Peep-To-Meet: Nkem Onwudiwe

How I E-Met Nkem of Her Network

We’ve never met face-to-face. I can’t say that I know her last name, if she’s a lefty or righty, and with over ten thousand miles between us, I haven’t even had the pleasure of shaking her hand.

How tall is she in comparison to my 5 foot 7, slightly (and when I say slightly I mean slightly above slightly) average frame?

Does she like Oreos as much as I do?

Not possible.

I didn’t have the answers to those questions, but none of that even seemed to matter. You see, I met Nkem Onwudiwe and her staff while preparing for the official re-launch of my website but had long been a follower and supporter of the HER Network brand. I’ve always admired how they’ve gone the extra mile to truly get to know the women featured on their platform; their journey, struggles and triumphs. How they’ve utilized their brand as a networking opportunity to engage, connect and inspire women from all walks of life.

These are the type of women that I need to connect and build with. The type of women who don’t mistaken followers for fame and can see behind a woman’s post and see her purpose. There was just one thing…I was a little nervous. Not in the ‘I don’t know what to say’ kind of nervous, but the ‘have I really done anything worth acknowledging’ type of nervous. Nesta Don’t get me wrong, I know that I’m the “shiz-ni-yee” (as Lil Scappy would say). I know how hard I work, the daily sacrifices I make and the passion that I have. I know that I was able to whip together a whole show on my own and, on some days, I even had to play the role of host, camera~~man~~ woman, producer, make-up artist and editor all at once. I know that it was enough for ME, but was it enough for others to see or even care to read about?

I wasn’t about to let fear get in the way of that. A few email drafts later and a “you’re the sh*t, know that” mirror pep-talk (yes, I have pep-talks with myself), I reached out to Her Network with the proposal to partner with me on my launch even. I received a response later that day from the company founder Nkem expressing her excitement about working with me. We corresponded via email, we engaged on social media, and even virtually met via the WhatsApp video call and spoke for over an hour about our shared visions and views. Nkem wanted to build, she wanted to touch other women through our partnership, but most importantly, she wanted to listen. She wanted to hear my story, from my mouth, the way that I live it. Not only that, but she also wanted to ensure that the presence of HER Network was felt at my launch event so she connected me with an amazing queen by the name of Nesta who CAME, SAW, and SHARED the event live on Instastory. The event was a success, but most importantly, my relationship with HER Network has only continued to grow since then.

About Nkem:

Nkem Onwudiwe is a PR guru with an extensive background in Public Relations and communications. Nkem is a true expert in her field and uses her knowledge and skills to connect, share and create opportunities and marketing strategies for small businesses and brands via new media platforms. Apart from her major strides in the PR world, Nkem is also a strong supporter and advocate for women empowerment. In 2015, she created the platform Her Network– a digital platform aiming to connect, inspire and encourage women from various walks of life to live successfully with purpose. Through her growing platform, Nkem continues to expand her reach and inspire women on a daily basis and has even organized various women driven events in South Africa and Lagos, Nigeria. She is a true influencer in her own right and a firm believer that in learning from one another we not only grow in ourselves but as a unified group as well.