Women & Business Mumpreneur Griselda Kumordzie Togobo 21st
this is not the African woman I know. My mother, an African woman from very humble beginnings with no formal edu- cation, was able to create multiple busi- nesses employing 150 people at a point and turning over an income that enabled her to provide really well for her seven chil- dren. Tis is the African woman I know. Te only way my mother could sur-
T
vive in business was by surrounding her- self with a strong team of trusted people, her children. Because she had no formal education, she ensured we all did, so at an early age we all assisted in the business by writing cheques, doing basic bookkeeping, payroll, draſting letters and booking ap- pointments on her behalf. Despite her lack of schooling, my mother was very astute when it came to business and her ability for mental arithmetic was extraordinary. She overlooked all our calculations with an eagle eye. Growing up in a large household, with each sibling vying for attention cre- ated a boisterous but chaotic household. Tis coupled with the uncertainties and
78 | NEW AFRICAN WOMAN | AUTUMN 2011 Redefining success as a
century mum
Leeds-based mum Griselda Kumordzie Togobo is the founder of AWOVI Consulting Ltd. Awovi is her middle name, but it is also, as she puts it, “a convenient acronym for
“A World of Vision & Inspiration”. Her company is devoted to supporting business owners to consistently focus on their productivity and finances in order to be profitable.
How did a Cambridge University graduate, holder of a Master’s degree in Engineering, and a young mum become a successful business owner? Find out and take a leaf.
he image of the powerless Af- rican woman seeking aid from charities, celebrities and western governments is all too recognis- able in today’s media. Although
ups and downs of business ownership were so frustrating to a teenager like myself that I decided that entrepreneurship was not the career path for me. I decided a safe secure corporate job would guarantee a comfort- able monthly wage with none of the stresses that my Mom was constantly battling with as a serial entrepreneur.
So that’s exactly what I did! Aſter graduating from Kumasi’s Univer- sity of Science and Technology in Ghana, I completed a Master’s (MPhil) at Cam- bridge University with the aim of tak- ing the corporate world by storm. I was right on track when I was hired by the re- nowned global professional services giants Deloitte and trained and became a mem- ber of the Institute of Chartered Account- ants in England and Wales. In Ghana, the employment market is very competitive, so I was keen to take advantage of any internal developmental opportunities that presented themselves whilst in the UK. Whilst working for Deloitte, I trans-
ferred to Leeds from London to join my husband who had been posted there as part of his medical training programme. As an auditor and then management con- sultant in Deloitte, I had the privilege of
advising some great organisations on how to operate more efficiently. In Leeds I was part of a newly established but promising department that offered the opportunity for career progression and job security. However in August 2009, aſter four years- plus of working for Deloitte’s I found my- self pregnant. My perspective on life com- pletely changed and I looked at life in a totally new way. Everyone will tell you about their maternal instincts kicking in and mine was no different. However, my maternal programming had been that of an entrepreneur and when my mother’s DNA kicked in on me I was no longer happy to settle with a job that wasn’t flex- ible enough to accommodate family. Tere were fears of a double dip reces-
sion and unemployment was at an all-time high. I was terrified. I knew what I had to do, but I was too scared to make the leap. I spoke to a coach who was very helpful in clarifying my goals. A coach has the ability to look at things objectively and see the potential I was not seeing. It made me realise that following my desires was the only thing that was going to make me happy, and if I failed to listen to my inner voice, I would be a successful cor- porate employee, but still unfulfilled as
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