the pride of Africa's women entrepreneurs
by Thembe Khumalo
Here's something I've noticed over the years coaching men and women in various professions: Women consistently identify themselves as having low confidence and seek support in building it up. I've never had a man raise a lack of confidence as a primary concern.
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Vanda Harries, founder, The Life Architect (South Africa)
Startup Story
Vanda Harries is the entrepreneur behind The Life Architect, a business coaching and consultancy specialising in marketing and communications and personal brand building in South Africa. She is passionate about helping other women entrepreneurs and non-profits to develop their personal and business brands to achieve their goals.
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by Thembe Khumalo
At a recent meeting with entrepreneurs, I was asked about overcoming imposter syndrome. No one liked it when I responded by asking, “Are you an imposter?” This is an uncomfortable question, particularly when you are regularly questioning your abilities, feeling insecure, and struggling to feel confident in a particular role or task. For you to be able to respond with a firm “No,” to such a question you need to be sure that you are equipped with the knowledge and skills for the work you are proposing to do. And that was my point in asking the question.
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by Thembe Khumalo
Were you struggling to attract sign-ups for your coaching or consulting services last year? Did you find potential clients hesitating due to pricing concerns? You're not alone in this challenge. What you truly desire is a steady stream of eager leads and clients who appreciate the value you bring. And that’s what you need to set yourself up to attract this year. Here are some ways you may have been sabotaging your success without realizing it.
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by Thembe Khumalo
Are you tired of taking every job that comes your way, offering discounts, and working on assignments you're not specialized in? It's time to break free from the scarcity mindset, stop working ridiculous hours, and dealing with abusive clients. Let's dive into why this approach doesn't work.
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by Thembe Khumalo
Look, I realise how frightening it can be to step forward into a fast-moving marketplace that can sometimes also. be very confusing. But if you’re serious about professional growth and business expansion you’re going to have to overcome fears of being seen, making marketing mistakes, facing judgment, or stumbling in your pursuits. These apprehensions will rob you of your confidence and the elevation you desire. Try to make peace with the fact that you will make mistakes — everybody does after all, and then focus on building yourself a well-defined personal brand.
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by Thembe Khumalo
For ambitious executives, personal branding is like the stock exchange. Some stocks are valued higher than others, and the goal of every owner/investor is to see the price of his shares go up and stay up. Highly valued stocks mean more money and a better return on investment.
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by Naike Moshi
In today's workplace, building a personal brand is no longer an option, but a necessity. Here are some questions to help you understand how to build your personal brand.
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Marina Prinsloo, founder, TICIA Group (South Africa)
Startup Story
For anyone wanting to get ahead in life and in business, having a confident, authentic personal brand is essential, as it encourages better relationship building and creates more opportunities. Marina Prinsloo, founder of the TICIA Group in South Africa, is helping clients to become better versions of themselves through confident and authentic communication, engagement and personal positioning skills.
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by Naike Moshi
Like many of you, fear is not a stranger in our lives. Fear is a powerful force that can keep us from achieving our goals and live to our fullest potential. Is fear holding you back in pursuing your goals and dreams? Is fear holding you back in trying new things? Do you make excuses when it comes to start building your brand? If the response is YES, to above questions, you are not alone. I was like that and am still a work in progress.
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by Naike Moshi
My personal branding journey started 6 months ago; I did not understand what it meant to have a personal brand. I have been busy promoting my business brands for the last 8 years and have been behind the scenes for a while. People are aware of my brands - CVPeople Tanzania and WIMA (Women in Management Africa) but did not know the person running behind the brands. I was under the radar and have remained hidden for a while. After the Covid-19 outbreak, I was disrupted and had to change tactics, focusing on improving my personal brand. Another major wake up call came when I was nominated for the best female CEO, but guess what, I was the one with lowest votes meaning my personal brand was not working well. For the past 6 months, I have made my mission to work on my personal brand and the journey has been amazing. I will share my personal experience and knowledge so that you can improve your own brand.
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by Naike Moshi
If there's one thing we all have in common, it's that we all make mistakes along the way (and hopefully learn valuable lessons from them). But if you're smart, you'll learn as much as possible from the mistakes of others and spare yourself some of the grief. Some of these lessons can applied whether you are employed, self- employed or unemployed.
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by Thembe Khumalo
Here’s a quick story. It's about a young women called Lerato who had a very successful career, following an equally successful time at Harvard Business School. She had made a name for herself working in some of the most exciting, sexiest organisations on the continent - starting at Jumia, moving on to MTN, working closely with Dangote himself, promoted to the C Suite at Coca Cola. She was a devoted and loyal executive - and she had the salary, perks and power to reflect this. She joined a fashionable, but credible church where she quickly became a deaconess. People wanted to hear from her. Doors opened magically in her wake. She felt powerful.
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by Lori Milner
“A brand for a product is like a reputation for a person” - Jeff Bezos
Why do brands spend what they do on advertising and marketing? Of course it’s the obvious essentials like profit and growth, creating social impact but really it comes down to creating loyal fans. It’s the same with your personal brand.
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by Thuli Zikalala
BrandSimple is a book I highly recommend for any individual or company that would like to be recognised as a successful brand. Everyone is a brand – the key is to start thinking and acting like one. Allen P. Adamson, the author, explains how the best brands keep it simple, and as a result enjoy huge success.
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by Lori Milner
7 ways to create the best version of yourself...
I have coached and trained hundreds of people on personal branding and the number one question I get asked is: “Is it too late for me to reinvent my brand and change perceptions?” The good news is that it is never too late.
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by Lori Milner
7 ways to create the best version of yourself...
I have coached and trained hundreds of people on personal branding and the number one question I get asked is… “Is it too late for me to reinvent my brand and change perceptions?”
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by Nkemdilim Uwaje Begho
I am sure you have noticed more and more personal brands popping up and business leaders finding creative and innovative ways to position themselves and their companies. You may be shaking your head at this trend and wondering why you should jump on the band wagon and invest in building your personal brand in the first place…. Indulge me a little, as I demystify the WHY, WHAT and HOW of Building Your Personal Brand…. I promise it will be worth the read.
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by Lori Milner
“All of us need to understand the importance of branding. We are CEOs of our own companies: Me Inc. To be in business today, our most important job is to be head marketer for the brand called You.” — Tom Peters
A brand is a promise and ultimately a sorting device. If I offered you two bottles of Cola, one being a no name brand and the other a bottle of Coca-Cola – naturally, you will go for the Coca-Cola.
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by Usha Maharaj
Last night while talking to students of my upcoming Leadership Evolution Masterclass Series #LEMS, one of them shared that, before investing in my group coaching program, she and her husband "investigated" me online. Fortunately, I have invested time and energy in developing an online brand that is consistent with and reflects who I am and how I serve. Through this process, she found the comfort she needed to click on a button and sign up for my group coaching program.
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