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The 2024 edition of the Women High Achievers Trybe (WHATRYBE) recently held at the highbrow Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos on October 3, 2024, has left smiles on the faces of numerous women entrepreneurs as the event saw a good number of them smiling home with grants from the organizers to help them further push their businesses forward.

The annual conference, convened by fashion icon and entrepreneur, Mrs. Kiki Okewale of Hope by Kiki, saw more than 500 business entrepreneurs in attendance.

The event recorded passionate exchanges and impactful moments as attendees explored how women can thrive in business, leadership, and personal development.

In her opening address, Mrs. Okewale charged the women to look beyond limitations and change their focus about challenges.

“We all face obstacles: limited access to funding, opportunities that feel out of reach, and networks that sometimes seem exclusive. But, let’s reframe how we see these challenges. When women thrive, our communities blossom”, she said.

Her words set the tone for the event as she further urged women to collaborate and uplift one another in business and life.

The day kicked off with a powerful meditation session led by Clinical Hypnotherapist, Adeola Kingsley-James, which moved many attendees emotionally, allowing them to embrace healing and prepare for the day’s events.

The keynote address by Princess Layo Bakare Okeowo, CEO of FAE Limited, focused on “Building Generational Wealth.” Princess Okeowo shared insights on breaking barriers and building lasting legacies and urged women to think strategically about long-term success. Abimbola Balogun of So Fresh Limited also gave her keynote address.

Key highlights of the event include a panel Session tagged “Money Moves”, which had Etemore Glover, Sola Adesakin, and Grace Ofure discussing funding opportunities for businesses, including strategies to attract angel investors and securing financial stability for women entrepreneurs.

There was also an interactive break in which attendees participated in a “Find the Clue” game, with winners walking away with exciting freebies. The second panel discussion, tagged “Brand Magnetism” had Tolulope Medebem and Dr. Olatunde Samson leading discussions on the importance of creating excellent customer experiences and leveraging digital marketing for business growth.

The third panel session which was tagged “Flame Keepers” was led by Mounfiq Raiyan Abu, a life sync expert, who took attendees through a motivational journey, emphasizing the importance of staying aligned with one’s purpose. Damilola Saula, a photographer, followed with a hands-on tutorial on content creation, proving that high-quality work can be achieved without expensive equipment.

Dr. Ede Edokpolo wrapped up the sessions with a health-focused discussion on managing stress and maintaining overall well-being, offering essential tips for busy women professionals.

Two women won grants of ₦100,000 for their businesses, while three others received free business registrations. This highlights the conference’s commitment to empowering female entrepreneurs.

Hosted by the charismatic Olive Emodi, the conference provided not only knowledge and inspiration but also practical tools to help women break through their challenges and build bridges to greater opportunities.

This year’s conference underscored the strength and unity of women in business and leadership, leaving attendees inspired and equipped to continue breaking barriers and building bridges in their respective fields