There is a myth that if you go to university and get a first class honour degree you will go off and get a great 9-5 job that pays very well, meh!
Hannah Oyelowe went to university, got a first class and started her OWN business. Understand that she was in a good position to get a grad job etc but chose to pursue what she wanted to do. It goes to show if you really want to do something just go and do it, go and live it. Start making your positive change.
So I bring to you Hannah Oyelowe, founder of Young Ladies Club and author of 'I dare you'. Watch her video below and Have a read about what she had to say about Young Girls Club below.
Hannah Oyelowe went to university, got a first class and started her OWN business. Understand that she was in a good position to get a grad job etc but chose to pursue what she wanted to do. It goes to show if you really want to do something just go and do it, go and live it. Start making your positive change.
So I bring to you Hannah Oyelowe, founder of Young Ladies Club and author of 'I dare you'. Watch her video below and Have a read about what she had to say about Young Girls Club below.
Why did you decide to become an entrepreneur?
I decided to become an entrepreneur because
I was passionate about change. Change in my life and Change in other people’s
lives. I realised that becoming an entrepreneur would allow me to have freedom
of time and also freedom to pursue my dreams. In addition to this I have always
been passionate about business and business start-up, as I had studied Business
Studies in College for two years and also Business Management in university for
four years.
So far you've achieved
some great things in your life, you've earned a first class degree, an
entrepreneur award, recognition on business top 100 lists. What is your secret?
I believe that hard work, smart work, focus
and dedication have allowed me to earn all of the above. In addition to this my
Christian faith has taught me that all things are possible and if you place God
above all other things, doors will open for you. I had a target whilst I was at
university to achieve my first class degree. I had received very poor grades in
my first and second year of university, so I was motivated to get to the top,
no matter how much effort I had to put in. The sleepless nights paid off and I
was able to graduate with a first class honours being the only black student in
the whole course. This was a big honour for me and once I achieved my dream
grade I knew that nothing would be impossible, so I quickly decided to start up
my businesses.
What inspired you to start a company like YLC (Young ladies club) and to write your book (‘I dare you’)?
I was inspired to start the company YLC
because I could see that there was a real need for female empowerment in the
UK. I recognised that there were a lot of companies hosting events, workshops
and seminars for older women, but there was nothing out there for younger
women.
I used all my experience and passion to start the company and decided to
help young women in four main areas; Entrepreneurship, Employability, Education
and Personal Development. Since starting the organisation we have hosted a
number of events, seminars and workshops and we have partnered with
organisations such as; Microsoft, Nando’s, Champneys, Philip Kingsley, Mary
Kay, University of Hertfordshire, Kings College London and many more.
Our
network has grown rapidly and we have testimonials from young women who were
able to start up successful businesses through our network and also climb the
career ladder successfully. Due to the success of Young Ladies Club, I had a
lot of women and men asking me how I developed my company and the motivation
behind it.
As I knew I could not address everyone, I decided to write my book
‘I Dare You’ to encourage people to live their dreams, no matter the obstacles
that faced them. The book has sold globally in countries such as; United
Kingdom, Greece, France, India, Turkey, America, Ghana and Nigeria.
The results
made me realise that no idea or dream is too small, and has enabled me to work
even harder to grow the Young Ladies Club brand and also develop myself as a
speaker.
What has been your biggest
challenge so far?
When I decided to start my business I had
little to no capital, which was very challenging, because I had to be very
resourceful with the little that I had. I came across many challenges such as
locating venues for my events and workshops and also sourcing speakers.
However
as time went on I was able to develop solid connections in the social
enterprise industry which allowed my organisation Young Ladies Club to grow. As
the organisation grew there were other challenges that came my way such as
souring the right office premises, hiring staff and growing the size of the
events, workshops and seminars that we host.
All of the challenges allowed me
to develop more strength and learn from my mistakes, so I believe that
challenges are necessary for your growth and maturity.
What are the first 3
things an aspiring entrepreneur needs in order to get started?
The three things an aspiring entrepreneur needs in
order to get started are;
Dedication and Commitment, Motivation and Flexible and open to
change
Who are your businesses
aimed and what is your mission?
With regards to Young Ladies Club, our
business is aimed at any young woman who wants to change her life. We provide a
variety of opportunities for young women to start their businesses or gain
exposure to corporate firms and what they look for in candidates.
With regards
to I Dare You and my brand as a speaker, I am open to connect with all kinds of
audiences, from students to business executives to churches and local community
centres. I believe my message ‘I Dare You’ is a symbol of hope and faith in
this generation.
Where do you see yourself
in 5 years as an entrepreneur?
I see myself growing Young Ladies Club to
an international level and developing events, seminars and workshops across the
globe. In addition to this I would like to grow the organisation to become a
household name for young women. As a speaker and an author, I aim to release
more books and also spread my message of hope and inspiration across several
countries globally.
I believe that it is important to move away from your
comfort zone and therefore I want to ensure that my products and materials are
accessible to all people.
What can we expect from the
Hannah Oyewole in 2015?
You can expect me to collaborate with more
organisations in the year 2015; I have several speaking engagements that will
take me to different audiences and allow me to impact their lives. In addition
to this I have other media related projects that are coming up so I am very
excited.
In 5 words how would you
describe yourself?
Fun
Energetic
Self-Motivated
Passionate
Determined
If you give one piece of
advice that would motivate or inspire someone what would it be?
When the going
gets tough the tough get going…. Keep going and never give up. x
And where can we find you and Bella Minx Lashes?
Website - Youngladiesclub
Much love to Hannah for her contribution! I'm looking out for their next event
Be you and Be true to who you are.
Be you and Be true to who you are.
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