What is your name?
Folashade
What do you do for a living?
A nominated Women Leader who is also a Certified Release Train Engineer 5.1, SAFE Program Consultant (SPC 5.1), and Certified Enterprise Coach. She has more than eight years of expertise in agile development.
Do you do other things outside your work? Side hustle? Community commitment? Please list them.
I help the University of Portsmouth's Advancing Women's Entrepreneurship Program by aiding my AWE mentees in discovering and interpreting material. while analysing challenges, coming up with answers, putting those ideas into action, and then contemplating about what was learnt. I am also a member of the Reed Women In Technology (WIT) group as a mentor, giving back to my community of women and men that need help. In addition, as a member of the 'Sunday Suppers Team,' I help my local church. As part of serving the needs of my local community, I feed the less fortunate, homeless, and lonely. I provide Agile training, coaching, and mentoring. As a consequence of my past expertise as an educator, I provide customised GCSE, KS3, KS2, and KS1 study programmes. With a strong emphasis on science GCSE.
Describe a typical day in your life
There is no such thing as a regular day for me; it all depends on what I have planned. So, last week, I was co-planning our annual Global Scrum Gathering at work, seeking guest speakers, and speaking at the event on "the heart of agility," a subject important to the core of agility. Guiding companies in taking action on how they interact, deliver, reflect, and improve their practices and processes. I was also tasked with conducting an internal audit on one of our portfolios and presenting the results and suggestions to our CEO and other executive board members. Some weeks, I could be facilitating 'Big Room Planning' events and bringing the relevant stakeholders to the meetings to help make rapid decisions, or I may be running a workshop to handle complicated challenges with a strategic plan
Are you married?
No
Do you have kids? If yes, how many?
Yeah, I am the mother of three beautiful bundles of joy. A ten-year-old girl, a seven-year-old boy, and a six-year-old girl
How do you manage your day-to-day activities considering all your commitments?
I have daily plans, weekly plans, monthly plans, quarterly plans, and annual plans. These plans are all quite adaptable, allowing me to organise and concentrate my efforts on my top priorities on a regular basis.
First, I continued training. In 2012, I completed SAP Business Intelligence, and in 2014, I completed Business Analysis and Project Management. I was already working for a colleague who had an IT business. Immediately afterward, I participated in a mentoring programme with someone who was already performing the job. I then added additional qualifications to my toolset and continued to apply for higher-paying opportunities.
Were there any challenges or blockers on your way to becoming who you are now? If yes, what are those challenges?
Being a mom to three small children and going through divorce while trying to advance in my job was tremendously difficult. I too suffered from impostor syndrome as a result of losing my self-confidence through the dissolution of my nine-year marriage. Childcare and finances were major impediments.
How did you overcome these challenges/blockers if any? Please share the practical steps you took.
I was fortunate to have a wonderful mentor who later became a friend. After God, he is my spiritual leader and advisor. As the chance arose, I began documenting my journey, I joined a personal development platform, I began going to the gym, and I participated in a one-on-one mentoring programme to help me concentrate on my professional/career side. I also maintained a fairly narrow network of goal-oriented friends. I also created a calendar for myself and my children that emphasised our principles, for example. Sundays are off, unless I'm volunteering to feed the homeless (Once a month).
Who is your role model and why?
My Mother, She has always been a hard worker, ever when I was a child. I gained my work ethic from seeing her overcome numerous hurdles and life's curve balls. 'I work intelligently,' I say. I am pleased of myself and what I have accomplished in such a short period of allowing myself to be real! Michelle Obama is someone I respect!
Do you have a mentor or a coach? If yes, which one? if not, why not?
Yes, I have EstherA
If you are married with/without children, how do you balance/align your home commitments with your career/side hustle workload?
N/A
What one piece of advice would you give to other women about them stepping into their power and purpose unapologetically?
Be authentic!
Do you!
Take risk!
Build the courage to live your dreams.
Feel the fear and do it anyway!
Most importantly you are enough!
Thank you so much for your time, Folashade. We celebrate you today and always.
Comments