Cohort 3 of the Standard Chartered Women in Technology Incubator participated in their first Women Entrepreneurs Transformation Programme (WETP) Masterclass on 26th and 27th June 2023. The sessionsspanned two days, and were facilitated by the Executive Director of GCIC, Ruka Sanusi. The masterclass revolved around two vital themes: Mastering The Marketplace and Achieving A Harmonious Work-Life Balance.
Ruka began the first day of the masterclass with a discussion of the complex realm of gendered entrepreneurship. She addressed the stark reality that male-led businesses tend to outperform their female-led counterparts, despite the fact that the World Bank reports a significant 44% ownership of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Ghana by women.
Throughout the session, Ruka invited the cohort to share their personal encounters with gender-related challenges in running their businesses and a discussion unfolded, as participants recounted instances of inappropriate behavior and coercion, among other obstacles faced.
Ruka shed light on the divergent motivations between men and women when entering the world of business. While men often focus on monetary gains and the bottom line, women are frequently driven by passion and purpose.
She stressed the crucial importance of articulating a business’s vision at every stage of its life cycle, a task achievable through a well-crafted business strategy. Engaging the class in an interactive exercise, Ruka encouraged participants to draft new strategies for their businesses emphasizing that “Thriving in the marketplace requires skill and insights”.
As the masterclass transitioned into its second day, the topic of work-life balance took center stage. Acknowledging that many entrepreneurs in the cohort juggle multiple roles in their lives as mothers, wives, partners, and caregivers, this session proved to be an essential pillar for the emerging business owners. Ruka began the day by examining the impact of leadership on business success and described leadership as having the courage to execute a wholesome dream, goal or ambition in a manner that is transformational for others and for yourself.
“Good leadership births extraordinary products, services, and teams,” Ruka added.
She explained that authentic leadership flourishes through continuous personal growth and self-actualization as a business owner.
Guiding the cohort through an exercise on leadership and values, Ruka encouraged participants to identify their core values and differentiate between personal and business values.
Participants spoke about the challenges they faced balancing their business pursuits with personal lives. Rukaprovided insights and some tools for overcoming the obstacles of an unbalanced work life, stating, “Be intentional about how you structure your work life and personal life in order to strike a good balance”
As the masterclass drew to a close, Ruka left the class with a challenge to put their best foot forward, to take advantage of the exposure and opportunities that will arise from being in the Standard Chartered Women in Technology Incubator and to strive hard towards winning the $10,000 grant from Standard Chartered Bank.
