Shade Ladipo is the Executive Director, WECONNECT International Nigeria, an organisation that creates opportunities for women entrepreneurs .In this interview with YETUNDE OLADEINDE she talks about empowering women in business, running a travel business , life as an on air personality and getting inspired by her grandfather, JK Ladipo, owner of Lisabi Mills.
WHAT is the focus of the organization? WECONNECT has been in Nigeria since 2014 and I took over about three months ago. The organization is based in Washington DC; the aim of the organization is to give women, the opportunity to be successful in the global link chain. What we do is to identify women in business, who have a serious business, train them, increase their capacity and we connect them to international organisations, so that they can bid and get jobs that would make their organisations bigger.
But more importantly, we also try to propagate the diversity supplier program which is about organisations realizing that if women have the same opportunities like men and are as qualified as men, they would give women businesses. So, it is a program that we are getting into every area that women are based.
Why are you particular women?
First, of all, I am a woman in business and I understand the needs of women. The founder of the organization was in government for a while. She saw how difficult it was for women to get their voice heard, particularly women in business and then she realized how good it was to have women that are economically sound. That is where Weconnect was born. Her desire was to give opportunities to women from around the world to compete directly or equally with men or anyone.
How did you learn about the organization?
I was approached because I am a woman in business and I was asked if I would like to come on board. Yes, because I was passionate about women and business. I am also passionate about inspiring.
What are some of the benefits?
The first is that we get women to come on board our network and when they do this, they have to be certified by Weconnect. Once you are certified, you get access; it means that the certification is recognized in over 30 different markets. So, with that certification, anyone in any of those markets would work with you. Apart from that we want to propagate strong pockets of women around the world. We make sure that we are putting the women together. We also realized that the more a woman is sound economically, the more she cannot be ignored in the market place.
How has it been with you?
It’s been great. Every day, we meet with different business owners who are doing such amazing things. It has been so amazing. Every day, we meet new people and the response has been fantastic. Women have been more serious, more daring. It is no longer just a past time; more women are doing business the way it is done on the international scene. It won’t be long before women take over the market place.
How would you assess the average Nigerian business woman today?
The average business woman today is not as serious as I would want her to be but it is not her fault. Sadly, she is doing so much; she is the one handling the home, children, family and if you add the business to that equation to that, it is difficult. The climate is harsh. It is harder for a man to be a businessman, than to be a family man. There is less pressure on a man, than it is on a woman. It is difficult and so the average business woman is not as serious as we would like. But there is a change going on, the women are understanding why it is important to be a business person. Not just because they want to work but because working and earning something is great. It helps your self-confidence as an individual, your self -worth. It also helps your children as well as helps family dynamics. It is different from how it was ten years ago. Now, a woman owns a business, runs a company or working is important now.
When you are not doing this, what do you do?
I run a travel company, Avienti. I have been running that for about five years. I have three offices, two in Lagos and one in Abuja. I am also on radio; cool FM, twice a week and I also do a Television program. I am a global shaper for the World Economic Forum. I do a lot of things. At Avienti, what we do is a boutique service. We offer full service, not just come and do your ticket. We help you with your visas, tickets, accommodation and transportation. If you are travelling with your kids and you need a nanny, we get you a nanny. If you are stuck in Brazil because you don’t have money to change in Brazil, we call our guy in Brazil to change the money for you. So, it is personalized to each person, to each destination.
Are there challenges doing this?
Of course! It’s challenging but very liberated. I love what I do but like every other business you are on your own. You run your own power, and do almost everything yourself. It is challenging to get a brief and then you are able to carry out that brief on your own from the beginning to the end.
What are the other areas that you hope to look at in business?
In the next five years, I am going into farming. I started a course on soilless framing which is vertical farming. Instead of the way we do it in Nigeria, which is something that I am passionate about. I am looking at Fisheries and Cassava. I definitely would like to work in the area of policies affecting women’s development, enterprise development, access to finance, policies and ways to increase women’s participation in things that matter.
What did you study?
All my education has been in Nigeria. I went to the University of Lagos where I studied English. Then, I got a scholarship to study at the pan African university, where I got a certificate in Entrepreneurial management. I got the scholarship from the Goldman Sach’s Foundation.
Was it easy getting the scholarship?
It wasn’t easy. Over 2000 women participated and only 30 people were chosen. I guess it was God.
Have you worked anywhere else?
I have been working since I was 18 years. Even before I entered university, I have been working. I wanted to be on radio and I started at EKO FM. Then, I used to sleep on the studio floors. I have no experience and they were not ready to give me a job. They told me that I could stay and learn. And I stayed and learnt. Sadly, I realsied that a lot of young people do not want to struggle, they just want to get everything nice and easy. I struggled for a long time but in that struggle, I was learning. Every single place I worked, I learnt. I have worked for MTV base as consultant. I have worked as an Event manager, strategy and copy writer in advertising agency. I have worked in so many places and it was in 2009 that I stopped working for people and started my own company.
What was the driving force for you?
I honestly do not know but I know that I didn’t want to ever rely on anybody for what I thought I deserved in life. A lot of women finished school and they are relying on the next man. They go from father, to uncle and then to husband. It is a constant relying on someone else. I don’t know how to rely on someone else. I am the kind of person, if tomorrow, I want something, I just want to do it. I don’t like to have to find people to help me do it. It is possible to do it yourself, don’t let society tell you that it is not possible. Society has made women to think that you have to rely on a man. You need the covering of a man but I believe that you don’t need the covering of any man. You have your father, which is enough. A husband is a good thing; marriage is excellent but as long as you are in it for the right reasons. A lot of women in Africa enter it just to become somebody’s wife.
What motivates you?
My grandfather, J.K Ladipo. He started an organization before he died at the age of 51. The organization called Lisabi Mills started in 1931 and it is still running. My grandfather’s story inspired me, even though he died at the age of 51.
