How I pivoted my tech side hustle during the pandemic.
When COVID-19 happened unexpectedly I was consulting for an organization at the time and the project was abruptly stopped due to the disruption, I made attempts to secure a new position but with the Global health issue it wasn’t the right time. So, I decided to pivot my side hobby and launch my software development business properly. It was official, I was now a business owner!
I also launched a community for female founders, and the two just worked well and aligned to confirm my purpose. It was also timely because of the lockdown; more people were looking to go online and increase visibility for profit and impact.
At the beginning, it was bleak with so much uncertainty. Who would have thought I would find the boldness to launch something I had been shying away from? The initial thoughts filled me with dread. Who would use my service? Where will I find clients? Self-doubt kicked in, but I took the plunge, and I’m so glad I did howbeit afraid.
Hence, I consider it an honor to share my journey to inspire hope in others. Before this season, I was on an excessive quest to keep trying different things. I had NO purpose! The main problem involved me running multiple projects at once with no plan or definition, and none taking off successfully as a result. I also experienced self-limiting beliefs, and cared too much about what people’s opinions.
Can you relate to this?
The defining moment would have to be after my session with my coach and mentor Fela Durotoye, I had a major mindset shift and discovered that I have so much to give to the world and my tribe is waiting to be served. I had a light bulb moment on what aspect of tech to focus on based on the demand for my skill set. I realized the need to align my gifts to my purpose. This led to me showing up and telling people about my skills and what I can help them with. Afterwards, the game changed for good!
I had written an eBook ‘Course Creator’s Launchpad‘- How to Help Experts and Entrepreneurs Launch Online Courses. I couldn’t publish the content I spent time creating because I felt it was not perfect enough. However, during the program I dug it out and shared the E-book and the feedback was amazing.
There is a sense of fulfilment and calmness that radiates in me as I engage outside my comfort zone. I feel empowered to empower others and be the voice for females in tech. Plus, I want to help start-ups launch their businesses successfully. I am able to solve complex issues and use my analytic skills to help people build their dream businesses. I also have set up a team and now manage my own staff working on multiple projects in parallel.
“Don’t let anything or anyone stop you from doing anything”
BBtech
I discovered that all my life experiences were to prepare me for my future role to support, be relatable to other people who are having similar challenges, who felt they are not enough and require validation to step into their purpose and for some who are non-technical but require more online presence for profit. I also know that all my concerns were self-imposed and that I have everything that I need to excel, and I do not have to be 100% ready to launch out. I can start from where I am and continue to learn and adapt. I have found my purpose, and the discovery of my gift also provides clarity on who I am sent to help gain clarity to launch their brand digitally.
Looking back, I would not have had it any other way, because my diverse career experiences and multi businesses (jack of all trades) was setting me up with diverse skills and expertise to help more people who crossed my path. I feel rich and extremely grateful to be in this space.
You can’t be me if you can’t see me, and if you can’t see me, I can’t have a seat at the table.
We need more females to step up and pave way for others to achieve equal representation and economic growth.
Tech is the future, and the future is female! We cannot over emphasize the change we have all recently experienced over the past one year due to the global pandemic, and more importantly, the massive role technology played in keep us going. With the huge demand for tech, it is evident that if we don’t upskill and also include females, we will risk skill gaps and it would even be wider than what it is now. It’s time for more inclusive designs in tech entrepreneurship , career awareness and proving an enabling environment, have more men as allies, advocacy and government support in accessing support, resources and grants. This is where you and I come in to play our part to not only level the ground to have equal representation but also create economic growth and the future we desire.
If you train a woman you train a community.
Our mission at Techpreneur is to empower 10, 000 women by 2030.
What we do at Female Techpreneur?
We champion female led start-ups from concept, launch to scale successfully using our end-to-end wrap around approach. We help aspiring female start-ups validate their concepts. We also help non-tech start-ups and tech founders launch, scale or grow. We have a framework – Concept, Launch, Scale Exit (CLSE) that will be the 4 steps to help aspiring startups, tech and non-tech founders – validate their concepts, launch, scale and exit their startups.
How we do it
We work with strategic partners to deliver our core promise to members and non-members alike to provide a global movement.
- Our Ed Tech platform to deliver “Start-up Programs”
- Submit Your Project “Builders’ hub” to help start-ups develop your product
- Work with us – Join our business Ecosystem to provide your service
- Funding Support – “Fundher” our new initiative to invest in female founders
Join us! Our community is the only platform that offers females in tech end to end product development, mentorship and access to support to empower, innovate and ignite.
To join the movement or find out more about the work we do, go here or Instagram Twitter Facebook LinkedIn.
About Bukola Babajide
Bukola M. Babajide is a Techpreneur, a business transformation consultant, certified scrum master and senior business analyst with over fifteen years of experience, with leading organisations such as BP, Nationwide, Lloyds Bank, Avon etc. in various industries. She is an award winner of the African Entrepreneur Award UK 2016, as “Inspirational Entrepreneur” and was also featured in Tech Round (U.K.) and Pulse magazine (Nigeria).
Her give back initiative business and career network hosts annual career sessions in Lagos to aid employability skills on topics such as business analysis, project management and basic IT skills.
Bukky’s global movement is on the path to get more females into tech to change the world, innovate, empower and ignite!
#women #techpreneur #womenempowerment