‘Bias, exclusion exacerbate feelings of doubt in women’

Ahlam Bashir is the Co-founder and CEO of DermaRx Signature, Co-founder of Aesthetica Gambia and Founder of Nigeria’s Prime Professional Compact Beauty Equipment brand, SpaBox. She is a certified Medical Aesthetician with a major in Medical Biochemistry and Masters in Facial Aesthetics.
A member of the Aesthetic Multi-Specialty Society (AMS) and the International Academy of Aesthetics Beverly Hills California, Bashir is a relentless problem-solver, always looking for ways to educate, innovate and provide safe and effective skincare solutions to Africans. She pioneered DermaRx Signature, which is the first molecular spa in Africa in 2017. The spa works with the concept of biological mimetism, which simply means introducing ingredients that are already present on the skin to help in cellular regeneration.
In this interview with Kehinde Olatunji, she speaks on how women can deal with stress effectively by employing smarter strategies and reminding themselves that the anxiety they may experience when performing a task has nothing to do with their ability and everything to do. 

What inspires what you do?
My passion for beauty started at an early age; I couldn’t understand the concept of how people swiftly changed their skin color and I was on a quest to feed my curiosity. I learned along the way that most of them use the most harmful and unregulated ingredients to bleach their skin. This motivated me to learn more and help in my own way to solve what has long become a societal menace.

I care so much about not just learning the art of aesthetics, but also educating and creating more awareness on safe and effective skincare solutions and overall wellness from the inside out. Helping people through education and awareness to be comfortable in their own skin.
 
What I love most about being a medical aesthetician is being able to help and inspire people. Whether it’s helping boosts someone’s confidence or helping them reach their skin/body goals. My main goal is to educate my clients and people generally on safe and effective skincare solutions. It’s so satisfying to see my clients coming back, trusting me, and more importantly to see the results on their skin. That is why I constantly continue to enrich my knowledge in the field of aesthetics.

Working as a medical aesthetician is rewarding on so many levels. You can feel the energy and excitement of clients coming in for treatment, and you can feed off that energy to deliver amazing results. I’m never bored. With all the advancements in aesthetics, skincare and body care, there is much to be learned. So, it’s definitely not “same old, same old”.

I have an intense passion for learning. I am truly a believer that in all professions, you must stay up to date with what’s going on in the industry to be at the top of your game. The aesthetic industry is fast moving with advances, so continuing education is a must.
 
I love what I do, and it shows. I really am doing my part to create positive change in the world one face at a time, one body at a time. From constantly sharing safe skincare tips on my educational series DermTalk with Ahlam. Clients who have felt as though they have tried every last option and felt hopeless but I knew I could help them and to see them so excited about their results has been a most rewarding part of my career.

It is often said that irrespective of one’s background, one could still achieve a lot. How has your background contributed to your success?
Leading any business is defined by results, not attributes. Leadership is influence. To care so much about the process as you will about the results.
  
Having bagged several degrees and certifications from both home and abroad, I would say that I was adequately prepared for what I do now. I would definitely say my qualifications facilitated the pursuit of my career a lot easier. But as I always say, learning never stops. You will have to keep up with emerging technologies and innovations to ensure that you give your clients the best. You need to continuously aspire to be the best version of yourself. If you have a unique point of view, and stay relevant and authentic, you will make an impression.
  
I started with a clear vision of what I wanted as a medical aesthetician. I had earned my degree and aesthetic qualifications. However, no one prepared me for the hassle of running a business in Nigeria. More importantly, it is a vastly new terrain in the country; people know very little about who/what a medical aesthetician is.
   
Medical Aesthetics is generally capital-intensive business. You have to be willing to go the extra mile. In this industry, you are only as good as the technology you employ and the products you use. Our product lines are solely dependent on importation and the constant spike in exchange rates do not make this sustainable. Government policies, multiple taxation schemes are not friendly either, so in order to maintain standards and product availability, you must have a steady budget to accommodate unforeseen expenditures. You need to possess an unshakeable confidence that persists even when things aren’t going all that great.
   
In five years, I have survived being sabotaged by other business owners in the industry. This has taught me to carefully select business with high level of integrity and trustworthiness and also people whose goals align with my vision from the start. I’ve met incredible people along the way who have shown dedication, trustworthiness and willingness to share the right information. This has ultimately given me a cushion effect on key areas of the business.
   
Being a member of several professional international bodies has played a huge role in my career path. It’s been a very educational experience as I get to brainstorm and learn from different professionals at different levels of growth around the world. For the most part, I have focused more on incorporating standards that will be competitive with any clinic around the world.
   
Ultimately, I would say as an entrepreneur, you should focus on problem and solution positioning. You have to be excited and passionate about your ideas to make them work. A good idea is only good if there is a well thought out plan to make it a reality. The most important thing is to take risks. The risks are where breakthroughs happen, and big shifts take you to new places and create opportunities. They can be really scary and intimidating, but that means it is taking you out of your comfort zone.

As a certified Medical Aesthetician, how do you suggest women take care of themselves?
Self-care specifically refers to deliberate, learned and purposeful practices and activities performed by individuals to sustain and promote their health. Self-care means identifying and meeting your needs, something a lot of women struggle with. In our society, women often feel obligated to be the caretakers. Self-care varies amongst individuals; the self care behaviors among women are the product of their acquired habits in social situations.
  
Self-care can be achieved through various ways not least of which is getting the sleep you deserve, eating fresh and nutritious foods, drinking lots of water, finding a skincare regimen that works for you, treating yourself to a massage and/or facial sessions, reading books, and listening to podcasts that uplifts your sense of being, traveling.

It is said that women are not given enough space in politics, governance, business and other key areas in leadership. What’s your take? 
“Who is deemed professional is an assessment process that’s culturally biased and skewed.” Bias and exclusion exacerbate feelings of doubt. Many of us across the world are implicitly, if not explicitly, told we don’t belong in a male dominated workplace. This brings about feelings of marginalisation or disillusionment. I think it is safe to say that the exclusion that exacerbated self-doubt was a driving force of women transitioning from corporate workplaces to entrepreneurship.
  
Despite outstanding academic and professional accomplishments, women still experience imposter phenomena, which persist in the workplace and make them believe they are really not bright and have fooled anyone who thinks otherwise. What are less explored is why imposter syndrome exists in the first place, and what role workplace systems play in fostering it in women. As men progress, their feelings of doubt usually abate, as their work and intelligence are validated over time. They’re able to find role models who are like them, and rarely (if ever) do others question their competence, contributions, or leadership style. Women experience the opposite.
  
The truth of the matter is that pretty much anywhere in the world; men tend to think they are smarter than women. Yet, overconfidence is inversely related to leadership talent – The ability to build and maintain high performing teams, and to inspire followers to set aside their selfish agendas in order to work for the common interest of the group.

How can organisations, professional bodies and governments help to improve the situation?
 The answer to overcoming this is not to fix individuals but to create an environment that fosters a variety of leadership styles and in which diverse ethnic, and gender identities are seen as just as professional as the current model, which is vastly described as “Eurocentric, masculine, and heteronormative.”

With a more diverse workforce, I believe we could solve problems better and stimulate innovation.
I believe getting more information to young women about the opportunities within the “so called male dominated workforce”, as well as having more women in leading positions are two important steps to maintain a more equal workforce.

What do you think is the role of women in finance and can you tell us what roles organisations are taking to achieve this task?
Improved representation of female leaders will lead to a more rounded view of customers. This is particularly important in financial services, given that more than half of women now control their household finances and are responsible for their savings and investing. Furthermore, companies that do not focus on gender diversity will find themselves at a disadvantage in the war of talent.

To curb this, organisations must focus on female representation as having a limited number of female role models in finance can also limit women’s motivation to make it to the top. Organisations should also do better in offering support and sponsorship for women at entry level to mitigate the barrier to advancement in their career. There are inevitable ups and downs during one’s career, and the downs get magnified. Often, women give up during that downtime, partly because they don’t have the support system that tells them to keep going, because it will get better.

Organisations should work on creating a diverse atmosphere that supports entry-level women to have managers who act as their advocates and help them identify opportunities to pursue. Furthermore, women should have equal opportunities as men to receive senior leader’s advice on advancement or navigating organisational politics as frequently as do men.

What do you think is responsible for the stress that women go through?
Everyone in today’s supercharged workplaces experiences stress. Yet, executive and professional women experience more stress, anxiety and psychological distress than men do. There are, undoubtedly, a variety of reasons for this, which is not limited to domestic responsibilities, having been socialised to say yes to all requests, and receiving lower pay for similar work.

Based on research, women experience more workplace stress than men because they must contend with stereotype threat. Dealing with this effectively requires women to employ smarter strategies, reminding themselves that the anxiety they may experience when performing a task has nothing to do with their ability and everything to do with stereotype stress.

How do you think women can manage stress?
Goal setting and relaxation can reduce stress and ease the physical and emotional burden it can take. Indulging in selfcare practices such as massages, facials, yoga or swimming can improve your stress level. Developing the habit of finding humorous aspects to difficult, stressful, frustrating events during the day. Taking a new approach to how you view situations, aim to change your perspective to help reduce the number of stressors in your life. Burn off tension through physical activities to get you even more keel. Another factor on how you can handle stress or a stressful situation is by building resilience, facing your fears, connecting with God, and finding meaning and purpose in life.

What role do you think women can play in bridging the gap?
The power of cognitive diversity – the ability to think differently about the world around us by harnessing our unique perspective and intelligence to tackle challenges will strengthen any team or organisation. With a more diverse team, it is more likely that you’d have more new ideas, and a reduced rate of error propagation. Women have to work way beyond improving efficiency, but also reconsider ideas and positions taken in several matters helping organisations form a better-rounded opinion.

What is your advice to women?
Consistency is key. Trying to change the narrative in any field is challenging and until you show that it can be done, no one really pays attention. It is very important to have conviction, to be able to say this is what I want, and I want to achieve it.
   
You have to remember the value of your individuality. Always believe in yourself, your goal and your path. Don’t compare your journey to others; your journey is unique to you only. As you try to navigate the caliginous clouds, there might be no motivation. Encourage yourself, be consistent, persevere and stay true to yourself and your brand. Have the guts to find your glory. Never settle for less, speak highly of yourself because no one can promote you better than yourself.