Women of Rubies - Women of Rubies

In Editor's Choice January 31, 2023 By Women of Rubies

Joyce Agbanobi Is Closing The Gender Gap In The Tech Industry Through Black Woman Paving Ways

Joyce Agbanobi and her team are trying fix the gender gap problem in the tech industry through their Black Woman Paving Ways Initiative.

Joyce is an enthusiastic Tech leader who is passionate and committed to closing the gender gap for women of color in technology. She is a Technical Program Manager Lead at Microsoft with over 7 years + of experience in ecommerce sectors.

She is also the Co-Founder of the Black Woman Paving Ways, a platform that aims at closing the digital divide and increasing the percentage of women in STEM, through building initiatives to help women upskill for the future and Matching newbies to their dream Mentors across different Fortune 500 companies.

She founded BWPW with her grad school friend Lola Quadri who is also in the tech sector.

Black Woman Paving Ways was created in November 2020 and since then, they have helped 4,000+ women find their unique paths in technology, gain skills for the future, get matched to technical experts and gotten their dream jobs.

Watch: How To Save And Invest Wisely In 2023

With the major layoffs in the tech space., the goal of her company for this year is not only to bring women into technology but also to make sure they are uniquely skilled and indispensable on their roles.

To ensure that, and commemorate the Black history month, BWPW will be holding a free 2-weeks Data Analytics hands on training for women transitioning into tech, those in non-tech roles and those who own their business but not exactly sure how to make sense of their data. The training is open to both male and female.

In this interview with Esther Ijewere, Joyce shares her inspiring story and how her company is determined to support women transition into different parts of the tech industry.

Childhood Influence

I remember growing up being the only girl in a family of 6 (including my parents). With my dad been a mechanical engineer working in oil and gas, all he knew and wanted, was for all his kids to be either Engineers, Medical Doctor, or a huge disappointment.

I did not grow up having the opportunity to choose what I really wanted, my dad and Late Grand Pa (who was also an Engineering Professor) choose for me to become a Psychiatric Doctor hence I have a BSc in Psychology.

I remember my dad, saying when he was in school, in an Engineering class of 50 students, they only had about 10 girls and by final year they were left with only 2 girls with the others dropping out to less technical courses. As a result, he constantly coached my brothers and I exactly same way, to be always bold, never be afraid of been the only one and never to stop pushing even when its hard. My Parents never saw my Gender as a blocker to success, so I never saw it as a problem.

I have come this far in my career and rapidly growing, is because of some great traits (Grit, Confidence and Curiosity for Knowledge) I got from my Parents and Brothers. Who would have known that I will continuously be the only Girl or Black Girl in the room?

Inspiration Behind Black Woman Paving Way

Women are one of the most innovative creatures ever but been the only Woman of color constantly in the room was confusing to me, so I decided to really understand why and how that can change, instead of constantly complaining?

Based on my research, I realized there is a huge gender gap because of some key issues: Lack of Technical skill for the future, awareness, representation, and support on all levels. So, in 2020 during Covid, I started sharing knowledge on LinkedIn, IG, Clubhouse and had some technology series on a friends YouTube Channel- “how to break into the technology” with some technical trainings.

I also mentored women for free but got overwhelming after a while and knew I couldn’t scale doing this alone so I partnered with my Grad school friends who were also passionate about increasing the percentage of women in the space. That’s how BWPW was born!

The Journey So Far

I must say it’s been nothing short of amazing but also very tasking, time and personal funds consuming but refreshing, because we have been able to train, mentor, and help over 4,000+ women transition into different paths of technology across the globe. But we are still barely scratching the surface with over 3 billion women in the world, we have a lot more to do and planned for 2023, watch the space.

My Role As A Technical Program Manager Lead At Microsoft And How My Work Experiences In Jumia And Amazon Prepared Me For This Role

As a TPM, I Lead the analytics and process automation initiative for Hyperscale Network Connectivity in Azure, my strong analytical skills and PM experience across the 2 eCommerce giants has uniquely set me apart for my current role in Cloud Networking.

Challenges In My Line Of Work

I think my challenges are similar to a lot of other women in this space, but I can say the major challenge for me as a young woman of color and an Immigrant with an accent leading technical Projects in a room filled with white male mostly twice my age, I constantly have to prove myself, which I personally do not have a problem with as I am now used to it, but it’s a challenge.

Our BWPW Free 2-Week Introduction To Data Analytics Intensive Training For Women

With the current climate of heavy layoff in the tech space and as artificial Intelligence continues to take preeminence, we want to make sure our women are constantly upskilling to become the disruptor and not the disrupted. Low skill jobs will be the easiest to automate hence they need to stay up to date on latest technology and continuously learn new skills to stay relevant.

Whether you are a business owner, a Product Manager or wanting to get into the AI Space, an in-depth data analytics knowledge is very key.

Hence BWPW is partnering with some Snr. Data Engineers at Amazon, Google, and Samsung to hold a 2- weeks Hands on free Master Class to train women in Advanced Excel, SQL, Python and Tableau. With an opportunity to solve a real-life business problem through hands on project.

Click here to register; https://mailchi.mp/0fa2c3cea99b/data-science-masterclass?fbclid=PAAaZ7Ws_MqB3fNYMsK0BlYlnnDaWuUNgBB7Z9xgPNJkwI8OUQkkRYRjPPDHs

Other Projects And Activities

We have several products in works but our most recent is:

A platform to help democratize mentorship for women of color across the globe with a launch in 5 countries (Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Canada, and US), so we are excited for that one.

What I Enjoy Most About My Job

Critical thinking and Ability to solve problems. Every Problem to me, is an opportunity to shine and learn something new.

3 Women Who Inspire Me And Why

Bozoma Saint John – CMO, Netflix
Shelley Zalis – Founder, Female Quotient
Annie Jean-Baptiste – Director, Product Inclusion & Equity @ Google

These women inspire me to do more every single day. They decided not to conform to the norm, but push themselves to constantly create solid tables, instead of waiting to be invited to one, in their respective space. Their continuous way paving for women in the cooperate space is highly admirable and with them I am hopeful for a brighter future with more women in it. I believe together we can all make this change!

What We Can Do Better As A Society To Support Women Who Aspire To Go Into The Tech Industry

Support: As of today, women make up to 47% of all employed adults in the US, yet according to Computerscience.org only 18% of women earn a computer science degree. This simply means just women alone are not able to do this, we need more male support to close the gender gap.

Hire Women: Diversity breeds innovation and according to ongoing research conducted by McKinsey, it’s been discovered that diverse teams financially outperform non-diverse teams as much as 25% based on gender diversity alone. Partner with platforms like BWPW for fill those roles.

Mentor and Promote Women: Again, it’s worth going out of your way to connect with women, support your female teammates and help them climb the ladder. It’s difficult to find your footing when your peers don’t look like you or can’t relate to your challenges. Be sure to extend the same benefit of doubt you extend to men.

Encourage Women to pursue STEM: the STEM Field can appear intimidating as its heavily male dominated, so it’s important we become the bridge for young women and encourage them to pursue these field.

Support Families: about 70% of adult women will become mothers so its important for companies to provide good employee benefits to include parental-focused incentives, as having a child is a huge life changing experience.

One Thing I Wish To Change In The Tech Sector

The Technology space is constantly changing, and companies should provide room for everyone to learn and grow whether you are an intern out of school or a leader. We need to support people, so they feel empowered by technology and not frightened by it.

Being A Woman Of Rubies

Honestly been exceptional to me means caring less about perfectionism and validation from everyone but deciding to be exceptional on my own terms. Embracing my uniqueness, acknowledging my struggles, following my path, believing in myself, and ensuring I don’t lose my identity is what makes me an exceptional woman

How We Are Reflecting International Women’s Day #Embraceequity 2023 Theme In BWPW

-Leading the Black Minority Student Program (BMSD) at Microsoft: creating technical workshops to educate, close the digital divide and expose high school students to technology

– Hiring Women

– Providing Mentorship for women within the company

In Inspiration January 27, 2023 By Women of Rubies

Dr. Mercy Bello Abu: Business Consultant, Social Entrepreneur & Clarity Coach

Dr. Mercy Bello Abu is a thought leader, business consultant, lead Consultant at IHP Consulting Services and social entrepreneur with several years of experience.

She is also a coach on clarity and finding your way, a public speaker and an advocate for women in business.

She is the president of Entrepreneurs Platform Initiative (EPI) – a network and support base for female entrepreneurs.

Her life goal is to leave a positive impact by helping people discover their innate abilities and maximize their potential.

She is married to Elder Ahmed Abu and they are blessed with four phenomenal children.

IHP Consulting

She is the Lead Consultant at IHP Consulting Services. IHP is a Management Consulting firm which offers business support services, business management consulting/training services for individuals, public and corporate organizations, SME business development services, project management, recruitment, hospitality, entrepreneurship training, business reviews, process reviews, system implementation, HR audit, team energizers, strategic retreat and gap analysis intervention.

Their area of core competence is to develop, package and deliver innovative, quality, reliable and cost-effective services that best satisfy customer/client’s needs, whilst executing a highly profitable, resourceful and ethical organization that will survive well into the future and also be a valuable asset to its shareholders.

EPI

She also leads the Entrepreneurs Platform Initiative (EPI) – a network and support base for female entrepreneurs offering business clinics, seminars, training, capacity development, and round table with entrepreneurs’ mentorship and coaching.

EPI gives its members:
* A platform that creates Business linkages for Entrepreneurs
* A forum for strategic Networking.
* A platform where you OWN YOUR STORY, sharing inspirational stories that inspire and motivates Entrepreneurs.
* A platform that informs you about grants and loans from Financial institutions and educated you on how to get it

They also have The Entrepreneurship and Mentorship Academy (TEMA) Entrepreneurs Breakfast Meeting (EBM) Monday Classes are designed to build entrepreneurs that will take over the marketplace. Their goal is to create the next BIG Entrepreneur, a world changer and a marketplace giant. This platform exposes you to practical principles, trainings and opportunities that will grow your brand and make you exceptional in the marketplace.

Being a Coach

We asked her why she is passionate about her work, this is what she had to say:

People often ask me why I am so passionate and driven. They want to know what motivates and drives me and I usually tell them, “If your ‘why’ is compelling enough you can endure almost anything and achieve whatever you set your mind on”

I didn’t come to discover my why until I was faced with a dilemma on the 10th of April. 2010. My business of over 15 years came crumbling down in a fire incident. I lost a huge sum of money, all the goods in the supermarket were congealed, and the bank was on my tail.

My world crumbled and the seemingly burning passion with which I started began to dwindle. In all of these, I learned that “what you focus on grows”.

My work is changing lives in lots of ways, I give out my platform to anyone who is willing to learn, and I impact them in such a manner that they will be compelled to be who they were designed to be. So be good at what you do, that good will come looking for you.

Source: Woman.ng

In Inspiration January 25, 2023 By Women of Rubies

How Aysia Hilliard Leveraged TikTok To Boost Her Lip Balm Business

Aysia Hilliard is a 21-year-old entrepreneur who started her own lip balm company in 2017. She is from Atlanta, Georgia, and is a biology major and a chemistry minor at Howard University. Hilliard’s company TrapStix Lip Balm Company LLC sells lip balms based on musical artists and music, consisting of a wide variety of flavors such as “Lil Uzi Vernilla” and “Sticki Minaj.”

Since 2017, Aysia Hilliard has been the CEO of her own successful business which has skyrocketed in popularity and sales over the years. TrapStix Lip Balm is sold worldwide, with over 5,000 followers on Instagram, over 93,000 followers on Tiktok, and over 700 followers on Facebook.

Hilliard initially thought of the idea as a joke but turned the lip balm into a reality when she began selling them to family, friends, and peers.

Her business gained popularity when she started promoting it on her TikTok account over quarantine in 2020. As a new and yet extremely popular social media app, TikTok is known for being an extremely beneficial tool for those looking to gain a large following over a short period of time.

During quarantine was when TikTok really began to gain popularity, so Hilliard’s timing was perfect. She promoted her company on TikTok and received half a million views on her very first post, thus jumpstarting the success and popularity of TrapStix Lip Balm.

“I never expected when I posted my first ever video that it would blow up like that,” Hilliard said, “It was especially shocking since it was my first-ever post, but I think things just happened the way they were supposed to because it gave me more confidence to continue posting.”

Five years later, TrapStix Lip Balm is thriving as a business. With the help of her parents, Hilliard is continuing to build her brand and hopes to partner with larger companies and corporations in order to expand into online and brick-and-mortar stores. When speaking on her success, Hilliard said, “The most unexpected part of entrepreneurship is the constant need for intrinsic motivation.

Whether your business is doing phenomenally or poorly, you have to wake up every day and choose to work hard on taking it to the next step. There’s always improvements to be made, especially in a completely new business.”

Aysia Hilliard has gone from selling her very first TrapStix flavor, “Gucci Mango” to those around her at school and at home, to being the CEO and spokesperson of her own company. She handles all aspects of social media and marketing as well.

“My favorite part of running a business is the ability to let myself make mistakes,” Hilliard said, “Because I am my own boss, I understand that I really don’t know what I’m doing until it’s done. Being an owner allows you to go through trial and error stages without repercussions from someone else.”

As well as offering consumers a wide range of lip balm flavors with creative names centered around stars of the hip-hop industry, TrapStix Lip Balm also offers merchandise such as T-shirts, hoodies, tote bags, and baseball caps on its website. Gift cards are also available for purchase, making the products of TrapStix Lip Balm a great gift idea for the holiday season. For more information on TrapStix Lip Balm, you can visit the website or email the company

In Career Gems January 22, 2023 By Women of Rubies

Tammy Kyne: 5 Signs You’re Afraid Of Commitment

Are you afraid of commitment? Your significant other one day mentions how all of your friends are getting married and starting families.

You don’t see the rush or the big deal since you’ve been pretty satisfied in your relationship. You clam up at the thought of the M-word and cleverly redirect the conversation and dodge that bullet yet again. Are you just not ready for marriage? Or could it be that you are afraid of commitment?

Here are 5 signs you could be.

Hot then cold.

When the relationship started, you were moving fast and just couldn’t get enough of being with your boyfriend. Bae was the only thing on your mind. He was also the person on your contact list you’d make sure you wouldn’t miss a call or text from. Then when the direction of your connection turned serious, you start to stomp on the brakes. It seems a fire that was burning so hot at the start has now started to cool off quickly.

The chase is always fun and exciting, but when it seems you’ve captured your prey, it loses all the fun. Afraid of commitment? I would say probably so.

Friends and family.

If you’ve been dating for any significant amount of time, let’s say 6-8 months and have yet to introduce your new boo to your family and friends something is definitely off here. A person that has a long-term interest in a relationship wouldn’t be able to keep their significant other to themselves for that long.

Can’t find a reason to show him off? You’re probably afraid of commitment.

Sabotage is her name.

Say you begin a relationship and just as things are going along well, you decide that a minor flaw in the other person has become immediately unacceptable and you break it off. Or a worst case scenario would be to just end the relationship without an explanation. Both of these scenarios is a sure sign that you don’t want to be in a long-term relationship. The thought strikes fear deep in your heart and paralyzes your better judgment and consideration. Sabotage driven by fear of commitment destroys what could have been a promising relationship.

My future is bright.

It’s all about right now. How you feel right now. What you’re doing right now. Who you’re interested in right now. The passion for your boyfriend is all good..now. Thoughts about your future equal everything you’ve ever wanted; that promotion in a career, travel, and possibly another degree. You just don’t envision your boyfriend there with you. Your life is on the fast track to success and you don’t want anything to ‘get in the way’.

We’re just ‘Friends’.

“Oh he’s just my friend” That’s what you say when friends and family ask you about the guy you’ve been hanging out with.

Labeling is for food. When it comes to relationships you’re okay without them. As long as everything can continue as it has, you see no issue with being called “just friends”. If the norm is maintained, then that is right in your lane and everything is everything. The trouble comes at the talk of anything like boyfriend/girlfriend or even God forbid, ‘fiancee’. That’s when you run for the border, tell him he is moving too fast and stop answering his phone calls.

The one for me?

The idea of being with one person for the rest of your life is scary, an absolutely terrifying thought for a commitment phobe. The thought of being with only one person for the rest of your life has so many layers. This will be the only person you have a sexual relationship with; the only person you’ll wake up to EVERY morning. That can be overwhelming to say the least and for a commitment phobe, that worry multiplies.

Conclusion

If you are a commitment phobe, it can turn into a frustrating situation. You have to keep in mind what is acceptable in your life and realize that time is precious and it waits for no man or woman. For the one that is commitment averse, keep this next thought upstairs. When or if you finally make up your mind, just hope that you don’t run into yourself.

In Career Gems January 22, 2023 By Women of Rubies

Sade Muhammad Appointed As Chief Marketing Officer of TIME Magazine

Sade Muhammad has been named Chief Marketing Officer of TIME. In this role, Muhammad will oversee the brand’s integrated marketing, customer success, branded content, and communications, as well as TIME’s newly created impact division.

As TIME begins its centennial year, this appointment marks the first time the brand has named a CMO since becoming an independent company in 2018 under the ownership of Co-Chairs Lynne and Marc Benioff. As CMO, Muhammad will focus on invigorating the TIME brand for the next 100 years and accelerating TIME’s digital transformation and growth opportunities.

“We are thrilled to welcome Sade Muhammad, who has a proven track record of innovation, revenue generation, and building trust with audiences,” said TIME CEO Jessica Sibley. “As TIME enters a pivotal moment in its 100-year history, Sadé’s background as a marketer, trained journalist, and changemaker makes her the perfect person to lead TIME as our Chief Marketing Officer.”

“My passion is harnessing the power of authentic brands to get audiences to listen and, in turn, unlock their unique power to affect change,” said Muhammad. “TIME is one of the world’s most trusted storytellers and I am thrilled to bring our partners’ stories to life with imaginative ideas to inspire a smarter, better marketplace.”

Muhammad joins TIME from Forbes and brings over a decade of experience in marketing and innovating advertising products to the role. Most recently, she founded Forbes’ Representation & Inclusion Practice, an award-winning B2B ad business which encouraged marketing partners to broadcast DEI as an underpinning to their company’s growth strategy, after identifying a gap in thought leadership around equity and inclusion in company design.

Muhammad led all business development, sales and marketing strategy, client relations, and execution of sponsorships for the Practice.

Muhammad graduated BSc, Cum Laude, in Magazine Journalism from Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University and was honored as one of the International News Media Association’s 30 Under 30 for Achievement in Advertising. She began her career at NBC as part of the NBC Page Program.

The appointment of Sadé Muhammad as Chief Marketing Officer aligns with a period of record growth for TIME, including the launch of six new divisions: the Emmy Award-winning film and television division TIME Studios that has generated more than $100 million in revenue; a rapidly growing global live events business built around its iconic TIME100 and Person of the Year franchises; an industry-leading web3 division including the TIMEPieces NFT community; Red Border Studios, producer of award-winning branded content; the website-building platform TIME Sites, which TIME acquired earlier this year; and the sustainability and climate-action platform CO2 by TIME.

Today, TIME reaches the largest audience in its history—more than 100 million people around the world across its platforms—and its iconic magazine, with more than 1.3 million subscribers, remains the largest U.S. print title in news.

In Inspiration January 17, 2023 By Women of Rubies

Meet Major Mandisa Nomcebo Mfeka, South Africa’s First Black Female Fighter Pilot

Major Mandisa Nomcebo Mfeka was born and raised in Ntuzuma township, KwaZulu-Natal. She realised her love for aviation when she was 5 years old.

She joined the South African Air Force (SAAF), in 2008 and in 2010 she started flying at the Central Flying School in Langebaan; in 2011 she got her wings.

At age 29, Major Mfeka grabbed headlines as she swooped over the Loftus Versfeld Stadium at the South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s inauguration as part of the Hawks formation.

Major Mfeka says her journey as a Combat Pilot really shifted her perspective about what aviation and what being a military practitioner looked like. Nonetheless, she believes that becoming a Combat Pilot has been an amazing experience.

Speaking about her journey to becoming a combat pilot, Major Mfeka said, “It has been an amazing experience. This is such a dynamic environment and so mentally stimulating. I love it because I’m growing in my technical expertise and learning more about aerodynamics.”

Major Mfeka joins the ranks of another female pioneer, Second Lieutenant Thokozile Muwamba, who also made history in 2017 by becoming Zambia’s first female fighter pilot.

At the time Muwamba told the local newspaper Times of Zambia, “Men are not the competition but counterparts that one should work with. Women should begin to participate and realise their abilities. Because of this understanding, I am ready to undertake the task ahead of me. “

‘I look at the fact that when I am in the aeroplane, the aircraft knows no sex. Everything depends on my input, no matter my gender.” She said.

One quote that Major Mfeka lives by is, “The sky is the baseline.” Which means, the excellence bar that you pushed yesterday should be your starting point, tomorrow.

We celebrate you Major Mfeka

In Career Gems January 17, 2023 By Women of Rubies

5 Ways To Peacefully Resolve An Argument With Your Partner

When we’re young, many of us have an idealized image of what our future relationships will be like. We hope and imagine meeting the perfect person, getting on with them flawlessly, having plenty of things in common, and never finding anything to annoy or irritate us, with no arguments or disputes of any kind.

However, after growing up and getting into their first romantic relationships, many people realize that these idealized images are little more than fairy tales. Every couple argues. It’s a natural part of the process of sharing so much of your life with another person; every now and then, you’re going to find things that you don’t agree on or just wake up on the wrong side of the bed and need a little ‘me time’.

But while every other will argue sometimes, it’s important to not let arguments and quarrels become a regular part of your romantic routine. Arguments can get worse as they start to occur more frequently, and it’s important to note that domestic violence isn’t just limited to physical assault; mental and emotional distress caused by one partner to another can be very damaging in the long-term too, so if you’re worried about excessive arguments with your partner, here are some key tips.

Communicate Calmly

One of the first and most important tips to keep in mind when it comes to avoiding nasty arguments or defusing disputes before they turn bad is to try and make your communication as calm and clear as possible.

This means that you should avoid raising your voice, yelling, calling names, or resorting to any other bad habits you may have that don’t actually contribute to any kind of positive outcome or conclusion for you and your partner. Talking calmly and at a reasonable volume can instantly make a big difference.

Listen, Don’t Just Hear

People often argue because they have something they’re unhappy about and want their partner to know about it, but may feel that they aren’t being truly listened to. This is why it’s so important to actually listen to what your partner is saying, rather than simply hearing the words and failing to properly process them.

Too often, people in arguments focus purely on reacting to the last thing the other person said, trying to catch them out or prove them wrong, rather than actually listening, putting themselves in that person’s position, and truly understanding why they’re so upset. Working on your empathy can really help you resolve arguments much faster and help your relationship become healthier too.

Take a Breather

There are many different things you and your partner might argue about. It could be money, which is reportedly one of the most common subjects of dispute and disagreement among couples, or it could be something totally different like your sex life, work-life balance, family matters, etc.

Whatever it is you’re arguing about, don’t be afraid to call for a time out if you feel you need it. This can be a good strategy for many people, especially those who have trouble keeping their tempers under control. Taking a breather and letting yourself cool off could majorly help you avoid saying something you might regret.

Take Action

Don’t look at an argument as a battle between you and your partner. Don’t see it as something with a winner and a loser or a simple opportunity for one or both of you to yell things at each other. See it as an opportunity. An argument is a sign that something is wrong, but it’s also a sign that at least one of you wants to fix it.

This ties into the previous point about listening; really take the time to focus on what has caused your argument and what you can do to make it better. Taking this constructive, positive approach to disputes can help you and your partner turn a negative experience into something positive that really benefits the pair of you as you move forward as a couple, rather than repeating the argument over and over.

Final Word

As stated several times above, it’s important to acknowledge and accept that arguments are more or less inevitable. Some couples have more of them than others, and some can argue about the tiniest of matters while others only quarrel over serious subjects. But in any case, when arguments happen, having the right attitude and approach can help you negotiate them more carefully, reducing the risk of any emotional damage on either side and helping you and your partner build something stronger.

Source: Baucemag.com

In Career Gems January 17, 2023 By Women of Rubies

4 Bad Money Habits That Will Keep You Broke

Bad money habits are kind of hard to break. We do them over and over without even realizing it.

We all want to be rich. I mean, who doesn’t? But it’s one thing to fantasize about the many things you can do with a big paycheck and it’s another thing to muster the discipline you need to make it a reality. If you have bad money habits, you’ll get into a lot of financial trouble.

For so long, I had no clear plan for my financial journey. All I knew was there was money and it had to be spent.

Are you having issues saving? Do you feel like it’s a load of work putting some money down for the future? Well, I’ve got a couple of tips that can help you.

Here are 4 bad money habits you need to quit this minute if you want to become more financially independent:

Procrastination

This is personal for me. I put off starting an investment plan for a later time. And I just kept pushing it farther. Not that I was super busy or anything, just plain laziness and a lack of self-discipline on my part.
It wasn’t until I told myself the hard truth: that I can either continue pushing it later or just do it now and get organized. I realized that time was running out and that I had no clear financial goals.

The Fix

No one is coming to do it for you so you better get on with it. If you keep procrastinating, you’ll end up broke with lots of debts.

Impulse Purchasing/Buying

We’ve all been here. That urge to buy something. We give ourselves all the reasons why we need to have it. Impulse buying is all in the name. You see a bag and immediately want to buy it. You don’t even stop to consider the cost or whether you actually need it. You buy it before you stop to think whether you need it or can afford it.

The Fix

You need to first recognize this is a problem and keep track. Before you find yourself reaching for that candy or new pair of shoes, ask yourself if you have the resources and if you really need it. Don’t be in a rush; be certain you need it before you do.

Not Budgeting

A lot of people live on more than they make. If you don’t have a monthly budget, your money will disappear and you won’t know where it went.
A budget allows you to see how much money you’re bringing in and where it’s all going. It enables you to make changes that help you save more money and avoid going into the red each month.

Pro-tip

It doesn’t have to be a big chore. It can start with only carrying a small amount of cash with you each day. You can also sign up with a money-saving app that automatically tracks your spending for you. Here’s an easy budget template for you.

Love of Convenience

Once a while, it’s okay to make a convenience purchase. These are purchases that are routine and take little thought when being bought. However, if you find yourself regularly making convenience purchases, it’ll cost you.

Pro-tip

You can start by cooking instead of buying fast food every day. Make a regular weekend event of preparing a dish that can be separated into freezer containers for future use.

You can also stop getting that expensive breakfast on your way to work every morning and rather get up 5 minutes earlier to prepare something. I know waking up early might be hard for me so, I cook when I come home. At least I know lunch for the next day is sorted out.

So, there you have it, 4 bad money habits that are keeping you from attaining financial independence. Which of them are you guilty of?

In Inspiration January 15, 2023 By Women of Rubies

How Christianna Hurt Made $11M From Founding Her Own E-Commerce Academy

Christianna Hurt is the Founder of Wealthy College Kid; an academy school that teaches men and women how to make 6-7 figures monthly; currently has over 50,000 students enrolled in digital courses and grossing $11M; a social media influencer and the face of the eight-figure brand, The Boss palace doing $10.4M in 2020.

That’s not all. She was inducted into the Forbes Next 1000 class and endorsed by Forbes Under 30.

Meet Christianna Hurt

Christianna Hurt; a Florida native, who is revolutionizing the digital marketing space one step at a time. “I knew I’d always make some type of large income, I just didn’t know in what way exactly. But I always pictured being able to go places and explore freely,” she says when asked if she envisioned being this successful at a young age.

The Journey So Far

Let’s rewind. Hurt’s journey was not always smooth. She started off on a rocky path after being fired from several jobs in 2016 and her boyfriend at the time convincing her to sign a lease she couldn’t afford.

This desperate situation forced her to turn to affiliate marketing and introduced her to the world of e-commerce leading her to start WealthyCollegeKid. “I decided to start this because of the gap in the market. No one looked like me, no one was similar to me, and I felt like people weren’t trying to help people pay bills.

At the end of the day, people just honestly want to make ends meet or get their feet back under them. So, I created exactly what I needed as a newbie online looking for a way to pay my rent,” she says.

This hustler mentality and sheer resilience have contributed extensively to Hurt’s success and now, she is able to share insider tips on how to build a successful e-commerce business.

She says: “With e-commerce, you want to have a GREAT, not good product or sell everyday things that no one cares about where it came from or who’s it’s made by. You pick a side of the fence, stick to it, make it profitable and scale up.”

Booming E-commerce business

As the e-commerce industry continues to boom, it is expected that the market will become increasingly saturated. You may wonder what it takes to stand out and build an engaged online community. “As far as building a loyal customer base, you just have to make creative content and get as many eyes on it and that’s easy when you are selling something great. And a great product is one that solves a problem for others and runs out like a candle that burns out, and forces a customer to repurchase it,” she says.

It seems everything Hurt touches turns to gold as she has been able to replicate her success with WealthyCollegeKid to build her personal brand as a travel influencer.

Work-Life Balance

You may wonder how she manages to do it all. Hurt is quick to credit her great team and staff that help with posting and responding to emails and comments on social media. Her job she says is: “just to create as much as I can.”

She is also quick to emphasize that although her work requires her to be online most of the time, she places great importance on her personal life and has found peace with logging off sometimes and not being online.

Hurt recalls one of those personal moments: “I had a miscarriage that resulted in a c-section which changed my life forever quite honestly. I needed to put my negativity and pain into something more positive so I created just kidding kids Streetwear for infants and toddlers it means the world to me and it’s my pride and joy honestly,” she says. From this pain was birthed a children’s clothing brand which she started in 2018.

Flipping The Script

In essence, this sums up Hurt’s journey to date – making lemons from lemonade. Through every curveball life has thrown her way, she has channelled it for the greater good. Reflecting on her success, she says: “Honestly, I feel like I’m just another girl who made a ” you made your bed lie in it ” mistake like so many others, but I bounced back from it and made it something I can be proud of. This is what so many other young women can relate to.”

Chasing Her Dreams

With visiting almost 40 countries in 2 years and a consistent business model, I’m quick to ask what the future holds for this WARRIOR . “Just having a baby and being happy in my little family truthfully,” she says.

Hurt wants to let young women know that similar success is possible for them. She affirms: “Find your lane and double down on it. Don’t let social media make you try to invest or do a million different things. Lock into what works for you and don’t take your foot off the gas.”

To find out more about Christianna Hurt, check out her Instagram page and the Wealthycollegekid on YouTube and Instagram.

Source: Baucemag

In Inspiration January 15, 2023 By Women of Rubies

How Eleora Ogundare Created Hairline Products After Suffering Hair Loss During Sickle Cell Treatment

Eleora Ogundare was diagnosed with sickle cell disease at birth and finally got treatment when she was eight years old.

During the course of treatments and chemotherapy for the red blood cell disorder, her hair started falling out.

“My hair was my confidence because the kids I was around, they had like the long, nice long hair,” Eleora told Cbc news , she then decided with her mum to cut her hair and make the change quick, hoping kids in school wouldn’t make comments.

“I felt, like, naked almost because, the thing that was like giving me confidence, I didn’t have it anymore. I had to cut it all off.”

Eleora is now a healthy 15-year-old, but instead of closing that chapter of her life, she decided to help others facing a similar challenge with their hair — and their sense of identity.

Owning Her Identity

While Eleora was battling for her health, her mum was trying to find solutions for her young daughter’s hair, and with it, her sense of self.

“The struggle for them is identity, you know, trying to understand why their hair is not as silky as the next person in her class,” said Eugenia Ogundare, Eleora’s mother, who says hair for a Black women is “her crown.”

“But then having to lose that hair was a whole different ball game altogether.”

Eugenia says during months of treatments, they spent time trying out different oils, butters, and creams, eventually determining their own formula and using it to launch a line of products geared toward Black hair types.

“One of the problems Black women actually face would be the edges, so that’s the first thing we get, that, ‘Oh, it actually works for my edges’,” said Eugenia, who has received plenty of positive feedback about the products she and her daughter work together on.

“And then we get the mothers who say, ‘Oh, my daughter’s hair was hard to manage. It’s more manageable [now]’.”

Adedoyin Omotara sells the Eleora Beauty line through both her salon, Adoniaa Beauty, and the Adoniaa Collective, a store for Black entrepreneurs at Westbrook Mall.

“It’s a huge part of what makes us us, especially physically, but we need to understand the impact it has on us inside,” said Omotara, who says she understands the pressures to conform that can sometimes arise for Black kids as they become more conscious of their environment and who they are.

Omotara says her own three-year-old has already questioned why his hair is so curly or difficult to comb compared to the hair of his friends.

“Especially for younger people, they need to understand that there are products that can actually work for our hair so that they don’t start to put toxic product in their hair, just to want to look like another Sharon on the street or another Anita on the street.”

Regaining Her Self-Confidence

Now long past the illness she suffered as a child, Eleora hopes that the products created through her experience help other young Black girls feel empowered to be themselves.

“Our hair is beautiful the way it is and it’s different in a good way … it just expands our culture and really shows who we are,” said the teen, who recently chose to cut her hair again.

“It wasn’t as bad this time. Like, I’m more confident in it, and I also just want to teach other, like, young Black girls that, you know, like short hair or like long hair. You can rock it either way.”

Omotara says the young entrepreneur’s story is one that should give hope to their community.

“Whatever problems we have in our community, we remain the solution to those problems because we know where it bites the most, right? And that is why we are the ones to proffer the solution.”

“I think we’re making a difference in like, young girls lives,” said Eleora.

“When I was younger, I kinda wish I had something like this too, to make me feel more confident. But I’m happy that I’m doing it now to help other people.”

Congrats, Eleora. We celebrate you