SLA Rings the Closing Bell at the NYSE

On December 9, She Leads Africa became the first African startup to ring the Closing Bell at the New York Stock Exchange. As part of the NYSE’s outreach program, the American stock exchange invited She Leads Africa to highlight SLA’s success in 2016 in delivering business and career advice to 200,000 millennial, urban and engaged African women through in-person workshops and digital training.

The NYSE is the world’s largest stock exchange by market capitalization at US$19.3 trillion as of June 2016. The Closing Bell ceremony was featured on the NYSE website and on television networks such as CNBC, Bloomberg TV and Fox Business News, reaching 150 million of viewers worldwide. The She Leads Africa co-founders join other notable leaders such as former South African President Nelson Mandela, former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, and African Union Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma who have had the honor of ringing the Closing Bell.

While it was great to have this incredible opportunity, what was most special to us was our ability to include one of the first entrepreneurs we ever worked with in the special moment. Taffi Ayodele started Thando’s Shoes as the first brand of foldable flats in America. It’s been hard over the past 3 years being a small designer and getting large manufacturers to want to work with her, but Thando’s continues to push through and reach new markets. Being able to have Taffi there with us and show our community all across the world, that’s it is possible to build a high-quality, globally recognized startup from Africa was a great feeling.

Click here to learn more about She.Leads.Africa.