Blog - Page 457 of 462 - Women of Rubies

In Interviews&profile January 12, 2017 By Esther Ijewere

TALE ALIMI : MY JOURNEY TO FINDING MY NICHE

Every time it is my birthday, I spend time reminiscing and this particular birthday I look back in gratitude on the journey to getting where I am today. For some people, they always knew what they wanted to do and become. For me, it was not straight forward. It took many years of stumbling, exploring, failing and trying again and again until it finally became clear. The journey to find my niche saw me stumbling through different careers, businesses and professions. From working in an Asset management company, to moonlighting as a makeup artist. Then I worked at a telecommunications company working in a department called financial systems that utilized my Accounting and Technology skills. What was supposed to be a dream job was actually my most boring work experience and I found succour when I escaped to do an MBA which has proven to be a good move till date. I fell in love with the retail and fashion case studies such as Kate Spade and Tory Burch during my MBA and decided I was going to start my own fashion brand. From running a fashion brand for a few years that I had to walk away from to working with a consulting firm where I got to support SME’s, I began to get a clearer picture of what I wanted to do with my life. The journey to finding my niche took me over 10 years of failing, trying, stumbling and making mistakes. I lost relationships, friendships and business partners along the way. I finally realized why people would rather stay safe than go on such an arduous journey to find their path and I made up my mind that when I found the way, I would help other people do the same. People ask me regularly ‘how do I know what business to start?’ or ‘how do I find my niche?’ Some even ask ‘how do I know what I am meant to do on the earth?’ I decided to find answers to the questions by interviewing various inspiring people from different sectors and industries who have found their way. You can watch the inspiring video trailer. https://youtu.be/K978EIMcNxI My goal is to document this process and make it easy for someone who is seeking to find their own niche or path in life. I also decided to take it a step further and create the ‘Find your niche challenge (www.talealimi.com/findyournichechallenge)’. This is a free 5 day virtual challenge which will take place in a private Facebook group. Where I will give the participants daily tasks and exercises to help them identify their niche at the end of the 5 days. If like me, you have been stumbling and trying to figure out what your niche is so you can get fulfilment doing what you love and getting paid for it, I will like to invite you to participate in this challenge. To participate, register at www.talealimi.com/findyournichechallenge and get started on the journey to find your niche in 2017.

In Interviews&profile January 11, 2017 By Esther Ijewere

#PROFILE | MEET THATO KGATLHANYE, 22 YEARS OLD SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR WHO IS PUTTING SMILES ON FACES OF SCHOOL CHILDREN IN SOUTH AFRICA

Thato Kgatlhanye is a social entrepreneur, author, speaker, and founder of Repurpose Schoolbags. She has a B.A in Brand Leadership Management from Vega School of Brand Leadership.

She is also the CEO of Rethaka (Pty) Ltd, a woman-owned business based in Rustenburg, South Africa. She started Repurpose Schoolbags at the age of 18, after studying and discovering that most of the school children in her community carried plastic bags to school. She designed a new set of school bags using recycled plastic shopping bags, and integrating solar technology and batteries to provide light for studying after dark, as the bag charges during the day.

Thato runs the company with 17 employees and numerous plastic bag collectors. She has been featured on CNBC Africa and Forbes. She has also won the ELLE International Impact Award.

We celebrate her

In Interviews&profile January 11, 2017 By Esther Ijewere

“SOME PEOPLE LAUGH AT ME FOR SELLING CRAYFISH BUT MY PASSION FOR IT BEATS SHAME” – QUEEN EDET, STUDENT/ CRAYFISH SELLER

Queen Edet is a young, hardworking Computer Engineering student. The undergraduate of the Yaba School of technology was all over the news last week when one of her friends posted a picture of her packing crayfish, a business she started just to see herself through school not minding the stress, humiliation and sometimes low patronage. According to Queen while growing up, she enjoyed helping her grandmother who was into crayfish business. Little did Queen know that hobby and passion was going to turn into a viable business today. She shares her touching story in this inspiring Interview.

Meet Me

My name is Queen Sunny Edet, a 23 year old Computer Engineering student of Yaba College of Technology, Lagos. I hail from Okobo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. I’m the last in the family of 6.

Childhood

My childhood has everything to do with what I do now because I started assisting my late grandmother with her crayfish business, at a very tender age, that’s where I learnt the business from.

Inspiration

My grandmother use to trade crayfish in Calabar, and I assisted her with the measurement and tying, when I was young. During vacation from school, I always wanted to travel to Calabar so I could help her in her crayfish business and I enjoyed it. As time went on, I discovered I had much passion for it but I never thought I could venture into it as my own business, considering the fact that crayfish has a distinctive smell. I have a passion for it because passion beats shame.

Patronage

To be honest, the reception has been poor. People don’t patronize me, including my friends, they rather laugh at me for selling crayfish. When I just started this business, a girl called me and asked ”You sell crayfish for real? Of all the business in town and as pretty as you are?” I replied ”yes, I do and I love it”. At a point, I started feeling bad because of the mockery and the fact that buyers were not coming but I later sat down and said to myself ”Queen, so you will not eat because of what people are saying about you?”. I dropped the shame and kept on moving on.

Combining School with Business

It has been stressful because sometimes the little deliveries I make, warrant me missing classes, notes, and even impromptu tests. It is God who has been helping me pull through and also helping me strike a balance so I can excel.

Challenges

I have problem keeping crayfish in the hostel because I don’t have a place to stock them and sometimes, I have to go to a hotel once the crayfish arrives my location, so as to do the measurement and tying, and then bagging them in a ‘Ghana must go” bag before carrying it back to my hostel. It presents a lot of discomfort to my roommates because of the smell and also because I don’t usually have customers, it has to stay there for long. It is also stressful, jumping from one ‘danfo’ to another just to make a delivery and return to school for lectures. It’s not easy at all.

Reaction when story went viral

I was overwhelmed with joy but at the same time speechless. I call that Grace and favour from God. When God has chosen you, no man can bring you down. He chose me out of a million that sell crayfish to favour me, it’s never too late when God is involved in your life. I remain grateful to God, and uncountable thanks to my friend/course mate “Uche” for taking advantage of the social media on my behalf.

Public response

The responses have been wow!! . I’ve received cash donations from great people of this nation to support my business, calls of encouragement, and even calls from people who say they want to invest in my business and above all, I now have daily supplies, the demand tends to be greater than the supply. All thanks to God.

Family Support

Yes, my family has been really supportive. I get support and words of encouragement from them. I can still remember my dad declaring great words upon my business when I started, those words keep me going every time I feel like giving up or when someone laughs at me.

Advice to Undergraduates/Young People

Do not wait to be done with school and then start hunting for jobs. Do not think of what your country has to offer you, rather think of what you’ll do to help reduce unemployment in your country by starting a trade or however you may put it with your “blessed hands” and become your own CEO and an employer of labour before and after school. Just take a bold step today, build from the level you are, forget the hindrances and do not forget to take advantage of the social media platforms. I mean you don’t necessarily need a shop since most of the sales now is done online. You can never tell what awaits you there and learn to use the right words at all times Remember you are the expression of your own words and build a positive mindset towards your life, school and business, remain focus be passionate in all you do.

If I Have the Opportunity to Meet the President

I will ask him to empower students like me out there, who are working hard to make ends meet and need motivation to continue what they do.

I am a Woman of Rubies

I am unique because I have chosen to go into a unique line of business that girls within my age bracket wouldn’t want to go into, not minding the shame. I am using my blessed hands to make money and be an employer of labour in my nearest future instead of waiting to be out of school to hunt for jobs. Those who want to patronise me can reach me on 08058120848

In Career Gems January 11, 2017 By Esther Ijewere

#INTERVIEW | “MY PARENTS TAUGHT ME THE VALUE OF HARDWORK “– LOTANNA EGWUATU

Lotanna Amina Egwuatu holds a Bachelors degree in Engineering from Covenant University and a Master’s of Science degree from Lancaster University, United Kingdom , After her masters at the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and training with several jewellery schools in New York, she returned home to start her own Jewellery brand “Mina Stones” . Lotanna is actively involved in projects aimed at growing the Nigerian gemstone and jewellery industry. She shares her tale and journey with us in this interview.

Growing Up

Growing up as the third child in a family of four children, I was raised by a hard working mother and a strong willed father. They taught me the value of Hard Work, and reinforced in me the belief that with God all things are possible. As an adult, these principles have guided all my activities, especially the pioneering work I’m doing right now, by creating awareness of Precious stones in Nigeria, and their use as Jewellery.

Meet Lotanna

I am Lotanna Amina Egwuatu, born and raised in Abuja. I attended Queens College Yaba. I obtained a B.Sc in Information and Communication Engineering from Covenant university after which I did a master’s program in E-business and innovation at Lancaster university, UK. After my masters I started Gemology courses with the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). I have trained with several jewellery schools in New York and I’m currently studying and working on building my brand – MINA STONES. I work with natural gemstones and precious metals to create handmade fine jewellery and accessories.

Passion for “Stones”

God is my inspiration. He gifted me with a passion for precious stones as well as the talent/ability to make fine jewellery from these precious stones and metals.

Personal Projects

I have some personal projects that are very dear to me. One of which also has to do with gemstones and jewellery. I’ve seen the potential in this field and I’m trying in my little way to see how we can collectively benefit from it.

In collaboration with the Raw materials research and development council in 2015, we organised the first ever gemstone and jewellery expo in Nigeria. I also have a calling to orphaned and less privileged children. I provide financial support for the school fees and overall wellbeing of these kids and by God’s grace in the future I will be able to do a lot more and especially with respect to building them up as grounded individuals and supporting their education on a greater level.

Letting Go….

I have felt like giving up several times. Those times were difficult for me , but I learnt to let go and let God. He gave me this passion for a reason.

Positive customer feedback inspire me

When I hear people tell me how beautiful my pieces are or a customer just keeps going on and on about how they are in love with their jewellery. It makes me deeply happy. I’ve received gifts from artisan miners who were grateful for my attempts at trying to grow the industry. That also made me happy. That they were seeing what I was doing and also felt the need to appreciate me made me really happy.

Nigerians know little about stones

The major challenge is the fact that Nigerians know too little about precious stones (Gemstones). I’ve had to explain over and over that natural gemstones are not man made crystals or imitations. They are mined from the earth. I’ve realised many people especially in Nigeria know only about Diamonds. But there are so many other types of precious stones like sapphire, emeralds, morganite, zircon, topaz, onyx, scapolite e.t.c and most people do not know anything about them.

Advice to women with same vision

Believe in yourself and be persistent. Challenges will come but it’s how you handle them that really matters. People will discourage you, some will encourage you. What’s most important is that you strongly believe in yourself regardless of external opinions. You can do anything you set your mind to. Only believe.

Doing something positive makes me a Woman of Rubies

I believe every woman has a unique purpose to create impact and change their world for the better in some way. I also believe in doing something no matter how small in the direction of your dreams. Right now I am actively involved in projects aimed at growing the Nigerian gemstone and jewellery industry.

Women should support one another

Our time has come. In the world we live in right now, a woman can become anything. So, let’s do just that. Let’s rise to our highest potential, and achieve great things.

Let us all do our own part and do away with the many distractions around us. We have a lot to do and I believe we get there faster when we together. As the Ubuntu Philosophy says – “I am what I am because of who we all are”. Let us all begin to look at the bigger picture.