On Friday I attended my first "Women in Business Lunch" in Kampala. This was together with approximately 30 other lovely, intelligent, talented and determined women (a well balanced mix of Ugandans and ex-paths). I was grateful to be invited by the founder of this great initiative, Tracy Hathorn.
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| Tracy Hathorn, an inspiration for women in business in Uganda. |
Tracy Hathorn is the CEO of Uganda Meat Producers Cooperative Union Ltd., and has been involved in setting up the Norwegian Business Centre in Kampala. She has for several years, been a recourse person for Norwegian businesses and projects who wants to work or establish themselves in Uganda. I met her in my job as a Project Manager for Design without Borders where she assisted us and gave us access to her wide network of businesses, organizations and recourse people in Uganda.
Moving down here, I realize that Tracy also inspires and brings together women who are in business in Uganda. What a woman! And what an important work she is doing uniting clever talented business women!
A color splash of inspiration - the pink table.
When we arrived we got a colored "stone", almost like a "diamond". I got pink, and was joining the other pink ladies and the pink table. The purple ladies sat on the purple table and so on. A great idea to mix people, so you don't go and sit with your friends or colleagues only. You meet new people, you learn new things and get new inspiration.
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Our colored "diamonds". I got pink and sat on the pink table.
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| The pink table: Yodit Angsom, Brenda Mugwerwa and me. |
Goal friends Africa
During the lunch Maddy Rice gave us an introduction to goal setting and encouraged us to join the group she has started, "Goal friends Africa". After leaving my "Goal Friend" Eva back in Norway, I was so happy to find new Goal friends here in Uganda.
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| Maddy Rice, calling herself a "goal addict", gave an inspirational speech. |
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| I have now joined "Goal friends Africa". |
I set goals! and I believe thats the reason why I am now here in Uganda
In 2007 I made my first "goal board", and one of the first goals I put up was: "I will live and work in a warm country, at least in the winter". Maybe I was suffering from "winter blues" when I wrote it. I have never been a fan of the cold, and that has made it quite challenging for me to live in Norway. I always travel to a hot country in the winter, but I have never stayed for long. Until this year, when it was time for a change...
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| Some of my first goals on my goal board. I have accomplished many of them! Africa must be a good place to learn how to play drums? |
Get inspired to set goals!
The one who inspired me:
Anthony Robbins
Why set goals:
Why set goals?
Link up with Goal Friends here:
Web:
Goal Friends
Facebook:
GoalFriends Africa
Books recommended by Maddy Rice:
"Goals" - Brian Tracy
Finding happiness in the blue zones - Dan Buettner
Business women unite!
With my experience from being a woman in business in private industry in Europe for about 10 years, I know that it can often be challenging. And we have different challenges than men have. Having other women around us for support, motivation and discussions is so important. It can really give you that extra push that you need to materialize your ideas and your goals!
So women all over the world, I challenge you to:
1. Get together and start "women in business" networks.
2. Start setting goals for your life! if you are not doing it already.
3. Start "goal friends groups" to motivate you and celebrate the success when you reach your goals!
