Nollywood producer and actress Funke Akindele has encouraged young women to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams.
The record-breaking director urged women to embrace entrepreneurship regardless of their circumstances in a recent interview with Arise TV.
She stressed that women may succeed without depending on men.
Akindele also advised young women to live within their means rather than living in jealousy of others and to be content and goal-focused.
She said,
“Whatever you have, just start something. Move. Don’t wait for the big opportunity. Even if it’s petty business, just start something.
“As a young girl out there, who says women can’t make money? Who says women can’t have money when we have the Folorunsho Alakijas? They are made, they are okay. The other day, I was telling myself that I have to work harder to be as rich as the Alakijas. Who says you can’t have money? You don’t have to rely on a man to make it.
“You have to stay focused. The little you have, manage it. Don’t be greedy. Don’t look at what your neighbors have and say you want to have what they have. When the time comes for you to have luxurious things, you’ll have them.
“I used to buy my handbags from ‘bend down select.’ I would wash and iron them and slay with them. Even with the cheap bags, I still felt good. Just believe in yourself. And watch what you feed yourself with.
“Content that would drive you crazy, people that would say things that would upset you, toxic people—avoid them. Because you’re growing in a new space. It’s what you feed yourself with that matters. It really matters because if you feed yourself with negativity, at the end of the day you would believe you can’t do it because you’re not pretty enough.”
