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Female Friendships
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5 Reasons Why Female Friendships Are Important For Women’s Well-Being

A close-knit group of trusted friends is important for everyone’s well-being, but women in particular can benefit from their female friendships.

Here’s five benefits of female friendships, and why it’s so important to maintain and nurture them

Most of us have been dumped, experienced pain or loss, or faced conflict in our lives. As humans, we tend to go through highs and lows and these experiences can be a little easier when we have girlfriends to support us.

The truth is – having female friends is incredibly important for your mental health.

1. Female friends can understand you in ways that men may not

Although we are biologically alike, there are differences in the way different sexes can engage and react with situations. Without generalising too much, women tend to have nurturing, mothering qualities which can be empathetic and understanding when you need it the most.

So, when you vent about work or your in-laws, another woman can be more empathetic, validate your reasoning and draw on their own personal experiences to relate back to you.

A pattern I’ve seen in certain people who enter relationships is the isolation process that takes place after. They start spending all of their time with their significant other, coming to them for every type of support and slowly start fading away from their platonic relationships.

Your girlfriends understand you in a way that your man doesn’t.

Having an intimate connection with your significant other is great and expected in any healthy relationship. However, when it comes to vulnerability, it is never fair to confide in only one person.

When you are only confiding in one person for every single thing, you are inadvertently putting a heavy amount of pressure on that person. What you’re essentially doing is turning that person into an “emotional dumpster” so to speak.

And to put it simply, there are going to be times where your guy just can’t relate.

There are going to be times where your man is not going to be able to give you the comfort or support you need, and he really should not need to.

Your girlfriends understand you in a way that your man doesn’t.

The saying goes that “men are from Mars, women are from Venus” and there’s a lot of psychological truth to that. Even though men and women may complement each other, such friendships with our girlfriends are an outlet to “share problems, thoughts, feelings, and triumphs”.

By nature, women are more intuitive as well. Those things that come up that your guy thinks you are “overthinking” or being “crazy” about, your girls will be there to acknowledge your feelings and back with reasoning.

Confiding with your girlfriends gives you an entirely different level of emotional support.

2. Female friends can offer you a fresh perspective

Although women have the love and support of our partners, a female friend can offer you a different perspective in times of need.

For relationships, a female friend can act as an outsider looking in, giving honest advice that we may not always want to hear, but provides a different perspective that can positively influence our decisions.

Female friends can also be great for your self-esteem. A good female friend won’t fat-shame you or let you fat-shame yourself, they will tell you why you deserve that promotion or why your partner should treat you better.

After walking away from a conversation with a good female friend you should feel confident and supported.

3. Female friends can be a voice of honesty

Even if the honesty can come across as brutal, at least you know that you’re getting the absolute truth.

Female friends can be your sounding board, someone who will listen to your ideas, thoughts and opinions and then tell you what they honestly think. Recent research suggests that our female friends know us better than our partners. They therefore know when you need a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on or a night out dancing and drinking cocktails!

4. Female friends get better with age

Good quality girlfriends are like fine red wines: they get better with age. Recent research actually tells us that the average female friendship lasts 16 years, which is 6 years longer than the average romantic relationship. Once we turn 55, our friendships on average last 23 years! Female friends can challenge us to try new things, act as mentors in our career and push us to excel in all areas of life.

5. Female friendships can help us deal with stress.

Women and men biologically have differing responses to stress. Women who are stressed respond with a reaction called ‘tend and befriend’, which means they tend to nurture those around them and reach out to others, often other women.

Research has even shown that women have higher survival rates from breast cancer when they have strong friendships than those in social isolation.

So…

Contrary to popular opinions on how women are their worst enemies, a lot of women have agreed and acknowledged the positive impact and pleasant vibes female friendships has offered to them. And from this article, it is clear how much benefits female friendships have to offer.

Get past the notion of women not being able to befriend each other, get past that idea of women being there wist enemies and open your eyes to a new horizon. See that women are not just capable of bonding and being friends, women are truly meant to be friends with each other.

 

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Monday Motivation
In Career Gems By

6 Important Things Successful Women Should Always Invest In

All successful women seem to share a particular innate quality. They all carry themselves with a kind of confidence that matches with their level of success.

They all know there is a need to invest in certain not-so-secret things and they also show that acquiring and attaining these characteristics won’t buy you success. But it will give you the confidence to be the woman you dream to be and show you that it’s not someone you need to transform into, but someone you’ve been all along.

So here is how you can become the best version of yourself as a woman by investing in these 6 things.

1. Education

Sheryl Sandberg has openly admitted that one piece of advice she would tell her twenty-year-old self would be to create an 18-month learning plan.

Alongside your goals, you need to plan out exactly what you want to learn over that period and improve on the things that scare you the most. Because the successful woman knows that in order to succeed she needs to commit herself to education.

More importantly, she knows that it doesn’t finish when University does – the process of learning does not stop there. It’s up to you to further your education and build your knowledge. It’s a choice and it’s a choice you should make for yourself every day.

Your day should consist of at least one hour of personal development. And this can be as easy as signing up to coursera and learning a new skill in an hour.

2. The tools you need to get things done – such as a personal computer, a tablet, a journal.

Oprah famously keeps many journals to get her through, she keeps a health and wellness journal to track her growth so she can look back on it and reflect.

But it’s not only her, no successful career woman can get through any day without her planner. It’s her right-hand man and it goes wherever she does.

A journal helps you keep tab of things and a planner helps you note down things you need to do at particular times. And no, it’s not just about keeping up with a to-do list. You need one for every area, finance, fitness, business plans.

3. Your wellbeing

Gwyneth Paltrow is a huge wellness advocate and has even built a brand around it – and there’s no wonder she looks so good. But it’s not only her on that’s on a wellness mission, Arianna Huffington also boasts that yoga is the best thing she can do to achieve and maintain balance in her life.

Because if you look after your body, in turn, it will look after you. It’s your wellbeing that will help you become successful, it goes hand in hand! Without it, you’ll struggle, but with it, you’ll be bigger and better.

This concerns your health, what you eat and put into your body (make sure to only eat for energy) and how you switch off at the end of the day.

4. Mindfulness

If you want to become successful you have to start taking mindfulness seriously.

Take a leaf from Victoria Beckham who uses crystals to keep her grounded, or Gwyneth Paltrow who is very holistic. It’s about clarity and keeping your mind clear.

By doing this you’ll be ensuring that you’re well looked after and calm of mind, which will help you not only to perform better at work but be more present daily.

5. Your self-development

Growth should be one of your top goals always. And it’s something you need to always remind yourself to do.

What makes you different from six months ago? If you reply with nothing then it means you’re not progressing.
Finding the time can be difficult, but that’s where you need to make the time because it will only help you in your career.

Read and buy books you usually wouldn’t, expand your horizons, attend those classes you never get around to – just do it.

Make a list of the areas of your life you want to progress in and then come up with a plan that will help make this happen.

6. Proper Organization

I could talk about organization for days. It’s something that excites me and helps me operate at my best. I cannot think clearly if it is not tidy around me, which means it’s essential that not only my work life is organized by my home life too.

Emma Watson, for example, said she swears by multiple notebooks to get things done. “I keep a dream diary, I keep a yoga diary, I keep diaries on people that I’ve met and things that they’ve said to me, advice that they’ve given me,” she revealed.

Keeping multiple notebooks is no bad thing, it’ll allow you to organize your thoughts and keep everything in the right place. Invest in stationery that’s designed to help your life run smoother.

 

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C-Section
In Career Gems By

5 Tips To Help New Moms Recover From C-Section Surgery

Christina Hammond is a freelancer, with a busy schedule, on Essence she shares her experience with c-section and tips on how to prepare and recover quickly from it, especially those who didn’t plan to have one. She believes there isn’t enough information about this

“I have what doctors call a bicornuate uterus. This means that my uterus is split and somewhat heart-shaped. A woman with my condition has a high chance of miscarriage and going into preterm labor. By the grace of God, I was able to go full term. A woman with a bicornuate uterus is also more likely to deliver via C-section, which turned out to be my only option. OKy little one remained breached the entire pregnancy, so I mentally prepared to have major surgery. Three years prior to that, I had to have my left ovary removed. Because my recovery was a speedy one, I believed the C-section recovery would be similar.

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depressed partner
In lifestyle By

Olamide Ayeni: 5 Tips On How To Deal With A Depressed Partner

Living with a  depressed partner who is often unhappy, critical and negative isn’t easy, and it may also be hard to persuade the individual to get help. Depression can put a strain between you and your partner if it’s not handled properly.
Tips on how to cope with a depressed partner
Tips on how to cope with a depressed partner [Atinka Online]

 

Depression varies tremendously in severity, but it has many behavioral impacts that can profoundly affect all significant relationships. Many factors can contribute to one’s depression, most especially when he is in a low place in his life.

Depression results from shifts in brain chemistry that influence mood, thoughts, sex drive, sleep, appetite, and energy levels. All factors that could affect a marriage, as well as disrupt home and family life.

So what do you do when your partner or husband won’t talk to you but grumble, complain and mope around the house? Here’s how to deal with a depressed partner.

1. Find the root of the problem

You have to know what the problem is to solve it [How Africa]You have to know what the problem is to solve it [How Africa]

This is the first step to solving the problem. You have to know what the problem is to solve it. Is it the person’s job? Earnings? Or even you and the family? A problem shared is a problem solved. And in a case where he doesn’t talk, do some digging, but not snooping and getting into the partner’s business. Just gather enough information that would help in solving the problem.

2. Identify what you each can handle and stick to it

Supporting a significant other through a hard time is always going to be stressful. That doesn’t mean it’s not worth it, but it can be a danger to your well-being. You can’t help your partner if you’re too overwhelmed to function. When you’re helping your partner, be sure to give yourself some clear boundaries on what you can and cannot offer them. Getting a therapist for your partner is advised.

3. Seek help together

Support goes a long way in helping your spouse. Seek help together, whether it is a counselor you see or a professional therapist, a spiritual counselor or help from family members. You need to be by your partner’s side so the individual doesn’t go through the journey alone.

4. Demonstrate your love

Telling and showing your partner that you love them helps them [Pulse Nigeria]

Depression can make a person feel like a burden and unworthy of love and support. Proactively counteract those thoughts by telling and showing your partner that you love them. Let them know that you understand that depression is affecting their thoughts, feelings, and behavior and that you (still) love them. Reassure them that you are here to support them in their journey to get better.

5. Do family activities together

You can take him and the kids out, do something fun as you used to you when dating. Getting him distracted will help the recuperation process. He needs to feel needed and useful again, to know that there are people counting on him. You are the one who can best help your husband because you know him best.

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Nelly Cheboi
In Inspiration By

Meet Nelly Cheboi, The Kenyan Tech Founder And CNN Hero Of The Year

Nelly Cheboi, Kenyan Tech founder was named CNN Hero of the Year in 2022  for her work in building computer labs for Kenyan school children, through her non-profit organization,  TechLit Africa.

Nelly Cheboi
Nelly Cheboi at the Heroes Award

Nelly Cheboi- The Hero

Nelly is a global hero who was recognized and awarded the honor of CNN hero 2022 after her creative thought and effort to make Kenya technologically advanced. Nelly grew up in a poor and poverty-stricken household in rural Kenya and had to go through several rough patches to attain the position she is in right now.

Looking at the condition of people living in her country, she dreamed of doing something good for the community. As she completed her studies in computer engineering as a scholarship student, she started volunteering in several events along with working in the software industry.

Taking The Bold Step

In 2019, Nelly quit her job to establish computer labs for Kenyan school children. Helping the student have good technical knowledge inspired her to develop computer labs for them. To complete her mission, she established TechLit Africa, which helped school children in Kenya by giving them old computers to make the children’s future even brighter.

Acknowledging this great initiative of Nelly, she was picked as the winner of CNN Hero 2022 in the 16th Annual CNN Heroes show, telecasted on December 11 and hosted by Anderson Cooper and Kelly Ripa. She was voted through online voting and picked as the ultimate winner

Nelly Cheboi net worth will show a tremendous rise of $500,000 after she receives the prize money as CNN Hero 2022.

Childhood Influence

Nelly worked through put her childhood to be a software engineer. She went through a lot of trouble and sleepless nights to get the scholarship and study further. However, after becoming a software engineer, she started her good deeds by establishing community computer labs for Kenyan children with her earned fortune and salary.

Funding

She started her project with her won funding and slowly started getting help from the NGOs and INGOs. The social activist started her educational mission in 2019 and gradually gathered thousands of people to support her initiation. Successfully in 2022, she won the title of CNN Hero 2022 and was awarded an unrestricted grant of $300,000 and supportive services valued at $200,000. Along with it, all the Top 10 candidates also received $10,000. On top of all the amount, this year, Nelly was honored with an additional $100,000 for her life-changing work.

Nelly Cheboi’s Co-founder Husband

Nelly Cheboi is a passionate woman with great vision, married to her husband, Tyler Cinnamon.

Nelly started her life-changing work at a young age and was always supported by her friends and family. Nelly’s husband is her most incredible support system and backbone; he always motivates her to continue her selfless work and joins hands with her. Despite having cultural differences, the couple came out strong and got married.

Tyler is also a software engineer and is the co-founder of the non-profit organization established by Nelly called TecLit Africa. The couple has not revealed much about their relationship but is seen frequently by one another in their Instagram feed and stories. They are yet to start their family. However, they are leading a happy married life together.

 

Nelly Cheboi Parents and Family

Nelly Cheboi comes from a rural Kenya family where her parents raised her and her siblings.

Nelly was born to her mother, Mama Mboga, and was among the three daughters of her family. She came from a poor family background and had seen her mother struggle to raise them. As Nelly grew up in poverty, she knew she had to achieve something to give her family a better life.

Nelly Cheboi and mother
Nelly Cheboi and her mother

She worked hard and completed her studies with a scholarship. So, to get the young children out of poverty, she was inspired by her family to start the initiation of helping everyone.

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Toxic relationship
In Career Gems By

How To Leave a Toxic Relationship

Learning how to leave a toxic relationship is never as easy as saying, “Hit the road, Jack!” – especially not when you are in love with your partner.

If you’ve been in a toxic relationship, you know exactly how emotionally, physically, and mentally exhausting they can be. But if a toxic relationship is so taxing, why is it so hard to leave?

In this article, you will find out why it’s difficult to leave a toxic relationship and how to leave a toxic relationship for good.

How to Know if You’re in a Toxic Relationship

Sometimes it’s hard to know whether you are in a toxic relationship or not. It is often because of the manipulation involved in partner -toxicity.

Another reason why it may be difficult to admit that you’re in a toxic relationship is that there isn’t any outward abuse. Your partner may not hit you or cross any obvious sexual boundaries,[1] but that doesn’t mean you’re in a healthy relationship.

Making a pro/con list can be a helpful first step when learning how to leave a toxic relationship.

Pros might be that your spouse makes you laugh, you enjoy the same hobbies, and you love them.

But, what are the cons of being in your current circumstances?

When you make out this list, it’s important, to be honest with yourself. Does your partner do any of the following?

 

  • Doesn’t give you privacy
  • Cut you off from friends/family/finances
  • Prevents you from attending school or work
  • Is controlling and jealous
  • Makes all the decisions in your relationship
  • Pressures you into things you aren’t comfortable with
  • Makes “jokes” or criticizes you
  • Is unfaithful
  • Talks down to you
  • Destroys property
  • Sends threatening text messages
  • Invades your privacy (checks your phone/social media/follows you)
  • Threatens to do something horrible if you leave the relationship
  • Gaslights/acts like the things they are doing are not a big deal

If these toxic behaviors remind you of your spouse, this may be the wake-up call you need to take action and get out of your dangerous relationship.

Why Do People Remain in Toxic Relationships?

One of the main culprits is oxytocin. Oxytocin is a hormone in your body that releases during moments of intimacy. This could include making love, holding hands, kissing, or even cuddling with someone.

When oxytocin is released, it causes you to be more trusting of your partner, even when trust is not warranted. This sneaky little hormone is also guilty of promoting bonding, which can make it feel impossible to leave your spouse, even when you know they aren’t good for you.

In addition to the effect of oxytocin, here’re 5 more things that make leaving a toxic relationship difficult:

1. Abuse Weakens You Emotionally

Emotional abuse can be devastating to everyone, leaving the individual weak without self-esteem, making starting afresh a difficult decision to make.

2. It Can Be Life-Threatening

Leaving a toxic relationship can be dangerous, leading to all sorts of consequences, even death. Research shows that a toxic partner kills a larger percentage of women in weeks after leaving a toxic relationship than when they remain in the relationship.

3. The “It Will Stop Mindset’

Society has ingrained in us a “don’t give up on anything” mindset in which people follow even when they recognize it might result in something catastrophic. That mindset is also followed by having the thought that the abuse will stop eventually.

4. Social Pressure

There is always that social pressure from friends, family members, etc., to want a relationship – this pressure only makes the situation worse.

5. Social Reaction

People often don’t want to admit to anyone that they are going through a hard time, which cuts across relationships. People in toxic relationships don’t want to admit the kind of abuse they are going through because of fear or shame of being blamed or judged.

 

The Effects of Emotional Abuse in a Toxic Relationship

1. Fear

This is a constant concern or awareness of danger. You start to have trust issues with anyone you find yourself with that building a relationship becomes issue overtime.

2. Shame

You don’t feel free to interact with anyone who knows what you have gone through like Friends, family members, etc., which often can result in loneliness.

3. Confusion

Your mind consistently wonders, and you seem to lose concentration and cant focus on a particular task.

4. Drugs or drinking

Abuse often results in excessive use of drugs and drinking. Thought that it could take away the pain is a delusion.

5. Suicide

When the pain and trauma get too much, it can often result in the party taking their lives.

6. Sleep trouble

You don’t get to enjoy sleep as you are supposed to. Thoughts and anxiety become the order of every moment.

How to Leave a Toxic Relationship

1. Know That You Deserve Better

Months or years of being told that you’ll never find anyone better than your spouse can wear on you, and you may even start to believe it. But this isn’t true.

Tearing down self-esteem and self-worth is what abusers do to keep their victims trapped in the relationship.

Let “I deserve better!” become your daily mantra. Remind yourself of your worth every day.

You’ve tried your hardest to make your relationship work, but sometimes love is not enough, and you need to move on for your own mental and physical wellbeing.

2. Build a Support System

The emotions you go through for a toxic breakup are much the same as going through a breakup of a healthy relationship. You will feel conflicted, lovesick, relieved, depressed, and more.

Leaving a toxic relationship is especially difficult if you have been financially reliant on your ex – but don’t despair!

Instead of focusing on why this will be hard, focus on building a support system you’ll need when you take the plunge. Research shows that friend and family support during trying times lowers psychological distress.

Having a support system around will make it easier for you to move on.

3. Be Firm About Your Decision

Breakups are hard, no matter what the circumstance is. You’re leaving a life that you’ve grown accustomed to, and even if you know the relationship is no longer safe, it still sucks, leaving the life you’ve built for yourself.

There may be times when you are tempted to get back with your partner, but stand firm! You deserve a partner who loves and respects you.

Do not give your ex any false hope of getting back together. Be firm in your decision to leave the relationship and don’t budge.

4. Cut Off Contact

One of the biggest times for how to leave a toxic relationship would be to cut off all contact with your ex once you’ve broken up.

 

Keeping in contact with your ex opens the door for you to get back together. Plus, seeing your ex across social media will make the memory of the relationship feel fresh in your mind. Here’s what to do when you experience that.

Instead of dwelling in the past, focus on the future, keep yourself motivated. Delete your ex from social media, block them on your phone, and find ways to avoid seeing them in person. These actions will make it clear that you want nothing to do with them.

5. It’s Called a Breakup Because It’s Broken

If you’re at the point of breaking up, you’ve likely tried all of the tricks to get your spouse to change their toxic ways.

Maybe you went to therapy, took a relationship class, or made date nights a priority – but nothing worked.

Your partner is not going to change, and it’s important to remind yourself of this often.

You did everything you could to help them and reason with them, and it didn’t work. Do not expect miracles after a breakup.

Even if an abusive ex changes their ways, it is likely only due to the shock of the breakup. If you got back together, their likelihood of returning to their toxic behaviors is incredibly high.

Learning how to leave a toxic relationship is one thing, but following through with it is an entirely different story. If you are having trouble leaving an abusive or toxic partner, reach out to a trusted friend, family, or call/text/chat with an abusive relationship support line like Day One.

Source: Lifehack

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Waje
In Career Gems By

How I Got Pregnant, Banned From Singing In Church Choir – Waje

Popular Nigerian singer, Aituaje Iruobe, popularly known as Waje has recounted how she was banned from church after she got pregnant at an early age.

Waje, who is a mother of one, in an Instagram Live chat with gospel rapper, Bouqui, said she loved the father of her child at the time and that sex was the only way she could express her love.

Recounting her experience, the singer said: “I had a relationship in SS3 and the relationship went from ‘puppy love’ to sexual. I felt I loved him and that (sex) was the only way I could express my love.

“I got pregnant and one afternoon, my pastor came to the house to see me. I knew that day, there were two things that would happen, either I died or I died. Everything inside me got drained.

“The Pastor was in a conference room with other pastors and he said to me, ‘If you lie, you will die, because you are standing in front of God, Holy Spirit and me.’

“He asked me, ‘Are you pregnant?’ and I said, ‘Yes’. He was so disappointed and told me to be in church every Wednesday and Sunday but I would no longer sing in the choir.

The award-winning singer further revealed that her mother did not find out about her pregnancy until she was five months gone, adding that she wrote WAEC with it and no one noticed.

“I wrote the WASSCE while pregnant and nobody knew, not even my mother. She got to know about my pregnancy after five months.

“I knew something in her broke that day after I told her because she didn’t go back to sleep,” Waje added.

Waje has a 21-year-old daughter named Emerald Iruobe

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Lucy Quist
In Inspiration By

Lucy Quist, The First Ghanaian Woman To Head A Multinational Telecommunications Company In Ghana

Lucy Quist is the first Ghanaian woman to head a multinational telecommunications company as the former CEO of Airtel Ghana. She is a co-founder of the Executive Women Network.

Lucy Quist

Lucy served as the Vice President of FIFA’s normalization committee in Ghana.

She is  a chartered electrical and electronic engineer with a first-class honours degree from the University of East London.

She is also a member of the Institute of Engineering and Technology (UK) and holds an MBA from INSEAD in France. She has decades of corporate experience with blue chip companies starting at Ford Motor Company, who has held senior leadership positions at Millicom, Vodafone and Airtel.

Her career spans manufacturing, telecommunications, banking and automative industries in Europe and Africa.

Lucy Quist is a passionate advocate who believes in harnessing STEM to advance development around the world by ensuring greater participation of young people.

She is currently a Managing Director at Morgan Stanley and the author of the book, ‘The Bold New Normal: Creating The Africa Where Everyone Prospers.’

Her accolades includes – CIMG Marketing Woman of the year, Telecom CEO of the Year, CSR CEO of the year and the Corporate Leadership Award.

She is an accomplished international speaker and has been on platforms such as TEDxEUSTON, GSMA’s Mobile World Congress, INSEAD, Columbia Business School and McGill University.

In 2016 she was featured on the BBC’s Power Women series as one of the top business women driving transformational change in Africa.

Lucy is passionate about mentoring young people to realize their potential. She loves travelling with her family and reading books that explore different perspectives on life.

She was listed in the second publication of 100 Most Influential African Women in 2020 by Avance Media.

We celebrate this amazing amazon for daring to be different against all odds, and creating room for other women to thrive.

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Ashley Das Rosas Massingue
In Inspiration By

Ashley Das Rosas Massingue, An Entrepreneur From Mozambique Making a Living Out of Cashew Nuts

We all love snacks like Ashley das Rosas Massingue , something we can munch on when we are watching our favourite TV show or we just need something healthy to munch on.

There is a demand for snacks, especially healthy nuts. This is one reason why Ashley das Rosas Massingue decided to start her cashew nuts business. Her business involves packing appetizing flavours into a range of snack cashew nuts which are winning over fans of these tasty treats.

Meet Ashley Das Rosas Massingue

Ashley Massingue is the owner and CEO of a family brand of appetizers, Shez Snacks, in Mozambique. She started her business in August 2020 to process and sell high quality nuts in different flavours. The company is the first in Mozambique using glass jar packaging for this kind of product.

With more than 5 years experience in Communication and Marketing, Ashley decided to embrace her passion for oilseed fruits mainly cashew nuts and start the business.

Ashley was inspired to start the business by a conversation she had with a friend about the term “rat race,” which means working to pay bills. she was sad to realize that her life was already in the rat race and her friend advised her to think of some extra business, something she liked a lot.

And then Ashley thought about food. “I’m not a cook and honestly I don’t like to cook, but I love to eat, especially snacks (of all kinds).

As a result, I came to the idea of selling chestnuts, but for that I needed to add value to the product and not do what all chestnut sellers do. I did a market study about what I needed on the products offered and I created, with the help of my relatives, the Shez Snacks brand of flavoured cashew nuts.” She said.

For Ashley, the entrepreneurial journey has been a challenge every day, mainly because the Shez Snacks product is a gourmet product and consequently is expensive in relation to what is found on the market. However, at the beginning of this journey she already expected this, and that’s why she segmented the business’ target group, being focused on mainly the middle – high class market segment.

The  beginning

Four years ago, Ashley co-founded a marketing and billboard rental consulting agency (Lash Agency, Lda – Mozambique), through which she learned and improved her skills in negotiation, market studies, market variations, production of media material, brand activations, etc.

Ashley das Rosas Massingue

The business provided services to several companies and organizations of national and international reputation. Unfortunately, at the end of the 3rd year she had to close down due to a disagreement with her former partner.

Ashley describes her greatest satisfaction as the acceptance and feedback of the product by consumers and the loyalty of partners who resell her products.

Ashley’s advice to women who would like to undertake their own entrepreneurial journey is “Don’t allow yourselves to continue in the ‘rat race’. Start doing something you like. Start today, start now”

 

 

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In Career Gems By

This 24-Year-Old Makes $750K Teaching Women How To Make Money On Instagram

Karrie Brady is a 24-year-old business coach and sales expert. Her income is currently bringing in $750K annually.

Karrie teaches women how to become coaches, educators, within their respective fields. She shows them how to turn their expertise into something that can help others and as well build their income, too.

Any skill set can be turned into education

She believes the opportunities for this is limitless.

After leaving school for biomedical engineering, she had returned home to take care of her father following an accident. Needing a way to make money in a flexible way, she began her business as a fitness and health coach at just 19-years-old. Her selling power became popular, and soon influencers were hiring her to sell their own products.

Today, Karrie Brady’s own clients use her expertise through one of the following:

  • One-on-one coaching
  • A mastermind group
  • A course for small audiences
  • A course for building authority
  • A forthcoming course on pivoting to online education.

Brady wants all women to know they have the power and potential to monetize their skillsets in a similar way.

“There are probably 40 different ways that people can get into online education. There’s coaching, they can create courses or memberships, e-books are so common, too,” she explains. “There are so many opportunities. A gardener could be an educator. You could create a course or book called ‘How To Take Care Of The 10 Most Popular Houseplants.’”

To date, some of Brady’s biggest successes include one woman who, in her first year of coaching, grossed $220K and saved $120K of it. Another was a photographer who transitioned to coaching and earned an additional $75K in her first year.

Read Also: How To Trick Yourself Into Saving More Money

However, it’s not just about learning how to package your knowledge into a course, book, or coaching program. It’s first about learning how to position, market and brand yourself to draw in potential clients in the first place.

“I think what people need to realize is that in today’s day-in-age, they want to buy from someone they are connected to. They want to be able to stand behind the brand,” Brady shares. “When you’re positing yourself as an authority and building up a social media presence, you are humanizing your business. It allows people to feel more invested in you and it allows people to stand behind your brand in more ways than just the product.”

“There are three people you’re selling to,” Brady explains. “The person who doesn’t even know that their problem exists; the person who knows the problem but not the solution; and the person who knows the problem and the solution. The last one is who you are positing the offer to.” .

Karrie Brady

Brady explains that the biggest obstacle she sees women facing is the dreaded imposter syndrome. It’s an issue, she says, that requires a lot of work to overcome. “People feel like they are not enough, they are not ready. If you’re ‘ready,’ you’ve waited too long. There’s so much power that you have. You only need to be two steps ahead of someone to effectively coach them.”

“Any skillset can be turned into education,” Brady says.

“There are billions of people in the world, and I can think out of the top off my head there are probably 10 people in their current audience that would love to learn from you.”

She helps her clients with from the “magic formula” to writing an Instagram bio, which photos are more appealing (she argues that straight-on is most inviting, second best is when your head is turned toward the follow button, as sort of a subliminal nod). She also coaches on making SEO-optimized content, to doing your captions the correct way, or how to nail the exact verbiage that would appeal to a potential client.

Related:

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How To Survive While Unemployed

 

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