Following a successful first year, Facebook in partnership with She Leads Africa (SLA), is set to hold the second edition of ‘#She Means Business’, an initiative designed to inspire, empower and train female entrepreneurs across the country to build, grow and start their own businesses.
A recent Future of Business Study, found that in Nigeria, over 8 in 10 female business owners on Facebook say that social media helps their business. #SheMeansBusiness will bring together thousands of female entrepreneurs with a personalized and community based series of day workshops and training sessions under the banner of ‘Building Your Dream Business’ for entrepreneurs – focused on using platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp to help achieve business goals. New to the programme for 2019, includes:
A Networking Component for participants. With nearly 6 in 10 women business owners on Facebook saying that they have a role model, of which over 8 in 10 say that their role model is a woman*, this highlights the importance of mentorship and female role models in driving business inspiration and successes
Access to Finance, introducing a brand new module focused on practical advice on ‘how to fund your business dreams’
She Means Business University Tour which is aimed at engaging with aspiring female leaders and future business owners
The #She Means Business University Tour will take place across 10 university cities in Nigeria, bringing an interactive business and networking experience to campus, whilst focusing on learning digital marketing skills, creative content development on mobile, and using Instagram and WhatsApp to help drive and build their business in school. Additionally, at each university, an influential business leader will host sessions centred around how they started their business and how they have used digital to grow and scale – with the aim of inspiring and providing real-life tangible results.
Trainings for entrepreneurs will be held across 12 cities including Lagos, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Abuja, Calabar, Ibadan, Kano, Jos and Benin. Each module taught on the day is designed to provide a deeper understanding of the basics of online digital marketing across Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, whilst including the development of business strategies and providing networking opportunities.
Speaking at an evening cocktail event held in Lagos to unveil the #She Means Business 2019 programme, Sherry Dzinoreva, Head of Policy Programmes, Africa said: “#She Means Business is something that we’re all passionate about at Facebook, we know that when women do well, economies do well. We were encouraged by the milestones reached last year, and importantly the difference it made to the many women across Nigeria who took part. I’m excited that this year we’ll be incorporating students – the business leaders and entrepreneurs of the future. Technology plays an important role in enabling business growth, and by providing the tools and know-how we’re determined to see that businesses set up by Nigerian women reach their full potential.”
Also speaking at the event, which played host to female business owners, leaders, influencers and other stakeholders, Afua Osei, Co-Founder of She Leads Africa said: “Women form the backbone of a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem. We’re thrilled to continue our partnership with Facebook to provide women entrepreneurs with access to the digital skills and tools required to move their businesses forward on a local, Pan-African and global level.”
Interested participants should email programs@sheleadsafrica.org
