A stranger can be your dream maker, Abudu tells women

Nigerian women in business have been advised to support one another to grow by employing women over men as a way to fix the patriarchal problems in the country.

Making the call yesterday in Lagos was Mosunmola Abudu who was the keynote speaker at the 2017 Women In Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ) Conference held in Lagos tagged, ‘Bold Steps in the face of uncertainty’. The conference, which holds yearly, is to mark the International Women’s Day.

Present at the well-attended conference were Aisha Ahmad, the Chairperson of WimBiz, Chaiman/Publisher, Guardian Newspapers, Lady Maiden Alex-Ibru, Funmi Roberts, Audu Maikori (who was the co-moderator) and a host of others.

Urging women present to be more creative and look for every available opportunity, as they usually have to work twice harder than a man to be taken seriously, she advised her audience to seek profitable partnerships, engage and interact more with like minds that help in actualizing one’s dreams. Describing herself as a serial entrepreneur, she divulged further that not everyone is cut out to be an entrepreneur but are meant to be a part of a team and should strive to do their best wherever they find themselves.

Responding to a plethora of questions from the attendees, she revealed that finding one’s purpose is a very difficult process but youth gives one the opportunity to dream and explore several opportunities. Dishing out advice on handling the home-front with being a working mother, she talked extensively about failing, being sidelined and scheming in the business world. “If someone is scheming, please scheme right back. Scheming is a form of innovation,” she said.

On partners not supporting their working wives, she advised women to ensure their partner shares their vision and purpose so as to move ahead. She also talked about getting the right team as they could make or break a business.

“Be consistent and persistent. Finding your purpose is very difficult but the moment you do, hold on to it and live it. More importantly, be authentic as nobody can do what you want to do better than you can. Opportunities are out there, you need to go out there and seize it and even strangers can be your dream makers, can help you grow and succeed”

Co-moderator, businessman and C.E.O, Chocolate Music, Audu Maikori was also on hand to give practical tools for women’s growth and development. Advising the audience he said the first step was to write the vision down, then look out for opportunities before striving to expand the vision. “Partnerships are very necessary for growth. It’s also important to have a good team around you and don’t be greedy, share with them. Believe in your brand, document and execute your strategy as much as possible. Persistence is key, don’t take ‘no’ for an answer,” he said.

He also advised that getting testimonials from satisfied customers was a cheap way to advertise and told attendees to spend time with people that encourage one to grow at all times. He closed by telling the women present to share their success recipe with others to help them grow.

While fielding questions from the audience, Abudu, a mother of two, said that it was difficult being a working mother, but advised that one must find the best option that works. “I would always make sure that when my children need me, they come first, because children would always understand and appreciate when their mother is working hard. I make the effort to spend more time with them, and if I have to leave whatever I am doing today for them, believe me I would,” she added.