Well ma'am I have your attention I mean
one we thought it would be smart to hear

from our young entrepreneurs and
so on I when I ask why are.

We share a little bit about themselves and
what they do and what they want you know

some of the storytelling that they will
say whatever way they are compelled

to do so.

Hope I'm in this century will
grow to like one thirty and

there was transition back to the
conversation about employing a gentleman

that's answer to then one advice you
have for us for how we should do it and

the question that I got over lunch you
know when you're in a conversation is all

the time you forget what you have shared
what you have to share one thing that we

haven't talked about as fun is this
institute you can talking about and

I want that is as
basically the I am now in

college that is my college
coming in to try to find a space

that is a useful usable
value added space for

the kind of conversation that we've
been talking about this morning so

if we have the opportunity
to cook entrepreneurs and

stakeholders and
a conversation and a workshop and

a feel xperience.

What should happen how should it be
what kind of value should we pass and so

that is ultimately what I'm trying to
be advised by now and there is a bit

of urgency about it because we want to do
it this summer I do not want to wait and

I don't have one dime to work this is so
I need to have some sense

from people who have been doing this work
house and refine it so I can go out and

figure out where I'm going to get
the money from We'll have to have a.

Mando edge is to sell.

And this is what I want to advise for what
your theory is that I really don't believe

in just building that they will come
I think that where we bill has to be

informed by people who are doing the work
and who see the gaps that are not being

covered otherwise I don't want to step on
anybody's toes I don't want a reputation

I want what we do in the college
as a logistical place as a as

a place that has that that kind
of a just a cool stretch to be

a value added to this process so that.

What is the institute part the real
answer is that right now it's a startup

idea and we're trying to fill in the gaps.

But this women have already started
down this path with their own ideas and

I thought it wise to
the cities of people who are.

In whose interests we
are supposed to be functioning.

Well perhaps a new and it's really.

There my name is and

didn't win any I'm a social
entrepreneur has been a Goss Nigeria.

On my interest in our own journey is quite
unique in a sense when I came here for

college I went to the Russia Pennsylvania
the Wharton School and

worked for McKenzie went to
the Harvard Business School and

then went back home when I was
twenty five to start the first.

And to financial developmental limitation
in Nigeria called the Faith Foundation I

was not the founder but
I was the pioneer executive director

very successful entrepreneur in Nigeria
who started a bank called Garnsey because

the bank called me up and said I'd like
to hear you want to move back I want

to offer you some jobs and one of the jobs
he listed was that he wanted to start

an entrepreneurship development
opposition called the Freetown Dacian.

And I said well I want to start
something similar but the women and

I already had a name a business plan and
everything but

this is an opportunity to learn
with somebody else's money and

I took the plunge on Faith Foundation
started the first School of Enterprise

had a mentoring program an incubator
a business plan comes ition etc and

this was in two thousand since then I've
gone on to start leap Africa stands for

leadership effectiveness
accountability and

professionalism with a leadership training
organization for young people and

it focuses on helping young people become
change agents become social entrepreneurs

so we provide training
coaching we give them funding.

And we've now moved from training on
people one on one to training trainers

with each teacher is that the live of the
curriculum in public schools we also train

enter but as we've written ten books
on issues such as succession government

ethics etc.

And then subsequently my husband and
I started

two companies actually met them
in the can credit her with.

The inspiration to get into
the agri business space and so

OK sorry dish on everybody is looking.

OK.

But basically I started and
I grew business called East moods

we saw some farmers and process for
the local market and we make

light spices we have a complementary
food which is a breakfast cereal and

some spreads like spicy peanut butter and
why does they sing imports and

then we also have an advisory and
consulting firm now through

these experiences I've learned a couple
of lessons which I wanted to share.

The first one is that.

When designing a program I think
it's important to segments and.

So I would say.

Aspiring entrepreneurs emerging
entrepreneurs and I competition.

Because I work with enterprise.

I realize that they all of these different
stages needs different types of support so

supplying intrapreneur definitely
need help shaping their vision

the elevator pitch their business
plan of packaging what be

a good use offering and
also need access to mentors and

some start up capital even though I think
even in Africa I don't think start a convo

is as important as we may get to
see because a lot of people say and

you're only saying that
because you have access but

I say if you position yourself the money
will come if you package yourself

the money will come most of the investors
I know angels individuals are looking for

opportunities to invest but
just can't find the well packaged ideas.

And I always tell young people I mean
I deal with bricks and mortar but

there are lots of business
ideas in the dot com and

I'm judges of business on condition and
I always thought young people

your vision is too big start small like
you know start small you don't need

five hundred million dollars today you
can start with five thousand dollars and

then when you look at the business plan
it has faced all office space you know

company car I'm like Are you sure
you want to start over this.

You know you want like a FOR
ALL GO AWAY from day one and

with that company I can send you that
half of up factory first acted was with

opposite of what month we did not need
we bought all the wrong equipment for

processing imagine if we
had taken by them and

dollars at that time and that's why it
happened was that white men would be you

know having to explain to the rest as why
we made such poor decisions that's all and

so I would say that's
a start up now aspire and

merging into printers need something else
emerging and her partner is now right now

with a student with the helm my
biggest concern is human capital.

I can't.
It keeps me up at night how do you groom

the next year of leadership the fact that
I can sit here that lines up with you

is because I have a team that's working
now I probably get about one hundred

e-mails from them every day but
they're just copying me on them and

I don't need to make decisions
on a daily basis but

when you're on the start of pace you
can go away for two weeks if you go

once a week nothing will happen it doesn't
matter if you're in America or in Nigeria.

You know what I mean so
that that's mentoring and

coach next year of leadership and
then the whole issue around scaly and

managing group those are issues that we're
facing now how do we grow quicker How do

you manage and governance you need a board
you need you need people who kind of hold

up the company needs you needs and you
give people confidence that is bigger than

on the back of my central point as ideally
with a whole set of issues exit when do I

step out succession who will take
over the business the next level and

then you know how do I see continue
refreshing my strategy so that I'm on

the cutting edge so my feedback to you as
you develop this institute is that you

really have to figure out where what I'm
going you're going to play if you try to

serve everybody you're actually not
going to serve anybody very well.

And so for me that's a big big takeaway
and then the second thing from the Bastrop

perspective on the African perspective
I think that right now there's so

much opportunity on the African continent
and it's a very exciting time to be

African and I would really love for
use with think about the whole

area around technology transfer then
you know new I don't think he needs he

would come up with new ideas but ideas
from here can be replicated and vice versa

what can we what can you do because of
your vantage point from a technology and

innovation perspective to support
us with me Froggie Went so

far behind in health and education and
energy we need to leapfrog on and

that's acknowledge answer
is a very important reason.

And then the last thing I'll say
about gender I think women and

her printers are phenomenal and I think
there's a lot of funding right now for

women and for promotion and I would
pull the plug for the Gates Foundation

have this whole initiative our own gender
Now that is some people from begins

again to meet with me they said they were
doing the study and women leadership and

I said you guys up was listening ears
open gates money I'm there laughs.

So really this you know
Melinda Gates apparently has but

she wants the focus on women and
women and.

So everybody is missing men selves so
my question is how can you guys

position yourselves I don't know
I don't have a phone number but

I'm happy to I share some ideas about how
we package something for the large funders

who want to make a big bet on women and
for printers thank you very

much.

I think you know about was that
was were are a very essential

Well my take on go on this session
was I wanted to experiment I want to

share my experience on our the different
challenges that I think these you know and

how on my own way modish overcome them
about it doesn't mean I consider myself

as the most achieved as I am right now I
still feel like there are no by law my

identity is out there that
I can grasp on and grow.

My story is the typical
I feel like the typical.

Applicant girl's story because my family
was this lives because of the war for

merely trying to Ethiopia when
I was finished fifteen and

as I found it was very
wrong thing in terms of.

Providing a good life for

us when the right Natura that was kind
of taken away when we had to deport

island with Ethiopia where is her
appearance but you know I kind of had to.

It's my one country has
really put us on toys so

why was that expose me to look for

a moment of life before
the I was a brother.

To them I was that you want to live.

But my upbringing was having with my
bravado everything mooted by the at the.

Point where I want one of my siblings
of my parents could not get out of

the country up and we think about how
they are going to but I don't believe.

I got the difference that my
friends gave me I bring those or

perhaps no government I'm decided
OK I want to have that want to

overcome this challenge it was
because the ball game was so

I thought about my likenesses and my
strengths and I started participating in

a different extracurricular activity
that's one of them was I mention one of.

The most extracurricular I'm going with
what was going on when I was working for

them I couldn't find anything
that focused on business and

I didn't even know their existence to
be honest up until a certain point but.

My name on the.

When I got to remember I was in the.

Family it was one of them I'm not one of
those I'm not I'm going to see I can't

wait for hers to finish in the city I'm
going to probably I might have fun with us

before I come when I have my job I'm going
to have my hand on the job I brought this

point the start of this is not going to be
for myself so I started looking for bottom

of the US again with another city that
could expose me to the prison as well.

So I'm not part of the nothingness I
thought it was the professional world

took my world and

I'm not about that I'm not going to the
actual quote I would think that I would.

Appreciate it more hard because
it's making us so much impact and

after that all over
the world when it comes to.

Cars it exercise them to structure
such as Microsoft's edge but it was.

Whoever ran mentioned that there
are there supporting I would say

I was wrong often if I'm confident and.

Microsoft.

Is a big deal I'm going
to have a grasp on it but

still it's not going to buy the house and
about my aunt a professional

which is also an arson
of its own someone on.

I'm not much to get my
first interracial and

private sector This one is in two
thousand and seven imagine at that time

there was a program that was
not focusing on the startups

I'm focusing on that is the top of
the of this as such as another month by.

Companies like us we're not
performing well so I think.

That one of the biggest
companies deny access.

To standardized products.

As it was at that point I kind of.

Started to focus on a bit about point and
this is two thousand and

seven that's near the end of the so
I'm a fan of the monument and

one of the good of the cause of my
only internal shop job was to make.

Manufacturing companies and
I want to believe that products and

I'm going to circle me because
I'm about to something.

As my job than when I've been given to
someone to just provide me when I start

making these phone calls that's not going
to be did that why you put me in charge of

that because I wouldn't have to convince
these companies that there was a approach

to the out there and get out and I was for
them that I could start expanding their

products that they could pop
into international markets.

So right after that internship I I saw
that they were private you know I think

they'd be open with a private
business of my own and.

So on the reconstruction and because for
some reason as a child I used to draw

the room of a flower
if I was always drawn.

To structures so I know that I was going
to end up in construction one way or

the other simply some children blocking
out departments and doctors as that was

a common or I was going to end up in
construction so when I finished my study

while writing about the I my last year
of education I had an entire show.

And some of that but.

I'm trying to document myself I said I was
not exposed to the business end of things

I must not know how to win things so
I got my business in typewriters and

how it works at home monitoring and
in the midst of sight I have not moved up

to I'm about to knock this and
I made a lot of mistakes.

So.

I have primacy on the no I made up
my own construction company and

the school was a surprise to everyone
inside starting from my father

I thought I was very good but I was also
our guns and I was talking to someone but

sometimes it's good to be
arrogant because it messes.

Come about to do things but

I thought I didn't think that I would do
the capital I had my reply been with for

me so when I PROMISE got the drops of my
money a dream of proper said I actually

don't want to diminish my project for
around a thousand dollars.

I had to meet my employer's them with me
because I couldn't pay them up until I got

to the right and so I went around.

And I was going to come in and

I would be my principal took
what that time to see and which.

Kind of trusted me enough to
give me another project but.

That's about all of the adversity that I
had to overcome to actually get to that

point that my problem was that I started
face it was right after I started hiring

people on the projects started to
be executed so wants to mention

I can tell you the whole process of
how I got from there to mal but.

My problem I face was trust
I have been going to.

I work like extra hard to make sure that.

They've got trusted me to deliver
the drop and half of the times I don't

even tell them that I was going to drop
because of that trust issue because

I was there was a problem and as a source
of my problem there's nothing like the I

bought the best thing I can do I was
going to one grounded and young and

one construction that's not
going to sound good at all so

on first clients I told them my father
was a boss and I got the job and

I bet the second one I took my
brother I didn't like that so

I did it and the only woman on my
mind that I was actually buying

you know the captain of the ship he
appreciated and was paid respect more so

I feel like I think I'm a muslim
going to sympathize with you but

I don't want to get quite even and
I'm going to.

Tell you and said I'm just complaining
about it all the time I feel like time

will tell of a certain point
that if you drive over and

if you have results at the end of
the day you know that nobody's going

to question it or it's not going to be
right or if you're a betting woman or

Iran it's not just going to be about
OK kind of deliver and we perform.

But don't think that trust is not going
to be easy you're going to have to

you know gone across a lot of.

Stuff actually make that happen
that second one was trying to

see construction of a man and look for
the business and apart from the is a very

important continent to
manage in construction.

There and to convey I thought I had to
figure it out when it comes to execute of

that it was easier said than done and that
I've been to a lot of mistakes on my first

couple of projects that I wish I had with
confidence that we talked about earlier on

the kind of I made better decisions if I
can quote Dr what talks is a have to be or

at least have someone tell me what kind
of the talks is the government when I

say that I wouldn't have made
those mistakes so the question.

On that.

And then the third thing was in
terms of as I want a man in my.

Home and to talk about in terms.

Of the problems that drive going to face
it's not specific more expensive not going

to come from outside sometimes it's going
to come from within and from your own

family as well because the difference that
I saw him between me and my brother that I

definitely love are kind of like the ones
I was just they were to have more than me.

I was expected to provide for
the family but

when it comes to him I
was expected to have.

That about money that he made I don't want
to have like that's when yours I mean

moving on that wasn't even wrong that
really clicked and I said and was not just

happening to me I was I had modest friends
around my circle who wants to help but

you know money on the plate to buy for
the family it's an incredible value but

at a certain extent and
I suppose shared among the family

siblings doesn't have to be a woman or
a man that wants to do it but

about affect me it did him to me both I
would have to say but not around when

I don't have as I haven't had our so
when my parents and

everybody in the house learned about
both compromises I was making that and

the other on it was backed by
the finest probably three or

four owners it ones.

I was with what I.

Mean was.

I'm in a boardroom and
as you can imagine Ruben of the young and

we were being the only young female.

Member of a bedroom up.

With.

A very big competition business.

Out of their synagogue on one of them.

How can we have this been heard
I never thought it would come as

a challenge up until well you know we're
going to the point that they haven't.

Whether you like it or not and I.

Think it's an issue that could be going
to join us later on in the same way that

I've been doing it up until
now you just have to put on

the that you can do the job just because
that's what's going to be accomplished and

besides if I want that I wouldn't be
in that bag and I'm just not one.

That's always an issue of integrity that
always takes me and one thing this one out

of my business all along with all of that
will be going to see what he does you and

I feel like maybe I want to be in
the back of the table always as.

I always try to point out
what how with the facts

you know what you don't use
you know all the facts.

To come out and to a certain extent
what kind of integrity it has and

the overall the president's values.

Summit some of the thing was that in
about being passed on the surgeon

I would not always agree on.

Every time I try to set out

the kind of somehow songs
like this because I'm one of.

Them that I have someone
who's been helping thing with

I'm still if I want to talk
as if going to have a.

Sack I want to have it but

I'm not going I'm going to be taking a
shower if that's an issue that we're going

to other women fix as well when
that's that is going to run.

So finally and
the exit strategy all my friends.

But it was a strategy of the knowledge of
the concept to me I thought the only way

but you can exit your company wants
to have a clone of that seven.

And then I did and

I'm going when you've actually
brought up a graphic of some story and

we're going to have substantial clients
that would do business with you and

I thought of that because of the never the
first time around closing the business and

as going I mean that you weren't out of
there but this is what most are doing now

and I don't want to get up in a ball and
I'm not even that is.

Talk to instead of all song
it's a business of that moment

you can build up a company and sell it and

then start up another one right that's
what you've been doing so anyways.

It's only just a problem but I think like
I said I'm going to have to wake up but

more hard that no one else to put
ourselves it doesn't get off with but

it's their parents and hard work.

But taken for

granted for them to make sure that
even a question that you haven't.

And I'm still a work in progress I'm
still going to stay with them and

have more about going to them I'm sure
of anything it's available but yeah but

since my experience and
hope you can soak something with.

Thanks.

That's a those very compelling I'm so
glad you shared that it's very really very

interesting.

I have worked in so many different
capacities entrepreneurs with

entrepreneurs around the world and as one
myself I think what I would like to do is

just for about a minute explain
my path as an entrepreneur

like some of the key issues that I face is
a little bit different maybe the story and

then I would like to tell a story about
to change the topic up a little bit about

a group of women entrepreneurs I
worked with in Afghanistan and

some of the challenges they faced
just to reiterate the topic

an idea that came up before that
there are no cookie cutter solutions.

That's what I would like to emphasize So
I started to

I'm very interested in changing the world
I've always been very idealistic my entire

life has been devoted to service in a
functional form I'm very interested in and

empowering others I believe this is how
we unleash the potential of the world and

I'm particularly concerned with
fairness that's what drives me in life.

Into that and I saw on a market need
to create a new kind of footwear.

I've always wondered why women's footwear
hurt so much and I think every woman can

usually get a lot of solidarity on the
surface on this topic and now increasingly

men's But where is also made very badly
as the as the product becomes cheaper so

I saw a market need to create where we
have amazing technology I'm an engineer

I'm actually Georgia Tech graduate so
I and I have an M.B.A. as well so and

I had just worked for a corporation
when I started working on this and

I knew that a the industry would never
talk about this project that corporations

are normally rent seeking So it's up to
entrepreneurs to create real innovation so

I set out to create I'm also very
obsessed with the environment so I set

out to create a new kind of footwear this
by mechanically correct the doesn't hurt

your feet when you walk in doesn't affect
your health and also the psychological

is sustainable so it's also not harming
your health by harming the environment and

because I work on economic
development all over the world and

I speak many languages My idea was to
have an inclusive supply chain now and

I will say in accordance with that you
know I am an M.B.A. and I know you don't

spend all your time on R. and D. is there
so if you don't have a lot of capital so

I initially thought that it would take
a year to figure out how to do this and

ended up taking me four years I had to
learn how to make shoes by hand i decided

by mechanics materials and anybody can
start anybody in this room can started but

we're company tomorrow people
do it all the time but

I wanted to do something different I
wanted to make a contribution to society I

wanted to I want to create a product
that's different the doesn't harm

their wears out and that means I have
to be very careful that also meant that

I ran out of money or people offered me
money but I wasn't willing this is this

was actually the point one of the points I
wanted to make about we are talking a lot

here about access to capital
Sometimes the answer is to bootstrap

because you're bringing boss isn't when
you take venture capital money and

that's not always the right answer for
everyone I might have to take

money eventually but my idea was to
earn that money again and to save it so

that I can do things the way that I want
to do them and maybe when I have to go.

The business at some point I
will have to take money but

I want to go as far as I can on my
own in order to achieve my vision so

that was one thing that I thought is it's
really important like not to just drive

women towards money because sometimes
you can I mean there are so

many stories especially in the fashion
business of venture capitalists who took

women's businesses from them especially
because they didn't understand that

financial dynamic so when the like there
was there's one really famous company

was started by two if I T. grads they got
to seven hundred million in sales and

they hadn't read the fine print and they
weren't the main shareholders anymore and

they lost the whole company Sigurdsson
Morrison is the name of the company.

So.

Yeah so that was what I would say and
then I was that was I want

to buy my own business so I'm planning to
restart mine I'm actually about to go do

a fellowship in sustainable engineering
that we're recycling as part of that and

I plan to restart it on my terms.

And then in terms of
Afghanistan I was in a very

interesting position in
that I was asked by.

I don't know if.

This is going in the now.

I was asked by the United Nations to help
jumpstarted women stream of commerce that

had started one like the year before and
they had stalled and again you know in

terms of I think other solutions as
a consultant you have to go in and find

out what the problem is in order to help
move things forward and you can imagine in

a country that's been dealing with
conflict couple of decades they actually

didn't know what a Chamber of Commerce
did why should they where would they

have seen one set of them that was one of
the first steps to educate and because

also.

So.

There were there were a number
of issues there women were so

keen to have businesses and to prosper but
there were N.G.O.s operating as a says

there were businesses operating in that
as N.G.O.s so we had to bring in lawyer.

To teach them the difference so that they
don't get caught out in some kind of legal

quandary down the road what what
the engineers were doing was illegal and

operating as this and taking money.

What else they didn't we mention number
of times about women thinking big These

are women I mean this is Afghanistan they
used to have be on equal par about you

know thirty years ago and then they had
all their rights taken away from them and

they almost had to be get permission I had
to say that but almost like permission in

a way to think really big so within one
month of my working with them they had

a meeting with President Karzai they had a
meeting with the minister of commerce and

these are people who can create support
for them they didn't know that this group

existed and how they could help them but
I thought one of the greatest wins was it

was a very powerful Afghan International
Chamber of Commerce with hundreds of men

and I facilitated a meeting
with the women in them and

then they got eleven women elected to this
group which is which was a huge win and

the thing is that all they ever had to
do was knock on the door the men were so

supportive they were so
happy to have them there and

to incorporate them in their work and
it was it was just so exciting it was just

something that that door in their
mind never been open but once it was

they had that meeting with Karzai on their
own I had gone come back to the U.S. for

a break when I came back and I was just
like it's so exciting within one month so

just to let people understand
like to dream big you know.

So many things can happen.

And the other thing I was going to mention
about that related to what we came up and

our group of four while I
was working on this project.

And N.G.O.s from the U.S.
Contacted the U.N. and

said we're looking to work with a group
of women we have a training program.

Can you help facilitate our and
we want to start in Kabul

can you help facilitate our entry there
and guess what I got dumped on my play so.

Two thousand emails later they came.

They ran their pilot projects and
afterwards I asked the women was that

interesting for you or did you get a lot
out of it and I said quite frankly

we've already had this training three
times it was two basic process and

I said why don't you say something but I
already knew the answer it's a culture of

hospitality if someone was giving them
a gift they could not turn it down and

especially they were never asked and
they were never told ahead of time

they were never consulted about what
it was that they needed to learn.

And of course once someone has given
you the gift you can say Well that was

horrible or it wasn't useful for me so
I took it upon myself to call and

you know not a follow up call with angio
they're based in New York and they're

still going strong they're all over
they work in Africa they work in Asia.

And I relayed this information to them
thinking that they would be happy and they

I interested can do it because why would
they come unless they actually wanted to

help the women and so I said you know
I just wanted to inform you that you

might need to restructure your programming
it was a little bit too basic for

women they need more substandard
training like at the next level and

the response that I got was so
shocking to me.

Then when he told me.

We were so happy he are I'm so
disappointed in here in the US I'm so

disappointed and then you're telling
me now that what we did was not good.

So you know and arms I was and then I
understood that this was about their ego

and not about really helping the women
because you don't have a response like

that if you're going to put that much
resources into going into all planes that

there are no people made so much help it's
hard for you it's a lot of travel you

know do you just want to say well we have
all these programs in these places and

we're saving the world or
do you actually want to make a difference.

So you know you know I'm probably Carson
you know that's not my responsibility

to make you happy my responsibility is
to do what's right by these women and

to tell you to inform you and
they won't do it so I have to tell you and

I hope they still continue to hope that
you will modify your programs to do

something that's useful in the program
that you know so this is very tricky

business because part of even come salting
with people they don't always know

what they need so you have to go that
extra mile to understand the correct level

in the correct mix and as you mentioned
before segmenting the market because even

within those groups there are going to be
people who are more advanced than others

not only in their knowledge but in their
thinking some people are just able to do

bigger things you know and you have to you
know while you're encouraging everyone you

have to allow them to fly at their pace
and help them move forward so I love

that we've come together to Sheryl there's
so much collective wisdom in the room and

I believe that you know I'm not
the only person that I've seen

in the have seen this I've seen a lot
of heads nodding around the room so

I feel confident that we can work
around these issues other pitfalls that

other people have fallen into.

I think with a number of your me.

And L. again so
my story I think I've been may

have been a typical story or how I sort
of came into the tech startup world but

as I talk to people I increasingly
see that there is not really

one of call stories out of like
you know people and of Fortman of

sort of I make disciplines or professional
experience or no experience at all and

it's really come down to a choice
I believe in yourself or.

What usually is a problem to be
fixed in the market or thought.

Better and
that's really all it comes down to.

My background nothing about my background
having me here right now at all

so my undergraduate degree
from Howard University I

was a broadcast journalism major.

Was like the economy.

Like.

Personality I mean I could.

Not make.

Life Absolutely not.

After the sort of.

Year.

I didn't want to.

Pursue a career as a journalist and.

So I decided to go back to school so.

If.

There's something in policy
that a lot of people.

Really smart.

Down here.

Experience a pretty couple of.

Hundred.

I do you know when I'm down here.

I'm an individual I'm not going
through every time I want.

Like where the stores.

Like.

Some friends of mine.

And I land for a problem.

In New York or Chicago.

Or.
A couple years now and I feel.

A little like.

My.

Problem why it's fixed but it was just
an idea because I'm in grad school.

An agency so
you know someone else whatever.

It was but I couldn't like get it
off of my mind and partnered with.

My my concentration for my Master's was
in public budgeting and finance and

one of the areas that I researched
was how local communities or

municipalities fared better
during the downturn both but

paired better with those that have
a robust base of local retailers

because local retailers have
a much bigger multiplier effect

on community undergird the community
an economic development standpoint so

it was kind of like two
worlds colliding of like.

You know local retailer should stop
eating the shack and you know better are.

More in market better and all those
things and you like to shop at them so

I used to sort of I came to this sort
of intersection of two different.

Sort of policy in a prior art and
then you know like this.

Is a real problem in the market on
both sides for both the retailers

consumers and so
actually one of the classes.

While in grad school was a leadership
class where a cross-section of leaders

from the Atlantic community came and speak
so government nonprofit business leaders

came in to speak and some of them
pick up and to take a class because

you know traffic and parking
downtown it's madness so one of the.

One of the speakers.

Was a businessman you know when I dropped
him off he was like you know my cards and

touches me you know I want to I want to
keep a prize the you know what you end

up doing whatever it is in the world.

You know sure of course I didn't even
touch with them because I've been of

the value of networking a time so couple
months later I ran into him at last.

Around town and I'm like I don't
know if you remember me from

the leadership.

Of the summer between my first and second
year and I was like No I'm just doing some

work over the summer but there's
a side that I can't really shape or

I don't know what to do about it he
was like OK well let's talk about it.

Pretty much why.

And I explained it to
him with a much smaller

power.

And heat and
he came from a much more mature and

like construction management.

Is really getting at.

Me as I was like I think something's
here like you might really think about

like really like doing this.

Make business out of it I think
there's something here like.

I'm on it because because I don't
think of myself as not in my life.

Through an experience I'm not from Atlanta
I don't have family people come back and

I'm not.

I'm kind of crazy like.

Absolutely yes you.

Have to make a choice.

And.

That's really I mean that
much of what you certainly

have in my life.

About.

Every.

You're so right I'm not a.

Lot of software developer you know
it was a steep learning curve.

Become conversant with to do the work for

you now it's not a.

Conversation.

Sound like a kid trying to explain.

I'm able to get out my
point like what I know.

And I understand what they're saying
to me you want to be as empowered.

About what you're doing and
possible like having a.

Sort of work I think is
immensely important.

Because.

You never have it.

Figured out nor if you're constantly.

Learning about new things
that you might not.

Be associated with that that
helps you think through

problems as they arise
from the able to address.

Or like an informational curiosity.

And then with those I'm
talking about women.

Or the two however you all think
the structure I absolutely agree with.

And.

I think.

It would help to have a.

Focus on.

Entrepreneurship population.

And I love the majority of black are very
different than people who are completely.

And that's very different from.

Who are already making.

Nine figures there's a there's
a very different sort of.

Hope in the world of
entrepreneurship really.

And also and.

I don't know how you do this but
education and.

Education about.

What you're doing
particularly when it comes.

And financing structure that's
really important because.

You are an American or
an African-American or you know.

Probably.

Me.

Like.

How things work because
people are constantly crime.

And.

I was talking.

Recently we were talking with.

One and.

Two.

Of Our from.

You know.

When they go.

For a.

Cup of valuation of my

company.

Or a story.

Or by how they work you know.

Depending on.

My life.

I can really draw.

Some education.

Where in a program.

Empowered.

You really.

Right is not given much
because you always hope.

Right to say no but you have.

To say.

So.

Yeah I mean I don't know how you program
like motivation and inspiration because

you know depending on where you're at and
what you're trying to do.

You know where you're
located you might just see

heaps of support and motivation like
knowing you every day all day for

five months I mean it just
depends on what you're doing so

I don't know how back in the program
I mean that's that's a lot of it is.

Finding other people.

Who you know pick you up when you freak
out about someone so and that was fun and.

Relaxed and I.

Keep going like there's though you
can do like that's a big part of.

Like minds like real.

The world of the like because no and

that's another thing on the line
like no one person or group or

experience is going to make or
break it's like it's.

Focused work every single day
networking is a relentless pursuit.

You're.

Going this is going to be
the difference maker of so

you know don't get overly
discouraged I know or thousand or

like.

Whatever.

You know and don't get overly
excited about you know my.

Saying you know they're going
to deliver the moon and stars.

Because me even if it.

From one person or group.

They're still.

Make.

Whatever you.

Just.

Like.

It and it.

Like.

Something.

You will like or.

Like.

Right now.

That some people.

Are.

Doing and
it's really not about more about.

The hard.

Work.

You are or

I'm riding.

Without awareness.

And if you don't.

Do it.

Or.

You're smart you.

Desire.

To.

Correct.

And I.

Like.

You.

And.

Of course a lot helping us has
to be a part of your ability

to be motivated to be inspired
to sustain yourself to feel that

you can't go on so.

The stress response.

You have so strong starts playing a role
in our lives as you know as I mentioned I

went prehaps three different businesses
I am a mother of two children eleven and

seven and got pulled in many directions
I sense on being publicly traded company

boards and so it's a stressful life but

I would say that again please outlets for
me that helped me

my first one is I'm a very strong
Christian so my family because my rock and

I've started every business because God
that I started and one of I'm struggling I

say go use that I should start
this you come and fight for me.

And interestingly last year
we wanted to quote a smooth

I personally said I'm done
this would company you know.

Mahler tradition of the country
you want to help small hold farm

hold on farmers you want
to create jobs I'm.

This is too much the stresses too much and
then there was the staff who were friendly

text messages an e-mail from leaving we
can shut down you have to keep on going

you know that's that great we're going to
pray for breakthroughs and they did it and

God sent us a very good factory manager
because I had been through four

five three relatives who
were just you know terrible.

And growth and I was a phenomenal guy and
so I think prayer and

this being rooted in faith and
some people who are not.

You know you know everybody best source
of strain that power from one of us or

she get it from I get it from
God It's been phenomenal and

the second is a board and I know you
mentioned the board I always tell

young entrepreneurs from the day you
incorporate your business you need to have

a board of directors is the well it's just
an idea you need a board of directors

because they give you guidance they give
you support and with every organization

having that board not advisors they
Rector's meaning that they have they don't

have to have a quickie they don't even
have to invest in the business but

they are there to serve your sounding
boards give you credibility and for

me they've also served as therapist or
what we have on board meetings they tell

you know you tell them what you're going
through that something will happen through

that it's nothing unique
about this you know I mean so

they set you know they provide some
perspective and that helps with stress and

it really helps to know that you're not
alone that others have walked the pop and

then they give you very good
advice on how to manage it and so

I think having a board is critical and
that has been a second relief

among the bird is that you really need
to figure out what outlets you have.

I work all the time some on a very but
I don't have a balanced life so

some people would say I work out so
you know I sing in the choir

you know I wish I could do all
of those things all the time but

unfortunately I don't
have a time on my own.

But I think of my children so

having a brain where I can
actually work on homework.

That's very important.

When you switch off I mean you kind of
are out there with my grade math English

you know that actually having something
else that kind of sets everything in and

allows you to surprise highs and so it's
everything in perspective is really really

critical so for me that's important now
I work with a lot of women who do I

view something might not bring drugs in my
number met medication in my view drugs or

are all and that's a huge issue and

I think that half of the problem
is that they don't have outlet and

then they don't talk about it and
I think women especially have so many.

I forced to kind of have this
public persona of like you back and

do everything and then behind you
know they really face serious

issues that are out in Fallujah and I
mean so there are a lot of challenges and

it was interesting I am just mentioned
those that I was a busy needs he

really moment thing so yesterday in
Miami and this girl this young lady

gave a presentation she was talking
about she works for a company and

really how performance review it's all
her that she needs to get more sleep and

she was really upset a bill to say such
a thing to her when she realized that

in retrospect it was actually a really
really good advice she was leaving for

four hours and
if you had tried to get the hours of.

Not just for us for you.

And the truth is a lot of Leading Women
when I asked them how they do it all and

still be a little sleepy and

you can survive on four hours of
sleep all the time we are guilty but

I think he's making finding
outlets I'm finding asking for

help early on in your career
because when you get to that top.

People are pulling your leg from every
single direction you need to have

outlets and.

Ms asked to help me to learn to say no.

So turning to say you know when I tell
my husband I was coming to Atlanta is

like anybody why are you coming to Atlanta
you need to go back at some point you know

I mean I'm I have to say well I made
a commitment but learning to say no is all

the other thing was and Sam going to be
here that's also really critical and.

So what I found OK stress is a given

However what's not a given is
how the extent to which you like

start to celebrate it and
like let it in you that makes sense so

like you know if you have a call to
make are you dealing with the you

know a problem employee or investor or
whatever you know sometimes things

get a little heavy so
you know that's one thing but

they're what I found of that like
early on when I was early on but.

Sometimes people irrationally
start celebrating emblems of dress

because they equate that with productivity
and success some things are just the is

like people bragging about their lack of
sleep and that their hair falling out and

they're not eating it's like what you're
telling me is that you are balding hungry

crying people like You're not telling me
that you're you're growing your sales or

you know you're on your way to achieving a
hockey stick like your breasts because you

work better in more
efficiently that way you know.

You get to the extent you
can have a balanced diet.

It's fresh sunlight and
fresh air sometimes and

you know see your friends
because you know.

Maybe every hour in the planning on what's
happening as a visible I don't belts

don't get in the habit of like breathing.

And Willems of rescue is that it becomes
counterproductive long term and.

But it but it's also kind of another thing
the sort of downside of having people

who again are you know at the same place
your app or a step ahead of you so

they can pop you down like you know
this is this is a fresh reading time for

you right now I understand it
I get it I've been there but

it's not going to last forever and
you're actually very close to

the end of that because you know you just
told me about X. Y. and Z. happening and

then on the flipside of that like having
friends who are entrepreneurs actually

helps because you know they
don't understand what.

You know for it to be able to fall
through they just want to promise you one

conversation I was freaking out
about something out of the mine.

You know she was like it's OK I'm
actually thinking about going

green jeans this even when you
think about that I'm like.

I am freaking out I mean.

We talked about.

For an hour and I put out about
whatever I was freaking out about but

you know so
you know just getting out your.

Part of my right getting
out of your mind with a.

Little group family and
I don't think about work.

You know public or friends who
understand but also friends and

on the like that helps you and
you just sleep eat.

Exercise or move your body and and

like the outdoors.

Make a little easier if I don't
know that there is a thing I.

Think.

Women should be more honest and
for Gratian our life you know

you express different parts of yourself.

In their sort of holistic entirety.

I think.

I have.

Trust that's what.

It's going.

To play out in their mind when I find
to be a very good asset when I'm

trying to deal with stress.

And with a.

Slight something.

On no this is not going where
it's not going to work so.

I'm a visual.

I try to block out of as much as I can.

And I say this is going to work and.

That is the only way to go on living with.

That with me I don't know.

I think.

So Ron.

Paul the asset to our growth.

Are the most interested
was I talking about.

My one time still as I still keep
in touch on the country about

my son about.

A.

Cup of coffee with her and.

My son about as I watch some of my song or

so with positive things
will tend to go but more.

I feel.

Like.

My plans are the odds of about
these I look up to you and

you've been on of them was falling apart.

You know what this is going
to work because of those.

I mean.

My buzz I've.

Run the metal that I don't know and

I haven't come to all the friends of my
day want to skip that ritual when I don't.

I feel like a such a valuable and
other that I can remember seeing myself

it's too much of anything else because
it's something that I'm going to store so

my mental and my body and spiritually or
is that right tollbooth and

I know if I don't worry everything is
just going to be with some of them and

I only saw those that
you know I'm not for.

Someone like me about it doesn't
necessarily have to be anything.

But against Mr Butler my
faction moment for yourself.

And I'm going to I don't want to start up
I think it's a sacrifice I have to but

I'm going to make you know what
I can really and I don't and

I'm just going the extra mile because I
pointed out a luxury that I certainly

optional at the office some work I don't
get time to do that because I'm about to

run into the government office office to
the client's office and some of that so

my only transaction is suddenly office and

I work up until midnight or
having a snowball or not but.

I'm trying to say you know is.

What I thought I was a stress and
all I want to say about this culture.

On whatever you have on your plate so
you have to be ready to make some

sacrifices you don't have to question
everything about my God am I going to move

everything within my grasp because I'm
doing this in my personal life and

my everything is going to fall apart
you know it doesn't have to be like but

I think on a start up with
a list you have to but

I want to go the extra
mile to make things work.

But not let me say as
I mentioned before and

also mention the book surrounding
yourself with bonds but as a woman.

And specially as African
women I have to echo the.

Other problems that you're going to
face is not necessarily just going to be

external As I mentioned before in my book
Internal might come from your partner

might come from your own family and it
might come from even a little close with

our friends that you're close with and
the moment that starts.

I had a personal experience on this and
it's rather disappointing to me on work

and to other points so I remember.

When we made that when I was in
from my life to move forward and

the difference that I had to my in my
gramma's I could not translate to any sort

of words was this one credibly result for
the fact that I really kind of you know

I mean there have been about that one I'm
not supporting me or people that were not.

Born out by my back but was.

Not exactly going to have
my version of my song but

I think that has been running
around kind of a cloud I might.

Want to make my family you can let me
know but I'm going to find a compass for

that my surround themselves with.

Positive doesn't go back into that kind
of I've done every day I'm going on in

the back of my height now but
I mean that you might do my own will

upon.

In addition to those I
would say well I mean it

a little bit of a different perspective
I've seen so many life and situations that

normally my response is that somebody
die of something you know if I have

a stressful situation so it takes
a little bit more to stress me out.

Probably than many people but I would say
one thing that I like to do is to write

and I think that everyone
can benefit from the.

You know it's sometimes when I lose that
practice I've had friends remind me what

were my friends and she just gets up
there is there something you've ever

heard of the book called The Artist way
it's it's about getting in touch with your

creativity I think this
is especially good for

business people to always have
some kind of creative outlet.

But one of the things they recommend doing
is when you wake up in the morning just

write three pages of just whatever and
just let let whatever is in your mind

just let it out in it if it keeps your
mind clear to do whatever you need to do

I just find that it's very therapeutic
just to write things down and

then have that you mention like person is
a bit of personal time how about time to

yourself and then I can just move forward
so in addition to diet and diet and

exercise I mean as I get older I can't
just do anything that I want to do in

the morning so I'm always looking for ways
to give myself energy to keep going to you

know try to mimic how I
was in my twenty's and.

They're now in the morning quite soon for
yes that's.

Right.

Yet.

Well let me try to capture the two quests
is the last heard in that really gorgeous

explanation of your concern
one is why our luck underlying

factors that bring us here today we know
that we're here because women me out but

what grains us here what is
the underlying issue the second

is whatever those underlying issues
are how do we really get around them so

that we have a deck down to young
women going forwards to go out and

be wonderful it's more than just a victim.

Any takers on that one.

My opinion it's I don't think that it's.

Not our thing.

So don't hear that so I don't I don't
think that women need help I don't

that's not the way I think of it I
think it's called Women need to be.

Sort of shown how how
great they can be and

how great you are presented you are in
front of them and that yes you can.

You can you can do this or
you can tackle this or you can be that So

I think maybe it's the the way that we
frame the question because they are that.

It's to the problem in that like the
little lady you're not are you saying that

because I think kind of the overarching
problem of women anywhere near

Europe is that it's like you don't know
anything but let me you know let me

show you how the world works like I know
how the world works I just need help

navigating the particular pack
that I think that I'm on and

I need you know I need maybe some guidance
or some expertise so I can you know not.

Fall in every pothole you know and I can
just get better quicker so I think and

I think it's showing
women how how to how to.

How to navigate the spaces and

the opportunities that men are just often
afforded simply because they are male.

And also like part of it I think is
a little bit like biological like men just

have higher levels of Sarah Palin and
so they don't like.

You know what it was like Wait how
does that work with that but but but

like we're a little bit more cautious and
kind of kind of societal but

it's like you know just just just tell
me some of the things that will help me

get from point A to Point B. a little
quicker I think that's what women need a.

System with more and
then I think your second question.

Was getting at sort of how do you
get around like discrimination or.

Not my opinion my experience is that
yes this from a nation exists for

women minorities minority women.

And I think that insidiousness of it
is that it becomes internalize so

so I lack an American woman I
understand what the popular conception

is of African-American women and
I end up internalizing that and

I know I did that very
early on which which.

Sort of supple feel.

That issue for me so if I'm if I'm
in a room I'm in a meeting and

I already assume that you think X. of me
that's I'm going to project I'm going to

reflect that which I'm in a project that
that which I think you are I reflect

that makes them so I'm so
and that's not low life.

Is not you the way around that you get
better it's better when I'm in practice

like after putting
yourself in a situation.

You're after quite worse it's like.

I.
Know that you think I'm awesome and

I don't like him like I'm
showing you that often but

there's no there's no like if
you really get around that.

But I think.

Different.

Different right or

from people and up and down I think.

Or at some point over time like
best of I know how it happened I

don't know I'm human but so it can be kind
of hard to separate yourself from that but

but you but you can do it you will do
it you just have to recognize when and

how you internalize it and
sort of just accordingly that meant.

You have a quick response from
my perspective on that and

on the African continent I think there's
a wrongful policy in leveling the field.

And I would say that in the Nigerian
context you started seeing some of that so

I worked on that M.S.I. ME policy
the micro small and medium size and

in price policy for the country and

one of the things we said from the onset
is that they have to be a gender lens so

if you want to start a fund for
example to provide finance for

micro businesses of small businesses
make sure you have a gender.

Len's as you're making this funding we're
not saying lower the bar for women but

make sure you have a pipeline of women
businesses that are encouraged to come in.

And give yourself a target for the
percentage of women businesses you want to

fund Otherwise you might end up owning
ten business of them none of them will be

women owned businesses if you
don't put that in as a policy

framework you will not
make the extra effort and

I would think a central bank governor
did something really smart he said

party percent of all board
seats on banks have to be.

Women seats reserved for women and the
first thing every bank said was we don't

can't find the woman where the woman and
so and that's what they always say all

over the world is not unique to Nigeria so
you have to create a pipeline so we said

we know the women so we put together did
a base of women when they have bios and

their bios were very impressive M R You
start seeing more women sitting on boards

and one more women sit on boards
then influences the organization and

the supply chain and the employee base etc
So I think if you didn't make that both it

meant we would never have seen the changes
that we're seeing in the landscape.

A woman sitting on a board of a large
financial institution will make sure that

as they're looking at your loan portfolio
what percent of that women I'm like I

think that there's a playful policy I
don't know the U.S. context as much for

them not been here since two thousand
I mean live to consistently but

I think that even in the U.S.
with the Small Business Administration.

They have been windows of opportunity for
women springboard and

some of you know about springboard as part
of this so I think creating those form all

my cousins and channels in every industry
music you know sports whatever when women

are under-represented
really the awaits us.

When more pressing comment or question.

That no I don't create in
the private lives of us were.

Image him up coming your focus on policy
thing making sure that women get all

the good politics and
also be part of it in all these.

You see very successful
it very cool scene and

you will go if you have I think
about half of Libyan woman.

So when if you waste of youth you

don't.

This is in that category of
a comment that both has to do with

knowing what Strauss and dealing with
self-confidence I think to him crazy for

Julia Cameron and
the art of sway and she has one

serve size about possible lives and

I found that an absolutely
fascinating exercise to do in terms

of thinking of really there
are start all very bigger

than life kinds of exercises
that you could do things you can

imagine yourself doing such just parachute
jumping which wouldn't normally be on

my dress because I'm afraid of
heights etc being an opera singer

which is even more outrageous because
I have a truly terrible voice which I

am merited from my mother but
I didn't I didn't get so

bold as to do a hot air balloon
which was quite wonderful and

company doki out over the most
amazing mountains and

so forth I did take up
opera singing when I was

briefly studying German and
it was you know

absolutely Wagnerian bigger
than life totally outrageous I

decided however that I felt intrinsically
more like a metalhead an opera singer.

In my hormone points but things like
that model me because they're so

ridiculous you know you laugh so hard
when you're doing them I think laughter

is one of the grandest the stressors but
it also gives you

a bigger outline just
stage to operate upon and.

You you feel no I think much more
self-confident doing things like

the policy thing you were just talking
about getting your M.S.M. a minister

to do something that you want or
the by still do something that you want so

I highly recommend imagining totally
outrageous lives that you would

probably normally not do but that you sort
of push yourself more in those directions

Well that's kind of an action
a quick question or maybe not so

quick I'd love to hear your thoughts
on this so as a corporate innovator and

someone who is interested in
partnering and finding ways to

build relationships with startups and
entrepreneurs in my day job him and

you describe for
me what your ideal of what programmers

of your ideal and ideal partnership
with a corporation might look like

what.

Hope OK So
I'm I'm I'm I'm not in our prize but

I do have a couple of colleagues who
are so in speaking taking that Liberty and

I'm here but you know in there
we have I think there I feel.

Their ideal partner and situation would
be having you know a corporate first

customer or a big corporate customers
where and you know their life and

thing their technology or
the platform for or an upfront.

Sort of.

Like something costs because that
helps to not only potentially

bankroll some of the development
that maybe needs to get finished or

it's a positive to make it bigger but
that's also a sales and marketing signal

that helps them down the line so I can
think of two companies right now one of

them one of whom is actually trying
to work with coke so we work hard but

those are ideal scenarios because
I think corporations also suffer

from innovator's dilemma in that you
know at a certain point an organization

gets too big to move very quickly and
be first market on different you know.

Product lines or new emerging markets so

you need a smaller number nimble or
a word or.

Nimble more nimble sorry about
that which you can thank you but

more nimble organization that can.

Address things quicker.

And maybe even better than what a big
corporation would sort of a bloated

outsized bureaucracy can do but having a
hammer in corporate customer I know isn't

big concern for startups that
are that have an enterprise model.

Well that's my car now.

The car share your experiences and
your comments will start right and

their work on the last legs
dog don't fail me now.