How the IMPACT Mentorship Programme is Empowering Female Entrepreneurs
She Speaks Power, an initiative by Naga DDB Tribal, has launched the IMPACT Mentorship Program to support female entrepreneurs by providing essential tools for business development, impactful content creation, and social media growth.
The program offers a three-month mentorship to help women effectively launch and scale their businesses, focusing on collaboration and tangible support for those in need. Launched to support female entrepreneurs, the programme has made strides in digital business strategies and social media growth.
Hajar Yusof, head of digital experience at Naga DDB Tribal, spoke to LBB about the IMPACT Mentorship Programme's inspiration and alignment with the She Speaks Power initiative.
Hajar shares insights into the process of selecting mentees, tailoring mentorship to unique challenges, and leveraging Naga DDB Tribal’s industry expertise. She also highlights the success stories and future plans for the programme, reflecting on how personalised support and real-world strategies have empowered women in their entrepreneurial journeys.
LBB> What inspired the creation of the IMPACT Mentorship Programme, and how does it align with She Speaks Power’s broader mission?
Hajar> When we launched She Speaks Power in 2023, our goal was to create a networking platform centred on female collaboration, initially focusing on in-person mentoring and networking events. This year, we've shifted our focus to spotlight female entrepreneurs while leveraging Naga DDB Tribal in social and digital experience. With entrepreneurship at the core of our agency’s DNA, we wanted to celebrate and support that same spirit in others. This evolution led to the founding of the IMPACT Mentorship Programme, aimed at empowering female entrepreneurs who need support to grow their businesses.
LBB> Can you walk us through the process of selecting mentees for the programme? What criteria are used to ensure the right candidates are chosen?
Hajar> We selected candidates based on their circumstances and need for support, focusing on those in disadvantaged situations and juggling roles as breadwinners and caretakers. Their business potential and commitment were also crucial factors. Take Hasnah, our first mentee, for instance — a single mother and sole provider for her four sons, two of whom have special needs under the Autism spectrum. She was recommended by William Cheah, founder of Santapan REMS, who is collaborating with her on Project Impian, an initiative supporting small F&B operators in launching commercial Ready-to-Eat products. She was the ideal candidate who ticked all the boxes. Our immediate focus was launching her Ready-to-Eat Johor Laksa product (a Malaysian dish) while reinvigorating her PR career after leading her agency for 15 years.
She Speaks Power team with Hasnah (L to R): Abigail (social media executive), Hajar (head of digital experience), Hasnah and Edinor (senior graphic designer, photographer).
LBB> How do you tailor the mentorship experience to address the unique challenges female entrepreneurs face in the social media space?
Hajar> The mentorship experience is focused on helping female entrepreneurs with digital-first business strategies, content creation best practices, and social media growth techniques, as that’s where Naga DDB Tribal expertise lies. But the truth is, every entrepreneur faces unique challenges, often shaped by limited skill sets and personal circumstances like family obligations. We found that women juggling businesses and caregiving lacked the time to scale on social media, often operating solo as one-woman shows. When we first met Hasnah, we realised she was already well-equipped with digital products. She was creating her visuals on Canva and taking her photos with her phone. For a woman in her 60s, we were very impressed by her savviness. Our task was to refine her personal branding strategy and maximise impact through targeted social media efforts according to platforms. It wasn't about doing more — it was about doing less, but with more significant impact.
LBB> What specific tools and strategies does the programme provide to help participants with business development and digital marketing?
Hajar> To be honest, there isn’t really a specific tool or strategy – it was simply through conversations and understanding our mentees as business owners, but more importantly, as human beings with a story, a dream.
When we first embarked on our mentorship journey with Hasnah, we had intended to promote her catering business. Still, we later found out that she was struggling to keep up with client demands as toiling away in the kitchen for whole days was becoming very taxing on her physically. Only through more conversations we uncovered that her first passion was being a writer. We quickly realised that the harnessing power of LinkedIn could be a powerful platform for promoting her freelance PR services. This exemplified how building relationships with our mentees can lead to pleasantly surprising revelations.
LBB> What role do mentors play in the programme, and how are they selected and trained? How does the programme support participants in creating impactful content and growing their social media presence?
Hajar> Mentors in our program play a hands-on role, applying their day-to-day expertise to help participants grow their businesses. Our mentors are from our digital experience team, who usually work with clients to improve business and content strategies. This means they bring practical, real-world advice to the table.
Our head of digital experience guides overall business strategy and identifies new revenue streams. Meanwhile, our team of content creators and photographers offers advice on content creation, visual storytelling, and social media techniques, ensuring participants can create impactful content and grow their online presence effectively.
LBB> What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve encountered in running the IMPACT Mentorship Programme, and how have you addressed them?
Hajar> The biggest challenge is finding time to commit amidst the daily hustle. Nonetheless, we always find a way to balance our purpose with our professional responsibilities, ensuring that the mentorship program receives the dedication it deserves. Whether through flexible scheduling, leveraging team collaboration, or streamlining our efforts, we prioritise making a meaningful impact while managing our other commitments effectively. That has been the most challenging part so far.
LBB> Looking ahead, are there any plans to expand or evolve the programme in the future? If so, what changes or additions might be on the horizon?
Hajar> Looking ahead, we plan to induct two more individuals into the program for the rest of 2024. We're reviewing candidates and will continue refining the program by learning from this year’s participants. We genuinely believe this is just the beginning, as we strive to build a programme that evolves with every new entrepreneur we support, all while staying true to Naga DDB Tribal commitment to fostering entrepreneurship and creating transformative experiences.
