I have often been asked why I would voluntarily leave the apparent comfort of a successful career with an International Group and plunge into the risk and aggravation of starting an entrepreneurial venture — in this case, GAIA AFRICA (formerly GAIA Women Club) and so I have decided to put pen to paper and share.
If a woman reading this is or has been at the top of her profession, in a leadership position in the corporate world or has started her own business, then she has probably felt exposed or “alone”. This sense of isolation springs from the simple fact that most enterprises and all key industries are dominated at the top by men. You are lucky if you’re in a board setting or other executive committee with at least one other female. There have been times when the lone female might voice an excellent idea which no one appears to have heard. When that idea is then repeated by a fellow male board member, it suddenly has life and value and is something to discuss??? It seems that this is what Sheryl Sandberg was getting at in her book “Lean In”, when she urges women surrounded by men around a board or other table, to repeat what another woman has said for emphasis, to give value to it and to ensure that it cannot be ignored!
Then on the other hand, when you try to run your own business, you will run the gauntlet of unhelpful and discouraging inquiries: why are you bothering to start a business?; why can’t your husband fund your business?; why don’t you don’t do something in the not for profit world?; or finally, the assumption that your business idea must fall into not for profit. On one actual occasion, when a female founder looking for a loan from a bank was asked why she didn’t ask her husband to fund her business, she asked the banker without blinking an eye whether if he was looking for money for his own business, he would expect a question like: “why is your wife not providing the money” ? Well, that retort quickly ended that particular conversation! And while the banker may not have intended to be patronising and offensive, the prevailing culture compelled him into a folly.
For men, on the other hand, leadership in business has always been assumed and when they meet socially in their regular hubs, it is the most natural thing to talk about money, for new ideas to be shared, for businesses to be conceived, and for million-dollar deals to be negotiated.
Women are starting late. At a certain time in their lives, they are often primary carers and do not have the freedom to meet regularly. Inevitably, these “man spaces” were and remain either uncomfortable for, or completely out of bounds to women. Until fairly recently, the culture of innovative entrepreneurship was not one that even women associated with other women and some of the huge disadvantages of this culture of exclusion are what I have described above. Women were just not discussing business together or developing networks of their own for this type of activity.
I have personally always been driven by the conviction that serious and authentic women are a great resource and support in general and especially when they attain the highest levels in their respective fields. We understand each other’s problems — perhaps because we have walked the same path, and at other times we just understand and can empathise. Women can be supporting infrastructure for each other in business and public life also. We now understand how important it is for us to share ideas amongst ourselves, partner in business, or collaborate, and use our relationships and wider networks to grow. I believe that many women have come of age in a different type of modern world, and that we are paying it forward now more than ever. Of course, I recognise and understand that some women will still be very sceptical about this “women together” movement, but I am a true believer.
Two years ago, I launched GAIA AFRICA to begin the journey of building a platform, which would contribute to solving this challenge. There are very few private spaces for women leaders to connect, share interests, form strong friendships, collaborate, partner, learn together and support each other. GAIA AFRICA is a member only club that is dedicated to serving Africa’s top 5% of female C-suite executives, professionals and business founders; GAIA caters to the select leading and experienced woman, who is looking to establish the bonds for impact in her life and business. We provide a third space; a business and social hub, which enables connections, partnerships, and collaborations.
The growth and celebrated success of GAIA AFRICA is noteworthy because this achievement is based on the very same principles we are promoting. This message, received recently from one of our members speaks to the very essence of GAIA’s existence –
“I feel like I have gained a lot this period from GAIA, so people need to know that it goes beyond the hangouts and that it actually grows your business, network and social life all at the same time”
With an excellent team, our brilliant, active and engaged members, a diverse range of mini-clubs, burgeoning online Academy and soon-to-launch club house, it’s being proven that GAIA AFRICA is more than a club for women — It is an organising principle for female leadership which is required as the bedrock for sustainability of any social economy. This African brand is built around the common interests of female leaders in diverse industries including business, politics, the professions, and social enterprise.
To learn more about our exclusive community please visit
Linkedin : GAIA AFRICA
Instagram : @GAIAAFRICA
