- The rich room of women leaders resounded the importance of seizing opportunities fearlessly to achieve financial prowess and dare to take charge of their destinies.
- The summit commenced with thought-provoking dialogues that underscored the significance of women empowerment in the pursuit of career excellence.
- Ms. Kangwana advised on the importance of collaborative partnership and embracing diversity for positive impact in the two-day engagement session that would culminate with an honoring ceremony.
We can’t be leaders unless we have a legacy. It is important that in order for us to be leaders, we must be able to leave a legacy
Jeannetta Collier, Founder and CEO, Imaginary Glass Ceiling LLC.
In a resounding celebration of female achievements and empowerment, Nairobi played host to a transformative two-day Women Empowering Women Summit hosted by Jeannetta Collier, Founder and CEO of Imaginary Glass Ceiling LLC. and Jeannetta Collier Enterprises Inc.
The intriguing event, held in Nairobi’s Hermosa Gardens Hotel & Spa on July 17-18, 2023, was convened by Ms. Collier and held in partnership with Arise Circle KE, Civility Travel & Tours, Gusii Women In Leadership Network (GWILN), Narok County Government, and Hermosa Gardens Hotel & Spa, among others.
Under the adept guidance of Ms. Collier, the summit commenced with thought-provoking dialogues that underscored the significance of women empowerment in the pursuit of career excellence.
Ms. Collier implored the participants on the importance of women being the best versions of themselves by breaking the imaginary glass ceiling and taking up leadership spaces.
“We can’t be leaders unless we have a legacy. Leadership means someone going before you, showing you the way and legacy can mean right here and now. It is important that in order for us to be leaders, we have to be able to leave a legacy,” said the transformative leader.
The summit was moderated by Edinah Kangwana, MBS, MHC., a renowned transformational woman leader, policy expert and Founder and CEO of Arise Circle KE, a professional development-driven organization. She was also the coordinator of the conference, Kenyan chapter.
In her inaugural speech, Ms. Kangwana advised on the importance of collaborative partnership and embracing diversity for positive impact in the two-day engagement session that would culminate with an honoring ceremony.
“Revitalizing strategic collaborative partnerships, as enshrined in SDG 17, must be central in all efforts and strategies put towards achieving Gender Equality (SDG 5) and generally, the journey towards achieving equal, equitable and sustainable development globally,” she added.
Ms. Kangwana noted that, as women, they are strengthening their cross-border partnerships, leveraging on their diversities, their distinctive and shared experience, and most importantly, the zeal to build each other to push forward the gender equality journey in Kenya, Africa and the world.
Revitalizing strategic collaborative partnerships, as enshrined in SDG 17, must be central in all efforts and strategies put towards achieving Gender Equality (SDG 5) and generally, the journey towards achieving equal, equitable and sustainable development globally
Edinah Kangwana, Founder and CEO, Arise Circle KE.
“Women finding their life purpose and projecting their visions well, through women economic empowerment, health and wellness, personal branding, personal development, embracing their communities and leadership, service and authenticity, finding support groups, and strategic collaborative partnership are some of key roadmaps that women should embrace as they endeavor to empower self and each other in the journey towards achieving gender equality,” explained the woman leader.
Embracing success in the digital age
In a captivating session, a distinguished panel of strategists shed light on the paramount importance of personal branding in fostering career progression.
The panel, moderated by the host, Ms. Collier, emphasized the indispensable virtues of consistency and clarity in achieving personal and professional goals.
“When you’re inconsistent on branding, people will be inconsistent about wanting to work with you because you are a confused business owner and a confused brand. A confused organization leads confused consumers,” she said.
Throughout the riveting discussion, the strategists underscored the pivotal role of personal branding in establishing a unique and authentic identity.
“No matter what business you’re in, people will look for you if you personally brand yourself,” Collier said, acknowledging the power of personal branding.
Participants shared their fear of branding themselves, particularly in the digital space, as they had the fear of rejection, navigating tasks and responsibilities required to establish and maintain a brand, and cybersecurity.
The panel of experts acknowledged these concerns and offered actionable strategies to face the barriers head-on.
“If there’s anything I can leave with you today, it’s to remind you to tap into that gut power that you know you have.
Tap into it, ride the wave, and actually achieve that which you know you can,” said Angela Motedia, a panelist and social entrepreneur, in her partying shot.
Mental, sexual and reproductive health
Different speakers engaged the attendees in pivotal conversations centered around mental health, sexual health, and the general well-being of an individual.
In a panel of mental health experts, Lakendra Smalley, a certified master life coach, noted that there is a gap between women owning their power as they are often auto-piloted to become something they are not, thus losing their abilities.
“There are seven dimensions of mental health. It includes your workplace, where you live, your spirituality, internal emotion so it makes me go into resiliency because part of mental health, regardless of what area you are experiencing a gap, there has to be resiliency,” she stated.
The experts in mental health illuminated the significance of nurturing emotional well-being in the face of adversity, being fully aware of themselves, and wholly accepting themselves.
In her address, the Narok County First Lady, Agnes Ntutu, the Chief Guest, stated that her county is at the forefront of the journey of empowering and celebrating women in leadership.
“From the very beginning, our focus has been ending teenage pregnancies and early marriages, recognizing them as barriers to the progress of young girls.
We firmly believe that education is the key to unlocking opportunities, so we are implementing various initiatives to ensure that girls are accessing education, to enable them to shape their destiny,” she said.
Further, she noted that they support school-going girls by providing sanitary towels whenever possible, thus reducing obstacles that hinder their education and allowing them to remain in school with confidence and dignity.
“As I look into the future, I see a world where women are not confined by social norms, where their talents are recognized and celebrated, and where they stand side by side with men as equal partners in progress.
I see a world where women take up leadership positions in every sector, shaping policies, driving innovation, and fostering inclusive societies,” the distinguished leader stated in her speech.
She further advocated for equality to ensure that women are in spaces where they can break the imaginary glass ceilings.
“The future is bright and together, we will create a world where gender equality is not an aspiration but a lived reality. Let’s continue to empower, inspire and uplift one another.
Together we can break the remaining barriers, dismantle the imaginary glass ceiling and create a world where women’s potential knows no bounds,” she concluded.
Imagine BC, Financial literacy
As an entrepreneur with more than 25 years of experience and who has facilitated numerous start-ups, Ms. Collier delved into the realm of finances with financial experts unraveling strategies to achieve economic independence and make informed investment decisions.
“We were created in abundance, if you have an abundant mindset then even as a woman, you can still build financial freedom for yourself,” she encouraged the participants.
Ms. Collier advised the women to ensure their financial houses are in order to enable them hold power independently without relying on others.
“All of us, as women, have issues with getting money. We think money is bad, we think money is evil. That’s not true. It’s how you use the money which determines whether it’s evil or not,” she asserted.
Ms. Collier is also a principal stakeholder in Imagine BC, a revolutionary new media company that makes digital content experiences safe and equitable for all.
In a breakout session, Kimberly Tobian, a design artist and tech guru at Imagine BC, enlightened women on how they can monetize their data online while keeping safe from cyberbullying and privacy intrusion.
“The way the world is working, data is becoming a currency. Blockchain has created a platform; you are choosing to watch that content. It will never be interrupted by an advertisement.
There are ads on the app, and if you choose to watch an advertisement, you will get paid directly from the advertiser,” the tech guru disclosed.
While demonstrating this great way for monetizing data, Mrs. Tobian explained that it is by choice to release data to people, but one gets paid and, at the same time, avoids risks of intrusion.
The rich room of women leaders resounded the importance of seizing opportunities fearlessly to achieve financial prowess and dare to take charge of their destinies.
Different individuals were honored and awarded with various awards to appreciate and recognize the immense efforts they’re putting in leadership, education, finance, community service, health and other sectors to improve communities.
About Jeannetta Collier
Ms. Collier is the CEO of Jeannetta Collier Enterprises Inc., which houses her production company and is the founder of Imaginary Glass Ceiling LLC.
She has been in the entrepreneurial world for more than 25 years and uses her lived experiences to empower young women across the world.
She is a transformational life coach and business strategist, NLP master coach, international speaker, entrepreneur, investment strategist in real estate and market trading, a published author, an advocate, and a creative.
Ms. Collier has been featured twice as one of the most notable people in Nothern Texas.
With the goal to impact as many lives as possible through acts of service, Ms. Collier, during the Women Empowering Women Summit, emphasized the importance of speaking positivity into oneself.
“You can do anything that you want to do in life. You have to believe, conceive and believe that you can do it, and make it happen,” she advised in conclusion.
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She was accompanied on the international tour by Norma Bradford, a certified public accountant, Anita Hicks, CEO of AHU Training Solutions, and Locha Brooks, a senior educational consultant, among others.
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