Finding the Super Tank

When I decided I was going to create Sheroes Nigeria in 2018, an online platform that will tell women sorties, one of my colleague in journalism said to me 'you will not make money'. I did not pay him any mind, neither did I understand what he meant, but now I do.

It doesn't really matter anyway, because as Oprah Winfrey once said, 'You have to live your purpose, there is no two ways about it. If you get paid while living your purpose, that is beautiful. If you do not get paid while living your purpose, you still have to live it anyway otherwise you will never find fulfilment'.

So, the fact that women stories does not sell, does not really matter to me because I am committed to using my skills and abilities to advocate for and further the cause of women in this life. This is something I have always done, even as a child and young woman., and I have carried that with me all throughout my life.

I was that girl and young women who refused to believe that there's nothing I, as a person or WE as women can do to show love and support to one another and change our reality. I held unto that belief despite growing up in a polygamous home accompanied with so much bickering, bitterness and toxicity. I carried this belief with me anywhere I go, that women can indeed be not just sisters, but best friends allies and support system to other women and change their story. However, I soon found it is a path not many walk in, or are willing to walk in. So even though surrounded by a lot of people, I walked most part of my journey alone, mentally and emotionally alone.

My entire life I have looked for women who would love, support and embrace my dreams; especially seeing that I carry pro-women ambitions. But if wishes were horses, beggars would ride they say, because it was not until I came out into the world that I found women who truly love and support women the way I have always believed it was possible. Now when I reflect, it seems to me like majority of women in my society are frozen in the conditioning of women being women's greatest enemies and completely unable to thaw themselves out of that brainwash.

When I was registering the Sheroes project, none of my female friends and family agreed to be a part of it. It was an audacious feminist project that no woman within my society wanted to touch with a hundred meters pole. Surprisingly, it was a man; one of my mentors in the journalism space (who hosted our website on his server and still does) that agreed to be a Director, and a Nigerian woman based in London also bought into the vision but eventually dropped off barely a year after.

Carrying the sheores project has been, and felt burdensome, because it does not pay its bills much less mine. It is not big enough to attract the recognition, acceptance and support of the women it was created for, not strong enough to attract funding.

Considering the fact that I am now self employed and needed to find 'means of income' before pursuing my passion, I recently had to take a step back, and reassess situations as they are. I felt stuck for so long, that I had to seek help from professional business consultants. And that was where I was taught about the priorities business modelling.

Business- Ministry -Charity                                                  

Advocacy is ministry. Outreach/giving is charity, none of them can fuel a business, as they are all non-income generating ventures that rely on the support and goodwill of others. But the for profit business is the income generating venture that sells value for a price which when executed well, can fund ministry and charity. But charity can never fund a business.

Even though a social enterprise, Sheroes Rising Development Initiative is first a ministry before becoming a for-profit business because the foundation for which the enterprise was created is advocacy.

This made me retraced my steps back to the consulting practice I abandoned in favor of my passion, Sheroes Rising. Maulaaya Consults is a corporate event and media consulting service provider. Corporate event management and media consultancy are my forte, these are skills I have at my fingertips. Because my skills and connections have improved over the years, I added several other products and services to the retinue of services that we are offering to clients.

In Business modelling, Maulaaya Consults is my 'super-tank'. Because it is the source that will be used to fuel other businesses/ventures.

I revamped and rebranded my consulting practice, promoted it and held a Public Speaking masterclass last weekend. Some people asked me, 'Why Public Speaking'? Because it is a valuable skill that most women lack. As an advocate who loves and believes in the power of story telling, I want to see every person especially women have the skills and capabilities to tell their own story.

Fortunately, all 5 participants of the first masterclass are career women one of whom is an ex-commissioner from my state, and another a medical doctor from the Presidential clinic.

This gladdened my heart greatly, because it signifies one thing: WOMEN ARE AWAKENING. The revolution is imminent, and I am super honored to be a part of it. This goes further to cement my belief that 'there is always something we can do'

I wish to officially introduce to my sisters all over the world MAULAAYA CONSULTS which can be found using the following link https://maulaayaconsults.com/.

I will be honored to work with sisters from any part of the world who may need my services.

I will also like to state here, that I am willing to mentor and support any world pulse sister who wishes to sharpen their public speaking skills,

The Sheroes Project is a game changer. I believe in the innovative change and value this project aims to bring in the fight against gender inequality and contributing towards achieving SDG5. But it is on the shelve for the time being, until we get the funds we need to run it or make enough to fund it from Maulaaya Consults.