Category: BENEFICIARIES SPOTLIGHT

Feature blog- Blessing Aniefiok
BENEFICIARIES SPOTLIGHT

Beneficiaries Spotlight Series Interview with Blessing Aniefiok

 

Meet Aniefiok Blessing, Co-Founder of Dynalimbs Technology. Her company is dedicated to providing affordable, functional, and cosmetic prosthetics and orthotics to Nigeria’s physically disabled population, helping to improve their quality of life. Let’s dive into her journey and the impact the Growth4Her Accelerator program has had on her business.

Interviewer: Can you please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your business?    

My name is Aniefiok Blessing, I’m the Co-Founder of Dynalimbs Technology. We are aimed at providing affordable, functional and cosmetic Prosthetics and Orthotics services to physically disabled population across Nigeria to enhance effective and quality living.  

Interviewer: What motivated you to join the Growth4Her Accelerator program 

As at the time I found out about Growth4Her, what motivated me to join is that it is focused on women entrepreneur, being one myself, I was looking for a platform to provide me with the support and resources to grow myself and business. I basically joined with the mindset of learning and growing.  

Interviewer: Were there specific challenges your business was faced with prior to joining the program? How did the Growth4Her Accelerator program help you overcome these challenges you faced in growing your business?  

Before joining the Growth4Her program, as one still very new in the entrepreneurial economy, the major challenge for me was managing and scaling our operations, access funding and scale our communication, our values and missions to investors and organizations who provide funding.  The solution that stood out for me was the mentorship, beyond the general classes, the one-on-one mentorship I had with my mentor, Mr Segun, helped me to redefine our business model, reconstruct our pitch deck and make our solution more attractive to our audience, people living with disability. I was able to still maintain a relationship with him being the Founder of Founders Institute, he even shared more materials and resources with me even after the program that have been very helpful to me.    

 

Interviewer: Since completing the Growth4Her Accelerator program, how has your business grown or changed?   

We’ve seen significant growth in our customer base. Another very important help my mentor provided for me was running through our financial data and he gave relevant counsel and advice to help us have our books in check. To every company that’ll grow, it’s important we keep our books. Financial management being the core part of business growth, we’ve worked on that to a great extent.   

Interviewer: What advice would you give to other women entrepreneurs who are considering joining the Growth4Her Accelerator program?  

 My advice for women Entrepreneurs considering this programme is for them to go for it! Because it is complete and intense, you will learn a lot. And while you’re at it, ensure to dedicate your time to the training sessions as they would help you skyrocket your business 

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BENEFICIARIES SPOTLIGHT

Beneficiaries Spotlight Series Interview with Chioma Echegwisi

Meet Chioma Echegwisi, Founder and CEO of Davichi Farms & AgroTech Nigeria Ltd. Her company is committed to growing organic produce and livestock, with a focus on commercial broiler production and processing. Let’s explore her journey and the impact the Growth4Her Accelerator program has had on her business.

Interviewer: Can you please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your business?    

My name is Chioma Echegwisi, I am the Founder & CEO of Davichi Farms & AgroTech Nigeria Ltd. At Davichi Farms, we grow purely organic farm produce, organi-livestock and we’re into commercial boiler production and processing.  

Interviewer: What motivated you to join the Growth4Her Accelerator program?  

I joined the Growth4Her Accelerator program because I believed it was going to offer me the opportunity to network with other female entrepreneurs, like-minded people and people who are in similar journeys as I am, to find support, as well as gain knowledge for my business success.  

Interviewer: Were there specific challenges your business was faced with prior to joining the program? How did the Growth4Her Accelerator program help you overcome these challenges you faced in growing your business?  

Before joining the Growth4Her program, the major challenge I had was dealing with my staff, because a lot of times they were not measuring up to expected, a lot of farm hands want to make the money, but they don’t want to put in the work, and it was a major challenge for me, and I didn’t know what to do. Being a part of Growth4Her program taught me how to understand myself and my personality type as well as appreciating the uniqueness of other personality types. This helped me better understand my staff, being able to properly harness their strengths while working to help them become better.  

Interviewer: Can you share a memorable moment or experience from the Growth4Her Accelerator program that stood out to you?  

The memorable experience I had in Growth4Her program was with my mentor, she’s actually a Finance expert, a Tax Auditor, I remember having a challenge in my business regarding my taxes and I was told to pay a high amount of money to get my tax clearance certificate, so I put a call across to my mentor, Madam Tosin, explaining my challenge. Luckily enough, she knew someone in that office and asked that I give the phone to the person in charge, and she spoke with them on my behalf. Afterwards, I was able to get my tax clearance certificate without paying a dime because of her influence. It was Growth4Her who gave me that opportunity to meet Madam Tosin, my mentor, who helped me through that challenge. Thank you very much Growth4Her and thank you so much, Madam Tosin.   

Interviewer: Since completing the Growth4Her Accelerator program, how has your business grown or changed?   

Since completing the Growth4Her program, it has helped my business because right now I’m more self-aware, I’m better able to appreciate and handle the challenges I go through and I know that I would always succeed because I have people to support me, who I can always go back to, who are in the same path and journey as I am. It makes the entire process easy when you know you’re not alone.   

Interviewer: What advice would you give to other women entrepreneurs who are considering joining the Growth4Her Accelerator program?  

For anyone who wants to join future cohorts of Growth4Her program, I encourage you to seize the opportunity, for me it’s the opportunity of a lifetime. It is better experienced than imagined or explained. You know, it provides you a network of women who are doing great things, when you think you’re doing a lot and then you come into a community of women who are doing even more, it helps you buckle up and see that you can do much more, you can aspire to be more. So, I’ll say again seize any opportunity to be part of this program, don’t snooze or else you’ll lose!  

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BENEFICIARIES SPOTLIGHT

Beneficiaries Spotlight Series Interview with Zigwai Fanda

Meet Zigwai Fanda, the passionate founder of LadyBamboo Limited. Her company is all about sustainability, creating beautiful, eco-friendly products from bamboo, cane, and rattan, with the goal of tackling global challenges like deforestation and climate change. Let’s dive into her journey and how the Growth4Her Accelerator has shaped her business.

Interviewer: Can you please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your business?    

My name is Zigwai Fanda, the founder of LadyBamboo Limited. LadyBamboo Limited is an innovative and eco-friendly company with a dream to shape a more sustainable world. We take immense pride in crafting exceptional products from bamboo, cane, and rattan, addressing global challenges like deforestation and climate change. Our diverse product range, encompassing furniture, home decor, kitchenware, and more, seamlessly combines aesthetics with environmental consciousness

Interviewer: What motivated you to join the Growth4Her Accelerator program?  

I went through the programme and schedule, and I liked it, I saw that there was a lot to gain. Also, being an entrepreneur, I believe there’s a need to keep updating yourself. So, my quest for learning and improving myself and my business pushed me to apply for the accelerator program.  

Interviewer: Were there specific challenges your business was faced with prior to joining the program? How did the Growth4Her Accelerator program help you overcome these challenges you faced in growing your business?  

The major challenge I had was I wasn’t 100% sure of the legal aspects or processes of business, particularly when it comes to investing. So, the program opened my eyes to several aspects such as equity, how to give equity, investment by ROI. It made me understand that to maintain ownership of my business I needed to own at least 51% of my business. Also, the importance of doing my due diligence when an investor comes on board, because not all investors are right for your business and so much more to help me not make a mistake with investors.  

 

Interviewer: Can you share a memorable moment or experience from the Growth4Her Accelerator program that stood out to you 

What stood out during the program was the psychosocial training. Even after going through many other accelerator programmes, I’ve never seen any training teach this vital aspect. Before now, I didn’t know that as an entrepreneur, it is also key to understand yourself, your emotions, as they will help you relate well with your customers, that was pretty much what the Psychosocial session was about and that was an AHA moment for me.  

Interviewer: Since completing the Growth4Her Accelerator program, how has your business grown or changed?   

You know, it doesn’t just come overnight, it takes a process, for now I’m trying to build structure for my business, bring in some experts like digital marketer, social media manager, etc, to put myself out there in the faces of my target audience. Growth is coming but it’s a gradual process of putting all I’ve learned into action and seeing results.  

Interviewer: What advice would you give to other women entrepreneurs who are considering joining the Growth4Her Accelerator program?  

I think every woman who’s an entrepreneur should apply to Growth4Her Accelerator program because they will never go wrong and the curriculum is thorough, the mentors are all experts and there’s so much to learn. I encourage every woman who is an entrepreneur to apply because of all that the program will open your mind to.  

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BENEFICIARIES SPOTLIGHT

Beneficiaries Spotlight Series Interview with Adebimpe Osanyintuyi

 

 

In this spotlight edition, we have Adebimpe Osanyintuyi, CEO and founder of Dios Delight, a Lagos-based company offering a range of healthy treats, including dairy products like Greek yogurt and dried fruit snacks. Adebimpe shares her journey as a woman entrepreneur in the health food industry and how the Growth4Her Accelerator program has helped her refine her funding strategy and improve conflict resolution within her team, she has gained valuable insights that have propelled her business forward. 

Interviewer: Can you please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your business?    

My name is Adebimpe Osanyintuyi, I’m the CEO and founder of Dios Delight. Dios Delight is a healthy treat, manufacturing company in Lagos, Nigeria. We offer a range of healthy products that range from dairy and dried fruits and snacks. So, under our dairy, we have Greek yogurt, which comes in sweetened and unsweetened in different sizes. Then under our dried fruits and snacks, we have coconut flakes, dried banana chips, dried cranberry, what else do we have? Trail mix. Trail mix is a mix of dried fruits and dried nuts. And then we have granolas. Our vision is to promote a healthier lifestyle through guilt-free treats, where people can enjoy good and healthy products made with healthy ingredients without having to worry that it probably has a negative on their health, waistline or their lives in general based on the increase in obesity or health issues around the world because people are using a lot of sugar to manufacture their products.  

Interviewer: What motivated you to join the Growth4Her Accelerator program?  

I think for me the objective fit perfectly with where we were as a business and what we were looking to achieve. So we were looking to position ourselves for readiness, there was a knowledge gap on what was required and what best options we should be pursuing and that is part of the core I was able to help us with in terms of positioning us for readiness being able to evaluate where we were and what we should be looking at in terms of funding or equity options so that clarity we were able to get by being in the program.  

Interviewer: Were there specific challenges your business was faced with prior to joining the program? How did the Growth4Her Accelerator program help you overcome these challenges you faced in growing your business?  

Like I said, for us as a business, it is about the scaling, on, there’s loan, there’s grants, there’s equity, all those options and not being sure which to take up. And then I think some of the courses, some of the classes helped in dealing even with ourselves internally in terms of our financials, what we were supposed to be looking at in terms of conflict resolution. The program was able to help us address even internal lapses that we were required to sort to be able to position ourselves better even to be attractive to investors.   

Interviewer: Can you share a memorable moment or experience from the Growth4Her Accelerator program that stood out to you?  

I think one of them is the psychosocial session, which included the personality test. I’ve done a couple of personality tests, but this particular one kind of mirrored myself, It was really mind-blowing and it was able to also help me see how my personality needs to be able to relate with other personalities in terms of managing either my employees, colleagues or managing upwards as the case may be and it was really interesting and the things that I needed to work on which somehow I wasn’t aware of, but with the way it was all broken down, it helped me manage myself even as the driver of this ship on how I probably need to do better in certain situations while running my business. Then, also the conflict resolution was very insightful.    

Interviewer: Since completing the Growth4Her Accelerator program, how has your business grown or changed?   

Also, for us, I think we’re pretty clear now on what we need to be doing. The quick Q &As for a lot of the sessions allowed for clarity on even over and above the classes. So, I think for us, we are clear on the next steps on how to position our business. We are clear on which funding approach to go with. Also, there was one of the classes where our task was to refine our funding strategy, that kind of brought to light with clear strategic approaches, our approach on how we needed to navigate this. So, I think there’s more clarity on the way forward in terms of what was one of our core objectives in terms of funding, clarity, etc.   

Interviewer: What advice would you give to other women entrepreneurs who are considering joining the Growth4Her Accelerator program?  

I think the number one piece of advice is to be open to learning and relearning. Even for me there were a couple of things that I knew but there were still a couple of mindset shifts that also needed to happen for me to do better to optimize our results. So, I think you should be open to your assigned mentors, be eager to gain knowledge, and also proactively implement them as at when the classes happen. I know that sometimes you can take notes, but not execute any yet, thinking that when the class is over after 12 weeks, that’s when I will start, but you lose sight of the access that you have to the mentors who can give you immediate feedback. You know, we always had sessions where we had Q&A and all that. So those sessions will help you to engage with the mentors on questions about maybe something you’ve implemented. When we were put into smaller groups, I remember I met Mr. Segun, before every session, he would ask us about what we learned that week and if we had further questions. So, if we had at least started to attempt to execute any of the things you had learned, that was an opportunity to get feedback and ask, taking advantage of the access that you have within the stipulated time also brings faster results when you execute on the go. So, I think I would just encourage them to execute and put to action what they are learning and not wait till the end of the session so they can take advantage of the access to mentors who can help them if they get stuck in any way or form. Taking advantage of the access that you have within the stipulated time also brings faster results.   

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BENEFICIARIES SPOTLIGHT

Beneficiaries Spotlight Series Interview with Jennifer Esiaba

In this interview, we sit down with Jennifer Esiaba, founder of Miriam Grey Pharmacy, she shares her entrepreneurial journey, the impact of the Growth4Her Accelerator program, and the challenges she has overcome along the way, she also shares how she is revolutionizing healthcare access in Nigeria, particularly for women and those seeking mental health support. Read on to hear how her innovative approach is breaking down barriers in healthcare and empowering individuals to take control of their well-being.

Interviewer: Can you please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your business?    

My name is Jennifer Esiaba, I’m the founder of Miriam Grey Pharmacy, also known as Miriam Grey Health, and we’re on a mission to change the way healthcare is accessed in Nigeria, for women and for people that are seeking mental health support. How we achieve this is that we leverage technology to provide very easy and convenient online pharmaceutical services, at-home lab tests, and virtual doctor’s consultations. And by so doing, we break down a lot of barriers encountered by people trying to access care conventionally. Also, we are empowering individuals to take control of their health.    

Interviewer: What motivated you to join the Growth4Her Accelerator program?  

I would say along my startup journey, along my entrepreneurship journey, I’ve come to recognize that there are unique challenges faced by women and female entrepreneurs. And I think this sort of drew me to Growth4Her’s focus on mentorship, training, and investment, preparing women to become investment ready. And I saw this as a very, you know, invaluable opportunity to gain all the skills and the networking that I require to scale my brand and maximize the impact that we have.  

Interviewer: Were there specific challenges your business was faced with prior to joining the program? How did the Growth4Her Accelerator program help you overcome these challenges you faced in growing your business?  

Let me start with the first part. So, prior to Growth4Her, I would say that we faced common challenges that many other startups and businesses encounter, which is like, how do we refine our business model? How do we get funding? How do we manoeuvre and navigate all the complexities in the Nigerian healthcare landscape? These are some of the things that prove very, very daunting for us on our journey.  And then I would say, on to the second part, the programme provided us with a lot of very targeted guidance on all these that I mentioned. And it also made us learn and be equipped with tools and different strategies to help us overcome these hurdles and position ourselves for growth, and not just any kind of growth, but sustainable growth.  

Interviewer: Can you share a memorable moment or experience from the Growth4Her Accelerator program that stood out to you?  

I would say that the community and the fact that all of us share a common purpose, all the female founders that were in the cohorts was quite inspiring to me. Also, the opportunity to connect with them, learn from them because we are all at different stages of our business and on our journey. So, being in a group or community with like-minded women and that are very driven in business was, you know, something that should have been paid for.  

You know, you can’t quantify the benefits that you get from this kind of community. It also helps us to foster a very supportive network and that is still benefiting me and my business to date.  

Interviewer: Since completing the Growth4Her Accelerator program, how has your business grown or changed?   

Since its completion, I would say we have experienced significant growth, both in our customer base and our service offerings. So, the program was focused on getting us investment ready, and it helped us get into the talking stage with a potential angel investor, because we already had documentations ready that made our business look ready for investment. And this would help us to expand our team, and also optimize our technology platform. And conversations are ongoing, and we are very positive about the outcome.  

Interviewer: What advice would you give to other women entrepreneurs who are considering joining the Growth4Her Accelerator program?  

The first thing that jumps out at me is definitely ‘don’t hesitate.’ The Growth4Her program is a great opportunity to gain the networking that you need, confidence that you need, the skills that you require to take your business to the next level. And because it’s female-focused, female founder-focused, you would get a great, supportive, and a very empowering environment that allows you grow at your feet and puts you on the pathway to success.  

I would say I’m very thankful to Growth4Her and I’m happy to touch base, come back if you need me for anything, I’m grateful for the opportunity.  

You can visit her company’s website at www.mariamgrey.com 

 

Yalojar
BENEFICIARIES SPOTLIGHT

Beneficiaries Spotlight Series Interview with Rashida Bello

 

Rashida Bello, founder and CEO of Yalojar, a home delivery service that brings fresh farm produce straight to your doorstep. In this spotlight edition, Rashida shares how Yaloja is making healthy eating accessible to busy professionals and families, her experience in the Growth4Her Accelerator program and how she’s able to overcome key business challenges and win a grant that helped her scale her business operations. Through the program, she overcame key business challenges and won a grant that helped her scale her operations. Let’s dive into her journey, the impact of the program, and her advice for other women entrepreneurs.


Interviewer:
Can you please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your business?    

I’m Rashida Bello. I’m the founder CEO of Yalojar. It’s a revolutionary home delivery service for fresh farm produce. Our mission is to make healthy eating accessible and convenient for busy professionals, mothers of special needs children, elderly moms, and so on and so forth. And our resources are produced directly from local farmers, ensuring freshness, quality, and fair prices.  

Interviewer: What motivated you to join the Growth4Her Accelerator program?  

Okay, I joined the Growth4Her Accelerator Program to scale Yalojar, expand our reach and create a positive impact on the agricultural sector and our customers’ lives. I was drawn to Growth high comprehensive approach for supporting women entrepreneurs. You know, and what made me stay, after the first couple of sessions, I thought I wouldn’t have time to finish, but what attracted me to the program was that psychosocial session, the training, and so on and so forth. It really had a positive impact on me and my business.  

Interviewer: Were there specific challenges your business was faced with prior to joining the program? How did the Growth4Her Accelerator program help you overcome these challenges you faced in growing your business?  

We had staff issues most especially. We needed to innovate and offer unique design options to differentiate our brand in the market. Stay adaptable, innovative, focus on quality products and customer satisfaction. And those psychosocial sessions, they made me know the kind of person that I am. I realized that I am kind of different at work than at home. And so, I was able to at least cut people some slack when dealing with them, because I know that probably I’m expecting too much from people. It really helped me with handling my staff, my team, and then other things I learnt were, I was able to pitch. Something happened during the mentoring sessions. I was able to pitch my business to my mentor, my team and my other fellow mentees and they were able to help me refine my pitch deck and the pitch. With all of these, I was able to win a grant with that pitch. So yes, that’s another thing. And with that grant, I’ve been able to get a solar freezer for my business. So yes, it has been very helpful, with that solar freezer, we don’t have to bother if there is light or not. Farm food is fresh from farm to doorstep and it’s going to help us with getting more customers.  

Interviewer: Can you share a memorable moment or experience from the Growth4Her Accelerator program that stood out to you?  

Okay, the memorable moment was the day I was pitching. My business was registered with a different name in the beginning then I started to use the trade name Yalojar. Then, I had to register my other business named Yalojar which I didn’t want to lose. So, then I didn’t know which one to choose during my pitching, I think we had this practice pitch before the main pitch. So, another mentor from another group now told me to be careful and just choose one and then stick with it because it’s going to scare investors away. This gave me a kind of structure, it was a memorable moment for me because that was when I was able to say, I’m choosing Yalojar and I’m going to get rid of the other name. This helped me so far to concentrate on one business name.     

Interviewer: Since completing the Growth4Her Accelerator program, how has your business grown or changed?   

Like I said earlier, the program has helped me win that grant and I’ve been able to get a solar freezer. It’s actually a big deal for us because the power here is very bad. So apart from that, we’ve been able to refine our pitch deck. We can confidently submit it anywhere now. And we are more confident now when we are going to raise funds, because we know that we’ve been trained to pitch, we’ve been trained, so it’s a step forward in our business.  

Interviewer: What advice would you give to other women entrepreneurs who are considering joining the Growth4Her Accelerator program?  

I would recommend the Growth4Her accelerator program to women entrepreneurs seeking to scale their businesses and make a meaningful impact as long as you are open to learning, you are open to networking and embracing new opportunities and always stay true to their vision and values because when they go through all the learnings, well I’ve been through several accelerations but I’ve not seen anyone with the psychosocial support, so it’s great to help them work on work-life balance, help them know who they are and how they can relate to people better. And they’ll be able to surround themselves with a supportive community. So, it’s going to help them with persistence, resilience, and better support for their business in general.  

With that said, I just want to say thank you so much Growth4Her for the good work. And there was something that I really appreciated about the program it’s that the classes aren’t too much so that you don’t get bored. And then the mentoring was very nice, the psychosocial support was top notch.  

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BENEFICIARIES SPOTLIGHT

Beneficiaries Spotlight Series Interview with Bukola Raji

In this conversation, we chat with Medina Bukola Raji, founder of Dina Consulting Limited, a company that provides top-tier interior design services and manufactures unique, high-quality furniture. Medina shares how the Growth4Her Accelerator program has helped her overcome business challenges, refine her strategy, and position Dina Consulting for sustainable growth. Join us as we explore her entrepreneurial journey, her insights from the program, and her advice for women entrepreneurs looking to scale their businesses.

Interviewer: Can you please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your business?    

Okay, my name is Medina Bukola Raji and I’m the founder of Dina Consulting Limited. At Dina Consulting, we offer cutting-edge professional interior design services and manufacture timeless, unique, high-quality furniture to help individuals and businesses create functional spaces that inspire creativity, comfort, and well-being. Our mission is to meet the diverse needs of individuals and businesses while offering functional and innovative solutions to enhance living.  

Interviewer: What motivated you to join the Growth4Her Accelerator program?  

Well, my motivation stems from a desire to overcome barriers, seize opportunities, and contribute to the empowerment and economic advancement of women through entrepreneurship. As an entrepreneur, my journey to growth for her program was to tap into the opportunity. I believe the program would provide me with the skills and resources to transition my business to a high potential enterprise, be part of a community of like-minded women entrepreneurs, mentorship and network opportunities that could foster collaboration and collective growth.  

Interviewer: Were there specific challenges your business was faced with prior to joining the program? How did the Growth4Her Accelerator program help you overcome these challenges you faced in growing your business?  

As a business owner, we were faced with various challenges like fluctuation in cost and availability of materials, proliferation of cheap and imported products, of course, competition and then shortage of skilled labour. Finding and retaining skilled craftsmen and workers can be challenging and this affects productivity and efficiency. So, we have to position ourselves for growth, and not just any kind of growth, but sustainable growth. Well, after the program, we’ve implemented strategies like diversifying suppliers by working with multiple suppliers and maintaining relationship with them to mitigate the risk of supply chain disruption. Innovate and offer unique design options to differentiate our brand in the market. Staying adaptable, innovative, focusing on quality products and customer satisfaction.  

Interviewer: Can you share a memorable moment or experience from the Growth4Her Accelerator program that stood out to you?  

Well, for me, one memorable moment from the Growth4Her accelerator program was the mock pitch presentation. We were challenged to present our business in a few minutes. The exercise pushed me to distill our value proposition into a concise message. It was a moment that not only boosted my confidence, but also helped me see the clarity and strength in our business model. The feedback from both mentors and judges during the session was invaluable and has continued to influence how I pitch my business.  

Interviewer: Since completing the Growth4Her Accelerator program, how has your business grown or changed?   

Well, since completing the program, Dina Consulting has grown, no doubt. We’ve refined our business strategy, which has positively impacted on our business operation, increased efficiency, and has led to better decision making. The mentorship and support from the program have positioned us to pursue more ambitious growth opportunities.   

Interviewer: What advice would you give to other women entrepreneurs who are considering joining the Growth4Her Accelerator program 

Well, to female entrepreneurs, I encourage you to be a part of the accelerator program, as they can learn the importance of identifying and focusing on a clear market need or passion. I would encourage continuous learning and personal development, including skills acquisition and networking. There are lots of benefits to networking and this can open doors to new opportunities and resources. I encourage female entrepreneurs to seek mentors. And, well, finally, model the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance.  

And this demonstrates the success in a business doesn’t have to, well, doesn’t have to come at the expense of personal well-being. So, if you maintain a healthy work-life balance, healthy work-life balance. Well, I would like to thank Growth4Her for everything they’ve done. It’s really been amazing. 

 

  

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BENEFICIARIES SPOTLIGHT

Beneficiaries Spotlight Series Interview with Ebele Alaka

Ebele Alaka, founder of Ebele Alaka Events and the EAE Product Marketing Platform, a business centred on promoting healthy lifestyles through antioxidant therapies like ReDebiters. Ebele joined the Growth4Her Accelerator program to gain skills necessary for business growth.  In this interview, Ebele highlights the importance of learning and skill-building over immediate financial gain and encourages other women to join Growth4Her to unlock their potential and gain a supportive network.

Interviewer: Can you please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your business?    

I’m Ebele Alaka. I’m a human resources consultant and entrepreneur. I founded my company, Ebele Alaka Events, then 2019, added the product marketing platform, the EAE Product Marketing, shortly after, based off of my personal experience with our flagship products, the ReDebiters, which is an antioxidant lifestyle therapy that mops up oxidative stress and helps in the management of non-communicable diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma, and even cancer in some cases. We’ve had testimonials to that. I saw the benefits firsthand when I used the products. It was introduced to me in the course of managing asthmatic conditions of my son. So, our initiative aims to uplift our community and contribute to an improved and healthy lifestyle in line with the United Nations Global Sustainability Goal number 3. And product marketing helps men and women and children of all age to improve good health and well-being. We are doing this through educating them, providing them with alternatives and healthy lifestyle solutions. So that’s basically what we are about.   

Interviewer: What motivated you to join the Growth4Her Accelerator program?  

Well, first, to improve and to source for funds, I came in contact with the application. And of course, the Growth4Her caption for that, bridging gender financing gap in Africa, it really resonated with me so much. Because as a female entrepreneur struggling with funds, I mean, it calls to me immediately. So, this actually is very crucial that we look at that principle of bridging the gender financing gap in Africa is crucial for achieving gender equality, economic empowerment, and sustainable development across Africa in particular, even the globe. And also, I also checked your mission. It’s a mouthful, but it convinced me to be a part of this. Then thirdly, I knew that I would benefit from this because I also saw, honestly, your desire to fulfill your mission. I knew that if you are desirous of fulfilling this mission, if I get into it, I’ll definitely have something to gain.  

Interviewer: Were there specific challenges your business was faced with prior to joining the program? How did the Growth4Her Accelerator program help you overcome these challenges you faced in growing your business?  

Well yes of course there were challenges as a female entrepreneur navigating the business landscape, there are unique challenges and there are barriers to securing funds to finance projects, this funds issue is a primary issue because it hinders a lot of business goals and expansion plans. And of course, there are some government policies that sometimes create models for us as startups, as people that are just struggling to find their foot in the business. Also, I feel that the female entrepreneurs across board, we lack adequate support systems tailored for us. And I think it was one of the things I sought to get from this group, and I really did. This support system for women who want to drive their business and excel in it. And also, technology, networks, there’s financial constraints for doing a lot of things but entering the program helped me, especially with knowledge and new skills. To put me on the road towards overcoming some of the challenges that I identified. So, I’m on the road, as it were. Thank you to Growth4Her. I have picked up knowledge, picked up new skills that helped me to move forward.   

Interviewer: Can you share a memorable moment or experience from the Growth4Her Accelerator program that stood out to you?  

First of all, let me put it out there that I thoroughly enjoyed the one-on-one sessions with my mentor. He made things so easy, and it was relatable. And I loved the psychosocial sessions with all the brain teasers and all those things that you guys did to make us wake our brains up. I really enjoyed that but my most memorable experience is the pitch session. And then I really enjoyed and appreciated the positive reviews that I received. And it made me feel very upbeat. It actually reassured me about my next steps. During the pitch sessions, there were doubts but after we went through it and the comments from the mentors that were there, I was really reassured that, I mean, I’m on the right track.    

Interviewer: Since completing the Growth4Her Accelerator program, how has your business grown or changed?   

Well, not too much has changed in terms of the challenge, especially where we are, in respect to fundraising and all that, but I am much more focused now. I’m focused on how to get funds for my project through what I’ve learned from the program. I’m focused on how to approach grants and investment opportunities. I’m thankful to Growth4Her for helping me strengthen, especially my pitching techniques and the materials to be used during the pitch sessions, which is very important if you’re trying to source funds through grants or investments. I also have learnt, and I’ve built my financial reports and it’s going to be something that is a major feature in the expansion of my organization going forward and I’m also developing my psychosocial skillsets. I think I have also changed my mindset, and I’m still looking forward to greater expansion.   

Interviewer: What advice would you give to other women entrepreneurs who are considering joining the Growth4Her Accelerator program?  

Growth4Her is a good choice for growth. It’s a place definitely to learn and to grow. So, my advice is to go for it, ladies. Go for it. Anybody that is interested, please go for it. It was a refreshing time, and I did enjoy it. A lot of us think that when you apply for programs, they must give us money and funds but there’s nothing as lasting as a new set of skills to up your skillset from where you were. So, if you are able to do that and acquire this new set of skills completely free of charge, you are ready to go. So go for it.   

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