The seventh edition of the SheCan Conference, founded by Dr. Ezinne Eziani, brought together entrepreneurs, business founders and professionals to discuss leadership, purpose, entrepreneurship and personal development for women.

The event, held at the Federal Palace Hotel and Casino, Victoria Island, Lagos, featured inspiring conversations on balancing personal aspirations with professional success and overcoming challenges to achieve purpose-driven lives.

Founder of House of Tara, Tara Durotoye, spoke on the importance of individuality and defining success on one’s own terms. According to her, failure to do so often leads to unhealthy comparisons and unnecessary pressure.

She challenged prevailing narratives that suggest women must choose between marriage and leadership, business and family, or passion and purpose, arguing that such choices are not mutually exclusive.

“See your life as a house with rooms in it. In the roof are many rooms: family, marriage, children, health, work, friendship and legacy. Don’t spend years building only one room.

“Life is bigger than business. Balance is something you design, not something you find,” she said.

Durotoye also encouraged participants to intentionally set goals around spirituality, relationships, career advancement and personal development.

Speaking after his wife, leadership coach and motivational speaker Fela Durotoye reflected on the importance of supporting a spouse’s achievements and growth.

“Do you get angry when you see the flowers in your garden blossom?” he asked, using the analogy to emphasise the value of celebrating the success of one’s partner.

He defined purpose as the reason for which something was created, noting that clarity of purpose enhances effectiveness and impact.

“When your ‘why’ is clear to you, you can do more,” he said.
Durotoye further identified what he described as three common attitudes men exhibit in marriage. He described the “hunter” as a man who seeks accomplished women only to suppress their ambitions, the “scavenger” as one who preys on women with low self-esteem, and the “gardener” as a partner who nurtures and supports his spouse’s growth and aspirations.

Also speaking, founder of the Africa CEO Club, Dr. Fatoumatta Gaye, urged women not to allow adversity to define their future or limit their ambitions.

Recounting her upbringing as the daughter of physically challenged parents and the difficulties her family faced, she said personal struggles should never become a permanent excuse for failure.

Gaye revealed that her entrepreneurial journey began after her divorce and explained how a period of depression became a turning point in her life.
“It opened my eyes to see that I was the solution to my problems,” she said.
She encouraged participants to embrace resilience, self-belief and personal responsibility as essential ingredients for success.

The conference reinforced its mission of empowering women to lead purposeful lives, build successful careers and businesses, and create lasting impact within their communities and beyond.