Cindy Maléombho-Codo is a Brand and Marketing Consultant based between Austin Texas, Aix-en-Provence and Abidjan Côte D’Ivoire. She created Indoka Creative out of her love for entrepreneurship and her strong desire to genuinely sculpt brands. She wanted a place where she could help women-owned multicultural and african entrepreneurs and brands be seen, be heard, and stand out.
Her west african background and her travel adventures enabled her to be culturally diverse and allowed her to instantly connect on a deeper level with a variety of individuals. Armed with an undergraduate in Economics, a master’s degree in hospitality, restaurant, and event management, and 17+ years in event, marketing, sales, and business development, she teaches, coaches and consult other brands so we can ALL make it to the top.
Her ultimate goal is to help entrepreneurs and brands stand out while simultaneously impacting African women/girls through entrepreneurship and education.
Her west african background and her travel adventures enabled her to be culturally diverse and allowed her to instantly connect on a deeper level with a variety of individuals. Armed with an undergraduate in Economics, a master’s degree in hospitality, restaurant, and event management, and 17+ years in event, marketing, sales, and business development, she teaches, coaches and consult other brands so we can ALL make it to the top. Her ultimate goal is to help entrepreneurs and brands stand out while simultaneously impacting African women/girls through entrepreneurship and education.
- Leading Ladies Africa: If you could describe yourself with one word, what would it be?
Cindy Maléombho-Codo: One word that will describe me, I will say fun. I love having fun in business and life. I love it. yes.
- Leading Ladies Africa: How do you stay innovative as an entrepreneur? And Your Plans for your business In Five Years?
Cindy Maléombho-Codo: I have several ways, but two of the most important ones will be, a lot of people look at the
competition and look at what the competition is doing. And try to emanate what they’re doing, because they think it’s the right way to approach things and the right way to do things. What I would like for you to do is look at your competition and ask yourself the question, “How can I do this differently? How can I put my imprint on this to make it work for me, for my company?” That’s what you need to be doing.
And then second, what I do is I look at industries outside my industry. I look at art. I will also look at healthcare, hospitality, every food and beverage, all other industries and get inspiration from that. And then, try to look at what they’re doing and see again, how can I make it work for me? How can I make it work for my company? These are the two ways that I stay innovative in what I do and I also tell my clients to do.
In five years, I would like to have touched 100,000 multicultural and African women to really create their banking brand so they can live the life, live their dreams. And then, create jobs that impact the continent. That’s the goal. That’s the goal. That’s the training. That’s the vision.
- Leading Ladies Africa: Tips on how you handle when the going gets tough?
Cindy Maléombho-Codo: I mean, in everything, may that be in business or not, you have to do things with intention. You have to know your big why. You have to know what you’re doing. Why are you doing it. For me, serving women, especially multicultural and African women in business, develops their brands, so that they can create businesses that impact other people and have repercussions beyond themselves.
And Africa is my big why. It’s my big why. And when it gets tough, this is what gets me excited. This is what gets me moving. This is why I wipe my tears and get going, because there is a bigger thing than me. I mean, it’s good to have money and all these other things, but you have to have the big why. And you really have to take some time to develop that and to write that down. So that when it gets tough, this is where you go to get re-energized and get going.
- Leading Ladies Africa: Have you ever had any disappointments? If yes, how did you handle it?
Cindy Maléombho-Codo: I mean, that’s part of life. Right. But what I usually do is ask myself what space do I play in this? What did I play in this big disappointment? Because I always have something to play with. Did I want the situation to get a certain way? If I did, that’s an expectation that I shouldn’t have had. I take my lesson and move on.
- Leading Ladies Africa: Final words to entrepreneurs who want to go into this industry and women in our community?
Cindy Maléombho-Codo: If you want to get in any industry again, about any industry, may that be consultancy or anything else, get some knowledge. Meaning going back to school, or getting some online classes, or getting a coach to coach you through that. And then get some experience. If you don’t have experience, go get some. Go back to the workforce, or get an internship. Or get some friends and family together, ask them if you can do whatever you want to do for free or for a discounted rate so that you can get their testimonials and get social proof to put on your websites and to get more clients later. This is it. Go dream big, but most importantly, take action towards your dream.
The LLA Lady Boss Series is a weekly interview series that highlights the achievements and entrepreneurial journeys of African female entrepreneurs. The idea is to showcase the Leading Ladies who are transforming Africa and the African narrative through enterprise and business.
It is an off-shoot of Leading Ladies Africa, a non-profit that promotes leadership, inclusion and diversity for women of African descent.
If you know any kick-ass women of African Descent doing phenomenal things in enterprise, email lead@leadingladiesafrica.org, and she could possibly be featured.
