Women today are more willing than ever to act as change agents in all aspects of their lives, including their families, careers, communities, and the wider globe. They have progressed from being invisible to assuming leadership roles and gradually advocating for inclusion, particularly in Africa. Dr. May Ikeora is a shining example of an African businesswoman leader. She serves as the CEO of L’Avyanna LTD, a business that seeks to meet the skincare requirements of its customers at a competitive price while maintaining high standards. The company looks for new business prospects to make its products available to consumers of color all over the world.

Path to L’Avyanna

May studied humanitarian law in the United Kingdom up to the Ph.D. level and has worked at various levels in Africa and Europe as an advocate for African women, girls, and identity. She has been to more than 40 different nations for her work. May also has experience working in the beauty industry as a model and a beauty queen. In 2003, she was crowned Miss West Africa. With her work as an advocate for girls through her “Raising Girls Project,” May came to recognize the liberating nature of beauty. She was also motivated to see how women can be both attractive and clever in the same way.

To better serve the requirements of women of color in terms of beauty in the UK, May moved on to launch L’Avyanna in November 2014. L’Avyanna, which means “The Strong Beautiful Woman,” was founded as a platform to integrate the two fields (Beauty and Empowerment). At least 70% of the staff at L’Avyanna are female, and the company is run by women. The company makes sure that these women are prepared for leadership roles by boosting their confidence and skill sets. L’Avyanna supports women through its Freelance Distribution Programme, which offers possibilities to women interested in the Beauty sector. Additionally, the business supports initiatives that educate and empower young women.

Distinguishing Factors: Women and Male Leaders

May firmly believes that how gender roles are understood in various societies determines the differences between the leadership traits of men and women. Contrary to their male colleagues, women are recognized to be creators and multipliers who frequently adopt an inclusive and community-driven perspective. Contrarily, men are frequently braver and more willing to take risks, which helps them succeed in business. While some women are bold, according to May, the world needs to raise girls to be brave in order to develop the next generation of female leaders.

Challenges, Responsibilities, and Achievements

The male-dominated beauty industry is oversaturated, making it extra harder for black female entrepreneurs who have little access to resources. May, though, is confident that her grit and resiliency will carry her through. She views obstacles as opportunities for growth and bravely maintains her goals by doing activities that frequently appear to be quite risky.

May’s primary responsibility as a Licensed Formulator, an artist, and a businessperson is to

produce the goods, communicate, and promote the business’s overall goals, as well as

encourage the team to ensure that the final users of their invention are satisfied.

For May, the ability to change the attitudes of her clients is more valuable than any accolades she wins in the beauty industry. It is therefore a noteworthy accomplishment for her to have been able to develop the Melanin Glow product line and to have assisted Dark-skinned ladies in falling in love with their complexion once more as the line became a bestseller.

Outlook towards Equality and Feminism  

May mentions that there is a growing social movement to increase the representation of women in positions of power in the corporate world. Beyond making sure that the quota for female involvement is met, women are also gaining access to these roles. To ensure that women of color are included and represented more diversely, for example, more work needs to be done.

According to May, feminism is the effort to embody the independence and dignity of being a girl and a woman as best as one can in a world shared with men. Being a feminist provides an opportunity for males to understand women at their very core rather than requiring them to hate or criticize men as some people might think. According to her, a feminism that emulates excessive masculinity is no longer feminism and should be known by a different name.

Essential Qualities for Women Leaders

It can be difficult to develop the necessary leadership qualities in a short amount of time. Dr. May, on the other hand, has adapted to leadership quickly and is soon to have an industry-wide influence as a woman leader. May has her own perspective on women in leadership and thinks that they must be courageous and recognize their own worth as leaders. Although it appears straightforward, most women struggle with this very basic concept. Once this mentality change is formed, every other ability and trait follows.

May believes that women should make a conscious effort to develop their leadership and business skills. They ought to be driven by inevitably occurring business issues and being consistently cooperative.

Keeping Work-Life Balance

No matter how hard one tries, finding a work-life balance is difficult. May had to go through a burnout experience before realizing how crucial it is to rethink work-life balance and be deliberate about how to implement a system in life that works. She had to create a schedule for how much time she would spend working, with her family, and on herself.

Sharing her experience on work-life balance as a woman leader, May thinks that women should prioritize work-life balance because being a business leader does not exclude one from being a leader in other areas of one’s life. The latter gives the harmony that a lady so needs to prosper.

Quote

“Do not be afraid to dream, nor wait to be perfect to take that leap, and never fear failure so much that you refuse to take that required risk.” CAyyanna

Also Read: The 10 Most Inspiring Black Corporate Leaders to Follow in 2024