Elsie Godwin is marketing communications & media professional. She is passionate about adding value through impact driven conversations, bespoke communication, effective stakeholder management, partnerships for growth, community management and Campaign strategies.
Elsie is a graduate of Computer Science and a lifelong student as her role and skills requires that she constantly stays up-to-date and have a working knowledge of a lot of things. Thus, upskilling is a way of life for her.
Currently, she is leading Cassava Network’s Marketing in Nigeria toward accelerating Web3 adoption. Elsie is part of the team building Cashwise – a neo-banking mobile application and she helps brands maximise their marketing efforts through influencer marketing strategies and management at Mind-Mastik Media.
In this interview with TechEconomy, Elsie Godwin, as a result driven professional, said she is always excited to take up new challenges.
“As I grow in my career path, I find that I enjoy partnership and stakeholder management towards product development as it helps conceptualise great ideas in a way that ensures growth marketing is built into the product from day zero”, Elsie Godwin said…
…Let’s start with your current role at Cassava Network and the most exciting part of your work
In my role as the Marketing Manager at Cassava Network, I oversee all communication and marketing efforts of the company in Nigeria.
This includes but not limited to directing and reviewing content/design creation for all platforms, driving brand awareness, Partners collaborative marketing efforts, identify communities which helps drive the goal of web3 adoption, relationship management with KOLs and marketing networks, Product launch and Campaign strategies, Online and Physical events, Conversation direction and moderation, identify and deploy right digital tool for campaigns, support product test and development, Public Relations, drive Cassava product growth through sign ups, Avatar creation and adoption.
The most exciting part for me is when I engage with people who have zero understanding of the Web3 ecosystem, the opportunity to break it down in a way that helps them begin to understand Blockchain Technology and its benefits is one that I love to take on anytime.
What has been your most career-defining moment that you are proud of?
For me, defining moments are continuous. In marketing, the measurable results keep you going. Every campaign I have led and executed, gives me a different perspective and understanding of different markets. I am always looking for the next challenge, where my skills can be used and valued. However, I must say that having the opportunity to lead marketing for web2 & Web3 brands has been quite an interesting journey and learning curve for me. I can now say that I have done marketing on both sides of the divide.
What challenges have you faced in the workplace, especially your experience in male-dominated environments?
I think that the challenges I face are true to the job and the leadership roles I occupy. The energy is always high and ideas have to be managed. Beyond that, the men in my life – friends, mentors, bosses, have all been very helpful especially during my transition phases.
They help me overcome imposter syndrome and sometimes I think that they believe in me more than I do myself. Over all, it’s just important to know when to stay put and when it’s time to move to the next phase of your journey. There is time and season for everything; time to learn and time to fly.
I have been lucky to grow in my career in a way that I get to negotiate my terms and conditions of work from a place of strength. Bringing value to the table is my number one priority and this means that I do everything to give my best to any company I work for and with. And like I said, upskilling is a way of life for me. Which is why this year, I pushed myself so hard to get three certificates from Pan Atlantic University.
In your opinion, what is the biggest obstacle to women’s career progression?
I think that women want to be perfect for a role before they apply. We constantly underestimate and undervalue ourselves. Personally, I am learning that we all learn on the job. I have had the opportunity to listen to people I respect in different fields whether through reading their books or attending a session where they were kind enough to share and one thing is common – for every growth, for every new role, you have to learn on the job.
With a value first mindset, a willingness to learn and personal investments, the sky is the starting point for any woman.
What would you recommend to any company regarding infrastructure to develop the best talent?
The world is changing and people are the heart of great ideas. It’s important to create an environment where everyone feels valued and respected.
Give room for ideas sharing, identify the area of strength of your team members and find creative and nurturing ways to maximise it for the growth of the company. If you want to keep and retain your talents, you must value them right and be willing to do the job.
What do you think we should be doing to encourage more girls to consider a career in tech?
Before now, I would have said that we are already doing a lot in terms of outreach, initiatives and providing pathways and opportunities for girls in tech.
But I recently visited Kano state for Adaverse/Cardano’s Blockchain event where I was a guest speaker and that experience changed my perspective which I wrote about on my blog. We need to create more initiatives but beyond that, we have to creatively fine tune these initiatives in ways that align with the culture of different regions.
There are platforms already making efforts to help eradicate the peculiar challenges and barriers for girls to consider a career in tech such as Cybersafe Foundation, but more needs to be done and tailored for each region.
Is there one piece of advice you wish somebody gave you at the beginning of your career?
I was told that my work will speak for me but now, I wish I was told to actively blow my own trumpet. It’s now a digital village which means that your next door neighbour or your team member is no longer your competition.
These days, we apply for a role alongside hundreds of people from different parts of the world. It’s important to stand out through verifiable digital footprints and skillset.
It’s important to position yourself for recognition and growth while upskilling and working with a collaborative mindset.
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