Chioma Madueke: Study Abroad for African Students
"I define a successful woman not as a woman who 'has it all' but as a woman who has been able to have a bit of everything."
By Victoria Flexner
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Name: Chioma Madueke
Business: Zidora Consults
Location: Lagos, Nigeria
Industry: Education & Training
Reason for starting? I love to travel, I especially love going places I have never been before. As a Nigerian, I sometimes encounter difficulty when applying for visas as well as other challenges when travelling. After I became a seasoned traveller it became easier to figure out visas and I started assisting my friends with their visa application process as well flights, tickets and hotel reservation. I also assisted my friends who wanted to study abroad for a masters programs, most of them had no clue how to go about it. With time, I realized there was actually a huge need for this service and that I could charge a fee for this service. Hence, Zidora Consults was born. I have successfully assisted thousands of African students to obtain foreign admission to over fifty countries. We work with colleges across the U.S, Australia, Canada, and the U.K. We also arrange vacations for individuals, companies and families and assist them with all travel plans.
Related: Read about another education entrepreneur here.
How do you define success? I define success as the quality of life a person has while alive and the legacy she leaves behind after she has passed. On a daily basis, I define success by how one feels in the morning on his way to work; is he excited and proud of the work he is going to do? Does the work impact others in a positive way? Does the work make him a better person and affect his interactions with friends, families and strangers in a positive way? I define a successful woman not as a woman who "has it all" but as a woman who has been able to have a bit of everything.
Biggest success: My biggest success was the first time Zidora Consults was nominated and appointed as an international representative of a school in the United Kingdom. It marked a huge step for us because we were then recognized as an official partner to a foreign institution.We have recorded other successes since then but that first step stands out to me because it marked the beginning of other partnerships we formed with foreign schools.
We intend to be the foremost travel company in Nigeria and Africa, known for delivering world class services and delivering on our promises. My goal is for Zidora to dominate the travel industry and organize holiday tours and safaris for individuals, organizations and families that will be featured in renowned travel industries. Also, one of our goals is to re-introduce Africa to the world; we will organize safaris and vacations for foreigners to African countries so people from countries like the United States and Canada get to experience the rich African culture.
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What is your top challenge and how you have addressed it? Our foremost challenge is the target and goals some of our foreign partner institutions and colleges ascribe to us. Our commissions are sometimes reliant on our recruiting a certain target number of students per admission session for the school and this can be a bit of challenge. We address this by using active marketers as well as leveraging our relationships with placement agents, high school principals and teachers who refer students to us.
Who is your most important role model? My most important role model is Folorunsho Alakija. She is a Nigerian as well as the richest black woman. She is someone I look up to because she was able to succeed, excel and come out on top in a field dominated by men. She has also been successful in obtaining a work-life balance by maintaining an enviable career and having a wonderful family.
[box_light]Website Www.zidoraconsults.com
Twitter @Herchiomness
Facebook www.facebook.com/ZidoraAidFoundation
Instagram @Herchiomness[/box_light]
Read about another entrepreneur here.
Edited by The Story Exchange
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