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SOMETHING LIGHT
I became very unhappy and depressed with the job because I knew I was destined for greatness and I was under-utilizing my potential at that job. I wasn’t meant to end up working at a small establishment as a Team Lead when I had the potential to do it all on my own and be even greater. I knew I had to make a change again. So, after a year and a half of getting back on my feet and restructuring my finances, I finally gathered the strength, courage
and capital to start my own boutique agency.
What started as a small agency with a home office soon grew into a full- fledged boutique agency with over 10 clients, 6 team members and one very nervous but courageous leader, all in two years. At this point, things were working just fine and I was happy. But I just could not shake the feeling that something unplanned and unforeseen could come and ruin everything again. With the global pandemic on the rise, I
have now lost 6 of my biggest clients. The clients I have left are barely able to pay their retainers. I had to cut salaries for my team. I’m not sure if things will pick up or if I will be able to sustain my business after the pandemic. But one thing I’m sure of is that, no matter how bad things get, there will always be a way out. I will always find another option, a new opportunity. I will always be able to start over. Like a cat, a girl like me... always lands on her feet!
A Moment That Tried Her
Everything Crashing Just When Things Started Getting Good
Ms. Start Over: I cannot pick one. From having to wait an extra year to graduate because I failed that one course, to losing my first job when I was just about to peak, to even dealing with
depression when I was at a firm that undermined my talent and skills. I have gone through some very low lows. But I love that I did not stay down every time I fell. I couldn’t. The only option I had was
to keep finding my way out of each mess. The alternative was to do nothing and lose even more, possibly even lose myself.
uncertainties are high and the general populace worry about the future. For women especially, the stakes are higher as research has shown that women and young people will feel the economic impact of the pandemic more due to the nature of work of most women. Nonetheless, hope remains high as we believe that out of adversity comes new opportunities. We implore every woman out there to not give up, to keep thriving and pushing to succeed even in these unprecedented times.
Her Eureka Moment?
No Matter What Happens I Can Start Again
Ms. Start Over: I remember thinking back on my journey so far. I realized that every time life handed me adversity, I found a way to make it work. Staying an extra year before I could graduate pushed me to get certified in a skill that helped get me my dream job. Losing my dream job pushed me to find a new job in an environment where I eventually realized my potential to start my own business. So, I am confident that if anything happens in the future, it will only lead me to my new path and I will be ready to start again.
The fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic has been far reaching. From the global economy falling fast into a meltdown, to businesses losing profits (big corporates and small businesses alike), millions of employees being rendered jobless and more facing salary-cuts, it is clear that the impact of the pandemic goes far beyond the devastating data around the number of cases and deaths.
As more countries begin to emerge from the lockdowns and a new lifestyle begins to emerge,
Get Involved & Share Your Story!
Do you have a story to tell, or know any woman whose story needs to be told? We are always excited to share stories of exceptional young women changing the narrative around them. Send an email to girlafricang@gmail.com and we will get back to you! Follow us on social media (@girlafricang), and check out our website (www.girlafricang.com) to join the conversation on Gender Equality & Female Empowerment every week! Show your support for the Sisterhood, subscribe to our quarterly magazine (Girl Africa Magazine), listen to our podcast ‘Sister Talk’ and be part of any of our upcoming events. Let’s change the narrative together!
*Source – Girl Africa
PAGE 7 INSIDE ACCESS | JULY 2020 5TH EDITION