Women of Rubies
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Eleora Ogundare
In Inspiration By

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.
Eleora Ogundare

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

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Maria Eneyi
In Editor's Choice By

Maria Eneyi: The Entrepreneur Teaching Women The Business of Food Branding And Packaging 

Maria Eneyi is the founder of Enechambs Foods, a business that has grown significantly since she kicked off 2 years ago, from starting with a N55k capital to making over seven figures monthly.

Enechambs food is a virtual store that deals with seafoods and other raw food items. Maria and her team are on a journey of reducing sicknesses caused by wrong food handling practices, by ensuring raw foods are directly sourced, processed in a healthy environment, and as well packaged for maximum protection.

She has successfully established her business presence in Nigeria, African countries, European and American nations delivering neatly processed and packaged food at their doorsteps.

Maria has trained over one hundred students how to start a food packaging business through her Enechambs food Institute.

In her words, ‘Our mission is to become a household name for everything groceries shopping within and outside Nigeria. In this interview with Esther Ijewere, the public administration graduate shares her inspiring story.

Childhood Influence

I was born in the very early 1990’s in the  city of Kaduna state,  tudun wada precisely before the Sharia crisis of 2020,I could remember accompanying my mum during holidays and midterm breaks to sell cooked food at a spot popularly known as “mama put “ then, we took hot rice to those who couldn’t come to her stand to buy food. There I learnt how to serve customers with a smiling face and greeting them so they can come back the next day.

Maria Eneyi
Maria Eneyi, CEO- Enechambs Food

After the crisis, my mom had a provision and cosmetics shop at the Central market in Kaduna where I accompanied my mum to the store whenever I was on holiday from the boarding school.

My dad also had a salon then where I visited mostly weekends as it was one of their busiest days where we had to provide errand services for women who came to make their hair.

So going to their stores helped me gain firsthand knowledge in marketing, Sales and customer relationship and has formed the basis of my success in business.

Inspiration behind Enechambs food

When I followed my mum to the market where her store was located, I saw first hand how foods were managed by the market men and women, how they used insecticides to wade off pests and rodents in their stores where these foods laid, how different hands will touch the raw foods and most times they end up not buying and then an unassuming customer  will come and buy.

I also saw how busy professionals rushed into the market between the hours of 4-6pm to shop for dinner and most times they got foods that are not as fresh as the morning set or foods that have been touched by different people which was a major turn off from an incredibly young age for me.

I have also met people who just do not like groceries shopping from the local market and on my own part is what I love

Having experienced all of these inspired me and I thought of how I could really make life easier and better for people by giving them a better food option and this gave birth to Enechambs food.

Enechambs Food is a virtual store that deals with all kinds of seafood like snails, dry fish’s prawns etc. and other raw food items like egusi, Ogbonno, palm oil, proteins of all sorts, tubers, grains etc.

We are on a journey to reducing sicknesses caused by wrong food handling practices, by ensuring raw foods are directly sourced, processed in a healthy environment, and as well, packaged for maximum protection.

The Journey so far

My journey so far has been one filled with so many lessons, difficulties all in the quest of evolving into a global brand.

When I started, I struggled with gaining the trust of people to patronize me and I remembered one time in the quest of looking for trust I sent some foodstuffs to Abuja to some persons who showed interest but, on the condition, they will pay after they receive the products.

After sending you will not believe they refused to pick up from the park giving one excuse to the other, one told me she has travelled with someone I spoke with before heading to the park, the others complained of where the park was located.

But look at us now, we are gradually making a name for ourselves that people do not hesitate to commit six figures even without knowing me.

Challenges

Over time we have not really been faced with serious challenges But a few that we experience are:

  1. Logistics: Enechambs food being a virtual store means we take orders virtually and most times we send stuff outside Kaduna state and Nigeria too.

For the Nigerian deliveries,

There are times we get orders for perishables to the eastern other states but because of the situation of the road and the vehicles used for this purpose are halfway gone , items that are supposed to spend less than 24hours on the road spend more than that which isn’t good for business  so because of this constant experience, we were forced to stop collecting orders for perishables except the client want the tomatoes to be processed into paste.

Internationally, Nigerians in the Diaspora also wish they can still access all Nigerian foods most especially incredibly good Palm oil. So, getting the right route to send this item is usually difficult.

  1. Finance: for a very perfect finish of our processed foods, equipment is needed to achieve it. The food business is highly capital intensive and these equipment needed are not cheap and as a small business owner it is not easy gathering such money for equipment, so this is a significant challenge.

Also, in our quest of becoming recognized globally, our products need to be standardized by the appropriate bodies locally and internationally and all these costs a lot of money.

Why I resigned from my Teaching Job

As a subject teacher, I was taking four (4) subjects, I have three (3) kids and no house assistance. There are days we process food like snails or meat for export till 2-3am then we rest for 1-2 hours before we start preparing for work.

This was not the life I had imagined as growing up, I saw how my parents owned their time and made decisions and this had already been factored in my head.

 After the covid pandemic when I started my business, after a year I noticed some months, I made more than my salary and some months I made close to or my actual salary.

After 1 year My business grew into making over 6-7 figures in turnover and then I knew there was more from where it was coming if only I gave the business the desired attention it needed.

Although, I struggled to make up my mind as I was already attached to my students but then I wanted to be free so I can do more. Eventually I did and it has been an amazing journey.

How my work inspired other women

Managing business and family is not a walk in the park. But because of how determined I am to succeed in this business all the things happening around me never discouraged me but fueled me more.

I remember when I was working there were days I kept my kids in the custody of my neighbor or locked them in the house after I came back from work by 3:30pm to do market runs.

There were also days I would leave them in school in the custody of the Nannies or security to pick up or drop off items.

So, some months back, my neighbors and I were having a talk and one was asking me how I manage my business, three kids with no domestic assistance and how my house and immediate surroundings are always intact, so she had to tell herself to sit-up. Guess what? She has recently just started her business from home too!!

I’ve had women write me,  telling me how I inspire them on social media  and how they will like to do what I do but they have  kids below the ages of 5 and 10 and don’t think they can do  it and when I open up to them that I also have 3 kids with no help they are always shocked as to how I do it… most of them have dropped their excuses and have started pursuing their dreams.

Other projects and activities

Right now, there are no other projects, we are only focused on this business and how we can scale up, get licensed by the appropriate bodies, sit on international shelves, and become a household name and globally recognized.

What I enjoy most about my job

What I enjoy so much about this business is the joy that fills our customers’ faces when they receive their package within and outside Nigeria. Aside from the joy, it gives me a sense of fulfillment when my clients do not have to bother about stocking up for themselves, loved ones or parents. The feeling of solving a major food problem is what I enjoy. Serving you undiluted, Unadulterated, cleaned, processed, and neatly packaged food stuffs is my calling

Three women who inspire me and why

Chiddie Anyasado: Meeting her changed my entire life and reduced the time I would have spent finding my feet.

After she placed an order with us to be delivered to the United Kingdom, she announced us to her audience and her entire tribe came knocking on our doors.

Since then, our business went up and turnover increased to over 100%. She is so meek, supportive and a pacesetter. She has refined and brought a lot of hidden potentials in me.

Numerous times she has challenged me in so many ways. Her approach to matters is also quite different from the normal and a huge inspiration to me.

Ifeyinwa Ighodalo:  How this woman started a business at 52 years of age after she and her partner parted ways surprises me.

What I learnt from her, despite living a comfortable lifestyle and having it all, her love and concern for the welfare of her former workers made her come back to doing business and even better. Following her lessons made me understand that your staff are also a major priority.

Ayodeji Megbope: Remember that lady who sold Moi Moi in the white House?  how a complete novice in business was able to learn all those stuffs like accounting, bookkeeping and all that. I tell myself if she can do it I also can. She is also one confident woman who knows what she is capable of doing and one who is not ashamed. I see a lot of her qualities in me and it is a major strength for me.

Being a Woman of Rubies

My ability to stand tall even amid all the challenges leveled up against me that would have brought my end makes me a gallant woman of ruby.

How I am scaling up despite the economy

 

I constantly show up and I deliver well. I reach out to anyone who I feel can help me as a person or brand. This has brought so much help, referrals to the point I don’t even know if the economy is bad anymore.

 

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Dr. Claire Karekezi
In Inspiration By

Meet Dr. Claire Karekezi, Rwanda’s First Female Neurosurgeon

Dr. Claire Karekezi is the first female Neurosurgeon in Rwanda. She graduated as a Doctor of Medicine from the College of Medicine and Health Sciences at the University of Rwanda.

She completed her Neurosurgical training at the Rabat Training Center for African Neurosurgeons, Mohamed V University of Rabat, World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (Morocco), and graduated in 2016.

Early Life

Karekezi was born in Butare, Rwanda. Mr.  Karekezi Sr., her father, was a telecommunications engineer, and Mrs. Musine, her mother, was a high school teacher. Karekezi grew up in Kigali, the capital city of Rwanda, where she and her two older siblings received their early education. She enjoyed science as a child, and after sixth grade in elementary school, she majored in mathematics and physics in high school.

She met the admissions criteria for medical school and studied general medicine in Butare at the University of Rwanda College of Medicine and Health Sciences, graduating as an MD in March 2009. During her time in Butare, Karekezi had her first exposure to neurosurgery, an experience that changed the course of her life.

She was further enrolled in several neurosurgical fellowships with a special interest in Neuro-Oncology and Skull Base Surgery at the Brigham & Women’s Hospital, a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School (Massachusetts, USA) International Visiting Surgeon Fellow.

Career Path

Dr Karekezi later completed a Clinical Fellowship in Neuro-Oncology & Skull Base Surgery at the University of Toronto, Toronto Western Hospital (Canada) before returning to Rwanda in August of 2018 to become the country’s first female Neurosurgeon.

She is currently a Consultant Neurosurgeon at Rwanda Military Hospital. She also serves as the Chair of the African Women in Neurosurgery (AWIN) and is a member of multiple national and international neurosurgical societies.

Karekezi has led numerous projects on the history of women in neurosurgery and their current status on the African continent, highlighting the underrepresentation of women in leadership positions and academic neurosurgery, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. She continues to raise awareness about the need for more experienced female neurosurgeons in order to assist other young women in overcoming various obstacles inherent to the field. She is also an advocate and inspiration for other young women who wish to pursue STEM fields (science, engineering, technology, and mathematics)

We celebrate you Dr. Claire Karekezi

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Dr. Malvika Iyer
In Inspiration By

Dr. Malvika Iyer: Motivational Speaker, Social Activist And Disability Rights Activist

Meet – Dr Malvika Iyer, on 26 May 2002, at age 13, she accidentally picked up a diffused grenade bomb at her home in Bikaner, Rajasthan that exploded in her hands, blew off both her hands and severely damaged her legs.

There was little hope for her survival when she was taken to the hospital. She was conscious but in terrible pain. Subsequent to surviving that night, she had to undergo surgeries across 2 years and was bedridden for 18 months.

Dr. Malvika Iyer

Against all odds, at age 28, she obtained a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Social Work from the University of Madras. She also holds a Master of Philosophy (M.Phil) in Social Work from the University of Madras, a Master of Social Work (M.S.W) in Social Work from Delhi University and a Bachelor of Arts (B.A) in Economics from St. Stephen’s College.

Dr Malvika Iyer’s story is one of courage and determination. She has come a long way from surviving a gruesome bomb blast at the age of 13 that blew off both her hands and severely damaged her legs, to winning the highest civilian honor from the President of India.

Today, she is an award-winning Disability Rights Activist and International Motivational Speaker – inspiring millions of people to forget their limitations and take on the world with confidence and hope.

“When the bomb blew up my hands, the doctors were under a lot of pressure to save my life so they made some surgical errors while stitching back my right hand, the stump has a bone protruding out which is not covered by any flesh. But that very mistake has proven so incredible that the bone acts like my only finger. That’s how I type,” said Dr Malvika Iyer.

Dr. Malvika Iyer – Quotes”

“The only disability in life is a bad attitude.”

“I have come to realize that I could be the President of India and people would still pity me. It’s in their nature. Now I concentrate on my own abilities and not people’s reactions towards me. That’s all it took to change my life”

“The next time you see someone differently-abled, think about it – We are all people and we have to remember that at all times, those people didn’t choose to be born or have that disability, that is just how things go from time to time. Do not stand and stare, rather be empathetic, respectful and inclusive.”

 

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Ebony Oshunrinde
In Editor's Choice By

Ebony Oshunrinde: The Highly Sought-After Canadian Record Producer And Songwriter

Ebony Oshunrinde (born December 28, 1996), professionally known as WondaGurl, is a Canadian record producer, songwriter and record executive. WondaGurl has worked with the likes of Mariah Carey, Travis Scott, Jay-Z, Drake and Kanye West.

At 26 years old, Canadian producer Ebony Oshunrinde — better known as WondaGurl — has built a career most music-business veterans twice her age would envy.

Ebony Oshunrinde

Early Life

WondaGurl started producing on her keyboard with drum pads at age 9. At age 15, she entered the 2011 and 2012 Battle of The Beat Makers competition in Toronto, Ontario, where Canadian record producer Boi-1da was present as one of the guest judges at both years.

She won first place in the latter year, earning herself a trophy and a Roland SH-01 Gaia synthesizer.

Ebony Oshunrinde’s Big Break

She got her first major credit, on Jay-Z’s Magna Carta Holy Grail, when she was still in her teens, and she has since produced more than 100 tracks for Travis Scott, Drake, Lil Uzi Vert, Rihanna, and other top acts. Her credits include multi-platinum hits including Scott’s “Antidote” and Rihanna’s “Bitch Better Have My Money.”

WondaGurl became a protégé of Boi-1da shortly after the competition, and around 2013, started to closely work with American rapper Travis Scott at 16 years old, whom she also signed to years later.

This led to her working with other major artists and producers since then, producing her first Top 40 hit single “Antidote” by Travis Scott in 2015, which was co-produced by Canadian record producer Eestbound.

Wondagurl

Recognition

In 2018, she was featured in the Music category of Forbes 30 Under 30. She is one of the youngest women to add production to a platinum-selling hip hop album.

In July 2020, WondaGurl signed a worldwide publishing deal with Travis Scott’s Cactus Jack Publishing and Sony/ATV Music Publishing, in conjunction with her own record label and publishing company, Wonderchild Music.

At the Juno Awards of 2021, WondaGurl won the Jack Richardson Producer of the Year Award for her work on the songs “Aim for the Moon” (Pop Smoke feat. Quavo) and “Gang Gang” (JackBoys and Sheck Wes).

She was both the first Black Canadian woman to win the award, and the first woman ever to win as a producer for other artists rather than as an artist self-producing her own work.

WondaGurl is naturally shy, and her aversion o the spotlight made it difficult, early on, to adjust to being one of the most sought-after beatmakers in the business.

Ebony Wondagurl Oshunrinde

Breaking Boundaries

She is currently one of the few women regularly getting A-list production work in any genre; female producers in music account for less than three percent of production credits on the 900 most popular songs of the past nine years, according to a recent study. Yet she’s never let herself be discouraged.

“I want to make girls feel like they could do this,” she says. “I know a lot want to.” She told Rolling Stone Magazine in a recent interview.

 

 

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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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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.

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Chioma Ogamba Ifediata
In Career Gems By

Chioma Ogamba: The Canadian Immigration Consultant Helping People To Gain Citizenship And Residency In Over 20 Countries

Chioma Ogamba Ifediata is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Kisha Immigration, a licensed Canadian immigration company located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The trusted brand was born out of her passion for helping people find greener pastures and sharing in their joy when their dream becomes an exciting reality.

Kisha Immigration is affiliated to the Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC), College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC) and Canadian Association of Professional Immigration Consultants (CAPIC).

Chioma studied Applied Business Computing in the United Kingdom and graduated with First class Honors and got educated in four countries.

Being an ardent believer in personal development and never-ending improvement, she immigrated to Canada as a permanent resident, then acquired degrees in Canadian Immigration Consulting, Information Technology, and an MBA (Business administration), graduating at the top of her class with a perfect CGPA of 4.0/4.0 in all three.

Chioma Ogamba Kisha Immigration

Chioma is delighted in witnessing people’s lives change entirely for the best. Their lives get transformed in a way that generations will be inspired by her actions to become a licensed Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC).

In this interview with Esther Ijewere, the sought-after Immigration consultant shares her inspiring journey and how she didn’t let the ASUU strike deter her from chasing her dreams.

Childhood Influence

My childhood did inspire me on my current path, even without my knowing it at the time. My father passed away when I was five years old; I remember hearing about how he was diagnosed with cancer and needed to seek a different opinion and receive treatment outside Nigeria. Sadly, his first visa application got rejected, and it was already too late for him by the time the second visa was approved. He passed away before the planned travel date.

Around the same time, I heard the story of another family member who was diagnosed with the same kind of cancer but had the access to travel abroad and was able to receive treatment there.

These two scenarios stirred up many emotions for me as I grew up pondering so many “what ifs” that might have averted my dad’s unfortunate demise.

What if he had global access? What if he did not require a visa to have access to good healthcare in the first place? He still would not have survived even if he got good medical attention… we will never know. There is nothing like having a second option to fall back on if necessary.

When most people think about Immigration, they see it solely as a gate pass to better living opportunities, but in some cases, it bottles down to life and death.

As citizens of third-world nations where most of our leaders travel abroad to seek better healthcare, what becomes the hope of the others that cannot afford it? My dad’s untimely demise birthed my passion for attaining global access and high quality of life for myself, my family and future generations. This eventually snowballed into me having a business immigration program decades later.

The Inspiration Behind Kisha Immigration

The inspiration for Kisha immigration came when I realized that I spent most of my free time since 2016 speaking to people on the phone for long hours, guiding them on how to get a second residency.

Consequently, when it came down to choosing a business idea to develop, Global Mobility was a perfect choice; there was nothing else I was more passionate about and also solved a problem people needed help with.

When trying to figure this out, the first question I asked myself is ‘what is in my hands?’  It was helping people become global citizens which would totally change not just their lives but that of their immediate family and future generations!

In other words, helping them unlock their global access by attaining a second residency/citizenship through entrepreneurship, investments, education, and work experience.

I thought to myself, “If I enjoyed doing this for free, I might as well get paid doing it while changing lives at the same time.”

I believe that as a child of God, I should have dominion from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth. One of the ways I hold onto this scripture is that I should not be restricted in my movement or access to other parts of the world.

There are diverse ways to achieve this; for me one of the ways was through immigration, cultivating a global mindset and unlocking my global access. Seeing how immigration transformed my life and the lives of everyone I helped achieve the same results inspired me to start Kisha Immigration Inc.

So, I transitioned from my 9 to 5 aspect of my career that spanned across different domains and industries (financial services, information technology, business analysis, robotic process automation and project management) to focus squarely on my passion – Global Mobility.

 The Advantage of Studying in Four Countries

The exposure I gained from studying in four countries gave me the right foundation for my career. I started at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, then moved to Malaysia to start a new program at a UK-affiliated university. I transferred to the UK to finish that degree and graduated from the University of Sunderland.

That experience as a young woman gave me an insight into how different the world was from where I hailed from. The diverse cultures, global opportunities, and higher standard of living. I had the resolve, as a young lady, to strive for better. I wanted the opportunity to operate on a global interface, interact with different people across the globe, and experience diverse cultures. I did not want to be restricted to where I was from.

One of the goals that preceded my other goals at that moment was obtaining a second passport. I was confident that it would open the doors of the world to me. This turned out to be our mission at Kisha: to open the doors of the world to our clients and help them gain global access.

Being able to provide the same for my children and future generations started from my studying abroad and seeing what was obtainable outside Nigeria. Today, my entire family is Canadian; my child even became Canadian before my husband and me. It all started with my dream of what I wanted for my family, and today that dream has become my reality.

How I Became a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant

I started as a regulated Immigration consultant and expanded toward having global partnerships to offer business immigration, citizenship, and residency by investment programs in over twenty countries. However, this feat was not achieved overnight; it took years of persistent arduous work.

I was aware that to help more people attain the transformational heights that come with immigration, I needed to have a team and structure set in place. I could not do it alone.

However, I could not start Kisha Immigration without a Canadian immigration consulting license, and getting this license required obtaining a Diploma in Canada Immigration Law first. I was operating on a hectic schedule then, and the only way I could start and finish the program was during my maternity leave.

Canada grants a one-year parental leave to nursing moms, and this was one of the rewards of Canada that intrigued me as a young girl even before I moved to the country.

Being as ambitious as I am, I decided to use the opportunity to complete my one-year diploma and my MBA. I graduated from both programs with a perfect CGPA of 4.0/4.0, and went on to write my license exam, which I aced on the first trial.

My Relocation Journey

My first stint at relocating was over a decade ago during a protracted ASUU strike when I was still in UNN. I did not want any breaks in my studies, and I loved learning. That was when I relocated for the first time with my immediate younger sister to complete my studies. After graduation, I had to go back home due to the change in the UK immigration policies.

I was determined to relocate again. I had shared my plans to relocate a second time with one of my friends, and through her, I learned of a new program that had recently launched in Canada at the time – Express Entry. It was the opportunity to gain Canadian permanent residency based on my professional work experience. A year later, I got selected by the Canadian government to send in my application and I did.

The rest they say is history. This goes to show that there is no one way to get a second residency or citizenship. It commonly happens through education, but it can also happen through entrepreneurship, real estate investments and skilled work experience

Challenges Of My Work

Owing to the fraudulent experiences that most of our prospects & clients have had with fake immigration agents, sometimes, their ability to trust us is diminished when they first approach us. We aim to be very transparent when we work with our clients.

The goal is to deliver as soon as we can within a reasonable timeframe. If there are any immigration changes along the way, we notify them immediately because a few of my core values are transparency, excellence, and integrity. These form the foundation on which Kisha Immigration is built.

Lastly, explaining to prospects and clients the importance of working with a licensed immigration consultant who is a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant can be challenging. Finding out if the immigration consultant managing your application is licensed or working in collaboration with a licensed consultant is more important than having a physical office.

This is because an unscrupulous company can easily pack up and vacate the office, but a license obtained in a country like Canada with as much diligence and sacrifice as I have put in is priceless. The chance of me deliberately jeopardizing my license is non-existent.

Profiling Of Black Women and How They Can Be Supported

Black women can have high performing careers and businesses. They should not be under-estimated because they can excel at endeavors they set out to accomplish. However, they also need support and should be encouraged. So, encourage them in their work, business, and other achievements; not only when they get married or have children.

We can be supported by having our businesses posted online and circulated among your WhatsApp and Facebook groups; if you are the ideal client, we seek that you patronize us. Let us do all we can to empower and support Black women to succeed.

How We Help Our Clients Immigrate To Canada At Kisha Immigration

We help first class clients get second citizenship or residency through Canada business immigration programs, citizenship by investment programs in the Caribbean, and residency by investment programs in Europe and beyond – over twenty countries worldwide. We also go the extra mile to help them settle in when they relocate to a new country as residents and guide them on the path to citizenship.

For our ambitious ‘study abroad’ clients, we help them select the right program, school, and country to study in and process their admissions and visa applications as well. We also help them settle in the country that will become their new home.

Sometimes, international students find it difficult to excel in their studies and land great jobs. We help them achieve this through our Academic and Career Excellence Coaching program. We also ensure that they have the right citizenship blueprint for that country. That is usually the ultimate goal for most clients.

Three Women Who Inspire You And Why

Despite being a young widow, my mom gave us the best education possible. So, I grew up without feeling the impact of not having a dad so much. She remained diligent and focused on giving us the best, which set the bar high for what I wanted for my children; I wanted to provide them with beyond what my mom gave me, and thankfully, I am already doing that. My aunt is another hugely inspiring figure in my life.

Her name is Mrs. Chibuzo Barth-Akaba. She is a fantastic woman, and it is so inspiring to see her build her different businesses and try to utilize all her talents. Then, growing up there was Oprah Winfrey, an inspiring Black woman on a global stage spitting wisdom. She looked like me so that was so encouraging and inspiring. Representation is so important; it acts as a catalyst to walk on a journey that once seemed out of reach.

My Advice For Nigerian Youths Affected By ASUU Strike

I would first address the parents and guardians of students who have experienced or are currently experiencing the arduous ASUU strike. As much as you would want them to go back and continue the program, the best course of action would be to send them abroad. If it seems too expensive, they could try applying for scholarships, and there are schools with affordable tuition fees abroad.

My mom did not necessarily send me to a top study destination at first, but when I got there, I could transfer to the UK on a partial scholarship.

Delays in getting an education and becoming a graduate are saddening. I was studying electronic engineering at UNN before I relocated. Because engineering was not available during my program selection, I opted for IT, which I had to start over, but I ended up graduating months ahead of my counterparts at UNN. I went through the fast-track route and had three semesters in a year instead of two semesters.

It might be different for everyone; you might be required to stay an additional year or two, but even with that, coming out with a marketable degree makes it worth it. Studying abroad makes you a well-rounded individual with a global mindset.

To the youths in question, if studying abroad does not seem attainable, then the ASUU strike is the ideal opportunity to develop and hone skills that would prove helpful, whether in your immigration journey or other general aspects of your life.

I still need to improve, but I try to ensure they coexist nicely. I have gotten to a point where I have consciously decided to stop working on weekends to spend quality time with my family and give attention to other aspects of my personal life. Because these are two crucial facets of my life, I try to understand how to manage both so that one does not adversely affect the other. It is all about being disciplined with time management.

Chioma Ogamba

Other Projects And Activities By Chioma Ogamba Ifediata

I am enthusiastic about helping young people access good education without financial constraints. Given this, we are launching a foundation in my dad’s memory dedicated to keeping his name and legacy alive. The Foundation will be launching soon and will cater to the needs of the underprivileged while equipping them with capacity-building skills. I do not believe in the saying that says “don’t just give a person fish but also teach them how to fish,” which proves to be more sustainable. We will also have workshops targeted at teaching them skills that they can monetize to create a better life for themselves.

Being A  Woman Of Rubies

I consider myself a woman of value and excellence, and I am also a robust and tenacious woman who sticks with what she starts until she finishes it. No matter how long or complex, I keep going as long as I can achieve it. Inspiring people to become the excellent version of themselves is also one of my favourite things to do.

One Thing I Wish To Change In The Canadian Immigration Process

It is common knowledge that Britain colonized Nigeria. Therefore, we speak, write, and hold degrees in English, so it is puzzling that Nigerians are still required to take English language proficiency tests for visa purposes. Most schools in Canada no longer demand IELTS from international students, but the Government of Canada still mandates that IELTS be taken for specific immigration pathways. It should be scrapped, as it is unnecessary for Nigerians.

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