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  • Life In Accra: Co-Working, PaGya Festival, Blogging Workshop, Fashion Business

    Life In Accra: Co-Working, PaGya Festival, Blogging Workshop, Fashion Business

    It’s vlog time. In this video, I share with you a month in my life, including living in Accra, co-working at Basecamp Initiative, volunteering at PaGya Literary Festival teaching my blogging business workshop, my sister visiting, and working with manufacturers for my fashion business Bandele Muse. Overall, it was a good and balanced month. What was your favorite part? Please share with me in the comments.

    Let’s unpack a little more about my workshop at the PaGya Literary Festival. I’m so grateful for this experience. Really appreciate the opportunity to share and guide. My blogging business workshop covered the basics plus discussed how to leverage future technology and measure success. I also provided content ideas and strategies. My participants left with content topics and secret formulas to last them a couple of months. I’m looking forward to seeing what they create.

    We also discussed some pain points that are in need of improvement. Pitching to brands in Ghana requires a unique formula, different from US-focused tutorials, because both brands and content creators are still learning their own value and how to leverage collaboration. Affiliate marketing with global brands is not easily accessible since PayPal is not available in Ghana and no equivalent has become an effective substitute yet. Freelancing is tricky as platforms like Fiverr and UpWork don’t always recognize Ghana-based bank accounts or MoMo wallets.

    I don’t see these points as obstacles. I’m sharing this with you to demonstrate what a content creator ecosystem needs. The talent and demand are here. I know some see content creators as only posting simple pretty photos or videos. We might lighten the mood (which is definitely needed now, so put some more respect on our work), but we also contribute a lot more.

    This is more than vibes. This is an industry that could generate jobs and income for people in different economic, educational, and cultural demographics. This is how you reclaim your narrative, take back ownership of your soft power, and set your price on your terms.

    As bloggers continue to improve, we also need others to fill these voids. You don’t have to be a blogger or influencer to work in the content creator space. Similar to how you don’t need to be a software engineer to work in tech. You just need to be the solution.

    What are your thoughts on the content creator industry in Ghana and Africa? Let’s continue the conversation in the comments.

  • How I Created Jewelry Packaging For Bandele Muse

    How I Created Jewelry Packaging For Bandele Muse

    Next to the product, packaging plays a big part in a brand experience. I know I am not the only one with really big ideas that always seem to take extra time to bring to reality. In this video, I share my adventure in creating sustainable jewelry packaging for my business Bandele Muse. From inspiration to navigating manufacturers locally and on Alibaba to explaining how packaging aligns with a brand. Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

  • My Work Day: Creating Photos + Videos For Bandele Muse Jewelry

    My Work Day: Creating Photos + Videos For Bandele Muse Jewelry

    Let’s do something different, ok? In this video, I share with you behind the scenes what my work day looks like when I am producing photos and videos for my business Bandele Muse. In this video, I am focusing on my jewelry collection. From my morning routine, to my production setup, to the end results, here is what a content creator and business owner workday can look like for me.

    Would you like to see more content like this? Let me know in the comments what you would like to see.

    The makeup I used in this video includes the following:

  • Why I Use Flodesk For My Newsletter

    Why I Use Flodesk For My Newsletter

    Are you looking for a platform to create your newsletter? Are you wondering what type of content you should make for your newsletter? I did a lot of searching and experimenting before choosing a platform for my newsletter. In this video, I share why I use Flodesk for my newsletter and a breakdown of how I produce content for my newsletter. I have been using Flodesk for over a year and can attest to how it has enhanced my creation and community experience for me and my business.

    If you are interested in using Flodesk, go ahead and use my link to sign up and get 50% off your 1st-year subscription: https://flodesk.com/c/BANDELEMUSE

  • Who Does The African Luxury Rebrand Benefit

    Who Does The African Luxury Rebrand Benefit

    Who does the “African luxury” rebrand benefit? What is the “why” behind the overall rebranding we all are doing? Is it for us or the foreign gaze? Does it provide an economic benefit or return? In this video, I discuss these questions and share my thoughts. I feel it can benefit a lot of us, depending on how we navigate it. Let me know what you think.

  • Let’s Embody What You Deserve With Ease

    Let’s Embody What You Deserve With Ease

    Every new year or cycle, I like to choose a word that describes the intention behind that new experience. At this time, my words are embody and ease.

    Of course, I have the perfect incident that happened recently to share with you. Story time.

    I edited a few photos and video clips to post together as a carousel on Instagram. I already wrote my desired caption on my phone. I uploaded the photos and videos…I think there were 6 in total.

    Before moving on to the caption, the Instagram app opened another window stating “this would be a great reel. Let us create one for you to try out.” I had never seen this before. Naturally, I was curious. So I pressed “ok.”

    The app created a 30-second reel with the photos switching quickly and the video slightly cropped with a very generic tinny song playing in the background.

    For a moment, my mind went into fix-it mode. Ok…what song should I choose?….what mood should I portray?….how do I change the speed of the photos?…what text should I add? Then, I paused. How did I allow this app to give me more work to do on my time? Also, this reel did not illustrate the story and message I wanted to share. Instead, this reel felt performative, bland, and uninspiring. The exact opposite of what I wanted to share.

    So, can you guess what I did? I deleted the app. I’m kidding. I’m not that dramatic…most of the time. Actually, I canceled the reel, reuploaded my photos, videos, and caption, and posted what I wanted. 

    This is the energy I intend to start carrying more. Anything that does not align with the reality I desire to embody and the ease I deserve to feel…I respectfully decline. This is something I have been experimenting with for almost a year now. Would you like to hear more about it? Ok, let’s unpack it.

    Instead of having a list of things I want or looping on things that did not work out, I have been focusing on how I want to feel with what I desire. I have given myself permission to desire things I have never had before. That is a big one. How can you embody what you have never experienced? What if you do not have an example of success, love, being on the winning team, having no financial concerns, substantially making an impact, belonging to a community, and/or maintaining boundaries that actually resonate with you?

    It’s not easy. I have been using my vivid imagination. Even with that, limited beliefs bubble up to the surface at every other step. But, I have learned that this is a sign of progress. Now that I am on this side of the journey, I feel more comfortable with the unknown. More grateful for the present. More open to receive. It’s a really beautiful experience.

    Thus, for this new year, cycle, or chapter (however you prefer to define your time), I hope and trust you embody:

    …the abundance you deserve,

    …the community you deserve.

    …the success you deserve.

    …the health you deserve.

    …the love you deserve.

    …the fun you deserve.

    …the healing you deserve.

    …the celebration you deserve.

    …the freedom you deserve.

    …the wealth you deserve.

    …the patience you deserve.

    I hope and trust you are open to receiving ease in:

    …the support you deserve.

    …the flexibility you deserve.

    …the justice you deserve.

    …the recognition you deserve.

    …the evolution you deserve.

    …the care you deserve.

    …the rest you deserve.

    …the luck you deserve.

    Of course, this list is not exhaustive. I encourage you to add to it. Individually and collectively, I feel there are so many beautiful and good things about to blossom for everyone. With that in mind, I want to tell you congratulations in advance. I am so grateful for your presence. I am looking forward to all the magical adventures we are going to have during this time.

    What are you looking forward to embodying with ease? Share with me. I love hearing from you.

    The selection

    Ok, you know how I love to experiment, right? This is the reason why I will always reference Dexter’s Laboratory. So, “the selection” is a section of my newsletters that includes a variety of links to things I feel you would find interesting. Please feel free to check them out and share your thoughts with me. Enjoy.

    • 5 ways to use and care for your crystal jewelry. Click here.
    • What good things happened in Africa in 2022? Read here.
    • Zima Blue from Love, Death + Robots. Watch here.
    • Morocco’s identity as Arab, African, and Amazigh. Read here.
    • Woven Vibraneeum Earrings from Bandele Muse. Shop here.

    I hope you enjoyed this post. This is actually a letter I shared within my Bandele Muse newsletter, where I share encouraging notes, fun gifts, interesting topics, and more. If you would like to join the Bandele Muse community, please sign up here. I would love to have you. Plus, you get 10% off your first purchase and a free affirmation pack created by me. Looking forward to seeing you there.

    Style details from photos

    I’m wearing: Bandele Muse earrings; Cuadra women’s cowboy boots; Dress made in Ghana