Background

Jane Okeoghene Akpaeva had recently launched a mental health and coaching business before joining Empower Her Ability. At the time, she believed she already had enough knowledge to manage the enterprise. However, her participation in the programme helped her recognize critical gaps in structured business planning, market strategy and customer acquisition.

The Challenge

Jane was operating in a difficult service area where many people still do not readily recognize mental health support as a professional service worth paying for. In her context, people often rely on family members or informal support systems rather than trained mental health or mediation professionals. This created a dual challenge: she had to grow a business while also helping potential clients understand the value of the service she offered.

She also encountered trust barriers during community engagement. Some people were skeptical of her outreach, making it harder to build relationships, attract clients and position her services clearly within the community.

Programme Support

Through Empower Her Ability, Jane received entrepreneurship training, mentorship and business development support. She learned how to write a business plan, develop market strategies, identify her target customers and improve customer acquisition. Mentorship was especially valuable, providing practical guidance and encouragement that helped her refine her business direction and build confidence.

The Change

Jane now approaches her business with a stronger entrepreneurial mindset and greater confidence. She reports improved self-esteem when engaging customers, stronger financial management and record-keeping practices, and a clearer understanding of how to position and grow her services. She has also become more deliberate about identifying the right audiences for her work and building trust with potential clients.

One important next step for Jane is to expand visibility through a planned mental health outreach to a school. This reflects her growing confidence not only as a business owner, but also as an advocate helping communities better understand the importance of mental health support.

Looking Ahead

Public awareness and acceptance of mental health services remain ongoing challenges. Jane remains committed to sustained advocacy, outreach and education so that more people can understand mental health support as a legitimate and valuable service.