the pride of Africa's women entrepreneurs
by Thembe Khumalo
In the world of entrepreneurship, there is no place to hide. Where the corporate world might have allowed you the cover of a jacket and tie, a shiny pair of shoes, and an impressive title, entrepreneurship strips you naked, and leaves you with nothing but yourself and your wits — or whatever it is that you bring to the table.
Read more
by Thembe Khumalo
Maya Angelou says that courage is the most important of all the virtues, because “without courage you can’t practice any other virtue consistently. You can practice any virtue erratically, but nothing consistently without courage.” Of all the virtues required in our nation at this time, courage is probably the one we need the most, and not just courage but consistent courage. Here are my thoughts on how we might begin to find our courage:
Read more
by Thembe Khumalo
It is a beautiful thing when a personal brand lives out its own manifesto. It fills me with awe and wonder to watch someone else unleash the full force of their fabulosity on the world. In case you’re wondering, yes fabulosity is a real word, made famous by fashion mogul Kimora Lee Simmons.
Read more
by Thembe Khumalo
We keep hearing that social media has become a vibrant and influential landscape for getting ahead in your career — some are even calling it a necessary evil. However, many executives remain hesitant to participate, unsure of the “correct” way to navigate it, and even of the value it holds for them. I like to think of social media as one big global cocktail party, where everyone is invited, but attendance is optional. By understanding how the party unfolds, and what different people are doing at the party, you can align your goals with purposeful engagement and unlock the immense potential of social media to support your career and personal goals.
Read more
by Thembe Khumalo
The truth is, being good at what you do is just the beginning — it’s like the minimum entry requirement. Many talented individuals like yourself often find themselves wondering why they aren’t getting the opportunities they truly desire, despite their skills and expertise. The answer lies in the importance of personal branding. Here’s why this might be happening and what you can do to unlock the opportunities you deserve.
Read more
by Thembe Khumalo
In Africa, we talk a lot about the unbanked. In certain circles, this group is considered evidence of the opportunities for innovation that abound on the continent, and in others, they are considered a problem that we need to solve. What interests me most though, is looking at some of the reasons why these people are not choosing banks as their preferred financial partner.
Read more
by Thembe Khumalo
“Who me?” You might ask. Yes, you!
You’re stealing the future from the next generation of young women professionals by refusing to make yourself visible. Here’s the thing — you can’t be what you don’t see. So if we want our young women to become leaders in business, in entrepreneurship, in politics, or in the community, we need to give them the opportunity to see such people in action — people like you and me. We need to provide them with visible, accessible role models.
Read more
by Thembe Khumalo
“When women come together with a collective intention, magic happens. We shape our world, we make things happen. That’s what I believe in.” — Graca Machel
We hear often enough about how lonely it can be at the top, but what we don't hear as often is what one should do when one gets there, and finds so many other things to think about. In the realm of leadership, African women are rising to the forefront, breaking barriers, and reshaping the narrative. While they possess inherent strength, resilience, and an unwavering determination to make a difference, African women leaders face unique challenges and obstacles. This is why it’s useful to be part of a community of women in similar positions.
Read more
by Thembe Khumalo
Are we still debating the importance of building your brand in a fast-paced and interconnected world? Didn’t think so! It’s an essential tool for African leaders looking to stand out, make an impact, and unlock new opportunities. One more time, for those who are new here — your personal brand is how you show up in the world; how you present yourself, your values, and your unique attributes to those you wish to influence. Now for the how-to: here are some step-by-step strategies you can leverage to build a strong personal brand.
Read more
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.
Read more
by Thembe Khumalo
I’m hoping we are now over the initial “New Year Resolution Madness” where we pledge to do great and mighty exploits, only to find ourselves fading before the first month of the year is out. I’m not proposing any new resolutions to take up, just some ideas about what you could do differently (and why) to level up your business and your career this year.
Read more
by Thembe Khumalo
I am a person who likes to start things - conversations (if I hear anyone in the supermarket speaking Ndebele I feel compelled to join in), friendships, projects, songs, businesses, stories…. I just love the energy that comes with new beginnings. The planning and preparations, putting tools, and people and ideas together, all give me a high that is unlike anything else I have experienced. And so of course, I tend to start a lot of things.
Read more
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.
Read more
by Thembe Khumalo
What comes to mind when you think about investing in yourself? Is it items that require serious expenditure, like an additional tertiary qualification, a new computer or a trip to an out-of-town conference? Or do you think about simpler things like a scented hand cream, a series of therapy sessions or a short online course? Whichever category your idea of investment is in, investing in ourself means you are foregoing other things to create value for yourself - and usually in a way that will enable you to learn, grow and improve your output.
Read more
by Thembe Khumalo
In the kind of creative space that Brandbuilder operates in, there is never a shortage of ideas. We often think of ourselves as an idea generating machine. The trouble with too many ideas and too much creativity is that you can very quickly end up with nothing but hot air - multiple voices telling multiple wonderful stories, but very little happening on the ground. That makes it really important to have systems for turning those ideas into solutions that clients will be prepared to pay for. That, and a team dynamic that contributes to better results.
Read more
by Thembe Khumalo
Many people dream of a career in consulting; working the hours they want, with only the people they like, and being in charge of how much money they earn, as opposed to being at the mercy of some rigid salary scale. It almost sounds too good to be true, and in many ways it really is very, very good.
Read more
by Thembe Khumalo, founder and Managing Director of Brandbuilder
At a time when we are practicing social distancing in real life, we need to do the opposite with our customers. In other words, use this time to get closer. How can you do that?
Communicate, communicate, communicate!
Read more
by Thembe Khumalo
I read a quote recently that talked about how when fisherman can’t go to sea, they mend their nets. It got me thinking about how important it is to have someone to help you with your mending. One of the best decisions I have ever made in my business was to hire a coach. People often ask me questions about coaching, and they wonder why it’s important to have one. After my first session with her I became more certain than ever that I needed a coach, and that this was a necessity rather than a luxury.
Read more
by Thembe Khumalo
You’re busy. We get it. You don’t have time to listen to everyone, and frankly some contributions just don’t seem very bright, and you sometimes feel like you just wasted a lot of time and energy on nothing. Then there are the ones who have good ideas but need to be coaxed and cajoled into sharing them - makes you feel like a therapist or a journalist or both! What you really want is for every one on your team to speak up, speak swiftly, speak smartly, so you can make the right decisions promptly and move on to the next big thing. And then after that, you want to keep it moving.
Read more
by Thembe Khumalo
I have been very conscious of purpose in my adult life and tried to ensure my big decisions aligned with my life purpose. But what I didn’t give much attention to, until recently, was my daily purpose: embarking on each day with a clear and singular purpose in mind. Most people know roughly what they need to get done in the course of a week or a month. But often, the more senior you become the more you are required to attend to a wide variety of responsibilities. And as you become a generalist, you can easily start to find your days gobbled up by a myriad of small moves that leave you far from your original destination.
Read more