Coming from a family of entrepreneurs, Tshegofatso's path was written from the get-go. As the founder of The Wire Media Agency, she and her team implement technology solutions that help businesses attain digital transformation. In this interview, she talks about her entrepreneurship journey, the challenges she has faced as a woman in tech and more!
In your own words, tell us who Tshegofatso Moatswi is
Tshegofatso Moatswi is firstly a mother to three girls, a daughter, a sister and an entrepreneur who aspires to excel in the business sector. She is a dedicated business woman who aspires to pioneer a path for her daughters for them to one day be and do business without the challenges we currently face as women entrepreneurs.
Briefly take us through your journey to a career in tech
Initially, we started off as a media agency hence the name “TheWire Media Agency” as we saw the endless mass of opportunities it availed at the time and knew in due course we would branch off to other sectors and that is when the tech bug caught up with us. “TheWire” is both a technology and media-rich business name to which innovation is tied, a phrase with a lot of significance and meaning to me as a female entrepreneur. I am from an entrepreneurial background. I guess I got it from my parents. I was destined to follow in their footsteps. In continuation to my journey in tech, in tertiary, I enrolled in what was then NIIT and studied accounting which paved the way and made me consider being in business and the rest as they say...is history.
What motivated you to pursue this career path?
I’ve always loved technology and how it can help enhance people’s experiences, whether in their professional life or home life. I believe I was taught or rather learned through observation from my parents’ business ventures never to limit myself as fortune favours the bold. To be precise, to be Bold, Brash and Brave. And also the fact that there were fewer female entrepreneurs in the technology sector worried me and the only way to change it was to be a part of it to make a difference, mostly for all the up and coming future female entrepreneurs including my daughters!
Women representation in senior and decision-making positions in tech is still unfortunately low in Botswana. As a woman in a tech senior position, what has been your experience?
For a lack of a better expression, I would say the journey has been an upheaval one. Being female was not the only challenge to surmount. The fact that I am female and youth was quite hard to fathom by my male counterparts. Being female and youth often made it tricky for my opinions and suggestions to be considered worthwhile. It often suggested if not implied my opinions (advice) would only have weight at home in the kitchen or doing house chores.
Although some cynics argue that women don’t want to work in tech, that’s a typical stereotype that can obscure the path to viable solutions. In truth, women can be excluded from tech by a variety of forces, but the evidence shows that women thrive in tech under the right conditions, bringing talent and innovation to resource-starved IT teams.
So what exactly are the right conditions for women? The same conditions under which anyone would thrive: encouragement; hands-on tech discovery in school; the presence of role models in leadership positions; mentorship; executive sponsorship; fair pay; workplace inclusion; and the flexibility to parent while employed.
The great news is that substantially increasing women’s involvement in technology is not a zero-sum game. The technology skills gap is well-documented, and there are more than enough job openings in technology to go around.
If there have been challenges as a result of this representation gap, how have you managed to surmount them?
SUPPORT! Support from my husband and the fact that my father was in business with my mother meant he considered her to be his equal. They worked together, took and made decisions together. The encouragement and support I am getting from my husband inspires me to want to do more and focus on what’s important and disregard what does not help me grow and excel in my journey. I have also enlisted the help of influential women who have excelled in their fields.
What do you think can be done to reduce this lack of representation?
Mentor Young Women - Getting one foot on the ladder is the easy part, but scaling it and smashing through the proverbial glass ceiling is the real challenge. Females in tech need access to mentoring from senior figures in order to learn the skills to break into the often impenetrable C-Suite. “Having someone to show you the ropes and guide you can significantly impact your future in a company,”. “When women are underrepresented, the importance of a senior female mentor takes even greater significance.”
Please tell us more about your company, The Wire Media Agency?
TheWire Media Agency (Pty) Ltd is an Information and Technology company that offers Smart Digital Workplace Solutions. Our core mission is to move the Motswana mindset from the traditional way of doing business and ensure a successful transformation into the digital era and in the process nurturing creativity and innovation in African enterprises. The Wire Media Agency is an Information and Technology Company that specializes in Information Technologies and Services, Digital Visitor Management Systems, Electronic Registers, Digital Notice Boards, Customer Management Systems and offers Smart Digital Workplace Solutions which includes :
- Digital Visitor Management solutions for Health Care, Residential Estates, for Business and for Mining
- Employee Screening- Mobile App, Face Recognition Access Control Terminal with Digital Detection Module, Wearables for Social Distancing & Contact Tracing
- eLearning Solutions - Digital Notice Boards
- Customer Feedback Systems
- WhatsApp for Businesses
The Wire Media Agency strives to deliver more efficient, effective, and relevant quality services and solutions tailored to the increasingly complex demands of organizations to boost the productivity of operations and to maximize value for existing and potential customers.
What was the motivation for starting The Wire Media Agency?
My intrinsic motivation for starting The Wire Media Agency was my vision to transform society and Batswana from a traditional way of doing business to a digital one.
As a technology company, what challenges have you faced operating in a somewhat technologically backwards environment like Botswana’s?
Our challenge has always been red tape and technology adaptation.
How have you been trying to overcome those challenges?
Educating decision-makers and sensitizing the workplace industries with advantages and benefits of technology implementation.
Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers regarding what The Wire Media Agency is up to, project-wise, currently and in the near future?
We are currently working on a project that will set Botswana on the right path as far as unified technologies are concerned; a home-grown technological advancement that will show the rest of Africa that Botswana is also a Technology & Innovation hub to be contended with.
What has been the proudest moment of your entrepreneurial journey so far?
When TheWire Media Agency provided its services to Botswana Development Corporation, Period!
What’s something you know now that you wish you knew earlier in your entrepreneurship journey?
That you have to first take a step before you can make any progress, procrastination is a dream killer.
If any, what is the best advice you have received in your journey?
Everyone should know their worth and not be afraid of advancing. Women are sometimes willing to sacrifice financial gains in their careers for other rewards. But to advance, you have to push forward and ask for what you want. The best advice I have ever received is “No matter what field you choose, remember to never give up on your dreams and always keep a positive attitude”. And no matter what roadblocks may come, women should never let anyone limit their potential.
What advice can you give to young girls who are also interested in pursuing a career in tech entrepreneurship?
“Don’t be intimidated” - Some women may feel reluctant to enter technology careers because they’re afraid they don’t have enough technical knowledge. However, having curiosity, not technological background, is the top reason one will succeed in careers in technology. Curiosity will inspire you to identify the problems and dig out the root causes. The biggest value Women In Technology entrepreneurs have added to society is identifying how to use “old” technologies to resolve “new” problems. In addition, careers in technology are not just about acquiring technical knowledge, but about demonstrating leadership and mentorship. Women are also good at handling interpersonal relationships and often attribute to overall harmony and quality of work environments.
Lastly, please share with our readers your contact details in case they want to get in touch with you
Our company webpage is https://www.thewiretech.africa ,
LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-wire-media-agency/mycompany/ ,
Instagram Page: https://www.instagram.com/thewiremedia.agency/
and lastly our Facebook Page: https://web.facebook.com/TheWireIT
Email: desiree@thewiretech.africa