Adebola Ajao hit a period in her career when her academic accolades could not provide the tools she needed to progress. She practiced as a pharmacoepidemiologist for 10 years working on the effectiveness and safety of drugs and biological products. Adebola’s passion for women’s health and the safety of drugs and biologics in pregnancy showed brightly. But she was stifled by the lack of a mentor, growth opportunities, and fulfillment.
This period of internal struggle inspired her to write a book titled “Empowered Woman: Five Principles for Living Your Best Life and Fulfilling Your Potential,” in 2021, and she established Empowering Initiatives in 2022, an organization dedicated to empowering professional women.
“Through our books, speaking engagements, workshops, and coaching programs, we support other women on their empowerment and transformation journey to reaching their highest potential through service,” explained Adebola. She hopes to build a community where women can rely on each other’s platforms to expand their network, career, or business. Adebola also aspires to grow her non-profit which offers micro-business grants for Nigerian female entrepreneurs.
Adebola’s inspiration for women supporting women led her to dive into the International Association of Women (IAW). “I see IAW as a supportive community of empowered women who are thriving in their careers and businesses from whom I can learn. I also see IAW as a community that can give me visibility and opportunity to expand my network and serve women in their community,” she said. Her advice to new members is to stay connected, take advantage of the resources available, and meet others in similar professions or businesses.
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Want to find a community like Adebola’s? IAW is open and waiting for women from around the globe to join our community of professional women who want to expand their horizons just like you. Register for one of our weekly events, or find a local chapter near you to get started.
