence is becoming a business conversation across industries. For organisations exploring its potential, the challenge involves identifying useful applications, preparing their teams and understanding how to adopt new tools responsibly.

For Hephzibah Emereole, Founder and Managing Director of UnlockYou Consulting Ltd, addressing these needs is a collaborative undertaking.

Working alongside the company’s co-director, team members and collaborators, the UK-based technology entrepreneur is developing a consulting firm that brings together technology expertise, business strategy, leadership development and professional training.

The company’s next phase includes strategic conference partnerships supporting plans for a cross-industry AI conference in the United Kingdom in the first quarter of 2027.

Strategic Partnerships for a Cross-Industry AI Conference

According to UnlockYou Consulting, the company has secured strategic conference partnerships with D’VANGUARD PROPERTY LIMITED and Property Wealth Corporation as part of its plans for the proposed event.

The conference aims to bring together organisations and professionals from technology, healthcare, property, financial services and other industries to explore practical applications of artificial intelligence.

Its cross-industry focus reflects the company’s intention to engage businesses of different sizes and sectors, each facing distinct questions about how AI could affect their operations and workforce.

The involvement of D’VANGUARD PROPERTY LIMITED and Property Wealth Corporation represents the initiative’s early engagement with the property sector.

As preparations progress, the UnlockYou Consulting team intends to welcome additional partners from technology, healthcare, professional services and other industries. The aim is to create a platform for knowledge exchange, practical learning and collaboration across sectors.

Moving from AI Awareness to Practical Implementation

The planned conference will explore how business leaders, entrepreneurs and professionals can move from understanding AI to applying it within their organisations.

Proposed themes include agentic AI, business process automation, AI governance, workforce readiness, productivity and industry-specific applications.

Through its specialist division, UnlockYou AI, the company provides corporate training and advisory services in generative AI, agentic AI, workflow automation, AI-assisted productivity and responsible technology adoption.

Its work includes helping organisations assess their workflows, identify suitable tools and develop the capabilities needed to use them effectively.

For businesses considering AI adoption, these services connect technology decisions with practical questions about processes, staff skills and organisational goals.

Developing Leadership and Communication Skills

Alongside its AI work, UnlockYou Consulting supports professional development through UnlockYou Academy.

The Academy specialises in executive communication coaching, public speaking, presentation skills, leadership development and corporate communication training.

These services complement the company’s technology work by addressing the people involved in organisational change. Introducing new systems also requires leaders who can explain decisions, communicate expectations and support their teams through unfamiliar processes.

Across its divisions, the firm combines technical training with professional development to support both organisational systems and the people using them.

The Founder and Team Behind UnlockYou Consulting

Before establishing UnlockYou Consulting, Emereole worked as a Software Engineer at Goldman Sachs in London. She holds a first-class degree in Computer Science from Ashesi University in Ghana and has completed executive education in AI Ethics, Regulation and Compliance at the University of Oxford.

She has also held leadership positions within Toastmasters International, including serving as an Area Director in the United Kingdom. Her background informs the company’s direction, while its development draws on the contributions of the wider team.

Under Emereole’s leadership, UnlockYou Consulting is being developed through the collective efforts of its co-director, team members and collaborators, who contribute expertise across strategy, operations, business development and programme delivery. Together, they are building a consulting firm that combines technology, leadership development and practical business solutions.

The company’s wider initiatives also benefit from the contributions of volunteers. This collective approach recognises the different skills and contributions involved in developing partnerships, delivering programmes and supporting the firm’s growth.

Extending a Commitment to Education

Beyond her business role, Emereole is the Founder of Hephzy Scholars Foundation, which supports educational access, mentorship and career development for young Africans. The foundation extends her commitment to learning beyond corporate environments, supporting young people as they prepare for educational and professional opportunities.

Across her entrepreneurial and community work, education remains a recurring focus: helping people develop the knowledge, confidence and capabilities to take their next steps.

Looking Ahead to Q1 2027

UnlockYou Consulting’s proposed UK AI conference is currently being developed for the first quarter of 2027.

Further announcements will provide details about additional partners, speakers, the venue, programme and registration.

The company welcomes expressions of interest from prospective industry partners, corporate sponsors, technology specialists and speakers. Organisations seeking AI training or business automation support are also invited to connect.

With Emereole providing founder-led direction and a dedicated team contributing across the business, UnlockYou Consulting is working to create opportunities for practical learning and collaboration across industries.

Explore partnerships, sponsorship or corporate training: Visit UnlockYou Consulting or email info@unlockyouconsulting.com.

Learn more about her educational outreach through Hephzy Scholars Foundation.

In Career Gems October 20, 2026 By Women of Rubies

Media Visibility Bootcamp 6.0 Highlights: Turning Expertise into Business Opportunities

What happens after people discover your work? Can they understand your value, trust your expertise and see where you belong in the conversations that matter?

These questions shaped the conversations at Women of Rubies’ Media Visibility Bootcamp 6.0, held virtually on October 17 and 18, 2026. Across two days, speakers and panelists explored the connections between personal branding, business growth, financial confidence, digital security, leadership and strategic visibility.

Convened by Esther Ijewere, Founder of Women of Rubies and Media Strategist & Brand Visibility Consultant, the bootcamp encouraged women to move from learning into action.

Day 1: Building the Foundations for Sustainable Visibility

Moderated by Dr. Oluwanifemi “Niffy” Fagbohun, Day 1 brought together perspectives on the personal and business foundations that support a visible brand.

Keynote speaker Sarah Hashem opened the conversation with an encouraging message about potential and the possibilities women can pursue when they recognise their value.

The sessions that followed connected that encouragement to practical decisions about money, business systems, marketing and showing up consistently.

Give Your Money a Purpose

Hosna Kadary shared a straightforward framework for financial confidence: know it, plan it, automate it and review it.

Her message encouraged participants to understand their financial position, give their money a purpose, choose a sustainable savings amount and review their progress regularly. For founders, the takeaway was practical: financial habits deserve the same attention as the public-facing parts of a business.

Build a Business That Can Support Growth

Ola Adeyemi brought business growth into the visibility conversation through her session on creating a business that scales.

Her contribution invited founders to consider what happens when increased attention brings more enquiries, customers and opportunities. Visibility works best when the business behind it has the capacity, systems and direction to respond.

Let Visibility Build Over Time

Linda Du contributed insights on building in public and allowing visibility to develop through continued sharing.

Her session offered a reminder that founders do not need to wait until every part of their journey feels polished before communicating their work. Useful ideas, experiences and lessons can help audiences understand the person and purpose behind a business.

Protect Your Presence and Choose a Sustainable Schedule

During the fireside conversation, Funke Ernest-Omoruyi shared practical cybersecurity reminders: use unique passwords with a password manager, enable two-step verification and verify links before clicking.

Preethi Balasubramanian encouraged participants to choose a small, repeatable content schedule they could maintain, instead of stretching themselves across every platform and becoming overwhelmed.

Princess Adetola Oluyede connected visibility to marketing strategy, encouraging founders to think about how their content and positioning support business goals and conversion.

Together, these conversations showed why a sustainable visibility plan needs security, consistency and a clear purpose.

Day 2: Using Your Voice with Clarity and Intention

Guided by moderator Tosin Ayodele, Day 2 explored authenticity, confident communication, podcasting, leadership and reputation management.

The conversations encouraged participants to think about how they want to be known and what they need to put in place as their influence grows.

Use AI Without Losing Your Voice

Hava Maloku addressed authenticity in the age of artificial intelligence, particularly in content creation.

Her message encouraged participants to use AI as support while retaining their own experience, perspective and judgment. Content should still reflect the person or business it represents. The practical lesson was to review AI-assisted work carefully and add the insights that come from lived experience and expertise.

Communicate Your Value Clearly

Cynthia Mwangi focused on communicating with clarity and confidence. Whether introducing a business, speaking on a panel or presenting an idea, professionals need to help others understand what they do and why it matters. Her contribution encouraged participants to practise explaining their value and delivering their message with greater confidence.

Let Podcasting Take Your Expertise Further

Event host and podcast coach Ejiro Osakede highlighted podcasting as a way to make ideas, expertise, experience and perspectives available to people who might never otherwise encounter them.

Her session invited participants to consider the conversations they are equipped to lead and the knowledge they could share beyond their immediate networks.

Ejiro also offered two podcast training sessions for those interested in learning more. Enquiries about the opportunity can be sent to info@womenofrubies.com.

A Special Guest of Honour: Women’s Leadership Above the Whispers

A highlight of the second day was the participation of Her Excellency, Erelu Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, Special Guest of Honour.

The Co-founder of the African Women’s Development Fund and gender and development specialist spoke about the importance of women in leadership rising above the whispers. Her contribution brought a wider leadership perspective to the bootcamp: women’s voices belong in public conversations, and growing visibility calls for courage, purpose and a commitment to the work that matters.

Visibility, Access and Reputation

The Day 2 fireside conversation brought together Monica Kretschmer, Ibukun Omololu and Esther Ijewere.

Monica encouraged women to invest in media opportunities, explaining:

“Invest in media opportunities because visibility creates access and proximity creates opportunity.”

Her message connected visibility to relationships, networks and the conversations that can lead to new possibilities.

Ibukun reminded participants that meaningful contribution does not require being the loudest voice in the room. Intentional participation and a clear understanding of your value can help you make an impact.

Esther addressed protecting your reputation as your visibility grows. Her contribution highlighted the importance of clear boundaries, documentation and thoughtful communication, alongside a focus on relevance when building a brand.

Turning the Bootcamp Lessons into Action

The next step is to choose a lesson and put it to work.

Participants and readers can begin by:

Updating their professional bio to explain their expertise clearly.
Choosing a realistic content schedule.
Reviewing passwords and enabling two-step verification.
Identifying a relevant media platform to pitch.
Applying for a speaking opportunity or an award for which they qualify.
Keeping business agreements and delivery records organised.
Sharing one useful insight from their own experience.

A manageable action, followed through consistently, gives learning a practical purpose.

Thank You to the MVBC 6.0 Community

Women of Rubies thanks our Special Guest of Honour, keynote speaker, main speakers, panelists, moderators and participants for their time and contributions. We also appreciate Naijapreneur Canada, House of PAc Media and Montreal Vendors for helping amplify the bootcamp, alongside the team working behind the scenes.

Every question, shared experience and thoughtful conversation helped shape this edition.

Continue Your Visibility Journey with Women of Rubies

Women of Rubies supports women in communicating their expertise through storytelling, visibility strategy and media outreach.

Explore how to work with Women of Rubies, discover more stories and resources on our blog, or email info@womenofrubies.com to discuss your visibility goals.

Replay update: The recordings are being prepared. Registered participants whose packages include replay access will receive their access details by email once the replays are ready.

The bootcamp has ended. The opportunity to act on its lessons continues.

In Inspiration October 17, 2026 By Women of Rubies

Wendy Nwajiufor Is Helping Women and Newcomers Build Their Place in Tech

For women and newcomers pursuing careers in technology, technical knowledge is only part of the journey. Access to mentorship, professional networks and opportunities to develop confidence can also shape how they move forward.

Wendy Nwajiufor has made creating that access a central part of her work. An award-winning tech leader, project manager and senior business analyst, Wendy brings more than a decade of experience leading complex business transformation initiatives across multiple industries. As Founder and President of WinTECH Community, she applies that experience to helping women and underrepresented professionals build meaningful careers.

Building a community around opportunity

WinTECH Community is a Canadian nonprofit dedicated to empowering women, young girls and underrepresented professionals through mentorship, career development, leadership training, digital skills and entrepreneurship.

Under Wendy’s leadership, the organisation has supported hundreds of professionals as they develop their careers, expand their networks and gain confidence in navigating the technology sector.

The community’s work recognises that people need different kinds of support at different stages. Someone exploring a STEM career may need exposure to possible pathways. A newcomer may need guidance on communicating existing experience in a new professional environment. An emerging leader may be looking for mentorship and opportunities to take on greater responsibility.

Through WinTECH, Wendy helps create spaces where women can learn, ask questions and build relationships that support their next steps.

Bringing professional experience into community leadership

Alongside her community work, Wendy has built expertise in project management, business analysis, Agile delivery, process improvement, stakeholder engagement and digital transformation.

Her work involves helping organisations understand business needs, coordinate people and processes, and deliver change. These skills also inform how she approaches mentorship and community development: identifying barriers, understanding what people need and helping them take practical steps forward.

Her professional qualifications include SAP ERP certification in Human Resources, Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP), Certified Scrum Master (CSM), Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) and ITIL certification.

Wendy also contributes as an educator, speaker, mentor and content creator. She shares practical insights on technology careers, leadership, immigration and professional growth with audiences across Canada and beyond.

Recognition for advancing STEM and community impact

Wendy’s commitment to service has earned recognition across technology and community leadership.

Her honours include the King Charles III Coronation Medal, recognising contributions to Canadian communities and the country, and the STEM Advancement Award from Lotus Hope Foundation for her contributions to STEM education, mentorship and community empowerment.

She has also received a Community Champion Award from the YMCA, a Women in Tech Excellence Award from Remarkable Women Inc., and an Innovative Award from Canada Vendors.

These recognitions reflect the connection between her professional work and her commitment to helping others access opportunities.

Helping people turn potential into progress

At the centre of Wendy’s work is a clear mission: removing barriers and equipping people with the skills, confidence and connections to build meaningful careers. Whether she is mentoring an emerging professional, speaking to an audience or leading a community initiative, her focus remains on helping people recognise their potential and take steps towards it.

Beyond her professional and community commitments, Wendy values quality time with her husband and children. Her story is a reminder that leadership can extend beyond the projects a person delivers. It can also be measured in the people they support and the opportunities they help others access.

Connect with Wendy Nwajiufor and WinTECH Community

Explore WinTECH Community’s work, programmes and opportunities:

Website: https://www.womenintechcommunity.org
Wendy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendynwaji/
WinTECH on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wintechcommunity
Instagram: @wintech_ca
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WinTECH-WomeninTECHCommunity

In Inspiration October 12, 2026 By Women of Rubies

Kesiena E. Edionhon: Helping Professionals Turn Experience into Opportunity

For experienced professionals, the next chapter can begin with recognising the value of what they already know. Years spent delivering projects, solving problems and building teams can become the foundation for new opportunities.

That possibility sits at the heart of Kesiena E. Edionhon’s work.

A consultant and entrepreneur with more than a decade of experience across technology, project delivery, talent building, business operations and consulting, Kesiena helps professionals and organisations identify practical paths for growth.

Through Synergy One Consulting, Career Leverage and Synergy One Lending, she brings together the different strands of her experience to address a shared question: how can people and businesses move forward with the knowledge, resources and capabilities available to them?

Connecting People, Technology and Business

Kesiena’s career has developed at the intersection of people, technology and business. Her work has included helping organisations solve operational problems, build effective teams and deliver projects within a changing professional landscape.

Her experience in technology and human resourcing also gave her insight into two connected challenges. Organisations need people with the right skills to support their goals, while experienced professionals need to communicate and position their expertise for suitable opportunities.

Understanding both perspectives has shaped her approach to consulting and entrepreneurship. She combines strategic thinking with practical experience, paying attention to the people and processes that make a solution work.

Building Sustainable Paths Through Synergy One Consulting

As the founder of Synergy One Consulting, Kesiena draws on her background in technology, business operations, consulting and talent to support organisations and professionals.

Her work centres on helping clients solve problems and create sustainable paths for growth. Whether the challenge involves project delivery, team development or professional positioning, her approach reflects an understanding of how business needs and individual capabilities connect.

It is an approach built through experience across several professional disciplines—and strengthened by her own journey as a business founder.

Helping Professionals Explore What Comes Next

Kesiena is also the founder of Career Leverage, a platform focused on helping experienced professionals in Canada explore possibilities beyond the traditional career path.

Through the platform and its podcast, she examines topics including consulting, contracting, government opportunities, professional positioning, pricing and the practical realities of building an independent career.

These conversations encourage professionals to consider how their existing expertise might translate into a different way of working. They also address the decisions involved in making that transition, from explaining the value of their experience to understanding how to price their services.

Grounded in practical experience and conversations, Career Leverage reflects Kesiena’s interest in helping people turn years of knowledge into influence, income and impact.

Bringing a Client-Focused Approach to Financial Services

Kesiena’s entrepreneurial work also includes Synergy One Lending, a Canadian lending business focused on making access to personal financing simpler and more straightforward. In this venture, she applies the problem-solving and client-focused approach that has shaped her work in technology and consulting.

While each of her businesses serves a different need, they share a consistent emphasis: understanding a challenge and developing a practical response.

A Career That Continues to Evolve

Across her ventures, Kesiena’s work reflects a commitment to creating opportunities, solving problems and helping people and businesses move forward. Her journey has expanded from technology and project consulting into building businesses and supporting others as they consider their next steps.

For Women of Rubies, her story highlights the value of experience—and the possibilities that can emerge when women recognise that their skills can serve them in more than one setting.

Kesiena E. Edionhon continues to bring technology, business, people and entrepreneurship together, helping others consider how what they already know can contribute to what comes next.

Connect with Kesiena E. Edionhon

Explore her work and follow her professional and business platforms:

LinkedIn: Kesiena’s professional profile
Career Leverage: @careerleverage_executiveedge
Career Leverage Podcast: @careerleveragepodcast
Synergy One Lending: @s1_lending
Synergy One Consulting: synergy1cc.com
Synergy One Lending website: synergy-onelending.com

In Inspiration October 10, 2026 By Women of Rubies

Ejiro Osakede Brings Practical Podcasting to the Media Visibility Bootcamp 6.0

Your next visibility opportunity could begin with a conversation only you can lead.

For women with expertise, lived experience and stories worth sharing, podcasting offers space to communicate beyond a short social media post. It creates room for thoughtful conversations, useful insights and a voice an audience can come to recognise.

At the Women of Rubies Media Visibility Bootcamp 6.0, Ejiro Osakede will lead a practical podcasting session on Day 2, October 18, 2026, bringing her experience in audio, storytelling and podcast coaching to the conversation.

Meet Ejiro Osakede, The Energetic EJ

Known as The Energetic EJ, Ejiro Osakede is a podcaster, podcast coach, event host and voice artist. A trained audio engineer, she brings experience in creating audio content and bringing scripts and stories to life

She is the voice behind Stretch Street Podcast, where she shares conversations about the experiences that stretch people and shape their growth. In a published interview, Ejiro explained that her interest in podcasting grew from a desire to make a positive impact through her voice, before developing into sharing lessons through other people’s stories.

Her experience extends to supporting other podcasters. She has also spoken about running Profiting Podcasters Hub, a community for people who have completed her podcast training.

A perspective rooted in doing the work

Ejiro brings the creative and practical sides of podcasting together. Her background in audio supports the production process, while her experience hosting conversations connects that process to the people and stories behind each episode.

Her own journey also offers a lesson in positioning. She describes how podcasting and live streaming helped her establish a clearer professional identity while supporting others in starting, growing and monetising their podcasts.

For bootcamp participants, that experience adds a valuable perspective: building visibility involves helping people understand what you do, why it matters and what they can turn to you for.

Why podcasting belongs in the visibility conversation

A podcast can give a founder space to explain the thinking behind her business. It can help a professional share knowledge beyond her immediate workplace, or enable an advocate to bring different voices into a conversation.

The opportunity begins with a clear purpose. Who do you want to reach? What can you contribute? Which conversations would be useful enough for someone to return to? These questions connect podcasting to the wider work of building a recognisable brand. Consistent, relevant conversations can help an audience become familiar with your perspective over time.

A practical session at the bootcamp

Ejiro’s session will bring podcasting into the bootcamp’s focus on visibility, communication and sharing expertise. Participants will have an opportunity to explore this format with someone who has worked as both a creator and a coach. For women who have been considering a podcast, the session is a reason to move the idea from “someday” into a more intentional conversation about getting started.

Join Ejiro at the Media Visibility Bootcamp

The Media Visibility Bootcamp 6.0 takes place virtually on October 17–18, 2026. Day 1 runs from 12–2 PM ET, and Day 2 runs from 2–4 PM ET. The two-day experience brings together expert sessions, conversations and practical learning for women looking to strengthen their visibility and communicate their value with confidence. Your voice can become a platform for your expertise. Take the next step.

Reserve your access.

In Career Gems October 10, 2026 By Women of Rubies

How Vivian Kaye Built Visibility Beyond Her Business

For many entrepreneurs, the product becomes the centre of every conversation about their work. They explain what they sell, who it serves and why someone should buy it. Yet the knowledge behind that product can be just as valuable.

Vivian Kaye’s journey offers a useful example. The Ghanaian-Canadian entrepreneur founded KinkyCurlyYaki, built it into a seven-figure business and developed a public presence that also encompasses speaking, media appearances and education.

Her story invites founders to consider a question: beyond your product, what do you want people to recognise your expertise for?

A business rooted in personal experience

Born in Tema, Ghana, Vivian moved to Toronto as a toddler. Before launching KinkyCurlyYaki, she worked in several industries and established Vivian’s Decor & Designs, a wedding décor business she started in 2006.

The idea for her next venture emerged while she was working as a decorator. She struggled to find high-quality extensions that matched her natural hair texture and allowed her to present herself professionally without changing that texture.

She recognised that other women shared the same need. Vivian launched KinkyCurlyYaki in 2012. According to her account, the business reached six-figure revenue in its first year and seven figures in 2016. It was acquired in 2022.

That origin gives her founder story a clear foundation: a specific need, personal understanding of the customer and a solution built around that experience.

Bringing the founder’s expertise into view

Vivian’s website presents her as a business and empowerment expert, keynote speaker and television personality, alongside her identity as KinkyCurlyYaki’s founder.

Her speaking and educational work covers entrepreneurship, e-commerce, confidence and empowerment. She also shares business knowledge through her YouTube series, Mind Your Business. Her website lists appearances and coverage across outlets including CBC Radio, Cityline, The Globe and Mail and The New York Times.

These activities give audiences several ways to encounter her work. Someone may discover her through a product, hear her in an interview or learn from her at an event. The distinction matters: running a business creates experience. Sharing that experience helps others understand where your expertise lies.

The visibility lesson for founders

Women of Rubies’ takeaway from Vivian’s journey is to make the knowledge behind your work more accessible. A founder’s story can explain why a business exists. Educational content can demonstrate how the founder thinks. Interviews and speaking opportunities can introduce that knowledge to people who may never have encountered the product.

This does not mean every founder needs to pursue every platform. It means choosing places where your experience can contribute something useful. If you understand a customer problem deeply, explain it. If you have learned from a difficult business decision, share the lesson. If you have developed a process that helps people, show what makes it effective.

These are practical starting points for communicating your value.

Start with one lesson you can share

Think about a challenge you have solved in your work. What did it teach you that another person could use?Turn that insight into a post, a short video, an article or a relevant speaking topic. Connect it to a concrete example so people can understand the experience behind your advice.

Vivian Kaye’s journey illustrates how a founder can have several dimensions to her public identity. Her business is part of her story, alongside the knowledge and perspective she brings to wider conversations.

For women building their brands, that is an invitation to share more of the expertise they already have.

Explore more founder stories and practical visibility lessons at womenofrubies.com.

Photo courtesy of Vivian Kaye’s official website.

In Uncategorized October 9, 2026 By Women of Rubies

How Mo Abudu Built Platforms for African Stories to Reach the World

A powerful story needs a way to reach the people who could connect with it. Mo Abudu’s career offers a compelling example of what happens when a clear purpose is supported by years of work and platforms built to carry that purpose further.

As the founder and CEO of EbonyLife Group, Abudu has helped create spaces for African stories across television, film and cultural experiences. Her journey connects storytelling with an equally important question: where will audiences encounter the work?

Creating space for African conversations

Abudu entered media as the creator, executive producer and presenter of Moments with Mo. The programme brought African experiences and conversations to television, giving her a platform to explore the continent through its people and their stories.

She later launched EbonyLife TV in 2013, followed by EbonyLife Films in 2014. These ventures expanded the ways she could develop and share African narratives, moving from presenting conversations to building a broader production business.

For founders and creatives, this progression offers a useful point of reflection. A purpose can remain consistent while the way it reaches people evolves. An interview, a publication, a film or a physical venue can each introduce that purpose to a different audience.

Bringing Nigerian stories to international audiences

In June 2020, Netflix announced a multi-title partnership with Abudu’s production company, EbonyLife. The agreement included plans for original series and licensed films, with announced adaptations of works by Nigerian writers Lola Shoneyin and Wole Soyinka.

The partnership created another route for Nigerian storytelling to reach viewers internationally. It also reflected the production work EbonyLife had built over time. Our visibility takeaway is that reach and readiness belong together. A wider platform can introduce your work to more people, while a strong body of work gives potential partners something concrete to assess.

EbonyLife Place London: a physical home for culture

Abudu’s vision now includes EbonyLife Place London, which celebrated its opening on October 8, 2026. The venue brings together cinema and cultural experiences, creating a London destination for African and Black creativity.

AFP’s reporting describes a cinema, restaurant, lounge, boutique and artworks within the space, with public opening activities taking place that weekend. The project extends a concept Abudu previously established in Lagos.

For this story, the significance is the connection between creation and access. A physical destination gives people another way to discover films, fashion, art and culture. It turns a storytelling mission into an experience audiences can enter.

Visibility lessons for founders and creatives

At Women of Rubies, we draw three practical lessons from this journey.

Be clear about your purpose. What do you want your work to communicate? A clear answer helps people understand why your business, project or story matters.

Build work people can discover. Document your projects, explain your contribution and keep your professional materials current. Make it easy for someone encountering you for the first time to understand what you offer.

Pursue relationships that expand your reach. Consider the publications, communities, organisations or collaborators whose audiences could benefit from your work. Approach them with a clear connection between what you create and the people they serve.

These are our editorial observations, rather than a formula that guarantees the same results. Abudu’s career also reflects the sustained business and creative work required to develop and deliver her vision.

What could help your work travel further?

You may already have a valuable service, completed project or story that deserves another introduction. Start with one piece of work. Explain the need it addresses, show what you contributed and identify an audience that would find it useful. Then consider the platform or relationship that could help you reach them.

Mo Abudu’s journey invites founders to think about both the work they create and the spaces through which people discover it.

Explore more inspiring profiles and practical visibility insights on womenofrubies.com.

In Career Gems October 8, 2026 By Women of Rubies

How Sue Nyathi’s Netflix Breakthrough Brought Her Books to a Global Audience

A story published years ago can still find an audience that changes its future. For Zimbabwean author Sue Nyathi, the Netflix adaptation of The Polygamist brought international attention to a novel first published in 2012.

Her journey offers a compelling example of what can happen when an established body of work reaches a new platform. It also holds a practical lesson for women building businesses, personal brands and creative careers: the work you already have may deserve another spotlight.

Who Is Sue Nyathi?

Born and raised in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, and now based in South Africa, Sue Nyathi is an author whose professional background includes finance, investment and economic development consulting.

She studied finance at the National University of Science and Technology in Zimbabwe, later completing a master’s degree in Finance and Investment. Alongside her professional career, she continued writing, making space for creativity beyond financial markets and analytical work.

Her writing also appeared in the Sunday Mail’s “Steaming Off” column in Zimbabwe. Readers responded to her articles about love and relationships, sharing their own experiences and encouraging her to write a book.

After relocating to Johannesburg in 2008, Nyathi pursued publication more actively. Her debut novel, The Polygamist, was published in 2012. Her other books include The Gold Diggers, A Family Affair and An Angel’s Demise.

Across her work, she explores relationships, migration, family tensions and the social realities that shape people’s lives.

From a Published Novel to a Netflix Hit

In June 2026, The Polygamist made its Netflix debut as a 22-episode series based on Nyathi’s novel. According to Netflix’s report published on August 4, 2026, the adaptation had reached No. 1 in 21 countries and the Top 10 in 62, accumulating 27.6 million views.

The attention translated into renewed demand for her writing. Sales of The Polygamist tripled following the series’ debut, while her other books also benefited from the increased interest. A story that had been available for more than a decade was now reaching people who might never have encountered it on a bookshelf.

The Visibility Lesson: Give Existing Work New Ways to Be Discovered

At Women of Rubies, our takeaway from Nyathi’s journey is that visibility can create fresh opportunities for work that already exists.

For an author, that may mean a screen adaptation. For an entrepreneur, it could mean introducing an established service to a different market. For a consultant, it might involve turning a useful framework into a workshop or building a partnership that brings their expertise to a new audience.

These opportunities differ in scale, but they raise the same question: who has yet to discover the value of your work? Nyathi’s story does not offer a formula for a global breakthrough. It does show how a new format and distribution platform can connect existing work with new demand.

What Women Building Brands Can Apply

Start by reviewing what you have already created. Consider a successful project, a useful resource, a service clients appreciate or a story that still matters.

Then ask yourself:

Is its value clear to someone encountering it for the first time?
Could another format make it easier to discover or understand?
Which platform, community or partner could introduce it to a relevant audience?
Is there a clear next step for people who want to buy, book or learn more?

Visibility becomes more useful when attention has somewhere to go. Make it easy for new audiences to find your work and take action.

What Deserves a Second Spotlight?

Sue Nyathi’s Netflix breakthrough began with a story written years before its screen adaptation. For women creating and building, that is a reason to look again at the work already in your hands. Your next opportunity may involve presenting it differently, sharing it more widely or finding a partner who sees its potential.

What have you created that deserves to reach more people?

Explore Sue Nyathi’s books and author journey at suenyathi.co.za.

This feature is part of Women of Rubies’ “The Visibility Behind Her Success” series, exploring women’s achievements and the lessons their journeys offer for building visibility.

In Career Gems October 7, 2026 By Women of Rubies

How Joanna Griffiths Built Knix Around Listening to Women

Joanna Griffiths, founder of Knix, offers women entrepreneurs a valuable lesson in brand visibility: understanding your audience gives you something meaningful to communicate.

She founded Knix to address an overlooked need in intimate apparel, particularly for people experiencing leaks. In her account of the brand’s origins, Griffiths identifies customer feedback, inclusivity and breaking taboos as guiding principles behind her work.

For women building businesses, her story raises a useful question: does your message reflect what your audience actually needs?

In this edition of The Visibility Behind Her Success, Women of Rubies explores Joanna Griffiths’ founder story and the practical lessons entrepreneurs can apply to their own storytelling, content and brand positioning.

The customer need behind Knix

On Knix’s official website, Griffiths explains that frustration with limited innovation in underwear, particularly for people experiencing leaks, inspired her to develop leakproof underwear. She identifies customer feedback, inclusivity and breaking taboos as guiding principles in building the brand.

That account provides the foundation for this case study. The lessons below are Women of Rubies’ analysis of how entrepreneurs can apply a similar focus on customer understanding to their own communications.

Your business may operate in a completely different industry. The useful question remains the same: what does your audience need that existing conversations, products or services are overlooking?

Brand visibility lessons begin with listening

Creating content can become a cycle of deciding what to post, producing it and moving on to the next idea. Listening gives that process a clearer direction.

Customer questions, enquiries and feedback can reveal what people need explained before they feel ready to buy. They can also show where your messaging assumes knowledge your audience does not yet have.

For example, a consultant may describe her service as “strategic business support.” Her prospective clients may be asking something more specific: “How do I explain what I do without confusing people?”

That question offers a stronger starting point for useful content.

Review your recent enquiries. Look for one question that appears repeatedly and answer it in a post, article or short video. Use language your customers recognise.

Explain the problem your work solves

A clear brand message helps people connect a product or service to a situation they understand.

For your business, try completing this sentence:

“I help [a specific audience] address [a specific problem] through [your product or service].”

Then check whether your website, biography and social profiles communicate that same idea.

You can still share your qualifications, awards and experience. Give those credentials context by explaining how they help you deliver value.

A reader should be able to identify whom you serve, what you help them achieve and how to take the next step.

Use your founder story to give your work context

A founder story becomes useful when it helps people understand your decisions.

What did you notice? What prompted you to act? What did you learn from the people you wanted to serve?

These questions can produce a story with more substance than a list of milestones. They also help you connect your personal experience to your business purpose without sharing every private detail.

Consider explaining one decision that shaped your work. Perhaps you changed a service after hearing the same frustration from several clients. Perhaps an experience revealed a gap you wanted to address.

Tell that story clearly, then connect it to what your audience can expect from your business today.

Turn customer understanding into useful content

Listening should influence what you create.

If customers repeatedly ask how a service works, explain the process. If they struggle to compare options, offer a straightforward guide. If they misunderstand your role, show a practical example of what you help someone do.

Build your next three posts around:

A question your audience frequently asks.
A concern that makes them hesitate.
An example that explains the value of your work.

Protect customer privacy and seek permission before sharing identifiable stories or testimonials.

Useful content can help people assess whether your business is relevant to them. It also gives your visibility a purpose beyond attracting attention.

Make the next step easy to find

Once someone understands your value, make it simple to act. Your article, profile or service page should direct readers towards an appropriate next step. That might be viewing your services, booking a consultation, making an enquiry or purchasing a product.

Choose a clear action that fits the content. A practical educational article may lead naturally to a related service page; a product demonstration may lead to the product itself.

Review the journey from your social profile to your website. Can someone quickly find the information they need and understand how to work with you?

What women entrepreneurs can apply today

The lesson we take from Griffiths’ founder story is that customer understanding deserves a place in your visibility strategy. Start with one action this week: identify a recurring audience question, create a useful answer and connect it to the work you do.

Over time, this can help you develop a clearer message, more relevant content and a stronger explanation of your value. What is your audience telling you that could shape your next idea?

Build visibility around the value you bring

At Women of Rubies, we help women communicate their expertise and impact through storytelling, media positioning and visibility support. If you need help shaping your founder story or explaining what makes your business valuable, contact Women of Rubies through our Work with us page to discuss support for your brand.

Want to apply these lessons to your own brand? Join Media Visibility Bootcamp 6.0, taking place virtually on October 17–18, 2026, to learn practical approaches to communicating your value and building visibility.

This article is part of “The Visibility Behind Her Success,” a Women of Rubies editorial series examining the lessons behind women’s work in business and media.

In Inspiration October 10, 2026 By Women of Rubies

Sarah Hashem: Building Visibility and Opportunity for Women in Leadership

For Sarah Hashem, helping people move forward begins with recognising their potential and creating the conditions for that potential to grow. Visibility, confidence and support are central to that approach.

For more than 20 years, Sarah has built programmes, partnerships and platforms that help young entrepreneurs, creators and emerging leaders turn potential into progress. Her career spans business, nonprofits and education, with a consistent focus on helping people and organisations recognise what is possible and take steps towards it.

As CEO of Women in Communications and Technology (WCT), she leads work focused on closing the gender leadership gap in technology. Her experience brings together an entrepreneurial mindset, a belief in collective action and a commitment to expanding access to opportunity.

A Career Built Around Creating Opportunity

Before her leadership role at WCT, Hashem led strategic initiatives at Music Canada, championing the value of music and the creators behind it.

Supporting creators and advancing women’s leadership share an important connection: both involve helping people communicate their contributions and gain recognition for their work. Talent needs opportunities to develop, relationships that support growth and platforms through which others can understand its value.

Across her career, Hashem has worked to build those connections. Her approach centres on helping people mobilise their spheres of influence and work together to create meaningful change.

Her biography also highlights a belief that lasting impact grows through small, consistent shifts. That perspective makes progress something people can participate in daily, through the decisions they make, the relationships they build and the opportunities they extend to others.

Supporting Women at Different Career Stages

WCT’s work provides context for Sarah’s leadership. The organisation supports women in digitally driven workplaces through professional development, mentorship and networking, with offerings tailored to different stages of a career.

Its approach recognises that an emerging professional, a frontline manager and a senior executive face different challenges. Each may need a different combination of skills, guidance and peer support to move forward. WCT also works with employers to support women’s advancement and strengthen leadership pipelines.

For women navigating career growth, this combination matters. Learning a skill is valuable; having a community in which to practise it, discuss challenges and consider the next step can make that learning more useful.

Opening Doors for Emerging Leaders

WCT’s Opening Doors programme supports early-career women as they prepare to move from individual contributor roles towards leadership.

The programme combines expert-led sessions, practical resources and a digital community. Its learning goals include developing self-awareness, clarifying values, strengthening emotional intelligence and building confidence, personal brands and visibility.

Participants also connect through WCT’s Inner Circles, which provide space for candid discussion and learning with peers. The structure brings professional development and relationship building together, giving participants opportunities to reflect on how the lessons apply to their own workplaces.

For Women of Rubies, the connection between personal branding and career development is especially relevant. Understanding your value and being able to communicate it can help you approach conversations about responsibility, progression and opportunity with greater intention.

Helping Managers Become Change Agents

For women already managing people, WCT offers Change Agent, a career accelerator programme for frontline people managers.

The programme focuses on leadership skills including conflict management, feedback, presentation, negotiation and change management. It also addresses authentic presence, self-advocacy and building supportive professional relationships.

Through its sessions and peer connections, Change Agent gives participants opportunities to examine how they lead and how they can support others while pursuing their own career goals.

These areas connect leadership with everyday practice. How a manager handles a difficult conversation, presents an idea or responds to feedback can shape both their own credibility and the experience of the people around them.

Strengthening Senior Leadership and Sponsorship

WCT’s Pinnacle Project serves women at director and vice-president levels. It brings participants together in a cohort setting for learning, problem-solving, discussion and peer coaching.

Its focus includes executive presence, interpersonal skills and supporting systemic change within organisations. It also encourages participants to sponsor and support aspiring women leaders.

WCT’s Protégé Project adds another dimension through sponsorship. The programme combines allyship training for men with support for sponsorship relationships that help women advance towards executive roles. Participating organisations receive training, resources and a framework for connecting sponsors and protégés.

Together, these programmes illustrate how women’s advancement involves both individual development and action from people who can influence access to opportunities.

The Third Rung: Helping Women Leaders Strengthen Their Presence and Influence

Launching in spring 2027, WCT’s The Third Rung is designed for new second-line leaders, directors and senior managers who lead front-line managers. Through interactive online workshops, participants will strengthen their leadership presence, visibility and influence while developing the skills to lead and support other leaders.

Sarah Hashem Joins Media Visibility Bootcamp 6.0

Women of Rubies is delighted to welcome Sarah Hashem as a keynote speaker on Day 1 of the Media Visibility Bootcamp 6.0, taking place virtually on October 17–18, 2026.

Her experience in building partnerships, championing creators and advancing women’s leadership brings a valuable perspective to this year’s event. Her commitment to helping people turn potential into progress also connects with the purpose of the bootcamp: helping women communicate their value and approach visibility with intention.

Sarah Hashem bio flyer highlighting her WCT leadership and experience building programmes and partnerships — Meet Sarah Hashem: more than two decades of building programmes, partnerships and opportunities for emerging leaders.

At Women of Rubies, we believe that women’s work deserves to be seen, understood and connected with opportunity. Creating space for learning and meaningful relationships is part of making that happen.

Whether you are growing a business, developing your professional voice or preparing for your next leadership opportunity, the bootcamp offers a space to learn from experienced speakers and consider practical steps towards greater visibility.

Reserve your spot at Media Visibility Bootcamp 6.0.

To explore WCT’s professional development programmes, visit Women in Communications and Technology.

Women of Rubies