As the CEO of Brandfusion and Founder of the W-Suite women’s empowerment initiative, television broadcaster and businesswoman Katie Mohammed’s expertise and passions lie in creating solutions and breaking the mold.
BrandFusion is an integrated business hub founded on the core principles of “collaborative intelligence”, while the W-Suite women’s empowerment initiative aims at supporting women in becoming leaders.
Katie sat down with ExpertHub to share some of her lessons on managing staff, productivity hacks and the importance of ongoing learning:
What has been an impactful piece of business advice you’ve received?
Act like a leader, keep your eye on the prize, don’t get disheartened if things don’t work out. There is always a reason, and keep persisting, someone will eventually give you the break. Also, make sure to network – relationships are key to your business and can make or break you.
Share some productivity tips you’ve learnt that have helped you get more done
Start early in the day – it sets the tone of how your day will unfold.
Also, if possible, avoid being stuck in traffic and rather use the time to get work done at home before you hit the office.
How do you train people to think about outcomes and be more proactive?
This has been a challenge as employees don’t see freelancing as their business. So pro-activity is always a challenge, as in my experience most people want to do the minimum amount of work. I am yet to master this as I pride myself in being proactive.
Taking freelancers by the hand and showing them how you would like it done is tiresome but it gets results and that’s what I need.
Share your advice on pushing for excellence and managing mistakes
It’s important to have the right attitude towards clients and projects, and ensuring your team stays focused.
Clients constantly change the game. You have to either push back or give them solid reasons why things can’t be done. I also have learnt that being tolerant is really about keeping your emotions out of the equation.
What is your favourite business mantra?
Surround yourself with people that inspire, motivate are passionate, open minded and are grateful. By surrounding yourself with these types of people will continue to attract positive people and, in turn, become a better version of yourself.
What are the leadership traits you most admire in others?
Richard Branson is a great leader and he believes that as a leader you can only be successful when you care for your employees. He is also a visible leader and leads by listening.
Locally, I love how Margaret Hirch leads her company. She ensures that she visits every branch and provides her staff with feedback and tries to lead by example. She also has a very nurturing way of delegating and communicating .
How do you advance your own learning?
I keep learning each day. From speaking to other entrepreneurs to reading as much content across varying platforms. I also enjoy following business leaders on social media and reading their thought leadership pieces. For me, it’s important to remain current and understand what’s relevant within in your environment to continue to succeed within it.
